I have been able to smell people’s emotions since I was a child. Sweetness meant love. Bitterness meant grief. And a sharp, spicy sting meant anger and disgust. During my ten years with Julian, his scent had never changed. It was always a sweet, comforting vanilla—so sweet it could rot your teeth. The only time it changed was the night my sister, Jasmine, moved abroad. When Julian came home late that night, the scent radiating from him was so bitter it made my stomach turn. But back then, I didn’t connect the two events. It wasn’t until three years later, when Jasmine came back to get married. That day, Julian’s scent was a suffocating mix of bitterness and a sharp, stinging spice. It was a smell I had never encountered on him before. Frowning, I followed him out of the reception hall. In the quiet stairwell, I heard his voice—low, choked, and dripping with agony. “Enough, Jasmine! Just to make me give up, you’d rather marry a total stranger?!” Jasmine sobbed, her voice cracking. “What else was I supposed to do?! You’re Chloe’s fiancé, and Chloe is my sister! We can’t keep making this mistake!” I froze at the entrance. My entire body trembled with shock. It felt as if my heart was being slowly crushed in a fist, squeezing the air out of my lungs until I couldn’t breathe. Right then, my phone buzzed. A calendar notification popped up: Wedding with Julian next week. I stared at the screen for two seconds. Then, I called the venue and canceled the wedding.

Through the crack in the door, I saw the two of them wrapped in a painful, desperate embrace. The scent of grief radiating from them was so thick it was almost physical. Jasmine covered her face, her shoulders shaking violently. “Julian, let it go. We have to stop.” She looked up at him, her eyes filled with unspeakable sorrow. “I’m getting married today. Next week, you’re marrying Chloe. Chloe and I only have each other. Since our parents passed away, she’s my only family. Don’t hurt her, I beg you.” I leaned heavily against the cold wall. My chest throbbed with a million tiny needle pricks. The sheer absurdity of the situation made me want to laugh and cry at the same time. I stood there like a lunatic, not knowing what expression to put on my face. Jasmine. Julian. I had never once connected them in my mind. For the past few years, they had kept such a polite, distant boundary. They behaved like strangers, and I was the only bridge between them. During holidays, Julian would bring gifts to our house and greet her with polite formality. Jasmine would nod distantly and say nothing more than, “Please, make yourself at home.” Every time Julian left, Jasmine would stroke my hair, her emotions tightly suppressed. “Chloe must be happy,” she would whisper. Back then, I didn’t understand the deep sadness in her eyes. But now, I did. Inside the stairwell, Julian shook his head. His hands shook as he desperately tried to grab hers. “Don’t do this to me, Jasmine. Please.” Jasmine closed her eyes and slapped his hand away. “I said it’s over! Julian, we were just never meant to be.” Julian punched the concrete wall. His hand—the hand of a brilliant surgeon—was instantly covered in blood, but his eyes were redder than the blood dripping from his knuckles. “I don’t care about fate! Jasmine, let’s run away. Let’s leave this place together!” She tore herself from his grip, her gaze hardening. “I won’t hurt Chloe. If you dare do anything, I will never speak to you again.” He froze. His spine went rigid, like a bowstring stretched to its absolute limit. Then, with a bitter, defeated laugh, all the strength drained from his body, and his shoulders slumped. “Fine…” “You win, Jasmine. You win.” “I will stay with Chloe. For the rest of my life.” I closed my eyes, a mocking smile on my lips. It was all a joke. I stumbled away from the stairwell. My steps were hollow, and every drop of color had drained from my face. A short while later, Julian returned to the banquet hall and sat down next to me. “What’s wrong, babe?” He gently touched the corner of my reddened eyes, his voice dripping with concern. “Have you been crying?” I looked up, digging my fingernails into my palms. He was back to his usual self—warm, gentle, and perfect. It was as if the scene I had just witnessed was nothing but a hallucination. I instinctively shrank back from his touch. “I’m fine…” He didn’t press. The lights in the ballroom dimmed, and his attention was immediately drawn to the grand doors at the end of the aisle. “And now, please welcome the beautiful bride!” As the host spoke, Jasmine walked down the aisle in her white wedding gown. She looked at me first. When her gaze briefly brushed past Julian, it was filled with a lingering, quiet sorrow. As for Julian… His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. I watched it all play out. Taking a soft breath, a wave of cold desolation washed over me. Because out of the three of us in this room, not a single one smelled sweet. Up on the stage, Jasmine was reciting her vows to her new husband. Soon, it was time for the family speeches. The host walked over with the microphone. “Now, we invite the bride’s only sister, Chloe, to say a few words of blessing!” I reached out to take the mic. But Julian, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly stood up and snatched it first.

I froze. The host froze. Everyone in the room looked on in confusion. On stage, Jasmine’s body went completely rigid. She gave Julian a subtle, pleading shake of her head. Julian kept his eyes lowered, looking down at me with practiced tenderness. “Let me do it. I’m afraid if you start speaking, you’ll cry too hard, and my heart can’t take that.” Without waiting for my response, he raised the microphone. His voice echoed through the speakers, flat and devoid of real emotion, like he was delivering a business report. “Chloe wants to tell you that you look beautiful today. She hopes you will be happy forever, and always stay true to yourself.” “If you ever feel tired or unhappy out there, you can always come home. I… we will always be there for you.” Jasmine forced a small smile. “I know. Thank you.” They looked at each other from across the room, then quickly averted their eyes. Only I could smell the suffocating bitterness hanging in the air between them. The speeches ended, and the wedding proceeded smoothly. I turned my head to look at the man sitting beside me, whose mind was clearly miles away. “I didn’t want to say any of those things,” I said quietly. “Didn’t you hear me practicing my speech at home?” “And besides, I could have said it myself.” Julian snapped out of his daze. Hiding the complex emotions in his eyes, he reached out and playfully pinched my cheek. His smile was doting. “The wedding hasn’t even started and your eyes are already puffy from crying. I was just worried you wouldn’t make it through a single sentence.” He chuckled softly. “Chloe has always been so sensitive.” He pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. It was no different from how he used to hold me. If… If I hadn’t smelled that the sweetness in his emotions had completely evaporated, I would have truly believed he loved me. “Is that so…” The corner of my mouth twitched into a strained smile. “Then thank you.” He didn’t notice the edge in my voice. Jasmine had walked over to our table, raising her champagne glass to toast us. “Chloe, you’re getting married next week.” She gently patted my head. “My little sister is all grown up.” I kept my eyes down, feeling a sickening wave of nausea rise in my chest, accompanied by a dull, throbbing pain. She turned to Julian. “Take… take good care of my sister. I hope you keep your promise.” Julian, who rarely drank, downed his entire glass of champagne in one gulp. “I will.” They quickly broke eye contact. Jasmine moved to the next table, and laughter rippled through the hall. But Julian kept drinking, one glass after another. I watched him the whole time. I didn’t stop him. There was no point anymore. That night, Julian got dead drunk. The moment we got home, he collapsed onto the living room sofa. “Jasmine…” “Why… why couldn’t it be us? Tell me why…” I sat on the armchair nearby, listening quietly. I sat there and listened to my fiancé call out my sister’s name in his drunken slumber. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was the coordinator from the wedding venue. “Hi, Chloe. We noticed you canceled the wedding on our portal. Is everything okay?” “We just wanted to remind you that according to the contract, the deposit is non-refundable.” I gave a soft hum. “Yes, it’s canceled.” “Keep the deposit. It’s fine.” After I hung up, Julian muttered, “Chloe… my throat hurts. Get me a glass of honey water…” I ignored him. I went straight to the bedroom and locked the door. I canceled the catering orders, returned the wedding decorations online, and then booked a one-way ticket to Iceland. I had always wanted to go there. Julian had always claimed he was too busy with hospital shifts. Well, now I could go alone. Lying in bed, sleep eluded me. I began to mentally retrace the steps of our ten-year relationship. The more I looked back… The more I saw the glaring red flags I had previously ignored. Like the time Jasmine moved abroad, and his mood had plummeted for weeks for no apparent reason. Or the year Jasmine graduated, and he insisted on flying across the country with me just to congratulate her. Or the way that, in every single photo of the three of us, his head was always slightly tilted toward Jasmine. I didn’t know when it had started. But I knew. It was time for it to end. The next morning, when I woke up, Julian was already in the kitchen making breakfast. He had cooked for me for years, never letting me lift a finger. “Morning.” He set the plates on the table and asked casually, “I drank too much last night. Did I say anything stupid?” I stared at the strawberry jam on the table. I hated strawberry jam. Jasmine loved it. “No,” I replied flatly. He quietly let out a breath, but then frowned slightly. “You didn’t even put a blanket on me last night, and there was no honey water. I woke up freezing, and my head is splitting.” I looked him dead in the eye. “I am not obligated to take care of you.” He froze. Julian pressed his lips together, swallowing his sudden irritation. A flicker of anxiety crossed his eyes. “What’s wrong? Did someone upset you? Or are you stressed about the wedding preparations?” I didn’t answer. I grabbed the toast smeared with strawberry jam and threw it directly into the trash can. “I hate strawberries.” Looking at his bewildered face, I let out a cold laugh. “The one who loves strawberries is Jasmine.”

I walked out of the apartment and wandered aimlessly down the streets. A light drizzle was falling. It wasn’t heavy enough to need an umbrella, but it was enough to knock the dead leaves off the trees, letting them rot in the mud. I stopped outside our old high school. Julian and I had been classmates here. Jasmine was a grade above us. Back then, she would always wait for me after school so we could walk home together. At some point, Julian started walking with us. Jasmine used to tease me, saying Julian was doing it because he had a crush on me and wanted to walk me home. But even though we were in the same class, we barely spoke. Yet, from that day on, my eyes couldn’t help but follow him. After the SATs, Jasmine encouraged me to confess my feelings to him. So I did. I remembered the shock on his face when I asked him out. But the rejection that had been on the tip of his tongue was swallowed back down. Instead, he had said, “Okay.” And just like that, Julian became a permanent fixture in my and Jasmine’s lives. I kept walking, my hair soaked by the rain, my feet growing heavier with every step. I couldn’t help but wonder… What if he only agreed to be with me so he could be closer to Jasmine? What if the sweet scent of love I had smelled on him all these years was just a lie he forced himself to project? I didn’t dare go down that rabbit hole. Thinking like that would drive me insane. I squeezed my eyes shut, took a deep breath, and hailed a cab. Just as I got into the backseat, Julian’s black Mercedes sped past us. “Sir, follow that Mercedes,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. That direction didn’t lead to his hospital, nor did it lead to his parents’ house. Where was he going? The answer was screaming in my mind, but my heart clenched, too terrified to believe it. The cab took several turns and finally stopped in front of a small, charming cottage in the quiet suburbs. I never knew he owned a house here. I got out of the cab. As I walked closer, the muffled sound of an argument reached my ears. Jasmine sounded like she was on the verge of a breakdown. “What did Chloe mean by that comment this morning?!” “Julian! You promised me she would never find out! You promised you wouldn’t hurt her!” Julian’s jaw was clenched tight. “She won’t find out. She was probably just in a bad mood. I asked her if I said anything stupid last night, and she said no.” Only then did Jasmine seem to calm down. She wept softly. “In any case, this is the last time I’m coming here. We cannot contact each other ever again.” Julian’s voice was a soft, desperate whisper. “Really? Can you really let go of this place?” “We bought this cottage five years ago. We have so many beautiful memories here. Can you really just wipe them away?” “Jasmine, stop lying to yourself.” Then, Jasmine threw herself into his arms, and they held each other tightly. It was so picturesque. It made me look like the cruel villain standing in the way of their true love. I couldn’t hear what else they said. A loud buzzing filled my ears. As I leaned against the gate, I noticed the archway of the cottage was covered in climbing jasmines. Every corner of this place was a testament to their love. And I was nothing but a pathetic clown. A flood of memories rushed into my mind. Four years ago, on New Year’s Eve, both of them claimed they had to work late shifts. I spent the countdown alone. Three years ago, on Valentine’s Day, both of them said they had business trips. The romantic dinner I prepared ended up in the trash. Two years ago, on Jasmine’s birthday while she was still abroad, Julian suddenly told me he had to fly out for an emergency surgery. That same night, Jasmine’s phone went unanswered. Piece by piece, the puzzle came together. The truth wrapped around my throat like a poisonous vine, cutting off my air. I went home. I didn’t confront them. Not yet. I quietly packed my bags. When Julian came home later, his scent was miserable, but the moment he saw me, he forced a bright smile. He pulled me into a tight embrace. There wasn’t a single trace of sweetness on him. “Chloe, I’m so sorry about the strawberry jam this morning. My brain was still foggy from last night.” “Are you mad at me?” I stared at him, then let my lips curve into a wide, cheerful smile. “Of course not.” He let out a sigh of relief and headed into the bathroom. My smile instantly vanished, replaced by cold indifference.

Three days after her wedding, Jasmine brought her new husband, Luke, to visit. She took my hand, her smile warm and sisterly. “Chloe is getting married.” “I can’t be your maid of honor next week, but being able to hand you over to Julian is enough for me.” I looked down at our joined hands. “Is that so? You don’t feel any regret?” She stiffened for a fraction of a second, then laughed it off. “Why would I regret seeing you happy?” “Mhm,” I murmured, pulling my hand back. She didn’t notice my coldness. “I’m going to see what delicious food Julian is whipping up,” she said cheerfully, heading into the kitchen. The table was set with an incredibly lavish feast. Julian was supposed to have a surgery scheduled for today. He was the kind of doctor who put his patients above everything else. But this morning, I heard him call his chief to swap shifts. All so he could cook a meal for Jasmine. At the dinner table, the two of them sat diagonally from each other. The maximum distance possible. “Chloe mentioned you like seafood, Jasmine, so I made a seafood feast today. But don’t eat too much cold seafood, it’s not good for your stomach.” Julian said casually. I listened in silence. Every detail he knew about Jasmine’s preferences felt like a slap in my face. Because I had never told him those things. Jasmine gave a cold, polite nod, then turned to cut a piece of steak for Luke. Julian’s scent turned bitter and dejected. I watched it all, feeling completely numb. Except for Luke, who was happily eating, everyone at the table was drowning in their own thoughts. In the afternoon, Luke had to head back to work. Jasmine and Julian accompanied me to my final wedding dress fitting. I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the glittering gown. I was dazed. This dress was designed by Julian himself. It was intricately embroidered with delicate white petals. I remembered the day he had proudly shown me the sketches like a boy presenting a treasure. “Chloe, I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he had said, eyes shining. “Even when we’re old and gray, I want to hold your hand and look at the beautiful things we built together.” I never could have imagined that in just six months, the truth would be laid bare. I lost my parents at eight. And now, at twenty-three, I was losing my sister and my fiancé. I wondered if I was cursed. Why was I destined to lose everything? Why could I never keep the people I loved? The boutique assistant smiled warmly as she adjusted the train of the gown. “This gown is called ‘Pure Jasmine,’ Chloe. I’m guessing your sister’s name inspired it?” My body went completely rigid. So that was the name of the dress. Those embroidered petals weren’t cherry blossoms. They were jasmines. A wave of pure disgust and absurdity washed over me. I ripped the veil off my head. The assistant gasped, startled. “Chloe? Is there something wrong with the dress?” I stared at the crumpled veil on the floor, my voice hollow. “No. It’s perfect. Absolutely perfect.” I changed out of the dress and walked out of the fitting room. Jasmine and Julian were standing far apart, looking like polite strangers. Julian blinked in surprise. “Babe? Why didn’t you show us? I wanted to see you in it.” I forced a smile. “If you see it now, where’s the surprise on the wedding day?” Julian smiled tenderly, and Jasmine patted my head affectionately. It made my skin crawl. According to tradition, the bride and groom shouldn’t see each other the night before the wedding. So, Julian checked into a hotel. Before he left, he held me tightly, his heart hammering against his chest. “Tomorrow, you’ll finally be my wife, Chloe. I’m so happy.” I nodded expressionlessly. At midnight, I packed the last of my things and headed to the airport. My flight was scheduled for 2:00 AM. Before boarding, I took a photo of the suburban cottage and sent it to our three-person Snapchat group. I didn’t say a single word. I turned off my phone, stepped onto the plane, and left. Twelve hours later, the plane touched down in Iceland. By then, the wedding was already over. The moment I turned my phone back on, a barrage of missed calls and notifications flooded in, making my phone vibrate violently.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449008”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

