My brother’s girlfriend got pregnant before they were married, and his house was still under renovation. So, they quickly had a wedding and moved into my house. Just because I brought a friend to stay over for one night, my sister-in-law threw a fit: “Aren’t you getting a little too old to be living off your family? Always mooching, and now you’re bringing friends home? Are you planning to live here forever?” I immediately threw her luggage out the door and shot back: “Who do you think you’re talking to? My name is the one on the deed. If you don’t like it, you can get out!” My parents had bought both me and my brother a house early on. My brother’s house was being remodeled to fit Verity’s tastes, but before it was finished, Verity suddenly found out she was pregnant. For the sake of the baby’s health, they moved into my house instead. Dax treated her like royalty, taking care of every little thing—doing laundry, cooking, giving her back rubs after work. Verity’s guest suite didn’t have a private bathroom, so she asked if we could switch rooms. Since she was pregnant, I agreed. Then, a bit embarrassed, Dax came to me and asked, “Can we replace the plants in your botanical collection with roses?” Because she was pregnant, Dax did anything to make her happy. I didn’t want to make things difficult for him, so I agreed and replaced the plants I had cared for over three years with roses for Verity. But today, my college friend Ariadne was in Summersville for business, and we made plans for dinner. We reminisced over a seafood boil and had a bit too much to drink. I figured it would be safer for her to stay at my place instead of going back to her hotel alone. We got home around midnight, doing our best to be quiet so as not to disturb Dax and Verity. After a quick wash, we went straight to bed. The next morning, as soon as I stepped out of my bedroom, there was Verity, storming up to me, practically seething: “Isla, are you out of your mind? Aren’t you too old to still be single? Living here for free, and now bringing friends back? Are you planning to stay here forever?” Ariadne, looking guilty and uncomfortable, quickly apologized, “Isla, did I cause any trouble for you? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude. I’ll leave right now.” I held her back and gently patted her shoulder, “You have nothing to apologize for. Your flight’s in the afternoon, right? Let’s have lunch first, and I’ll take you to the airport.” Verity’s face twisted in anger, and she snapped, “What do you mean by that, Isla? You will apologize to me today, or get out of my house!” I actually laughed. My house? The deed still has my name on it. When did this become her house? And she wanted me to apologize? Either her ego was bigger than anyone else’s, or she was completely out of her mind. There was no way I was letting this slide. I turned, walked into her bedroom, grabbed her suitcase, and stuffed it full of her clothes. Then I threw it right out the door. “Don’t think just because you’re pregnant you can act out like this. I’ve been putting up with you long enough.” I pointed to the door and said coldly, “And by the way, this is my house. If you want to stay here, show some respect. Otherwise, you can leave.” Verity was stunned. She just stared at me, then laughed mockingly. “You’re throwing me out? I’m carrying the Montgomery family’s future grandchild. Everything your family owns will be Dax’s one day. You’re just an outsider. All I have to do is say the word, and you’ll be kicked to the curb.” I couldn’t believe she had the nerve to say something so outdated in this day and age. Was I hearing this right? I smiled and said, “Go ahead and try. Let’s see who really runs this household.” Verity was furious, slamming the door behind her with a loud bang. Soon after, I heard her crying on the phone to Dax. “Your sister is being horrible to me. I don’t even know what I did wrong, but she told me to leave!” “She insulted me, said I was shameless for getting pregnant before the wedding. I can’t take it anymore.”

Hearing her sobbing and twisting the story to Dax only made me angrier. I opened the family group text and explained everything that had just happened. The group was just the four of us—Dax, me, and our parents. Dax had originally added Verity, but she had left the chat for some reason. As soon as I sent the message, my mom responded. She wasn’t taking Verity’s side just because she was pregnant. [Verity was wrong in this situation. I’ll talk to Dax and tell her to tone down her attitude.] My dad chimed in: [If Isla doesn’t want to get married, no one can force her. We can support her for life if need be. It’s no one else’s business.] [Dax, take control of your wife. Just because she’s pregnant doesn’t mean she can cause problems.] It was mostly my parents talking in the chat. Dax didn’t respond. That afternoon, Dax came home from work, silent and looking exhausted. I could tell he had seen the group messages and wasn’t taking it well. We had always been close growing up, barely ever fighting. This was the first real tension between us. He quietly poured a bowl of soup and took it to Verity in the bedroom. I’ll admit, maybe I was a bit too harsh this morning. Feeling bad for Dax, I poured him a cup of tea, thinking maybe I should apologize to Verity. Not because I was backing down, but because I didn’t want to make things harder for Dax. After a long silence, Dax finally looked up at me, his eyes full of frustration. “Sis, do you hate Verity?” I froze, completely taken aback. He continued, “I know this is your house. If you don’t want us here, just say so. You didn’t need to treat Verity like that. She’s pregnant. Wasn’t kicking her out a bit much?” I couldn’t believe it. Dax didn’t even ask why I kicked her out. He just took her word for it and blamed me. I let out a bitter laugh. “Do you even know the things she says about me behind your back? And you’re taking her side without knowing the full story?” Dax’s voice grew louder, more upset. “She’s pregnant, Isla! Why can’t you just be the bigger person? If something goes wrong because of her stress, can you take responsibility? Her family’s not as well off as ours, but that doesn’t give you the right to look down on her. She’s someone’s daughter too, and she shouldn’t have to put up with this.” He sighed, trying to calm down, then added, “Maybe you should move back in with Mom and Dad for a while. After Verity has the baby, we’ll leave.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This was my brother—polite, mature, and understanding since we were kids—and now he was saying these things? When had I ever looked down on Verity or judged her for her family? Verity was the one calling me an old maid, trying to claim the house my parents bought for me, and accusing me of mooching. I wasn’t going to let her trample all over my boundaries just because she was pregnant. She was the one at fault here. As I looked at the table full of food I had prepared, I felt an unexpected wave of sadness.

The next day, I received news that my company was sending me abroad for six months. As I was packing my suitcase, Dax stood awkwardly in the doorway, avoiding eye contact. “Isla, I’m sorry for what I said yesterday. I didn’t mean to take things that far. I was just worried about the tension between you and Verity. We’re not trying to take over your house. It’s yours. We should be the ones to leave.” I calmly zipped up my suitcase, put on my sunglasses, and replied, “I’m going on a work trip. I’ll be gone for six months.” Dax was stunned for a moment, then a wave of relief washed over his face. “Thanks, Isla!” As soon as I left, Verity posted an Instagram update with a picture of the latest Prada bag that Dax had bought her. [Some women really thought they could stick around like they’re royalty, but they got kicked out anyway. Don’t know their place. I’m carrying the Montgomery heir. One day, everything in this family will be mine. No wonder no man wants her. But not me—I’m treated like a princess. My husband just had to drop thousands on this bag for me, even though I told him not to.] A few of Verity’s friends chimed in with comments below: [Once the baby’s born, Verity, you’ll be the queen of the Montgomery family. No one will dare cross you then.] [That bitter old maid is probably hitting menopause.] [No wonder she doesn’t have a man. Karma’s a bitch, huh?] It was ridiculous. How could anyone still think like this? It felt like something straight out of the 1800s. I didn’t care about Verity’s Instagram post, but my parents saw it and were absolutely furious. They marched straight to Verity and demanded she delete the post and apologize to me. The moment she saw my parents, Verity quickly dropped her attitude. After all, they were the ones who paid for the house and car, and the money Dax used to buy her fancy things came from my dad’s card. Verity deleted the post and, trembling, called me. Her voice shook as she said, “Isla, I wasn’t talking about you in that post. Mom and Dad just misunderstood me, but I deleted it already. I’m sure you won’t hold it against me, right?” I let out a laugh, pausing for a moment before replying slowly, “I don’t care who you’re talking about, but could you at least try to maintain some dignity? The Montgomery family has a name in Summersville, and you’re dragging it through the dirt.” With that, I hung up. I couldn’t for the life of me understand how Dax had fallen for a woman like her. Everyone in Summersville knew Dax had married a vapid, trophy wife who spent her days flaunting her lifestyle on social media. But going so far as to publicly insult her own sister-in-law? That was a new low. What really shocked me was that after apologizing in front of my parents, Verity had the audacity to call me privately just to insult me all over again. She raged like a madwoman. “Don’t get cocky, Isla. I’m the future lady of the Montgomery family. You’re just a daughter, and Dax is the family’s only son. Everything will belong to him, and you’ll have nothing.” “I suggest you find yourself a husband, because when the time comes, I’m not letting Dax give you a single cent. You’ll end up with nothing and no one.” She wasn’t completely brainless; she knew not to leave evidence that could be used against her. She didn’t send texts or make calls that could be recorded—she used a voice message through Instagram. Listening to her growing fury, I couldn’t help but smirk. “Verity, do you really think I can’t deal with you?” She let out a triumphant laugh. “Dax loves me unconditionally. No matter what I do or say, he’ll always believe me. Your problem is that you just couldn’t find a man like him.” A woman like Verity would have plenty of skeletons in her closet if you bothered to look. But telling Dax wouldn’t do any good. He wouldn’t believe me. I had to make him see the truth for himself. Let’s see if Dax would still stand by her then.

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My sister-in-law took over my house in the school district and even stole my daughter’s spot for enrollment. “My son is the pride of the Steele family. What’s wrong with using an extra spot? Your daughter is just a burden. Delaying her schooling won’t hurt her!” In response, I evicted her from my home and deleted her son’s enrollment spot. She didn’t know the principal of the school is my uncle! “I’m sorry, ma’am, but the enrollment spot for your house has already been locked in. Your child cannot be registered for school right now.” “What do you mean it’s been locked in?” I was in disbelief. My daughter, Maddie, had only just reached school age. How could her enrollment spot already be taken? “Our system shows that the spot for Summit Elementary was locked three years ago.” My head began to spin, a loud ringing in my ears. Three years ago? Summit Elementary? Wait! That was exactly when Chelsea Steele, my sister-in-law, moved into the house in the Crestview Hills neighborhood! And Summit Elementary is the school her son Jake was supposed to attend! She had just been bragging about this on Facebook a few days ago! Could it be… Chelsea stole Maddie’s enrollment spot? I was so furious that my temples throbbed. After hanging up, I went straight to the house to confront Chelsea. I didn’t even get the chance to unlock the door—Chelsea opened it from the inside before I could. “I heard a noise at the door. Thought it might be a burglar, but turns out it’s just you, Brianna! Don’t stand there, come on in!” Ha! Who’s the real burglar here? The way she stood there with an air of ownership, you’d think I was the one trespassing in my own home. My face hardened. “No need. I’m here to talk about Maddie’s school enrollment.” “Chelsea, when we let you borrow the house, we didn’t agree to give you Maddie’s enrollment spot too, did we?” Chelsea’s smile faltered, and she blinked innocently. “What enrollment spot? I wouldn’t know anything about that. Maybe it was just locked by accident when I was enrolling Jake. I’m so clumsy sometimes… sorry, Brianna.” Still lying at this point? My sister-in-law had some nerve! Before she could finish, I cut her off coldly. “Really? Because the staff told me you locked that spot for Jake three years ago. Are you sure it was an accident?” Chelsea’s face flushed bright red. “Brianna, we’re family. It’s just one spot. Why are you being so stingy?” “That spot was Maddie’s. What you did, Chelsea, was theft!” She couldn’t hold it in anymore. Chelsea shot me a vicious glare, raising her voice. “Brianna, I see right through you. You came here just to start a fight! What do you mean theft?” “My son Jake is the pride of the Steele family, the only male heir! What’s wrong with using the spot? Your daughter’s just a burden. Delaying her education won’t harm her!” “And let’s be real, Jake’s going to carry on the family name. Your Maddie? She’ll be married off eventually. Using that spot on her would be a waste! Why not let Jake have this great opportunity?” I was shaking with rage as I pointed at her, saying each word slowly and clearly. “Chelsea, you need to understand something. This is my house!” Three years ago, Shawn’s brother, Lucas Steele, lost everything gambling and had to move away for work, leaving Chelsea and Jake in Shawn’s care. At the time, we owned two homes—our main house under Shawn’s name, and the other was the school district house I had bought specifically for Maddie’s future schooling. Since Maddie was still in preschool, and the school district house was too far from her current daycare, it had been sitting empty. Shawn had the nerve to suggest renting it out to Chelsea. “Brianna, the school district house is just sitting there. Why not let my brother’s family live in it?” “They’ll move out once Maddie starts school, and I promise they won’t be any trouble!” Out of respect for Shawn, I agreed. But after three years, Chelsea hadn’t paid a single cent in rent! We even covered the utilities and property fees for her! And if that wasn’t enough, every time she visited our home, she’d “borrow” my cosmetics—brand new, unopened ones. When I confronted her, she pulled the family card. “I’m just borrowing a few skincare products. We’re family, Brianna, don’t be so stingy!” Once or twice, I could let it go. But after a while, I had enough. Whenever I brought it up, Shawn would try to calm me down with snacks. “Brianna, don’t get upset. Chelsea grew up with less, so she doesn’t always know better. Her heart’s in the right place, though. Don’t hold it against her.” I didn’t want to put Shawn in a tough spot, so I bit my tongue and kept my distance from Chelsea’s family. But now, not only had she freeloaded off our house for three years, she’d stolen Maddie’s enrollment spot! “Enough! Everyone calm down!” Just when things were about to get heated, Shawn arrived, panting from running over. “Shawn, you’re here.” I filled him in on everything. With him by my side, I felt more confident, stronger. In all the years we’d been together, Shawn had always been a reasonable man. Plus, when he had nothing, I was the one who stood by him. I even used my savings to help him get his business off the ground, and he’d always been grateful for that. I was certain Shawn would back me up this time too. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. The next words out of his mouth hit me like a punch to the gut.

