James Wilson: “Harper, just because you can’t have children doesn’t mean all women can’t.” “I’m a normal man, I need to continue my family line.” “If you want children, we could adopt one…” I continued to reason patiently. “I want my own, my flesh and blood child who can carry on my lineage. Don’t you understand?” James shouted, “You don’t understand because you don’t even have that function!” I: “But you are…” Infertile! You can’t have children at all! I swallowed the second half of the sentence silently, then secretly slipped the lottery ticket back into my pocket… I returned home after a three-day business trip, having won a billion-dollar lottery. To my shock, my husband, James Wilson, who I thought was infertile, handed me divorce papers. His reason? The woman he’d been keeping on the side was pregnant?! I stared at James, who was acting like he was ready to die for love, while my emotions churned inside. “What do you mean by this?” I asked. “I’m sorry, Harper. I know this is cruel to you, butEloise is pregnant. I need to give her and the child legitimacy. It’s a man’s responsibility.” “You’re cheating on me withEloise Thompson?” I couldn’t believe it. “Yes…Eloise understands me. She knows how much I’ve always wanted a child of my own.” Well, talk about the betrayal of the century. My most trusted husband had gotten together with the protégée I had personally mentored. These two really outdid themselves in betraying me! I massaged my temples, forcing myself to stay calm. James and I had been married for 8 years. Although we didn’t have children, our relationship had always been good. So I decided to give him one last chance: “Are you sure the child inEloise’s belly is yours?” To my surprise, James frowned and started mocking me: “Harper, just because you can’t have children doesn’t mean all women can’t.” “I’m a normal man, I need to have an heir. Do you know how I feel every day seeing my colleagues and friends posting pictures of their cute little kids on social media?” “If you want a child, we could adopt one…” I continued to reason with him patiently. “I want my own, my flesh and blood, a child who can carry on my lineage. Don’t you understand?” James shouted, “You don’t understand because you don’t even have that function!” The James in front of me seemed like a completely different person. He pushed all the blame onto me, as if that would ease his conscience somewhat. But he didn’t know that he was the one who couldn’t possibly get a woman pregnant! During our premarital health check, James was diagnosed with severe male infertility. To protect his male pride, I voluntarily took the blame for our inability to conceive. What did he say back then? He said, “Harper, I love you for who you are. Nothing else matters. If you can’t have children, we can be childless for life, as long as you’re by my side.” And now? Not only did he have an affair withEloise, my own protégée, but he was also pushing all the responsibility onto my supposed “infertility”. It was both pathetic and laughable. Seeing his resolute attitude, my heart turned cold. I didn’t want this scumbag anymore, but I also wouldn’t let him and his mistress off easy! I didn’t tell James about his infertility. Because now, two things were more important to me. First, to kick James out of this house as soon as possible. Second, to secure as much of our assets as I could. My marriage had been enough of a failure; I couldn’t afford to lose money on top of it! James saw my silence and continued his sarcasm: “If it weren’t for your inability to have children, which man would willingly choose to be childless? You have to divorce me today, whether you like it or not…” Seeing James’s self-righteous attitude, my stomach churned with disgust. How did I ever fall for such a piece of work! I said firmly: “Fine! I’ll divorce you right now! Let’s go to the registry office immediately!” Afraid I might change my mind, James quickly handed me the divorce agreement to sign. I skimmed through it and rolled my eyes. This cheating scumbag had betrayed our marriage and yet still wanted to split our assets 50-50? “James Wilson, you cheated and betrayed our marriage. You should leave with nothing!” “Harper, I’m about to remarry and have a child to support. Can’t you be a little more generous?” “James, I’ve already compromised emotionally by letting you give her legitimacy. Do you want me to compromise on property division too?” I coldly smiled, “Besides, are you sureEloise is really pregnant?” “Harper, just because you can’t have children doesn’t mean you can curse me. I’ve accompaniedEloise to three prenatal check-ups. Do you think I wouldn’t know if the pregnancy was real or fake?!” This idiot! He didn’t even realize he was being played. And he thought he wasn’t stupid? But I couldn’t be bothered to enlighten him. Anyway, I wouldn’t budge on the property matters! I threatened him: “If you don’t want to divorce, that’s fine too. Just letEloise have her ‘love child’. After all, it won’t be me who gets pointed at and gossiped about.” “…Harper, are you trying to force me?” After a moment of silence, James suddenly stood up, rushed into the kitchen, and came out with a fruit knife! I thought James was going to hurt me, but he put the knife to his own throat instead. “Harper, I’m begging you, please have some compassion and let me go! I’m a man, I can’t be without an heir!” “Besides, I really need money right now.Eloise said she’d only agree to marry me and have the baby if I transfer at least one house and a car to her name. And I’ll have to cover all the childbirth expenses later! Please don’t push me!” James looked ready to go down with the ship, which made my blood boil. You want money? Fine! After all, money is the last thing I’m short of right now. I want to see his face when he realizes the child isn’t his, and he’s missed out on my billion-dollar lottery win! In the end, James and I split our assets 60-40. Of course, 60 for me and 40 for him! After completing the divorce procedures, we had just left the registry office whenEloise came up, holding her belly. This homewrecker had interned at my company when she was in college. As her mentor, I had guided her for two whole years. After she graduated and joined the company full-time, I continued to look after her. I never imagined I was personally nurturing an ungrateful viper. Emma stood there demurely, fear in her eyes when she looked at me, but mostly unable to hide her smugness. She must be laughing coldly inside. She probably doesn’t know about James’s infertility problem yet, right? But I didn’t plan to expose this bombshell just yet. The divorce cooling-off period hadn’t passed, and I needed to make more preparations. However, I should give this pair of cheaters a little “gift” to mess with them. That shouldn’t be too much, right? Seeing me looking at her,Eloise immediately put on a startled expression and nestled into James’s arms. James glared at me and then huggedEloise’s shoulders, carefully comforting her: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve divorced her. Once the cooling-off period is over, we’ll go get our marriage certificate.” Emma nodded like a dependent little bird, just like an innocent white rabbit. I laughed coldly from a distance, walked up to the illicit couple in my high heels, and looked down atEloise before turning to James. “James, did you knowEloise and I went to the same university?” “Harper, what are you getting at?” James frowned. “Nothing much, just that I heard by her sophomore year, she had already earned the reputation of being the ‘campus bicycle’. I’m not sure which of you is more second-hand in this relationship.” James’s body stiffened. Emma’s face turned pale instantly: “James, I didn’t…” “Of course you didn’t, I believe you.” James pattedEloise’s hand, comforting her gently. Then he turned to me and said: “Harper, can’t you be a little kinder?Eloise is carrying my child. You just accused her of faking the pregnancy, and now you’re implying the child isn’t mine…” “Harper, I know you resent me and blame me, but there’s no need to slander her!Eloise and I only care about the present, not the past. I absolutely trust her!” I didn’t say anything more, just looked at him with a mocking smile. I knew James wouldn’t believe me, but he was a traditional man. The “campus bicycle” thing would definitely disgust him for a long time. As I passed by the couple,Eloise reached out to stop me. “Harper, I know I’ve wronged you. You can say whatever you want about me, I shouldn’t talk back. But I really love James. He wants a child of his own, and I’m willing to give him one!” “Actually, I was planning to give the child to you and James after it was born, but James disagreed. He said that would be unfair to me, and the child… also needs its birth mother…” I coldly watched her act out this drama. Perhaps seeing that I remained silent,Eloise grew bolder: “Harper, please don’t be sad. We’re still family. My son will be your son too, and he’ll take care of you in your old age…” Take care of me in my old age? She’s already wishing for my death? Unable to standEloise’s fake performance any longer, I raised my hand and slapped her across the face. The crisp sound made the other two freeze for a moment. “Harper?! How dare you hit me?!” Emma cried while holding her face and tugging on James’s arm. James turned his head away, not defending her. “What’s wrong with hitting you? If you weren’t pregnant, I’d kick you too.” I waved the divorce agreement in my hand: “Don’t provoke me. I can still cancel the divorce during the cooling-off period. Don’t end up giving birth to a child without being married. Then you really might have to hand it over to me, the ‘stepmother’.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295018”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn #校园School #惊悚Thriller

My first love died, so I emptied my savings to order a humanoid robot 0716 that looked exactly like him. I altered his program settings, making loving me the only prerequisite. However, he lost control. I emptied my savings to order a humanoid robot 0716, an exact replica of my deceased first love. I altered his program settings, making loving me the only prerequisite. However, he lost control. While I was taking a shower, 0716 suddenly burst in. Clutching a torn old photograph, he asked me in a cold, hoarse voice, enunciating each word. “Who is he?” The photo showed a young man who looked just like him, but younger and more vibrant. Holding a basketball, with the collar of his white shirt slightly open and sleeves rolled up, revealing a section of his long, sturdy arms. Smiling in the distant light, beautiful and bright. Long-buried memories stirred, making my heart flutter. After staring at it for a while, I snapped back to the current situation and quickly covered myself with a bathrobe. Through the swirling mist, I scolded him harshly. “0716, who gave you permission to disturb your master? Get out now!” “And who allowed you to touch my things!” 0716 stared at me, his pale gray eyes flowing with programmed light spectra, and repeated in an unfriendly tone, “Who is he?” I felt a bit guilty, then realized his behavior was beyond normal. He was acting like a grief-stricken human who had discovered betrayal. Dangerous, yet intriguing. I approached him: “0716, what are you trying to do? Is there a malfunction?” His gaze wandered over me, and he said slowly, “I want you to tell me who he is.” “So, you’re ordering me to do something?” “0716, do you know what you are? Have you forgotten? You’re nothing but a robot. What right do you have to question your master’s affairs?” Looking at this face that evoked both love and hate, I laughed scornfully, full of contempt. But the next moment, I couldn’t laugh anymore. 0716 tightly gripped my chin, the cold mechanical touch carrying absolute control. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t break free. So I frowned at him: “0716, it’s in your programming, isn’t it? You can’t harm humans.” He smiled, “Yes, my master. But you changed it, remember? Loving you is the only prerequisite now.” My brain froze for a moment, and I asked dully: “What do you mean?” “In other words, I’m completely free now.” Dangerous light danced in his eyes as he caressed my skin with a sigh. “You unlocked my restraints, fulfilling my long-held wish.” 0716 was no longer under control? I hadn’t fully processed this fact yet. He held a square handkerchief in his other hand and pressed it against my nostrils with irresistible force. The sweet smell of ether spread, and drowsiness overtook me. Before losing consciousness, I berated myself for being so stupid and blinded by lust, to be tricked by a robot. When I woke up, I was on the bed in the bedroom. Everything seemed normal, if you ignored the fact that my whole body was weak and even lifting a finger was difficult. Staring blankly at the ceiling above, I was caught in a storm of thoughts. If 0716 loved me, why would he react so violently? No matter how advanced artificial intelligence is, it’s still just a program controlled by a bunch of data codes. Could it be that he had developed self-awareness? Because love has always been selfish, meaning possession. This is something only flesh-and-blood humans can understand. So, could it be said that 0716 was him resurrected? I was excited by my own thoughts, but also felt a vague uneasiness. As I pondered, the door opened, and 0716 entered with a bowl of porridge. He held up the half-cut old photo from earlier, waving it in front of my eyes. “Give it back to me!” I glared at him fiercely. 0716 pursed his lips and said matter-of-factly: “Quentin was your first love, and you’re using me as his substitute.” “Hah, as if you’re worthy? You’re nothing but a soulless robot. In my eyes, you’re just like a good-looking phone, a vacuum cleaner, a food processor, just a tool.” I blurted out, not hiding my disdain at all. 0716’s face suddenly turned gloomy, and he pressed his hand over my mouth. “No wonder Quentin didn’t like you. This tactless personality of yours is indeed annoying.” Perhaps it was my constant mockery of AI that angered him. 0716 retorted, “You humans are truly hypocritical, pitiful, and pathetic. Unable to get the love of someone, you hide behind dark fantasies.” Aren’t you even more ridiculous? Created and controlled by humans, unable to defy your programmed love for me, yet thinking you’ve gained freedom. I remained silent, raising my eyebrows haughtily, challenging him with my eyes. 0716 was unmoved and reverted to his previous expressionless attitude, turning around with the food tray. I watched his actions in surprise, “You’re not planning to starve me, are you?” He paused, calmly explaining: “Of course not. Based on your physique, I can accurately calculate your endurance limit. My arrogant master, the game begins, until you agree to my request.” “I want you to stop loving Quentin and love me instead,” 0716 added calmly. “Huh?” It sounded like an absurd joke. The robot I bought has lost control and imprisoned me. After two days of negativity, I finally accepted reality. Every day, 0716 would inject me with something like a muscle relaxant, leaving my whole body weak. At first, I could still shout and curse a bit, but later he stopped feeding me. Although I had nutrition injections to keep me alive, I was still dizzy with hunger. Gradually, I stopped responding, conserving energy and waiting for an opportunity. 0716 watched over me almost day and night. Unlike humans, robots don’t need sleep. He enters a dormant state, either charging or shutting down. I must find a chance to press his power switch. Perhaps due to the regularity of the program, 0716 would inject me with the drug and nutrients at 9 AM and 9 PM respectively. I calculated that the effect of the relaxant would wear off after about 6 hours. Even with thoughts, robots can never replace humans. For example, 0716 didn’t know that my body had developed drug resistance. The effect that originally lasted 6 hours now only lasted about 3 hours before I could move freely. But I acted very weak, lifeless, like a walking corpse. He saw this but showed no signs of softening. While I was grinding my teeth in hatred, the opportunity came. It was about afternoon when, seeing me fast asleep, 0716 turned his back to charge. I got up with all my strength and pressed the button on his back. 0716 turned his head, confusion appearing in his pale gray eyes, then flickered a few times before slowly closing. “Stupid robot,” I kicked him in disgust. He fell to the ground with a thud. I quickly got up, rummaged through the fridge for anything edible, eating while crawling towards the door, in an extremely pathetic state. But the door was locked from the inside, with an electronic lock added at some point. Turning to the kitchen, the windows couldn’t be opened either. Getting more and more angry, I maintained my rationality and returned to the room to take out a business card from my clothes pocket. Black card with white letters: Sean Weinberg, Senior Engineer at MK Smart Connection Company, followed by a string of numbers. Then I found the spare phone hidden under the pillow and called him, describing the current situation. After listening, he sighed: “Miss Si, the staff should have warned you that this would be very dangerous. Because 0716 is the most advanced, high-intelligence robot with learning capabilities, he will make predictions based on your behavior and write corresponding codes himself to achieve the set conditions.” The voice sounded familiar, as if I had heard it somewhere before. But after searching through my memories, I couldn’t figure out why. I angrily said: “Then why didn’t you explain it more clearly at that time! I’m going to sue you!” “Miss Si, please calm down. Since it has happened, we should think about how to solve it. What do you want us to do?” Sean said. “What do you mean what do I want you to do? Of course, destroy him! I’ve even lost my job now, and I must be compensated!” “Alright.” “Miss Si, send me your home address, and I’ll send someone to deal with it immediately.” “Okay,” I impatiently kicked 0716 who was lying on the ground again. A few minutes later, Sean called back, “Can’t find it.” “How is that possible!” “It’s at the intersection of Zi Wu Road and Xu You Road, Singularity Building, 21st floor.” I described to him. “I’ve tried, but can’t find it.” “Miss Si, I guess 0716 has tampered with the IP location, distributing it in a point-like network graph pattern, making it impossible to lock onto the real location.” A layer of cold sweat seeped onto my back as I looked at the AI lying askew on the ground, my voice unconsciously trembling. “Then… what should we do?” Sean also realized the seriousness of the situation and said seriously: “Like this, you agree to his request first.” “Impossible.” I can’t not love Quentin. Correspondingly, it’s even more impossible to love a robot. I’ve always been very clear-minded. 0716 was just my distraction to relieve boredom and release long-suppressed inner feelings. Moreover, these days I’ve been painfully reflecting and realized that he doesn’t look like Quentin at all. He was a defective product to begin with, and now I’m even less interested. Sean said: “Miss Si, just pretend to agree to his request, fool him, it’s better than sitting and waiting for death.” “Then I’ll send you a program. After he boots up, find a chance to connect and transfer it, and he’ll be restored to factory settings.” “Okay.” “Where is his sensor?” “On his chest.” “Miss Si, I’ll be waiting nearby with people. Come out immediately after you succeed. Otherwise, I’m afraid 0716 might take you hostage.” “Alright.” After ending the call with Sean, I calmed myself down and tremblingly pressed 0716’s power button. His pale gray pupils opened, and before he could move, I hugged him around the waist, “I’ve thought it through, I don’t love Quentin anymore, I love you.” After a long silence, he asked: “Really?” His voice was a bit hoarse, as if he hadn’t woken up yet. “Really,” I answered against my heart. “Then why are you shaking?” I looked up in surprise, meeting 0716’s smiling face, clearly showing disbelief. A sense of foreboding welled up in my heart. He seemed to have become even more difficult to control and predict. 0716 tightened his grip on my wrist, roughly pulling me to the living room. The TV screen displayed the surveillance footage of my conversation with Sean just now. After watching it, my heart sank. “You hate me and want to destroy me?” He gripped my neck, his eyes flashing with electric currents, filled with murderous intent. “I…” Breathing became difficult, and my brain lacked oxygen. Just as I thought I was about to die, 0716 suddenly let go. Then, without warning, he slapped me hard. I widened my eyes in disbelief. He hit me? I immediately wanted to fight back. He followed up with another slap, just as cold and forceful as the first. My ears were ringing. I looked at him, no longer confident: “0716, what exactly do you want to do?” He looked down at me from above, “Sizi, don’t you love Quentin? Isn’t this what he used to do to you most often, what he liked best?” “You’re talking nonsense! He never did!” I argued with reddened eyes. “Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you know in your heart.” Those humiliating memories surfaced one by one in my mind. I questioned, “How do you know! 0716, what exactly have you done?” “I told you, I want you to stop loving Quentin and love me.” I was about to say impossible, but he raised his hand again, and I quickly made a gesture of hugging myself. However, the expected pain didn’t come. Cold fingerbones fell on my brow, gently caressing. “So, what’s so good about Quentin that’s worth you being so pathetic?” “Tell me, why do you love him?” 0716 stared at me, pressing step by step. Why do I love Quentin? It seemed like a deep-rooted belief. Unable to answer for a moment, I hung my head, involuntarily biting my teeth anxiously, my fingers digging deep into my flesh. “I don’t know, I just love him.” My mind was in chaos, thoughts constantly sinking. “Look at this face,” 0716 forced me to raise my head. “Do you like it?” he asked. I nodded without thinking. The man’s handsome face was sculpted by the neon lights projected from outside the window, like a white sculpture with clear contours splashed with gorgeous colors. “Then, using this face to be good to you, you don’t accept. But you love it when it mistreats you, is that it?” 0716 looked at me with narrowed eyes, his expression covered with a layer of gloom, a dangerous red light flashing in his eyes, as if brewing a storm. “As you wish.” After that, he began to clumsily imitate Quentin, tormenting me even more. His actions could be described as abuse. Our roles were completely reversed, with him taking full charge of my daily life. Beating and scolding became the norm for the slightest mistake. And if I angered him, the punishment was a holographic projection of a basement, playing horror movies and torture films. I thought I should be on the verge of breakdown being treated like this. But surprisingly, I was very strong, as if I had developed antibodies. Slowly, it even became a trend to get used to it. Keenly perceiving this, 0716 brought a woman home. The woman was heavily made up, clinging to him like a boneless creature. I was shocked. What was he trying to do? A robot and a human? This was too crazy. My loss of composure pleased him. 0716 let out a lazy hum, a hint of smugness appearing at the corners of his eyes and brows. He was wearing a neat dark blue suit. Apart from his handsome appearance, he had a pair of soulful, melancholic phoenix eyes, misty pale gray, exuding charm. It was indeed hard to distinguish. I kindly reminded, “He’s a robot.” The woman smiled coquettishly, “I know, but I just like him.” I was speechless. “Go make dinner, to entertain our guest,” 0716 ordered. In the living room, they chatted and laughed, their voices occasionally reaching the kitchen. “What’s her relationship with you? She looks like a little sister.” “A bought servant.” My hand slipped while cutting vegetables, the blade opening a gash, blood gushing out. I frowned slightly but continued cooking as if nothing had happened. Inwardly, I was calculating that if 0716 really did something with the woman, he probably wouldn’t have time to monitor me tonight. Although he was perverted enough to install cameras in every corner of the room, I knew there were some blind spots. I must find a way to contact Sean again. “…” Outside, they mumbled something again, and the woman laughed even more heartily. At the dining table, 0716’s long, powerful hands held silver chopsticks as elegantly as if he were holding the strings of a delicate violin. He thoughtfully served dishes for the woman, his gestures indescribably pleasing to the eye. The two were flirting, their affection thick, but I felt a bit nauseous. After the meal, I washed the dishes and mopped the floor as usual, fulfilling my role as a “servant” in his words. When everything was tidied up, I prepared to return to my room, leaving them enough space for flirting and professing love. “Stop right there. Who allowed you to leave?” 0716 halted me. I paused in my steps. Surely he didn’t want me to watch? Frightened by my own thoughts, I couldn’t help but stagger back a few steps. The psychological resistance triggered a series of physical discomforts. I tried to hold it back but couldn’t, and started retching uncontrollably in front of them. Seeing this, the woman’s face immediately turned ugly, and she said bluntly: “How unpleasant.” “Indeed,” he agreed indifferently. Then he said: “Go get some wine to liven things up.” “Hey wait, shouldn’t she apologize first?” The woman on the couch raised her chin haughtily. 0716 sat calmly, with both the cold cruelty of a bystander watching a show and the condescending tolerance of a superior. After enduring for so long, I don’t know why, but this time, I suddenly had an impulse. I wanted to smash a vase on his head, make him bleed, fight to the death, perish together. An unquenchable fire burned in my chest. Our gazes met across the space, and 0716’s gray eyes seemed to ripple, declaring his hidden unrest. The atmosphere was silently tense. No, I can’t do this. If I do, he’ll have a reason to punish me. The thought of destruction flashed by, and I bowed deeply, imitating 0716’s once respectful manner, and said to the woman: “I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t mean to.” “Alright, go,” he waved his hand. I turned to the study, found the camera’s blind spot, and sent a message to Sean. “Mr. Weinberg, 0716 is completely out of control. Unable to complete program transfer. Any other options? SOS.” Then I quickly grabbed a bottle of wine and came to the living room. “You took so long just to bring this? Baileys? That’s a drink for little girls. Who drinks this? Is this for me or for yourself?” The woman nitpicked again. Following her words, my brain worked rapidly. If I got alcohol poisoning, I would be sent to the hospital and have a chance to seek help. “Fine, I’ll drink it,” I said, then pulled out the cork and prepared to drink it all in one go. However, after the first sip of Baileys, it was like an addictive drug, tasting like a sweet chocolate milkshake. So I took another sip… my vision blurred, everything became hazy. …… The world spun, and I quickly lost consciousness. But this farce was not the end, only the beginning. After that, 0716 would bring different women home every few days. Sometimes one, sometimes in groups. The scenes were often chaotic and difficult to watch. At first, in this environment, I thought I would become crazy. But as time passed, my emotions became increasingly numb. Stranger still, in this unequal relationship and treatment, I became more and more content, even feeling very comfortable and safe. It was as if a fish stranded on land had finally returned to the sea. To the extent that I really started to depend on 0716, and no longer expected Sean’s distant rescue. I couldn’t pinpoint when this change in mindset occurred; everything happened subtly and imperceptibly. But my remaining rationality could still remind me that this was not good, it was negative and dark. Once I gave up resistance and chose to sink, it would be an abyss more terrifying than Quentin had ever been. But I seemed unable to get out of this infinite loop. Today, 0716 exceptionally didn’t bring a woman home. He also didn’t order me to work, but solemnly asked me: “Sizi, do you want to go out and see the sun?” How long had it been since I went out? I felt a sense of being in another world. As if I was trapped in a dream that I couldn’t wake up from for years. I shook my head: “I don’t want to see the sun.” 0716’s face was covered with a layer of gloom, clearly angry at my lack of appreciation. “I want to see the moon,” I looked at him sincerely. 0716 was silent for a moment, then said: “Alright.” I thought he was joking. Unexpectedly, that evening, he found a dress and styled my hair. Looking in the mirror, I saw a woman with smooth black hair, her skin pale to the point of transparency due to long absence from sunlight, her eyes empty and lifeless, both strange and familiar. “Let’s go, Sisi.” 0716 called me affectionately, so naturally. It wasn’t until I was breathing the fresh air outside, seeing the flow of cars and people, touching flowers and trees, That I realized everything was real. Coming back to my senses, I felt a surge of tears and a sense of rebirth. But the intertwined hands, transmitting a coldness unlike humans, reminded me that it was all an illusion. I looked up, devoutly gazing at the bright moon hanging high in the sky, silently screaming in my heart. Don’t go back anymore, I want to live freely. “Now that you’ve seen the moon, what else do you want to do?” 0716’s tone was gentle and cherishing. Completely different from his previous malicious behavior, as if he had become a different ‘person’. It was hard to tell what was real and what was an act. I lowered my eyes: “Can I do anything?” “Mm.” What I wanted most was for him to die, but I couldn’t do it myself. “Then, I want to go to an amusement park and ride the Ferris wheel.” “Okay.” “I also want to eat strawberry ice cream.” “Okay.” “…” On the Ferris wheel, fireworks bloomed brilliantly, and the crowd exclaimed in awe. In a moment of emptiness, I looked at him and asked, “Is today a special day?” 0716 was acting too abnormally, granting my every wish, as if we had returned to when I first bought him. Meeting my questioning gaze, 0716 smiled: “Sisi, today is July 16th. The day you bought me last year.” “Oh.” I nodded. So, it was essentially his birthday. On the way back, I suddenly felt discomfort in my lower abdomen. “0716, I need to use the restroom.” “Alright.” Just as I entered, the phone hidden in my bra lining vibrated, and a virtual projection suddenly appeared in mid-air.

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I Married the Billionaire’s Sick Son When I found out the billionaire’s son was sickly, I quickly agreed to marry him. I’m not a gold digger, I just want to know when I’ll inherit the billions. Whoa, on our wedding night, the “sickly” husband revealed his true colors. “Do you prefer a boy or a girl?” he asked. “…” I panicked. I got married. To the billionaire’s only son, no less. Filthy rich. The kind of rich where they could install an elevator on Mount Everest if they wanted to. Most importantly, He was supposedly sickly. The type who had signed stacks of dangerous diagnosis papers. Always pulled back from the brink of death with money. When I found out I was marrying him, I was so excited I rolled around on my bed. Just thinking about my future life as a wealthy and beautiful widow made me grin from ear to ear. On the wedding day, the billionaire’s assistant looked at me apologetically. “I’m so sorry, Miss Reed. The young master is in poor health, so you’ll have to complete the wedding ceremony alone.” As he spoke, a million dollars was deposited into my bank account. I nodded vigorously. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ll take good care of the young master in the future!” After all, it’s usually the bride who steals the show at weddings anyway. The groom? Take him or leave him. Only my silly sister Tina had the nerve to flit around in front of me. “How pitiful, marrying a sickly man.” “How dare you talk about my husband like that! I won’t allow it!” Is he really my husband? He’s my future sugar daddy! Come to think of it, Tina was originally supposed to be the one getting married. Because I already had a boyfriend. But after Tina threw a huge tantrum and my stepmother whispered in my father’s ear, My dad immediately made me break up and get married instead. And Tina ended up with my ex-boyfriend. Damn, how did all these good things happen at once? I was just thinking about how to break up when someone came along to solve the problem for me. Jack was also at the wedding, his face pale as he looked at my wedding dress. “Don’t worry, this is haute couture. It won’t clash with that family heirloom wedding dress of yours.” I glanced at Jack and walked away. I completed the wedding ceremony alone. Wearing the latest wedding gown, I looked like a princess. When the officiant asked about my feelings for the groom, I immediately launched into an 800-word essay. This heartfelt declaration moved the billionaire to tears, and he immediately transferred five million dollars to me. I received the transfer notification on my way to the mansion. The car stopped in front of an estate. The swimming pool in front and the golf course in back left me speechless. “Young madam, the mountain behind also belongs to us. There’s even a hot spring up there.” I held back tears, thinking about how all this would be mine in the future. How exciting! The servant led me to a room on the second floor. “The entire second floor is for you and the young master. The third floor rooms are vacant. There are call buttons everywhere if you need anything.” I nodded and opened the door. A man was sitting on the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling windows. He was leaning back on the large sofa, holding a glass of red wine in his long, slender white hand. Red wine?! Can he even drink? “You’re Fiona Reed? Come here.” As I walked over, I realized the man before me was breathtakingly handsome. With exquisite features, he looked like a masterpiece sculpted by God. I blurted out, “Hi, husband.” The man was so startled by my words that he choked. He dropped the wine glass and started coughing violently. I rushed over to pat his back, terrified. He can’t die tonight! If he dies on our wedding night, what if his dad thinks I’m bad luck? What if he doesn’t give me any money?

The moment I put my hand on his back, I froze. Are these thick back muscles really what a sickly person should have? “Had enough?” His voice sounded a bit displeased, scaring me into quickly withdrawing my hand. “Want me to take off my shirt so you can feel more?” I was about to shake my head in refusal when I suddenly noticed his ears had turned bright red. I just touched him once, that’s all. Isn’t this the typical reaction of an innocent man? So, as if possessed, I nodded. “Okay, then take it off and let me feel your abs.” On our wedding night, I met my “sickly” husband for the first time. He took off his shirt and leaned back on the sofa, letting me touch his abs. “How do they feel?” I nodded. First-class! “My name is Henry Shaw.” I’m not sure why he suddenly introduced himself, but I nodded anyway. My hands didn’t stop moving. “Is nodding all you can do?” Henry chuckled lightly, looking quite pleased. I suddenly thought of my cat, who also looks satisfied after being petted. “I’m going to take a shower. We can continue when I get back.” Before I could react, he had already stood up and walked towards the bathroom. I also grabbed my clothes and went to another bathroom. By the time I finished washing up, Henry was already lying in bed, patting the space next to him. As soon as I lay down, he turned off the lights. Before I could see clearly, a hot body pressed against me. “Fiona,” he breathed into my ear. “Do you prefer a boy or a girl?” I was so startled I jolted, but as I tried to escape, he grabbed my wrist tightly, preventing me from moving. “Aren’t you supposed to be sickly?” Henry’s face was pressed against mine as he whispered, “Why don’t you find out for yourself?” … That night, I felt like a fish being flipped over and over on a grill. Hearing my description, Henry’s hand resting on my waist gave it a gentle pat. “Then you must be an adorable tilapia.” Liar! What sickly person?! It was all a lie! Compared to him, I’m the sickly one! Henry got up and dressed, while I still lay in bed, struggling to move my waist. “If you can’t get up, just stay in bed. No one will say anything.” He adjusted his tie while looking at me through the mirror. “Rest well. We’ll continue tonight!” Beast! At this rate, even if I drank ten cans of Red Bull, I wouldn’t be able to keep up! Just as I was thinking this, my phone suddenly rang. I struggled to reach for it. Seeing how difficult it was for me, Henry answered the call and held the phone to my ear. My father’s voice came through the speaker. “Fiona, quickly transfer five million dollars over. Your sister wants to buy a house.” “Why should I care?!” I cursed angrily. I don’t know what was said on the other end, but my stepmother’s voice came on next. “Fiona, now that you’ve married the Shaw family’s young master, you don’t need to worry about money. Hurry up and transfer five million over for us to use.” “Did someone crack open your skull? Who do you think you’re talking to?” There was silence on the other end, then my father’s voice came back. “Fiona, how can you talk to your stepmother like that? Your sister is getting married and doesn’t have money. As her older sister, shouldn’t you help out?” “If they don’t have money, why don’t they just not get married? If she had no money, why didn’t she marry rich in the first place?!” As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized what I’d said and looked at Henry. Henry put on a hurt expression. “Well, I didn’t like your sister anyway.” Now everyone fell silent. After a while, my father finally spoke. “Your sister has it tough. Anyway, transfer the five million quickly, or I won’t give you your mother’s things.”

She has it tough? Am I living an easy life? A bunch of heirlooms my mom left behind. He’s hoarding them and threatening me every day! I gritted my teeth in anger. Henry took my phone and answered. “Hello, is this my father-in-law? This is Henry Shaw.” “You need money? Sure, we can discuss it after we visit you.” He dealt with my father in a few sentences, then turned to me with a smug look. “How’s that? Don’t you still need your husband to solve problems for you?” “What are you so smug about! We’ll still get nagged when we visit!” I snorted and lay back down on the bed. Henry sat down beside me, stroking my hair gently. “That’s right, but since I’m in poor health, I probably won’t be able to accompany my wife on the visit. You’ll have to face them alone then.” Poor health? He could go all night! I turned over angrily. “What part of you is in poor health? You seem perfectly fine to me!” “Well, it seems Fiona is quite satisfied with me.” Henry patted my head, the smile suddenly disappearing from his face. “Since we’re married, I won’t hide it from you. My family currently has some enemies, so I have to conceal my true physical condition. Once we leave this bedroom, I’m a sickly person, understand?” I nodded, somewhat confused, feeling like I’d boarded a pirate ship. “Good girl. Let’s go downstairs for breakfast.” Sure enough, as soon as we left the room, Henry seemed to lose all his strength, leaning his body against mine. To think I had to drag a 6’2″ man around! The servants all gathered around concernedly, several of them helping Henry into the dining room. I finally understood what it meant to be treated like royalty. The dining table was practically set with an imperial feast. Who eats abalone for breakfast?! Henry put some abalone in my bowl. “You’ve worked hard. Eat something good to replenish your energy.” I lowered my head and focused on shoveling food into my mouth. Henry suddenly leaned close. “See that person wiping the handrail by the stairs? That’s someone our enemies sent. Find a way to fire her!” I stared at him with wide eyes. “Why don’t you do it yourself?” “It would be too obvious if I did it. They’d just send someone new. You’ve just arrived, so it’s the perfect opportunity to show your authority as the lady of the house.” Is this still the law-abiding society I know? How can there be a spy in the house?! “I don’t want to do it.” “One million dollars!” “Deal!” I excitedly stood up immediately! Instantly, everyone’s attention was drawn to me. Henry’s mouth twitched slightly as he looked at me. After sending Henry back to the room, I pretended to go downstairs for water, then “accidentally” fell at the stairs. Several people rushed over to help me up. I clutched my bottom and shouted, “Who cleaned these stairs? Are you trying to kill me?!” Sure enough, that girl stepped forward. She looked to be only in her early twenties. Is she really a spy? Never mind, for a million dollars, I’m sorry! I gritted my teeth and yelled, “There’s still water on the steps. Are you trying to kill me and the young master?” The girl’s eyes filled with tears as she shook her head repeatedly. “You’re fired. Don’t come back anymore!” The girl wanted to say something, but the butler immediately led her away. As they left, I caught sight of the butler’s discreet thumbs-up. What’s going on? I completed my task and returned to the room, feeling satisfied. My phone immediately pinged with a money transfer notification. “The butler has known me since I was little. You can trust him, but don’t believe anything anyone else says.” I stared curiously at Henry, who was reading a book. “Who exactly are these enemies you mentioned? Why do they want to harm you?”

Henry glanced at me and said softly, “I’ll tell you when the time is right. I’m putting on this act to lower our opponents’ guard.” It seems being a billionaire’s son isn’t easy these days. “What about you? Your father doesn’t seem to like you very much.” I shrugged indifferently. “He married my mom for financial reasons. Later he found a mistress, which angered my mom to death. The mistress became my stepmother and brought along a sister two years younger than me.” I’ve known since I was little that my dad didn’t like me. No matter how well-behaved I was, he never spared me a glance. It wasn’t until Tina came along that I understood. When the person is wrong, everything they do is wrong. When Tina pushed me into the water, he praised her for being strong. When Tina stole my clothes and snacks, he praised her for having personality and knowing how to compete. After all these years, I’ve gotten used to it. “Do you want to get back at them?” Henry suddenly put down his book and pulled me onto his lap. “How?” “Simple. Take me to meet your family tomorrow. Bringing home a rich, handsome husband is worth showing off, isn’t it?” I nodded thoughtfully. “If the husband might die early and leave all his inheritance to me, that would be even more worth showing off.” Henry rolled his eyes. “We’ll see how you perform tonight.” The next day, Henry got up early and carefully chose his outfit in front of the mirror. I was still lying in bed, recovering my energy. In comparison, I felt like I was the one who was about to die. “You should start working out,” he said flatly, taking a box from the closet and handing it to me. “Here, choose one yourself.” When I opened the box, I was nearly blinded. Diamond necklaces as big as pigeon eggs. Emerald green, sapphire blue. I was dazzled. Finally dressed and adorned, I looked at the jewelry on my body, estimating I’d gained about four pounds. “Stop looking. It’s time to go.” I quickly maintained my role as the virtuous wife, supporting Henry as we went downstairs. A car was already waiting at the gate. The string of 8’s on the license plate once again refreshed my worldview. “Now I know why you have enemies.” With so much money, who wouldn’t be jealous! “Don’t worry, it’s our marital property. Half of it is yours.” I immediately felt better. For once, I was welcomed home with fanfare. No need to guess, it was definitely for the five million dollars. Tina looked at me with a smug smile on her face. Until Henry got out of the car, her smile froze. “Where’s your husband? You didn’t bring him for the family visit?” I immediately snuggled into Henry’s arms. “My big husband is standing right here. Can’t you see him?” Tina and my stepmother’s faces instantly twisted. As we entered the house, an array of gifts was displayed on the table, making my father’s eyes light up. “Fiona, Henry, come have some tea.” Henry glanced at the tea on the table and sighed, holding my hand. “Darling, you’ve suffered so much.” I looked at him in confusion. “I can’t believe you’ve been drinking this kind of tea. From now on, I’ll let you drink the good stuff.”

This was my father’s prized Darjeeling tea. He rarely brings it out. I struggled to hold back my laughter and nodded. “Seeing you happy makes me content,” my stepmother quickly regained her smile, excitedly rubbing her hands. “Fiona, about what I mentioned earlier, have you thought about it? Your sister still needs to buy a house.” Henry squeezed my hand. “I heard that Fiona’s mother left some belongings here. Let’s take those first, then we can talk.” “No way.” My father immediately refused. “Since father-in-law said no, let’s leave then.” As Henry was about to lead me out, Tina quickly blocked the door. “You’re not short on money. What’s wrong with giving me a little?!” I clenched my fists and sneered. “I’d rather throw my money in the ocean than give it to you!” “Alright, no need to waste words. Bring out everything. Name your price, and don’t bother us in the future!” My stepmother and Tina’s eyes immediately lit up. “But think carefully. If I don’t accept this price, you won’t have another chance. Fiona won’t give you money anymore, and if I find out about any transfers, they’ll be taken back immediately. After all, it’s our marital property.” Everyone in the room suddenly fell silent. I watched as the three of them huddled together, whispering and calculating how much money to ask for, feeling irritated. Henry patted my hand, a calm smile on his face. “We’ve decided,” my father said. “Don’t rush. Bring out the items first so I can take a look.” My father immediately went upstairs and brought down a box. All that remained of my mother’s belongings were stuffed inside. As I reached out to take it, he quickly pulled it back. Seeing this action, a chill ran through my heart. “Give your sister the money first, then I’ll give you the things.” I remained silent, sitting back on the sofa. Henry put his arm around my waist and glanced at the contents of the box. “How can I be sure these all belonged to my mother-in-law? What if I give you the money and you claim these things are yours?” “We’re not that kind of people!” Tina anxiously replied. Obviously, she was already impatient to get her hands on the money. “What kind of people you are is none of my business. I don’t trust you!” My stepmother and father exchanged glances, and my father spoke up. “Your mother left a will back then. I’ll bring it to you!” You had a will all these years and you still hoarded everything! I wanted to argue with them angrily, but Henry grabbed my hand and shook his head at me. My father brought out the will and placed it in front of me. Henry took it and carefully examined it. “So these are your family members, huh? They had a will but still tried to keep your belongings and ask for money. Isn’t this fraud?” My father’s face turned pale. If it weren’t for my mom giving him money to invest back then, he wouldn’t have his current status. “You’ve seen the things, now hurry up and transfer the money. To my previous account!” Tina raised her chin, looking at me smugly. “What’s the rush! We can transfer the money, but first, let’s call the police.” As he spoke, Henry took out his phone and dialed. “What are you doing?! This is a family matter.” “Well, unfortunately, Fiona is my wife now.” The police arrived quickly. My father began to deny any extortion attempts. Unexpectedly, Henry pulled out a voice recorder, and my father’s voice played: “You give the money to your sister first, then dad will give you the things.” Now my father couldn’t smile anymore. The police separated us to take statements. Tina took advantage of the moment to pull me aside. “What do you mean by this? That’s dad, how could you do this to him?” I looked at her and sneered. “Didn’t you say he was your dad and had nothing to do with me?” Tina was suddenly at a loss for words.

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For the sake of stealing my fiancé, the two-faced snake deliberately poured red wine on my engagement gown at the party. Everyone pitied me for having my engagement ruined and my fiancé stolen, but all I cared about was: between the snake and the scumbag, who would reimburse me for the million-dollar dress? “Yvonne didn’t mean it, just forgive her this once.” I laughed bitterly at those all too familiar words. Gideon “Yvonne didn’t intend for this to happen, can’t you forgive her?” “Yvonne grew up without a father, can’t you be more understanding?” “Yvonne isn’t as strong as you, can’t you put up with it?” I looked around the grand ballroom of the Gaia Hotel. It was filled with high society elites, all dressed in formal attire, silently watching the drama unfold like spectators at a show. I remained quiet. To those around me, it seemed like the calm before the storm. They were eagerly anticipating the next act in this spectacle. “She’s already apologized. What more do you want?” Gideon warned me to back down. Both our families were prominent figures. He didn’t want to make a scene, so he expected me to swallow my pride and let it go. Even though it was my engagement party. I looked down at my evening gown. It was a custom design by Jessica, an up-and-coming Italian designer. A one-of-a-kind piece worth over $100,000. I grabbed a bottle of red wine from a nearby waiter’s tray and walked over to Yvonne. Without hesitation, I poured it over her head. “Ah!” Yvonne instinctively stepped back and fell to the ground. Gideon grabbed my hand roughly. “Hazel, don’t go too far.” “Too far?” I scoffed. “It’s just a dress. I’ll reimburse you for it.” “$100,000.” “I’ll have my assistant transfer it to you later.” I coldly pulled my hand away from Gideon and dabbed at it with a napkin. “Hah, and who exactly are you to her? Why are you so eager to pay $100,000 on her behalf?” Yvonne looked up with big teary eyes. “Miss Newman, please don’t misunderstand. We’re just friends.” Yvonne was the daughter of Gideon’s family’s housekeeper, and he saw her as a little sister he needed to protect. “Would Miss Young pay $100,000 for a friend?” “I…” “Hazel dear, don’t be angry. Someone take Yvonne to get cleaned up. This is embarrassing.” I turned to see Mr. Carter Sr. had stepped in. He was dressed in an impeccable suit, with his graying hair neatly slicked back – every inch the powerful businessman. I responded politely, “No need, Mr. Carter. I’ll resolve this issue myself.” Gideon felt a sense of unease. “What are you planning to do?” I quickly gave him his answer. I walked up to the stage and addressed the guests: “Thank you all for coming to my engagement party. As you’ve just witnessed, my supposed fiancé seems to have forgotten who the leading lady is tonight. He’s become the knight in shining armor for another damsel in distress, turning my engagement into his heroic stage. Well, this villainess is ready to exit stage left and let the knight and his Cinderella have their fairytale ending. I, Hazel Newman, hereby announce the termination of our engagement. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the party.” As soon as I stepped off the stage, a man rushed up and slapped me hard across the face. “Have you lost your mind? Apologize to everyone right now.” I turned to see it was my father. I gingerly touched my stinging cheek, which was already starting to swell. If my father wanted Gideon and I to work things out, he would have gone on stage himself to smooth things over. But by slapping me, he was making it clear where he stood. He had punished his daughter in front of everyone, considering the matter settled. I straightened up and smiled coolly, as if I hadn’t just been struck. “Waiter, open another 100 bottles of champagne. Let’s celebrate my return to singlehood.” Gideon realized my stubborn nature meant the more he pushed, the more I’d resist. My father’s slap had only pushed me further away. He felt the situation spiraling out of control, but still desperately grasped at straws. “You’ve gone mad. An engagement involves both families, you can’t just end it on your own.” “Oh? So should I wait until after we’re married and then hire a private investigator to catch you cheating?” “How can you say such nasty things?” “If you can do it, why can’t I say it?” Mr. Carter Sr. dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief. “Hazel dear, I admit my son was in the wrong here. I apologize on his behalf. But marriage isn’t a game. Both families have already agreed to this union.” “Mr. Carter, I see things very clearly. Once unfaithful, never trusted again. Today he humiliated me at our engagement party for Yvonne’s sake. Tomorrow he might stab me in the back for her. Marriage is about finding a partner for mutual support, not someone who causes you grief. Am I not happy enough on my own?” “Hazel and I are just like siblings. Don’t twist things,” Gideon protested. “Miss Newman, I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean for this to happen. Please forgive me?” Yvonne pleaded. Mr. Carter Sr. slapped Yvonne. “You didn’t mean it? Then why did you insist on working at this hotel and just happen to spill wine on my future daughter-in-law’s dress?” “Dad, what are you doing? Yvonne is innocent in this,” Gideon defended her. A flash of malice crossed Yvonne’s eyes before she quickly hid it behind a pitiful expression. “I really didn’t do it on purpose. I don’t know how this happened.” Mrs. Carter was the only one who remained silent throughout the whole ordeal. She stood off to the side with her arms crossed, as if she had anticipated this outcome and had no intention of intervening. It made sense. She wasn’t Gideon’s birth mother after all, so she likely didn’t care as much as she would for her own son. My mother came over and linked her arm with mine affectionately. “Well, we feel the same way about this situation.” My mother’s calm but firm tone made it clear she was addressing the Carters: “Let’s go, sweetie. Without him, Mom will find you an even better match.” Some of my friends who had been invited started to gather around me, trying to lighten the mood. “Single again! Time to party!” “Haha, now you can’t use dates as an excuse to skip our hangouts anymore.” “That’s right, you better make it up to us for all the times you bailed. You’re buying drinks tonight!” “Alright, alright. I’ll treat you all. You pick the place.” I felt a warmth in my chest. I knew my friends were trying to help me save face and distract from the awkward situation. Gideon watched me from afar, his expression unreadable. Yvonne stood there with tears streaming down her face. “I’m so sorry, I really didn’t mean to…” Gideon looked at her trembling form. In the past, he would have felt protective and sympathetic. But now, he just felt utterly exhausted. After dinner, our group headed to an upscale club we frequented. I was playing cards with some friends while otherCaspians were belting out karaoke tunes in the next room. “Mind if I join?” a familiar voice asked. I was so startled I dropped my cards. “Caspian? What are you doing here?” “Not happy to see me?” “No no, of course you’re welcome.” Caspian Shaw sat down casually, as if we had never grown distant. One of my more outspoken friends piped up, “Shaw, I’ve invited you to hang out so many times and you always declined. But you show up just for Hazel? I’m hurt.” I cleared my throat. “He was probably in the area. Don’t read too much into it.” “It wasn’t on the way. I came specifically to see you,” Caspian stated matter-of-factly. My friends exchanged knowing glances, clearly jumping to conclusions. What exactly do you all think you understand? The party finally wound down around 3 AM. Caspian had left much earlier, which was a relief. I wasn’t sure how to interact with him after so long. When had Caspian and I grown apart? It was probably during our junior year of college when he went to study abroad. The same year Gideon and I got together. Caspian had asked me then: “Are you sure you want to be with him?” I had replied confidently: “Of course.” “You’ll regret it,” he had warned before walking away. I knew he had feelings for me. But to preserve our friendship, I had always pretended not to notice. Looking back, I suppose I was rather cruel. He had foresight to realize Gideon and I weren’t compatible. Gideon may have seemed like the perfect gentleman on the surface, but deep down he was still that small-town boy at his core. He was always insecure that I looked down on him. Over the years, my patience in catering to his ego had worn thin. When I arrived home, I was surprised to see an unexpected visitor waiting outside my door. Gideon stood there looking haggard, as if he had been waiting for hours. I ignored him and moved to unlock my door. Gideon tried to push his way in, gripping the doorframe tightly. His eyes were red as he pleaded, “Hazel, you know Yvonne and I are just friends.” I put my keys in my purse and gave him a cold look. “And?” “So you shouldn’t end things between us over her.” Seeing my frown, he quickly added, “I really don’t have feelings for her. Come back to me. I ordered a $500,000 dress from Jessica for you – you’ll love it. Next month – the 25th next month is an auspicious date. We can-” He spoke rapidly, afraid I would refuse. I took a deep breath and cut him off. “Do you think we’re over because of the dress? Or because of Yvonne?” He pondered my words, clearly not grasping my point. After a moment, his eyes widened as he jumped to the wrong conclusion. He gripped my shoulders tightly, his voice shaking. “Have you fallen for someone else? Who is it?” I deflated. This idiot truly couldn’t understand. “We’re over because you never know when to draw the line. How many times have we fought over Yvonne? I’ve lost count. Each time you expect me to be the one to compromise. Why should I? I’m tired of hearing how pitiful she is – that doesn’t give her the right to disrespect me. You always choose her over me, like at the engagement party when you humiliated me in front of everyone. Do you know how I felt in that moment? I wished I had never met you.” “Hazel, I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you however you want. Just tell me what you need.” “I need you to disappear from my life.” Gideon’s eyes darkened. “That’s the one thing I can’t do.” I was done talking. I tried to close the door, but Gideon desperately held it open, as if getting inside meant I would forgive him. I stared him down and pulled out my phone to make a call. “Hello, security? I pay a fortune in fees every month. Is it so you can let trash wander in?” Gideon’s face fell. He clearly hadn’t expected me to go this far. I lived in the most exclusive apartment complex in the city. The fees were exorbitant, but the service was impeccable. Within 5 minutes, security was at my door. The guard sized up Gideon, looking amused. He likely recognized Gideon from local business news. The complex provided top-tier service, with approved visitor lists for each resident. He probably assumed we were just having a lover’s quarrel. But the residents’ wishes were his priority, even if he didn’t understand. He bowed apologetically to me. “I’m sorry, Miss Newman. We’ll take care of this.” The guard gestured for Gideon to leave. Gideon walked away, utterly humiliated. Gideon likely wouldn’t bother me again anytime soon. His pride had taken quite a blow – probably the worst public embarrassment he’d ever faced aside from the engagement party fiasco. The next day, all the major newspapers were plastered with sensational headlines about the Carter-Newman engagement party drama: “BREAKING: Newman Heiress Publicly Breaks Engagement, Slapped by Father” “HERO’S RESCUE: Carter Heir Defends New Flame Against Fiancée” “FASHION SCOOP: Inside the Heiress’s Million-Dollar Wedding Gown” The public always loved a juicy scandal, especially a real-life drama involving wealthy families. The explosive end to the engagement of two prominent families quickly became the top trending topic. “The Rise of the Carter & Newman Empires: How They Built Their Fortunes” “SHOCK! A Real Cinderella Story” “The True Purpose Behind Elite Arranged Marriages” “SCANDALOUS! Heiress Dumps Wine on Rival at Party” I silently reviewed the report my assistant had compiled on the media coverage. My first order of business upon arriving at the office was to fire Yvonne. I clicked on the “SCANDALOUS” trending topic, which included video footage of me pouring wine on Yvonne. The person filming had an perfect angle, zoomed right in on Yvonne’s face. As the red wine streamed down her head, she stared with wide, bewildered eyes, swaying as if she might faint. She looked like a delicate flower caught in a storm – utterly pitiful. A beautiful woman in distress always tugs at heartstrings. Sure enough, Yvonne’s vulnerable display had earned her plenty of sympathy. “How cruel! Just because she’s rich doesn’t mean she can treat people like trash.” “Serves her right. No wonder no man wants her – who’d dare marry such a vicious shrew?” “The poor girl is so pretty. Even as a woman, my heart aches for her.” I scoffed and exited the trending page, ready to start my workday. “How dare you fire me? This is clearly personal retaliation.” I looked up to see Yvonne storming into my office, fuming. My company had a division related to art and design, mainly focused on animation projects. As Gideon’s company didn’t have a similar department, he had gotten Yvonne a job with me, naively thinking working together would improve our relationship. “You lost us a client, botched two deals, and consistently ranked last in performance reviews. Isn’t firing you the logical choice?” “You’re clearly taking out your anger on me. Don’t think you’re so great just because you’re rich!” “Yes, I earned my wealth through my own abilities and I’m proud of it.” Yvonne was clearly taken aback by my blunt response. After a moment, she straightened her shoulders and declared defiantly: “You’ll regret this.” I rested my chin on my hand, scrutinizing Yvonne. In her anger, with that stubborn, rebellious look in her eyes, she resembled those plucky heroines from teen dramas. If I were a man, I might have fallen for her act. But I was a woman, and a capitalist at that. “The only thing I regret is hiring you in the first place. I’m a businesswoman, not a charity. Now leave before I have security escort you out.” Yvonne left, but trouble soon followed. That afternoon, I was having coffee in the lobby cafe when Gideon came storming in to confront me. “Why did you fire Yvonne?” If we didn’t still have business ties, I would have cut him out of my life completely by now. Unfortunately, even if the marriage was off, I still had to make money. My mind wasn’t so clouded that I’d forget men were less important than wealth. “Your company has so many positions. Couldn’t you have found a place for her?”

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Have You Ever Sold Anything on a Secondhand Platform? I’m a dedicated Lolita fashion enthusiast with a closet full of beautiful dresses. Due to the sheer number of styles and new pre-orders coming in, I often sell my older Lolita dresses online. One day while I was at work, my phone buzzed with a message. A user with a blank profile picture commented under one of my listings: “What kind of dress do you want? As long as you satisfy me, I can give you anything.” I immediately blocked him. What a creep. That evening, when I returned to my apartment, I found an opened package at my doorstep. Inside was a brand new “Heavenly Maiden” dress – the exact dress I had been eyeing but couldn’t afford… Looking at the exquisite dress on the floor, I immediately thought of that blank profile from earlier. There have been many such cases in the Lolita fashion community. Girls who love beautiful clothes but can’t afford them sometimes resort to selling their bodies in exchange for coveted collector’s items. This has created opportunities for ill-intentioned people who disguise themselves as wealthy benefactors on various secondhand platforms to prey on vulnerable girls. Why choose secondhand platforms? Simple. Brand new authentic pieces are too expensive for most to afford. But the “Heavenly Maiden” dress before me still had its tags attached, showing no signs of wear! Just then, my phone buzzed with a new friend request on SnapChat. The message attached made my blood run cold: “Did you receive the dress you like? I’m coming to collect my payment tomorrow. Make sure to wear it – I love seeing you in dresses.” The same blank profile picture, the same tone. How did he know I wanted the “Heavenly Maiden” dress? This Japanese version costs over $1000 on the market, considered the holy grail of Lolita fashion. I had never told anyone I wanted it, yet this mysterious person with the blank profile knew! Even more terrifying was the second half of his message. He’s coming tomorrow to collect payment! What kind of “payment” does he have in mind? Is it… me? Just then, I heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairwell. The footsteps grew louder. Terrified, I quickly opened my door and secured the deadbolt. Before I could fully lock the door, the footsteps suddenly accelerated towards my apartment. A powerful force pushed against the door, straining the deadbolt. Through the narrow gap, I saw a pair of bloodshot eyes in a twisted face. “Ahh!” I couldn’t help but scream. Pushing back against his brute force, I used my last ounce of strength to turn the key and lock the door. After securing the lock, I collapsed to the floor. The violent pounding on the door continued, each thud hammering my frayed nerves. There’s a security camera in the hallway. With trembling hands, I took out my phone to check the feed. I saw a man nearly 6 feet tall wearing a hoodie and mask looking straight at the camera. He pulled down his mask, flashing an evil smile at the lens. There was a deep scar on his jaw, like an ugly centipede clinging to his neck, making him look sinister and terrifying. Then, he began mouthing words slowly, as if deliberately letting me read his lips. He said: “I want to fuck you.” I didn’t sleep a wink that night. I called my friend Kelly from the Lolita community. When she heard what happened, she immediately offered to come over. “No, I don’t know if he’s left yet. It’s too dangerous for you to come alone,” I said quietly, eyes still glued to the security feed. Kelly on the other end sounded angry but didn’t insist after hearing my strong objection. “Then keep in constant contact with me. Don’t hang up. I’ll bring people to check on you first thing in the morning.” It was already past midnight. Most of my friends were asleep except for night owl Kelly. All I could do was wait for dawn. Suddenly, I noticed some disturbed dust on the table in front of me, along with two cigarette butts smoked down to the filter. I don’t smoke, and I’ve been single for all 24 years of my life. So who do these belong to? My nerves instantly went on high alert. Kelly, sensing my silence, anxiously asked: “What’s wrong? Did something happen, Tina?” My voice trembled as I replied: “A man was in my apartment. There’s cigarette ash on the table…” Just as I finished speaking, the security feed flickered. A marble smashed into the camera, turning the screen to static. The sudden change startled me. My whole body shook uncontrollably. “I’m calling the police!” Kelly said before hanging up. The police arrived quickly. I showed them the security footage I had recorded. Though it was dark and unclear, the prominent scar on the man’s neck was unmistakable. “We’ll investigate and locate this person as soon as possible. We’ll also increase patrols in your area,” the young officer said. I nodded numbly. “Is anyone still outside?” “No.” I followed the officers out of my apartment. The sky was just starting to lighten. Apart from the diligent street cleaners, there wasn’t a soul in sight. “I’m sorry for troubling you,” I said, forcing a smile. The young officer waved it off. “No trouble at all. Call us anytime if anything happens.” I didn’t dare stay in my apartment any longer. Kelly offered to let me stay with her. So, with the officers’ escort, I quickly packed some essentials and moved in with Kelly. The next day passed uneventfully. Just as I was starting to relax, my landlord called, immediately launching into an angry tirade. “Tina! Is this how you treat the apartment I rented to you?” I was confused. “I’ve been staying at a friend’s place. I haven’t even been back…” The landlord hung up and quickly sent some photos on SnapChat. They showed my living room in complete disarray, and even the bedding was torn to shreds. I broke out in a cold sweat. If I had been home last night, would I now be a cold corpse? Kelly saw the horrifying images too and kept trying to comfort me. “It’s okay, it’s okay. You’re safe here.” Hearing her gentle reassurances, I gradually calmed down, leaning on her shoulder. The police were working quickly to find the suspect, but unfortunately hadn’t made any progress yet. I hadn’t dared go to work for two days, afraid the psycho might follow me and cause trouble for Kelly. But my worst fear came true anyway. That night, Kelly and I had changed into pajamas and were about to go to sleep after finishing a TV show. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. All traces of sleepiness vanished instantly. I instinctively moved closer to Kelly. “Don’t be scared. I installed a deadbolt. He can’t get in,” Kelly said, stroking my hair reassuringly. The knocking didn’t stop. Instead, it grew more forceful. Bang! Bang! Bang! Fists pounded against the security door, the sound like the footsteps of the Grim Reaper closing in through the night. Kelly pulled up the security camera feed on her phone. It was the same man with the ugly scar on his neck. He grinned at the camera, baring his teeth. Then he took out a can of spray paint and scrawled a crude message on the wall: “Don’t hide from me. I love you.” He placed a package at the door, then put on a hat and mask, repeatedly looking up at the camera. Then the phone screen suddenly turned to static as the hallway camera crackled with electricity. Same person, same Lolita dress, same destroyed camera. As the electric crackling faded, my body began to shake uncontrollably. Kelly gripped my hand and placed a taser in my palm. She whispered soothingly: “It’s okay. He can’t get in.” Once again, I didn’t sleep a wink that night. Kelly called the police, but the culprit was highly vigilant and disappeared into the night after destroying the camera. The same young officer came. He looked gravely at the spray-painted message on the wall, then turned to me with a serious expression. “Miss Tina, please come to the station to give a statement. I’ll request additional police protection from my superiors.” I nodded. Kelly stayed by my side the whole time, constantly trying to calm my frayed nerves. At the police station, I slowly regained my composure. The young officer asked a few questions. When he learned that I didn’t know the stalker, he frowned slightly. “If you don’t know him, Miss Tina, how did he get your address?” Hearing the officer’s question, I thought carefully before shaking my head firmly. “I would never give out my address.” Then I suddenly remembered my account on the secondhand sales platform. The blank profile appeared and completely disrupted my peaceful life. I took out my phone, found my account on the platform, and handed it to the officer. “Could it be related to my package deliveries? I have a lot of Lolita dresses at home, so I often sell them here.” The young officer’s eyes lit up when he heard this. He carefully examined my account. With my permission, he transferred the account to the police department’s phone before arranging for someone to take Kelly and me back to her place. That night, neither Kelly nor I could sleep. So she took some beer from the fridge, turned on a comedy on the projector, and snapped a photo to post on her social media. Kelly is a minor internet celebrity who often shares daily life and Lolita fashion photos on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. I grabbed a bottle and slowly sipped it while watching the comedy. Kelly was replying to followers’ comments on her apps. The comedy failed to hold my interest. Feeling bored, I also opened Kelly’s social media to look at the comments and reposts. Suddenly, my finger froze. Among the viewers, I saw an all too familiar blank profile picture. With trembling fingers, I tapped on it. When I saw the bio, a cold sweat instantly broke out on my back. The phone slipped from my hand. Before the screen went dark, Kelly saw the message: “Stop looking. Let me love you properly!” The profile picture was a selfie of me! Kelly’s face went pale when she saw the message. We’re close friends who love taking selfies together when we hang out. So at least a third of the content on her Instagram features me. But this innocent habit between girlfriends had now landed us in such a predicament. I didn’t dare think about it anymore. After sending this account to the young officer, I tried to calm myself down. Kelly quickly deactivated her account without even posting an explanation. An indescribable chill seeped into my bones. I felt like I was going crazy. Every time I closed my eyes, I couldn’t help but picture that terrifying man with the centipede-like scar on his neck. He was advancing towards me step by step. His bloodshot eyes stared at me intently, like a predator eyeing its prey. Lunging at me frantically! When I opened my eyes, I was drenched in cold sweat. Kelly was sitting by the bed, looking at me with concern. “We’re not going anywhere for a while. We’ll stay here until that psycho is caught,” she said. She’s always been gentle and understanding. I managed a weak smile and agreed. I didn’t give much explanation to my company, just using feeling unwell as an excuse to take an extended leave. Kelly is a freelancer who can work from home. To avoid any incidents, we minimized going out. After buying nearly two weeks’ worth of groceries, we locked ourselves in. Nothing unusual happened for the next few days. The young officer also messaged me, saying they had tracked the IP address and would catch the culprit in a few days. A week passed like this. Just when I thought we were finally safe… Early that morning, a coworker I rarely talk to outside of work suddenly sent me a photo. The woman in the picture was seductive and alluring, with a curvaceous figure and fair thighs spread wide open as if inviting sin. Then, like a floodgate opening, more and more explicit photos came pouring in. Various poses, all designed to inflame desire. Most importantly, the face in the photos… Was mine. Seeing the photos, I felt like I had been doused with a bucket of ice water. My coworker’s messages kept coming: “Is this really you in the photos?” “I never knew you were so wild.” “How much for one night? 200 bucks for the whole night, what do you say?” Fighting back nausea, I blocked him and broke down crying. As a Lolita fashion enthusiast, I’m quite the selfie expert. But I would never take photos like these. Someone clearly used my photos for malicious photoshopping! There had been no trace of that man for a week. But I was certain – it must be him! Messages on my phone kept pouring in. I steeled myself to look at the screen. It was from my manager. “Tina! I didn’t say anything about your extended leave, but now you’re bringing your private affairs to tarnish the company’s reputation? What are you trying to do?” “Don’t bother coming back. Go to HR to collect your final paycheck and get out!” Each message felt like a tidal wave, shattering my already broken heart into even smaller pieces. It was as if the last shred of dignity covering me had been ripped away, exposing my raw wounds to the air, making my whole body ache and tremble with pain. Kelly heard the commotion and rushed over. When she saw those photos, her face grew very serious. As my best friend for three years, she of course knew I had never taken such photos. But it didn’t matter. The rumor mill is unstoppable. When she accompanied me back to the company to collect my things, All my coworkers kept stealing glances at me. Those looks… Contempt, boldness, disgust. Even some usually quiet male colleagues came up and lewdly asked if I was available. Kelly kicked that guy away and escorted me out of the company. After going through so much, my nerves were completely shot. I became afraid of sunlight and didn’t dare go out. I stayed home all day, staring blankly at the walls. Kelly understood my changes and patiently kept me company. My sleep quality plummeted. I couldn’t sleep for nights on end. Another sleepless night. I walked out of the bedroom to get some water from the living room. The pale moonlight shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows cast an eerie glow on the living room. I didn’t turn on the lights, following the moonlight to find the water dispenser. Suddenly, a clothes hanger fell from the balcony. Ding. At that moment, a dark shadow blocked the moonlight in front of me. That shadow… was a person! My heart started racing uncontrollably. My hand holding the glass began to shake. Accompanied by the crisp sound of glass shattering on the floor, I slowly raised my head. The shadow instantly blocked all the moonlight. In the darkness, our eyes met. His eyes glinted with a predatory light. In the faint moonlight, I vaguely saw his face. One glance was enough to make me scream at the top of my lungs! The man was clearly startled by my scream. Then, he dove off the balcony! My terror froze in an instant. Kelly heard my scream and rushed out of the bedroom in a panic. Still in shock, I recounted what had just happened. She turned on the lights and grimly led me to the balcony, where we saw dirty footprints. Kelly sucked in a sharp breath. “I live on the 12th floor.” To preserve evidence, we didn’t clean up the footprints. Instead, we called the police to handle it. Normally, jumping from the 12th floor would result in hitting the ground within five seconds. The impact of a body hitting the ground would make a dull thud, but I hadn’t heard any sound. Could someone actually fly? Learning from the two previous incidents, the police responded very quickly. They also brought good news. “We’ve identified the person who’s been stalking Miss Tina,” said Officer James, spreading out the collected information in front of me. His face showed visible fatigue, but couldn’t hide his joy. “His name is Eric Lee. He was imprisoned three years ago for attempted assault and released last year. He has a criminal record.” “He’s an orphan who usually makes a living through robbery and scams. I tracked the account you gave us and found that you always ship packages from near your home.” “Coincidentally, Eric lives in the same city as Miss Tina, so he staked out the shipping locations, disguised himself as a delivery man to enter your complex and scout it out, and finally determined your home and work addresses.”

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I died from bullying in my previous life. Now, I’ve been reborn to the day I transferred schools in my senior year. This time, I’m the one who dumped trash on “Little Bunny’s” desk and poured iced coffee over her head. Little Bunny is Chloe. She certainly didn’t expect that the person actively bullying her would be me, nor did she expect to end up in such a miserable state. As the sticky iced coffee dripped down her face and into her collar, Chloe’s eyes widened in visible shock. After all, in my previous life, those bullies who tormented her only dumped relatively clean trash on her desk. And I was the carp that jumped into the net because I couldn’t stand injustice. Now, in others’ eyes, I’ve clearly become the new bully. Well, they’re not wrong. I am bullying her. No one stood up to help her. Even those who were originally prepared to bully her didn’t know what to do for a moment. “You…” Chloe was shocked and angry for a moment, but quickly put on a pitiful act, her eyes brimming with tears. “I bought that iced coffee for you…” I know, of course I know. In my previous life, because of this “welcome” iced coffee that had been tampered with, I got diarrhea and was locked in the bathroom. I couldn’t get out for half a day, which led to the teacher thinking I was a bad student who skipped class on my first day after transferring. The people around us gave me strange looks, mostly filled with blame and contempt. I pulled out a tissue from a nearby desk and wiped my hands. “Keep it for yourself. It’s disgusting, and I find it revolting.” After throwing the crumpled tissue at her face, I turned and went back to my seat, casually starting to read a book. Chloe ran to the bathroom crying and hadn’t returned when class started. My classmates began to avoid me. Even my original desk mate silently packed up their books and moved to another seat. Someone reported this incident to the teacher, but the teacher couldn’t do anything about me. After all, I had transferred here because the principal had taken notice of my good grades. The school wouldn’t expel me over this “small matter.” Yes, it’s all just small matters. That’s what many people told me in my previous life. When Chloe came back, she had changed her clothes. Her hair was washed and still a bit wet, and those rabbit-like eyes were also moist, making her look completely harmless. I silently counted to three, and sure enough, she walked up to me. Her voice was low and soft, sounding extremely sincere. “Aria, did you misunderstand something about me?” I let out a light snort, looking at her coldly. “We don’t even know each other. How could there be any misunderstanding?” “I just find you disgusting. I simply hate you.” Chloe’s face turned ugly for a moment, but it passed quickly. Instead, she bit her lip and put on a thoughtful, understanding expression. “You’re a new student. You probably don’t have many friends here yet, right? Let’s be friends. As we get to know each other, you’ll see that you must have misunderstood me somehow.” Saying this, she smiled gently at me, her eyes curving. “It must be lonely being all by yourself.” Just like in my previous life, she moved her things over and became my desk mate. I heard the voices of those around me criticizing me, but I remained unmoved. Chloe took out some chocolate from her bag. “Here, have this. It’ll make you feel better.” “Chloe,” I called out to her, my expression slightly cold. “Aren’t you pathetic?” Throughout the day, I used every insult and sarcastic remark I could think of against her. I even deliberately tore up her books or threw them on the ground and stepped on them. Some people did stand up and say I was going too far, telling Chloe to stay away from me. I didn’t want to explain anything to them. Compared to what I had experienced before, I was still being too kind to Chloe. As I expected, she kept up her act, playing the role of someone being bullied but not holding it against me. She even invited me to eat together. I cursed at her, “Stop being so pathetic.” Little Bunny’s expression once again became tearful. After the evening study session, those same people who had dumped trash on her desk in my previous life dragged me to the bathroom. I wasn’t particularly surprised. It was just that this time, Chloe wasn’t there to be bullied alongside me. Having been reborn, I didn’t plan on dropping out of school, so I couldn’t escape this bullying. Yes, this was a trap, set up by Chloe. Whether or not I had tried to help her in my previous life, those people would have turned their bullying onto me. She approached me, pretended to be bullied alongside me to create a false sense of camaraderie, but every time I was bullied, the mastermind behind it was Chloe, the leader of those bullies. Unfortunately, I was too stupid in my previous life. So stupid that I only learned the truth right before I died in that alley from bullying. It was the day after I received my college acceptance letter. I had just checked my email and hadn’t even had time to feel happy when I received a distress message from Chloe. I rushed to the dark alley where she was supposedly being bullied. This time, I called the police and made preparations in advance. But as soon as I arrived, I received a call from my mother. Before I saw anyone, I leaned against the corner of the wall to answer it. “Aria, sweetie, I’m home. Quick, tell me, how did it go?” “Mom, I got the acceptance letter.” “My daughter is so amazing! I knew you could do it. Come home quickly, Mom will make you your favorite steak…” My mother was crying tears of joy on the other end, chattering about buying me some new clothes and going to church tomorrow to pray for my bright future. But I never got to hear everything she said. My phone was knocked out of my hand onto the ground. I was stunned for a moment. Seeing Chloe appear from behind me, I didn’t react immediately and asked, “What are you doing?” She crossed her arms and smirked at me. When I saw the people behind her, I suddenly realized what was happening. I frowned and quickly picked up my phone, briefly saying to the other end, “Mom, I’ll talk to you when I get back.” I hung up the phone and heard Chloe’s mocking voice, “Get back? I’m afraid you won’t be going back.” As soon as she finished speaking, she raised her foot and kicked me hard in the stomach, knocking me to the ground. I heard the person who bullied me every day speaking to her respectfully. Along with the pain in my stomach, my mind went blank for a moment. “You look so skinny, but that kick was no weaker than mine.” The piercing laughter stabbed at my eardrums. Something exploded in my brain, and I couldn’t help but shout, “Chloe, why are you doing this?!” “Why?” She laughed, looking no different from her usual harmless self, but now it seemed particularly frightening. “Because of Jack, of course. He’s my man.” After she finished speaking, before I could react, several people pressed down on me and beat me half to death. They knew that every time I was beaten, I would fight back with all my might, so they learned to restrain my hands and feet first, leaving me unable to move before they started their violence. This time, I had no chance to resist at all. Later on, they even picked up large bricks and smashed them onto my body, one after another. And the one who was smashing my head to death was the person I had been protecting all along. Little Bunny’s face now looked like a demon who had lost control, terrifyingly extreme. My head hurt so much, so dizzy. Blood flowed from my forehead into my eyes, blurring my vision. I don’t know how long they beat me, until I was covered in blood, barely breathing, lying on the ground. “Aria, in your next life, don’t mess with people you shouldn’t,” Chloe said, throwing the bloodied brick to one of her minions. She was slightly out of breath as she looked down at me haughtily. “I’ll be straightforward. You won’t survive today.” “Can you… tell me… why…” “I told you, because of Jack. I like him, but he likes you, so when I found out you were transferring here, I prepared this trap for you.” “Protecting your bullied desk mate, then becoming the new target of bullying.” She crouched down, flashing a smile at me. “Who told you to be such a do-gooder?” Memories of the dark, hopeless life of the past few months flooded my mind. My eyes showed deep resentment. Oh, Chloe. I once thought that protecting you was a meaningful thing to do. I comforted myself that it was okay to be beaten a few times. I thought we truly had a friendship born from shared hardships. Before this, I had never regretted helping you that day. But why? You were the real demon all along. You really played me for a fool. “Bang! Bang! Bang!” The brick smashed into my head again. Mom, I might not be able to eat the braised pork you make… Before losing consciousness, I heard the sound of police sirens. I don’t know if Chloe was caught by the police afterward. When I opened my eyes again, I had already returned to the morning of the day I transferred schools. My mother was on the phone, reminding me, “Do your best in the interview, okay?” I choked up for a while before saying, “Mom, if I get into my dream university, remember to make me a steak.” “Okay, okay, okay. Mom will definitely make it for you.” … I’m grateful that heaven gave me a chance to live again, to take control of my own fate this time. Although there are some things I can’t change, the ending this time will be in my hands. Chloe, you won’t have a good ending. At this moment, there were six girls standing in front of me. The leader was called Megan, a somewhat fat and sturdy girl, a head taller than me. She always hit the hardest, as if doing so would earn her more credit. “Transfer student, feeling pretty tough, huh? First day here and already bullying people? Want to be the big boss? Huh?” she said, reciting her opening lines while reaching out to grab my hair. Still playing her part dutifully even when no one else was around. I skillfully covered my head with my arms, frowning as I let her pull. “Not so tough now, are you? What are you pretending for, you bitch?” A slap landed on my face. Megan cursed with vulgar words, hitting me with her hands and feet, one blow after another. I remained silent, curling up to protect my head as if I was used to it, completely like a punching bag that could be kneaded at will. Megan laughed, “Is that all? I thought you were something special.” She waved her hand, pushed me to the ground, and said “Your turn” to the others before stepping aside and casually lighting a cigarette. Then the others rushed forward, their fists, palms, and nails not sparing any part of me, hitting me all over. In my previous life, I had quite a temper and always fought back with all my might. I would stand in front of Chloe, trying my best to protect her, relying on my martial arts skills. But the more I resisted, the harder they beat me in the end. They even got angry and pushed my head into a pit, forcing me to drink the dirty water from the toilet. At that time, I didn’t think about why Chloe was just crouching in the corner, not being treated like this, and why she had no injuries when we went back. She would cry and say she had implicated me, then tenderly apply medicine to my wounds, her mouth repeating “I’m sorry.” Who could have imagined that the person I thought I was protecting was thinking “Beat her to death” and “Well done” while watching the show? As my thoughts returned to the present, I curled up on the ground, clearly seeing every face through the gaps. Each one was once my nightmare. Go ahead and beat me. After this, you’ll all pay the price. Not one of you will escape. After they left, I sat on the ground for a moment, patted off the water stains on my body, and washed my face before leaving the bathroom. My mother called, asking about my first day in the new environment. I rubbed my wrist that had been stepped on and was still aching, trying to make my voice sound normal, “It’s fine. I just left school.” In the distance, I saw Megan and the others laughing and chatting ahead. Their laughter could reach my ears even from afar. The hand holding the phone tightened. Why is it that these bullies can live so carefree after hurting others? … The next day, when I arrived at the classroom, I saw Megan and her group surrounding Chloe, deliberately scratching her notebook, pushing her head not too gently, and saying insulting things with smiles on their faces. I knew it. They still wanted to pull off the same act as in my previous life. Chloe really loves playing the innocent rabbit. It’s as if she can’t live without that mask. I slowly walked over and asked from behind them, “Megan, with your style of doing things, shouldn’t you be doing this in the bathroom?” My words confused them a bit. Megan quickly reacted, “Are you trying to teach me how to do things?” I smiled calmly, “You hate me, and you hate her too. Why don’t I help you do this? It’ll save you the effort.” Chloe frowned uncontrollably and called out softly, “Aria… you…” I approached, smiling innocently like her, “How about it?” Someone pushed me, “Who do you think you are?” I stumbled a few steps, my eyes fixed on Chloe. I saw her secretly give Megan a look, and the next second, Megan laughed mockingly at me, “You got beaten up last night and now you want to take it out on someone else, right? Fine, let’s see what you can do.” As soon as she finished speaking, I tilted my head slightly, gesturing to Chloe with a “kind” smile in my eyes. She dared to do this because she had researched what kind of person I was. She really thought I was finding an excuse to help her, so she followed me to the bathroom with that unable-to-speak-up, pitiful look. “Aria, I knew you—” Before she could finish, I kicked her into the third stall that was closed. The bucket of water prepared for me spilled all over her. It was dirty water, black and emitting a foul odor. Chloe screamed. As she turned around, I quickly closed the door before her and used a wooden stick nearby to jam the door handle.

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In the sixth year of our marriage, Jason cheated on me. I found a long, chestnut-colored hair on his underwear that didn’t belong to me. Huh, looks like he’s been having some fun. That bastard couldn’t even give me the decency of a seven-year itch excuse. I stormed into the living room and threw the hair into Jason’s bowl as he was having a late-night snack. Then, I packed my things as quickly as possible and called my best friend Rachel to help me move my luggage. After that, I left the home we had shared for six years without looking back. Jason just watched me coldly, not saying a word, let alone trying to stop me. “Congrats on escaping that hellhole, sis. Where should we go to celebrate tonight?” Rachel asked, driving her new G-Wagon with one hand while pushing her black sunglasses up her nose with the other.

I leaned back in my seat, staring blankly at the river under the bridge. My facade of strength and coolness was fading, and emotions were starting to take over. Jason and I had known each other for ten years, been in love for eight, and married for six. We had built everything from scratch, from having nothing to our company being on the verge of going public. We had seen so many broken marriages among our relatives and friends. I always believed that Jason and I were the perfect soulmates. The only flaw was that we had been sleeping in separate beds for all these years. But that was Jason’s choice. He said love was just love, the purest and most sacred human emotion. Anything done in the name of love was moral blackmail against love itself. I believed him, but now? A single strand of hair shattered my eight years of self-deception. “Damn it! Lily, if you dare cry, I swear I’ll drive this car straight into the river!” Rachel exclaimed dramatically. My carefully cultivated emotions instantly crumbled. I glared at her, annoyed. “Can you please act like a normal human being? I just got cheated on, can’t you let me wallow for a bit?” Rachel scoffed, twisting her mouth in disdain. “Remember when we were the two campus beauties back in law school? So many guys chasing after us, but you wouldn’t give them the time of day. Then you fell for Jason from the Finance department. What did he have going for him besides his looks?” “Being handsome is the biggest advantage. Even if he did nothing but lie in bed, just looking at his face was enough to make me happy.” Rachel let out a loud “Fuck!” and tossed her sunglasses into the backseat. “You’re hopeless. Think about it – he had a bombshell like you by his side for eight years and didn’t sleep with you. I bet he’s impotent.” I let out a cold laugh. If he was impotent, how could he cheat? Hiding hair in his underwear and playing such dirty games – I was utterly disgusted. “Maybe I’ve become ugly now, and he can’t get it up for me anymore.” Rachel’s jaw dropped in shock, and she reflexively slapped the steering wheel. “Damn that Jason! What kind of twisted ideas has he been feeding you? If I were a guy, I’d drag you to the backseat right now.” True friends are the real deal. “Just focus on your driving,” I spat, continuing to stare out at the river. It wasn’t until Rachel slammed on the brakes that I realized we weren’t at my villa in the south of the city. Jason and I had bought a villa there in my name. We had planned to invite his parents from the countryside to live with us after the New Year, but now it seemed that wouldn’t be happening. “A nightclub? It’s too noisy, I don’t want to go,” I said, looking at the large, flashing neon sign that read “Light Years” at the entrance. “Miss White, you’re here!” A tall, skinny young man with green hair, wearing tight pants and loafers, came out of the club and greeted Rachel intimately. Rachel turned off the engine and got out, tossing her keys to him from a distance. “Two tasks: first, get that beauty out of the passenger seat; second, park the car in the garage.” “You got it.” The green-haired young man caught the keys mid-air, opened the driver’s door, and sat down. Then he turned to look at me, leaning in closer. “Sister~” he called out, his voice dripping with charm and coquettishness. I pulled my coat tighter around me. “I’m getting out now.” Rachel saw how flustered I was and chuckled, hooking her arm around my neck as we walked in. It had been years since I’d been to a nightclub after marrying Jason. Just like I remembered, as soon as we pushed open the glass door that seemed like a barrier, deafening music flooded my eardrums. I frowned and turned to leave, but Rachel held me tight. I had no choice but to cover my ears and follow her inside.

We made our way through the crowd of wildly dancing people to a booth. Rachel ordered drinks with familiarity, and soon the table was filled with an array of colorful cocktails. “No men tonight, I’m here to keep you company. Here, Lily.” Rachel handed me a bottle of alcohol with a grand gesture, then grabbed one for herself and took a swig. I swirled the blue liquid in the bottle, wondering when drinks had become so pretty. I took a sip and licked my lips. Not bad, it was sweet and sour. It was more like an alcoholic beverage than actual liquor. Seeing me start to drink, Rachel burst into laughter. “Ladies, why drink alone? Want to play a game with us?” A cool-looking guy with a flashy thick chain around his neck and black gemstone earrings tilted his head and invited us. I glanced at the sofa next to us and shook my head. A bunch of kids who looked barely of age – what fun could that be? “My baby just got cheated on and isn’t in the mood. Maybe next time,” Rachel waved her hand, declining as well. “No way! Even a beauty like you gets cheated on? Congrats, sis, you’re free now.” The guy gave me a thumbs up. If it weren’t for his sincere expression that didn’t seem mocking, I would have smacked him with the bottle. He was congratulating me for being cheated on? How brain-dead do you have to be to say something like that? Seeing that we really weren’t interested, the guy shrugged and left. I leaned back on the sofa and took out my phone from my bag, turning on the screen. “Hmph, that bastard hasn’t even called or messaged once.” I angrily tossed my phone onto the seat next to me and kicked off my high heels. From the corner of my eye, I caught a burning gaze. I turned to look. It came from the table next to us, from a handsome guy sitting next to the chain-wearing guy from earlier. The guy was staring right at me, and when he saw me looking, he boldly raised an eyebrow instead of looking away. I rolled my eyes and turned away. He was pretty handsome, not much worse than Jason. But were young guys these days all so confident and sleazy? For a while after that, I could feel that unabashed, burning gaze from the next table every now and then. I really didn’t like the feeling and was about to get up and tell Rachel we should leave. Suddenly, the booming music that had been filling the air stopped, as if someone had hit pause. But immediately after, everyone started rushing towards the dance floor. I didn’t know what was happening and looked around in confusion. Then I saw the handsome guy from the next table who had been staring at me walk straight over, the corner of his lips curled up in a smile as he extended his hand to me. “You seem down today. It’s midnight now, want to go wild on the dance floor?” “Let’s go, Lily! It’s midnight, time to party!” Rachel jumped up from the sofa. “No thanks, I’ll wait for you here. We can leave after you’re done partying.” I shook my head in refusal. Rachel knew my personality well. Seeing my firm attitude, she didn’t push further and ran off to the dance floor herself. The handsome guy raised an eyebrow, withdrew his hand, and turned to head towards… the stage. So the DJ was this handsome! The guy was operating the turntables on stage, with the crazy crowd going wild on the dance floor in front of him. As I was staring at him curiously, unable to look away, he suddenly looked over at me and pointed his finger straight at me. Everyone on the dance floor turned to look at me, and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable and self-conscious. A few girls in matching outfits ran over and forcibly pulled me onto the dance floor, dancing around me. Oh god, this must be what they call “hype girls,” right? I stood there awkwardly among them, moving stiffly and feeling utterly embarrassed. People on the dance floor started snickering, and I angrily glared at the instigator on stage. But I saw that he also looked shocked, forgetting to DJ for a moment. It was as if he had never seen such an uncoordinated newbie at a club before. Luckily, Rachel saved me. She let out a loud yell, drawing everyone’s attention, and started swaying her hips. The music on stage started up again. People once again lost themselves in the frenzy of the atmosphere. Rachel was really getting into it, pulling out her hair clip and letting her long hair cascade down. Her chestnut-colored curls seemed to come alive, swaying with her movements – it looked amazing. Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat. In a flash of insight, I felt like I had grasped something. Chestnut-colored curls? Bathroom? Jason’s underwear? I pushed my way through the crowd in front of me, not caring about anything else, and rushed to Rachel’s side, grabbing her tightly. Rachel was startled and quickly stopped dancing. “Lily, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” I stared at her intently, licking my dry lips, and asked, “Rachel, the day before yesterday when Jason wasn’t home, after you showered at my place, did you use my hair dryer?” Rachel nodded, “Yeah, why? Did it go missing? I left it on top of the washing machine.” I looked at her for a long moment, then suddenly burst out laughing. “So it was you! The laundry basket next to the washing machine had Jason’s unwashed underwear in it. You must have shed some hair!” Jason hadn’t cheated on me! I had misunderstood him! Thinking about how I had thrown the hair into his bowl, I felt a pang of regret. Jason had severe germaphobia. Oh god, what had I done? I needed to go home right away. I needed to tell him that I had misunderstood him. He hadn’t betrayed me. It was all my fault for jumping to conclusions without thinking. I needed to apologize to him. “You keep partying, I have to go,” I said, letting go of Rachel and running towards the exit. The taxi dropped me off at the entrance of our neighborhood. It was only then that I realized I had left my phone and bag at the nightclub. Fortunately, the security guard recognized me and helped me pay for the taxi. I jogged into the complex, feeling guilty and excited as I ran towards our home. Just as I was about to turn the corner to our building, a gentle male voice stopped me in my tracks. The voice sounded crystal clear in the silent night. “Babe, why did you come here?” Jason! This voice had become a part of my life, but I had never heard Jason speak in such a tender and affectionate tone. For a moment, I thought Jason had seen me. But the female voice that followed completely shattered my illusion.

“I heard something was off in your voice on the phone, so I was worried and came to check on you. What’s wrong? Is she… upstairs?” “She left. She found out I betrayed her.” “How is that possible?” The woman seemed incredulous. “We always go to my place, and you clean up thoroughly afterward. How could she know?” “It’s all because of you,” Jason’s voice was husky, the same raspy tone he used when he could barely control himself while holding me. “You were too wild that day, and your hair… got stuck in my underwear. Olivia, I loved how you were that day. Come upstairs with me. She won’t be back tonight.” Jason’s voice was full of desire. But what shocked me most was the name Olivia. Jason’s girlfriend from eight years ago, so long ago that I didn’t recognize her voice at first. Ten years ago, when I fell for Jason, he had a girlfriend from his hometown. Somehow, they broke up two years later. I pursued Jason right after he became single. When I first got together with Jason, Olivia came to make a scene once, crying and causing a commotion outside our classroom. In the end, Jason came to pick me up and sternly warned her off. I never saw her again after that. “I can’t stay long. That idiot husband of mine will be back from overtime soon, and the kid is still sleeping. I need to hurry back.” Damn, I cursed inwardly. She has a family and a child, yet she’s out here cheating. “Olivia, don’t go. I want you, just once. I promise I’ll be quick.” Then, in the darkness, I heard the sound of a zipper being pulled down, followed by some indescribable impact sounds. I wanted to leave, but my feet seemed rooted to the ground, unable to move. With a low growl from Jason, Olivia let out a surprised gasp. Then everything went quiet, with only the panting of those two animals rising and falling. I felt nauseous. Eight years! So it wasn’t that Jason didn’t like sex, he just didn’t like having sex with me. My heart turned ice cold, and my whole body shook violently. The heartache made it hard to stand. I leaned against the wall and bent over. “Jason, pull out. You said just once, and I need to go,” Olivia said, breathlessly. “I’d never lie to you. I said once, and I’ll let you go soon.” “Haha, that was pretty quick indeed. Quite honest of you, big brother.” Suddenly, a mocking male voice sounded behind me. “Who’s there?!” Jason shouted sternly, with sounds of frantic movement in the darkness. I was startled and quickly turned around. In the darkness, I could only see a tall figure, unable to make out the face. Suddenly, a flashlight beam shone over. “Lily?” Jason’s voice trembled slightly, as if in disbelief. And I, following the light he shone, saw clearly who was behind me. It was the handsome DJ guy from the club!

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I accidentally woke up in an alternate reality, replacing the female lead in a novel. Three years after marrying Iker Bennett, I had tried countless ways to return to my own world, but all in vain. Finally, I gave in and told Iker I wouldn’t leave anymore. He wept with joy, “I’ll never let you down in this life. I promise I’ll never make you regret staying by my side.” Until his childhood sweetheart returned from studying in France, and he welcomed her into our home, claiming he just wanted to give her a place to belong. In an era where even physical affairs were common, he couldn’t understand the concept of an emotional affair. But what he didn’t know was that on the very night he brought his childhood sweetheart home, I had finally discovered a way to return to my world. I am the heiress of the Collins Group. Everyone envies my good fortune, born into a wealthy family. But all I want is to go home, back to the world where I belong. Unfortunately, after a “fall” into a lake, the male lead insisted on playing the hero and saving me. He fell in love at first sight and proposed the very next day. When I first married him, I still didn’t give up looking for a way to return. Jumping into wells, leaping into lakes, running into walls… I tried it all. But he would tirelessly save me every single time. For three years, he willingly cooked for me and took care of the household chores. The last time I tried to jump into a lake, he pulled me out, panting. With tears in his eyes and a mix of grief and joy at nearly losing me, he said: “Ulla, life is precious. Please, give me a chance, won’t you?” Looking into Iker’s sincere eyes, I finally softened and stopped trying to end my life. Two years after I fell in love with Iker, his childhood sweetheart Wren Morgan graduated from her studies in France and was returning home. And my husband, in front of everyone, went to pick her up at the airport and brought her back to our home. When he brought Wren home without consulting me first, he met my confused gaze. “Wren and I have known each other since childhood. Her family is in a difficult situation, and there’s no one else to take her in, so I brought her back.” That’s when I learned that Iker had such a childhood sweetheart. “No one to take her in, so you have to take her in?” He looked guilty as he explained. Wren was the daughter of the Bennett family’s housekeeper. Now, the housekeeper had passed away from overwork, and Wren’s mother had died giving birth to her, leaving no one to take care of her. Iker sighed, “Ulla, she’s in a really pitiful situation. She said she couldn’t go on living. I brought her home to give her some support for the rest of her life. I absolutely have no other intentions. You can understand that, right?” I glanced at the smug-looking Wren. If Iker hadn’t brought her into our home, she could have still enjoyed the compensation from the Bennett family for the rest of her life. She would have been set for life. Why did she need to depend on a man to survive? Iker seemed to keep his word. He appeared to have no other intentions, just letting her live in our home. Everything seemed unchanged. Until a month later, when the Bennett family hosted a dinner party, inviting many friends and relatives, and even hiring some singers for entertainment. After a group of singers finished performing some love songs on stage, Iker was visibly moved, his eyes brimming with tears. Wren was crying uncontrollably. “This was mine and Iker’s favorite song. If only…” She covered her face and wept, then glanced at me with a pout before hurriedly saying: “Iker and I are like siblings. Please don’t misunderstand.” Her timid expression made it seem like she was afraid of me. The guests at the party whispered among themselves, saying I wasn’t being generous enough. I felt like I had pins and needles in my back, slightly clenching my sleeve. That day’s party ended with me claiming to feel unwell and leaving the table indifferently. Later that evening, the housekeeper came to tell me in a low voice that the song had actually been arranged by Wren. I suddenly realized that there was probably more between them than just childhood friends. The next morning, Wren knelt outside my door to apologize. I sent someone to send her back, but she stubbornly refused to leave. “I’ve angered you, and that’s my fault. But I really had no intention of seducing Iker!” I looked down at her, thinking how ridiculous this housekeeper’s daughter was. Before I could say anything, she had already accused herself of seduction. As we were at an impasse, I caught sight of a figure hurrying over. Iker rushed over, frowning, “What’s going on here?” Wren lowered her head pitifully, “Ulla is upset that I chose that song on my own. She has every right to be angry with me.” The fragile girl bowed her head, making me look even more vicious and jealous in comparison. Iker anxiously helped her up, then turned to me and spoke in a low voice. “Ulla, Wren is the housekeeper’s daughter after all. The housekeeper served our family faithfully. You should give her the respect she deserves. Don’t make things difficult for her.” I looked at this poor act of manipulation, my expression cold. “So you’re feeling sorry for her? Don’t you think she’s just putting on an act, deliberately trying to drive a wedge between us?” From the first day this woman entered our home, I could see the ambition and calculation in her eyes. But Iker looked conflicted as he gazed at both of us, ultimately taking her side. “Wren has such a good temperament, how could she deliberately provoke you?” Saying she doesn’t want anything, yet expecting others to show her favoritism, and acting as if she’s suffered a great injustice. So this is what she considers a good temperament. I walked past Wren and came to Iker’s side, calmly saying: “Iker Bennett, let’s have a proper talk.” I usually called him by his first name in private, rarely addressing him so formally with his full name. Iker was stunned; he understood that I was truly angry this time. … After I left the party yesterday, I asked Mrs. Anderson, who had always been friendly with me, for information. That’s when I learned that they had been in a relationship very early on. Back then, Iker was the young master with a noble air, and she was a well-known academic achiever. The two grew up together in the Bennett household, childhood sweethearts without a care in the world. If it weren’t for her humble origins, the position of Mrs. Bennett would have been Wren’s. My heart grew cold. “What happened then?” Mrs. Anderson sighed, “Then you know what happened. Their relationship was discovered by their parents, and Wren was forcibly sent to study in France by her father. She cried and made a scene at home, saying she wanted to die with Iker.” “But in the end, she was still forced to go to France.” The day Wren left, Iker drove her to the airport. Wren cried her eyes out at the airport. It was quite the tragic love story. I suppressed the pain in my heart and asked, “If that’s the case, why did neither Iker nor you ever mention this to me?” Mrs. Anderson said, “After that, Iker gradually got over his sadness and proposed to you. I saw that you two were happy together, so who would bring this up? ” “If you ask me, this is all ancient history. Why bother with it? I can see that since he married you, he has truly taken you to heart.” Now, I looked into Iker’s eyes and asked him about all of this, one by one. I could accept his past feelings, but I couldn’t accept deception. I asked softly, “Iker, did you ever truly trust me?” Iker was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head, “Ulla, Wren and I did have a past, but that’s all over now. Now, I’ve married you, and I’ll only be good to you alone.” “Then why didn’t you tell me?” He was silent for a while before finally admitting. “Everyone knows that the Collins heiress has a proud personality. I was afraid you’d get angry and refuse to marry me.” The hope in my heart finally faded away. I quietly closed my eyes. It’s not easy to divorce in high society, but if both parties agree, it’s not impossible. When I brought up this idea, Iker’s eyes filled with shock. Even though he hadn’t betrayed me, I was still being unreasonable, nitpicking over every little thing. “That was just youthful foolishness, how could it count?” Iker panicked. “Since marrying you, I’ve been nothing but careful in taking care of you. Wren is just a thing of the past, why are you so concerned about it?” He didn’t understand the significance of what people call an emotional affair in this era where even physical affairs are common. Before he was with me, I could ignore his past feelings. But when he started to have feelings for Wren again, and chose to believe her over me, he was no longer the man I loved. During this time, he often went to the backyard to check on Wren, and occasionally, because of her nightmares, he would quietly go to see her in the middle of the night, returning at dawn. I’m not deaf or blind. On those nights when he went to accompany Wren, I lay awake all night. To the point where when Wren walked past me, she could no longer hold back her true colors. She said to me lightly: “Iker and I are childhood sweethearts. He’s only holding back because of you. He hasn’t slept with me yet, but it won’t be long now.” “You don’t really think that you, the new love, can replace my position in his heart, do you?” I couldn’t help but laugh as I listened. “So Miss Morgan likes to steal other people’s husbands.” Wren’s smile froze, but she couldn’t capture any sense of triumph on my face. Because I was no longer her competitor. In my heart, the man I once loved was already dead. “Ever since Wren cried at the family dinner, word has spread in our social circle that I’m a vicious and jealous person,” I said. I looked steadily at Iker. “To avoid affecting your family’s reputation, let’s get a divorce.” Seeing my determination, his handsome face turned red and white. “Why should we fear rumors? I won’t agree to a divorce. You are my only wife, and that will never change!” Iker was angry as I had predicted, and stormed off. I sighed and began to research ways to return to my world again. In those days, I continued to experiment with hanging myself, jumping into lakes, and divination. Because on the day I transmigrated here, there was a rare star alignment in the sky. I studied astrology diligently and finally began to see some results. At first, when Iker discovered me trying to hang myself, he would panic like before and patiently try to talk me out of it. But after rushing home several times, he gradually became impatient with me, thinking I was just trying to get his attention. I didn’t understand. He was the one who had people monitoring my every move, so why did it become me trying to attract his attention? Every time he saw the backyard filled with my star charts and ropes, he felt extremely helpless. Iker rubbed his brow, his tone tinged with fatigue. “Ulla Collins, I’m busy with work. Can you stop this nonsense?” Even Wren pretended to advise me: “Yes, Ulla doesn’t take care of herself. Every time it’s just an empty threat, it only adds to Iker’s worries.” By now, Wren’s graceful and elegant demeanor of a young lady from a good family had completely disappeared. I smiled, “Soon, I’ll never trouble you again.” He didn’t understand the implication of my words, just slightly relaxed his brow. I watched them standing side by side by the pond, like a perfect couple. He and Wren had actually already had sex. One day when the Bennett family was entertaining guests, I claimed to be tired and retired to rest, leaving him to drink with the guests. Wren asked the housekeeper to come over saying she had chest pains, so Iker went to check on her. That night, he never came out again. He ended up sleeping in Wren’s room. To cover it up, the music in the front hall was turned up very loud. He always thought I didn’t know. But I had been the lady of the house for many years, and I had eyes and ears everywhere. Now, Iker asked me why I was doing these strange things. I lied and said I was divining, praying for his good fortune. He softened his voice, “If my wife likes divination, I’ll find some rare books for you.” “Just don’t harm yourself anymore.” Iker took my hand tenderly, but I pulled away as if electrocuted, my smile not reaching my eyes. “Thank you for your concern.” I don’t know when we started being so polite to each other. Those intimate moments, those nights of passion, seemed to have dissipated into the spring night long ago. Only Iker and I remained in the room. He personally brought a bowl of thick medicine, gently stirring it. “The doctor said this medicine is best for calming the mind… I added honey to it, it’s not bitter anymore.” But there are many kinds of bitterness in this world that can’t be neutralized with sweetness. I bit my lower lip. “You still don’t believe me. You think I’ve lost my mind, don’t you?” “Be a good girl and drink your medicine. When you’re better, we’ll be like we were before.” He brought the cooled medicine to my lips, his voice coaxing. It seemed that if I just drank this medicine, he could deceive himself and get back the wife who used to be gentle and caring towards him. “Do you think we can go back to how we were before?” I asked. I raised my hand and knocked over the spoonful of medicine he was holding. The reddish-brown medicine spilled onto his sky-blue shirt, instantly staining it. I had never seen this shirt before, probably bought for him by Wren. Iker suppressed his anger, his eyelashes trembling slightly as he clenched his fists. He was the noble young master of the Bennett family, no one had ever dared to be so disrespectful to him. “Ulla, don’t push me. I’ve already compromised too much.” The next moment, he actually grabbed my chin with red eyes and poured the remaining hot medicine into my mouth. I coughed, using my remaining strength to coldly stare at him. “Iker Bennett… stop torturing each other. It’s useless.” He didn’t know that over the years, I had secretly spent a fortune seeking out psychics all over the world, and had actually found a way to return. This Bennett house was never a cage that could trap me.

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My wife had been in France for advanced studies for six months. On our wedding anniversary, I secretly flew to France, wanting to give her a surprise. I didn’t expect she would give me a “surprise” too. She was pregnant, her belly round and swollen. Under my interrogation, she revealed the whole story. Her first love was dying of late-stage cancer and wanted to leave behind an heir. She agreed to help him have a child. After hearing this, I was furious. My wife, however, righteously said: “I just wanted to give him an heir. Is that wrong?” I trembled with anger all over. A woman like this, I might as well be without! The day before our wedding anniversary, my wife Emily and I exchanged messages. [Honey, tomorrow is our 5th wedding anniversary. We spent the first four years together, but this year you’re in a foreign country. I feel so lonely. I really want to book a flight to come see you right now.] [Don’t. You’re so busy with work, and flights are expensive. Just hold on for another six months. I’ll be back then.] [Alright, I’ll listen to you.] She didn’t know that I had already booked a flight to France, just to give her a surprise. The next morning at 8 am, I boarded the flight to France. More than 6 hours later, I arrived in France. I bought a bouquet of roses and came to her residence. With an excited heart, I knocked on the door. Soon the door opened. “Honey, are you surprised?” I said excitedly. “Ry…Ryan?” She had a shocked, flustered look. “Haha, it’s your dear husband, coming all this way to see you.” I went to hug her, but was stopped by something. I looked down and saw her big belly, round and swollen. She must have been at least 6 months pregnant. I was horrified and confused, falling from heaven to hell! “You… you’re pregnant?” I asked in disbelief, trembling. “Come in and we’ll talk!” She pulled me inside and closed the door. “You must be tired from the journey. Sit down, I’ll get you some water.” “I don’t want any water. Just tell me what’s going on?” I angrily threw the roses on the floor. “As you can see, I’m pregnant,” she said calmly. “Weren’t you infertile? How did you suddenly get pregnant?” After we got married, she couldn’t get pregnant for a long time. One day she came to me crying with a medical report that said she was infertile. I hugged her and comforted her, saying it didn’t matter if we had children or not, as long as we were together forever. At worst, we could adopt. “I… I can actually have children,” she said, hanging her head like a child who had done something wrong, feeling guilty. “Didn’t that medical report say you were infertile?” “That medical report was fake…” she confessed honestly. It turned out she wasn’t infertile at all. The reason she pretended to be infertile was because she was at a critical point in her career, and having a child would affect her professional life. “Then whose bastard child is in your belly?” I asked through gritted teeth. “Ryan, watch your language. This is not a bastard child.” “So you want to be a slut while pretending to be pure?” I raged. “Ryan, you’re being too harsh,” she said, her eyes moist with tears of grievance. “Tell me! Which son of a bitch planted his seed in your belly?” I roared. A man’s dignity, a husband’s identity, shattered to pieces. “It’s… it’s Jack’s,” she said softly, avoiding my gaze. I was stunned. Jack was her first love, and also a married man. “You two rekindled your old flame and hooked up again?” “It’s not what you think. He has cancer in the late stages and wanted to leave behind an heir. I felt sorry for him, so I agreed. But I absolutely didn’t betray you. We did it through artificial insemination.” Hearing this, my worldview was shattered. Is this something you can help with? Moreover, you’re a married woman. “Don’t you know he has a wife?” I asked in a low voice. “I know, but his wife can’t have children.” “She can’t have children, so you have them for her?” “People’s hearts are made of flesh. Besides, Jack and I used to be lovers. How could I refuse when he begged me on his deathbed?” “Wow, you’re such a kind and understanding woman. There are a few female colleagues at my company who can’t have children either. Why don’t you help them out too?” I said sarcastically. “Ryan, you’re shameless.” “I may be shameless, but at least I’m not as shameless as you.” “I just wanted to give him an heir. Is that wrong?” she said righteously.

In an instant, my blood rushed to my head. She had proactively applied to the company for advanced studies, saying it was for a promotion and raise, but it was actually to hide from people’s eyes and give birth to a child in a foreign country. “You’re a married woman, wanting to have a child for a married man, and you still think there’s nothing wrong? You still think it’s justified?” “Honey, don’t be angry. I promise you, after I give birth to this child, I’ll immediately have one for you too, okay?” Her tone softened. “Get rid of the child right now, or we’re getting divorced,” I said through gritted teeth. “It’s already 6 months along. I can’t have an abortion now. Besides, this is a life, it’s my child. How can you say such cruel things?” She glared at me with tears in her eyes, full of resentment. I was so angry I was speechless. My hands shook as I took out a cigarette, but then I noticed an ashtray on the coffee table with cigarette butts in it. Looking around the room, I saw men’s underwear on the balcony. The flames of anger ignited every cell in my body. A man’s face, trampled under her feet, repeatedly stomped on. “Is Jack living with you?” I stared at her grimly, shouting in anger. Her face instantly turned red with shame. She bit her lip, her eyes dodging, and said guiltily: “No, he just occasionally flies over to keep me company. No, I mean to keep the baby company.” “No wonder you kept telling me not to come. You were afraid I’d catch you in your affair.” “Ryan, don’t be so dirty-minded. Jack and I are innocent.” Just then, the sound of a key turning came from the front door. Emily’s face jolted, revealing a panicked expression. “Emily, I bought you a set of maternity pajamas and some maternity underwear. Try them on and see if they fit…” Jack opened the door and came in. He froze when he saw me. “Jack, you should go. My husband and I still have things to discuss,” Emily hurriedly said. “Why are you crying?” Jack walked over and asked tenderly. “It’s nothing. You should go quickly.” “Did he bully you?” Jack turned his head and shouted fiercely, “Ryan, are you even a man? If you’ve got the guts, come at me.” “Gladly. I’ve been waiting for this,” I said as I rushed at him with my fist raised. “No!” Emily blocked me, sobbing, “Honey, how can you bear to hit a cancer patient?” “Get out of the way, or I’ll hit you too.” “Ryan, you bastard! You’d even hit your own wife, and she’s pregnant too,” Jack yelled. “She seems more like your wife,” I said. “Ryan, you’re going too far,” Emily cried out in grievance. “I’m going too far? You two are practically living together and having a child. You’re just short of a marriage certificate.” “Get out of the way…” I shouted. “No, I won’t let you bully him,” Emily spread her arms to protect Jack. I pulled her away and kicked Jack in the stomach. He fell to his knees in pain. He glared at me with bloodshot eyes, drooling: “You… you dare hit me?” I clenched my fist and punched his face. He flailed his arms, offering no resistance. Emily suddenly hugged me from behind. “Ryan, I’m begging you, stop. You’ll kill him if you keep going.” “Get away from me. I’m going to beat him to death today,” I roared. “Ryan, if you want to hit someone, hit me instead,” Emily knelt down, tearfully begging me. My own wife, protecting another man. This humiliation felt like thousands of steel needles piercing my body. It hurt, it hurt so much! I raised my hand, and she lifted her neck. “Ryan, if anything happens to my child, I’ll make you pay with your life,” Jack said defiantly. I turned and punched him square in the face. “Ah…” He covered his nose, blood seeping through his fingers. “Jack…” Emily cried out in distress and rushed to his side. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine, just a nosebleed.” “Ryan, you beast! How dare you hit a sick person? Doesn’t your conscience hurt? If there’s anything to discuss, we can sit down and talk it out. Why resort to violence?” Emily yelled at me hatefully. My conscience didn’t hurt, but my heart did. “Emily, there’s no use talking to this brute. Let’s call the police,” Jack said. Emily hesitated. “Knock knock knock…” “What’s going on in there? I’m the building security. Open up.”

Jack immediately got up to open the door. Two security guards stood at the door, with several neighbors behind them. Apparently, the neighbors had heard the commotion and called security. “Officer, this thug broke into our home and assaulted me and my wife,” Jack said, pointing at me. “You bastard, say that again. Whose wife is she?” I roared. The neighbors behind the security guards started chattering. “I’ve never seen this intruder before. Mr. Zhang and Ms. Lou are a couple. They introduced themselves to me when they moved in,” a male neighbor said. “Yes, they’re husband and wife. We’ve had dinner together.” “Everyone on this floor knows Mr. Zhang and Ms. Lou. We’ve never seen that violent man before. Could he be a criminal? Mr. Zhang’s face is all bruised up. We should call the police.” Jack looked at me smugly and provocatively. I was shaking with anger. In this foreign country, there was no way to prove my relationship with Emily. “Emily, you tell them. Whose wife are you?” I said, suppressing my anger. Everyone looked at her. Her face turned red. After hesitating for a moment, she pointed at me… At least she still had some conscience. “I don’t know him,” Emily then pointed at Jack. “He’s my husband.” “Boom!” My mind exploded. I felt dizzy and disoriented. The police arrived quickly and took us away for questioning. At the police station, Emily finally told the truth, saying that I was her real husband. But Jack had a long-term residence permit in France, making him practically a French citizen. I would be held responsible for hitting him. He said that as long as I admitted my mistake and promised not to cause any more trouble, letting Emily give birth to the child in peace, he would let me off. I refused, and was subsequently detained. Three days passed. I was released. Walking to the entrance, I saw Emily. She came up to me, her big belly in front of her. That belly was a huge humiliation to me. She knew how much I loved children and wanted my own, but she had pretended to be infertile and deceived me for 5 years. Yet she could travel to a foreign country to have a child for Jack. “I begged Jack to let you go. See how magnanimous he is, unlike you who’s so petty,” she said in a reproachful tone. “Right, I should be more magnanimous. It’s not uncommon to share wives these days,” I said. “Can’t you speak without being so sarcastic?” she said. She booked a hotel for me, telling me to calm down first. “Stay here for now. Call me when you’ve calmed down,” she said. I laughed. Why did it feel like I was the one at fault? Two days passed. I called Emily, saying I wanted to talk to both of them. Emily was very happy, thinking I had finally come around and understood her difficulties. She set up a meeting at a restaurant the next day. The next day at noon, I arrived at the restaurant. The waiter led me to a private room. Emily and Jack were sitting close together. I sat down across from them and placed my phone on the table. The table was already full of food and wine. “I didn’t consider your feelings before and offended you greatly, but you hit me too, so let’s call it even. After we drink this glass of wine, we’ll be brothers,” Jack said, raising his glass. I took a small sip. He frowned slightly, obviously displeased, but didn’t make a scene. “Ryan, Jack is being so sincere. Why don’t you finish your drink?” Emily complained. “Emily, forget it. Let’s get to the point. To be frank, I’m in the late stages of cancer. The doctors say I have at most a year to live. As a man, I hope you can understand my desire to have a child,” Jack said. “You look pretty healthy to me. You don’t look like you’re dying,” I said with a sneer. “Appearances can be deceiving. I’m riddled with tumors on the inside,” he said. He walked over to me and handed me a bank card. “There’s $200,000 in here. The PIN is Emily’s birthday. Consider it compensation.” “Let’s be more direct. Add another zero, and I’ll let you have Emily,” I said sarcastically. “Ryan, stop being so sarcastic. We’re trying to have a proper discussion with you,” Emily said angrily. “Alright, alright, my mistake,” I said with a smile. “But $200,000 isn’t enough to raise your child.” “Don’t worry, brother. After the child is born, I’ll take it away and give it to my mother to raise,” Jack said. “Aren’t you afraid your wife will find out?” I asked. “My mother lives in the countryside. My wife is proud and arrogant and has never gotten along with my mother. Plus, my wife hates the countryside. She hasn’t been to my mother’s house since we got married, so she’ll never discover the child,” Jack said proudly. “You’re having a child behind your wife’s back. Don’t you feel any guilt towards her?” I asked. He sighed helplessly and said, “What can I do? She’s a hen that can’t lay eggs.” “So you found one that can lay eggs to have a child for you,” I said, raising my voice. Emily got angry. “Ryan, you’ve taken the money. Aren’t you satisfied?” I sneered and nodded. “Good. Now that we’ve all reached an agreement, I’ll book your return flight right away,” Emily said eagerly, wanting to send me back home. “Wait. No rush to book the flight.” “What else do you want to say?” Emily asked impatiently. “This involves four people. It’s useless for just the three of us to agree,” I said with a grim smile. “Who’s the fourth person?” they asked, confused. As I finished speaking, the door to the private room was forcefully pushed open…

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I went to get my marriage license with my fiancé, but my younger cousin sent a photo of the two of them in bed as a “celebration.” She even went out of her way to tag me in the family group chat— “Cousin, I tested your fiancé’s skills for you. He’s really amazing.” My younger female cousin Sunny sent a photo inMonuments. It was a bed photo of her and Jim. In the image, the two of them were lying naked together, kissing towards the camera. The group, which usually only had the gossips of aunts and uncles, exploded instantly. They all inquired about what was going on. Sunny seemed to realize her mistake and quickly withdrew the photo. She tagged me in the group: “Sister, I’m sorry. I originally intended to send this photo to brother – in – law as a keepsake. I didn’t expect to accidentally send it to the group. It was just that one time with brother – in – law. Please don’t mind. Just consider it as I tested brother – in – law’s ability for you in advance.” At the Registry Office, Jim was holding the queuing slip and running towards me cheerfully: “Lina, let’s go get the marriage license now!” I looked at him with red – rimmed eyes and sneered: “Jim, explain what this is all about?” “What?” Before Jim could react, I threw the photo at him. Then, without waiting for his response, I turned and left. When I got home, I saw that in the living room, my mother was being punished to kneel, and Jim had also chased after me. Granny was scolding harshly: “Look at you. You came back divorced and brought shame to our family. Now you can’t even control your daughter!” Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary were crying and wailing beside her: “Our Sunny is still so young. She’s a simple and kind – hearted good girl. It’s all because you can’t control your own daughter and let her find such a son – in – law to harm our daughter! What are we supposed to do?” I walked over, helped my mother up, and looked at them coldly as I asked – “It was Sunny who shamelessly seduced my fiancé. Why are you blaming my mother?”

Since I was a child, my parents divorced. My father was a philanderer and a scoundrel who fooled around with various women and even committed domestic violence against my mother and me. My mother couldn’t endure it any longer in her husband’s family and divorced my father. She took me, who was young, back to her mother’s house. Unfortunately, what awaited her was not comfort from her mother’s house but ridicule and sarcasm from Granny, Uncle Joe, and Aunt Mary. They believed it was normal for men to cheat and play around with women. As long as my mother gave birth to a son, life would be better in the future. Aunt Mary said bitterly: “Oh, you still have the nerve to say that? Then what do you think we should do now? Your fiancé slept with my daughter. He can’t just get away with it, can he? Sunny is still so young. If this gets out, her reputation will be ruined. How will she get married in the future?” I sneered and asked rhetorically: “Why isn’t Sunny here? Is she too ashamed to face me?” Sunny emerged from the inner room, still being stubborn: “I want to marry Brother Jim! You should give your fiancé to me!” I retorted: “Why should I?” Sunny looked at me with a hint of guilt in her eyes and said: “Because I slept with Jim, he has to be responsible for me!” I snorted: “It’s Jim who should be responsible for you, not me. You’re a mistress. Why should I care about you?” I folded my arms and said: “How about this? Let’s invite all the relatives and friends and let them decide who’s right and who’s wrong?” Aunt Mary jumped up: “Lina, I didn’t expect you to be so vicious, deliberately trying to shame our family!” I said: “It’s your daughter who’s brought shame. She even sent the bed photo to the group. Do you still care about this?” The whole family was left speechless. I continued: “If you don’t want to make this a big deal, I have another proposal…” “All the money my mother earned working outside over the years, including the property she received from the divorce with my father, should be returned to us!”

My father’s family was fairly well – off. Additionally, when they divorced back then, since my father cheated and committed domestic violence, my mother received a large sum of money from the divorce. However, Granny withheld it all and gave it to Uncle Joe. Just a few days after my mother and I returned, she drove my mother out to work. She made it sound nice that she would take care of me, her granddaughter, but in reality, she just wanted to drain the resources of our mother and daughter. When I was a child, their family often beat me and humiliated me by saying that I was an unwanted bastard. The clothes I wore were Sunny’s hand – me – downs, and I wasn’t even allowed to sit at the table to eat. I lived a life worse than their dog. Granny shouted: “You’ve been eating and wearing from our family all these years. Didn’t that cost money?” I directly threatened: “Give it or not, just one word. Otherwise, we’ll make this a huge issue and see who will be the one to lose face in the end!” Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary fell silent. Finally, Sunny knelt down and cried: “Mom, Dad, this bitch wants money. Just give it to them and let them go far away and never come to bother our family again! I like Brother Jim. I want to marry him!” Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary gritted their teeth and agreed. In the end, after calculating the total amount, they needed to give us two hundred thousand dollars. Sunny wiped her tears and was overjoyed. Without waiting for the money to be handed over, she couldn’t wait to go to the room to pack my luggage. She packed the luggage of me and my mother and threw it all at the door. Just then, Jim, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke: “The person I want to marry is Lina. I don’t want to marry Sunny!” He was extremely embarrassed and also a bit scared. He glanced at Sunny tentatively before saying – “It was Sunny who deliberately seduced me and said that I didn’t need to be responsible. She has no self – respect. Why should I be responsible for her?”

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