That day, while waiting to pick up my daughter from school, a viral interview clip popped up on my phone. A woman on the screen was smiling, bragging about how she had once convinced her boss not to rescue his kidnapped fiancée from the wilderness. “It was good for her to suffer a bit,” she said smoothly. “Otherwise, once she married into the family, who would be able to keep her in her place?” In the video, her hand, with its bright red nails, brushed past her ring finger. Inside the band of her ring was a tiny, custom wave pattern—a design I had handdrawn myself. It turned out that behind my back, my husband had already hooked up with his secretary. It turned out that the three days I spent kidnapped and terrified didn’t even compare to one of his business deals. My life was nothing compared to the profit in his eyes. I didn’t want to love Julian Vance anymore. Vivian Sommers’s POV On my way to pick up Chloe from her afterschool art class, I saw a viral interview clip on TikTok. The caption was eyecatching: What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done but never admitted to? The camera didn’t show the woman’s face. It only focused on her hand resting on the rim of a coffee cup. Her nails were painted a striking scarlet red. She spoke in a casual, airy tone, as if she were telling a harmless story from the past. “I used to work for this billionaire CEO.” “He had a fiancée. She came from a wealthy family and had a pretty fiery temper.” “Once, she was kidnapped and held in the mountains. My boss was right in the middle of signing a massive merger. I convinced him not to go save her right away.” “I told him, ‘Let her suffer a bit. It’ll humble her. Otherwise, how are you going to manage her once she wears your ring?’” Someone in the studio let out a soft laugh, but the room quickly fell quiet. The woman laughed too. “Who knew she was so fragile? She completely broke after that night. They had to send her to a private psychiatric facility, locked away for years. Looking back, I don’t think I did anything wrong. If she hadn’t gotten out of the way, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” I pulled over at the intersection. The wind was howling outside. Dead leaves scraped across my windshield. I stared at the screen, my eyes locked on the ring on her finger. That ring wasn’t from a luxury brand. I had drawn the sketch myself years ago. Inside the band, there was a tiny, delicate wave pattern. I had designed it specifically for Julian to wear on our wedding day. But that ring never made it to the altar. Instead, it ended up on Mila Hayes’s finger. The comment section was already in chaos. Some called her evil, some demanded to know who the CEO was, and others dug up old news articles, remembering a highprofile kidnapping of a wealthy young heiress in Boston years ago. I didn’t click on those articles. I already knew what was under those old headlines. There would be photos of me running into Julian’s press conference, wrapped in a dirty, torn coat. There would be pictures of the raw, unhealed bruises on my wrists and ankles. People would be speculating if I had lost my mind, wondering why I chose that exact day—Julian’s biggest triumph—to ruin his moment. Back then, I was a broken mess, while Julian stood under the bright lights, with a perfectly styled Mila standing right by his side. Even after all these years, I still remembered the way he looked at me that day. It wasn’t pity. It was embarrassment. The car behind me honked loudly. The light had turned green. I tossed my phone onto the passenger seat and started the car. As I turned the corner, my phone buzzed again. A text from an unknown number popped up: Vivian, are you okay? The only person who would call me that had lost the right to ask that question a long time ago. I deleted the message and parked in front of the art school. Chloe ran out with her little backpack bouncing on her shoulders, her cheeks flushed, holding a drawing tightly in her hand. “Mommy! I drew the wind today!” I knelt down to catch her in my arms, smiling. “How do you draw the wind, sweetie?” Chloe nodded seriously. “You can! See, the trees are bending, and the girl’s dress is flying. That means the wind is here.” I held her close. Yes. The wind is invisible, but it always leaves a mark. Just like the past. Chloe kept talking excitedly in the back seat about how one classmate drew a purple sun, and another drew a dog that looked like a potato. I listened quietly, watching her in the rearview mirror. A child’s world is so small. A single piece of paper is their entire sky. Sometimes, I felt so grateful that Chloe didn’t know how easily adults could lie about love, or how quickly they could throw you away. My phone was on silent, but it kept vibrating inside my bag. I didn’t answer. I used to rush to answer Julian’s calls the very second they rang. I was always terrified of making him angry, terrified of him thinking I was spoiled, terrified of losing my chance to hear his explanation. But now, the phone was buzzing, and I could still drive, still pick up my daughter, and still put dinner on the table. My world didn’t end. When we got home, Chloe taped her “wind” drawing to the fridge. Looking at the crooked trees and the flying dress, I smiled. If the wind had to blow, I hoped this time, it would blow the old dust far, far away.

Vivian Sommers’s POV Before I turned twenty三, I believed my life would always be perfect. I was the treasured daughter of the Sommers family. I played the violin, performed at solo concerts, and had a private driver to take me everywhere. Julian Vance was a young, ambitious guy my father had brought into the company after the Vance family went bankrupt. He was smart, resilient, driven, and extremely handsome. Everyone said we were a perfect match. I was the crown jewel of the Sommers family, and he was the brilliant young man who would run our business one day. I believed that too. Until the day before our engagement rehearsal, when I stepped out of the bridal boutique and was dragged into an unmarked van. Those men hadn’t planned it on a whim. They knew exactly who I was. They knew Julian was about to sign a massive, careermaking logistics deal, and they knew the Sommers family was backing him. They didn’t just want a simple ransom. They wanted Julian to freeze the deal and pay a massive deposit to secure my safety. I wasn’t scared at first. I believed my parents would save me. I believed Julian would come for me. But the first day passed, and nobody came. The second day passed, and still, nothing. On the third night, I heard my captors cursing outside the door. “That bastard Julian Vance used her to climb to the top, and now that she’s in trouble, he doesn’t give a damn. He’s holding his press conference right now. He hasn’t sent a single dime. He’s coldblooded.” I curled up in the corner, my hands completely numb from the ropes. I wanted to scream at them. Julian wouldn’t do that. He just doesn’t know yet. But the guard threw his phone in front of me. On the screen was a live broadcast of the signing ceremony. Julian, wearing a sleek, dark suit, was standing on the stage, accepting applause. Mila stood right behind him, adjusting his tie. She did it so naturally, as if she had done it a thousand times. The reporter asked him if today was the most important day of his life. Julian looked directly into the camera and said, “Yes.” My heart shattered. The captor told me to make one last call. When the line connected, Mila’s voice came through first. “Vivian? Julian is busy right now.” My voice shook. “Put him on the phone.” Mila let out a soft, mocking laugh. “Stop making a scene, Vivian. This deal can’t wait. Julian said he’ll handle your situation once this is over.” I was trembling with terror. “I’m going to die!” The line went silent for a second. Then, Mila lowered her voice. “Then learn your lesson. Stop acting like the entire world revolves around you.” The call went dead. The kidnappers’ faces turned dark. They thought they had a winning card in their hands, but all they got was Julian’s silence and my family’s hesitation. I only found out later why my parents had hesitated. On that very same day, they had received a secret DNA test report. I wasn’t their biological daughter. Julian was the one who had handed them that report. He told them their real daughter had died in infancy, and that I was just a child mixed up in a hospital error years ago. Arthur and Evelyn Sommers felt like their sky had fallen. They still loved me, but the grief of losing their real daughter paralyzed them. While they were drowning in shock, Julian naturally stepped in and took full control of the situation. And he chose to sign his deal first. During those terrifying days, I heard my name mentioned constantly by the guards. Sometimes they said the Sommers heiress was worth millions. Sometimes they said she wasn’t worth a dime. They said men like Julian Vance knew exactly how to play the devoted fiancé, but when it came down to choosing between a woman and his career, he was as cold as ice. Those words felt like a physical blow to my chest. At first, I was angry, but eventually, I didn’t even have the strength for anger. I started counting the cracks on the wall. One, two, three. I counted until dawn, and then I started over. I was terrified that if I stopped, I would see Julian standing on that stage, saying “Yes” to the camera. That wasn’t the man I thought I was going to marry. That wasn’t the man who held an umbrella over me in the rain, or the boy who promised he would never leave me. It doesn’t take years for a person to become a stranger. It only takes one choice.

Vivian Sommers’s POV I was held in an abandoned wedding venue deep in the mountains. The walls still had faded, peeling “Just Married” banners. At night, the cold wind howled through the broken windows, rustling the plastic ribbons. It sounded like someone was laughing at me in the dark. The kidnappers had been careful with me at first. But when they realized no money was coming, their patience wore thin. I was beaten, and they forced me to pose for terrifying photos. The physical pain was nothing compared to the agonizing realization that I had been abandoned. I found a moment of chaos during a shift change and ran. It was pouring rain. The mountain paths were pure mud and rock. I didn’t know how long I ran. I only remember the sharp rocks slicing open the soles of my feet. The pinky finger on my left hand was broken, and it would never fully straighten again. In the distance, I saw bright lights. I ran toward them. It was the venue for Julian’s celebration party. Large screens lined the hall, reading: A New Era: Strategic Partnership. The room was filled with reporters, investors, and employees. I was wearing a torn, dirty plastic tarp I had found in a shed. When I stumbled into the bright hall, the entire room fell dead silent. Every single camera turned toward me. I saw Julian. And I saw Mila standing right next to him. I reached my hand out to him, my voice barely a whisper. “Julian… save me.” Julian’s face turned incredibly dark. He stepped down from the stage, but he didn’t hold me. Instead, he stood in front of the cameras, blocking their view of me, and whispered, “What are you doing here?” I froze. I was covered in blood and mud, barely able to stand. And his first question was why was I here. Mila walked over with a polite, gentle smile, offering me a blanket like a saint. “Vivian, please don’t ruin the press conference. You’re making things very difficult for Julian.” I grabbed Julian’s sleeve. “They beat me, Julian. They threatened me. I called you… why didn’t you come?” A flash of irritation crossed Julian’s eyes. “I sent Mila to negotiate with them,” he said. “You could have just waited. Why did you have to crash this event today?” It felt like a knife twisting in my chest. “Wait?” My voice shook violently. “How long was I supposed to wait?” Julian lowered his voice, hisswhispering so the mic wouldn’t catch it. “Vivian, you used to be so sensible. Why can’t you just behave?” Behave. There it was again. I finally understood. Mila hadn’t come up with that phrase on her own. The press conference quickly descended into absolute chaos. Though Julian managed to scrub the internet of the worst stories, some photos still leaked. People whispered that the Sommers heiress had lost her mind, that she was throwing a tantrum to ruin her fiancé’s big day, and speculated about what had happened to me in the mountains. Nobody asked if I was hurt. Later, in the dressing room, Mila handed me the DNA test results with a smug smile. “Do you really think the Sommers family will still burn the world down for you?” she mocked. “You’re just an outsider who got swapped at birth. Julian is being incredibly generous by keeping you around.” That was the moment I realized the ground beneath my feet had been completely swept away. My parents remained silent. Julian was cold. And Mila stood by, watching me fall from grace. That night, they kept me in a small holding room next to the venue. Outside, the staff were packing up. Trash cans clattered, and damp footsteps marked the carpet. I sat in the corner of the sofa, wrapped in the blanket, but I couldn’t stop shivering. Outside the door, people were gossiping. “Was that really Vivian Sommers?” “Looked like her. But how did she end up looking like a street dog?” “Julian is so unlucky. His biggest night completely ruined by her.” I listened to their whispers, feeling a deep, hollow absurdity. I had almost died in those mountains, but their first reaction was that Julian was unlucky. When you are broken enough, even being the victim makes you an embarrassment. Julian came in once. He stood near the door, keeping his distance, and told his assistant to take me to the hospital. I looked up at him, hoping he would come with me, but his phone rang, and he turned around to answer it. In that second, I stopped pretending he was just too busy. He simply didn’t care about me anymore.

Vivian Sommers’s POV They took me back to the Vance estate. Julian publicly claimed I was “recovering from trauma.” My adoptive parents never came to see me. They only sent a lawyer with a trust fund agreement, stating it was the final settlement they could offer for my future. Money. By then, I didn’t know what money could possibly buy back for me. I ate on time, slept on time, and sat through sessions with the therapists they brought in. Julian told me not to look at the news, so I didn’t. He told me never to mention the kidnapping, so I kept my mouth shut. Everyone said I was finally “behaving.” Only I knew the truth. I was terrified. I was terrified of being locked away again, terrified of being abandoned, terrified that my screams would be treated as another dramatic scene. But the hardest part was Julian’s touch. Whenever his hand brushed mine, my entire body would shake violently. Even though I knew he wasn’t one of the kidnappers, my body remembered the dark cabin in the mountains. Julian put up with it at first. But eventually, his patience ran out. One night, after a celebration dinner, he came home smelling heavily of alcohol. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, trying to massage my crooked pinky finger. He stared at my bandaged hand, and his first words were, “How much longer are you going to act like this?” I looked up. “I’m trying to get better.” “Better?” Julian let out a cold laugh. “I’ve waited long enough, Vivian.” He reached out to pull me toward him. Panic seized me. I scrambled back, knocking over the bedside lamp. The ceramic shattered with a loud crash. In the blinding panic, I grabbed a heavy bronze paperweight from the nightstand and threw it at him. It struck his forehead, drawing blood. Mila was the first to burst into the room. She didn’t ask what happened. She just screamed for the guards. “Call the doctor! She’s having another episode!” The next day, I was sent to a highsecurity private psychiatric facility. Julian signed the papers himself. He looked at me through the glass and said, “Vivian, when you’re stable, I’ll take you home.” I stood behind the locked doors, watching the heavy metal gates slam shut. I knew he was never coming back. From the moment I crashed his press conference, Julian didn’t see me as his fiancée. He saw me as a problem that needed to disappear. I stayed in that facility for a very long time. Seasons changed. I finally accepted that I would never be the happy twentythreeyearold girl again. And then, the doctor delivered another piece of news. I had been pregnant. But the baby didn’t survive. When the doctor told me, it was raining outside. I lay on the cold white bed, the red marks from the leather restraints still visible on my wrists. When I heard “we couldn’t save the baby,” I didn’t cry. I was just numb. I hadn’t even known I was pregnant. I didn’t know that during my darkest nights, a tiny life had been quietly keeping me company. Then, the grief hit me like a tidal wave. It froze my hands and feet, choked the air out of my lungs, and finally broke through my chest in a scream. I thought I had already lost everything. My identity, my parents, my fiancé, my violin. But fate wasn’t done with me. It took the one tiny soul I never got to hold. That night, for the first time, I sobbed so hard the entire ward could hear me. When the nurses rushed in, I curled into a ball, whispering, “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.” I didn’t even know who I was apologizing to. For a long time after that, I couldn’t bear to hear the sound of a baby crying. Whenever a visitor brought a baby down the hall, I would pull the blanket over my head and dig my nails deep into my palms. The doctor didn’t force me to recover quickly. He only made me write one sentence every day: I am still alive today. At first, my broken finger made the handwriting look like chicken scratch. But eventually, I was able to fold the paper neatly and place it in my drawer.