“Brianna, Chelsea’s got a point. Maddie could start school a couple of years later. There’s no rush.” What??? I stared at Shawn in disbelief. He was siding with Chelsea? “Do you even hear what you’re saying? Maddie is old enough to start school now!” But Shawn ignored me, turning to Chelsea and apologizing softly. “I’m sorry about this, Chelsea. You know how Brianna is. Don’t take it personally.” Chelsea shot me a smug look, her eyes gleaming with triumph. And in front of Shawn, her tone softened, no trace of the earlier argument. “Oh, it’s fine, really. I wasn’t offended at all. You’re always so sensible, Shawn.” Wow. She sure knew how to play to her audience. She praised Shawn for being reasonable, while implying I was making a big deal out of nothing. Shawn’s face lit up at her words, a smile breaking across his face. I shot him a sharp look, then turned back to Chelsea, my voice icy. “So, you’re saying I’m the unreasonable one, Chelsea?” “How funny. This is my house. I bought it specifically for Maddie’s education. We let you stay here out of kindness because of Shawn, and now you’re acting like you own the place! You’ve been freeloading for three years, and now you’re stealing Maddie’s enrollment spot? Where’s the justice in that?” Chelsea’s face turned an ugly shade of green, like she’d just swallowed a fly. “Brianna, what do you mean freeloading and stealing? We’re family! How can you say such things?” Tears welled up in her eyes, making her look as though I was the one being cruel. Seeing this, Shawn immediately handed her a tissue. “Don’t cry, Chelsea. I promised Lucas I’d take care of you and Jake while he’s away, and I intend to keep that promise.” Then, turning to me, he sighed. “Brianna, you’re really upset right now. Why don’t you head home and rest? Let me handle this.” “Handle it? How exactly do you plan to handle it?” Under my glare, Shawn’s confidence faltered, and he began trying to smooth things over. “What’s done is done. There’s no use in getting angry now. Let Jake finish his schooling, and Maddie can go to another school or wait until Jake’s spot expires.” His words made my blood boil. What kind of solution was that? In every scenario, Maddie was the one being sacrificed! I scoffed at him. “You’re really something. Using my house to score points with your family.” “And I have to ask—Jake’s not even your son. Why are you treating him better than your own daughter?” It was just an offhand remark, but both Chelsea and Shawn stiffened noticeably, their expressions shifting. Before I could dwell on it, Chelsea gave me a sidelong glance and spoke in that syrupy, fake tone again. “Brianna, this is your house? You married Shawn, didn’t you? That makes it your shared house as a couple.” “Besides, Shawn’s already agreed that Jake can use the enrollment spot. I don’t know why you’re being so harsh. Are you really so heartless you can’t even make room for family? Fine, if you can’t, then we’ll leave…” My anger flared instantly. Did she really just say that? If I was so heartless, I would’ve kicked them out long ago! I let them live here for three years, rent-free! Shawn, looking uncomfortable, shot me a pleading glance, as if asking me to drop it. But after all this? I was done playing nice. Ignoring him, I pulled out my phone and opened up the digital copy of the deed. I tossed it in front of Chelsea. “Look closely. The deed says Brianna Wilkes! This is my house!” “You’ve overstayed your welcome. Now pack your things and get out of my home!”

Before Chelsea could react, I stormed into her room, grabbed her clothes and belongings, and stuffed them into a suitcase, tossing it out the door. “Brianna, you—” Chelsea looked utterly shocked, clearly not expecting me, usually the more easy-going one, to act so cold and direct. “Didn’t you say you were leaving? Why haven’t you gone yet?” I shot back sarcastically. Her face instantly darkened, turning the color of a charred pan. She pursed her lips, tears welling up in her eyes as she turned to Shawn for support. “Shawn, I knew it. Brianna’s been wanting to kick us out all along… Even though you promised your brother you’d take care of me and Jake. And now, we’re about to end up on the streets. What a cruel fate!” “And, don’t forget, you’re married now! This house is technically shared property between you two! Looks like Brianna doesn’t even care about you, Shawn!” Chelsea’s little jab clearly hit its mark. Shawn’s face darkened, and the next thing I knew, he slapped me across the face. “Brianna, what’s your problem? You get a house in the school district and suddenly think you’re better than everyone? Don’t forget—I’m still the one in charge around here!” Then, without missing a beat, he softened his tone, turning to reassure Chelsea. “Don’t worry, Chelsea. I made a promise to my brother, and I’ll keep it. You and Jake are staying right here. Nobody’s kicking you out as long as I’m here.” My face burned, the sting from his slap still lingering. I stood frozen in place, staring at Shawn in disbelief. Did he just hit me? For Chelsea? In the past, even when Chelsea and I argued, he’d never go further than a scolding. Later, he’d apologize, saying his hands were tied—Chelsea was his brother’s wife, and since his brother had saved his life once, he felt obligated to look after her. So, he always claimed he had no choice but to side with her. But deep down, I thought he was still on my side. Now? He hit me? Something even my own parents never did. I held my burning cheek, my eyes welling with tears as I looked at Shawn, waiting for an explanation. But instead, he scowled and barked, “Why are you just standing there? Let’s go! Or do you want to embarrass yourself even more?” Embarrass myself? Was that how he saw this? My anger flared. “Embarrass myself? Shawn, your daughter’s school spot was stolen, and you don’t think that is embarrassing? I’m here to fight for her, to exercise my rights, and I’m the one embarrassing us?” “How did I not realize sooner that you’re nothing but a coward?” Shawn’s face turned beet red with anger as he raised his hand, ready to hit me again. But this time, I was faster—I slapped him back. “Brianna, you dared to hit me?” he stammered in shock. I shook out my hand, still tingling from the slap, and raised an eyebrow. “Just returning the favor.” Chelsea’s eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly rushed to Shawn’s side, as if playing the dutiful wife. “Brianna, it’s only right that Shawn disciplines you. How could you hit him? Shawn, are you okay?” “I’m fine,” Shawn muttered, rubbing his cheek. “You’re right, Chelsea. Brianna just looks down on me.” He gave Chelsea’s hand a gentle pat, and the two of them stood there, close and intimate, like a couple. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. Every time Chelsea and I argued, Shawn would step in to defend her and push me to back down. He’d always explain it was because his brother had saved him from drowning when they were younger. Now, with Lucas away for work, Shawn felt it was his duty to take care of Chelsea in return. And because Chelsea had a severe dog allergy, Shawn had insisted I give away my beloved dog—one he’d originally bought for me. Even when we went out for dinner, he’d order everything mild just for her, since Chelsea couldn’t handle spicy food. I’d suggested a split pot so we could have both spicy and non-spicy options, but Shawn just said I was being unreasonable, worried the spicy oil would mix with the broth. Funny how he always seemed to forget how much I loved spicy food… I’d tried to convince myself before, telling myself that his extra concern for Chelsea was just repayment for his brother’s life-saving act. That he was only neglecting me temporarily, and we still had over a decade of marriage behind us. But now he’d hit me for her? And instead of apologizing to me, he went straight to comforting her? Watching the two of them, a wave of bitter realization washed over me. Maybe all along, I’d been fooling myself. Maybe Shawn didn’t care about me as much as I thought… Why else would he care more about Chelsea than me? … I took a deep breath, steeling myself, and slowly pulled off my wedding ring. I tossed it in front of Shawn. “Let’s get divorced, Shawn.”

“What? Divorce?” Shawn’s face went pale, panic flashing in his eyes. “Brianna, don’t be ridiculous! I only hit you once—are you really going to make such a big deal out of it?” “Besides, you were the one picking a fight with Chelsea. And let’s not forget—you hit me too! My face is still sore!” Chelsea, looking briefly startled, quickly stepped in to play the peacemaker. “Brianna, don’t make such a rash decision. You can’t just talk about divorce like it’s nothing!” “If you leave Shawn, you’ll be a single mom. Who’s going to want you after that? You’ve already had a child, and finding another man won’t be easy.” “Why not just let this go? After all, married couples argue, but they always make up.” Shawn nodded in agreement. “Brianna, look how understanding Chelsea is! She’s not even holding a grudge. Let’s stop this nonsense.” He actually had the audacity to say that I should apologize to Chelsea, and we could all forget about it. ??? I couldn’t help but laugh. What kind of backward thinking was this? Chelsea was living in some medieval fantasy, and Shawn clearly had a few screws loose too. The one who had done wrong was Chelsea, but they were telling me to apologize? What a joke! How did I not see how pathetic Shawn was before? “I’m not being ridiculous, and I’m definitely getting this divorce!” Shawn’s face darkened, and I saw the calculating glint in his eyes. “Fine, you want a divorce? Then this house comes with me. Otherwise, I’ll make sure you lose custody of Maddie.” He thought he could threaten me with Maddie? So, this whole time, his true intention had been to take the house! I’d completely misjudged him. But there was no way I’d let him get his hands on this house. I’d bought it myself, with my own money, and had even been smart enough to get a prenuptial agreement, thanks to my parents’ advice. Now he wanted ownership of my house? Not happening. Without a word, I walked over to the bookshelf, pulled out the prenuptial agreement, and threw it in their faces. “This house is my premarital asset. You’re not getting it!” “I’m keeping the house and custody of Maddie.” Shawn’s eyes bulged in disbelief, his hands trembling as he held the contract. “When… when did you…” Chelsea, also visibly upset, shot me a furious glare. “Brianna, you’re being so unfair! You never saw us as family!” I smirked. “Well, you finally got something right. Now get out.” “This is my house, and if you two don’t leave immediately, I’m calling the police.” I picked up my phone, ready to dial. Chelsea’s face twisted in anger. “Brianna, how can you be so heartless?” “Shawn, let’s go. I’m not leaving without a fight!” They stormed out, grumbling all the way. Divorce or not, it’s not up to him anymore. With that thought in mind, I immediately contacted my lawyer to begin divorce proceedings. After that, I calmed down and focused on what really mattered—getting Maddie’s school spot back. Maddie had been looking forward to starting at Summit Elementary for a long time. I wasn’t about to let her down. I picked up my phone and called my uncle, Principal Mark Mitchell. “Uncle Mark, I need your help. Maddie’s spot at Summit Elementary was stolen…” I explained everything in detail. When I finished, Uncle Mark was furious, calling out both Shawn and Chelsea for their behavior. “Don’t worry, Brianna. Maddie’s spot is as good as hers again.” “I’ll remove that little thief’s name right away and get Maddie enrolled.” He even sent me a screenshot to confirm it. Looking at the screenshot, I couldn’t help but smile. Chelsea had pulled out all the stops to get Jake into Summit Elementary. I could only imagine the look on her face when she found out the school’s principal was my uncle!

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Lucas Miller’s first love had returned to town. He carefully bent down to help her put on her high heels. I wasn’t idle either – I called over her uncle and had him kneel down to put shoes on my feet. “The doctor said I can only wear flats,” I said. The day before our engagement, Lucas broke up with me. The reason? His dream girl from 8 years ago had finally returned, and he had once promised to marry her. Lucas and I had dated since college. I never knew he had a first love all this time. Over the past few years with Lucas, I had given him my heart and soul. I first noticed him during Freshman Orientation Week – it was love at first sight. After that, I started pursuing him like crazy. I’d bring him lunch and accompany him to class. The whole campus knew about my pursuit. Eventually, he seemed touched by my efforts and finally accepted my confession. We became a couple and had a sweet honeymoon period. Later, when we grew closer, he hesitantly told me that his family was actually very poor. His parents had scraped together everything they had just to send him to college, hoping he would make something of himself and leave their small town behind. Hearing this made my heart ache for him. From then on, I started voluntarily covering all our expenses when we were together. I figured he may not come from money, but I did. My parents had plenty to spare for their only daughter. I started transferring money to him regularly, and he gradually got used to spending my money. Eventually, I even set up a joint account. All his living expenses came out of my pocket. After graduation, we started looking for jobs. Lucas told me he wanted to start his own business. He said he knew that being an employee for life wouldn’t change his fate. He was ambitious. After experiencing life in the big city, he naturally didn’t want to return to that small town. Looking at him then, I saw the fire in his eyes. I was drawn to his determination. I was so captivated that I actively asked my dad for help, pulling strings to ensure Lucas’s business succeeded. But once his company got on track, everything changed. He was no longer as gentle and patient with me as before. At first, I thought he was just too busy with work to have energy for me. After all, he had still proposed marriage to me. But I never imagined… his coldness and impatience weren’t because work had gone to his head. It was because of that damn first love.

After leaving Lucas and returning home, I immediately had someone investigate his first love’s background. Lucas’s dream girl was named Sophia Newman, the daughter of a branch of the Newman family. Oh, and she was an illegitimate child who had just been officially recognized by the family. That’s why she was able to return from abroad. I looked at the photos attached to the email. The girl in the picture wore a white dress, her brown hair in a messy bun, smiling brightly and innocently. She was indeed quite pretty. But what really caught my attention wasn’t her beauty, but the tear mole under her eye – identical to mine. So this was why Lucas had accepted me… As I flipped through Sophia’s photos one by one, I found it increasingly laughable. I laughed at my years of sincere devotion. I laughed at how my wholehearted dedication had only earned me a relationship built on deception from the very beginning. I propped up my forehead, laughing so hard my hands shook. Suddenly, I noticed a familiar figure in one of the photos. Frowning slightly, I zoomed in and realized the man looked very much like someone I had casually helped years ago. I stared at the man in the photo for a long time, suddenly feeling unsure. The man in the photo wore an elegant suit. His hair was styled neatly, and he held a glass of red wine, his expression neutral but dignified as he chatted with others. He seemed very different from the man I’d met years ago. After looking a while longer, I was still curious. I asked someone who the man in the photo was, and learned he was actually Sophia’s uncle. In other words, Samuel Henderson, the current head of the Newman family. I stared at Samuel’s photo for a long time before making a decision. Sophia, Lucas. No matter who, I wouldn’t let them take what was mine for nothing.

The gossip spread faster than I could act. Social media was flooded with candid photos of Lucas and Sophia. As a rising tech star, Lucas had gained some fame in recent years. Among the many photos, one of Lucas bending down to tie Sophia’s shoelaces was particularly eye-catching. The media speculated that Lucas would become the Newman family’s son-in-law. “What a perfect match!” they said. I tossed my phone aside, grinding my teeth in anger. This couple that seemed so well-matched in the public eye was actually quite unremarkable when you dug deeper. Lucas’s “wealth” was all thanks to my love-blind support. As for Sophia. I had carefully studied her background too. There were many suspicious points. The scumbag and his dream girl had finally reunited, while I became the object of pity and mockery. The reports only mentioned that I was Lucas’s college classmate, somehow lucky enough to be with such a “business genius” like Lucas. They said I had been “freeloading” at home after graduation, and it was only thanks to Lucas’s lack of disdain that we hadn’t broken up earlier. To be fair, the media can’t be fully blamed for getting it so wrong. When I was young, my cousin from my uncle’s family had shown off his wealth and nearly got kidnapped. It left a deep impression on my parents. So my family always told me to keep a low profile and not rush to reveal my identity unless necessary. Except for my longtime best friend, few people, including Lucas, knew that I, Lily Thompson, was actually the daughter of Thompson Real Estate. I had given Lucas all the opportunities to be in the spotlight, since he craved recognition from others more than I did. Who would have thought… I had wasted my time and money on an ungrateful dog. My parents saw the news too and rushed back in a panic. My mom wanted to find media bigwigs to ruin Lucas’s reputation. My dad was ready to blacklist him immediately. Seeing my usually calm parents so worked up, I actually felt more at peace. “Dad, I own shares in that company too. It’s not worth ruining it now.” “Honey, you’re not planning to stay involved with him, are you?” My parents crowded around me, faces full of worry. Ugh… I guess I really had been too blinded by love before. I sat my parents down and solemnly promised: “I won’t keep the company or the man, but I won’t let them shortchange me a single penny I’m owed.” “Ruining the company now would affect my shares… but after I get my money, do whatever you want.” Haha. Seeing that I was thinking clearly, my parents’ expressions improved slightly. “But sweetie, won’t you feel wronged? You were about to get married after all…” My mom had looked at a lot of wedding-related things with me. She understood how much I had been looking forward to my own wedding. “Oh, I’m still getting married. Just not to that Lucas guy anymore.” My parents looked confused. I mysteriously pulled out Samuel’s photo. “I’m going to marry this man, and make Lucas respectfully call me ‘Auntie’.” My parents exchanged bewildered looks. My dad even felt my forehead and muttered under his breath. “Oh no, our girl’s really been traumatized. She’s even starting to crush on some guy way out of her league!” My mom’s eyes immediately welled up with tears as she pulled out her phone, wanting to contact the most authoritative psychologist. I snatched my mom’s phone away and solemnly declared once again: “I’m not crazy. I will definitely make Samuel marry me. Just you wait and see!”