Vivian Sommers’s POV I saw Julian again years later, right outside Chloe’s school. Years had passed since those dark events. I had cut my hair short and opened a small antique restoration workshop, fixing old jewelry, instruments, and picture frames. Since my left pinky wasn’t fully functional, I had learned to work at a much slower pace. I thought I had built a quiet, invisible life. Until Mila’s TikTok interview went viral. Julian stood outside the crowd of parents, wearing a long dark coat. He looked much thinner and more exhausted than I remembered. When he saw me holding Chloe’s hand, he froze. Chloe hugged my leg. “Mommy! I wasn’t the last one picked up today!” I stroked her hair. “Good job, sweetie.” Julian’s eyes drifted to Chloe’s face. His voice was cracked and hollow. “Is she… yours?” I pulled Chloe slightly behind me. “She has nothing to do with you.” “Vivian.” Hearing my name from his mouth felt strangely familiar, yet it stirred absolutely nothing in my chest. Just a dull, heavy tiredness. Julian took a step forward. “I saw Mila’s interview. I swear, Vivian… I didn’t know she did that to you back then.” I looked him dead in the eye. “You didn’t know she told you not to come? Or you didn’t know I was actually being hurt?” Julian choked on his words. “I thought the guards were keeping an eye on you, that nothing serious would happen,” he stammered. “I thought you were just shaken up. I never imagined…” “You never imagined it because you never bothered to ask.” My voice was quiet, but Chloe felt the tension and gripped my hand tighter. Seeing her reaction, Julian’s eyes welled with tears. “How old is she?” “None of your business.” “Is she… mine?” “No,” I cut him off. “Chloe is adopted. You can run a background check if you want, but stay away from her.” Julian stood frozen on the sidewalk. He stared at me, finally seeing the hollow spaces those painful years had left on my face. “Why didn’t you contact me after you were discharged?” I almost laughed. “Julian, you signed the papers to lock me away, and you didn’t visit me once in years. Now you’re asking why I didn’t call you?” Julian’s face went entirely pale. I helped Chloe into her car seat and buckled her in. Julian instinctively reached out to block the door, scraping his knuckles against the metal frame. I looked at the thin line of blood on his hand and said coldly, “Move.” Julian whispered, “I just want to make it up to you.” “Then stay away from me.” I made sure Chloe was safe inside, slammed the door, and locked the past outside. Chloe was very quiet in the back seat. After a few blocks, she whispered, “Mommy, did that man know you?” My knuckles were white against the steering wheel. I didn’t want to drag my daughter into the mess of my past, nor did I want her to know how cruel people could be in the name of love.

Vivian Sommers’s POV “Yes,” I said softly. “But we haven’t spoken in a very long time.” Chloe thought about it. “He made you sad.” My heart softened. “You could tell?” “Yeah,” Chloe nodded. “Your smile didn’t look real.” I pulled over to the side of the road, turned around, and adjusted her scarf. “Mommy’s okay. We’re going to have dinner at Maya’s house tonight, okay?” Chloe’s eyes lit up instantly. “With strawberry cupcakes?” “Yes, with strawberry cupcakes.” Dr. Maya Sterling was the therapist I had met at the recovery center. Over time, she became my closest friend. She was the one who helped me navigate the adoption process after I got out. Back then, my doctor had suggested I get a pet to help with my anxiety. But during a volunteer trip to an orphanage, I met Chloe. She was a tiny, quiet thing, holding a stuffed rabbit that was missing an eye, standing far away from the other kids. I fixed the rabbit’s eye for her. After that, she followed me everywhere, quietly calling me “big sister.” Eventually, she started calling me “Mommy.” I knew that when I first brought Chloe home, it wasn’t entirely selfless. I had lost a child, and I had lost the ability to ever have another. Chloe was like a tiny nightlight, illuminating the dark, empty corners of my broken heart. But over the years, I realized she was never a replacement. Chloe was Chloe. She was picky about her food, hated waking up early, drew weird pictures of the wind, and would clumsily offer me tissues whenever I woke up from a nightmare. I would never let Julian Vance near her. That night, I dropped Chloe off at Maya’s place and went back to my workshop alone. As expected, Julian was waiting by the door. He looked like he had been drinking, his eyes bloodshot, clutching a dusty wooden box in his hands. “These are your things from back then,” he said, his voice trembling. “I kept them.” I didn’t reach for it. The box probably held old photos, the brooch from my engagement dress, and invitations to a wedding that never happened. Julian believed that if he could just gather the broken pieces, he could glue the past back together. But the thing that broke wasn’t a photo. It was me. Julian cracked the lid open. I saw a glimpse of a pale gold wedding invitation and an old brooch. It was a butterfly brooch, studded with tiny diamonds, that I had worn for my twentieth birthday. I used to love it so much. I thought butterflies were beautiful and light, as if they would never have to touch the dirt. Now, looking at it, I felt absolutely nothing. “I’ve kept them all these years,” Julian repeated. I looked at him. “When you were hoarding these trinkets, did you ever stop to think about how I was surviving in that facility?” Julian’s hand froze. He kept those beautiful things to pretend I was still unbroken. As long as he didn’t look at the real, shattered me, he could pretend we had just had a misunderstanding, that we were just victims of Mila’s lies. Julian began talking rapidly, his words stumbling over each other. He said the DNA report had shocked my adoptive parents so deeply they collapsed, and he had to take charge of the company to keep things stable. He said the logistics deal affected thousands of employees’ livelihoods, so he couldn’t stop it. He said Mila told him the kidnappers were just trying to scare the Sommers family, and that they wouldn’t actually hurt me. I listened to him, entirely detached.

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My mother-in-law just had a baby. She expects us to legally adopt him, put him on our health insurance, and raise him as our own. Why on earth should we? It’s not like Ethan and I can’t have kids. When I refused, she threatened to kill herself. But here’s the kicker—I’m pregnant too. Then, she hired a “night nanny” who was a little too perfect. She didn’t just take care of the baby; she breastfed him. She even slept with him in her arms every night. She didn’t act like a nanny. She acted like the baby’s biological mother. And then, I uncovered the sickening truth. They were actually trying to force me to abort my own baby! I suddenly got a call from my mother-in-law, Brenda. “Stella, come pick me up from the hospital. I’m going to stay at your place for a while.” Brenda was in the hospital? Why hadn’t Ethan mentioned a single word about this to me? I quickly packed my things and rushed to the address she gave me. St. Mary’s Women’s Hospital. I frowned. This didn’t fit Brenda at all. She was almost sixty. Having a baby? Was this some kind of sick joke? Following Brenda’s directions, I walked up to the postpartum ward. The door was ajar. Brenda was sitting on the bed in a hospital gown, a soft beanie on her head. And in her arms, she was holding a newborn! A baby! Where did a baby come from? “Brenda, whose baby is this?” Brenda’s tone was sharp and impatient. “Whose do you think? Mine! Since you refused to give me a grandchild, I had to make one myself to carry on the family line. Now he’s yours to raise.” What?! What kind of twisted logic was this? My anger surged straight to my brain. Using every ounce of self-control, I demanded, “Brenda! You had a baby? Where is Richard? Does Ethan know about this?” Just then, my father-in-law, Richard, walked in. “Honey, we’re good to go. The discharge papers are all signed.” Brenda immediately started bossing me around, telling me to pack her bags. I was too stunned by the sight of the baby to react. I completely missed the calculating, greedy looks Brenda and Richard exchanged. I quickly stepped out and called my husband. “Ethan, your mother just had a baby. Did you know about this?” Ethan stammered, instantly giving away that I was the only one kept in the dark. “So… what is she saying now?” he asked nervously. “She wants to move into our house! Did you guys plan this together?” I raised my voice on purpose. If he dared to agree to this, I was going to lose it. But before Ethan could even reply on the phone, Richard started yelling at the top of his lungs in the hallway. “Stella! What is your problem? Your mother went through so much pain at her age just to give you guys a child, and you’re planning to just abandon her?” Brenda chimed in dramatically, “Exactly! If you dare kick us out, you’re heartless! I’ll sue you for elder abandonment!” Her voice was strong and loud. She didn’t sound like a woman who had just given birth at all. But I was so blinded by rage over this sudden “brother-in-law” that I didn’t notice how weirdly energetic she was. I took a deep breath and roared into the phone, “Ethan! Get to the hospital right now! If you don’t explain this to me, we are done!” But all I could do was vent my anger on Ethan. Did I dare to actually scream back at his crazy parents? We had been married for two years, and I had long known how unreasonable his parents were. I hated myself for being so blind to marry Ethan in the first place. He was a total mama’s boy. If his mother told him to jump, he’d ask how high. Their whole family was a bunch of Oscar-level actors. Fortunately, Ethan had always been sweet to me, and we didn’t live with his parents, which was the only reason we had managed to keep the peace. But a baby is a human being, not some stray puppy you can just take in on a whim. Richard got in my face, pointing a finger at me. “Stella, how dare you speak to Ethan like that? Do you have any respect for your husband? Is this how you treat him at home?” “Exactly! In our family, the husband is the king. A wife like you just needs to be taught a lesson!” Brenda added. I finally got it. She had clearly never been put in her place. “Richard, Brenda, this is between Ethan and me. Please stay out of it.” Interfering in their son’s marriage—didn’t they feel any shame? “What did you just say?!” Richard puffed out his chest, trying to intimidate me. “We are family! I am your elder! What’s wrong with teaching you a few rules? A woman shouldn’t be shouting at her husband like a maniac!” He was trying to play the dominant patriarch, but right then, Ethan finally arrived.

How did he get here so fast? I looked at him with suspicion. Ethan rubbed his nose uncomfortably—his classic tell when he was lying. “Uh, I was just meeting a client nearby, so I came right over. Are we ready? Let’s go.” He reached for the bags. I didn’t have the energy to argue with him right then. “Fine! Let’s drive your parents back to their house!” Brenda immediately bolted upright from the bed. “Of course we’re going to your place! I need to recover. Who’s going to cook and look after me at my house?” I stared at Brenda. She suddenly shrunk back, hiding behind Richard as if she was scared of me. Richard chimed in, “Where else would we go? Your apartment is huge and has spare rooms. Plus, the baby is so small and Brenda is weak. How can she manage alone?” I saw right through them. This was a carefully planned ambush. They knew I would never agree if they asked beforehand. Ethan looked incredibly torn. “Babe, look at her. It’s going to be a disaster if they go back to their place. My dad’s back is bad, so he can’t help. They’re my parents. I can’t just leave them to suffer.” Richard let out a few timely, theatrical coughs. It’s always easy to let trouble in, but impossible to get rid of it. “No!” I said firmly. “We both work full-time. We don’t have time to take care of a newborn. If they stay with us, the baby will cry all night, and we won’t get any sleep. How are we supposed to work?” Richard’s face darkened as he stared at Ethan. “Ethan, this is your mother and your baby brother.” I had no choice but to compromise slightly. “We’ll hire a professional night nanny! We’ll pay for it!” “No way,” Brenda snapped. “Nannies are strangers. We don’t trust them. Besides, a nanny can’t handle both me and the baby. It’s too much work.” Then what about Richard? He was perfectly capable of moving around. Why couldn’t he help his wife of thirty years? Before I could object further, a nurse walked in to clear the room. “Room 18, we need this bed cleared for the next patient. Please pack up.” Ethan grabbed my hand. “Babe, please. Let them stay for just one month so my mom can recover. I’ll hire a nanny to do all the work so it won’t bother you. We’ll just be there to help out in case of emergencies.” Seeing my icy expression, Ethan quickly added, “Just one month. I promise, they won’t bother you. Once the month is up, they go home. I swear.” With the nurse pushing us out, I couldn’t resolve this right now. I had to swallow my anger and let them come to our place first.

Because of this baby, my life was turned completely upside down. The moment we walked through the door, Brenda headed straight for our master bedroom. “This room is nice and big, has great sunlight, and a king-sized bed. Perfect for us.” I took a step forward to stop her. Ethan quickly pulled me back. “Babe, it’s just for a month. Let them have it. For the sake of peace, let’s not fight over this.” Fine. I would endure it. Richard didn’t lift a finger. He sat straight down on our sofa, turned on the TV, and didn’t say a word. Ethan and I had to unpack all their bags, make the bed, and arrange the baby stuff. We worked for over an hour. During that time, Richard didn’t move an inch. He actually ordered Ethan to pour him water twice and wash some fruit for him. He was acting like a king in my own home. “When is dinner ready? Are you trying to starve me?” Richard grumbled. That did it. I grabbed the remote and slammed the TV off. Ethan quickly stepped between us. “Dad, we’re really busy here. Why don’t you go downstairs and grab some takeout? We haven’t eaten either.” Richard held out his hand. “Give me cash.” Ethan pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and handed it over to get rid of him. I went into the kitchen to make some simple oatmeal. Just then, the baby woke up and started wailing. I didn’t know how Brenda was soothing him, but the crying wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t help but walk over to check. Brenda was holding the baby, clumsily patting his back, but the baby was screaming hysterically. “Brenda, is he hungry?” “Uh… I don’t know,” she muttered. She didn’t know? Her son Ethan was thirty years old, and she didn’t know how to tell if a baby was hungry? This family was utterly useless. “Ethan! Go make some formula!” I called out and walked away. They were clearly trying to bait me into taking care of the baby, but I wasn’t going to fall for it. Soon, I heard Brenda’s voice from the room. “Oh, Ethan, you’re a man. How do you know how to do these things?” I ignored it, shut the kitchen door, and focused on cooking. They could play their games all they wanted, but I was going to eat and go to work. They had calculated everything. But if I refused to play along, let’s see what they would do. I made up my mind right then. For the next month, I would work late every single day. I was not touching that baby. I quickly made a vegetable soup, fried some rice, and set the table. As I went to call them for dinner, I heard Brenda whispering to Ethan. “Ethan, she’s not helping at all. What do we do? You can’t expect me to actually look after this kid. My back is killing me.” “Mom, give it time. Don’t rush. Stella isn’t heartless. Once she sees how much you’re struggling, she’ll step in. Don’t worry.” *Wow. Thank you, Ethan. So because I’m not ‘heartless,’ I’m supposed to play maid to your whole family?* I didn’t even bother calling them to eat. I ate my portion, packed my bag, and got ready for work. Just then, Richard finally returned. It took him longer to buy takeout than it took me to cook a meal. He was holding a bottle of whiskey in one hand, a box of fried chicken, and some sides in the other. He was incredibly selfish. “Richard, my mother-in-law can’t eat fried chicken and heavy food right now.” “Hmph! That’s what you’re here for, isn’t it? You expect an old man like me to cook for her?” I didn’t even want to look at him. I walked to the bedroom. “Ethan, I’m leaving. I have a lot of work to finish at the office this afternoon.” The door flew open. “Babe, wait! I have to go to work this afternoon too!” “And? I already made dinner. Your mom can eat that.” Ethan’s face instantly brightened. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek. “You’re the best, babe. Thank you so much.” I gave him a tight smile and left. At that moment, I was incredibly grateful that I had a career. When we first got married, Ethan’s family tried to pressure me to quit my job and focus on getting pregnant. I refused. Having a job didn’t stop me from getting pregnant. Plus, we were young, and there was no rush. His parents had been extremely passive-aggressive about it—until I showed them my pay stub. I made a third more than Ethan. Before that, Ethan made $9,000 a month, which his parents bragged about to all their relatives, acting like I had struck gold by marrying him. But when they saw my $12,000 monthly income, they finally shut up.