Actions speak louder than words. This principle works even with your own parents. After extensive inquiries, I learned that Samuel would be returning to the country soon. Unfortunately, the paparazzi weren’t professional enough. They only knew the approximate time, not which specific flight. With no other choice, I had to camp out in the airport lobby every day to catch my “future husband”. After three days of staking out, the head of ground staff personally came to shoo me away. I tried explaining repeatedly that I wasn’t some obsessed fangirl, but he just wouldn’t believe me. Since I couldn’t get past the first line of defense, I decided to wait at the company instead. My family wasn’t exactly small potatoes, but compared to a multinational corporation like the Newmans that had long gone global, we were basically just a “high-end family workshop”. Even an illegitimate daughter could afford to study at the most prestigious private university in Canada – that showed the Newman family’s power. After battling wits with the parking lot security guard for the Nth time, I finally managed to intercept Samuel. His driver looked like he’d seen a ghost, stopping the car about 15 feet away from me. Ignoring the driver’s shocked state, I went straight for the back door and yanked it open. “You’re a tough one to catch!” I panted. Samuel remained very calm. “Would you like some water?” A freshly opened bottle of water was offered from the luxury car. The man’s lips curved in a smile. Just as I reached out to take the water, several long camera lenses popped out, snapping photos of Samuel and me. The LED screen across from the parking lot was playing the news, talking about Samuel’s upcoming new round of acquisitions. Damn, talk about bad timing! The reporters were originally there for financial news, but upon seeing me, they immediately switched to entertainment mode. “Who’s this girl? Is she from some wealthy family?” “Rich girls don’t ambush people in parking lots. Maybe she’s an employee from a company being acquired?” “Oh my god, I feel like something big is about to happen!” Samuel got out of the car too and apologized to the reporters. “I’m sorry everyone, but this young lady’s matter seems more urgent. Let’s reschedule the interview for another day.” The image of Lucas tying Sophia’s shoelaces suddenly flashed through my mind, and my mouth seemed possessed. In front of all those reporters, I blurted out the plan I had been harboring: “Samuel, want to get married?” After a brief pause, all the camera flashes went off. The man before me froze for a moment, then reached out his long arm to shield me from the commotion. His smile held a hint of “uninvited guest” conspiracy, perfectly complementing his refined bad boy aura. In that instant, he had me hooked. “Get in the car. We’ll discuss the details.”

Samuel’s bodyguards and assistant arrived just in time. I smoothly left the scene in his car. I had barely taken two sips of water when Samuel rattled off my entire family history. Most importantly, he even knew all about my relationship with Lucas! “Going from a breakup to wanting to be your ex’s elder… Miss Thompson, you play quite dangerously.” Samuel turned to look at me, a hint of admiration in his smile. Ugh! I had really been too arrogant. Samuel must have looked into Lucas because of Sophia’s return, and then stumbled upon me in the process. Wait, wasn’t I stopping his car to ask for repayment of a favor? How did I end up on the defensive? “Six years ago, at Holy Water Beach. Do you remember me?” I asked. “I’ve never forgotten,” his deep voice replied. I had felt like I was being led by the nose ever since I stopped his car. Samuel was truly unfathomable. I decided to put aside my petty schemes and be straightforward about being a “benefactor seeking repayment”. “A life-saving debt should be repaid in kind… I’m in trouble now and need you to act out a play with me.” I had told my parents it was “real marriage”, but I never actually thought that myself. I knew my own worth all too well. Samuel could have anything he wanted. He definitely didn’t need an “ill-matched” little girl like me as a wife. As for saving him back then, it was just a coincidence. That year, I had just graduated high school and went on a spontaneous trip with friends. While learning to surf at the beach, I happened to save Samuel from drowning. After pulling him ashore, I lectured him a bit and kept him company for most of the day until someone came to pick him up. Only then did I leave. I soon learned of his identity afterwards. Keeping a low profile, I had never actively mentioned it to anyone all these years. If it weren’t for that white-eyed wolf Lucas forcing my hand, I wouldn’t have thought of this “trump card”. “Marriage can’t be an act,” Samuel flatly refused. As expected, big shots aren’t easily fooled. Just as I was feeling disheartened, Samuel spoke up: “If you’re sure about this, come register our marriage tomorrow at 9:30 AM.” I was still dumbfounded when I got out of the car. After tossing and turning all night, I still decided to keep the appointment the next morning. And just like that, I got married. The giant diamond ring fit my finger perfectly. The man beside me held me with gentle strength. “Hello, Mrs. Henderson.”

Clutching the little red book, I rushed home to beg forgiveness. My parents flipped through it front to back and made several phone calls before finally confirming my marriage certificate was real. “How could you not discuss such a big decision with us?!” My parents crowded around me, one on each side, and began interrogating me furiously. “When Lucas had nothing, you didn’t mind his poverty either,” I retorted righteously. I knew my parents too well. They were total pushovers for their daughter. As long as it was my decision, they would support me fully. “It’s not that we won’t let you get married, it’s just this son-in-law…” He was quite the big shot, to be fair. I gave them an “I understand” look and hugged my parents. Faced with their concerns, I recounted the Holy Water Beach incident for the first time. “Six years ago… Samuel tried to drown himself?” My parents were skeptical and started furiously googling. Sure enough, after my dad scrolled through countless forums, we learned something. Samuel had indeed been through some incident six years ago, but the forums only mentioned it vaguely. We couldn’t figure out the details. What was verifiable was that Samuel’s older brother and sister-in-law had died in an accident that year. Their only child was left in Samuel’s care. Strangely though, that child was never seen again afterwards. Thinking back to how Samuel had walked straight into the ocean that day, I seemed to guess what had happened. Sigh, life in wealthy families isn’t easy either. But remembering that I had saved him still filled me with an indescribable sense of pride. Life is precious. The world could use one more handsome man to feast our eyes on. The information we found matched what I had told them, so my parents tentatively believed the Samuel story. Looking at the marriage certificate, my dad was still worried. “Honey, the Newmans are an enormous family, and Samuel’s even become the head. Your path won’t be easy in the future.” A parent’s love for their child makes them plan far ahead. Since I was little, my parents rarely restricted me in anything except my character. They hoped I would be safe and happy, and were willing to give me everything they had. I had never actively mentioned the incident with Samuel all these years, naturally because I had no intention of asking him to repay the favor. Now that I had suddenly eloped with him, my parents surely understood it was because of Lucas. My mom looked at me with heartache, her expression fierce. “Sweetie, if you regret this, we can go apologize to the Newmans right now and get a divorce. It’s your life – you can’t ruin it because of that bastard Lucas!” Oh, my dear mother! I wanted to tell her she was overthinking it. My grand plan to step on Lucas’s moment of glory wasn’t complete yet. How could I possibly get divorced? “Mom, I’m the one who lucked out in this marriage!” “Let’s be honest, you must think Samuel is way out of Lucas’s league too, right?” I nudged my dad’s shoulder. He smiled sheepishly. “Since Lucas was blind enough to let me go, he can be with whoever he wants. I really don’t care.” Through my “inside information” from Samuel, I learned something. The relationship between Sophia and Lucas wasn’t something they could decide for themselves. Although Sophia was of Newman blood, her current DNA wasn’t enough to legitimately enter the Newman family business. A powerful in-law family would be her best support. Lucas seemed decent enough, but that was only because the Newmans hadn’t forced Sophia to make a choice yet. As long as Samuel didn’t approve, Sophia wouldn’t even get a chance to “try”. Thinking about how I had married a man who held the “power of life and death” over that scumbag and green tea bitch, I felt a thrill from my head to my toes. I understood my parents’ worries, but I wasn’t afraid. I would erase their concerns one by one with my happiness in this marriage.

The Newman family’s luxury car stopped at the entrance. The driver who had been startled by me yesterday stood by the door, playfully giving me a thumbs up. I guess it was his first time seeing a bride who ambushed cars too! Most importantly, I had succeeded. Waving goodbye to my parents, I got in the car. Half an hour ago, Samuel had sent a message saying I didn’t need to bring anything, just myself. I knew he lacked for nothing, but proper etiquette was still necessary. Before I left, my parents asked me to inquire about any requirements for the dowry. They said they would do their best to fulfill whatever the Newmans wanted. I thought the Newman mansion would be far away, but the driver only took me to the most expensive area in the city center. “Ma’am, the boss is waiting for you upstairs.” The driver smiled warmly. I thanked him and got out. I was very familiar with this magnificent building. I often came here for afternoon tea. Was Samuel inviting me for afternoon tea? Just as I was puzzled, someone walked up to me. “Mrs. Henderson, I’m your personal assistant Mandy. Mr. Henderson has already given me your contact info. Please add me on SnapChat later.” The uniformed woman led me into a hidden elevator. How fancy! I had never thought of myself as poor before, which is why I was so generous in supporting Lucas financially. The closer I got to Samuel, the more I realized how arrogant I had been. The assistant began introducing our “property” to me. Only then did I learn that people actually lived on the upper floors of this building. They were the wealthiest families in the city, and also major shareholders of this building. This prime real estate office building was just a “small house” for some people’s convenience. Thinking back to how I used to envision the future with Lucas, I felt more and more like a nouveau riche. The elevator reached the top floor, and as the doors opened, I saw Samuel. The assistant’s eyes were full of envy, her expression screaming “I’m eating dog food but I accept it”. “I’ll leave Mr. and Mrs. Henderson alone then…” The assistant was about to leave when Samuel called her back. “Mandy, my wife’s full name is Lily Thompson… Lily as in the flower, Thompson as in Thomas’s son.” Oh my god, I’m going to faint. The assistant solemnly noted down my name before leaving. I had never been introduced so formally before. My vanity was greatly satisfied. When I was with Lucas, I was always the one eagerly trying to introduce him to others. I wanted to tell everyone how talented the man I loved was, and ask them to believe in and support him. Replaying that scene in my mind, I was most touched by the hidden meaning. Samuel was so far above me. Just being “Mrs. Henderson” was a blessing many could only dream of. But he specifically had someone remember my name. He was telling others that I was my own person, worthy of respect. The way big shots flirt is all in the details. Samuel gave me a “simple” tour. “There aren’t many areas I use. Some spaces are probably still empty. You can decorate however you like later.” Listen to how casually he said that! “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it here?” Samuel asked when I didn’t respond. I immediately shook my head like a rattle drum. “I love it here, but don’t we need to live with your parents?” My dad had said the Newmans were quite traditional and might have expectations about this. Samuel smiled faintly and affectionately rubbed my head. “Don’t forget, you’re an elder in the Newman family now.” How domineering! “There are too many rules at their place. You’d find it annoying.” “This location is convenient. I have an office in the inner area. You can see me anytime, and we can have lunch together.” Wow… how thoughtful. “Wait, you’re not going back to Newman headquarters?” From what Samuel was saying, it seemed he planned to live here with me. Not just “live”, but even “work” here. I couldn’t be a Daji who led the king astray. I couldn’t bear that blame. But his answer made me blush. “The woman who stopped my car and forced me to marry her – one of you is enough for this lifetime.” Great, he’s going to tease me about this for the rest of our lives. While Samuel was working, I took a good look around. The busiest street was right below, with all kinds of luxury brands and time-honored shops. The glass and curtains were all custom-made. Despite being in the heart of the city, there was no noise or light pollution. “The most dazzling night view, the gentlest sunset.” And the gentlest person. That evening, we had dinner at a restaurant downstairs. Samuel asked about some of my needs and shared some of his ideas with me. Apparently he had already arranged all the procedures, making sure not to neglect a single detail. “If you have any requests or new ideas, make sure to tell me in advance.” “This is our wedding. My only plan is to make you happy.” Oh my god! What kind of jackpot did I hit? They say saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Why do I feel like I’ve gained a 700-story treasure tower? Stay calm, stay cool.