I didn’t rush home after work. I had just taken on a new project and needed to write a proposal. I decided to work overtime in the peace of my office. At 7:00 PM, Ethan called. “Babe, when are you coming home?” I sipped my coffee. “I’m working late tonight on a big project. Don’t wait up for dinner.” I hung up. At 8:00 PM, Ethan called again. “Babe, it’s getting late. It’s not safe. Please come home.” I looked at the clock. “Oh, it’s already past eight? I’m so exhausted. This project determines my year-end bonus, Ethan. I have to finish it.” Ethan went silent. I thought he had hung up, but then I heard the baby screaming bloody murder in the background. All he said was, “Okay… don’t push yourself too hard.” I would rather suffer at work than go home and be treated like a slave. At 9:30 PM, Ethan called yet again, sounding panicked. “Stella, the baby has a fever. I have to take him to the ER. Can you please come home right now?” Hearing that the baby was sick, my heart softened. I guess it was just natural maternal instinct. “Don’t panic. I’m on my way.” But the moment I unlocked the front door, a wave of fury hit me so hard I wanted to burn the whole place down.

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When my son was rushed to the ICU after being kidnapped, he was crying, begging to see Ethan one last time. But when I called Ethan, his ex-girlfriend, Chloe, was the one who answered his phone. “Ethan is busy right now. If there’s anything, you can just tell me.” I didn’t care what they were doing. I could only scream in panic, “Leo is dying! Put him on the phone!” Finally, Ethan’s voice came through the receiver. He snapped impatiently, “I’m just helping Chloe take her dog to the vet. Do you really have to curse our own son just to get my attention?” With that, he hung up. When I tried to call back, his phone was already turned off. That was the day my son died in the emergency room. “Mommy, they all say Daddy doesn’t want me anymore. Is it true?” “Am I going to die?” “I want to see Daddy…” Looking at my son lying on the hospital bed, covered in blood, I panicked. He was completely fine when he left for school this morning. How could he have been kidnapped and beaten so badly in just half a day? I hadn’t even received a ransom call from the kidnappers. Why did they hurt him like this? Choking back my tears, I squeezed his cold little hand. My voice trembled as I promised, “Hold on, sweetie. Mommy is going to find Daddy, okay?” Leaning against the hospital wall, I called Ethan three times before the call finally went through. But it wasn’t him. It was Chloe. Her voice was disgustingly sweet. “Ethan is busy right now. You can talk to me.” I had no energy to care about what they were doing, nor did I have the patience for her petty provocations. “My son is dying! Let Ethan talk!” Ethan’s voice finally came through, filled with annoyance. “I’m just at the vet with Chloe. Do you really have to curse our son like this?” I could hear Chloe whining in the background, “Ethan, your wife wants you home. You should go. Don’t worry about me.” She even squeezed out a couple of fake sobs. “Chloe, I don’t have time to play games with you! Let Ethan talk to me! Leo is really dying!” Ethan let out a cold sneer. His next words felt like a bucket of ice water poured over my head. “Isn’t he your son too? What, can’t you even buy a grave yourself?” That was his own flesh and blood! After saying that heartless line, he hung up again. When I redialed, his phone was off. I collapsed against the corridor wall, staring at the bright red “In Operation” sign. Tears streamed down my face. My mind kept replaying my son’s hopeful, pleading eyes. I slapped myself hard across the face, forcing myself to calm down. Chloe’s dog was an expensive, pampered breed. She only ever took it to one high-end pet hospital. They had to be there! Dragging my weak body up, I rushed to the pet clinic as fast as I could. And there they were. Chloe was leaning into Ethan’s chest, tears in her eyes. Ethan was gently wiping her face with a tissue. They looked so loving, as if they were the married couple, and the patient undergoing surgery inside was their own child. I didn’t care about their display. I ran straight toward them.

Hearing my hurried footsteps, Chloe immediately wrapped her arms tightly around Ethan’s shoulders. “Ethan, are you going to leave me?” When Ethan looked up, all the warmth in his eyes vanished. He stared at me with pure disgust and coldness. “Are you seriously throwing a tantrum here? Aren’t you embarrassed?” His tone was so harsh, as if I were some pathetic stalker desperate for his attention. I didn’t want to play the role of the jealous wife. My mind was filled with my dying son. In a frenzy, I grabbed his arm. “Come with me, now! Leo was kidnapped this morning. He’s in the hospital. The doctor said he might not make—” Before I could finish, a sharp slap echoed through the hallway. Ethan shoved me away, his face twisted with rage. “I drove Leo to school myself this morning! Can you stop lying about everything? You’re disgusting, do you know that?” My brain went numb. I couldn’t even feel the burning pain on my cheek. Chloe stepped in, placing herself between Ethan and me. “Clara, he’s your son. How could you say such horrible things about him just to get Ethan home?” Her words only fueled Ethan’s hatred toward me. He put his arm around Chloe’s shoulders and glared at me. “Stop embarrassing me. Get the hell home and act like a proper wife.” Tears blurred my vision. Thinking of Leo lying in that pool of blood, I lost all my pride. I fell to my knees, grabbing Ethan’s hand, crying hysterically. “Ethan, I can lie about anything, but how could I lie about our son? I beg you, please come and see him one last time!” Seeing him stand there unmoved, I bowed my head to the floor. “If you come with me, I’ll agree to anything. Divorce, no alimony, nothing! I’ll sign whatever you want! Ethan, he is your son!” Maybe my sheer desperation finally shook him a little. Ethan’s expression softened for a split second. But just as hope flickered in my chest, Chloe extinguished it with a few soft words. “Clara, your acting is getting too realistic. If your son were really dying in the hospital, wouldn’t the doctors have called Ethan directly?” “I know you hate me, and I don’t want to ruin your marriage. Ethan is just staying with me for the dog’s surgery. Is that really so hard for you to accept?” “Why do you have to be so selfish?” She picked up her purse, pretending she was about to leave. “Ethan, don’t worry about me. Just go with her.” “It’s all my fault. I don’t want to cause trouble between you two.” What a manipulative bitch. She sighed and shook her head, making me look like a hysterical, pathological liar. The image of my son’s pleading face flashed in my mind. I lost control and screamed at her, “Shut the hell up!” Hearing this, Chloe immediately burst into tears and hid in Ethan’s chest. “She’s yelling at me… Even you’ve never raised your voice at me.” Ethan’s face darkened instantly. “Have you had enough? Get the hell out of here before I lose my mind.” Then, he kicked me. He kicked me away like I was a piece of trash. The physical pain in my chest was nothing compared to the agony in my heart. His voice was freezing. “Clara, I am done with you. We are getting a divorce the moment I get back.” He walked away with Chloe. No matter how loudly I screamed and begged, he never looked back. Their figures disappeared around the corner. I collapsed on the floor, my heart feeling like it was being ripped out of my chest. Just then, my phone rang. It was the hospital. “Ms. Clara, you need to come back right now! Your son… he isn’t going to make it. Come say your last goodbyes.” I shook violently. I tried to stand, but my legs gave out, and I fell again. Somehow, I dragged myself back to the hospital. Leo was hooked up to countless tubes, his tiny body looking so fragile on the massive hospital bed. I was so useless. I couldn’t even fulfill his very last wish. I wanted to apologize, but when I opened my mouth, no sound came out. Leo’s tiny fingers weakly curled around mine. “It’s okay, Mommy…” “Don’t… don’t forget me…” “I know… Daddy doesn’t love me… but having Mommy… is enough.”

My son’s breathing slowed down, then stopped completely. I threw myself over his little body, crying until I couldn’t breathe. Eventually, darkness took over, and I passed out. When I woke up, he was already lying in the cold morgue. I called Ethan again. As expected, his phone was still off. So, his own son couldn’t even compare to his ex-girlfriend. Maybe it was for the best they didn’t meet. He had barely cared about Leo all these years anyway. Ethan and I were college classmates. At first, we were like parallel lines. He was the rich, handsome campus heartthrob, while I was just an ordinary girl who faded into the background. But during our junior year, I was severely bullied. A group of girls cornered me in an alley, kicking and punching me. I was too terrified to even scream for help. That was when Ethan appeared. To me, he was the light that saved my life. I knew I wasn’t good enough for him, but he pursued me relentlessly. Naturally, I fell hard. I loved him with everything I had and married him right after graduation. It was only when Chloe returned to the country that I realized why he had chosen me. I looked remarkably like Chloe. I was nothing but a placeholder. But back then, I was too foolish. I thought, *So what if I’m a substitute? We have a child and a family now. I can endure it.* But as time went on, everything crumbled. He was no longer the gentle Ethan I knew. He would stay out all night just because Chloe couldn’t sleep. He would abandon our son at his parent-teacher conference because Chloe wanted to try a new restaurant. Nothing could stop him from running to Chloe. I could have endured it forever for the sake of our son. But now, my boy was gone. Tears soaked my collar once again. Staring at my son’s pale, lifeless face, I forced myself to stand. I had to handle his funeral arrangements alone. I made one last call to Ethan. Still turned off. I had done everything I could. Whether he would regret it or not had nothing to do with me anymore. When I walked out of the crematorium, my son was reduced to a small, heavy box in my arms.

I took him to the cemetery I had chosen. But at the entrance, I ran straight into Ethan and Chloe. When Ethan saw me, a flash of guilt crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by anger. “I can’t believe you’re this petty. It’s one thing to lie about our son’s death, but to stalk me all the way here?” “Chloe’s dog didn’t survive the surgery. I’m here to help her bury it. Grow up, Clara.” Ethan grabbed my arm roughly. “Stop throwing tantrums.” “Go home. Stop ruining my day.” I stood frozen, letting him drag my arm, my face completely expressionless. Chloe walked over, playing the saint again. She took Ethan’s hand. “Ethan, let’s just bury my dog first.” She threw me a triumphant smirk, looking like a victorious peacock. In the past, I would have been furious. I would have argued and screamed. But now, I didn’t even want to speak to him. Ignoring them, I turned and walked toward the cemetery. For the first time, I walked away from him without a single trace of hesitation. Ethan was stunned. He probably thought I was still playing games. He caught up in three long strides, his face red with anger. “I told you to go home! Did you not hear me?” Just then, a gust of wind blew by, lifting the black cloth covering the urn. Ethan’s voice stopped abruptly. His pupils contracted as he stared at the box in my hands. “What is that?” When I didn’t answer, he grabbed my shoulders, shaking me. “I asked you, what is that!” I let out a cold laugh. “It’s your own son. Can’t you recognize him?” For some reason, saying those words gave me a sick sense of satisfaction. Ethan’s eyes widened in horror. He took a massive step back, but his gaze remained glued to the urn. The only sound around us was the chirping of the birds. Chloe’s face turned pale behind him. After a long silence, Ethan seemed to snap out of it. He glared at me, refusing to believe it. “Stop lying to me! You’ve gone too far this time. I only stayed out for a few days, and you’re pulling a sick stunt like this? You bought a fake urn?” “If you want to curse yourself with bad luck, leave me out of it!” He still thought I was lying. If he had cared even a little bit, if he had called the hospital or even his secretary, he would have known the truth. But he didn’t. He lived in his own selfish world. I felt a dark anticipation for the moment he finally realized the truth. I shouldn’t be the only one suffering the pain of losing a child.

I looked at him blankly. “Let’s divorce, Ethan.” Ethan gave me a bizarre look. “You’re insane.” “I’m going to call Leo right now and let him know how his mother is using him to lie to me.” “Let’s see if he still wants you as his mother after this.” To prove his point, Ethan pulled out his phone and dialed the number to Leo’s smartwatch. His fingers were shaking. I knew there would only be silence on the other end. No one was going to answer and call him “Daddy” ever again. The sweet little boy who used to jump into his arms was now a pile of ashes in my hands. As the call kept ringing with no answer, panic finally crept onto Ethan’s face. He looked up at me, then at the box. He muttered, “No… that’s impossible. How could my son be dead?” Ethan lunged forward to grab the urn. I held onto it tightly, refusing to let him touch it. In the struggle, the urn slipped. *Smash.* The box hit the concrete floor and shattered. The gray-white ashes spilled out across the ground. My mind went entirely blank. Instinctively, I dropped to my knees, desperately trying to scoop the ashes back up. But God was cruel. A gust of wind swept through the courtyard. The ashes scattered into the air, flying away. My heart shattered into a million pieces. I screamed on the ground, “No! No! Please, no!” The ashes slipped through my fingers. I watched them disappear into the wind, just like how my son had died in my arms. I looked up at Ethan, who was standing there, paralyzed. Our eyes met. His face was ghostly pale, his voice trembling. “You’re lying to me… where is Leo?” Even now, he was in denial. He was the accomplice who killed our son, and now, he wouldn’t even let him rest in peace. A raging fire consumed my chest. I lost all sanity. I wanted to kill this monster. I grabbed Ethan’s collar, raised my hand, and slapped him across the face over and over again. Ethan was too dazed to even fight back. “He’s right here, Ethan! Are you blind? Can’t you see him?” I kicked him hard in the chest. “You scattered your own son’s ashes!” I screamed until my throat bled. Ethan finally seemed to realize what he had done. His body stiffened, and he began to shake violently.

“No… no… I don’t believe you. You’re still tricking me.” Looking at his pathetic, terrified face, my anger boiled over. “Call the nanny! Call his school! Call your secretary! Anyone can give you the answer!” I had never yelled at him like this before. He was so terrified that he couldn’t even hold his phone. He fumbled with it until Chloe finally helped him dial the number to Leo’s teacher. Ethan opened his mouth, but no sound came out. It took several prompts from the other end before he could squeak, “Hi, this is Leo’s father. Did Leo make it to school today?” The teacher went silent for a moment. Then, her voice came through, heavy with grief. “Mr. Ethan… please accept my deepest condolences.” “No! That’s not true!” Ethan shook his head violently, refusing to accept it. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Ethan. Please stay strong.” The confirmation drained all the color from his face. The phone slipped from his hand, shattering on the ground. Ethan looked down at the scattered ashes on the floor, his voice cracking. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “I didn’t even get to see him one last time!” Even at this moment, he was blaming me. He was still deflecting. My eyes pierced through him. “Stop acting, Ethan. To you, Chloe is a hundred times more important than your own son.” “I might be an outsider, but Leo was your own flesh and blood!” Ethan was the one who killed him. If he had just come to the hospital, or even picked up a FaceTime call, Leo wouldn’t have died thinking his father hated him. Ethan bent over, falling to his knees in agony. Who was this performance for? I grabbed him by the throat, forcing him to look into my eyes. I whispered every word like poison. “When your son needed you most, you were with Chloe and her dog.”

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I was with my boyfriend for five years when he cheated on me with my best friend. They orchestrated an “accident” and left me to burn alive. Twenty years later, my boy toy—who is over twenty years younger than me—brought me home to meet his parents. When I saw that trashy couple again, I gasped and covered my mouth in mock shock. “Oh, so Ashton is your son?” My ex-best friend, looking like a worn-out, haggard housewife, stared at me. Her eyes nearly popped out of her skull as she took in my still-flawless, youthful face. “You’re not dead? And you seduced my son?!” The fire raged around me. The thick smoke choked my lungs, making it impossible to breathe. “Arthur, save me…” My trembling hand reached out, only to be violently slapped away. A pair of polished leather shoes stepped right in front of me. Arthur was wearing the designer suit I had bought him, looking down at me as if I were already a corpse. “Yvonne, don’t blame me. I’m sick and tired of being called your leech. I’m done living under your shadow. It’s better if I take everything you own and run the show myself.” A pair of red high heels stepped up right next to his black leather shoes. My best friend, Lynda, giggled as she leaned against Arthur, casually admiring her freshly done manicure. Just yesterday, I was the one who paid for those diamond-encrusted nails. Now, she slapped me hard across the face. The diamonds on her nails tore into my cheek, leaving deep, bleeding gashes. “Yvonne, you’ve lived in paradise for far too long. It’s time you let us have a taste of that sweet life.” My consciousness began to fade. I pointed a trembling finger at the couple in utter disbelief. “You… you guys…” “Why?” I couldn’t accept this! I refused to die like this! Arthur was just a poor, small-town boy who came to the big city with nothing. The night he got scammed out of his last penny and was about to jump off a bridge, I was the one who saved him. After that, I gave him opportunities, funding, and helped him build his own empire. But he turned around and confessed his love to me, claiming he wanted to be the man behind my success—asking for neither fame nor money, only my love. I gave him my love, along with countless opportunities to elevate himself. He refused them then, yet now he claims he hated being my leech and wants to rob me of everything! Lynda used to be severely bullied in high school. For various reasons, she was isolated and targeted. I was the one who stepped in. She grabbed my sleeve, begging me to save her, and I dragged her out of that living hell. Since then, I never hesitated to give her whatever she wanted, all for the sake of our friendship. Now, she had seduced my boyfriend and kicked me right back into the very abyss they had crawled out of. Watching my despair, Lynda smirked, rubbing her stomach triumphantly. “Sorry, babe, but I’m pregnant with Arthur’s baby. If I want a bright future for my family, you have to be sacrificed. Besides, you never saw me as a real friend anyway, Yvonne! You were always just handing out charity! We never needed your pity!” Lynda ground her stiletto heel into my hand, twisting it back and forth until my skin tore open and my knuckles were a bloody mess. “Arthur, the fire isn’t big enough. Go pour some more fuel.” Arthur nodded. He cast a brief, reluctant glance at me before hardening his heart and turning away. “Yvonne, thank you for your love and financial support all these years. But honestly, dying for my sake is a good ending for you. We’ll make sure to buy you a nice tombstone.” Once Arthur walked away, Lynda knelt down, grabbing my jaw, glaring at me with pure venom. “Do you know how much I envied you? You were born with a silver spoon. But now, I’m carrying your man’s child. I’m going to give my baby everything—just like the life you were handed.” Lynda was beautiful, but right now, she looked utterly psychotic. She burst into laughter again. “To commemorate your contribution, why don’t you name our baby?” “Yvonne, what do you think he should be called?” At the brink of death, a raging tempest of hatred consumed me. Using my very last ounce of strength, I lunged forward, grabbed Lynda’s hair, and bit down on her cheek as hard as I could, tearing off a piece of flesh. As Lynda screamed in agony, I laughed like a demon rising from the underworld. “Name him Ashton! The product of your burning betrayal, conceived while I burn to ashes! I curse you! I curse that both of you will die by his hands!”

My final memory was Lynda swinging a heavy pipe at my face, the raging flames engulfing everything, and the front door being kicked open as Arthur suddenly burst into tears. “Quick! Save my girlfriend! Hurry! Yvonne! I can’t lose you!” “Ah!” With a sharp gasp, I sat bolt upright in bed. The space beside me was empty, save for the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. I finally managed to calm my racing heart. Calm down, Yvonne. Don’t be afraid. That was twenty years ago. Now, they are the ones who should be terrified of you. The phone on the nightstand buzzed. Wearing my young boyfriend’s oversized T-shirt, I slid out of bed and picked it up. “Yvonne, your new identity is ready. Go get your revenge. I’ll always have your back.” Before I could reply, a pair of strong arms wrapped tightly around my waist from behind. My twenty-year-old boy wrapped himself around me, pressing warm kisses against my ear. “Babe, who are you talking to?” I smiled as I looked out at the city skyline through the floor-to-ceiling windows. I turned around and tapped his handsome nose. “Behave, Ashton.” We were on the 52nd floor of a luxury hotel. Ashton and I leaned against the glass, admiring the glittering, neon-lit city below. “Babe, come meet my parents with me. I can’t wait anymore.” His large, warm hand slipped up under the hem of the oversized shirt, instantly melting my bones and making it hard to stand. “Ashton, do you realize I’m twenty years older than you? Not two years, not twelve.” I gave him a playful push, but my sultry tone and the red-nailed fingers brushing against his chest only served to tease him further. “Your parents will never approve of us. They’ll throw me out and tell me to stay away from you. Honestly, they might even want to kill me for corrupting their precious son.” Ashton brought my fingertips to his lips, playfully nibbling them like an obedient puppy. “I don’t care, Yvonne. I’ll protect you.” “If they don’t accept you, they don’t accept me.” “I’ll handle them. Trust me.” Before I could protest, my words were swallowed by his passionate, almost obsessive kisses. In my eyes, Ashton was like a wolf pup. Young, but possessing immense strength and sharp instincts. He definitely inherited his parents’ best genes. Naturally, he inherited their worst traits, too. But that depended entirely on whether he was willing to be my weapon. His warm, wet tongue traced my earlobe and slid down to my collarbone. My forty-year-old body was covered in the marks he had left behind—a constellation of red and purple bruises marking our wild nights. Ashton nipped at my tongue, murmuring against my lips, “Babe, we haven’t tried it against the window yet.” “Be a good girl and play along. Let’s put on a show for the whole city, okay?” “It’ll feel amazing.” It was incredibly thrilling. I had no reason to refuse. Instead, I bit down on his tongue just hard enough to draw blood. “Let’s get one thing straight. In bed, I’ll play along. But once we’re out of bed, you’re the one who has to be my obedient little dog.” Ashton chuckled hoarsely, a sound that sent a shiver straight down my spine. He agreed without a second thought. “Fine by me. I’ll only ever be your dog.” Amidst our heavy breaths, a layer of condensation fogged up the glass window. Before I drifted off to sleep, Ashton held my waist tightly, whispering in my ear as if terrified I’d forget. “Tomorrow, please come meet my parents. I’m begging you, Yvonne.” I finally nodded. “Oh, believe me… I can’t wait to meet them either.”

The next day, I dropped Ashton off at his college campus. The boy was incredibly clingy, wrapping his arms around me at the campus gate and kissing me as if we couldn’t bear to part. Finally satisfied after our wild night, he slipped a ring onto my ring finger that matched the one on his own hand. “It’s a promise, Yvonne. We’re going to my house tonight. I’ll come find you right after my afternoon class.” I smiled and nodded, finally sending the boy on his way. The moment he walked away, I got back into my car. Within thirty seconds, another man slipped into the passenger seat Ashton had just vacated. “Don’t touch the seat adjustment. Ashton will notice, and he won’t be happy.” The man raised an eyebrow and turned to look at me. “What? Did you actually fall for your little revenge tool? Yvonne, let me remind you, you’re twenty years older than him!” Kaden was barking like a jealous dog in my passenger seat. It was incredibly annoying. With a sharp screech of the brakes, I pulled over. Unable to take his whining any longer, I grabbed Kaden by his collar and slammed my lips over his noisy mouth right there on the side of the street. “I don’t love him. You’re the only one I love, Kaden. Now shut up.” The kiss worked instantly. Kaden shut up, a deep blush creeping up his neck all the way to his ears. “Then… why can’t I adjust the seat? This is really uncomfortable…” Kaden shifted uncomfortably, his furious glare replaced by a kicked-puppy look. “Ashton is a psychopath. He’s incredibly observant. If you adjust the seat, he’ll notice immediately, and it’ll ruin my plans.” Only then did Kaden shut his mouth. He was my uncle’s adopted son, only five years younger than me. Twenty years ago, he was the one who braved the roaring flames to drag my half-dead body out of that burning villa. He was also the one who helped me fake my death, accompanied me abroad to rebuild my life, and spent two decades preparing for this sweet revenge. “I just want to remind you that I’m the one who has been by your side this whole time. I gave you everything you have now, and all I’ve ever wanted is you. No matter what your plan is, you can’t abandon me.” Kaden whined, looking thoroughly pathetic. I nodded absentmindedly. “I’ve waited twenty years for this revenge, Kaden. I promise you, once this is over, you’ll be the only man by my side.” “What are you so worried about?” Kaden snorted. “That’s more like it.” “Where are we going now?” I restarted the engine and drove toward the nearest shopping mall. “To buy gifts for Ashton’s parents.” Kaden scoffed in disgust. “Arthur and Lynda? They don’t deserve shit.” I smiled. “They don’t. But you have to give a little to gain a lot, right?” “Is my new identity officially in the system?” Kaden pulled an ID badge from his pocket. “Marketing Director of WTU Global Trading, Andy. That’s your new identity.” “Arthur’s company is practically on life support. Neither he nor Lynda has any business sense. They’ve spent the last twenty years squandering all the assets you left behind. Now, they’ve set their eyes on WTU. If they can secure WTU’s international trade contract, it’ll save Fletcher Enterprises from bankruptcy. So when they meet you, they’ll literally beg for your help.” Kaden’s tone turned wicked. “I wonder if they’ll still be able to play their cards when they see your face. Haha, do you think they’ll wet themselves in terror?” I rolled my eyes at Kaden, staring at the slightly photoshopped portrait on the ID badge. Slowly, a dark, satisfied smile spread across my face. That afternoon, I went to pick up Ashton. The second Ashton got into the car, his eyes narrowed. “Yvonne, did someone else sit in your car after I left?”

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After my sister fell into the lake, she became a completely different person. She kept babbling every single day about how she was “the Chosen Female Lead” of some destined romance novel. She believed her sole purpose in life was to save a tragic, broken male lead. And she was willing to sacrifice our family’s entire fortune, and even our lives, just to end up with him. In my past life, as we stood before the cold corpses of our parents, I shook her shoulders and screamed, asking why she had ruined us. She answered by driving a knife straight into my chest. Cowering behind her tragic lover, she smiled at me with fake pity. “I’m sorry, Serena. Our family owed Logan. He is the fated male lead, and I am the selfless female lead who has to sacrifice everything for true love.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back in our childhood. We were at the foster home, and our parents were letting us choose a boy to bring home as a companion. Just like in my previous life, Chloe pointed at Logan Vance, who was standing a few feet away with a predatory look in his eyes. She cried and threw a tantrum, begging our parents to adopt him. The next second, I stepped forward and kicked Logan right in the ribs, sending him face-first onto the dusty floor. I let out a cold laugh and looked at Chloe. “If we’re choosing someone to protect us, we should pick someone who isn’t a total weakling. I don’t want this scrawny loser.” With that, I pointed my finger toward a dark, brooding boy sitting quietly in the far corner. “We’re taking him.”

When I opened my eyes again, I stared at my tiny hands and feet in absolute disbelief. I had actually reincarnated! The sharp, phantom pain of a knife piercing my heart still lingered in my chest. Still half-dazed, Mom took my hand and helped me out of the car. Our car was parked in front of the private youth care home. Word had gotten out that Robert Miller, the billionaire tycoon, was coming to pick a child to sponsor. The director, Mrs. Gable, had been waiting at the entrance with her staff since early morning. Anxiously, I squeezed Mom’s hand. She looked down at me and gave me a warm, gentle smile, which instantly put my racing heart at ease. It seemed even God couldn’t stand the injustice. He had actually given me a second chance to start over. Thinking of the monster who had destroyed my family in my past life, my expression hardened. I turned around to look at my younger sister, Chloe. Chloe was a year younger than me, but right now, she looked strangely mature. Standing with her hands clasped behind her back, she looked down her nose at the facility director, treating everyone like they were beneath her. In my past life, I hadn’t paid much attention to this. I had simply thought Chloe was mature for her age. Now, a cold sweat broke out across my back. She had been acting weird even back then. Dad was still trying to reason with her, looking highly conflicted. “Chloe, sweetie… you already have Serena. Why are you so obsessed with getting a brother?” Chloe’s small eyes darted over to me, and she let out a loud, mocking snort. “I don’t want a useless, childish sister like Serena! I want a brother! I want a brother right now!” Watching Chloe throw a temper tantrum, Mom and Dad exchanged a helpless, weary look, then glanced down at me. Oh, so that’s how we’re playing this? In my past life, I had always listened to my parents and put my sister first. Naturally, I hadn’t said a word, letting Chloe bring Logan back to our house. But in this life, since you want to act mature and throw tantrums, I’m going to play the fragile, innocent victim. As Mom and Dad looked at me, my eyes welled with tears. I squeezed them back, pretending to be brave. “It’s okay, Mom, Dad. I’ve always been a bit slow and clumsy. It’s okay if Chloe doesn’t like me. Maybe… maybe I’m just not good enough to be her sister…” My voice was soft and trembling, the perfect picture of an innocent, hurt child. Compared to Chloe’s bratty behavior, my parents instantly felt a wave of deep pity and affection for me. Mom knelt down and gently kissed my cheek. “Don’t cry, Serena. Chloe didn’t mean it. Tell you what—since she wants a brother so badly, how about you be the one to choose him?” “No way!” Chloe shrieked immediately. “He’s going to be my brother! I should be the one to choose!” Before she could finish her tantrum, Dad gave her backside a firm, warning pat. “Who taught you to be so selfish? Apologize to Serena right now!” Chloe puckered her lips, her eyes instantly filling with tears. Unlike me, who possessed the soul of an adult, she might have awakened some memories, but she was still ultimately a child. To get what she wanted, she had to play along. She walked over with a fake pout and grabbed my hand. “I’m sorry, Serena.” I gave her a tight, joyless smile and squeezed her hand back with every ounce of strength I had in my little fingers. Seeing us “reconcile,” my parents’ expressions softened, and they followed the director inside. As we walked, Chloe leaned in close, whispering in my ear, “Serena, you love me the most, right? When we go in, whichever boy I point to, you have to tell Mom and Dad to pick him, okay?” I ignored her completely, letting her stew in her own anger. Instead, I skipped ahead happily and held my parents’ hands. Dad looked down, smiling as he pinched my nose. “Why are you so clingy today, Serena?” My eyes stung. I looked at my wonderful parents. In my past life, they were brutally killed by the hands of their own spoiled younger daughter. How much pain they must have felt. But it didn’t matter now. In this life, I would protect this family. I would make sure that ungrateful wretch Chloe and that bastard Logan rotted in the mud together. Forever.