When I returned to Lucas’s company, everyone craned their necks to look. Glancing around, I realized I didn’t recognize many people anymore. Some were comparing me to photos on their phones, whispering and gossiping. Back when the company was just starting, I had brought in plenty of clients. 80% of Lucas’s initial capital came from the Thompson name. I was so love-blind back then. To help the company grow, I even poached my dad’s business partners. Faced with his “unfilial daughter”, my dad could only pretend to be angry. At the start of the next quarter, he introduced even better clients to me. Everyone was supporting my “love”. Too bad I still chose the wrong person. Faced with everyone’s eagerness to watch the drama unfold, I walked straight into Lucas’s office without looking back. Sitting at the desk I had chosen, Lucas couldn’t take his eyes off Sophia across from him. “Lily, why are you here?” “Why can’t I be here?” Joke’s on him – I’m the company’s biggest shareholder. It would be weird if I didn’t come. Lucas was clearly shocked by my appearance. He even withdrew the hand holding Sophia’s. Sophia’s expression changed too, looking pitifully wronged. “Lucas, since Miss Thompson is here to see you, why don’t you two talk first…” Tsk tsk, what great acting. Seeing Sophia stand up, Lucas suddenly found his courage and started declaring his devotion. “Sophia, there’s nothing between me and her anymore. I swear you’re the only one in my heart now. Even if she wants something from me, I’ll definitely refuse!” Oh my god, do they really need so much drama? Before coming, my assistant had already scheduled an in-home spa for me. I just wanted to wrap this up quickly. “Save it, Lucas. Who wants to get back together with you? In the future, you’d better not even tell people you know me, got it?” Even through the glass door, I could see the onlookers’ eager eyes. Rather than be seen as the dumped woman, I’d rather show everyone my “past foolishness” all at once. I took out the notarized documents, equity distribution agreement, and previously signed contracts one by one. “Every document here is legally binding. I’m here today to settle accounts with you once and for all.” Lucas frowned. He probably never imagined I had an ace up my sleeve. Heaven knows, I never intended these for a “divorce” back then. My dad always said people’s hearts are hard to read. Lucas had no family background, and if the company got too big, it could all fall apart in an instant. I thought I should keep a closer eye on things for him, which is why I had these documents. Lucas put on airs and called the company’s legal counsel to examine them one by one. Crossing my legs, I sneered. The reports all said I was the one who benefited from him. Little did they know there would be no Lucas Miller today without me. “These documents are all valid,” the lawyer reported reluctantly. Faced with the facts, he didn’t dare say otherwise. Lucas nodded and had finance approve my payout. “Wait.” I raised my hand to stop Lucas from dialing. “Lily, there’s no chance for us anymore. I can give you the money, but my heart…” Lucas gazed at Sophia longingly. The look in their eyes was sickeningly sweet. “Your heart can stay right where it is in your body!” “What you owe me isn’t just the company accounts. There’s also every penny you spent while we were dating. I want it all back today.” I pulled out another thicker stack of bills listing various expenses I had paid through different apps. “Look carefully. Not a single transfer says ‘voluntary gift’.” “You always gave me the impression we would get married. This money was paid as a premarital investment fund.” “Since we’re no longer together, you need to return all the money that exceeded normal dating expenses.” Lucas’s face cycled between pale and flushed. The elite image he had painstakingly crafted would become that of a gold-digging freeloader from today on. Sophia stood by his side and gently held his hand. “She did accompany you for so many years. Now that she’s met such an outstanding man as you, her future love life will surely be difficult.” My temples throbbed. I swear, these two dramatic idiots deserved to be locked up together. Sensing Sophia’s “kindness”, Lucas became generous too. After calculating what I was owed, he even wanted to add a compensation bonus for me. “Lily, take this money and treat yourself. I believe you’ll find your own happiness.” Before he could sign the new check, I left with everything that belonged to me, not looking back. Taking the money that was rightfully mine, I quickly established a new company. Well, it wasn’t really new – I was just helping out with the family business. My dad insisted on having my back. With a wave of his hand, he invested $10 million in me. Feeling fully appreciated, I was bursting with motivation. “Dad, don’t worry. This time I’m definitely going to poach all our competitors’ talent back to our side.” With money, determination and strength on my side. Following the principle of “better the devil you know”, I rehired many of the original employees from the startup days. Talking to them made me realize what a petty person Lucas was. Just because they knew the true “financial relationship” between him and me, he found all sorts of excuses to squeeze them out after I stopped managing the business. He even misused my name, offending quite a few people. Fortunately, everyone was reasonable. They just took the money and left without causing trouble for me. “If even one of you had come to tell me, I wouldn’t have taken so long to wake up.” “Boss, back then you only had eyes for Lucas. Would you have listened to our truth?” Amidst the banter, my company officially opened for business. The path of entrepreneurship isn’t easy. But that’s for other people. As “Mrs. Henderson”, I was already soaring in the clouds. Every project Lucas had his eye on, without exception. Before he could even finish revising his proposal, we were already wrapping up our celebration dinner. After a few rounds, Lucas got so upset he ended up hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer. Some of Lucas’s old buddies came to play peacemaker, wanting me to give him a break. “You two were truly in love once. There’s no need to go this far…” “Whoa, stop right there.” “My relationship with him is long over. Now it’s just business. If he can’t hack it, that’s his own lack of ability. Don’t try to guilt trip me.” After hanging up, I blocked every single one of them. Back then, these guys clearly all knew about Sophia’s existence. But until Lucas came clean with me, not one of them spoke up to say anything fair. Now they have the nerve to accuse me of being ungrateful? The old Lucas got ahead of them all because of my support. After all, they were longtime friends. Lucas would throw them plenty of lucrative business. I knew exactly what they were thinking now – with Lucas, their big tree, about to fall, all the parasites living off him would go down too. “Ugh, that gold-digging bastard can go to hell!” “What’s wrong? Who upset my wife?” A large hand caressed my face from top to bottom, stopping at my chin to make a playful radish-pulling motion. Sometimes I felt Samuel treated me like a child. Teasing me, coaxing me, taking care of my every need. And secretly helping me too. I knew exactly how those contracts, those business connections, had been obtained. Without Samuel as my stepping stone, I wouldn’t have broken through so quickly on my own strength. “Thank you. I know you’ve been helping me behind the scenes.” I took his hand, sincerely expressing my gratitude. “So have you calmed down a bit now?” He tapped my nose. The cool tip of my nose touched the man’s warm finger, and I found myself craving his warmth. I nodded, my face inexplicably turning a little red. The handsome man smiled faintly and slowly crouched down in front of me. The ringtone of an incoming call broke the wonderful atmosphere. Thinking it was those self-important “parasites” again, I answered irritably. “Hello, who is this?” “It’s me, Sophia… I’d like to talk to you.”

An inverted V Hermès bag, a Cartier diamond bracelet, a custom Royal Oak watch from Vacheron Constantin. After breaking up with Lucas, I could finally be myself again. “Looks like you’ve made quite a bit of money lately.” Sophia smiled lightly, her light makeup and every gesture carefully cultivating that socialite lady image. Sophia had always seen me as just a girl with some money, not at all on the same level as an illegitimate daughter of a wealthy family like herself. If only she knew, we weren’t just on different levels – we were generations apart. This feeling of knowing something she didn’t felt so good. “If you have something to say, say it quick. I need to get back to ‘making money’!” “I’m sure you know I’m from the Newman family…” I nodded. That much was true. I did know, and I even knew she was my grand-niece. “A woman consumed by hatred after a failed relationship is truly pathetic. If you’re not good enough, there’s no need to cling to Lucas like a leech.” “As a fellow woman, I pity you.” Sophia took on a lecturing tone, completely different from the little white lotus act in the office that day. What range as an actress. “Whether I’m consumed by hatred or not is none of your business. But I know very well that you’re a gold digger who likes to eat leftovers.” Since she had dropped the act, there was no need for me, her elder, to hold back either. With Samuel’s help, I had become an all-seeing player. Sophia and Lucas’s little drama was too boring, not even enough to keep me entertained while snacking on sunflower seeds. It boiled down to this: Lucas was poor but handsome and smart. Sophia deliberately got close to him to improve herself. Later, Samuel’s parents found out Sophia kept carelessly revealing her identity. That’s when they funded her studies in Canada, keeping her under strict supervision. Driven by vanity, Sophia exaggerated, hinting to Lucas that she needed to return to the Newman family and that he wasn’t good enough for her. Then it was my turn to enter the stage as the unlucky one. Exposed by me, Sophia didn’t even bother maintaining her image anymore. She left without even paying for her $68 rose tea. Sigh, kids these days are so inconsiderate~ She didn’t even call me Auntie, and still mooched off me for an expensive tea. “I should tell her uncle about this. It’s time for her to go back to Canada for some more education!”

Educating the younger generation could wait, but introducing the elders needed to be put on the agenda. “Do we really have to go?” “Of course. You’re my lawfully wedded wife. You must attend these occasions.” Coaxed into the dressing room, I saw a gown so beautiful it left me gaping. “Do you like it?” The man’s murmur sounded in my ear. Lacking in sophistication, I nodded vigorously like a woodpecker. “It’s so beautiful! Let’s have another event after this one. I absolutely can’t wear such a gorgeous dress just once!” With Samuel, I could always be myself. He was so confident and strong that he didn’t need me to tiptoe around him. Once again, I silently marveled that saving him was the best thing I’d ever done in my life! At the Newman family’s anniversary celebration, all the guests were dignitaries and elites. Sophia, as a “Newman”, attended with Lucas, who was “striving to become a Newman”. “Sophia, will you let me go on stage with you later?” Lucas asked expectantly, his face full of eagerness to please. “I’m not sure how my uncle will arrange things. But it’s probably best not to for now.” Sophia rejected Lucas, leaving him looking dejected. “You know the Newman family’s rules. I’ll have many responsibilities to shoulder in the future.” “Lucas, just focus on your work. Our future is long.” Sophia’s promises were crisp and round. The Lucas across from her nodded repeatedly in agreement. I took off my earpiece, too lazy to listen to this useless drivel. That’s right, I had heard it all through a hidden microphone. Sophia didn’t know the jewelry she wore actually contained the latest miniature listening device. Samuel had told me the Newmans never intended to take Sophia back. He was the one who had insisted. “I suspect she’s connected to my brother and sister-in-law’s deaths. I’ve been monitoring her since she returned.” To destroy someone, first let them become arrogant. My husband Samuel was never someone to be easily manipulated. He had his own persistence when it came to the truth. “Haven’t you heard enough?” Samuel asked. Dressed in formal attire, Samuel looked even more handsome. My heart skipped a beat again. “Hehe, I’ve heard plenty.” It was just the same few empty promises over and over. I was already sick of it. Holding up my multi-million dollar custom gown, I bounded over to Samuel like an eager bunny. As the biggest VIPs, Samuel and I had our own private lounge. Standing at the inner door leading to the banquet hall, I took a deep breath. “Ready, my one and only Mrs. Henderson?” Geez, how could he still be flirting at a time like this! I hooked my left arm through Samuel’s right, my expression changing. The host took the stage as the music shifted dramatically. The moment the doors opened, Samuel and I captured everyone’s attention. “Let’s welcome our youngest CEO, Mr. Samuel Henderson, and his wife, Mrs. Lily Henderson, with the warmest applause.” Was it my imagination, or did they pronounce “Lily” even louder than “Samuel”? Under the spotlight, my mermaid gown covered in hand-sewn sequins perfectly enhanced my beauty. My sharp eyes immediately spotted the shocked Sophia. And Lucas, who was so frightened he collapsed right into his chair.

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Ethan and I had just celebrated our wedding a few days ago. We hadn’t even gotten the marriage certificate yet, when his mom showed up with his pregnant sister and nephew, announcing they would stay at my house until the baby was born. I told Ethan to send them away, but instead, he and his mom locked me in my own room. I had just gotten out of bed and opened my bedroom door when I saw Dolores Cole, my future mother-in-law, sitting comfortably in the living room, smiling at me with a look of amusement. “Abby, not to be critical, but Ethan’s been gone at work for hours, and you’re just now waking up?” she said, her eyebrows slightly raised. “As a woman, you should learn to take better care of your husband. I noticed he left the house with just a piece of toast this morning. That’s no way for a man to keep his health. You should at least be getting up early to make him some proper breakfast, like a bowl of oatmeal or something.” I was already in a bad mood from waking up, and now she was giving me a lecture before I could even ask why she had come over so early in the first place. She just kept going without pause. But since we had just had the wedding, I reminded myself to be polite and keep things cordial. So, I swallowed my irritation and asked, “Dolores, is there something urgent that brought you here this morning?” She waved her hand dismissively and said with a smile, “Oh, nothing too serious. It’s just that Tiffany is pregnant, and I thought it would be better for her to stay here with you. It’s easier to take care of her here, and the hospital is closer.” Tiffany Cole, my sister-in-law, is three years younger than me, but she got married young and already has two kids — a three-year-old and another one on the way. Before I could fully process this, Tiffany waddled out of the guest room, leading her three-year-old son, Brayden, by the hand. “Good morning, Abby! Your house is really nice. The guest room is so big, it could fit all three of us comfortably!” she said with a grin. Great. Ethan and I had only just had the wedding, and now his whole family was moving in, trying to take over my house. “Shouldn’t you be resting at your own home, Tiffany?” I asked, trying to stay calm. “Isn’t your place closer to the hospital?” At this, Tiffany’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she glanced nervously at her mother. Dolores quickly jumped in to explain, “Her in-laws are out of town, so there’s no one at home to help out. We didn’t want to bother them. And besides, you and Ethan are both so busy with work, we thought we could help out around the house. We’re family, after all. What’s a few extra plates at the table?” Something about the way they were rushing to explain didn’t sit right with me. But I figured this was Ethan’s family’s problem to deal with, so I decided to let him handle it. Without another word, I retreated to my room and called Ethan. No answer. I sent him a text message, and after what felt like forever, he finally responded with, “I’m in a meeting. We’ll talk about it when I get home.” Not wanting to deal with his family any longer, I threw my phone down and locked my door, intending to focus on my work. But as soon as I sat down and opened my laptop, the blaring sound of the TV echoed through the house. The volume was at least twice what it should have been, and on top of that, I could hear Dolores and Tiffany laughing and chatting while they snacked. Then there was Brayden, running and jumping around the living room, making an absolute racket. The noise was giving me a pounding headache. I was just about to go out and ask them to keep it down when the doorbell rang.

It was Carter Hughes, the neighbor from downstairs, coming to complain. He had moved in recently, and I had borrowed his cart a couple of times to help carry packages. He seemed a little surprised when Dolores answered the door, but politely asked her to keep the noise down. To my shock, Dolores snapped, “This is my son’s house! We’ll do whatever we want. Who do you think you are to tell us otherwise?” Carter didn’t back down. “It might be your son’s house, but this building is shared by everyone. If you’re disturbing your neighbors, that’s your problem.” “If you think I’m in the wrong, why don’t you call the cops? Let’s see if they care about your petty complaints,” she shot back. “We can do whatever we want in our own home. Who are you to say otherwise?” The more I listened, the angrier I got. Not only had they moved into my home without asking, but now they were acting like they owned the place. And on top of that, this house wasn’t even Ethan’s — it was a wedding gift from my parents! I couldn’t take it anymore. If they got into a fight with the neighbors, it would be me who had to live with the awkwardness. So I stormed out of my room. Dolores immediately plastered on a sweet smile and pulled me toward Carter, claiming he was being rude and unreasonable. Carter, shaking his head in frustration, explained, “I just wanted to let you know that I didn’t sleep well last night, and I finally managed to take a nap when all that noise started. I was hoping you could keep it down, especially with the kid running around.” I opened my mouth to apologize, but Dolores yanked me back. “Seriously? You young people stay up all night and then expect the world to tiptoe around you during the day. You’re the one causing problems and blaming others,” she said, her voice full of disdain. “You think we should all rearrange our lives around your nap schedule? It’s the middle of the day! And what, should we stop a growing child from playing just so you can get some sleep? What’s he supposed to do, not grow taller because of you?” Carter’s face was turning darker with every word she said, and even I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I stepped forward to try and defuse the situation, but once again, Dolores pushed me aside and continued, “Look at you — grown man, no respect for your elders or the young. Did your parents raise you like this?” She had crossed the line, bringing his family into it. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I moved in to intervene, but Dolores gave me another shove. I staggered back a few steps before dramatically collapsing to the floor with a loud “thud.” And suddenly, the whole world went quiet.

Dolores, wide-eyed and clearly shaken, started waving her hands frantically. “I didn’t touch her! She fell on her own!” Technically, she was right. I had fallen on my own, but I wasn’t about to let her off the hook that easily. Dolores stayed frozen at the door, too scared to come near me. Carter was the first to step in, crouching beside me and pinching the bridge of my nose, trying to revive me. When I didn’t respond, he rolled up his sleeves and made a show of preparing to give me CPR. I opened one eye and winked at him. He got the hint and pressed on my chest a couple of times, just for effect. I gasped dramatically and “woke up” as if I had narrowly avoided some terrible fate. Dolores’ face changed in an instant. She grabbed Carter’s hand and thanked him profusely. Carter took the opportunity to say, “She might be fine now, but it’s possible she hit her head. She should probably rest quietly for a few days, just to be safe.” He emphasized the words “rest quietly.” Dolores nodded quickly. She might have been running her mouth earlier, but she wasn’t stupid. She knew she had pushed me, and now she wanted to avoid making things worse. She even asked me not to tell Ethan what had happened. Since I wasn’t really hurt, I agreed. Our little performance worked, and they finally quieted down for the rest of the day. But they still didn’t show any signs of leaving. I had no choice but to wait for Ethan to come home and deal with the situation.

The moment I heard the noise outside, I knew Ethan was back. I pulled him into our bedroom and told him flat-out: “You need to find them somewhere else to stay. I don’t care where, but they can’t stay here.” But instead of agreeing, Ethan took my hand and said softly, “My mom is getting older, and Tiffany is pregnant, with a little kid. We can’t just throw them out onto the street, can we? Just give it a little time. If you don’t want to see them, we can stay in our room. I’ll find them a place soon, I promise.” The more he spoke, the more I realized something was off. Why wasn’t Tiffany’s husband taking care of her? And why hadn’t Ethan even mentioned they were coming over in the first place? I snapped, “I don’t care! This house was a gift from my mom. Why should I be the one hiding in my own room? You’re my husband because I love you, but if you’re going to take their side and not care about how I feel, then maybe we don’t need to get that marriage certificate after all. You can move out with them.” Seeing me so upset, Ethan pulled me into a hug and started apologizing, his voice gentle. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I’ll fix this. We’ve been together for eight years — we can’t let something small like this come between us, right?” “And besides, we’ve already had the wedding. We just need the certificate. If we call things off now, how will we explain it to our friends and family?” I pushed him away. “I don’t owe anyone an explanation about my marriage. You decide. If your mom and sister are still here tomorrow, you can pack your bags and leave with them.” Before we got married, I had made it very clear to him that each of us would be responsible for our own parents. I never believed in the idea that marrying into a family meant becoming part of that family. I was looking for a partner to walk through life with, not to take on the burden of an entire household. If this situation could be solved, fine. But if not, I wasn’t about to sacrifice my boundaries for his family. Ethan, realizing how serious I was, finally agreed. He stroked my hair and said, “Okay, okay, don’t be mad. I’ll talk to them and make sure they’re gone by tomorrow, okay?” I saw the sincerity in his eyes and nodded. “Make sure they understand they can stay in a hotel for a few days. I’ll even help pay for it if we need to.” Ethan smiled, leaning down to kiss my forehead. “I know you’re doing this for us,” he said softly. “Good. I’m glad you understand,” I replied, lightly punching his chest. Ethan chuckled and left the room. Feeling curious, I quietly followed him and pressed my ear to the door to eavesdrop. But strangely enough, after several minutes, there was no sound at all. Even with the good soundproofing, I should’ve heard something. So I decided to crack the door open just a bit to get a better listen. But when I tried to turn the handle, it wouldn’t budge. Ethan had locked me in.

Ethan had locked me in the bedroom. The moment I realized what had happened, I didn’t even bother to think about why he would do such a thing. Instead, I pounded on the door with both fists. “Ethan! What the hell are you doing locking me in here?” “I didn’t ask you to kick your mom out onto the street! If you can’t afford to put them in a hotel, I’ll pay for it! What are you trying to pull here?” It sounded like Ethan was leaning against the door, because as soon as I finished speaking, I heard his voice, clear as day. “Abby, I’m sorry. I didn’t have any other choice.” “My dad got into trouble with some gambling debts. He had to mortgage the house, and now the debt collectors are after us. Tiffany’s in-laws kicked her out to avoid getting mixed up in it, too.” “I can’t just let my mom and my sister hide from debt collectors while I stay here living comfortably with you.” For a moment, I was speechless, stunned by the revelation. Suddenly, all their strange behavior made sense. But locking me in my room wasn’t going to solve the problem. So, I forced myself to stay calm and reason with him. “Ethan, your dad’s debt is his responsibility. If the debt collectors come to the door, we can call the police.” “If the amount isn’t too big, I can even help out. We can figure it out together. But locking me in this room isn’t going to fix anything.” There was silence from the other side of the door, but I could hear him breathing. “Open the door, Ethan. Let’s sit down and talk about how to handle this.” “You know I’m not the kind of person who would leave you to deal with this alone, right?” Normally, Ethan was smart enough to see reason by now. But what I forgot was that he had a mother who was anything but reasonable.

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After hearing that I had bought a house, my uncle’s family came to visit, and my cousin’s girlfriend immediately demanded a $30,000 wedding gift. She also insisted I give them my house as a wedding present. I refused, but then my uncle pulled out a DNA test, claiming I was actually his biological daughter, so the house must go to my cousin and not be given to an outsider. Ha! Let’s not even discuss whether or not I’m really his biological daughter. Since they’re so eager for a free house, I’ll give them one—a lifetime stay in a fully accommodated place… in prison. Right after the New Year, my uncle Jimmy Lawson and his family came to visit, but this time they brought someone new—a girl. Jimmy introduced her, saying, “This is Tyler’s girlfriend, Kaylee Darnell.” Since my aunt Patricia passed away during childbirth, it’s usually just Jimmy and Tyler. They showed up unannounced, catching my parents off guard, but my dad, Roger, and mom, Nancy, still welcomed them warmly into our home. As soon as we sat down at the dinner table, Kaylee suddenly stood up. “Uncle Roger, Aunt Nancy, and Alexa, Happy New Year! I’m Tyler’s girlfriend,” she announced. It wasn’t New Year’s anymore, but my parents, being polite, smiled and said, “Oh, thank you, thank you.” But Kaylee remained standing, not moving an inch. Tyler grinned, “My girlfriend came all the way here to wish you a Happy New Year, and you don’t have anything to show for it? Or do you just not like her?” My mom, Nancy, snapped out of her confusion and hurriedly stood up, “Oh, my goodness, I completely forgot! Let me grab a red envelope for Kaylee.” She rushed to the bedroom and came back with an envelope, handing it over to Kaylee. Kaylee smiled as she accepted it, but then she opened it right in front of us and started counting the cash inside—$500 in total. Kaylee’s face immediately dropped. “Aunt Nancy, where we come from, it’s customary to give at least $5,000 when the girl comes to visit. But since I didn’t let you know in advance today, it’s understandable. I’ll just expect it next time I come by.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud in disbelief. Setting aside the fact that they came unannounced, who in the world asks for money the second they walk through the door, and then has the nerve to complain that it’s not enough? How could she even say that with a straight face? I dropped my smile and was just about to speak when Kaylee beat me to it. “I heard you work for a big company in Washington D.C., Alexa, with a salary in the millions. You’ve even just bought a house. So, my red envelope should at least be $30,000, right? Otherwise, it’ll look like you’re being stingy or that you don’t like me.” I let out a cold laugh. “Didn’t my mom already give you a red envelope? If not giving you $30,000 means I don’t like you, then, yeah, I don’t like you.” It’s amazing how some people have no shame. Just because I have money doesn’t mean I’m handing it out to everyone. I stood up. “Mom, I have work to get back to. I’ll be in my room.” I didn’t bother looking at their reactions, and I left for my room. But barely half an hour later, Kaylee barged in without knocking. I already didn’t like her—she was a gold-digger through and through. And I can’t stand it when people walk into my room without permission. Suppressing my anger, I frowned and said, “Can you leave, please?” She ignored me, casually picking up my handbag and trying on my jewelry. “Wow, Alexa, this jade bracelet is beautiful! Consider it my gift from you. I’ll forget about the whole red envelope situation since you weren’t prepared.” I nearly exploded. That jade bracelet was a gift from my late boyfriend, the one thing I treasured most. It was his final gift to me before he passed away, something I kept hidden deep in my drawer. I immediately rushed over, “Give it back.” Kaylee smirked. “How petty, it’s just a bracelet. Consider it my compensation for your lack of hospitality today.” She started slipping it on her wrist. I grabbed for it, and in the scuffle, Kaylee deliberately smashed the bracelet onto the table. In an instant, the bracelet shattered into pieces. I stared at the fragments, tears welling up uncontrollably. Kaylee grinned smugly. “Alexa, this is your fault. If you hadn’t tried to grab it, this wouldn’t have happened.” Her fault? She did it on purpose! My hands trembled with rage as I slammed them down on the table. “You touched my belongings without permission, and the damage you’ve done is extensive. I’ll make sure you spend the rest of your life in prison for this.” For a moment, Kaylee looked panicked but quickly regained her composure. “It’s just a bracelet. How valuable could it be? Do you think I’m some kind of idiot?” I glared at her. “That bracelet was worth over $50,000. It’s more than enough to send you to jail.” Kaylee stared at me, wide-eyed, before suddenly clutching her stomach and crying out, “Oh no, my stomach!” I was confused. I hadn’t even touched her—how could her stomach hurt? Hearing the commotion, Jimmy, Tyler, and my parents rushed into the room. Jimmy took one look at Kaylee, clutching her stomach, and without hesitation, slapped me across the face. “You little brat! What did you do? Don’t you know Kaylee’s pregnant with our family’s son? If anything happens to my grandson, I’ll make sure your entire family pays!” The slap stung, but I was too focused on the shattered bracelet. Kneeling, I gently picked up the broken pieces. My mom rushed over and hugged me, trying to comfort me. Looking at her, tears streamed down my face. “The one thing he left me… it’s gone.” My mom held me tighter and turned to my uncle, furious. “How could you break Alexa’s bracelet? Don’t you know how much it means to her?” Jimmy didn’t even flinch. “It’s just a stupid bracelet. If she had given it to Kaylee in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened.” Kaylee chimed in, feigning innocence, “It’s not my fault. Alexa scared me when she tried to grab it. I got flustered and it slipped. If anyone’s to blame, it’s her.” I raised my head, glaring at Kaylee with so much hatred I wished I could tear her apart. “There’s a camera in my room. The footage will make it clear whether it was intentional or not. You’d better think about how to reduce your sentence because I’m not letting this go.” I walked over to the vanity, where a hidden camera had been recording the whole time. Kaylee’s face turned white as a sheet, clearly shocked that I had cameras installed in my room. Then, as if on cue, she started clutching her stomach again, moaning, “My stomach! Alexa, when you slammed your hand on the table, it startled me, and now the baby’s in danger. I feel terrible!” With that, Kaylee collapsed, completely unresponsive. My parents, sensing something was wrong, immediately called for an ambulance, and we all rushed to Georgetown University Hospital. In the hospital, the doctor was furious. “If you had gotten here any later, we wouldn’t have been able to save the baby. Make sure she stays calm for the next few days—no emotional stress, or both mother and child could be at risk!” Hearing that, I was shocked. I had only slammed my hand on the table—how could it possibly have endangered the baby? Had I really been that upset and forceful? Jimmy’s eyes were full of rage as he turned to me. “I swear, if anything happens to my grandson, I’ll make you pay, Alexa!” Tyler sneered from the side. “Sis, I know you don’t like Kaylee, but to take it out on an innocent baby? You should give her $30,000 as compensation.” My anger flared up again. Glaring at Tyler, I spat, “You still think you can get $30,000 out of me? After what happened with the bracelet, now you want more? Absolutely not.” Tyler replied smugly, “If you don’t, I’ll have my parents come to your house every day. Let’s see if Aunt Nancy and Uncle Roger can handle that.” “You wouldn’t dare.” “Try me.” Seeing the reckless, shameless look on his face, I knew he would. Tyler had always been a troublemaker, and harassing my parents would be nothing new to him. I didn’t want my parents to suffer because of me, and besides, Kaylee had almost lost the baby… Sighing, I pulled out a bank card. “There’s $5,000 on this card.” Kaylee turned her head away. “Sis, I nearly lost my baby, and you think $5,000 is enough to make up for that?” Clenching my fists, I asked, “Then what do you want?” Kaylee lay back on the bed, staring at me with disdain. “I heard you recently bought a new house. You’re single, so you don’t really need it. Eventually, it’ll just go to someone else, so why not give it to me? Then I’ll consider forgiving you for today.” Her demand made me laugh in disbelief. She really thought she could just take my million-dollar house? “You want my house? Do you even deserve to look at the key? The $5,000 is for the baby’s sake. If you don’t want it, that’s fine by me.” Kaylee immediately cried out, “Oh, my stomach hurts!” Jimmy glared at me. “It’s just a house. Hand it over to your brother. All your stuff belongs to him anyway!” “This house is something I worked hard for! If Tyler wants a house, he can buy his own. Why should I give mine?” That’s when Jimmy pulled out a document. “Because you’re my biological daughter, and Tyler’s your brother. Everything you have belongs to him.”

I was stunned. My parents had just finished paying the medical bills and rushed into the room, visibly angry. My dad yelled, “Jimmy Lawson! Who told you to say that to her?” Could it really be true? The man who had never liked me, who had always called me worthless, was actually my real father? I couldn’t believe it. I turned to my mom, Nancy. “Is this true?” Tears welled up in her eyes, and she couldn’t speak. Dad looked at her, then she sighed and said, “Alexa, when your Aunt Patricia was pregnant with you, a tarot reader said it would be a boy. But when you were born, they didn’t want to keep you because you were a girl. Your mom and I couldn’t bear to see you abandoned, so we took you in and raised you as our own daughter.” Dad’s voice broke as he grabbed my hand, “Alexa, we’ve always loved you like our own. We always will.” Seeing the fear and worry in their eyes, I felt a deep ache in my heart. I held both of their hands tightly and said, “Mom, Dad, no matter what, you’ll always be my parents.” Jimmy, clearly annoyed by our emotional display, cut in, “Now that Alexa knows the truth, she should come back to our family. She and her brother can support each other. Let’s go ahead and change her family records now.” Seeing how anxious my parents looked, I was furious. When I needed help for school or struggled with money, where were they then? They didn’t say a word about taking me back then. They didn’t want me because I was a girl, but now that I’m successful, they want me to help their son? No way. “My parents are right here. They’re the only family I have,” I said, glaring at Jimmy. Jimmy’s face turned red with anger. “You ungrateful child! I’m your father, and you won’t even acknowledge me?” Turning to my parents, he sneered, “Did you two put her up to this? I’m her real dad. She’s supposed to take care of me when I’m old. Her money, her house—they belong to us. You can forget about keeping her! You’re just jealous because you can’t have your own kids and now you want to steal mine!” Standing in front of my parents, I said coldly, “You didn’t want me back then, and you didn’t raise me. You have no claim on me now or in the future.” “You ungrateful brat!” Jimmy raised his hand to strike me, but my dad grabbed him. “Touch my daughter and see what happens.” My dad, who had always kept in great shape, towered over Jimmy, making him look small and weak in comparison. Jimmy hesitated for a moment, then backed down. With a huff, Dad grabbed my mom and me, and we left the hospital. Back home, the three of us sat on the couch, leaning against each other. “Alexa, you’re all that matters to us,” my dad whispered. Mom nodded, hugging me tight. “I’m just worried Jimmy won’t give up so easily. Your grandma called earlier and said Kaylee’s threatening to get rid of the baby unless we give them your house. I refused, but I’m worried Jimmy will cause trouble.” I felt uneasy too. I knew Jimmy’s family—there was no way they’d give up after failing to get the house. But I didn’t want my parents to worry, so I reassured them. I thought they’d wait a while before making their next move, but the very next morning, while I was still half asleep, my bedroom door was kicked open. Pain shot through my head as I was dragged out of bed by my hair. “You ungrateful little brat! Not only do you refuse to acknowledge your real father, but you’re giving away your house to someone else? You worthless good-for-nothing, I’m going to kill you!” I opened my eyes to find my grandmother, Evelyn Mitchell, slapping my face, while Tyler yanked my hair from behind. My parents had just returned from grocery shopping. When they saw what was happening, my dad’s face turned red with rage. He grabbed a water pitcher from the table and smashed it over Tyler’s head. Tyler crumpled to the floor, and my grandmother froze in shock. Dad rushed over to hold me. “Alexa, are you okay?” I shook my head, too stunned to speak. How could they value a house more than family? My grandmother called Jimmy, and within minutes, Jimmy, Kaylee, the paramedics, and the police all arrived. Jimmy glared at us. “If anything happens to my son, I’ll make sure you all end up in jail!” My dad was taken into custody, while my mom begged Jimmy at the hospital. “Jimmy, please, let my husband go. He’s been good to you all these years.” Jimmy sneered. “If you want me to drop the charges, give me Alexa’s house. Then I’ll write a letter of forgiveness.” My mom refused, “That’s Alexa’s house. We’re not giving it to you.” Jimmy’s expression darkened. “No house, no deal.” I stepped forward and said, “I’ll give you $50,000.” Though my dad was acting in self-defense, there was a chance the court would rule it excessive, which could leave a stain on his record. I wasn’t worried about spending the money, but my dad was a teacher—he couldn’t afford a criminal record. Jimmy turned away. “I told you, no house, no deal.” I laughed bitterly. “Fine, take it to court. I have money to hire the best lawyer. You broke into our home, Tyler attacked me first, and Kaylee smashed my bracelet. Let’s see who comes out on top.” With that, I took my mom home. But later that day, I made an excuse to return to the hospital alone. Standing outside the hospital room, I overheard Jimmy talking to Kaylee’s doctor. “Jimmy, forging medical records is illegal. I already took a big risk faking that miscarriage, and now you want me to fake your son’s injury? If we get caught, we’re both going to jail.” Fake medical records? They were planning even more devious schemes against us.