The director led us into a private office. Inside stood a few young boys whom Mrs. Gable had personally selected. They were all handsome, polite, and looked eager to please. My eyes instantly locked onto Logan Vance, who was standing right in the middle. Ha. Even at this young age, he already knew how to play the game. He had dressed himself perfectly to look fragile and pitiable, yet his eyes held a strange, calculated intensity. If I hadn’t died once because of him, I probably would have been fooled by his innocent act too. Unsurprisingly, the moment we stepped into the room, Chloe gripped my hand tightly. “Serena! Serena! Him! Tell them we want him!” Chloe’s eyes practically lit up the moment she saw Logan. She was absolutely certain that this was the “Chosen Male Lead” of her dreams. She pulled my arm hard. But my gaze bypassed Logan entirely, landing straight on a boy sitting quietly in the far corner. Ah. Found him. Tristan Thorne. The future “villain” in Chloe and Logan’s eyes once they reached adulthood. Tristan was a genius. In my past life, his business empire rose so fast that it completely crushed the Miller family’s declining assets. I shook off Chloe’s hand and pointed directly at young Tristan. “Mom! Dad! I want him!” Predictably, Chloe lost her mind. “No! I don’t want him! I want Logan!” She screamed at the top of her lungs, completely failing to notice how our parents’ expressions instantly darkened. This was the very first time we were meeting these boys. How on earth did Chloe know Logan’s name? Of course, Mom and Dad wouldn’t suspect their own young daughter of anything sinister. Instead, their sharp, suspicious gazes fell directly on Logan, who suddenly looked very uncomfortable. To them, it looked like this boy had somehow manipulated their little girl beforehand, making her throw tantrums just to get him adopted. I almost laughed out loud. Even Chloe didn’t notice that in her moment of sheer stupidity, Logan shot her a murderous glare. If looks could kill, she would have been dead right there. As Chloe kept screaming and crying, Mom and Dad flatly refused to accept Logan—a boy who clearly seemed too manipulative and untrustworthy. Eventually, fed up with the noise, I walked right up to Logan and kicked him as hard as I could. Caught completely off guard, Logan—who was two years older than me—tumbled onto the floor with a pathetic thud. The office fell into a dead, bizarre silence. Only Tristan, sitting in the corner, let out a soft, amused scoff. I turned back to my parents with a completely innocent face. “Mom, Dad, I think if we’re getting a brother, he needs to be strong enough to protect us. This guy is a total weakling. I don’t want him.” I pointed at Tristan, who was currently watching the drama play out with a smirk. “I want him! He looks tough!” The smirk on Tristan’s face vanished instantly. Perhaps he didn’t understand why a girl like me would choose a troublemaker like him at first glance. He looked rough around the edges, and my parents looked highly skeptical. But I was the only one who noticed Tristan’s fist, resting at his side, slowly clenching. He was nervous. And he was hoping to be chosen. In the end, Tristan was brought home as the companion I had personally selected. What was interesting was that the moment we stepped out of the facility, Tristan completely shed his rough, rebellious attitude. He became incredibly quiet and well-behaved, keeping his eyes glued to my hand, which was holding his. His long eyelashes fluttered slightly as he stared down at our joined hands. He looked remarkably handsome. “Why did you choose me?” Chloe was throwing a massive fit back in the director’s office because things hadn’t gone according to her plan. While our parents were busy calming her down, I had slipped out with Tristan. As we got into the back of the car, Tristan asked me that very question. I just stared at him.

I had so many things I wanted to say. Like, “I know you’re going to help me in the future.” Or, “Because I want to use you.” But in the end, I decided to play the part of an innocent little girl. I flashed him a bright, sweet smile. “Because I like you, Tristan.” Tristan stiffened, his ears turning a bright, crimson red beneath his dark hair. He had probably expected me to say I only chose him to spite my annoying sister. He never expected an answer like that. Those dark, dead eyes of his suddenly rippled with a wave of raw emotion—shock, confusion, and deep gratitude. He tried to pull his cold, trembling hand away, but I gripped it even tighter. “Since you’re coming with me, you are my protector now. You can only care about me, okay?” Tristan didn’t seem to care about how strange my words sounded for a child. He nodded immediately. “You got me out of that hellhole. I’ll protect you for the rest of my life.” Wow. Hearing a future billionaire boss make a promise like that instantly made me feel like a massive weight had been lifted off my shoulders. After what felt like forever, Mom and Dad finally walked out of the building. Chloe followed behind them, a smug grin plastered across her face. Because she was holding Logan’s hand! They walked up to the car, and Chloe immediately gloated, “See? You didn’t want him, but I do!” Tristan’s grip on my hand tightened instantly. My heart sank. What did this mean? Did Mom and Dad actually give in to her?

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When I was a child, I fell into a lake and nearly drowned. While I was unconscious, my body was hijacked by a girl from another world—a “transmigrator.” Using my body, she fell head over heels for Julian Montgomery, the billionaire crown prince of New York’s elite. For twelve long years, she served him hand and foot, acting like his most loyal, pathetic simp. I was trapped deep inside my own mind, forced to watch. I eventually realized she was on some kind of “system mission” to win his heart. But she was an absolute idiot. In twelve years, she never even made a dent in Julian’s cold heart. Instead, she let that trash of a man walk all over my body, leaving me physically and mentally scarred. She lived like a dog with zero dignity, completely ruining my reputation in high society. Just a month ago, Julian’s “golden girl”—his precious ex, Bianca Vance—returned to the country. To clear the field, one of Bianca’s wealthy loyal lapdogs beat the transmigrator so badly she ended up in the hospital. The system declared her mission a total failure. The transmigrator’s soul was wiped from existence, and I finally regained control of my own body. Before I could even celebrate, I was met with Bianca’s escalating malice and Julian’s arrogant insults. Fine. You all asked for this. If the transmigrator was a fragile little daisy, then the real me is a black lotus—and I’m about to poison your entire lives.

I woke up in a private hospital room. The transmigrator’s soul was completely gone. My mind was still a bit foggy. I flexed my fingers, and a wave of pure ecstasy washed over me. I was back! I finally had my own body back! But before I could even smile, the heavy hospital door was violently kicked open. In walked Victor, Julian’s personal assistant. The second he saw me, the sheer contempt and disgust in his eyes weren’t even slightly hidden. Like master, like dog. That saying never gets old. When that transmigrator occupied my body, she spent over a decade simping for Julian. Not only did Julian despise her, but his entire circle of rich, arrogant friends treated her like garbage. Everyone knew Julian’s heart belonged to Bianca, his perfect first love. The transmigrator, no matter how hard she tried, was just a cheap knockoff. A literal joke. A month ago, Bianca announced her grand return to the city. It was a massive media event. She wanted to get back with Julian. But the moment she heard he had an obsessive doormat clinging to him, she decided to teach me a lesson. Getting hospitalized this time was all thanks to Bianca. Bianca had plenty of rich simps willing to do her dirty work. After the transmigrator was beaten and hospitalized, her soul fell into a coma. In the dark, I heard a robotic voice coldly announce that her “mission” had officially failed. And with that, after sleeping for twelve years, I woke up. Too bad my first day back involved cleaning up a massive pile of shit. Victor stood at the foot of my bed, his voice dripping with condescension. “Mr. Montgomery is extremely angry about what happened. I suggest you apologize nicely, Miss Sterling. Stop making trouble for Mr. Montgomery and Miss Vance.” With that, Victor tossed a document onto my lap. I picked it up. It was the “exclusive companion contract” the stupid transmigrator had signed with Julian using my name. With a cold face, I ripped the contract to shreds right in front of Victor. Victor’s icy, professional mask instantly cracked. “Miss Sterling! Have you lost your mind? If Mr. Montgomery finds out, he will be furious! You’ll owe him millions for breaching this!” I gave him a look of pure, freezing disdain. “Owe him? Did he ever pay me a single dime during all the years I chased him around?” “And besides…” I grabbed the shredded paper and threw it right into Victor’s face. “There’s a clause in here. The moment Bianca Vance returns to the country, this contract becomes null and void.” Victor’s mouth hung open, speechless. I knew exactly what he was thinking. *Ah, she’s just playing hard to get now.* The contempt in his eyes deepened. Before I could kick him out, the door swung open again. In walked Cole—the very guy who had beaten the transmigrator into the hospital. Bianca’s loyal little puppy. Seeing me awake, Cole smirked and swaggered over. “Oh, look. If it isn’t Julian’s favorite little dog. Awake so soon? Guess you’re tougher than you look. Or maybe I didn’t hit you hard enough?” I threw the blanket off and stepped onto the cold floor. But before Cole could spit out another nasty word, I swept my leg and kicked him right off his feet. Victor gasped, scrambling back. I didn’t hesitate. I lunged forward, grabbed Cole by his designer collar, and started slapping his face left and right. *Smack! Smack!* “You call me a dog? Aren’t you Bianca’s loyal little bitch too? Who’re you looking down on?” “You like sneak attacks, huh?” “Just wait. I’m going to sue you until you’re broke!”

Seeing his buddy get beaten into a swollen pulp, Cole’s friend stood frozen in the corner, terrified to move. Once my hands got tired, I adjusted my hospital gown and turned to walk out. But before I could reach the door, Bianca herself stepped in and grabbed my wrist. “Amelia Sterling, what kind of sick game are you playing now?” “Julian will never love you. Even if you change your personality and play hard to get, he won’t give you a second glance! If you know what’s good for you… ah!” Before Bianca could finish her little speech, I slapped her across the face. Hard. “Shut up, you fake-ass snake.” I spat the words at her, ignored her shocked, tear-filled eyes, and walked right past her. I was checking myself out of this joint. The three of them in the room were still in absolute shock. A curse word like that would have never come out of the old “Amelia’s” mouth. Victor finally composed himself, picked up his phone, and dialed Julian’s number. “Sir… we have a major problem.” After leaving the hospital, I ignored the barrage of furious voice notes Julian sent me on Snapchat. I blocked his number and deleted him across all platforms. A clean slate. That transmigrator was truly blind. Of all the handsome, wealthy heirs in New York, she chose the most toxic, arrogant asshole to “攻略.” And she made me share the embarrassment for over a decade. I drove my sports car back to the Sterling estate. From a distance, I could see my family laughing and enjoying themselves in the garden. Honestly, it was a weird feeling. When I was little, my parents adored me. My younger brother, Leo, who is two years younger, used to follow me around like I was his queen. But after I drowned and the transmigrator took over, their attitude toward “me” grew cold. Sometimes they would make sarcastic remarks, showing clear disappointment in “me.” Back when I was trapped inside, I was devastated. I thought the transmigrator’s pathetic behavior had broken my family’s hearts, which made me hate her even more. But looking at them now, their coldness seemed to have a deeper reason. Curious, I walked over to the garden. Sure enough, the second Leo saw me, his smile vanished. He sneered, “Oh, look. Julian’s loyal little simp is back.” Me: ??? Was this some kind of programmed NPC line? Why did everyone keep saying that? “You actually remembered you have a home? You’ve humiliated the Sterling name enough. Honestly, you should have just stayed in the hospital!” I rolled my eyes, walked up, and tapped his forehead with a wicked smile. “If your mouth is that bored, go lick a toilet. Since when do you get to talk back to me, little boy?” The second those words left my mouth, all three of them froze. Then, right before my eyes, my parents’ and Leo’s eyes welled up with tears. My mom took a trembling step forward, whispering my name. “Amelia?” “Is that really you, baby? You’re back?” My dad’s eyes overflowed with tears. He rushed forward and pulled me into a tight, crushing hug. “It is her! It’s my Amelia! What did that wicked woman do to your body this time? Look at the bandage on your head!” I was stunned. I looked at them, bewildered. “You… you guys knew my body was taken over?” My suspicion was right! Leo, finally realizing it was really me, lunged forward like an octopus and wrapped his arms around me, sobbing. “Oh my god, sis! You’re finally back! That evil bitch thought we couldn’t tell the difference! She used your face to do all those embarrassing things!” “Mom and Dad wanted to kick her out, but they were terrified that if they did, your soul would never find its way home…” Hearing this, my eyes burned. Your real family knows you. Even if someone else wears your face, they can feel the difference.

We sat down, and I explained everything that had happened to the three of them. Leo clenched his fists, his teeth grinding in anger. “That bitch! Ever since she took over, she followed Julian Montgomery around like a stray dog. She dragged our family name through the dirt! I got mocked at school every single day because of her!” My dad, thinking ahead, looked at me with deep worry. “Now that you’re back, what about her soul? Will she come back?” I shook my head. “I heard a voice say she was ‘erased.’ I have full control now. She’s never coming back.” “And last time, she only took over because I nearly drowned and my consciousness was weak. Now, your daughter is perfectly healthy. Don’t worry!” The family finally breathed a sigh of relief. My dad immediately made a decision. “I want you to join the family company.” “Before, when we realized you weren’t ‘you,’ we kept that impostor far away from Sterling Enterprises. We were terrified she’d hand the entire company over to Julian on a silver platter.” “But now that you’re back, and Leo is still too young, the company needs you.” I smiled. “I’d love to.” My dad looked incredibly proud. “I knew my real daughter was strong, smart, and business-minded. Not a brainless, love-sick fool.” After resting at home for a few days, Julian eventually tracked me down. I knew we had to settle things once and for all. So when he demanded a meeting, I didn’t refuse. The moment I pushed open the door to the VIP lounge at the club, the mocking laughter inside stopped instantly. Bianca immediately squeezed out a few tears, shrinking behind Julian as if she were terrified of me. Seriously? With acting like that, why be a “golden girl” when she could win an Oscar? Julian gave me a freezing look. He crossed his legs, looking down on me with the same arrogant superiority he’d used for the past twelve years. “Kneel.” Looking at the sneering and pitiful faces around the room, I looked at Julian like he was a brain-dead idiot. It’s the 21st century. Just because people call him a “crown prince” doesn’t mean he’s royalty. Asking me to kneel? I’m not his servant. I walked over, sat down on the plush sofa, picked up a bottle of expensive wine, and swirled it in my hand. I offered them a dazzling, confident smile that practically blinded the room. Julian’s friends started whispering to each other. “Since when is Amelia Sterling this hot?” “It’s the same face, but she feels completely different.” “She’s definitely playing hard to get. Simping didn’t work, so she’s trying a new tactic to get Julian’s attention. She’s a professional simp, honestly.” Julian looked pissed that I hadn’t obeyed him. I raised my glass toward him in a mock toast. “Why’d you call me here?” Julian grit his teeth, and Bianca took the opportunity to pour oil on the fire. “Julian, it’s fine. It’s my fault for coming back. I didn’t mean to make Amelia hate me so much…” The beauty wept, and Julian’s temper flared. He slammed his glass onto the table, his dark eyes glaring at me. He spat out two words: “Apologize!” I shrugged, looking directly at Bianca instead of him. “You fake-ass snake.” Those three quiet words instantly set Julian off. “What did you say?!” He was furious. I just smiled. I repeated, “I said, you fake-ass snake.” He slammed his hands on the table and stood up, practically shaking with rage. “Say that again!” I pushed my hair back, looking thoroughly bored. “What? Are you deaf?” “I” had never spoken to Julian like this before. Just like everyone else, once he calmed down, he convinced himself this was all a game of hard-to-get. He truly believed I was just too deeply in love with him. The more he thought about it, the more pleased with himself he became. He actually sat back down, giving himself an exit. He pointed to his polished leather shoes. “Stop acting, Amelia. You just want me to look at you, don’t you?”