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My sister was kidnapped by thugs, and to save her, I lost an arm. But afterward, she stole my RV and emptied my bank account. When I confronted her, she was irritated. “Callie Harlow, don’t guilt-trip me! Losing your arm was your own choice; what does that have to do with me? Besides, you hardly use any of that stuff, so give it to me.” Humiliated and angry, she schemed to push me off a cliff. The next thing I knew, I was back to the day she begged me to save her. From the rooftop, I shouted, “Fiona, what did you say? I can’t hear you!” As soon as I said that, I ran. I sprinted away, not giving the kidnappers or Fiona a chance. What a joke—if I survived death once and still acted like a fool, then my death in the past life would’ve been for nothing. “Callie, help me!” Fiona’s voice tore through the air, desperate and heart-wrenching. She was shouting so loudly that, even though I had already run quite far, I could hear her crystal clear. “Dad’s already gone! Are you really going to let your only sister die?” Fiona cried, her voice thick with sobs. From a distance, her words sounded like the shrieks of a banshee, haunting and relentless. And honestly, that’s exactly how it felt. In my previous life, those same words made me run back without hesitation. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing my sister, my own flesh and blood. But what happened in the end? I lost my right arm to the kidnappers. It was my dominant hand. After losing it, even simple tasks like writing became exhausting. But even though I lost my arm, I didn’t regret it at the time. Back then, the kidnappers had given me a choice: either they cut off one of my arms, or they’d take Fiona’s head. Trading my right arm for Fiona’s life? At the time, I thought it was worth it. I worked hard through physical therapy, joined Mom in managing Harlow Enterprises, and despite the pitiful stares from everyone around me, I slowly rebuilt my life. But after Mom passed away, Fiona didn’t care that I had lost my arm for her. She took my RV and drained my bank account. Crushed, I thought I’d use my savings to buy a new house—only to find that I didn’t have a penny left in my account. I ran back and forth between the bank and the authorities, and finally discovered that Fiona had stolen every last cent that Mom had left me. At thirty, not only was I missing my arm, but I had lost everything I owned. When I confronted Fiona, her face was full of disdain. “Callie Harlow, don’t try to guilt-trip me. Losing your arm was your own choice. It has nothing to do with me.” That was the moment I realized I no longer recognized my sister. Back when Mom was still alive, Fiona was sweet and charming. She would tell anyone who would listen that we were sisters, that because I had sacrificed my arm for her, she’d repay me. She even said she’d stay single forever to take care of me. I was deeply touched. I even told Mom to give Fiona a larger share of the inheritance. After all, I had practically raised her. I didn’t want her to suffer. But in the end, Fiona sweet-talked Mom into leaving all the houses and cars in her name. When I questioned her, she responded like it was the most natural thing in the world: “Besides, you don’t use them much anyway. Just give them to me.” I was so angry, my face flushed red, and I blurted out the whole truth in front of everyone—that I had lost my arm saving Fiona from kidnappers. Everyone was outraged on my behalf, calling her an ungrateful wolf in sheep’s clothing. I thought that maybe, after hearing so many people call her out, Fiona might feel some sense of guilt. But I never imagined that she would lure me to the edge of Overlook Ridge and push me off. And as I fell, the truth behind the kidnapping finally came out. The so-called kidnapping? It was all Fiona’s doing. She wanted the money that Mom had, but since Mom was trying to teach Fiona independence by cutting off her extravagant allowance, Fiona staged the entire kidnapping. My arm? That was just for added realism. After securing a million dollars from Mom, Fiona instructed the kidnappers to chop off my arm to make it look convincing. It wasn’t until I was dying that I realized the sweet little sister I grew up with had turned into a cold-blooded stranger. I raced downstairs. As soon as Mom saw me, she was frantic. “Callie! Fiona’s been kidnapped!” She was crying, and her voice was filled with genuine panic. Fiona was the apple of her eye, raised by Mom’s side, so of course, she couldn’t sit idly by. I gently took her hand and led her to a seat, calmly reassuring her. “Mom, don’t worry. Fiona will be okay.” “How can you say that?” Mom’s voice rose in disbelief. “They’re asking for a million dollars! If we don’t pay, they’ll kill her!” “Callie, I know you and Fiona didn’t grow up together, so maybe you don’t feel that close to her, but you can’t just let her die!” Mom’s voice cracked, on the verge of breaking down. When I was five, Mom and Dad divorced. Fiona, still a baby, stayed with Mom, while I was sent to live with Dad. Even though we lived apart, we weren’t strangers. During school breaks, we’d do homework together, play together. To say we had no bond would be a lie. Even though Mom’s words stung a little, I understood. Right now, Fiona’s life was in danger, and Mom was too panicked to think straight. In my past life, I was just as blinded by fear. “Mom, we’ll save Fiona. But if you sell everything to raise that kind of money, what will you do if this happens again?” Mom hadn’t thought about that—she was so focused on saving Fiona that she couldn’t think about the future. My words snapped her back to reality. Giving in to the kidnappers would only encourage them to come back for more. “Callie, what should I do?” Mom asked, gripping my hands like a lifeline, her eyes full of desperation. In this moment, I had control of everything. Fiona, this time, you’re going to experience exactly what I went through.

“Mom, you’re too emotional to think straight right now. Trust me and go home. I promise, I’ll bring Fiona back safe and sound.” After much reassurance and persuasion, I finally got Mom to leave. The first thing I did was call the police. In my past life, I had listened to Fiona and didn’t call the cops, choosing instead to charge in on my own to save her. But this time, I knew exactly where the fake kidnapping was happening. I led the police straight to the location where Fiona was being held. Sure enough, there she was. When the kidnappers saw the police, they were frozen in shock, and Fiona? She looked just as stunned. “Fiona, I’m here to save you,” I said, making sure to speak before she could even react. “Didn’t I tell you not to call the cops?” Fiona screamed at me, furious. What she wanted was for Mom to bring the million dollars to the drop-off point, or for me to come alone to rescue her. Now, with the police swarming the place, the kidnappers were already under control. There was no chance for anyone to get hurt—not even me. “Don’t worry, Fiona. The officers will take care of these bad guys,” I said, wearing the perfect mask of concern, playing the role of the devoted sister. “You bitch!” one of the kidnappers spat, furious. They had been working with Fiona from the start, and part of the deal was that no one would get the police involved. “Nobody move,” one of the cops ordered sternly. The kidnappers didn’t dare make a sound. They sat quietly, obedient, knowing they had no other choice. The police successfully rescued Fiona, and this time, Mom’s assets were untouched. In my past life, saving Fiona had cost Mom a fortune. The strain on the business was too much, and eventually, Harlow Enterprises went bankrupt. Mom, crushed by guilt for her employees and overwhelmed by the pressure, fell ill. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and passed away within two years. This time, I won’t let that happen again. “Officer, what’s going to happen to them?” Fiona asked a young cop, her face filled with nervousness. The officer, thinking Fiona was traumatized by the kidnapping, reassured her. “Don’t worry, this is a serious case of kidnapping and extortion. They’re going to face severe punishment.” The two kidnappers glared at Fiona with hatred, and Fiona quickly grabbed the officer’s arm, her voice trembling, “Officer, can you give me an idea of how bad it’s going to be?” “From what we know so far, they’re looking at at least ten years in prison,” the officer said, trying to comfort her. Upon hearing the sentence, both Fiona and the kidnappers’ faces darkened. The cop, misunderstanding Fiona’s reaction, added, “While they did extort and threaten your family, since you weren’t physically harmed, they probably won’t get life sentences.” He was still trying to console her, but Fiona wasn’t listening anymore. “Officer, they were just acting impulsively. I wasn’t hurt—can’t their sentence be reduced?” she said, her voice loud enough for the kidnappers to hear. “If you sign a settlement agreement, there’s a chance their sentence could be lessened,” the officer responded, looking confused. It wasn’t often he saw someone advocating for their kidnappers. “Callie, let’s sign a settlement,” Fiona rushed over, grabbing my hand. She was terrified the kidnappers would expose her. All she had wanted was a quick way to get money and show off. She hadn’t expected things to go this far and was now scared that the thugs would hold a grudge against her. These men weren’t the kind you could mess with lightly. They might look unremarkable, but they were ruthless. In my past life, they hadn’t hesitated for a second before chopping off my hand. “Fiona, don’t be scared. I’m here now. We’ll make sure those men are punished,” I said, embracing her as I turned to the police. “Officer, please take them away. My sister is so shaken that she’s not thinking straight. I need to take her to see a psychiatrist.” I lowered my voice, but we were all standing close enough that everyone could hear. Fiona immediately freaked out. “They didn’t scare me! They treated me well! I want to sign the settlement. They must’ve been desperate. They wouldn’t have done it otherwise.” Her frantic tone only made her seem more unhinged. The police officer came over and gently told me, “We’ve secured the kidnappers. Take your sister to see a doctor.” Following his advice, I didn’t even bother going home. I drove Fiona straight to the psychiatrist. Mom arrived at the hospital later and was shocked to see Fiona there. As soon as Fiona saw her, her eyes lit up with hope. After all, she had grown up with Mom and believed Mom would always take her side. So the first thing Fiona said after being rescued was to ask Mom to sign the settlement. The joy drained from Mom’s face instantly. “Have you lost your mind?” “I haven’t! I’m just trying to show compassion, to be kind. Mom, don’t you know those men had hard lives too? If they hadn’t been driven to desperation, they wouldn’t have committed such a crime!” Fiona cried, genuinely believing her own words. She was terrified. If those men ratted her out, her future would be ruined. Fiona’s sobbing was pitiful, and Mom’s heart wavered. “Fiona, have you ever heard of someone asking for a million dollars as a ransom out of desperation?” “A million dollars! That’s enough to support countless families,” I added, cutting through the tension. My words made Mom’s earlier sympathy vanish. She firmly led Fiona out of the hospital. I smiled. It wasn’t going to be that easy for Fiona to wash her hands clean.

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My brother married a crybaby. If I stayed over for an extra meal, she would cry. She’d say, “This family only cares about their daughter and doesn’t give a damn about their daughter-in-law!” When I bought a house with my own money, she cried again. She’d say, “How could she, just a girl, afford a house? Your parents must have helped her!” Then she went even further, spreading rumors that I was some rich man’s mistress and slept my way to the top. It wasn’t until my brother got kicked out trying to defend her that she finally had nothing left to cry about. “How could your sister, just a girl, afford such a nice house all on her own? Your parents must have secretly given her money!” Delilah’s voice was sharp, dripping with suspicion. “Babe, you’re overthinking it. My parents already told me, they didn’t give her a dime,” Eliot replied, trying to calm her down. “You thick-headed fool! Do you think they’d admit it if they did? That would just make them look biased!” I had been on my way to call Eliot and Delilah for dinner when I accidentally overheard their conversation. What was so wrong about buying a house? I bought it with my own hard-earned money. And even if my parents had chipped in, so what? I’m their daughter, isn’t it normal for parents to help their own kids? Is that a crime now? I didn’t interrupt them. Something made me stand there and keep listening. I heard Delilah’s voice, bitter and angry, “I don’t care. If your parents had the money to buy Sienna a house, then they better do the same for us. You’re their son, after all, and they’ll need you to take care of them when they’re old. A daughter will get married off eventually, and she’ll be someone else’s problem.” Eliot’s voice softened, clearly not agreeing with her. “You’re thinking too much, Delilah. Sienna’s my sister. And our house is already big enough. We don’t need to waste money like that.” Delilah wanted to keep arguing, but Eliot cut her off. “Enough! Today’s about Sienna moving into her new place. Stop bringing up this nonsense.” As I heard Eliot’s footsteps approaching, I quickly turned and slipped away. Even though Delilah was always a bit unreasonable, at least my brother still had my back. When we all sat down for dinner, Delilah still looked sour, acting like she was owed something. Eliot gave her several warning looks, but she didn’t tone it down. My mom couldn’t take it anymore. After the other relatives left, she pulled Eliot and Delilah aside for a talk. “I know what’s going through your head. You think we gave Sienna the money for her house and you’re feeling upset about it, right?” Delilah thought she had figured everything out and immediately launched into a tirade. “Isn’t that exactly what happened? How could a young girl earn enough money to buy a house? Honestly, Marjorie, Gerald, you’ve been so unfair! Eliot and I are the ones who’ll take care of you when you’re older. Your money should be spent on us, not her!” “Sienna’s going to get married and leave the family anyway. Why buy her a house? That’s just going to benefit some other guy. Honestly, you two are way too clueless.” “Eliot, you coward! You won’t speak up, so I have to!” My brother tugged on Delilah’s arm, telling her to stop, but she just went off even more. My mom slammed her hand down on the table, her voice cold, “Don’t anyone stop her. Let her talk.” Anyone who knew my mom could tell she was on the verge of blowing up. Delilah shrank back a little, her tone not as strong as before. “Did I say something wrong?” When Delilah first married into the family, my parents bent over backward to make sure she felt welcome. They sold their old house and, with their savings, bought a beautiful Victorian-style home in Savannah. And they asked Delilah what she wanted. If she didn’t want to live with them, they would’ve bought her and Eliot a nice three-bedroom house. If she liked big houses, they could all live in the Victorian home together, and my mom could help take care of future kids. The choice was Delilah’s, and my parents had always made it clear that I’d always have a place in their home, whether I got married or not. At first, Delilah was sweet and warm, always so kind to me. I was thrilled—I thought I’d hit the jackpot with such a wonderful sister-in-law. No issues between us at all. But after just six months, her true colors started to show. It began with her constantly nudging my mom to set me up on dates. “Sienna’s not getting any younger, it’s time for her to settle down,” she’d say. My mom made her stance clear: if I didn’t want to get married, it was fine. Even if I never married, they’d support me. That must have been the breaking point. From then on, Delilah saw me as a threat to her interests.

Things only escalated from there. Delilah became convinced that my parents were secretly giving me money. Whenever I bought a new makeup product or handbag, she was the first to make a snide comment. “Oh, Sienna, what did you buy this time? It must have cost a fortune! You know, I’d never splurge like that. It’s so much easier to be single—you can spend without a care!” “Is that designer? Must have set you back a few thousand dollars. You know, instead of wasting money on these things, you could buy some health supplements for your parents.” At first, when Delilah hadn’t fully shown her true self, I used to buy her gifts whenever I got something for myself. A nice bag, some makeup, I always made sure to include her. But to her, my generosity was just proof that I was freeloading off my parents, spending their money. What she didn’t know was that my brother’s business only took off because of my support behind the scenes. To avoid putting my parents and Eliot in an awkward position, I bought my own place and moved out. I thought I was doing everyone a favor by giving them space, but somehow, Delilah twisted that, too. My mom shot Eliot a cold look, her silence speaking volumes: This is the wife you chose? “Eliot! Say something!” Delilah barked, clearly frustrated that my brother hadn’t defended her. “Don’t you want to know how much your parents gave Sienna for her house?” Just when I thought Eliot would stand up for me, he hesitated, then moved to Delilah’s side. That’s when I understood. No wonder Delilah felt so bold—Eliot was quietly enabling her the whole time. I felt like I’d swallowed a stone. It sat heavy in my chest, impossible to spit out, and equally impossible to keep down. “Eliot, do you agree with Delilah? Do you think I shouldn’t have spent our family’s money?” I looked my brother dead in the eye, waiting for his answer. What Delilah thought of me didn’t matter—I couldn’t care less. But Eliot? He was my brother, my flesh and blood. We grew up together. As kids, if I ever got hurt, he’d be the first to grab a stick and defend me. He knew better than anyone what I had been through. But now, he couldn’t even look at me. Still, he spoke. “Sienna, don’t misunderstand. I’m not upset about Mom and Dad giving you money for the house. You’re my sister. If you’d asked me for help, I’d have given it to you, no question. But we’re family. Mom and Dad gave you that money, so Delilah and I have a right to know how much, don’t we?” Hearing that, even my usually silent dad turned dark with anger. “Eliot! Don’t forget—you wouldn’t have what you do today without Sienna’s help!” Don’t let my dad’s quiet nature fool you—when he speaks up, it’s serious. Eliot instantly fell silent. But Delilah, being Delilah, wasn’t about to back down. “Well, Eliot said we have a right to know…” “Fine. You want to know? I’ll tell you.” My mom’s voice was cutting. “Sienna bought that house with her own money, every last penny. Not only did we not give her anything, but she even gave us $10,000. Satisfied now?” Delilah’s eyes widened in disbelief. Hearing about the $10,000, they practically lit up. Her entire demeanor changed in an instant. She latched onto my arm, playing the role of the caring sister-in-law. “Oh my, Marjorie, Gerald, what are you saying? That’s not what we meant at all. We were just worried about you not having enough to take care of yourselves, that’s all.” Her behavior was so shameless I had to pull my arm away. “Well, if there’s nothing else, it’s getting late. You two should head home.” Eliot gave me a sheepish smile. I could tell he wanted to apologize but didn’t have the guts to say it. In that moment, I realized something I hadn’t before: even between siblings, there can be distance, and sometimes that distance can be hard to bridge.

At first, I thought that putting some space between us would help. We might not be as close as we used to be, but we could still be family. I underestimated how dangerous jealousy can be. It wasn’t long before I started noticing the way my neighbors looked at me—disdainful, judging, whispering behind my back. Several times, I tried to greet them while walking my dog, but they would turn away, avoiding me like I had some sort of disease. Then one day, I checked the Oak Hills Subdivision Group Chat and finally understood what was going on. It all started with a faceless account stirring up rumors. “Did you hear about the owner of 609? People say she’s some rich old man’s mistress. How else could someone that young afford a house like that?” “Seriously? She seemed like such a nice girl. How could she do something like that?” “Tsk, tsk, girls these days. No shame at all.” “You’d better keep an eye on your husbands, ladies. If she sets her sights on one of them, it’s game over.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. What kind of nonsense were they spouting? I tried adding the person who had started the rumors, but they left the group chat as soon as they’d done the damage. Meanwhile, the others kept gossiping, acting like they knew everything about my life. They even said the man supposedly “keeping” me was in his seventies. At that point, I had enough. I took screenshots of everything—over a dozen messages—and posted them back into the group, tagging each person who had spread the lies. “Slandering someone is illegal. Expect a lawyer’s letter soon!” After that, most of the people went silent. Some who had been lurking in the chat tried to play peacemaker. “Oh, come on, 609. People were just joking around. No need to take it so seriously.” “Exactly. We all live in the same neighborhood. Let’s just apologize and move on.” I typed furiously in response, “Funny how you all are acting like good Samaritans now. Where were you when these people were slandering me?” Finally, one of my upstairs neighbors couldn’t hold back any longer and tagged me in the chat. “@609, what do you mean by slander? This came straight from your own family. Do you think we’d just make this up?” My family? I instantly thought of Delilah. But even so, it seemed too ridiculous. Why would she do that? At that moment, I wanted to rush over and confront her, but without any evidence, what could I do? I took a deep breath, gathered all the screenshots, and headed to the Atlanta PD – West Precinct. Let the police handle this. When I explained the situation at the station, the officers took it seriously and immediately opened a case. That same night, the neighborhood was in an uproar. Everyone who had participated in the slander was brought in for questioning. The panic was real. One by one, they all tried to distance themselves, passing the blame around until eventually, everything pointed back to Delilah. Some of the neighbors still had the nerve to defend themselves. “Whose family would say such things if they weren’t true? She must have done something to deserve it.” I still couldn’t understand why Delilah would spread such vicious lies about me. I had already moved out, just like she wanted. What more did she want? I was trembling with rage. And then I thought about the faceless account that had started it all. The police traced the IP address back to one place—my parents’ house. They asked me if I wanted to continue pressing charges. I understood that for many, family is reason enough to let things slide. But I didn’t hesitate. “Of course I want to press charges,” I said firmly.

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During the summer of my sophomore year in college, my 58-year-old mom decided to undergo IVF treatment. She said she wanted to give me a little brother, someone I could rely on in the future. After I convinced her not to go through with it, my parents and my cousin became godparents to my little cousin, bought him a house and a car, but refused to spend a dime on me when I was critically ill in the ICU. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back at the Thanksgiving Family Dinner. This time, I smiled and said, “Whatever you and Dad think is best.” I woke up and realized I had returned to that Thanksgiving Family Dinner. Uncle Thomas, mouth full of food, was still going on about his outdated ideas. “I’m telling you, a man’s gotta have a son! No matter how good daughters are, they’re not going to be the ones carrying on your name, right?” He kept talking, saying that now the laws had relaxed, and with how advanced medical science had become, IVF was a great way to ensure a son and secure their legacy for old age. Most of the relatives thought he was joking. They tried to dissuade him. “You’re 65 now, Thomas. Your daughter has her own family and career. You’ll be holding grandkids soon enough, so why chase after all this drama?” Uncle Thomas stood his ground. “Grandkids? They don’t even have my last name! If I don’t have a son, the Cross family line ends with me!” My dad looked tempted. “You’ve got a point, but are you and Linda even still able to have kids at your age?” Uncle Thomas replied confidently, “I’ve done my research. The IVF technology today is incredible. Not only can you still have a kid, but you can make sure it’s a son!” Then he turned to me. “Hannah, wouldn’t it be great if your parents gave you a little brother? You wouldn’t have to worry about not having family to look out for you!” He had asked me the same thing in my previous life. I looked at my father, who was starting to get excited, and patiently explained. Older women face a higher risk of pregnancy complications like high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. Not to mention, as age increases, the quality of eggs and sperm deteriorates, making it more likely that the fertilized egg will have chromosomal abnormalities. Even if they managed to conceive, the baby would have a higher chance of being born prematurely or developing issues like cerebral palsy or neurological disorders. Dad stayed silent. Mom, who looked a little nervous, tugged on his sleeve and shook her head. With my reasoning, they let go of the idea of pursuing IVF. But Uncle Thomas? He was determined. Two years later, he proudly showed off his big baby boy, born through IVF, at the family reunion, grinning ear to ear as relatives congratulated him. “Little brother, don’t worry! Now that I’ve got a son, the Cross family won’t die out. Be good to your nephew, and maybe when he’s older, he’ll take care of you too!” He laughed, slapping my dad on the shoulder, completely ignoring the dark look that spread across my father’s face. From that day, Dad began subtly blaming me. He said I was selfish, afraid that having a brother would mean sharing the inheritance, so I convinced him not to have one. Mom, too, resented me, saying I’d scared her with all that talk about the risks of having kids at her age, pointing out how Uncle Thomas and Aunt Linda’s son was perfectly healthy. They couldn’t comprehend the concept of probability. All I could do was silently endure their criticism. I thought that in time, my actions would prove to them that it didn’t matter whether they had a son or daughter. But what I didn’t expect was for them to start frequenting the hospital, trying to have a son just like Uncle Thomas. After numerous rounds of hormone treatments and egg retrieval attempts, they finally had to face the truth: Mom’s eggs were no longer viable. I thought that was the end of it. But then, I was in a car accident, left critically injured in the ICU, waiting for them to pay for the life-saving treatment. That’s when I found out the truth. They had made my three-year-old cousin, Nathan, their godson, using all their savings to buy him a house near Cedar Hills Elementary School. They didn’t pay a single cent towards my medical bills. Not even a visit. In my last phone call with them, their cold, heartless words became the final straw that broke me. “Stop calling us so much. We’re busy dropping off your little brother at daycare!” “You’re practically dead already. Don’t waste our money—we need it for Nathan!” So, they had abandoned me. Thinking of all this, I turned to Uncle Thomas with a smile and said, “You’ve lived long enough to know best, Uncle Thomas. Of course, Mom and Dad should make the decision.” He was pleased with my response and patted Dad’s shoulder, laughing. “Hannah is much more sensible than my daughter. How about this—we brothers can both go for another kid, and maybe I can even get the hospital to give us a discount!” Well, let’s see how that ‘precious son’ of yours takes care of you in your old age this time.

After the dinner ended, Mom and Dad held a family meeting back at home. “Hannah,” Dad started, snubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray. “Your uncle said IVF will cost about $100,000 altogether, and if we want to guarantee it’s a boy, we’ll need to pull some strings, which might push it to $150,000. Your mom and I don’t have much savings, but we can scrape enough together for that. From next semester on, you’ll need to handle your own living expenses.” I didn’t reply right away. I glanced over at Mom, who was busy listening to a voice message on her phone. She set her phone down, her face serious. “I asked some friends. Since you’re a med student, you’ll be doing a hospital internship in your junior year, right? You’ll get a stipend. You’re in school all the time anyway, so you won’t need much money. Don’t add more burden to us.” “And besides,” she added, “we’re spending this money now so we can give you a brother. When he grows up, you’ll have someone from the family to rely on!” I nearly laughed out loud. How could they expect me to rely on a child when I couldn’t even count on my own parents? In my previous life, they feared the risks I’d mentioned and didn’t go through with IVF. But they held onto their resentment. After that Thanksgiving dinner, they cut off my living and tuition funds, claiming they needed to save for retirement. At the time, I thought they were just angry for a while. After all, I was their daughter, the one they had raised for twenty years. To make ends meet, I worked part-time during the day and tutored kids at night. My grades plummeted, and I almost flunked out by the end of the semester. This time, I wouldn’t let history repeat itself. I smiled and nodded. “Got it. I hope everything works out for you.”

A few days after returning to school, Mom called. “Hannah, your dad and I went to the hospital today. The doctor said your father’s sperm is still okay, even though the DNA fragmentation and abnormality rates are a little high. But my eggs aren’t great. We’ll need third-generation IVF, which will cost even more.” “So, try to pick up more tutoring jobs or a part-time waitress gig. Save up some money and send it to me. Your aunt told me I should be eating health foods like those organic smoothies to improve my eggs.” It was just like last time. When I had refused to let her go through with IVF, she’d constantly called me, complaining about headaches or fevers, and demanded that I work more to send her money for supplements. I had sympathized with her then, figuring Dad’s old-fashioned ways left her feeling unsupported. I always found a way to send her money, no matter how tight things were for me. But now, I stretched, feeling no such sympathy, and replied casually, “Mom, I have way more coursework this year and barely any time for a side job. And at the hospital, they only give us free housing and meals—no pay. I’m almost out of money myself. Can you send me $500?” Her voice became evasive. “Oh, well, I don’t have any money either! Your dad controls the finances, and it’s all going towards the IVF. If you need money, talk to him!” Before I could say anything else, she hung up. I set my phone aside and got back to my PowerPoint. After all, my new hustle of creating medical case presentations was bringing in $500 a pop.

Mom still got her organic smoothies. She took pictures of it from every angle, posting a nine-grid photo collage to her Instagram account: “Thanks to my wonderful Thomas for buying me this special smoothie! My son will definitely make it into my womb now!” She promised to take good care of her health and soon give my father the son he needed to carry on the Cross name. In the comments, some people congratulated her, while others weren’t so kind. “Aren’t you almost 60? Why go through all this?” “No offense, but your husband’s 62 too. There’s no way the kid will be healthy at your age.” Mom, furious, blocked them and swore she’d give birth to a healthy son. I quietly liked the post and turned off my phone. This was only the beginning.

Over the next two months, Mom was constantly posting updates in the family group and on her social media. “Went to the hospital for bloodwork today. They took tube after tube, but it’s all worth it for my future son!” “Starting the hormone shots today. Gotta eat more meat and keep my strength up so I can get some good eggs!” “Finally doing the egg retrieval! Wish me luck!” After that last post, her updates suddenly stopped. Three days later, I received a video call from her. On the other end of the call, her face was pale, and she looked both angry and confused. Seeing her like that, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity. “Mom, what happened? You don’t look well.” Tears started streaming down her face. “Hannah, what am I supposed to do?” “The doctor said my eggs are completely useless! That egg retrieval needle—do you know how long it was? Thirty centimeters! Your dad didn’t want to pay for anesthesia, so I went through the whole thing wide awake! It was more painful than when I gave birth to you!” “I suffered through all that, and then they told me my eggs are no good! But your Aunt Linda is three years older than me, and her eggs were just fine. Why?!”

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After another failed breeding task, the test subject pinned me against the operating table. His palms were burning hot, firmly holding my shoulders. In the hazy night, his breath was warm, sending shivers down my spine. [Only with you… breed…] I met his direct and passionate gaze, unable to suppress a slight smile. The Alpha I had raised… Finally understood… After the breeding task failed again, Logan pinned me against the operating table. His palm was scorching hot as he firmly gripped my shoulders. In the hazy darkness, his warm breath sent shivers down my spine. “Only… breed… with you…” I met his direct and passionate gaze, unable to hold back a smirk. The Alpha I had raised from birth… Finally understood… “You should take a look… Subject 1109’s breeding attempt failed again…” I frowned, casually slipping the pen into my pocket. “He still refuses?” The intern’s face showed a hint of fear as he hesitated before speaking. “Well… you should see for yourself…” For some reason, I felt a morbid excitement stirring in my heart. I suddenly recalled the day the breeding task was assigned. Logan was pressed tightly against the glass wall. Under the effects of the aphrodisiac, his muscles were involuntarily tensed, his porcelain skin flushed a pale red. He lay there naked on his side in the vast glass enclosure, letting out heavy pants. His pupils had lost their usual indifference, now clouded with intense desire. The moment our eyes met, I surprisingly saw a faint longing and grievance in his gaze… The Alpha I had raised from birth was showing such vulnerable emotions for the first time… It made me want to hide him away… to keep him all to myself… My thoughts gradually returned to the present. I curled my fingers, suppressing the excitement in my eyes as I replied coolly: “I see. I’ll go record the results.” The intern seemed to want to say more but hesitated, his lips moving slightly before remaining silent. I walked past him and entered the elevator, pressing the button for the laboratory floor. As the elevator descended, the air around me suddenly turned cold. In the laboratory, the first thing I saw was the giant experimental tank containing Logan. However, there were now several splashes of blood on the tank that weren’t there before, a stark and disturbing sight. “Logan, you’ve been naughty again…” I smiled helplessly as I slowly approached the tank, looking at Subject 1109 huddled and shaking in the corner. His skin was stained with large patches of blood, like wild red roses blooming across a snowy field. Sacred yet demonic. He was my Alpha… A living work of art I had created with my own hands… Hearing my voice, Logan suddenly raised his head and stared intently into my eyes. His pupils were bright, a pale silver-gray, now glistening with a faint wetness. “Let me check if you’re hurt…” My gaze greedily swept over every inch of his body. Only after confirming he was unharmed did I spare a glance at the other experimental subject beside him. It was an Omega subject modified with jellyfish genes. Her pupils were a pure cyan, her long hair as lush as seaweed cascading down, beautiful like a fragile porcelain doll. But now, her body was covered in horrific wounds. Her neck had been torn open, blood staining the pure white carpet at the bottom of the tank. Her skin had turned an almost transparent white from the massive blood loss, appearing lifeless. I sighed, finally understanding the source of the intern’s terror. I raised my hand and tapped on the glass tank, trying to put on a stern tone. “Logan, cultivating an experimental subject is not easy…” Logan lifted his hand, touching the spot where my fingertips had landed on the thin glass, looking at me with a dazed smile. “Alright…” I opened the top of the experimental tank and slowly reached my fingers inside, gently hooking them around his. “Don’t let it happen again…” Logan suddenly sat up and hugged me. I froze, enveloped by his scorching body heat as my heart pounded wildly. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, his voice still hoarse. “Not here… it’s dirty… please?” In this state, he was both obedient and sensual, stirring up indecent desires. I wanted to bully him… to see him cry… I nodded, suppressing the surging desire in my heart as I raised my hand to gently stroke the bloodstains on his waist. His whole body trembled, hugging me even tighter. “It hurts…” I took a step back, raising my hand to grip his chin and forcing him to lift his head. “How many injections did they give you this time?” He obediently tilted his head up following my grip, his face still flushed and looking somewhat dazed. After a moment of silence, he listlessly raised his hand to show me the needle marks. “Three shots…” “Those bastards… we agreed on only one aphrodisiac injection…” I cursed under my breath, turning to walk towards the control panel to shut off the laboratory’s surveillance cameras. “Come out, Logan…” There was a rustling sound behind me. I turned around to find Logan already pressed against my back, tightly embracing me. I smiled, standing on tiptoe to wrap my arms around his neck, caressing his warm lips. His Adam’s apple bobbed as his large hands passionately pressed against my waist. Before he could do anything further, I slowly pushed him away. “Wait a moment, Logan…” He looked somewhat dejected, mumbling an acknowledgment as he obediently stood to the side. I lowered my gaze to look at the spots of blood staining my pure white lab coat, sighing helplessly. “Sit over there and wait for me…” I took off my coat, found a towel, and patiently soaked it in warm water before wringing it out. Instead of sitting still and waiting as I’d told him, Logan followed closely behind me like a little puppy. He was still completely naked, having somehow taken my discarded coat and loosely tied it around his waist. I turned around and beckoned to him with my finger. “Come here…” He obediently sat on the table in front of me, sitting up straight. As I wiped the dried blood from his skin, he lowered his gaze to watch for a moment before suddenly leaning down and biting my collarbone. “Ouch… be gentle…” Logan mumbled a response, his teeth grazing my delicate skin. I patted his head. But he suddenly flipped me over, pinning me against the operating table. His palms were scorching hot as he firmly gripped my shoulders. In the hazy moonlight, his warm breath sent tingles down my spine. “Only… breed… with you…” I met his direct and passionate gaze, unable to hold back a smirk. The little wolf I had raised from birth… Finally understood… When I left the laboratory, my legs were still a bit wobbly. My carefully applied makeup was slightly smudged, and my curled hair was messily clinging to my chest. I frowned, wanting nothing more than to quickly go wash off the wet sensation between my legs, when I suddenly bumped into a man. I paused in my steps, hiding the disgust in my eyes as I discreetly moved to the side. “Just came from Subject 1109?” He didn’t seem to notice my attempt to avoid him, smilingly standing in front of me. “Yes, the breeding task failed. I went to check on him…” The man’s lips curled into a smile as he slowly walked to my side. His gaze was direct and sticky as it landed on my exposed shoulder. The bite mark… probably hadn’t faded yet… I instinctively pulled my collar up higher, tilting my head back with a bold smile. “Dr. Harrison, you seem quite free today, keeping track of which labs I visit?” He was momentarily dazed by my smile before adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses. The eyes behind the lenses stared at me coldly, like a slippery snake. “Your lipstick…” He reached out, his fingertip lightly brushing my lips. The cold touch made me shudder involuntarily. He was still smiling, but the pressure of his finger gradually increased. “Why is your lipstick smudged?” I turned my face away, avoiding his finger. Thinking about how those hands that had dissected and stitched together countless creatures had just caressed my lips made me feel nauseous enough to almost vomit. “If you have nothing else, I’ll be going now…” I hurriedly turned to leave. His cold voice drifted from afar. “Don’t get too close to that little beast… and don’t let me discover anything else… otherwise…” His laughter echoed eerily down the empty hallway. “I’ll kill him with my own hands…”

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While taking my annual vacation, I lay back in the Private Spa Suite, savoring the peace. When the waiter handed me a small cake, I casually complimented him, “Great service here. Do all guests get this?” He replied, “No, only for female guests or couples.” The fork slipped from my fingers and dropped into the water. My husband, Daniel Hayes, brings me this exact triangular slice, a Rose-Petal Cake, every time he returns from a business trip. Something in my gut told me that he’d been cheating—and that his mistress must not like sweets. My name is Rachel Evans. I’m the manager of the Emerald Jewelry Sales Division, and after a few years of shrewd investments, I’ve done pretty well for myself. Daniel Hayes, my husband, was my college classmate. From freshman to junior year, he persistently chased after me until, finally, I said yes. An arts student with little in the way of prospects, he landed his sales consultant job because I pulled some strings for him. But I liked his looks and his loyal, gentle-dog qualities. Now, though, I stared at the tiny cake in my hands, silent for a long time. Daniel brings back this triangular slice of Rose-Petal Cake after every business trip, claiming it’s complimentary from his hotel. Single male guests don’t usually receive perks like this, though—so, it’s likely another woman stayed with him. Unlike Daniel, I am naturally thrifty; whenever I travel to meet clients, I’m usually back the same day, and even if I stay overnight, I settle for a basic three-star hotel. But Daniel, comfortably reimbursed by the company, has no qualms about booking luxury accommodations. When I confided my suspicions to my friend Stephanie Ward, she was shocked but quickly gave her opinion: “No way. You two were college sweethearts—you’ve been through everything together, from school uniforms to wedding rings. Get the facts straight before you decide anything.” I frowned and nodded. Honestly, I couldn’t be sure if I was overreacting or if there was really something there. Either way, I needed to test Daniel. Stephanie, who runs a nail salon and has a sharp way with words, is a little more street-smart than I am. While I’m good with the business side of things, she’s better at reading people, so I asked her to help me strategize. After thinking it over, she texted me the next day with a plan: “Doesn’t he travel a lot? His mistress might be a coworker. We can try waiting for him by the underground parking after work to see who he’s with.” It was a solid plan. Since they’d be traveling together, the mistress was likely a female colleague. So, before Daniel left work that evening, I called to let him know that I’d be out with Stephanie and wouldn’t stop by to visit him. “All right, hon. I’ll be home after work to wait for you,” he replied, his tone as warm as ever, making me doubt myself for a second. That evening, Stephanie and I sat waiting in her car at the parking garage. It didn’t take long. Daniel appeared, heading toward his parking space—and a young woman was walking beside him, clinging to his arm and leaning provocatively close. My lips pressed together, my fists clenching. Just as I thought, he was cheating with a younger female coworker. Stephanie sneered. “Unbelievable. Has he forgotten who fed him when he was jobless? You got him that job, and this is how he repays you?” Yes, Daniel came from a modest background, while my family was well-off. We were from different worlds. Naturally, my parents had strongly opposed our relationship. But I’d been defiant, swearing our love would get us through anything, like a real-life Romeo and Juliet. Now reality was making a mockery of those ideals. My hands tightened around the steering wheel, my gaze locked on the scene unfolding in front of me. Unexpectedly, just as the woman was about to get in the car, Daniel gently pushed her away. “Sorry,” he said loudly. “I’m married. Please keep things professional between us.” His voice carried clearly in the empty garage; I heard every word. The young woman stomped off, clearly frustrated, and turned away without looking back. Stephanie exhaled in relief. “See? He probably didn’t cheat. She must’ve been trying to get with him one-sidedly.” One-sided…? I wasn’t buying it. That woman was exactly Daniel’s type. When I got home, I was still uneasy. While I was changing in the entryway, Daniel—who had arrived home earlier than usual—walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. “Happy anniversary, babe.” He placed a diamond necklace around my neck. I was a bit taken aback, as my work in emeralds made me prefer diamonds more. I pulled away from him, unable to ignore it. “Who was that woman I saw you with, the one you nearly gave a ride?” Daniel looked mildly surprised but explained gently, “Oh, you mean Zoe. She’s just the boss’s little fling. Even if I wanted to, getting involved with her would mean career suicide.” Seeing my frown relax slightly, he leaned in and murmured, “You’re the only one in my heart, babe.” His explanation was flawless. I couldn’t argue further, but his embrace felt cold, somehow hollow. Was it possible that everything was just in my head?

My doubts stemmed from my own insecurity about marriage. Being firm on living the DINK lifestyle, I’m a career-driven woman who doesn’t want kids. This was something Daniel’s family never accepted. His mother, Linda Hayes, comes from a traditional background, where passing down the family name is everything, and Daniel is the family’s only heir. “A healthy couple with no kids? Just give me a grandchild to look after,” she once insisted. I stood my ground, even though it nearly ended our engagement. Daniel, in a surprising move, stood up to his mom and went through with a vasectomy for my sake. He really amazed and moved me. “Look, Mom,” he told her, “I can’t have kids anymore, so there’s no problem with marrying Rachel.” Linda was so furious she practically collapsed on the spot, feigning a blood pressure episode, though I knew it was all for show. We married three years ago and held to our DINK lifestyle, happily living our own lives without children. But despite my efforts to be patient and respectful, Linda never missed a chance to mock or needle me. “A useless hen that doesn’t lay eggs!” I endured it all, partly out of guilt toward Daniel, and kept showing respect to his parents. That morning, after a restless night, I looked at my sleeping husband and felt a pang of guilt. He’d been nearly perfect toward me, so what was I holding onto? When I went to work, I threw myself into my latest project. That afternoon, we split a rare emerald stone, and the first cut revealed an imperial green quality—pure and flawless. Ecstatic, I bought a bracelet for a hefty $208,000. It was a great investment, and I thought gifting it to Linda might mend things a bit. But her reaction was only a dismissive frown. “Ugh, what good is this thing? Can’t eat it or drink it. Give me a grandchild, and that’ll make me happy!” I pressed my lips together, holding back any mention of the bracelet’s cost. My gesture was lost on her, but I’d tried. To celebrate, I invited Stephanie to dinner at an exclusive members-only restaurant where the chef’s choices changed daily. Stephanie seemed out of place. When I offered her some wine, she refused, saying she was on antibiotics and would stick to juice. As we waited, well-dressed patrons filled in around us, making her even more uncomfortable. She fidgeted and finally excused herself to the restroom, returning with a touch of lipstick and a few extra pieces of jewelry. “Getting dolled up just to eat?” I teased, and as she adjusted her bracelet, my eyes caught it. An imperial green jade bracelet—the same as the one I’d given Linda. Only two of these had come from that stone, one I’d bought, and the other was sold to an executive, Mr. Chen. “Nice bracelet you have there…not bad quality.” I commented. Stephanie laughed, brushing it off. “Oh, please, I’d never afford the real thing. It was a gift—probably a fake.” But I knew this bracelet well. I’d inspected it closely enough to recognize a small cotton flaw in the design. Seeing my gaze harden, she grew visibly anxious.

Maybe it was her sudden guilt or maybe she just couldn’t face me; halfway through dinner, Stephanie got a call and quickly excused herself, claiming she had an urgent matter to attend to. “Do you need a ride?” I asked with a polite smile. She waved me off. “No, no, Rachel, someone’s picking me up.” I watched her leave from the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling window. She didn’t wait for anyone, though—she slipped straight into a cab. Feeling a twinge of suspicion, I got into my car and followed. The taxi’s destination was, oddly enough, my own office building—the same place where Daniel works, where I’d recently bought that emerald. This was odd, since by that hour, most people had already left for the day. Stephanie seemed cautious, glancing around with her black mask covering most of her face. Once she reached the front entrance and saw no one else was around, she hurried inside. Narrowing my eyes, I parked and crept into the building, trailing her down the dim, empty hallways. Only one office still had a light on: Daniel’s. I held my breath and moved closer to the door. Through the narrow crack, I saw the scene that would forever etch itself into my memory.

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