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At our fourth engagement party, Chloe Collins abandoned me again to run to her ex-boyfriend. Every single time, she used the same excuse, leaving me behind to be the laughingstock of the town. But this time, I didn’t want to stop her. This was our tenth year together, and I was just so tired. “Chloe, if you walk out that door today, we are done. Let’s break up.” “I hope the two of you will be very happy together.” Chloe’s face instantly hardened. “Why are you being so petty? Are you still mad because we accidentally kissed last time?” “I already apologized to you! Julian is not like you. He’s innocent and fragile! Besides, he has no one else but me!” She spun around and walked out. I didn’t argue. I blocked her on Snapchat, Instagram, and every other platform, and posted our breakup online. When the spotlight hit me, I felt a wave of dizziness. Watching Chloe’s figure disappear around the corner, I let out a bitter laugh. The whispers of the guests rushed into my ears. “Is the engagement called off again? How many times has this been? Do they think our time is a joke?” “Seriously, she dumps him for another guy over and over, and he still stays. He has absolutely no self-respect!” “There’ll definitely be a fifth time. Ethan Miller will never let her go.” I had heard these exact words countless times over the past ten years. Every time, I would just smile, pretend nothing happened, and clean up her mess under everyone’s mocking stares. But now, looking at the half-empty hall, I suddenly found it all so pointless. My ten years of devotion were pointless. My stubborn persistence was pointless. Years ago, Chloe’s family was on the brink of bankruptcy and desperately needed money. That was the only reason she lowered herself to be with a “simp” like me. No matter how cold she was to me over the years, I did my best to cherish her. I always thought that one day she would see my worth and truly accept me. But it had been ten years. Even a heart of stone should have melted by now. Yet, she hadn’t changed at all. I sighed and decided to make one last call, just to see. After a dozen rings, she finally picked up. Her voice was dripping with impatience. “Are you trying to harass me to death? Don’t you know I’m taking care of Julian?” “Can you stop throwing tantrums and look at the time? Why did I end up with such a pathetic guy like you?” “It was just one kiss when we got drunk! Are you really going to hold that grudge forever?” Her screeching voice echoed through the silent banquet hall. I saw someone in the audience burst out laughing. My face burned with humiliation, but I cleared my throat and spoke into the mic anyway. “He’s a grown man. What could possibly happen to him? This is our fourth engagement party, Chloe. It won’t take much of your time to just come back and finish it.” “Once this is over, you can do whatever you want. I won’t bother you ever again, okay?” As I said those words, I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. How could a man beg so pitifully? But before she could answer, Julian’s voice suddenly came through the speaker. “Chloe, are you done yet? The bathwater is ready. It’s going to get cold soon!” The entire hall fell into a dead silence. Everyone looked at me with pure pity. My hands shook uncontrollably, and my eyes turned red with fury. This was the “emergency” she was talking about! Running off to take a bath with another man! The call was abruptly disconnected, but I couldn’t calm down anymore. I typed the words that had been suffocating me for years and sent them. [Let’s break up.] She didn’t reply. She was probably too busy enjoying her night with Julian. Just thinking about that image made me want to throw up. I was the biggest clown in the world. I opened Instagram and saw that Julian had just posted a new update. In the photo, Chloe was fast asleep in a bed. Julian’s caption read: *“So glad you’re always by my side.”* It was a blatant provocation. What was even harder to ignore was that both of them were clearly shirtless. My chest felt like it was crushed by a massive boulder. But in that exact moment, my ten years of obsession evaporated into thin air. I posted a picture of a clear blue sky on my Instagram feed, officially declaring the end of our relationship: *“Single and free. I no longer have to worry about whose bed you’re sleeping in at midnight.”* Let it end here.

The next morning, I was woken up by Chloe violently banging on my door. “Open the door! Who do you think you are? How dare you post that on Instagram to threaten me!” “It was such a small thing! My parents just called and screamed at me because of you. Are you happy now?” The moment I opened the door, she furiously threw her designer bag right at my face. The sharp pain brought tears to my eyes. But she didn’t care about my pain. The only person she ever cared about was her precious ex-boyfriend. I wiped my eyes and looked at her coldly. The hickeys on her neck were too obvious to ignore. In the past, I would have lost my mind and started a screaming match. But now, I just wanted to get this over with. “I made myself very clear. We’ve both been exhausted for ten years. It’s over.” “Since you and Julian love each other so much, I won’t stand in your way anymore.” Seeing how strangely calm I was, she finally realized she might have gone too far. She touched her nose guiltily and softened her tone, which was rare for her. “Okay, okay. I know I messed up yesterday, but it was an emergency.” “Look, I won’t go anywhere today. I’ll stay home and keep you company, okay? Stop being mad.” “When we were in college, he was the one who defended me when those rumors spread. I always felt like I owed him.” I held my cold coffee mug and didn’t say a word. A person’s patience has limits. I had told her that countless times. Too bad she never listened. Seeing that I was still silent, she resorted to her ultimate weapon. She leaned in close, trying to press her lips against mine. This was her go-to move. In the past, no matter how angry I was, as long as she kissed me, I would immediately back down. But this time, it was different. Right before our lips touched, I pushed her away. I stood up, frowning. “I told you, I’ve reached my limit. I loved you, Chloe, but that wasn’t an open invitation for you to walk all over me.” “If you feel like you owe him, there are a million ways to repay him. Don’t use that as an excuse for your own selfish desires.” This was the first time I had ever rejected her. Chloe froze in shock. She stared at me in disbelief. Just as she was about to speak, her phone rang. Julian’s voice whimpered from the speaker. “Chloe… I finally get it now. My presence is ruining your relationship with Ethan. It’s all my fault…” “I’m leaving town. I called to say goodbye. Thank you for everything.” Chloe immediately panicked. She grabbed her bag from the couch and rushed to the door. “What are you talking about! This has nothing to do with you! I don’t even care about him that much anyway!” “Don’t do anything stupid! I’m coming to find you right now!” I watched her run out, feeling absolutely nothing. This exact scene had played out hundreds of times. One call from him, and I was instantly abandoned. She would never change. Perhaps feeling a bit guilty, she stopped at the door and coughed awkwardly. “Wait for me to come back, and we’ll talk. I’m just worried he might do something reckless.” “You understand, right?” I didn’t say anything. I just gave her a slight nod. She looked relieved, smiled, and ran out. Where she went had nothing to do with me anymore. We had already broken up.

I didn’t have many belongings in the apartment. Most of the stuff belonged to Chloe—her clothes, her jewelry. It was easy to pack. What was funny was that even though we had been together for ten years, we slept in separate bedrooms. I had never even stepped into hers. I thought I never would, but since my car keys were on her desk, I had to open her door. The moment I walked in, I froze. The pastel-pink room was filled with photos. From their teenage years up to pictures taken just months ago, the only two people in those frames were Chloe and Julian. Anyone walking in would think this was a bedroom for a married couple. But I was her actual boyfriend. I was the man who was supposed to spend the rest of his life with her. I thought my heart was numb, but my fists clenched so hard they shook. As I backed out of the room, my heel accidentally hit the button of a recording plushie on the floor. “Julian, when are you going to take me away? Being around him every single second makes me feel absolutely disgusted!” Chloe’s sweet, whiny voice echoed through the room. *Disgusted?* So she felt disgusted being with me? Then, Julian’s lazy, arrogant voice played. “Just bear with it a little longer. Once you marry him, all his money will be yours. We won’t have to work a day in our lives!” Instead of rejecting this disgusting plan, Chloe laughed happily. “You’re so smart! When that happens, no one can stop us.” “Julian, I love you so much. Do you love me?” After a pause, Julian let out a dry, awkward chuckle. “Of course I love you. You’re the only woman I’ll ever love.” The recording stopped. There was a sticky note on the plushie, written in Chloe’s handwriting: *“I am the love of his life.”* I didn’t even know how I walked out of that apartment. My entire world felt like it was crumbling. I used to think she was just a spoiled girl who didn’t know how to love. But from the very beginning, she was just plotting to take my money and run away with another man. My years of devotion were nothing but a joke. I used to think of this apartment as our home, the anchor that kept me going. It turned out the anchor was made of cardboard. With trembling fingers, I opened my chat with Chloe. It was a wall of blue bubbles—just me talking to myself. She had never once replied to my care or love. The only times she messaged me were to ask for money or to tell me to stop causing trouble for Julian. I remembered the first time I met Julian. He had poured a cup of hot coffee over his own head and blamed me. Chloe had slapped me in front of everyone. “Do you have to make his life miserable? What did he ever do to you! Why do you hate him so much!” “I thought you were a sweet, understanding guy. It was all an act!” I had tried to explain, but she only looked at me with cold disgust while Julian smirked from her arms. The memories flashed before my eyes. I closed my eyes tiredly, took one last look at this place, sighed, and walked out.

My peaceful life only lasted for two days. When I walked into the living room of my family’s house, I was surprised to see Chloe and her parents sitting on the couch. The moment her parents saw me, they pushed Chloe forward. “Apologize to Ethan right now! How did I raise such a clueless daughter!” Then, they turned to me with fake, oily smiles. “Ethan, dear, please don’t take it to heart. We just spoiled her too much!” “You know she truly loves you. Otherwise, why would she stay with you for ten years? A woman’s best years are her twenties, after all!” I glanced at my parents sitting across from them. They were sipping their tea silently, but their faces were filled with annoyance. Chloe had crossed the line too many times. My family had a reputation to uphold. She had dragged my dignity through the mud over and over, making us a laughingstock. My parents had been done with her a long time ago. If it weren’t for my stubbornness in the past, her family wouldn’t even be allowed past our front gates. Seeing that none of us were speaking, Chloe reluctantly walked over to me. “Fine, fine. It’s been days. Why are you still holding a grudge?” “My parents already consulted an astrologer. They said next month is the perfect date for our wedding. I promise I won’t run away this time.” She reached out, trying to hug me. I stepped back, dodging her, and spoke coldly. “How many times do I have to say it? We are over. Don’t ever bother me again.” “I’ve moved all my stuff out. We are done.” Chloe finally snapped. In the past, no matter what she did, a little baby voice and a hug would make me forgive her. She was absolutely sure I would never leave her. But this time, my attitude was rock-solid. For the first time, fear crept into her eyes. “What right do you have to dump me? I’ve been with you since I was so young! Do you know how valuable my youth is?” “And I already apologized! What more do you want?” Looking at her entitled face, I wondered how I could have been so blind. Even now, she didn’t think she did anything wrong. Her parents quickly chimed in. “Yes, Ethan. Every couple fights. You can’t just throw away ten years of love over a small argument!” “It’s not like she cheated on you! She was just worried about a friend!” Now I knew why Chloe was so messed up. What kind of decent child could grow up in a family like this? Once they finally shut up, I took out my phone and played the audio I had recorded from the plushie in Chloe’s room.

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My mother-in-law, Brenda, fell in love in her golden years. She wanted to meet her number-one TikTok Live gifter in real life. I tried my absolute best to warn her. I told her she was too old, and that this was definitely a “pig-butchering” romance scam. Eventually, she gave up the idea. But when she saw our neighbor, Mrs. Higgins, coming back dripping in gold and diamonds with her own rich online gifter, Brenda began to deeply resent me. Later, when I was heavily pregnant and about to give birth, Brenda pushed me down the stairs in a state of utter madness. “It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t stopped me, I’d be living in luxury right now!” My husband, Marcus, also looked at me with cold, dead eyes: “If you hadn’t tried to play smart, I would have been a millionaire CEO by now!” Instead of calling 911, the two of them watched me bleed on the floor, waiting for me to die. To make sure no one would find out, they eventually dragged me to the bathroom and held my head underwater until I drowned. But I was reborn. This time, I personally recommended a shady, back-alley plastic surgery clinic to Brenda. 1 “I work myself to the bone every single day serving this ungrateful family, and I’m not even allowed to pursue my own happiness!” Brenda was sitting on the floor, wailing and screaming. “My life is so miserable!” My mind felt completely dizzy. The suffocating sensation of cold water rushing into my lungs was still terrifyingly vivid. It was only when I saw Brenda rolling around on the floor, throwing her usual tantrum, that I suddenly snapped awake. Had I been reborn? “Marcus! Why aren’t you home yet? Your wife is bullying me to death! I don’t want to live anymore!” Seeing her wipe away non-existent tears, I remembered how patiently I had tried to explain things to her in my past life. In the end, that patience cost me my life and the life of my unborn child. Thinking of this, I subconsciously touched my flat belly. Thank God. I was reborn. This time, I would protect my child at all costs. I suppressed the boiling rage in my chest, forced a warm smile onto my face, and said to Brenda: “Brenda, you’ve completely misunderstood me. I was just amazed by how incredibly charming you are.” “Any man would fall head over heels for you.” Brenda froze on the floor. She clearly didn’t expect me to say that. “Yes, Brenda! You have to say yes to this guy! This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!” Standing beside her, Lily was jumping up and down with pure excitement. “What is all this screaming? I told you guys, do not make noise when I’m on a Zoom meeting!” Marcus slammed his bedroom door open, his eyes filled with nothing but annoyance. Without asking a single question, he immediately turned and pointed his finger at me, screaming: “Chloe! What kind of drama are you starting now? My mom is always so sweet to you!” Looking at the man standing in front of me, my heart felt like ice. The memory of him holding me down in the water alongside Brenda flashed in my mind, making me grit my teeth. I wanted nothing more than to tear him apart right then and there. 2 The moment Brenda saw Marcus come out, she scrambled to her feet and ran to him. “Marcus, you really need to put a leash on this wife of yours. She beats me every time you’re not home.” Brenda gave me a smug, triumphant look. She was absolutely sure I would explode, scream, and start a massive fight. Then she could easily manipulate Marcus into beating me up just to satisfy her sick ego. In my past life, that was exactly what happened. Marcus had slammed me onto the couch, punching my face repeatedly while Brenda stood by, cheering him on. This time, I wasn’t going to be that stupid. I lowered my eyes, keeping my voice as soft and helpless as a mouse. “Brenda must have misunderstood me. As her daughter-in-law, I would never dare to stand in the way of her and her billionaire boyfriend.” I even squeezed out a few fake tears for effect. The word “billionaire” instantly changed the atmosphere. Marcus’s eyes lit up like Christmas trees. He immediately turned to Brenda, putting on his most flattering face. He began massaging her shoulders and rubbing her back. “Mom, is this for real? You have to say yes to this rich guy!” “Our family is about to become filthy rich!” Brenda looked a bit hesitant, though her eyes shone with greed. “But look at all these wrinkles on my face. I’m old and ugly. What if he doesn’t want me when we meet?” Lily chimed in from the side, fueling the fire. “Mom, we can just make Chloe pay for your plastic surgery! Problem solved!” Brenda immediately slapped Lily’s shoulder. “You brainless girl! Plastic surgery costs a fortune! Why should we waste Marcus’s hard-earned money on that?” I knew Brenda was incredibly cheap. So, I decided to give her the push she needed. I quickly dug a shady-looking business card out of my purse and handed it to Brenda, pretending to be completely supportive. “Brenda, what a coincidence! I actually won a free total-makeover consultation card at my company’s annual party. It feels like destiny. Our family is truly meant to be rich.” Sure enough, Marcus couldn’t control himself. He practically jumped in the air. “Mom! This is a sign from God! It is literally custom-made for you!” Brenda lifted her chin proudly. “Well, of course it is.” Lily and Marcus stood on either side of her, their faces flushed with excitement as they fantasized about their future high-society lives. I sneered in my heart. Billionaire? He’s nothing but a professional scammer waiting to butcher you. 3 In my past life, Brenda had proudly announced to the entire family that her top TikTok Live gifter had invited her to a private yacht party. I had begged her not to go, pointing out her age and warning her that he was likely a catfish scammer. Because of my desperate warnings, Brenda ended up canceling the trip. But later, when she saw Mrs. Higgins coming back dripping in designer brands and real diamonds with her own rich online gifter, Brenda began to view me as her ultimate enemy. “It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t stopped me, I’d be living in a mansion right now!” But I knew the truth. Mrs. Higgins’s “top gifter” was actually her long-lost son who had made a fortune. I tried to explain this to Brenda, but she refused to listen to a single word. “Mom, you’re being scammed! That man isn’t a billionaire!” In her psychotic rage, Brenda pushed me down the stairs. Blood immediately pooled beneath me. I desperately tried to reach for my phone on the floor to call 91

Right then, Marcus rushed over and kicked the phone far away. “If you hadn’t played smart, I would have been a big boss by now!” I curled into a ball, clutching my stomach, sobbing and begging them both. “Please, save my baby. I beg you.” By the time I woke up, Brenda was holding my head underwater, screaming at Marcus to help her keep me down. I thrashed wildly, screaming for help. But Brenda picked up a heavy brick from the floor and smashed it against my skull. “If anyone asks, we’ll just say she was cheating, got pregnant with a bastard child, and drowned herself out of shame.” The terrifying feeling of cold water filling my lungs gripped my throat once more. I couldn’t breathe. Slowly, I sank to the very bottom. Having a second chance at life, I decided to let them walk straight into their own doom. I was done playing the good guy. I wanted to see exactly how much “luxury” Brenda would enjoy without me in her way. 4 Because Brenda had just finished her plastic surgery, Marcus ordered me to leave work early, go home, and clean the house. I quietly complied. Right after I finished mopping the floor, Brenda waddled into the living room, her body moving in an incredibly stiff, unnatural way. “Ugh, why is this place so dusty? I literally just got my face done.” “What if my wounds get infected?” She covered her face with her hands. But I could clearly see that her face was swollen like a giant, bruised balloon. I sneered inwardly. In my past life, that shady clinic had been shut down after multiple botched surgeries went viral on TikTok. I was highly confident Brenda wouldn’t be the lucky one. Marcus glanced at me, his eyes full of disgust as he barked: “Chloe! Go get Mom a glass of water right now! When we get rich, you’re the first person I’m throwing out of this house!” Hearing Marcus’s words, my chest still felt a twinge of coldness. Years ago, I had cut ties with my own parents just to marry him. I woke up earlier than anyone and slept later than a dog, serving this entire miserable family. In the end, I got absolutely nothing but a broken body and a tragic death. Whenever I wanted to go for a pregnancy checkup, Brenda would mock me, saying I was just looking for excuses to be lazy. Lily would always jump in, making up ridiculous lies to make me look bad. And with Marcus’s pathetic monthly salary of $3,000—which he handed entirely over to Brenda—every single bill in this house was paid using my own savings. Thinking of this, I quickly brought Brenda a glass of water with a sweet smile. Suddenly, Brenda jumped up and started screaming at me: “Are you trying to kill me?! The doctor explicitly told me not to drink water immediately after the procedure!” I gave her a sheepish, apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry, Brenda. I got distracted. You literally look a hundred times younger after the surgery. I barely even recognized you.” Hearing my compliments, Brenda’s ego instantly inflated. She raised her swollen chin proudly. She immediately began barking orders at me: “Go mop the floor again! I went through so much pain today for this family.” “And go buy me some expensive organic supplements. Remember, only buy the most expensive stuff. I am the savior of this family now.” Faced with her ridiculous demands, I just smiled and nodded. Even if she was spending my money, I didn’t care. It was the price of her ticket to hell. She knew she shouldn’t drink water, but she had no idea she was supposed to avoid high-sodium, greasy foods during recovery. Soon, the date of her meeting with the “billionaire” drew closer. One afternoon, while Brenda was in a boutique dressing room trying on a revealing dress, a bloodcurdling scream echoed from inside. “Ahhh! Someone help me! My face! I can’t move my face!” I smiled. Brenda had developed facial paralysis. When Lily pushed the dressing room door open, Brenda was lying on the floor, clutching her face in absolute terror. 5 “Oh my god, Lily! Am I going to die?” Brenda was howling on the floor, refusing to let go of her face. Thick drool was already leaking from the corner of her mouth, ruining the expensive dress. The boutique owner was completely frozen in shock. Several other customers gathered around, whispering and pointing. Lily completely panicked, her voice cracking as she cried: “Chloe, what do we do? We shouldn’t have come out shopping today!” I quickly took charge. I dialed 911 and called for an ambulance to take Brenda to the hospital. Seeing them prepare to leave, the store owner became angry and grabbed Lily’s arm. “Wait a minute! You can’t just walk away! Your mother just ruined my inventory and terrified my customers! You need to pay for this dress, otherwise, I’m calling the cops!” Hearing about paying money, Brenda, who was being loaded onto a stretcher, exploded in fury. She reached out and wrapped both arms around a nearby clothing rack. “Pay you?! You’re extorting us! I’m the one who should call the cops!” “Your store has bad vibes! That’s why my face suddenly became like this!” The paramedic urged them impatiently: “Stop arguing! Her health is more important. We need to go to the hospital right now!” But Brenda refused to budge. She scrambled off the stretcher, put her hands on her hips, and screamed at the owner: “You cheap bitch! You want money? Fine, I’ll sit right here in your store! If I die because I’m late to the hospital, I’ll make sure your business is ruined forever!” Because of the facial paralysis, Brenda’s distorted face looked absolutely monstrous. I was honestly stunned by how reckless she was when it came to money. The store owner, utterly terrified by Brenda’s psychotic behavior, quickly let go of Lily’s arm. She practically begged: “Ma’am, please, I don’t want your money anymore! Just go to the hospital! I apologize!” Only then did Brenda lay back down on the stretcher, looking incredibly pleased with herself. “Hah! Trying to scam me? No way in hell.” But standing aside, I knew exactly what she had just done. Brenda’s greed had just cost her the golden window for treating facial paralysis. Even if she survived, she would be left with permanent nerve damage. But that had absolutely nothing to do with me. After all, my kindness in my past life had earned me a watery grave. 6 The doctor stared at the test results, his brows furrowed deeply. “We can confirm your mother-in-law is suffering from severe facial nerve damage. She needs to be admitted for treatment immediately. Please go to the front desk to pay the deposit.” Standing nearby, Brenda let out a loud snort and spat right onto the hospital floor. “You absolute scammer! Look at me, I can walk and run just fine! You doctors just want to steal my money!” The doctor didn’t get angry. He calmly tried to explain again: “Ma’am, you need medical intervention. If you miss the critical treatment window, the damage will be permanent.” “We can start with aggressive medication, followed by physical therapy and acupuncture next week.” Hearing this, Brenda shrieked like a banshee. “How long is that going to take?! I have a date with a billionaire in three days!” The doctor’s face turned bright red from her sheer ignorance and disrespect. “Billionaire? If you don’t get treated right now, you can spend the rest of your life drooling like a dog!” Hearing the doctor speak to her like that, Brenda ran out of the office and started screaming in the hallway: “Help! Abuse! Everyone look! The doctor is threatening a patient!” Her booming voice drew a massive crowd in the hospital lobby. Lily, who had just come out of the restroom, saw the scene, blushed red with embarrassment, and quickly hid around the corner. Even the Chief of Medicine rushed down to see what was happening. I pretended to hold Brenda back, pleading: “Brenda, please, just listen to the doctor. Stay in the hospital.” But I knew her all too well. She would never stay. Nothing was going to stop her from going on her yacht date with her “billionaire.” Sure enough, Brenda glared at me and violently shoved me away. “You useless bitch! You always take the side of strangers! I already called my son. No one is stealing a single dime from me!” A few minutes later, Marcus rushed into the hospital lobby, looking furious. The Chief of Medicine tried to step in and reason with him, explaining the severity of Brenda’s condition. But Marcus grabbed a heavy metal clipboard from a nearby desk and threw it right at the Chief’s head. “You bunch of scammers! You just hate to see my family succeed! Let my mom go!” The Chief was completely done. He gestured to the security guards to clear the area. “Fine. Get out. We refuse to treat patients who abuse our staff.” Looking at Marcus and Brenda smirking at each other, bragging about how they “won” against the hospital, I almost laughed out loud. These two were so consumed by greed that they had lost their minds. I couldn’t wait to see their faces when they realized their “billionaire” was nothing but an internet scammer.

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College admissions season was just around the corner. A few of my senior students were still completely slacking off. I was more anxious than anyone, so I decided to use the weekend break to drop off some study guides at their houses. “What is this?” I was completely frozen. On my student Chloe’s bed sat a life-sized doll! In terms of height, body shape, and face, it looked exactly like me! More importantly, the doll had… anatomical details. It was clearly made for *that* kind of activity… “Mr. Miller…” Chloe’s face flushed so red it looked like it would burst. “Actually, I… I’ve liked you since freshman year!” “Mr. Miller, I just turned eighteen last month. I’m an adult now! You…” “Stop, stop, stop!” I quickly cut her off. In my five years of teaching, I had never encountered something this insane! Chloe had opened the door wearing a maid cosplay outfit. I heard from other students that she was a minor influencer in the local cosplay community. As a male teacher, I had to protect myself and keep my distance. I originally planned to just say a few words at the door and leave. But her parents insisted on dragging me inside, asking me to help her highlight key topics for the final AP exam. “I have a fiancée, and we’re planning to get married this summer.” “I need you to focus on your studies and get into a good college!” She looked incredibly excited. She pulled the ribbon at her waist, and the maid outfit slid down like wrapping paper off a gift box. “Chloe! What are you doing?!” I was terrified. She lunged at me, wrapping her arms around my neck, standing on her tiptoes to kiss me. No way in hell. I came here to tutor her, not to have an existential crisis! Her parents were right outside. If they saw this, my career, my reputation, and my relationship would all be destroyed. So, I gritted my teeth and pushed her onto the bed. “Leo~” Chloe thought I was giving in. She lay there obediently, her eyes full of anticipation. I frantically grabbed the pieces of her outfit, trying to put them back on her before her parents noticed. Chloe’s eyes welled with tears. “Leo, don’t you like me? Don’t men like younger girls? Or am I not pretty enough?” Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door. “Put your clothes on! What if your mom walks in and misunderstands?!” I didn’t know which of my words triggered her. Chloe suddenly burst into loud, hysterical sobs. “Mr. Miller, why don’t you stay for dinner? I bought some prime rib…” The door was pushed open by Chloe’s mother, Beatrice. The smile on her face instantly froze. “What on earth is going on here…” I panicked. The clothes in my hand felt like a hot potato. I was caught red-handed, and no explanation would sound believable now. “Mrs. Vance, let me explain. It’s not what it looks like…” I stuttered, completely terrified.

In the living room, Chloe’s parents sat on the sofa. Chloe and I stood in front of them. “…and that’s everything. That’s exactly what happened.” After speaking, I looked at Chloe, hoping she would back up my story. Beatrice also looked at her daughter, waiting for her response. Arthur, Chloe’s father, frowned. “Chloe, Daddy is right here. Don’t be afraid. Tell us the truth.” The atmosphere in the room turned suffocatingly tense. My heart was pounding like crazy. But Chloe seemed oblivious. She just stood there, sobbing quietly. We waited for five agonizing minutes. Just as I was about to lose my temper, Chloe finally spoke. “I didn’t take my clothes off. Mr. Miller did!” “He said… he said he’d only tutor me if I was ‘good’ to him!” I was furious. “Chloe! Do you have any idea how much this lie will ruin my life?!” “Shut up!” Arthur snapped. He lunged forward, grabbing me by the collar. The veins on his forehead bulged. “Miller! Do you call yourself a teacher? I can’t believe you had the guts to come into my house and assault my daughter!” “You’re not a human! You’re a sick animal!” Beatrice joined in, screaming curses. She was so hysterical she just kept repeating the same insults over and over. Chloe, who had just completely twisted the truth, hid behind her father. Her eyes were calm, with a faint hint of smug apology. My mind went completely blank. My ears rang. “I’m telling the truth!” “If you don’t believe me, go look in her room! There’s a life-sized doll that looks exactly like me!” Chloe’s next words felt like a bucket of ice water poured over my head. “Mr. Miller forced me to buy that!” Maybe a long time passed, or maybe it was just a few seconds. I didn’t know. My chest felt so tight I could barely breathe, and my temples throbbed violently. So this was what it felt like to be falsely accused. The police arrived quickly. I told them I did absolutely nothing. Beatrice screamed at the officers, “What kind of girl would ruin her own reputation just to frame a man?!” Wasn’t that hilarious? Yes, hilariously tragic. It was just like the naive belief that “children don’t lie.” The logic was completely flawed. I pushed past the officer, rushed up to Chloe like a madman, grabbed her collar, and roared, “Tell them the truth! You are going to destroy me!” Within seconds, the police pulled me away, telling me to calm down and cooperate with the investigation. I thought that once the police got involved, things would get sorted out. But to my absolute horror, no matter what, Chloe stuck to her story: I forced her. Without solid physical evidence, the police had to let me go for the time being. “SHOCKING! High school teacher caught assaulting teenage influencer during home visit!” This kind of scandal didn’t need any algorithm push—it immediately went viral on Ins and TikTok. In less than two hours, I received a termination letter from the school. The school’s official YouTube channel also posted a video announcing my firing, and they didn’t even bother to blur my personal details. “You didn’t even investigate! You just threw my private information to the wolves!” “I am innocent!” No one listened. At that moment, I learned how quickly people will kick you when you’re down.

The video exploded. Countless people were tagging the local police department in the comments. I scrolled through the comments; they were filled with toxic abuse. My fiancée, Jessica, got the news. She called me immediately. I thought she knew my character and was calling to comfort me. But to my surprise, when I picked up, it wasn’t Jessica. It was her mother, Mrs. Davis. “I am so disappointed in you! I will never let my daughter marry a predator! We are returning the wedding deposit, and the ring is in the mail! This is Jessica’s decision too!” “I really misjudged you! How could you lay a hand on an eighteen-year-old student?!” “Mrs. Davis, please let me explain…” “You’re a monster!” “Click—” The call went dead. During the entire call, I didn’t even get to finish a single sentence. As soon as that call ended, my mother’s number popped up. She didn’t accuse me right away. She just asked if the news online was true. I had worked diligently for five years as an ordinary teacher. I never expected to become “famous” overnight in the worst possible way. “Mom, others might not know me, but you do!” “…Okay, sweetie. I believe you.” I heard muffled shouting on her end of the line. “Mom? Mom?” The shouting grew louder. Sensing something was terribly wrong, I decided to drive over to her house immediately. But as soon as I stepped out of my apartment, a man blocked my path and showed me his badge. “Where are you going?” “I’m going to see my mother. What, am I under house arrest now?” Officer Hudson shook his head. “I’m just doing my job, Mr. Miller.” It seemed the police were worried I would flee. I was furious, but I didn’t want to make things hard for him. So I proposed a compromise. “Then come with me. You can ride along. Is that okay?” Officer Hudson hesitated, saying he needed to check with his sergeant. In those few short minutes, I received the third piece of devastating news—my mother had collapsed from shock and was being rushed to the hospital. “What are you doing?!” Officer Hudson was still on the phone. Seeing me get into my car and start the engine, he quickly blocked the hood. “Calm down! You can’t leave right now!” “My mom is in the ER! She has a severe heart condition!” He hesitated, but he didn’t move. “Officer, please!” Tears finally spilled over. “Rules are meant to protect people, not kill them! My mother is dying!” Surprisingly, my desperate plea worked on Officer Hudson. Without waiting for his sergeant’s reply, he jumped into the passenger seat and buckled up. “Let’s go. I’m coming with you.” We were still too late. When I reached the hospital, the doctor told me my mother had passed away. She had missed the critical window for resuscitation. “What happened? She was fine! How did this happen?!” I grabbed a neighbor who had accompanied her, shaking him like a lunatic. “Get off me! Are you crazy?!” The neighbor shoved me away, straightening his shirt with a look of pure disgust. “Blame yourself! You’re the one who assaulted a student! You literally killed your own mother, you sick bastard!” “You shut your mouth!” Being insulted by the public, dumped by my fiancée, and now losing my mother—my mind snapped. I tackled him to the ground, pinning him down and punching him repeatedly like a rabid dog. If Officer Hudson hadn’t dragged me off, I might have actually killed him. Seeing my raw fury, the neighbor didn’t dare say another word. He just groaned from the floor, “You’re going to pay for this! I’m suing you!” A nurse quickly wheeled him away for an examination. The doctor sighed and looked at me. “I’m sorry. You should prepare for the funeral.” Three days later, at my mother’s funeral, I finally learned the truth from her best friend. Because the school had doxed me in their video, some extreme internet trolls had dug up my home address and tracked down my mother.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “448999”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster