My brother-in-law’s son was diagnosed with leukemia. Instead of using their own assets, they wanted me to sell the house I bought before marriage to cover the medical expenses. I refused. My husband said, “My nephew is sick, and you can’t even sell a house for his treatment. Do you even deserve to be his aunt?” Do I look like someone easily fooled? So, I filed for divorce and left. I had to get away from a family with such distorted values. 0After a busy day at work, I got home and opened the door to an unexpected sight. Sitting in my living room were Grant and Debbie Hawley, my in-laws, along with Mason Hawley, my brother-in-law. I was puzzled. I hadn’t spoken to Grant and Debbie for years because of some past conflicts. Ryan always went back to see them on holidays by himself, but they hadn’t set foot in our home for as long as I could remember. Mason, who was always taking sides with his parents, never missed an opportunity to show me a cold shoulder. I was so fed up that I cut ties with him too. So why on earth were they all here, sitting together in my house? As soon as I walked in, Ryan rushed over to take my bag and shoes, acting like the perfect husband. Debbie, who had never been overly friendly, actually greeted me warmly. This was all too strange, and I knew something was up. Sure enough, the moment I sat on the couch, Debbie burst into tears, covering her mouth as she spoke. “Luke is sick.” I quickly asked, “What’s wrong with him?” Debbie’s tears fell even harder. “Leukemia.” I was shocked. I looked at Mason and saw his eyes were red, like he’d been crying. Even though Mason and I didn’t get along, his son Luke was a sweet kid—smart and adorable. Sometimes, when Mason was busy, Ryan would bring him home, and Luke would always greet me with a cheerful “Aunt Savannah.” The thought of such a well-behaved child being diagnosed with something so serious really hurt my heart. Debbie continued, “The doctors said it’s acute leukemia. There are only two treatment options: chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant.” At this, I immediately spoke up. “With modern medical technology, leukemia has a high cure rate. Luke will be fine. Let’s all go to the hospital and get tested for a match.” Debbie nodded in approval at my response. “But,” she added, “the treatment, the hospital stay, and the surgery afterward will all cost a fortune. The doctors said it would cost at least $500,000 to $600,000. Mason only makes $5,000 a month, even if he worked himself to death, he wouldn’t be able to cover it.” As she spoke, Debbie began to cry again. That’s when I realized where this was going. Though I didn’t care for Mason, when it came to a child’s health, I knew what mattered most. I turned to Ryan and said, “We have $60,000 in our account. Go ahead and transfer it to Mason. It’s not much, but it’s something from us as his aunt and uncle.” Sixty thousand wasn’t a huge sum, but it was everything we had. We had a mortgage, a car loan, and regular expenses. By the end of the month, we barely had anything left. I thought I had done my duty as part of the family. Just as I was feeling proud of my generosity, I heard Grant scoff, “Sixty thousand? That’s not going to do much.” In that instant, all my goodwill evaporated. I didn’t say another word, just leaned back on the couch. Debbie took over, playing the good cop. “I feel like we’re all family, and in tough times, we have to pull together. Savannah, I know we’ve had our misunderstandings in the past, but I also know you really care about Mason. Now that he’s in trouble, you won’t just sit back and do nothing, right?” I let out a cold chuckle in my head. They were buttering me up, trying to squeeze more money out of me. I was already thinking about whether I could borrow more from my parents when Debbie hit me with something even worse. “Savannah, don’t you have that house over in Lakeview? You’re not living in it now, so why don’t you sell it to help with Luke’s treatment? Don’t worry, we’ll remember your kindness. When Luke grows up, he’ll be sure to show you his gratitude.” If I didn’t see their true intentions by now, I’d have to be a complete fool. I glanced at Ryan, noticing how he avoided my gaze. He clearly knew about this. But why should I sell my house? That house was bought for me by my parents before I got married. They poured all their savings into it to give me some security in life. Now they wanted me to sell it? The nerve. It was obvious they had discussed this before I even got home. Before I could respond, Debbie spoke up again, “Ryan agrees with this plan.” I glared at Ryan. “I don’t care what Ryan agreed to. That house is mine. I bought it before we got married. He has no say.” Debbie looked embarrassed for a second, but she didn’t give up. “Why are we even talking about what’s yours and mine? We’re all family, and this is about the Hawley family.” “Savannah, are you still holding a grudge because Mason said some mean things to you before? If that’s the case, I’ll apologize. But Luke’s life is in your hands.” Debbie was trying her best at emotional manipulation. Seeing through their schemes, I finally dropped the pretense and said coldly, “Don’t put that on me, Debbie. I’m just the aunt. Luke has his parents, and you and Grant are his grandparents. If a house has to be sold, why don’t you sell yours?” “That’s ridiculous! We need our house to live in.” “And yours is just sitting there empty. Why are you being so selfish?” So that’s how it was. They were a family, and I was the outsider. Their child was sick, and instead of selling their own home or cars, they expected me, the aunt, to make the sacrifice? Too bad for them, I’m not the pushover they think I am. No matter how much they tried, I refused to agree. In the end, Mason lost his temper and threw his glass on the floor with a loud crash. It startled me, but I stayed quiet. He stormed out, shouting, “Fine, if she won’t help, so be it! It’s not like Luke won’t survive without her.” With that, he slammed the door behind him. Grant banged his fist on the table, yelling, “Our family is cursed! Cursed!” Debbie joined in, crying out, “She doesn’t even consider us family! At a time like this, she’s still thinking about herself. So selfish.” Finally, when they saw there was no winning me over, they left in a huff. Ryan ran after them, but they slammed the door in his face. It was all a disaster. When Ryan came back, he was furious with me. “Savannah, you were way out of line today!” “How could you speak to my parents and brother like that? They’re going through a really hard time.” I raised my eyebrows and snapped back, “Oh, I haven’t even started with you, Ryan. Who do you think you are, agreeing to sell my house? You can’t make that decision! My parents bought me that house. You don’t get a say.” “Your brother has a house and a car. Why isn’t he selling those? Why are your parents’ assets off the table? And you want me to sell mine? Do you think I’m an idiot?” “You think I’m being harsh? I don’t care. Helping him is a kindness, not an obligation. And by the way, $60,000 isn’t nothing. It took us years to save that.” Ryan’s face turned red with embarrassment. He scratched his head. “But they only have that one house. They can’t sell it; where would they live?” Ryan was always like this—kind-hearted but spineless, with no principles. We met in college, and during our dating years, I loved how gentle and caring he was. But when it came to real life, his wishy-washy attitude drove me crazy. I gave him one final warning. “If you go behind my back and do something I can’t accept, we’re done.” 0Even though I had laid down the law with Ryan, I could tell from his expression that this wasn’t over yet. And I was right. One evening after work, I came home to find Ryan showing our house to a couple of strangers—potential buyers. Fury boiled inside me. I waited until they left before I let loose. “What the hell are you doing?” Ryan couldn’t even look me in the eye, but he tried to stand his ground. “If you won’t sell your house, then I’ll sell mine, alright?” I let out a bitter laugh. “Your house? Are you sure this is your house?”

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I bought a house four years ago but never moved in or renovated it. Two years later, I suddenly started receiving utility bills. Confused, I returned to check on the house, only to find strangers living in it! One day, after work, I got a notification on my phone for an overdue utility bill. Staring at the unfamiliar house number on the screen, it took me a moment to realize—I did own a house with that address. It was the house my mom, Sharon Hawkins, had bought for me near my college, thinking I might not enjoy dorm life. But I made a last-minute decision to pursue studies abroad, so the house had been left empty right after renovation. The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. No one should be living in that house, so how on earth were there utility bills? With growing curiosity, I followed the familiar route to Maplewood Heights, the neighborhood where the house was located. … Standing at the front door, I noticed something immediately off. The front door, which I remembered being a dull brown, had been replaced with a brand-new, shiny black security door. I checked the house number again, “808”—yep, this was definitely the right place. Staring at the unfamiliar black door and catching a whiff of a horrible odor leaking from inside, I felt an overwhelming sense of unease. Without hesitation, I called a locksmith. Charlie McIntyre, the locksmith, arrived quickly, giving me a suspicious once-over. “This is your house?” he asked. I quickly pulled out my property deed and ID, handing them over. “Of course! Here are the documents. Check for yourself.” He examined the papers carefully before handing them back, still looking uncertain. “I really need to get inside. How about I pay you an extra hundred?” I offered anxiously. That did the trick. He handed the documents back, crouched down, and opened his toolbox while mumbling, “Strange. Wasn’t the last tenant here an old lady?” “What did you say?” I asked, surprised. Before I could probe further, a sharp voice interrupted behind us. “What do you think you’re doing?!” Before I could react, my shoulder was shoved hard, and a white-haired old woman—Gloria Pittman—charged forward, pointing a finger at the locksmith’s face. “How dare you?! Trying to rob me in broad daylight? In my own home?” Before we could even respond, her hand shot out, scratching Charlie across the face, leaving a deep red mark. He yelped in pain, clutching his nose and pointing at me, “I’m not a thief! He told me to unlock it!” Gloria turned to face me, her eyes scanning me before locking onto the Gold Lion Pendant hanging around my neck. Her expression shifted into one of greed, and she stomped toward me, cursing. “You little punk! Starting a life of crime already? You need a good lesson today!” She lunged at me, reaching out with her claws. I frowned and took a step back, causing her to miss. The old woman immediately changed tactics—collapsing to the ground, dramatically wailing. “Oh Lord, this young man is breaking into my house and now he’s attacking me too! Somebody help me!” Her voice was so loud that the neighbors began poking their heads out of their doors to see what was going on. I’d never seen anything like this in my life. My instinct was to back away, but seeing the crowd, Gloria started screaming even louder. She reached out, clutching at my pant leg, pinning me in place. “You can’t leave! You knocked me down, and now I can’t move! You’ll have to take responsibility!” What?! I hadn’t even touched her! “Ma’am, be careful with your accusations. I haven’t even laid a hand on you! The locksmith can testify!” I said, turning to Charlie for backup, but to my shock, he averted his eyes and remained silent. Gloria’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she dug her sharp nails into my leg. “You see? No decent person would back you up. So, how about you compensate me like a good boy?” Her gaze returned to the gold pendant around my neck, her intentions clear as day. With no help in sight, I took a deep breath, calming myself before letting out a small chuckle. “And how exactly do you want me to compensate you?” I asked coolly. Her eyes lit up. She pointed directly at my Gold Lion Pendant. “I can’t even get up without going to the hospital, and that’ll cost at least a couple thousand! But I’m a kind person. Your little gold pendant looks nice. Why don’t you give me that, and we’ll call it even?” I nodded. “Sure, but before I hand it over, could you answer two quick questions?” Blinded by greed, Gloria agreed immediately. “What do you want to know?” I gestured toward the black security door. “Is this your house?” “Of course it’s my house!” she snapped without hesitation. “Oh really? Then how did the house I bought become yours?” Her face froze, and she stammered, “W-what do you mean? I don’t understand!” “I mean, why are you living in my house?” Her eyes flickered with guilt, but she stubbornly pushed back. “This is my house! I’ve been living here for years! Where’s your proof that it’s yours?” “Oh, I’ve got proof.”

I reached into my bag and slowly pulled out the property deed, opening it to the first page and pointing at the owner’s name. There, in bold letters, it clearly said Darren Hawkins. The neighbors around us started murmuring louder. “Wait, so it’s not her house?” “She’s been lying about owning this place all along?” “I thought so. How could that old hag afford a house in this nice neighborhood when she collects trash all day?” Hearing the gossip, Gloria’s face flushed red with anger. She lunged at me, trying to snatch the deed from my hands. I swiftly raised my arm, holding the deed out of her reach with a smirk. “Aren’t you the one who couldn’t even stand up a minute ago? Looks like a miracle recovery to me.” Realizing her mistake, she scowled, pushing me roughly. “I’ve lived here for three years! This house is mine! Who knows where you crawled out from!” I nearly laughed out loud. “So by your logic, if someone lives in a house for three years, it automatically becomes theirs?” “That’s right! If I’m living here, it’s my house!” she shouted. The commotion had finally drawn the attention of Travis Pittman, the security guard. He arrived, looking completely uninterested in the truth. “What’s going on here? Why’s there so much yelling?” Gloria’s eyes lit up again as she pointed at me and wailed, “Thank God you’re here! This guy is trying to break into my house, saying it’s his! You’ve got to help me!” Without asking any questions, Travis shielded her and glared at me. “How’d you get in here? Do you even know where you are? You can’t just harass residents like this!” I’ve dealt with unreasonable people, but this was a new level. I shoved the deed in Travis’s face. “Check again. I am the owner of this house.” When Travis saw the property deed, his expression faltered. Realizing the other neighbors were watching, he tried to snatch the deed from me. But after Gloria’s attempt, I wasn’t about to let anyone grab it. I quickly stepped back. “What do you think you’re doing? I’ll hold it while you look,” I said. Angered, Travis barked, “How do I know if this deed is even real? You probably forged it, trying to steal the house! Get lost!” He moved to shove me, while Gloria used the distraction to unlock the door with her key. The door swung open, and an overpowering stench hit me so hard I nearly vomited. Through the crack in the door, I saw mountains of garbage piled high. A rat squealed as it darted out through the opening. “Ugh!” I recoiled. In the chaos, Gloria slipped inside and slammed the door shut. I started pounding on it, but Travis blocked me, tapping his nightstick threateningly. “Better leave now, or I’ll drag you out myself.” Feeling defeated and with no help from the locksmith, I left, my frustration boiling.

I headed straight to the Maplewood Police Station, hoping for help. But it turned out Gloria was already well known to them. The officer who greeted me looked exasperated. “Yeah, we know her. But there’s not much we can do. She’s old, stubborn, and causes trouble often,” he said, carefully choosing his words. I could read between the lines—Gloria was a nuisance, and the cops didn’t want to deal with her. The officer suggested, “This is more of a civil matter. You’ll have to take it to court if you want the house cleared. The court can enforce eviction.” Court? That could take forever. And meanwhile, my house would keep rotting under piles of garbage. I took a deep breath, an idea forming in my mind. Turning to the officer, I asked, “Officer, is it illegal for me to enter my own property to clean out the trash?” He hesitated but then cleared his throat. “If there’s no lease in place, it’s not illegal. Just don’t hurt anyone.” Perfect. With a newfound sense of determination, I marched out of the police station, ready to take matters into my own hands. As I left, I spotted Gloria peeking into a trash bin down the street, accompanied by Travis. I ducked behind a sign, listening in. “Mom, do you think that guy’s going to take the house back?” “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he never steps foot inside again,” Travis assured her. Well, well, no wonder Travis had been acting strange. They were in this scam together. The conversation continued. “What if he calls the cops? He’s got the property deed,” Gloria fretted. Travis slapped his chest confidently. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll find a way to steal the deed and destroy it. Uncle Mitch can make us a new one.” I clenched my jaw. These fools actually thought they could win by tearing up the property deed? As the video I’d been recording on my phone ended, I let out a cold laugh. I now knew exactly what I was dealing with. Time to make them pay.

Early the next morning, I timed it perfectly for when Gloria Pittman went out to collect trash, and I stormed into Maplewood Heights with a group of guys at my back. Her son, Randy Pittman, tried to block our way, but the moment he saw the crew of big, burly men behind me, his bravado fizzled out, and he meekly followed us to the door. When we reached the house, I directed my crew, “Break the door open!” As soon as the door swung open, the stench from the day before came rushing out, making us all recoil. What lay before us was an unbelievable sight—mountains of garbage piled high: empty cans, cardboard, foam boxes, and unwashed food containers. What I had seen the day before was just the tip of the iceberg. “Ugh…” I gagged, pinching my nose. “Clear all this out. Every last bit.” I paused for a second and added, “Careful though, stack it neatly by the dumpsters.” I had hired a professional crew, and they didn’t flinch in the face of the overwhelming stench. With gloves on, they got to work efficiently. Meanwhile, Travis Pittman, the security guard, was in the background, making a hushed phone call to alert Gloria. I pretended not to notice. By the time Gloria arrived, lugging her sack of trash, half of her beloved garbage fortress had already been cleared. “Put that down! You thieves! Put it all back!” The fragile, tearful Gloria from the day before was now leaping three feet in the air, screeching as she tried to attack the men moving her precious junk. But before she could land a blow, one of the guys easily grabbed her by the collar, lifted her off the ground, and calmly set her down in the corner of the room. The once brazen woman fell silent, eyes wide as she took in the sight of the strong man’s bulging biceps. Then she spotted me, and the rage returned. She screamed, “You again! I’ll claw your eyes out this time!” She lunged at me, her sharp nails reaching for my face, but once again, she was lifted by the collar and placed aside by my crew. I casually lit a cigarette and called out, “Keep going. Clean the house out. I want the locks changed.” Helpless, Gloria could only scream at her son, Randy, “Call your uncle! Get Mitchell here right now!” My interest was piqued. I decided to let them make the call. I was curious to finally meet the so-called property manager who handed over my house to them.

It wasn’t long before a short, pudgy middle-aged man wearing glasses rushed over. Trailing behind him, to my surprise, were the two police officers from the previous day, Officer Jerome Carter and Officer Lisa Morales. When Gloria saw the property manager, she ran toward him like he was her savior. But before she could say anything, he shoved her aside. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Mitchell Pittman greeted the police with an obsequious smile, pointing toward me. “Officers, this man has broken into one of our resident’s homes and is removing their belongings without permission!” I had to give him credit. He was trying to flip the script and make me the villain. Officer Carter turned to me, ready for my explanation. “Sir, please explain your side of the situation.” I calmly reached into my bag, pulling out the property deed. “Officers, I didn’t break into their house. I broke into my house.” Before either officer could take the document, Travis, who had been lurking in the background, suddenly darted forward. He snatched the deed from my hand and, before anyone could react, ripped out the page with my name on it and shoved it into his mouth! “What are you doing?!” I shouted. Both officers immediately restrained him, trying to get him to spit out the evidence, but it was too late. He had swallowed the shredded paper. His brazen destruction of the deed was as good as a confession of guilt. Officer Morales glared at Travis, her expression stern. “Sir, you’re under arrest for the destruction of property. You’re coming with us to the station.” “Wait!” Mitchell suddenly interjected, glaring daggers at Travis before stepping forward with a forced smile. “One thing at a time, Officers. I’m the one who called you, so you need to help me first,” he said smoothly. The officers exchanged wary glances, and Mitchell continued, “The property deed was destroyed, and none of us saw what was written on it. There’s no proof this house belongs to this gentleman. We can’t just take his word for it, right?” He threw me a smug look, trying to sow doubt in the officers’ minds. Officer Carter responded coldly, “If the deed is damaged, he can request a new one from the housing authority. They can confirm ownership.” “I understand,” Mitchell said, rubbing his hands together nervously, “but that will take time. In the meantime, shouldn’t we stop him from doing anything else to the property?” The officers seemed unsure. While they didn’t completely buy Mitchell’s story, they were bound by procedure, and they looked at me apologetically. Mitchell’s smirk deepened. He knew that as long as he could stall, he could keep me from reclaiming the house for a bit longer. But I was one step ahead. I lazily waved my hand. “There’s no need to make this complicated.”

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I’m pregnant, and the baby is my ex-boyfriend’s. When his mother found out, she immediately brought me to their five-story mansion. Suddenly, I became a princess, surrounded by love and care. Grandma: “This is a limited edition global jewelry set.” Mother-in-law: “Keep this black card safe. In our family, women manage all the money.” Father-in-law: “Sign this stock transfer agreement. If you think it’s not enough, we can add more!” Running into Jerry and Amelia at the hospital was unexpected. When I was with Jerry, I knew he had a close junior schoolmate. On Jerry’s birthday, Amelia, who was studying abroad, even sent a special video greeting. Seeing how intimate they were, my heart ached. We had only broken up two months ago, and he had moved on so quickly? Even finding a new love. I unconsciously clutched the pregnancy report in my hand, not wanting anyone to see it. Yes, I was pregnant, and the baby was Jerry’s, just over two months along. I watched their matching silhouettes and turned to leave. “Jessica?” Hearing the familiar voice, my whole body froze. I gripped the report in my hand, not daring to move. “Jerry, what’s wrong?” Amelia asked. “Nothing,” Jerry replied in a low voice. I felt a wave of sadness. Jerry truly didn’t love me anymore, treating me like a stranger even upon this reunion. Fine, let’s forget each other then. I walked forward with my head down. “Wait! Jessica.” It was Amelia. I didn’t want to deal with her and quickened my pace slightly. But wearing high heels, I couldn’t walk fast, especially with the baby in my belly. Surprisingly, Amelia caught up with me. She grabbed my hand, forcefully turning me to face her. This was my first time meeting Amelia. She was beautiful and elegant, with bright red lips displaying a kind of bold beauty. Jerry stood beside her, his face cold and expressionless. It was so frustrating. The father of my child was accompanying another woman to the hospital, while I couldn’t even say a word. After considering my words carefully, I finally said, “Do you need something?” Seemingly not expecting this response, Amelia’s face stiffened for a moment. After adjusting her expression, she said, “Of course I do.” She linked her arm with Jerry’s and continued, “I hope you won’t bother Jerry anymore. Only love between people of the same social status can last. You’ll only hold him back.” Amelia’s words hit a sore spot. This was the reason Jerry and I had broken up. Our families were worlds apart. He was the sole heir to a wealthy family, while I was an overlooked girl. My mom had tricked me out of my savings, claiming she needed surgery, but the next day she bought a house for my brother. The day I found out about the stolen savings, I truly felt like I was holding Jerry back. In the heat of the moment, I suggested we break up. I don’t know why, but he was in a bad mood that day too. He only asked once, “Are you sure?” before agreeing to the breakup. We ended our relationship just like that, confused and hurt, until our reunion today. “Amelia, let’s go,” Jerry said, his face dark as if holding something back. How ridiculous! I should be the angry one. If anyone should leave, it should be me first. I left, feeling indignant. As I was going down the stairs, I accidentally missed a step. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest, but luckily, a lady caught me. I grabbed her arm for support. “Are you alright, dear?” The lady continued to support me until I was steady. “I’m fine, thank you so much.” I inadvertently glimpsed the lady’s Hermès Birkin bag and felt a jolt of panic. Thankfully, I hadn’t grabbed that bag earlier – if I had scratched it, I could never afford to pay for the damage. “You dropped this.” She picked up my pregnancy report that had fallen to the ground. Just as I was about to take the report, she paused. “Dear, are you Jessica Snow?” she asked, her tone surprised. I was confused. We didn’t know each other. “Yes, how…” Before I could finish, Jerry’s voice suddenly rang out. “Mom, what are you doing here?” No way, how dramatic could this get? Running into my ex-boyfriend while checking on my pregnancy was one thing, but meeting his mother too? There was no way I could hide my pregnancy now. “Jerry, is this Jessica?” Jerry’s mom’s tone became serious. Jerry’s silence said it all. “How could you be so careless! Such a big thing and you didn’t tell me!” “Jessica, dear, you’re coming home with me right now. Pregnant women need special care. Let me take good care of you.” Mrs. Graham took my hand and was ready to leave. This… this… “Mom, what are you talking about!” Jerry exclaimed. “You naughty boy, I’ll deal with you later!” Mrs. Graham threw my pregnancy report at Jerry. Seeing the report, Jerry looked shocked. Of course, the most interesting facial expression was Amelia’s. Her face turned red, then white, then red again, her lips trembling with anger. “Mother Graham, there must be some misunderstanding. Jerry has already broken up with her,” Amelia said. “Miss Hart, our family matters are none of your business.” Mrs. Graham shot Amelia a sharp glare, causing her to lower her head in fear. “Darling daughter-in-law, will you come home with me?” When Mrs. Graham spoke to me, her voice was incredibly soft, and she looked at me with loving eyes. Faced with such a warm aunt, I really didn’t know how to refuse. So I let her lead me away. By the time I realized what was happening, I was already sitting in Mrs. Graham’s car. The situation had spiraled out of my control. I carefully began, “Mrs. Graham, Jerry and I have indeed broken up. I think it’s better if I stay at my own place. Besides, Jerry has Amelia now, so it’s best if we have less contact.” “Nonsense, silly girl. There’s nothing between Jerry and Amelia, and I would never approve of them being together!” “The reason Jerry is nice to Amelia is because she once saved his life in college. Of course, we’re very grateful to her, and we’ve always granted her requests over the years. That’s fine, but if she’s getting greedy and trying to ruin your relationship with Jerry, making you suffer, I won’t let her get away with it!” “And now that you’re pregnant, it’s our family’s responsibility. We can’t possibly ignore you. If you don’t want to stay at our place, I’ll move in with you.” “Mrs. Graham, this…” “It’s settled then!” I had heard from Jerry before that his mother was a decisive person, and now I truly experienced it firsthand. Calling the moving company, packing luggage, loading the car – the whole process was seamless. I was brought to the Grahams’ five-story mansion in the middle of the night. Jerry wasn’t home. His grandmother and father were there. When I got out of the car, both elders were waiting at the front door, making me feel quite embarrassed. “Hello, Grandma. Hello, Mr. Graham.” I greeted them politely. Mr. Graham smiled and nodded at me. “Good, good! Come here, child.” Grandma Graham warmly beckoned me over. Seeing the old lady still using a cane, I quickly went to support her. The old lady held my hand as we walked into the mansion. The interior decor was simply over the top – European palace style. Once again, I acutely felt the gap between Jerry and me. His family lived in a five-story mansion in the city center, while mine lived in an old, rundown apartment in the suburbs. His father was the CEO of a corporation, while my father was an alcoholic, gambling taxi driver. His mother was a dancer, while my mother was a supermarket clerk. Two people from such different backgrounds, coming together just because they caught each other’s eye at a friend’s birthday party – thinking about it now, it seemed so naive. Moreover, Jerry was the epitome of a handsome guy – 6 feet tall with sharp features. I heard from friends that Jerry had been the campus heartthrob during his school days. What made me feel most inferior wasn’t the economic disparity between our families, but the difference in family atmosphere. The Graham family was warm and loving, while my family members only thought about how to squeeze me dry and leave more for their precious son. A bitter smile crossed my lips. Mrs. Graham’s words brought me back to reality. “Daughter-in-law, you must be tired today. Quickly go upstairs and rest. Your room is on the second floor. I’ve arranged everything for you.” Mrs. Graham took my hand and led me to the room. “Look, do you like it?” Mrs. Graham smiled at me. The moment the door opened, I was truly amazed. An Instagram-worthy princess room, all in pink and white, completely matching my childhood fantasies. There was also a huge wardrobe filled with various Barbie dolls and stuffed animals. I loved Barbie dolls when I was little. Every birthday, I would wish for my mom to buy me one. But my birthday wish was never fulfilled, not even once. She would only buy limited edition Lego sets for my brother, never remembering my existence. Feeling both hurt and touched, my eyes welled up with tears. I looked at Mrs. Graham, unable to speak. “Silly girl, why are you crying? I had this hastily arranged. Do you like it? If not, we can change it.” “Thank you, Mrs. Graham,” I choked out. “No need for thanks, it’s what we should do. I genuinely like you, Jessica. Regardless of your relationship with Jerry, I want to treat you like my own daughter. Jessica, could you not call me Mrs. Graham anymore? Could you call me Mom?” Mrs. Graham said the last sentence very carefully. I couldn’t bear to refuse, especially since Mrs. Graham was truly kind to me. Although it was probably for the baby’s sake, I was still very grateful to her. “Mom,” I said softly. “Yes!” Mrs. Graham smiled happily. “Go rest now. I’ll have someone bring up a glass of warm milk later. Drink it and go to bed early. I’ll be staying next door to you, so call me if you need anything, okay?” That night, I slept very peacefully. The next morning, after breakfast, I was strolling in the Grahams’ garden. The garden was full of roses planted by Mrs. Graham, romantic and gentle. “Jessica Snow! Why are you here!” A sharp female voice, suppressing anger, interrupted my tranquility. I turned to see Amelia holding many nutrition supplements, probably coming to visit the Graham elders. “I don’t think I need to explain myself to you,” I said. Amelia angrily walked towards me, gritting her teeth, “Did you take what I said last time as a joke? If you keep shamelessly clinging to Jerry, don’t blame me for not being polite!” “Oh? Miss Hart, that’s quite a big talk. Tell me, how exactly do you plan to ‘not be polite’? I’d like to see who dares to bully my daughter-in-law in front of me!” Mr. Graham’s voice rang out firmly, his icy face full of authority. Mrs. Graham and Mr. Graham had appeared at some point. Mrs. Graham came over and put her arm around my shoulders, frowning as she looked at Amelia. “Uncle, I didn’t mean…” Amelia said pitifully. “Hmph.” Mr. Graham snorted coldly. “Jessica, come inside with Mom. There’s something I want to discuss with you. Miss Hart, you come in too. It’s better to clear some things up,” Mrs. Graham said. We all walked into the house together. Grandma Graham seemed to be waiting for us in the living room. I sat down next to Mrs. Graham, and then the three elders simultaneously took out something. What they said next completely stunned me. Grandma Graham: “This is a limited edition global jewelry set, a gift for my granddaughter-in-law.” Mrs. Graham: “Keep this black card safe. In our family, women manage all the money.” Mr. Graham: “This is a stock transfer agreement. Sign it, and if you think it’s not enough, we can add more!” Finally, Mrs. Graham said, “This is a small token of our appreciation. We hope you can accept it.” She patted the back of my hand as she spoke. “Mrs… Mom, these things are too valuable,” I said. “It’s nothing, really. This is what our Graham family should do. You don’t need to be polite! As for some people, they shouldn’t have inappropriate thoughts!” Grandma Graham said slowly, clearly hinting at Amelia. Amelia’s face turned red, angry but not daring to speak. “Also, we elders have a suggestion. We hope you and Jerry can get married first. Jessica, when would it be convenient to arrange a meeting with your parents?” Mrs. Graham’s eyes sparkled as she spoke to me. How could I tell her that I had cut ties with my mother? How could I tell her how dysfunctional my original family was? Just as I was hesitating, Jerry appeared. Seeing Jerry, Amelia seemed to have found her backbone. She immediately rushed over, grabbed his hand, and said pitifully, “Jerry, you’re finally back.” Jerry didn’t respond to her, subtly freeing his hand from her grasp. Amelia stepped back awkwardly. Jerry stared straight at me and said firmly, “I don’t agree to marriage. I’ll make my own decisions about my marriage.” After speaking, he turned his head to Amelia and said, “I’ll take you home.” I lowered my head, not wanting to see Jerry being gentle with another woman. “You brat! If you dare walk out that door today, I’ll disown you!” Mr. Graham shouted. Jerry’s footsteps paused for a moment, but then he left without looking back. Amelia ran after him. Jerry didn’t appear all day. To avoid me, he didn’t even want to come home. Perhaps leaving was the better choice. I lay in bed unable to sleep, the image of Jerry leaving with Amelia replaying in my mind. To distract myself, I opened Instagram. The first post was from my aunt: “My sister has moved, congratulations to my nephew on his new house.” Whether I was in that family or not made no difference. I was always the extra one. I closed my eyes, letting tears soak my pillow. The next morning, I opened my eyes groggily to see someone standing by my bed holding breakfast. It startled me. It was Jerry. I didn’t know how long he had been standing there. I thought he had come to make amends, but I was proven wrong. “My mom said pregnant women sleep a lot, so she asked me to come up and see if you were awake. Now that you’re up, eat your breakfast. We need to talk after.” He had stubble on his chin, and he didn’t look well. While I ate breakfast, Jerry sat nearby, staring out the window lost in thought, his brows furrowed. I swallowed the last bite and said, “Jerry, I’m done eating. What did you want to say?” “Do you really want to keep this child?” Jerry looked at me deeply, his eyes filled with emotions I couldn’t understand. “Yes, I want to keep the baby.” “Hah, Jessica Snow. Do you think keeping this child will guarantee you a comfortable life? You’re quite calculating, aren’t you? Such scheming… it must have been tiring for you to pretend all this time by my side.” Jerry’s words angered me. “Jerry Graham! I never planned to tell you about the baby in the first place. Don’t worry, isn’t this what you want – to drive me away? You don’t need to say it, I was planning to leave today anyway! I won’t stay here to bother you!” “Get out of my way.” I pushed past Jerry and started throwing my clothes into my suitcase. Jerry didn’t move, but from the corner of my eye, I saw his fists clenched tight, veins popping out. Our commotion alerted Jerry’s parents. “Jessica, what are you doing?” Mrs. Graham took the clothes from my hands, stopping my actions. Jerry and I were both holding back our anger, not wanting to speak. Mr. Graham’s gaze swept over the luggage on the floor, then looked at Jerry, his face falling. “Jerry Graham! Did you upset Jessica?” Mr. Graham shouted. “Not saying anything, huh? Housekeeper, bring me my golf club. If I don’t teach this boy a lesson today, he’ll never learn how to be a decent person!” “Jerry Graham, get out here!” Jerry was dragged out by his collar. Jerry had told me before that his father was a strict parent. When he was young, he was quite mischievous and often got beaten. But after his teenage years, his father never physically disciplined him again. Today, Mr. Graham must have been truly angered. Mr. Graham’s trust in me gave me a bit of comfort, but Jerry’s hurtful words still pained me deeply, like knives stabbing into my heart. Perhaps it was because of the pregnancy, but I was more emotional than usual. Large tears rolled down my cheeks. Mrs. Graham hugged me sympathetically, gently patting my back, saying, “Jessica, don’t be angry. It’s all that silly boy’s fault. I’ll make him apologize to you! He’ll kneel on durian if he has to! Later, I’ll show you his embarrassing childhood photos. If he dares to upset you again, we’ll post them on Instagram and let him be humiliated!” I was crying and hiccuping, but Mrs. Graham’s words made me laugh. Putting Jerry aside, having such a mother-in-law would truly be a blessing. In the afternoon, while taking a walk in the park with Mrs. Graham, I once again brought up the idea of moving out. Mrs. Graham refused no matter what. In the end, we both compromised. I would continue to stay at the Graham house, but I wouldn’t accept the gifts they had given me. Jerry and I had already broken up, and I couldn’t accept things from his family without clarity. Mrs. Graham couldn’t persuade me otherwise, so she had to compromise, saying she would keep the gifts for me until Jerry and I got married. Jerry and I… could we really get married? When I entered my room that night, I found that my bed had been changed to a bunk bed. Was Mrs. Graham planning to move in and sleep with me? The next second, Jerry entered with a sullen face. “I’m sorry. You’re pregnant now, and your emotions shouldn’t be agitated.” What an insincere apology. “If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving,” Jerry said, abruptly opening the door. “Ouch.” Mrs. Graham, who had been eavesdropping outside, almost fell over. “Mom, what are you doing?” “Smack.” A crisp sound as Mrs. Graham’s hand hit Jerry’s back. “Jerry Graham, can’t you be more sincere!” “And where do you think you’re going? Starting from today, you’ll be sharing a room with Jessica.” “What?” Jerry and I exclaimed simultaneously. “You don’t need to go to the company for now. Just focus on taking good care of Jessica.” “Impossible! I won’t accept this!” Jerry reacted strongly. “If you don’t accept it, then get out!” “Fine, fine, I’ll leave. I don’t even know who your real child is anymore!” His tone… why did it sound a bit hurt and jealous? Jerry really did leave, and he didn’t appear for several weeks. Days passed uneventfully. During my time at the Graham house, I deeply felt the warmth of a family. Mrs. Graham prepared nutritious meals for me every day, trying different recipes. Grandma Graham and Mrs. Graham, afraid I might get bored, accompanied me in flower arranging, playing chess, chatting, and taking walks. Although Mr. Graham was more serious, he also cared about me, occasionally bringing home some nutritional supplements. I became increasingly attached to this place, not wanting to leave. But I knew it was impossible, after all, Jerry hated me so much. Thinking of this, I sighed helplessly. “Jessica, what are you thinking about?” Mrs. Graham asked. “Nothing,” I shook my head with a smile. “Then why don’t you come with me for a beauty treatment this afternoon!” “Sure.” Only when we arrived at the beauty salon did I realize that Mrs. Graham wasn’t really there for a beauty treatment. She was there to introduce me to the family! Jerry’s aunts sat in a row, smiling at me. Being stared at by a group of rich ladies, who could understand this feeling! “Jessica, this is Jerry’s eldest aunt.” “Hello, eldest aunt.” “This is Jerry’s second aunt.” “Hello, second aunt.” “This is Jerry’s…” … Mrs. Graham led me to greet everyone. I smiled and nodded the whole time, my face almost stiff. By the end of the round, not only had I become familiar with everyone, but I had also received a pile of gifts. During this time, I endured many exaggerated compliments. “This young lady looks like she’s destined for good fortune. The Graham family will surely prosper even more with her!” “The girl is as beautiful as an angel.” … By the end, I was embarrassed and found an excuse to step out for some air. Coincidentally, as I stood on the second floor, I saw Amelia walking out of a coffee shop across the street on the first floor. There was nothing strange about Amelia appearing at a coffee shop. What shocked me was the woman following behind Amelia. It was my mom! The two walked out of the coffee shop one after another, exchanging a few words before parting. How did they know each other!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294898”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #校园School #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #玄幻Fantsy

Jack’s childhood friend turned into a social media influencer while I was away. She snuck into my room when I wasn’t home, guessed my computer password, and copied all my paid novels onto her phone. Then she posted them online for free. Overnight, she gained tens of thousands of followers. The next day, when I confronted her, she smirked and said, “What’s wrong, old lady? Jealous that I’m making money now?” Jack walked in just as Lily and I were in the middle of a heated argument. Well, to be more accurate, Lily was the one doing all the yelling. I realized she was like a madwoman from an asylum – completely impossible to reason with. “If you can write stories as a side gig, why can’t I promote them?” she sneered. “What’s wrong, old lady? Jealous that I’m making money now?” My initial anger at her accusations gradually turned to stunned silence as I listened to her increasingly unhinged ranting. Lily used to be Jack’s neighbor and in his words, was just an innocent, lively young girl. After graduating, she moved to our city for work. Being new and unfamiliar with the place, she had come to stay with him. My newly purchased apartment had two bedrooms. Jack suggested letting Lily stay temporarily until her internship ended in a few months. “Lena, it’ll be three months max. Just think of it as doing me a favor,” he pleaded. At first, I refused. After all, who wants to live with a stranger? But then I reconsidered. When I first moved here, I had no one and went through many hardships. If I could help someone else out, why not? It was only for three months after all. I didn’t even charge her rent. Little did I know I was inviting a wolf into my home. One time Lily’s laptop broke down when she urgently needed to revise a proposal. She was in tears, so I softened and lent her my computer. Afterwards, I forgot to change the password. Who knew that would plant the seeds of disaster? Seeing Jack arrive, Lily immediately transformed into a sweet, demure girl – a complete 180 from her nasty attitude just moments ago. She lowered her slightly damp lashes, sniffled, and said softly, “Jack, there are so many novel promotion accounts online. Why is Lena picking on me specifically? Doesn’t she want people to promote her work?” Jack was silent for a moment, his brow furrowed. “Normally, social media influencers don’t post an author’s entire work. That’s quite…” He paused, searching for the right word. “…disrespectful.” Hah. I laughed bitterly. So unethical behavior is just “disrespectful” now? Hearing this, Lily hung her head and mumbled, “Okay, I was wrong then.” She took a deep breath and when she looked up again, she was back to her innocent, carefree persona. With a bright smile, she chirped, “Let’s go get dinner! My treat, as an apology to Lena.” Apology? Who does she think she’s fooling? I sat on the couch and smiled at her. “Lily, first you need to delete all the videos. Then return the money you earned from the views to me. Finally, post a public apology statement.” “That would be a real apology.” Lily stared at me in disbelief, her voice suddenly rising. “Lena, you’re going too far!” Going too far? How ridiculous. I pulled up the videos from my phone gallery and handed it to her expressionlessly. Instantly, Lily’s face froze. Jack, not knowing what was happening, curiously leaned over to look. Soon his brows furrowed, a deeply disappointed expression on his face as he glanced at Lily, seemingly at a loss for words. The videos showed all of Lily’s misdeeds in my room when I was away. Not only did she steal my manuscripts, she also wore my clothes, used my skincare products, spat on my bedsheets and pillowcases, and even took my jewelry. At first when I noticed things amiss, I had suspected Lily but had no proof. Who knew that just three days after installing hidden cameras, I’d capture so much incriminating footage? Lily’s face turned beet red with shame. She looked at Jack with teary eyes, shaking her head. “I… I didn’t…” But she couldn’t come up with any excuses. In a fit of rage, she deleted the video and tossed the phone onto the couch, glaring at me defiantly. I savored Lily’s smug expression with amusement, speaking slowly. “No worries, I have plenty of backup copies. Lily, if you don’t meet my demands, I’ll have no choice but to hand this over to the police. After all, there’s clear evidence of theft.” I paused, then added, “That Cartier necklace wasn’t worth much, but is it really worth getting a criminal record over?” Lily was utterly humiliated and furious. Biting her lip, she had no choice but to delete the videos, return the money she’d earned, and post an apology statement under my increasingly impatient gaze. As for the Cartier necklace, Lily claimed she had already sold it on eBay for $50. …Well, no matter. She can just compensate me for the full price then.

When Lily moved out, she sneered that I was obsessed with money. I lazily raised an eyebrow, replying nonchalantly, “Still better than being brainless like you.” She glared at me fiercely, at a loss for words. Not long after, Lily posted on Instagram. The photo showed her on a balcony at dusk, gazing into the distance. Her delicate profile was bathed in the fading light, hair gently blowing in the breeze. It had a tranquil, poetic quality. The caption read: “Grateful for the shelter. Looking forward to what’s ahead.” I knew that balcony all too well – it was at Jack’s place. An indescribable chill ran through me. It was nauseating. If that’s how it was going to be, why bother dumping this idiot on me in the first place? Utterly ridiculous! I coldly texted Jack asking what the hell was going on. Moments later, Jack called. He sounded flustered. “Lena, Lily had to move out so suddenly and couldn’t find a place. I couldn’t just let her end up on the streets.” It sounded like he was blaming me for kicking her out. I asked, “Are there no hotels?” Jack sighed softly. “It’s not safe for a young woman to stay at a hotel alone. Lena, Lily’s young and naive. She knows she was wrong. Just let it go, okay?” I was speechless. One loved stealing, the other loved twisting words. These two really did have a future together. “Jack, Lily may be five years younger than me, but even five years ago I would never have done what she did. And I certainly wouldn’t be living with someone else’s boyfriend.” I paused, then said, “Let’s break up.” There was silence on the other end. I lost patience and hung up. Actually, I’d been planning to end this relationship for a while now. Lily had paid me back $3000 in total. I knew full well who had really given her that money. But I didn’t care anymore. Whatever, money in my pocket was what mattered most. Good riddance to trashy men. Jack and I had been introduced by our parents. His dad and my dad were classmates. At a reunion, they discovered their kids were working in the same city and both single, so they exchanged our contact info. Jack and I got to know each other for a while before becoming a couple. He gave me the impression of a jade stone sealed in a box – plain and dull, occasionally glimmering. But after this incident, I saw clearly that the so-called “jade” was nothing but shards from a shattered beer bottle – ugly and stained. I know no one’s perfect. So I could accept Jack’s weak personality and indecisiveness. But I couldn’t accept how he completely stood by when I was being bullied. Even with evidence right in front of him, he didn’t say a single word in my defense. And I definitely couldn’t accept that deep down, he favored another woman. Call it stupidity or favoritism, I didn’t want to entrust myself to a man like that. After we broke up, Jack called me many times and sent lots of long messages. Just looking at them made my eyes hurt. I never responded and blocked him directly. One night I got a call from an unknown number. The person on the other end seemed drunk, slurring, “Lena, did you… hic… did you find some rich guy?” I was stunned for a moment, then laughed mockingly. “No, I just don’t like men who are too short. In any sense of the word.” Jack choked, then angrily hung up. He knew full well why we broke up, but admitting fault was too difficult. Shifting blame was so much easier. Recently I took on a new project at work. Our whole team was working around the clock, practically day and night. It wasn’t until half a month later that we finally wrapped things up. I stretched lazily in the office, feeling immensely relieved. Thinking of the year-end bonus made me break into a smile. Suddenly my phone buzzed. It was a photo from my friend Samantha. In an upscale restaurant, Jack and Lily were acting intimately, gazing at each other with eyes full of endless affection. “Lena, you were right to break up! That scumbag moved on without missing a beat! It’s so gross I can’t even eat!” To be honest, I felt completely calm. It was like watching random strangers on the street – not a ripple of emotion. I replied: “Whatever. You can’t hold onto someone who wants to leave. And those who stay won’t go anywhere.” I strolled down the street. The night wind surged fiercely yet tenderly, blowing away the last warmth of late summer. It also bid farewell to a relationship that was never meant to be mine. At least, that’s what I thought.

The project was completed beautifully. Our boss, understanding how hard the team had worked, gave us a few extra days off after we finished wrapping things up. I had been so exhausted that I was sound asleep at home when I was suddenly woken by loud knocking. I opened the door to find Jack. His eyes were rimmed with red, his expression dazed. He reeked of alcohol. Leaning against the doorframe, he looked down at me and smiled. “Lena, long time no see.” I eyed him warily. “What are you doing here?” But Jack didn’t answer. He tried to come inside, but he was so drunk he could barely stand. I kicked him out without hesitation. I slammed the door shut. Outside, Jack’s voice came through like a dog barking. He kept yelling for me to open the door, to see him, to give him another chance to start over. Drunk words, sober thoughts. A man who seemed so honest and steady on the surface was actually a fickle playboy at heart. I couldn’t help but feel grateful I’d gotten out of that mess in time. It was 11:30 PM. The neighbors were all asleep. Jack’s hoarse voice echoed in the hallway like an curse, shattering the night’s peace. I warned him, “If you don’t leave, I’m calling the police!” There was a moment of silence outside, then his dismissive voice: “Hah, I don’t believe you.” Fifteen minutes later, the police arrived. … When Lily came to pick Jack up, he was already half sober, hanging his head in silence. Lily glared at me with disgust. “Lena, are you some kind of ghost or succubus? Why are you still trying to seduce other people’s boyfriends?” I couldn’t help but laugh. “If your boyfriend hadn’t shown up drunk in the middle of the night begging me to take him back, forcing me to call the police, why would you be here picking him up from the station?” “You…!” Lily bit her lip hard, shooting a disappointed look at Jack before turning her anger back to me. “Keep dreaming! He just came to settle accounts after you scammed him out of so much money!” I froze. The police officer frowned. “Scammed?” Lily snatched Jack’s phone and pulled up records of all the money he’d spent on me over the past six months. Gifts for various holidays, meals he paid for, travel tickets, hotel bookings… all sorts of odds and ends. “Lena, since you’ve already broken up with Jack, shouldn’t you return everything you owe? Don’t take advantage of my boyfriend!” The police officer’s expression was hard to read. He glanced at me, his eyes conveying either sympathy for my situation or relief that I’d gotten out of it. I smiled bitterly and shook my head, immediately pulling up my own records of purchases – men’s belts, watches, wallets and more that I’d bought from high-end stores. “You’re right, we should settle accounts.” Just a quick comparison of the prices made it clear who owed who, without even needing a calculator. Lily was furious, especially when she realized the suit jacket and shoes Jack was wearing were ones I’d bought. Her face turned an ugly shade of purple. She took a breath, then sneered, “So you were the one throwing yourself at him.” Jack, that rotten piece of wood, finally spoke up. Looking at me, he nodded. “That’s right, she was.” I didn’t want to waste energy arguing. I also didn’t want to get involved in this mess anymore. I accepted the officer’s mediation, but before leaving, I asked for a copy of the police report. As I came out, the streetlights on both sides had gone dark. The night curtain was being pulled back, revealing the faint white of dawn. Lily had thrown Jack’s shoes and jacket in the trash. He stood by the road waiting for a ride in his socks and shirt, shivering from the cold. As I passed by them, I overheard Lily making a few sarcastic remarks, all aimed at me. Even though it was clearly the man who had shown up uninvited, she blamed me instead. I wasn’t sure if she was deluding herself or just blind to the situation. As for Jack, he neither refuted nor agreed, remaining silent with a complex expression. I quickly got in my car and left. Even looking at them for another second made me feel sick to my stomach. Besides the childhood bond, what Jack liked most about Lily was feeling adored and depended on. It gave him a sense of superiority he never got from me.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294897”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #校园School #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #玄幻Fantsy

My gold-digging sister-in-law suddenly seemed like a different person. Watching her and my brother act out the drama of a domineering CEO’s marriage before love every day, I was grateful that at least my husband was a normal person. One day, my sister-in-law suddenly asked me curiously why I would marry someone I didn’t love. I was confused. It turns out my husband had always thought he had forcefully taken me as his wife? My sister-in-law, Lily Evans, was known to everyone as a manipulative social climber. A few days ago, she had just married my brother Ethan. But it was Emma, Lily’s sister, who had been Ethan’s long-time crush. My parents were a bit unhappy about the marriage, but I thought it was Ethan’s own decision. Unexpectedly, after the wedding, Lily seemed to have become a different person, and her reputation gradually improved. Today, Ethan brought Lily back to our family home for the first time. She behaved very appropriately, and my parents finally felt a little relieved. Lucas had left on a business trip the day before yesterday, so he didn’t come with me this time. After dinner, Lily casually offered to drive me home. My parents frantically signaled to me with their eyes, hoping I would agree so that I could judge her character more. I agreed indifferently. In the car, there was silence all the way. I was used to such situations, but she seemed to be having a hard time with it. When she failed to start a conversation for the third time, I sighed. “You don’t need to try to make small talk with me. I won’t interfere with Ethan’s marriage.” Lily smiled awkwardly, “I’m sorry, it’s my first time being alone with you, and I’m a bit nervous.” I turned my head to look out the window, “It’s okay, many people don’t like to be alone with me.” Due to being kidnapped as a child, I suffer from emotional deficiency. For example, right now, I understand that we should be chatting about something, but I don’t actually feel awkward. “I don’t dislike it!” Lily firmly refuted, “On the contrary, I really like you. It’s just…” “This question might be a bit intrusive.” Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel, “I don’t understand, why did you marry someone you don’t love?” “What?” I heard every word clearly, but I didn’t understand what she meant. “I think you’re a very independent person, I don’t believe you would accept an arranged marriage.” I was unusually stunned, “Lucas and I fell in love naturally, what arranged marriage?” Lily also realized something was wrong, “Did I misunderstand?” I nodded. Who spread such rumors? As we got out of the car, Lily seemed to want to say something but hesitated. I unbuckled my seatbelt, “You don’t need to take today’s conversation to heart. I don’t participate much in social interactions, so it’s normal for outsiders to misunderstand.” “Sister…” Lily called out to me, as if finally making up her mind, “It’s not outsiders who think you don’t love Lucas, it’s Lucas himself…” My hand paused as I was opening the door. “I really like you, and I know you won’t tell others.” Lily looked at me sincerely with her big eyes, “Actually, this is all from a book. I accidentally traveled through time and came here.”

As I connected a video call with Lucas, I was still thinking about Lily’s words. She said that everyone thought I didn’t care about marriage. Lucas loved me, and my parents and Ethan thought Lucas was a reliable person, so when Lucas proposed an arranged marriage, my family agreed. She also said that she thought the same when she was reading the book. My eyebrows furrowed uncontrollably. I may have some degree of emotional deficiency, but I’m not completely ignorant of human relationships and social norms. Lucas and I met in college, confirmed our relationship in the second semester of our sophomore year, got married after graduating, and have been happily married for eight years now. How could Lucas possibly not know that I love him? “Aria, is something wrong?” Lucas’s gentle voice came through the speaker, interrupting my thoughts. I focused my eyes on Lucas’s handsome face on the screen, “Sorry, I was lost in thought about something else.” Lucas slightly pursed his lips, “It’s okay, if Aria has other things to do, you can go ahead, I don’t mind.” In the past, I only thought this was his little habit, but now I sensed something off about it. “Honey.” I called out to him, and Lucas immediately smiled with his eyes narrowed. I glanced at my expressionless face reflected in the camera. It seems that it might indeed be possible? “I love you.” My emotionless words floated in the empty room. In the video, Lucas was stunned for a moment. I looked at his slightly widened eyes, feeling it was a bit cute. But after a few seconds, the image shook, and with a “click”, it went black. After a few minutes, a landline number called my phone. Lucas’s voice was slightly hoarse, “Aria, did something happen at home today?” “Nothing.” Since he might not know, I might as well tell him now. There was silence on the other end for a while, then a forced laugh, “I know, it’s okay.” What kind of nonsensical answer is this? Before I could ask, Lucas suddenly said, “It’s getting late, you should rest early.” Then he hung up the phone. This was the first time he had ever hung up on me, and I was confused. I called back, but it was rejected. Lying in bed, I was genuinely puzzled. Could it be that Lucas actually thought his marriage to me was something he had forcefully obtained?

I had planned to book a flight to find Lucas, but unexpectedly, he came back early the next morning. I was groggily going downstairs when I bumped into him coming up. Lucas gently rubbed my forehead where we had collided, “Did it hurt? Did I wake you up?” I shook my head slightly, removing his hand before answering the latter question, “I heard a noise and guessed you were back.” Lucas smiled, carrying me back to bed, “Want to sleep a bit more? I’ll go take a shower and change clothes.” I nodded, thinking this was a simple thing that just required a verbal response, so I wasn’t in a hurry. Half-asleep, I heard the bedroom door open and close, but didn’t feel him come to bed. I opened my eyes, and Lucas was standing bent over by the bed, looking at me tenderly. The corners of his mouth were curved up just right, but unfortunately, I couldn’t ignore those melancholic eyes, “The company still has some business, I have to go.” “Have you been very busy lately?” Lucas nodded, “I’ll be staying at the apartment for the next few days, so I won’t be coming back home.” I was instantly wide awake. The apartment was closer to the company, and sometimes when he was too busy, he would rest there. But I hadn’t heard of any project being so busy lately.

As if to prove that he was really busy lately, Lucas hadn’t let me see him in person. The development of the situation was beyond my expectations. It seemed that this issue couldn’t be resolved just by talking. I made an appointment with Lily and briefly explained my predicament. She said I should take the initiative. I pondered over it for a night after returning home, and came up with an idea. Lucas had mentioned a while ago that a junior from my Ph.D. program had recently joined his company, Xun Yao. I scrolled through my contact list. Ryan, that was him. After chatting briefly, Ryan agreed to help me get a job at Xun Yao. I specifically instructed him not to reveal too much of my information, saying I would discuss the details with the boss in person. Ryan was a bit confused, but I didn’t want to expose that I was going to resolve marital issues. Fortunately, Ryan was familiar with my personality and didn’t ask further.

On the day of the interview, I arrived at Xun Yao early and contacted Ryan. Ryan led me to an office, “Senior, please wait for a moment. The CEO will be here in about half an hour.” Ryan held a high position and wasn’t in a hurry to get back to work. He sat down next to me, “Senior, why did you suddenly decide to look for a job?” “I need to take care of some things recently.” Ryan had a boyish charm, and now he smiled, still looking youthful, “Back then, when you didn’t continue academic research or enter the industry, Professor Gao was so upset. He kept talking about you afterwards.” Professor Gao was my advisor. He had hoped I would stay in his team after graduation, but I refused. “I was too tired at that time. I didn’t like such a dull life.” I took a sip of tea, “Professor Gao probably wasn’t really that regretful about me, he just felt it was convenient to have me do work for him.” “Senior, you’re still so straightforward. But,” Ryan laughed, then suddenly changed the subject, “I heard from Professor Gao that it was because your husband wanted you to stay at home.” “Could it be that he regrets it now and wants you to go out and earn money?” Ryan smiled mischievously. I raised an eyebrow slightly, “Professor Gao said that?” The old man wouldn’t be that idle. Ryan’s hand holding the teacup paused, his smile fading as he awkwardly scratched his head, “No, I made that up.” “I was just curious. Back then, which of our classmates wasn’t curious about your love life?” Ryan put his hands together, almost pleading, “I finally get to see you again, let me pry a little.” The corners of my mouth curved slightly. Among our classmates back then, Ryan was the most favored. One reason was his face, and the other was this mischievous personality that was hard to dislike. Although I only had superficial relationships with everyone, Ryan acted as if we were still close. I was about to answer when the office door was pulled open from the outside. Lucas stood at the door with a serious face, looking at us with an indescribable expression. Ryan quickly stood up and introduced us to each other. I reached out my hand and said calmly, “Good morning, Mr. Ward.” Perhaps thinking my usual toneless voice might seem disrespectful, Ryan kindly explained for me: “Boss, due to a physical condition, my senior’s tone and expressions might be a bit flat. She doesn’t mean any disrespect.” Lucas gave an almost inaudible “Mm” and lightly shook my hand, letting go quickly. I had never been to Xun Yao before, but his assistant Zhang Ke knew me. Now he stood behind Lucas, a flash of shock crossing his face. But with his good professional qualities, he quickly returned to normal. “Miss Hayes, if there’s no problem, we can start the interview now.” I nodded. Zhang Ke turned around, “Mr. Lee, you can go back to work now.” As soon as Ryan left, Lucas calmly spoke, “You can go out too.” Zhang Ke wasn’t surprised, “Then I’ll go back upstairs.” As soon as the door closed, Lucas smiled helplessly, “What made you decide to interview at Xun Yao like this?” I stared straight at him, answering a different question, “You’ve been avoiding me.” Lucas’s body stiffened, and he didn’t speak. I stepped forward, approaching him with slightly furrowed brows, “Why?” Even if he didn’t believe my words, he could have interacted with me as usual. Under Lucas’s complex gaze, I leaned into his embrace, “Don’t avoid me.” I had tried very hard to learn how to discern people’s emotional changes. But in the end, I found that the input-output ratio of this task was so low. I don’t care about most people’s opinions of me. But I can’t not care about Lucas. Lucas let out a light sigh, cupping my face with both hands, and said gently: “How could I bear to avoid you?” I stared at him steadily. Liar. Lucas’s lips tightened slightly, and after a long while, he gently hugged me back to him, “I’m sorry.” I leaned on his shoulder, looking at his beautiful neck. I pressed my hand against his Adam’s apple, and Lucas involuntarily swallowed. My finger slid along with it. “Lucas, I don’t want ‘sorry’.” Apologies don’t have much use for me, as I don’t derive psychological comfort from them. “Okay, it won’t happen again.” For some reason, I heard a hint of bitterness in his tone. “Never mind.” I comforted him, wrapping my arms around his neck and resting my head on his shoulder dependently. Actually, it’s okay if it happens again. After all these years, I didn’t know that due to my emotional deficiency, he had been fumbling through this relationship for eight years. There are some things I can’t change, so I should at least give him a chance to breathe. Suddenly, a cold liquid flowed down my neck. Lucas spoke softly, but still couldn’t control the crying in his voice, “I don’t want to let it go.” I was stunned and quickly raised my head. The man in front of me had red-rimmed eyes, tears filling them to the brim. I stared at him blankly, full of confusion, “Why are you crying?” Lucas turned his face away, not letting me see, “I’m not.” My brain was spinning frantically, “You don’t want to let it go? Okay, then as you wish, it won’t happen again.” Lucas’s pupils dilated, and he suddenly turned to look at me. I gently wiped away the tears on his face. It was the first time I’d seen him cry. It was quite cute, so different from his usual self. “You mean let this matter go?” I nodded matter-of-factly. What else could it be?

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My sister-in-law lies. She said her family has millions and owns villas all over the country. She can give them a retirement. She told my sister her family has an entertainment company and can arrange for her to meet male celebrities. She married into our family. When I’ve asked her about all the things she said before, she would cry and say I’m ‘cruel’ and don’t treat her as a family member. In the summer, she took us abroad on a plane. I said I had to study for exams. My family told me I was doing the wrong thing. But only I know-they’ll be killed on a live stream once they go abroad. Now that I’ve been reborn, I’m not going with them to die! ‘Mom, dad, I’ve made the arrangements. Once Doris is on break, we’ll charter a plane and take a trip.’ I opened my eyes and heard these words. The pain spread through my body. My mum hugged my sister-in-law with excitement. Dad’s eyes were glowing, he was excited. ‘Rae, you’re great! My wife has never been abroad! Bernard is lucky to have you as his wife.’ Rae looked at me with malice and greed. I stiffened. I felt a coldness crawl up my spine and shivered. It was her! The woman who got us all killed with her twisted tricks in my past life. I took Rae’s arm and thought freely, despite my fear. ‘You’re so nice, Rae.’ All my classmates have been abroad, I’ve wanted to go for a long time!’ ‘I’m going to buy foreign snacks, clothes, and cosmetics, and show them to my housemates!’ ‘And a necklace, Rae, you’ll buy it for me, right?’ My mum slapped me when she heard this, and said, ‘You little girl! How dare you spend Rae’s money?’ ‘You’ll stay at home and guard the house during the summer holidays!’ ‘Stay here!’ My mother stopped me from enjoying anything good. My brother looked at me and sneered. ‘My wife’s money is also mine. Why are you spending it?’ I shouted, crying. ‘Mum and Dad, I want to go. Why can’t I go?’ My mum snorted and grabbed my hair, glaring at me. ‘You worthless girl, do you think you deserve the good things in your life?’ I bowed my head to endure the pain, trembling. It wasn’t fear, it was excitement. Only by doing this would they give up on taking me with them. Then, they’d meet the end they deserve, with no way out. In my last life, I didn’t want to go, but they made me. If I acted interested in money and luxury, my mother would never let me go. Seeing that I stayed silent, they all left. I put an ice pack on my face and thought about my past life. I had two brothers and a sister who’s a year younger than me. My family was poor until my younger sister Doris was born and my father became rich. They thought my sister was a blessing and pampered her. My brother got the family fortune. I was ignored and even beaten up. It wasn’t until my brother got married that I met the first person who was kind to me. My sister-in-law was young, pretty, kind, smart and rich. She said she had villas all over the country, so my parents could find a place to retire. She said her family owned an entertainment company and can arrange for my sister to meet her favourite male celebrity. She said she could get me a job in the company even if I didn’t pass my exams. I refused because my sister-in-law wasn’t as rich as she said. She lied to our family. But whenever I raised any doubts, she’d tearfully accuse me of being heartless and not treating her like family. And my parents, along with my brother and sister, would scold me, calling me ungrateful and saying I didn’t know how to appreciate good things. My sister-in-law took us abroad by plane during the summer holidays. As soon as we landed, we were kidnapped and thrown into the forest. After a week in the forest, we ran out of food. Suddenly, supplies appeared and we ended up fighting each other for them. Then the kidnappers came and one of us had to be sacrificed to escape. I was the one chosen. I was abused. After I died, I became a ghost to follow them. My sister-in-law and others arranged the death broadcast. Many people watched and bet on how we died. My sister-in-law isn’t rich. She was just a criminal, staging an elaborate scheme to get rich fast. In this life, I’ll watch the family kill each other!

My sister went on holiday too. She hugged and pampered her sister-in-law as soon as she heard the news. ‘Rae, you’re amazing. I’ve always wanted to go abroad. I’ll show off to my college friends when I get there!’ My mum smiled as she sat next to me on melon seeds. ‘Ask Rae to buy you some designer clothes so your friends can really be jealous. If you need more money, just ask me.’ My sister jumped into my mum’s arms and laughed. I was cooking for the family, ignoring the happy outside. My sister-in-law shouted at me, ‘Hilda, we’re leaving tomorrow, pack up.’ My sister looked unhappy and complained, ‘Why bring her? Every time she’s with us, it ruins the fun.’ My mum stared at me, signaling that I shouldn’t respond to the invitation. I didn’t say anything and continued preparing dinner. At the dinner table, the family talked about where to go and what to buy. I ate in silence, longing showing in my eyes. My sister-in-law smiled and put a piece of vegetable in my bowl. I blushed and didn’t eat. My brother watched and scolded me, ‘Hilda, what’s wrong with you? Rae’s been so nice to you and you don’t know how to be grateful? ’ My sister muttered under her breath, ‘Ungrateful brat.’ My parents looked unhappy too. I ate it all. My body broke out in a rash, my face was flushed, and I was breathing rapidly. My family took me to the hospital. I was allergic. My sister-in-law’s eyes were red and she was blaming herself. ‘Oh Hilda, I’m sorry.’ My brother looked at me like I did something wrong. ‘Why didn’t you say you were allergic? Now you’ve made Rae blamed herself.’ He made me eat the food. I was cold and shivering. Rae glared at my brother. I held Rae’s hand and cried, ‘Rae, I want to go on the trip too.’ I was so strong, Rae barely keep a scowl on her face. My sister got upset and shouted when she heard me. ‘No way! You can’t go. You’re allergic, so we’ll have to take care of you on the way.’ I vomited as soon as she said that. My sister’s shoes were covered in vomit, and she cried, ‘Mum, Dad! How is Hilda supposed to go? I don’t want to go on vacation if I have to take care of a sick person.’ My dad’s face darkened as he played. ‘Stay home and take care of yourself.’ My sister looked at me smugly. Rae comforted me, ‘Hilda, when you’re better, I’ll take you there again.’ I looked at her with gratitude. Grateful that she would bring down and kill this entire family of demons. They have no reason to take me out of the country and I can escape being killed. They’re going to suffer. After I finished the potion, my parents took me home. My parents cooked a meal together to celebrate their trip abroad tomorrow. I had just finished vomiting, so I could only eat a little rice. After eating, I went to bed.

My mum shouted again, ‘Hilda. Don’t think being sick gets you out of work. Get out here and pack Doris’ bags.’ My sister, lounging on the couch, said casually, ‘Mum, I don’t want Hilda Packing for me. She has no taste. If she packs something ugly, how am I supposed to take nice photos? She waved dismissively, ‘I’ll just tell her what to pack instead.’ My sister’s room was bigger and better decorated than mine. My parents were biased. She and I were a year apart. My dad got rich after she was born, so my parents coddled her. When I was little, she had floral dresses, while I had patchy trousers. When I grew up, I could have gone to the best school, but my parents didn’t want to pay for living expenses and high-speed train tickets, so I stayed at the local university. But when my sister couldn’t even get into a regular college, they paid for her to attend an expensive private school with annual tuition in the tens of thousands. At that point, money wasn’t an issue for them anymore. They just didn’t want to spend it on me. I smiled. My sister sat on the bed and told me what to do. ‘Bring these together.’ ‘And the make-up and skincare products on my desk.’ I put them into Doris’ suitcase. My sister stopped, came close and smiled. ‘Hilda, mum and dad bought these for me. Don’t be envious. Mum and dad love me, not you. I thought to myself, that’s fine. Soon, you’ll all die together, and your little family will be perfectly reunited in the hell. Right? Thinking of this, I bit my cheek and offered a sincere suggestion. ‘Doris, look, all this stuff is too heavy to bring on the plane. Why don’t you just leave it behind? Rae will buy you all the designer brands when you arrive there anyway, Isn’t that right?’ I added, ‘I’ve never had designer brands before, I’m really jealous.’ My sister was happy when I complimented her. She thought for a moment, then ran to mom and whining sweetly. My mum patted her head and nodded. A loving mother. My sister got permission and ran to my brother. My brother was happy to stop packing. They were lazy and greedy. The next morning, they left. Before leaving, my mum kept reminding me. ‘The air conditioner can only be used for two hours a day. If there’s nothing going on, don’t stay home and waste electricity. It’s not good to always let your parents support you when you’re an adult.’ I waited for her to finish counting and watched them leave. They can’t see it anymore. I organised my books and went to the library to study. In my last life, I was unhappy that I never entered ideal school, and then I went on a trip abroad and my life was ruined. I must study hard and succeed this time without them. Studied in the library until nine, then went home and had takeout. I took out my other phone and typed in the URL. The live broadcast had started. I want to see them die! Chapter 4

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I’ve been secretly in love with Liam Hawthorne for years. In college, I was his fangirl. After graduation, I became his assistant. I handled all his business and personal affairs. Everyone said I would be the future Mrs. Hawthorne. But during a board meeting, he openly asked the shareholders: “I’m not getting any younger, it’s time for me to get married. My family has given me a few options, who do you think is suitable?” Several photos of beautiful women flashed on the screen. There were heiresses, business prodigies, and popular actresses… Any one of them would make me feel inadequate. I lowered my head, preparing to escape the meeting room and find a quiet place to nurse my wounded heart. To my surprise, he called out to me, asking seriously: “Miss Blackwood, you’re the closest person to me and know my temperament and preferences best. What’s your opinion?” From the moment Liam Hawthorne stepped into our university, he became the campus celebrity. His handsome face made a group of young girls swoon. Many tried various ways to approach him, and I was no exception. However, my method was quite old-fashioned. I planned to “accidentally” bump into him at the library. Who knew that a group of crazy fans would call me a schemer, not only kicking me out of the fan club but also treating me as an enemy. Because when I “accidentally” encountered him at the library, I was so nervous that I stepped on my own long dress and fell flat on my face in front of everyone. You think that’s the end of it? No! Liam, being a normal person, reflexively reached out to help when he saw a young woman about to fall in front of him. But the angle was off. I hurt my chin, and his watch was damaged too. After I recovered, I had to compensate him for the watch repair costs. He said, “It’s okay, she didn’t do it on purpose.” Our professor said, “No, she should at least make up for it somehow.” So, I was assigned to clean Liam’s dorm room. That’s when I found out he was living in a luxurious single room. I heard he was an exchange student. He had studied in France since he was young, then came back to our country for some reason, so he entered our school as an exchange student. The first time I went to clean, Liam was quite embarrassed, “Um, it’s just a watch, really no big deal. You don’t have to listen to the professor. I have a cleaning service here.” I initially thought about letting it go. After all, being too close to Liam only resulted in getting scolded, with no real benefits. But when I saw the schedule pinned to his desk, an idea struck me. I insisted on compensating him. So, I ended up cleaning his dorm for two years, until we left school and entered society. During those two years, I achieved financial freedom by selling information about his whereabouts and interests.

I was conflicted about liking Liam. On one hand, I genuinely liked him. After all, who wouldn’t like a man with money, looks, and knowledge? On the other hand, I felt insecure. I clearly knew the gap between us. After all, I was aiming for marriage, not a relationship that would end right after graduation. In the end, my feelings for him overcame my insecurity. After graduation, I worked hard to get into a big company. The goal was to increase my own value, then give myself the capital and courage to confess to Liam. I kept thinking to myself: “You have a superior family background and unparalleled good looks, but I also have enviable beauty and talent, with a bright future ahead. I’m worthy of you.” Unfortunately, just as I was about to make great strides in my career, he walked into the office I had carefully prepared for my future boss and sat very naturally in that chair that symbolized status. He smiled at me and said, “Fiona Blackwood, we really are destined to meet. In college, you cleaned my dorm, and now in the workplace, you’re cleaning my office?” I very seriously replied, “I’m sorry, Mr. Hawthorne, I’m your assistant. I’m responsible for many tasks you assign, but that doesn’t include cleaning.” He looked at me with interest for a while, then said, “Alright! But don’t sell my whereabouts anymore. That’s harmless on campus, but it’s quite serious in the real world.” And so, I “infiltrated” by his side for another five years. Always waiting for the right moment to make a move. Finally, I waited for the “good” news of his marriage.

As soon as I left the conference room, I was dragged into the break room by several young girls from the office. They eagerly asked me, “Sister Fiona, we heard Mr. Hawthorne proposed to you. Tell us the details!” Youth is wonderful! Even their gossip is so cute. They’re like flower buds just starting to bloom, so full of vitality. I really envy them. I beckoned, and someone immediately brought me a coffee. I took the coffee and sat down, putting on a face as if I was about to share the details, “Mr. Hawthorne is getting married, but he hasn’t proposed yet. And the person he’s proposing to isn’t me. The target was just decided.” My tone was calm, but it shocked the group of young girls into silence. They all stared at me with wide eyes. “The cleaning lady just came out saying Mr. Hawthorne is getting married, and he was asking for your opinion…” “It’s not you?” “Then who is it?” “Yeah, you and Mr. Hawthorne…” They chattered away, and I interrupted them to emphasize, “Mr. Hawthorne and I have a purely professional relationship as superior and subordinate.” “How is that possible?” “How is it not possible?” They still insisted, “How is that possible?” Then they started counting on their fingers, listing all my special privileges with Liam. I was the only woman who could get close to Liam. I was the only one who could freely move between his office and home. I was the special employee who had the CEO personally backing me up when I made mistakes. I was Liam’s exclusive companion at various important banquets and balls. “Enough, enough,” I said with an attitude of indifference, “These aren’t my special privileges, they’re the privileges of being the CEO’s assistant. If you became the CEO’s assistant, you could enjoy these privileges too.” They exclaimed in surprise, and one said, “Then why didn’t you ever explain when we joked about this before?” “Why should I explain,” I said cheerfully, “I have a puffed-up sense of vanity too!” “But Mr. Hawthorne never explains either?” I said, “He can’t hear your gossip.” The break room fell silent again. A young girl born in ’98 pouted and said, “Then all the flattery we gave you was for nothing?” “That’s right.” They looked like they wanted to settle accounts with me, and I said, “How could it be for nothing? Even after Mr. Hawthorne gets married, my privileges will remain. Except for not having to accompany him to various banquets and balls, and not having to arrange his life at home, everything else stays the same.” I happily and secretly told them, “And just now, Mr. Hawthorne promised to give me company shares. Who knows, maybe the future Mrs. Hawthorne will have to come to me to find out about Mr. Hawthorne’s affairs!” I took a sip of coffee, put down the cup, and walked away nonchalantly. Cursing in my heart, which little rascal made this coffee and forgot to add sugar? My heart was already as bitter as eating Gentian, and now it’s even more bitter on top of that.

I couldn’t help but go to the bathroom to throw up. Then, I washed my face with cold water. Looking at myself in the mirror, forcing a smile, I finally couldn’t hold up anymore. My face immediately crumpled, all the spirit instantly drained from my body, dejected like a defeated rooster. Just now in the conference room, Liam asked for my opinion. Holding back my inner sorrow, I turned back with a smile and said, “Mr. Hawthorne, I’m not a company shareholder. My opinion doesn’t matter, does it?” Liam coldly said, “Are you reminding me that I should give you company shares?” I swear, I didn’t mean that. Although, I am a bit of a money lover. “Fine! After all, you’ve been by my side all these years, working diligently. Giving you shares is appropriate. I also want to use this to motivate the company’s employees, showing that Hawthorne Corp will never mistreat those who have contributed.” Then, he very skillfully changed the subject, saying to the major shareholders, “Business marriages are a common tactic used by financial groups, so when you choose, please be sure to follow the principle of ‘maximizing group interests’.” I really couldn’t take this torture anymore, so I pointed at the photo in the upper right corner of the screen and said, “I think Miss Sinclair is more suitable… after all, I’m not very familiar with the others.” One shareholder chimed in, “Although Miss Sinclair’s Sinclair Group isn’t as financially powerful as our Hawthorne Corp, and she’s not the heir, her achievements in the entertainment industry can bring us tremendous public opinion value.” Then, many shareholders agreed it was a good choice. Finally, Liam made the decision, “Since everyone’s opinion is unanimous, let’s go with Miss Sinclair.” Most annoyingly, he even looked at me meaningfully and said, “The person Miss Blackwood approves of won’t disappoint me.” Damn it! At that moment, I wanted to slap myself silly. Weren’t wealthy families supposed to look down on people from the entertainment industry? Who would have thought that the one I picked with the least advantage would be approved by Liam? I really “shot myself in the foot” this time.

By the time I had organized the files and went back to Liam’s office to find him, he was already completely in work mode, as if the matter of marriage was an insignificant trifle to him. Seeing me come in, he looked up at me and asked, “Something wrong?” I handed him a document with both hands, very respectfully saying, “Mr. Hawthorne, please take a look.” He looked at me suspiciously, took the document, opened it to look, and let out a big sigh of relief, “You scared me, I thought this was your resignation letter.” I pretended to be puzzled and asked, “Why would I resign?” While signing the document, he said, “I’m getting married, some things might become inconvenient for you to do.” “As long as Mr. Hawthorne pays well, nothing is inconvenient for me to do.” Liam chuckled hearing this and handed the document back to me, “I like this money-loving side of you. It makes me feel that as long as I pay you, you’ll never betray me. It’s most reassuring for a boss to have such a secretary.” I clicked my tongue, took the document, unfolded it to look, and my eyes were dazzled, “Mr. Hawthorne, this… you won’t regret it, right?” Good heavens, he actually gave me 1% of the company shares directly? I thought he would write how many shares? Converted to a percentage, at most it would be zero point zero zero something percent. I didn’t expect him to be so generous? “This is what you deserve.” I held up the document, confirming again, “This is an annual income of tens of millions or even hundreds of millions, and it’s a share that has the right to participate in shareholders’ meetings.” “If you think it’s too much, I can give you less.” Is there anyone who thinks money is too much? I might wish my life was shorter, but I’d never think money was too much. I hugged the document to my chest, “If you regret it, you’re a dog.” The corners of his beautifully curved lips lifted slightly, “Look carefully at the attached conditions. Leaving the job is equivalent to automatically giving up the shares.” “Don’t worry, I’ll try hard to enjoy the company’s funeral benefit.” He couldn’t continue the conversation and waved his hand, “Go do your work. Remember to send my dry-cleaned clothes back when you get off work. Oh, and clean out the fridge, change the bed sheets, and also, find out about Miss Sinclair’s interests, pick a suitable gift, and help me arrange a meeting.”

When I got home, I hugged that contract and cried my eyes out, almost to death. My roommate came back, saw me lying lifelessly on the carpet, thought I was drunk, and almost kicked me to death. I told her the whole story with tears all over my face, and she screamed, “So you’re saying you’ve suddenly become a rich woman? This is the ultimate dream of many women, isn’t it?” I cried so hard I could barely breathe, “Marrying Liam and inheriting his estate in the future might get me tens of billions. Do you think I should cry myself to death?” Ruby is a very carefree person. Hearing this, she shook her head at me, “You… there are so many rich people, why are you so obsessed with Liam’s money bag? After all, you’re still underestimating your own beauty. Come on, sister will take you to witness a miracle.” In the noisy bar with flashing lights, I sat in the middle of the curved booth, wearing big headphones, focused on playing with my phone. Ruby brought wave after wave of men to chat me up, but I barely looked at them. “Miss.” “Miss Blackwood.” “Sister.” “Beautiful.” I waved all these people away directly. Ruby said, “Don’t be so arrogant just because you have some looks. They’re all quite good, all from wealthy families. You don’t even look at them, it’s really not giving them face, is it?” “When the right person comes, I’ll naturally give them face.” I kept my head down, my fingers actively swiping the screen, my eyes keenly searching for useful information. Even Ruby didn’t want to bother with me anymore. “Hey! Then I’ll just play by myself. With that ‘do not disturb’ look of yours, I suppose you don’t need company either.” With that, she happily ran off. Just as I was surfing the internet, suddenly a man’s gentle voice came from behind me, “Little sister, you come here just to play with your phone? You’ve chosen the wrong place, haven’t you?” I naturally put away my phone and looked up. By now, a dignified man in a suit was sitting across from me, catching my eye. “Who are you calling little sister? What year were you born?” I sized him up as he sized me up. I was thinking, this place really is a treasure trove, there’s actually this kind of eye-catching… refined man with gold-rimmed glasses? What he was thinking, I wasn’t quite sure. “1994,” he said. “I’m older than you, call me big sister.” I immediately put on a big sister air.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294894”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #校园School #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #玄幻Fantsy

On Valentine’s Day, my boyfriend Adam gave me a box of cheap artificial grass and tried to coax me into a hotel room. I turned around and got into a Mercedes G-Wagon instead. He called me a gold digger. The rich guy in the G-Wagon said, “Is your family’s massive ranch not big enough for you? Why are you settling for this loser?” 1 “Baby, happy Valentine’s Day!” Adam said, his voice muffled by the cigarette smoke seeping through the crack in the door of the cheap motel room near campus. Despite the unpleasant smell, I felt touched when I saw Adam proudly presenting a gift box to me. I knew he had been working part-time jobs for the past two months, and all his efforts were contained in this small box. I was about to open it eagerly when he gently stopped my hand. “Be patient, sweetheart. Let’s wait a bit before opening it.” “Okay,” I replied with a sweet smile. While Adam was in the shower, I nervously scrolled through my phone, secretly searching for tips about a girl’s first time. After reading through some heart-racing content, I became even more anxious and wanted to find something to distract myself. I glanced at the unopened gift box. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to take a quick peek while Adam was showering? I could always wrap it back up. Carefully, I untied the ribbon and opened the layers of wrapping. But when I saw what was inside, I froze. After two months of hard work, Adam had given me a box of cheap artificial grass? Disbelieving, I felt around in the grass and finally found a small hard object. I pulled it out to find a tacky plastic keychain. In that moment, all my joy and anticipation vanished. I felt like a fool staring at the $19.99 price tag on the back of the keychain. It seemed to mockingly tell me: “See, Lily? This is all you’re worth to Adam – twenty bucks.” “Ding!” The sound of Adam’s phone receiving a text message snapped me out of my thoughts. I absent-mindedly picked up his phone from the bed. Messages from Adam’s mother started popping up one after another: “Son, how are you doing at school? I transferred $500 to you. Let me know if you need more.” “Make sure to eat well and don’t spend all your money on dating!” “The Wang family’s son just got married yesterday. They didn’t even have a wedding banquet or buy a house before moving in together.” “You need to hurry up too! Get her pregnant!” “If necessary, poke some holes in the condoms. She’ll never notice.” Reading these messages that kept appearing, my heart sank like a stone. Even though it was summer, I couldn’t help but shiver. Disappointment, anger, panic, shame – these emotions churned inside me. The cigarette smoke from outside continued to drift in. I could no longer control my physical nausea and emotional disgust. I flung open the door and ran out. 2 I practically sprinted back to my dorm room. My roommates Emma and Chloe were startled by my disheveled appearance. “Lily, did you see a ghost? Weren’t you out celebrating Valentine’s Day with your boyfriend? Why are you back so soon?” Just as I was about to answer, my phone started buzzing in my pocket. It was Adam calling. I took a deep breath to calm myself before answering. His angry voice came through the speaker: “Lily, where are you? You promised to spend the night out with me. I already paid over $100 for the room and the front desk won’t give refunds!” I listened to Adam’s furious shouting. He even resorted to threats: “Either you come back right now, or we’re breaking up.” Break up? In the past, whenever Adam said those words, I would immediately become as docile as a rabbit and apologize. This time, I swallowed my hurt and anger. Without thinking, I transferred $1000 to him. “Adam, take this $1000 as compensation. Don’t contact me again. We’re over.” My two roommates were shocked to hear me say those words myself. Emma gave me a thumbs up, as if to say “you finally came to your senses”. “What? Lily, have you gone crazy? What nonsense are you talking about?” Adam panicked. He didn’t expect that this time I wouldn’t meekly surrender, and that I would turn his ultimatum back on him. I hung up without another word. Adam called back several times, but I didn’t answer. Finally, he lost patience and accepted the $1000 I sent him. “Fine, let’s break up then. Don’t come crying back to me later.” “With your face now, who else would marry you besides me?” “You’ll regret this sooner or later!” Looking at the three messages Adam sent, I glanced at the mirror by my bed. My reflection showed my fair and delicate face, but when I turned slightly…the other side revealed a large patch of bluish-black marks, like an ugly birthmark that instantly ruined my looks. My insecurity was palpable. However, this time, I steeled my heart. No matter what, I wouldn’t beg Adam to take me back. Even though he once loved me so much. 3 Adam and I met in our freshman year of college, when my face was still smooth and fair. With his backstory of losing his father at a young age, Adam quickly became known as the poor but noble prince of our department. He had a steady personality and excellent grades, and was gentle and polite to everyone. As someone born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I was quickly attracted to his unique charm. Although he was poor, he had pride. When I pursued him, I bought him many expensive gifts, but he refused to accept them. Even after we got together, he often warned me not to waste money. To please him, I stopped buying thousand-dollar clothes and accessories, and even changed my usual restaurants to the fast food places near campus. My roommates saw how I changed after dating Adam and were very worried about me. Especially Emma. She often said Adam was manipulating me, but I always scoffed at her concerns. I believed Adam truly loved me. He would get jealous if other guys looked at me for too long, bring me hot milk during my period, and remembered all my favorite foods and dietary restrictions. There was no boyfriend more caring than him. More importantly, even after my face was disfigured, he remained by my side just like before. I still remember those darkest days. In the second semester of sophomore year, some grayish-blue spots suddenly appeared on the left side of my face. At first, I didn’t pay much attention and just bought a lot of expensive spot-removing products. But not only did they have no effect, the blue spots grew more numerous and darker, eventually merging into a large patch. I started to become unwilling to go out or see people, and even developed some depressive tendencies. It was Adam who accompanied me to the hospital. The next day, he came back with the test results and told me that my blue spots were likely caused by a hidden genetic disease in my family, and there was no treatment. Just when I was about to give up all hope, Adam became the light that illuminated my darkness. “Lily, don’t be afraid. No matter what you look like, I’ll always be by your side. No one will love you more than I do.” He comforted me tirelessly until he helped me overcome this psychological shadow. Adam really did as he said. He didn’t abandon me because of my face, but became even more caring towards me. He even promised that as soon as he graduated and found a job, we would get married. He took me to various gatherings with his friends. In front of all his buddies’ beautiful girlfriends, I felt out of place. “Adam, why don’t I try cosmetic surgery?” I nervously suggested to him. But Adam immediately refused. He frowned and looked me in the eye. “Lily, do you think I got together with you just because you were pretty?” “What kind of person do you take me for? I already said I’ll love you no matter what you look like.” “Those fake faces from cosmetic surgery are disgusting. I hate those Instagram model faces the most!” I gave up on the idea of cosmetic surgery. Later, I comforted myself that I already had Adam. If even he didn’t mind, why should I care so much about this flaw on my face? 4 And now, Adam would no longer be part of my life. I looked in the mirror and re-examined myself, thinking about cosmetic surgery again. Even if there was only a one-in-ten-thousand chance of getting rid of this blue patch on my face, I wanted to try. Adam kept sending me messages, changing from threats to apologies, his tone softening from harsh to gentle. Before I could reply, a voice message suddenly played from Chloe’s phone. The voice was all too familiar – it was Adam. “Chloe, don’t you think Lily is being ungrateful? If only she was as understanding of my difficulties as you are.” I suddenly looked up and met Chloe’s panicked, innocent gaze. “Lily, don’t overthink it! Adam was just venting to me because he had a fight with you. I was trying to help persuade him for you.” Looking at the affectionate messages popping up on Adam’s phone, I felt an inexplicable wave of nausea. Ungrateful? Understanding of his difficulties? What difficulties should I be understanding about? His scheme to get me pregnant before marriage? Or the fact that he went to my roommate for comfort right after breaking up with me? “Chloe, you don’t need to pretend. I’ve known about your little games behind my back for a long time. I just couldn’t be bothered to confront you. That doesn’t mean I’m stupid.” I had known Chloe disliked me since the first day of school. She was a small-town girl, a nobody when she first arrived. Many classmates even mocked her for being poor. Because we were roommates, I got along well with her and often lent her clothes and bags. She was quite pretty, and once she wore decent clothes and shoes and lost her country bumpkin air, she could actually be considered a beauty. More and more people said she looked a bit like me, but more often, they mocked her for being my personal maid and follower. Chloe changed. She started secretly diluting my cosmetics, staining my new clothes, and even stealing my money. I turned a blind eye to those things, not bothering to confront her. And now she wanted to steal Adam from me. Who knows how long the two of them had been hooking up behind my back. 5 “Lily, how can you say that about me? I only had good intentions!” Chloe panicked, putting on a pitiful act with teary eyes. Even Emma thought I was being too harsh. Emma tried to mediate: “Lily, just forget about that jerk Adam. Don’t let him affect our dorm relationships.” I pulled out several photos from my phone and placed them on the table, swiping through them one by one in front of them. The first showed Chloe “adding ingredients” to my makeup oil. The second showed Chloe reaching into my drawer and taking out my wallet. The third was a love letter Chloe had written to Adam. With each photo I swiped through, Emma and Chloe’s expressions changed. Chloe turned and glared at me viciously. “You knew all along! You were just laughing at me, weren’t you?!” I remained silent. Emma was completely stunned by Chloe’s sudden change in demeanor. Chloe spread her phone out in front of me with a twisted expression, speaking through gritted teeth: “Lily, so what if you’re rich? Now you’ve lost that perfect face and Adam, your loyal dog. You’re nothing now. You can’t step on me anymore to show off how noble you are!” I looked at the WeChat messages on Chloe’s screen, which apparently started last August. So she had her sights set on Adam long ago. “Adam, did you buy that 700 n e w d r e s s f o r L i l y ?

′ s s o p r e t t y . I w i s h I w a s t h a t l u c k y . B u t I ′ m h a p p y w i t h m y 700newdressforLily?It ′ ssopretty.IwishIwasthatlucky.ButI ′ mhappywithmy10 T-shirt!” Adam replied: “Lily is just vain. I think it’s better to be frugal.” “Adam, which of these two photos do you think looks better?” The attached images were two selfies with her cleavage half-exposed. Adam replied: “Both look good. It would be even better if they were a bit more revealing (winking face)” “Adam, I heard you had another fight with Lily. She’s from a rich family so it’s normal for her to be spoiled. Unlike us poor kids. You should be more understanding of her.” Adam replied: “If only Lily was half as sensible as you.” I knew the wealth gap between Adam and me had always been a thorn in his heart. I tried my best to cater to him, carefully protecting his fragile self-esteem. In the end, I was still the bad guy who wasn’t sensible enough. Meanwhile Chloe, who was even more vain and materialistic than me, became his kindred spirit and confidante just because her background was similarly poor. “Lily, you and Adam aren’t from the same world. Only I truly understand him.” Yes, you two are a perfect match, I thought bitterly. You’re both so self-pitying and insecure about your backgrounds. I looked at Chloe’s smug face and laughed sarcastically. “Since you like my leftovers so much, you can have him. After all, unlike me, apart from Adam – this ‘potential stock’ that may or may not rise -” “You have nothing.” The color drained from Chloe’s face at my words. She grabbed her phone and stormed out. I didn’t need to guess where she was going – she was off to seek comfort from Adam. Looks like Adam’s $100 room fee wouldn’t go to waste after all. I wished them happiness. 6 The next day, I went to a famous cosmetic surgery clinic in the city based on an online search and made an appointment with the dermatology department. A nurse led me in. The young male doctor who examined me had apparently just returned from getting his master’s degree abroad. “Lily?” he called my name hesitantly, looking up at me with a shocked expression. “When did you get back? Why didn’t you tell me?” Jack was my childhood friend. His parents and mine were not only business partners but also close friends for many years, so I spent almost every day with Jack before we became adults. He was the stereotypical rich playboy, always surrounded by girls, while I was the well-behaved good girl who never caused trouble. Later he went abroad for school, while I chose to attend a prestigious local university. Due to the time difference, we gradually lost touch. Hearing my words, Jack suddenly looked a bit hurt. “Didn’t you delete me on SnapChat?” Surprised, I took out my phone in front of him and indeed couldn’t find him in my contacts. It must have been Adam’s doing again. Every so often, some male contacts would mysteriously disappear from my SnapChat. I used to think it was cute that he got jealous, but now I just found it pathetic. I didn’t know how to explain to Jack, so I just added him back. He looked at the blue patch covering half my face with concern and asked, “What happened?” “I went to the hospital to check. They said it might be a hidden genetic disease in the family with no treatment. I wanted to see if cosmetic surgery could remove these blue spots.” He looked shocked when he heard my explanation. “That’s impossible!” “Lily, which quack doctor did you see? This kind of blue patch is caused by pigment deposition. If it were genetic, you would have had symptoms since childhood!” “If it appeared later in life, there are only two possibilities – either you applied something to your face, or it was caused by hormonal drugs.” Jack’s words hit me like a bolt of lightning. I had never considered this possibility. The doctor who examined me wasn’t some quack – I had gone to the most famous hospital in the city. It was impossible for the hospital to misdiagnose. There was only one possibility left. Adam had lied to me and forged my test results! All this time, I had become fragile and insecure because of my imperfect face. Adam saw it all, yet he still deceived me. Why on earth would he do that?! Jack noticed my expression change and thought I was worried about the spots on my face. “Lily, don’t worry. I learned about relevant treatments abroad. Apart from the high cost, this type of blue patch is not difficult to treat at all.” His words comforted me. With my family background, any problem that could be solved with money was no longer a problem for me. While I was delighted that my face could be restored, I was also furious and confused about Adam’s long-standing deception. I had to get to the bottom of this! 7 Jack specially ordered a spot removal device from the UK for me, specifically to treat my condition. I didn’t understand how he, as a newly hired doctor, had so much influence. He gave me a playful look with his insufferable expression. “You dare disobey the young master’s orders?” Oh, so this cosmetic surgery clinic was also one of the Song family’s businesses. Their reach was truly extensive. I underwent treatment with Jack for nearly half a month. During this time, I took leave from school. Every day after treatment, Jack would drive me home and stay for dinner. He had always loved my mom’s cooking since we were kids. Even when his own mother called to ask him to come home for dinner, it was useless. Over time, both our families got used to it. Whenever they saw Jack, my family would just set an extra place at the table. “Look in the mirror. Don’t eat anything weird again, especially those diet pills online. They’re unreliable. That’s how you messed up your face in the first place.” I ignored Jack’s nagging and happily examined myself in the mirror. My fair, flawless face was finally back! “Let’s go, Miss Lily. I’ll drive you back to school.” “Don’t you have to work?” “Have you ever seen a young master who needs to clock in on time?” Jack opened the door of his Mercedes G-Wagon for me, putting on his flashy gold-rimmed sunglasses. He drove me ostentatiously through the university gates. Along the way, he chattered on about many interesting stories from his time in the UK, but I wasn’t really listening. I turned my head to look at the familiar campus, feeling like my lost confidence was slowly being restored. As we passed by the teaching building, I saw Adam and Chloe. Jack asked, “Isn’t that your boyfriend? I saw photos of you two on your Ins. Why is he holding hands with another girl?” I coldly replied: “We broke up long ago.” Jack sensed my displeasure, but his expression remained cheerful. He teasingly said: “Someone really had such bad taste? Does that mean I have a chance now? Goddess, may I have the honor of being your devoted admirer? I’ll even settle for being your backup.” I smacked the back of his head in annoyance. He had always been so frivolous since we were young. As we drove past Adam, Jack deliberately slowed down. Adam saw me in the passenger seat and his face instantly turned pale. Disregarding the danger, he rushed over and blocked the car. I rolled down the window and saw his disgusting face. “Lily?! Why are you in this playboy’s car? He clearly has bad intentions!” “This type of guy has slept with countless women. He probably has some STD. How can you be so careless?” “Your…your face?” Adam was about to say more but choked on his words when he saw my perfectly restored face. Chloe came over to pull him away and was also startled by my flawless complexion. Especially when she saw Jack sitting beside me, her eyes were practically shooting fire with jealousy. 8 “Chloe, control your gaze. The guy next to me is way out of your league,” I said deliberately to irritate her. “Besides, his family background doesn’t match yours. You’re better suited for a poor nobody like Adam.”

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After my brutal death, Dad kept delivering more orders, day and night. He was always on time, even offering to take out customers’ trash on his way down. It didn’t take long before the property manager began to suspect something dark, that maybe those missing tenants were actually hidden in the garbage bags Dad took downstairs. Dad only chuckled calmly at this. “I’ve been running deliveries around here for ten years, and you’re still questioning me?” In front of the police, Sam Hendricks, the property manager, dragged over a trash bag leaking blood. A few bystanders, straining to watch, nearly gagged. The officers quickly cleared the crowd and surrounded Dad. “Officer, it’s him,” Sam said, his hand trembling as he pointed at Dad, fear and suspicion heavy in his eyes. “The last few tenants who ordered from him—well, they’re all gone now.” Dad stood still, holding several trash bags in each hand. Despite the sudden chaos, his expression stayed calm. He set down the bags, raised his hands, and let the police approach. “Sir, we have reason to believe you’re involved in recent disappearances. Please cooperate with the investigation,” one officer ordered, his voice cold. Dad shrugged and nodded, unfazed. “Go ahead. I’ve been delivering here for nearly ten years now, every day. Not like I’m going anywhere.” When they tore open the bloodied trash bag from Sam, all they found were dead rats. “It’s not illegal to kill rats, is it, Officer?” Dad shrugged, leaning back. But the officers ignored him, determined to keep searching. All they found, though, was a pile of trash and some unclaimed food deliveries—until one of them reached the bottom of the delivery cooler, where a metal box lay hidden. The K9 unit started barking furiously. When the officer pried the lid open, a sharp smell of blood spilled out, making the bystanders gag. Inside was a box filled with raw, bloodied scraps. Dad stayed calm, even apologizing to the crowd. “Sorry, hadn’t processed those kidneys yet. Bit gamey; should’ve soaked ‘em in some vinegar…” The officers pressed him down and barked, “Enough games, Frank Collins. Where are those missing people?” “And your daughter, Lily Collins, has been gone for nearly two weeks. You filed a report, then pulled it back. What did you do to her?” “File a report?” They shoved him to the ground, but he only laughed, a cold, mocking sound. “If I’d waited for you to find her, she’d have rotted by now.” Following him silently, I felt my soul ache with every word. I’m already dead, so why does it still hurt? Dad always called me stupid. All my life, I was the one he’d berate. Now, the police were shoving Dad out the door, bringing him to his apartment. The freezer in the center of the room immediately caught everyone’s attention. When they carefully opened it, the stench made even the officers grimace in disgust. Inside, lying in a twisted heap, was me. The missing Lily Collins, my body horrifically mangled.

I was attacked on a night like any other. With my backpack slung over my shoulder, I walked quickly, trying to figure out what to make for dinner. Then, shadows sprang from the darkness, too fast and rough for me to even scream. Fear and pain swallowed me as I fought desperately, but they were too strong. They dragged me to a dark basement, hands tearing at my clothes. I screamed, but my mouth was gagged tight. My flailing limbs only seemed to spur them on, and I felt my body being torn apart. My soul was ripped away in that moment, forced to watch the horror being done to me. At one point, a younger man with curly hair gasped, “Hey! She’s not moving!” “Passed out from all the fun?” “Hey, get up! Quit faking!” The muscular man in charge hoisted my lifeless body, slapping me over and over. Each blow reverberated through my soul like an echo of pain. Finally, after dozens of slaps and seeing my head slump with no response, they began to panic. They checked my pulse, and it was gone. The younger guy clutched his head in horror. “We’re finished. They only paid us to have some fun, not kill her! I’m not going back to prison!” “Stop whining,” the leader spat, kicking him. “They asked for a job; we got paid extra. She won’t be back for her money anyway.” They disappeared into the darkness. And I floated aimlessly, finding my way back to our front door. I arrived just in time to see Dad return from his deliveries, fumbling for his keys. A neighbor called out, “Hey, Frank! Your Lily probably made dinner for you, right? You’ve got a good girl there.” “Good for nothing,” Dad muttered without a second glance. “So stupid, I’m just glad she doesn’t cause any trouble.” “Oh, c’mon, Frank. Give the girl some credit. Kids have their pride, you know?” “I raised her on my own. I get to say a word or two.” Dad scoffed as he pushed the door open. The house was dark, and he frowned, calling out, “Lily? Didn’t make anything tonight, huh?” Nothing answered except the cold draft from the hall. After Mom’s accident, Dad started his job with Quick Bites, out all day, every day. He said I held him back, that he could never find a new wife because of me. I was just his stupid deadweight, too dumb to do well in school, or even cook right. As the night wore on, his frustration grew. “That girl. Out wandering now, huh? Just wait till she gets back.” He kept calling my phone, dialing until it went straight to voicemail. He even took his scooter out, riding around the streets, searching up and down the path I took home from school. But I was nowhere to be found.

Dad wasn’t denying the murders anymore, but he wasn’t being particularly helpful either. “How many people? I don’t keep track. Leftovers are in the box. You can sort ‘em yourselves.” The box held scraps in different stages of decay. Some parts were blackened and reeking, nearly liquid from sitting so long. It was enough to keep the coroner’s office busy for weeks. While Dad was being shown around, identifying possible crime scenes at Maplewood Terrace, a man stumbled over, clearly drunk. “Frank Collins! Where’s my wife? You took my wife, didn’t you? Give her back!” It was Doug Montgomery, Carla’s drunk husband. The neighbors started whispering, “Yeah, haven’t seen Carla Montgomery in a while. I’d heard she’d had a fling with the delivery guy, her husband beat her up something fierce after that… But now…” Doug spat through slurred words. “Hell, I’m not the one having flings with some delivery guy! Now get outta here!” He took a swing at Dad, who only staggered and laughed, “Can’t handle your own wife? And you’re blaming me?” When I first went missing, Dad came to this neighborhood, knowing it was on my way home. He knocked on Carla’s door first, the only person he knew nearby. But Doug had thrown him out. “What’s your daughter to us? Just looking for an excuse to hit on my wife again?” Now, as the police separated the enraged Doug from Dad, Dad chuckled bitterly. “I’ve taken out so much trash, I can’t remember where Carla Montgomery ended up.” Faces turned pale around us—police officers calculating the endless garbage bags they might need to search, and the crowd imagining what might be in each one. Watching Doug rage helplessly made me feel something like joy for the first time since my death. I remember how Dad’s fling with Carla was exposed when Doug came to our house, reeking of alcohol, and told Mom, “Your husband’s been with my wife. You’ll pay up for it. Or maybe I’ll just take your daughter as payment.”

Dad and Carla had something short-lived once, nearly going through with a plan to leave together. I remember when Mom and Dad were always fighting, and he’d come home later and later. Carla was one of his regulars at Quick Bites, always seeming to know just how to get his attention. Once, I overheard them planning a future, each word a sharp sting in my heart. “Let’s just get a divorce. I won’t let him hurt you again,” Dad had said, his voice low and determined. Carla’s voice dripped with charm and anticipation, “Yes, we’ll finally be free.” I hid behind the door, tears blurring my vision. I hated Dad, hated that he wanted to leave me and Mom to chase after his happiness. I hated Carla, hated her for trying to destroy my family. And, somewhere in me, I hated Mom, too, for being too weak to keep Dad’s attention. But then, in the rain one night, Mom’s life came to an abrupt end. Dad and Carla’s plans crumbled, and he chose to stay, raising me on his own. He cut ties with Carla, filling his life only with endless deliveries and a child he resented. Some nights, he’d sit alone with a drink, calling me his “deadweight,” cursing that I couldn’t grow up faster. And I, after losing Mom, closed myself off, rebelling against him at every turn. I ignored his concern, meeting it with coldness and defiance, as if punishing him would heal the pain. Then came the night that sealed my fate. I don’t know how Dad found his way into that dark basement. He stood there, staring at my battered body, unmoving. After a long time, he draped a jacket over me, covering my broken form. He didn’t wail or cry; every movement was calm, mechanical. I thought, maybe he felt freed, relieved of the burden I’d always been. Maybe he’d go back to Carla, start a new life, chase that vision he’d once had. Maybe… he’d be happier without me. Dad never went back to the police. Maybe he hated them for refusing to file a report at first, telling him he’d have to wait 48 hours. Instead, he brought me home, tucking me into the big freezer in the middle of the room. He gently wiped my face with a towel, murmuring, “Wait for me, Lily. Dad’ll be right here.” And he threw himself into his work, delivering day and night. Until, finally, he found every last person who’d hurt me. Dad brought cigarettes for everyone at Quick Bites, trading every delivery in Maplewood Terrace for himself. He became silent, delivering more orders than ever, hunting for any hint of who was behind my death. One evening, Dad made his usual rounds, delivering food and politely asking customers if they had trash he could take downstairs.

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My boss handed me $20,000 in cash to pay the workers. I only stepped out to buy some envelopes, and by the time I got back, my dad had lent the money to our neighbor for a house. When I confronted him, he told me I didn’t understand “neighborly obligations.” Even Mom and my brother blamed me for not hiding the money better, knowing full well that Dad had a habit of loaning cash out. Eventually, my boss fired me but didn’t call the police. He only asked me to pay the money back. To help me do that, my dad arranged a high-paying job for me. But when I got there, it turned out I’d been hired as a caretaker for an old man who assaulted me on the first day. I wanted to call the police, but my dad insisted I should “be compassionate” toward the elderly. It didn’t end there; the old man’s daughter thought I was trying to seduce her father and had people beat me to death. Then I opened my eyes—back to the day my dad had loaned our neighbor that money. “Dani, no need to come back to the office after picking up the cash. Head straight to the Highland Ridge site and distribute the wages this afternoon.” Boss Rick Harlow handed me the bank card, and at that moment, I truly felt like I’d been given a second chance. In my last life, after withdrawing the $20,000, I’d rushed home in fear of losing it. I locked the cash in my bedroom, intending to buy some envelopes to distribute it properly. But after being gone just an hour, I came home to find that my dad had lent it all to Dennis Coleman, the neighbor, to help buy a house. I was about to go ask Dennis for the money back. But my dad stopped me. “What are you doing? We’ve already lent it out. How could you ask for it back? What kind of neighbor would do that?” I was livid. “Dad, this money is from my company. You can’t just take company funds. If the boss calls the cops, I could go to jail!” Dad scoffed, “Your boss has plenty of money; what’s $20,000 to him?” Seeing he wasn’t going to listen, I stormed out, heading straight for Dennis’s door and banging on it. Before I could even ask for the money, Dad dragged me back home. Once inside, he slapped me hard across the face. “Dani Greene, I can’t believe my daughter would be so clueless about social decency. Tell your boss that I borrowed it, alright?” Furious, I snapped, “Borrowed it? How do you plan to pay it back? You have no job and no savings. Why would he lend it to you?” The second those words left my mouth, Dad lost it completely. He kicked me to the ground, fists raining down on me. “Who do you think you are, talking to your father like that?” At that moment, Mom and Lucas walked in. Seeing me getting beaten, their faces were cold, and when they found out why, Mom sneered, “You had it coming. You know your dad likes to lend money out, and you still left the cash lying around.” This ordeal ended with me confessing everything to Rick. He didn’t call the cops, just asked for the money back and wrote off the rest, but he couldn’t let me stay. After signing a note saying I’d repay him, he fired me. After that, I faced even worse because of Dad. Remembering all this felt like those punches were landing on me all over again. I asked Rick if I could pay out the wages in the morning instead of the afternoon, explaining I was nervous about carrying so much cash. He agreed. Once I had the money in hand, I rushed to Highland Ridge, only relaxing after I saw the workers pocketing their pay. When I returned home, Dad was fiddling with the lock to my bedroom. “Dad, what are you doing in my room?” Hearing my voice, he jumped, then smiled at me. “Just in time. Got any cash I can borrow?” “What for?” I asked. “Dennis is looking to buy a house, and I want to pitch in a little to help. It’s good for neighborly relations.” Dad sounded so convinced, like this was the most natural thing in the world. The whole neighborhood knew Dad was a people-pleaser. Whether they needed money or muscle, all they had to do was ask, and he’d do whatever he could to help. We never had savings because Dad would lend out any money as soon as we’d saved it up. “No, I don’t have anything. Try Lucas—he was just talking to Mom about buying a car, so he should have a little,” I told him, brushing him off. When I mentioned Lucas might have money, Dad’s eyes lit up. Of course, he didn’t actually go ask Lucas or Mom. Instead, he turned and went to his room to dig out his bank card. Dad’s always been quick to lend out cash, so back in high school, I suggested Mom open a secret savings account he didn’t know about. Otherwise, we’d never save a penny. Mom brushed me off, saying I was just a kid and didn’t understand how things worked, but she still opened that account. She’d managed to save around $40,000, meant to help Lucas with his wedding and to buy a car. In my last life, even knowing I could go to jail, they never used that money to help me out. I ended up working as a caretaker to pay off my debts, while

Lucas went ahead and bought himself a new car. After turning the whole house upside down, Dad finally found the passbook hidden in a rice container. Seeing the balance, he exploded. “That sneaky Laura, hiding all this money from me!” He stormed out with both his ID and Mom’s. I tried to stop him, “Dad, aren’t you going to ask what the money’s for?” “What for? Every cent in this house comes from me.” He left without another word, and when he returned, he had $40,000 in cash and called over Dennis from next door. Dennis seemed surprised, “This much? I only needed $20,000.” “Take it all,” Dad replied, puffing himself up like some kind of billionaire. “Use the rest for renovations.” Dennis offered to write him an IOU, but Dad waved him off. “If you give me an IOU, it’ll be like you don’t trust me.” Dennis left, delighted, and Dad stood there looking like he’d just done something amazing. I stepped in, trying one last time. “Dad, if you’re going to lend that much, you should get a note. He might not pay it back.” He shot me a glare. “If you ask for a note, you ruin the goodwill. This is how you build relationships, Dani. You’ve got a lot to learn.” Dad loved to throw around phrases like “building relationships.” Growing up poor, he’d always felt that no one in his family cared enough to help out, and that had left a mark on him. Now, if someone needed anything, he’d be there with money if he had it, or labor if he didn’t. And if he couldn’t do it alone, we all had to pitch in. And sure, he’d gained a few friendly neighbors this way—but they all knew they could take advantage without ever giving back. With this life, since I’d managed to pay the workers in time, I hadn’t been fired. But it wasn’t long before Dad landed me in more trouble. After work one day, I came home to find a stranger in our living room. Dad introduced him as Charlie Davis, a friend who owned a small factory. The IRS was coming to audit him, but his wife, who’d been the accountant, had made a mess of the books. He needed a professional to help him sort it out. One look at the paperwork, and I told him flat-out, “I can’t do this.” Dad’s face darkened, and with a forced calm, he said, “Look again. A small factory’s accounts have to be simpler than your company’s. Just help him out.” I handed the books back, “Mr. Davis, these accounts are all over the place. You should talk to the IRS and straighten things out.” The books were a disaster. From one glance, it was clear they’d been doctored. He didn’t want my help organizing; he wanted someone to smooth over the fraud.

Charlie turned pale and left, with Dad trailing after him. I went to my room to get ready for a shower. Just as I was halfway undressed, the door flew open, and Dad barged in. I barely had time to scream before he slapped me hard across the face. “Who the hell do you think you are?” “What’s the big deal about being an accountant? Just help him out like I said, and quit talking back,” Dad snarled, jabbing a finger at my face. “Do you know how hard it is to keep these relationships going? And just like that, you ruined it. I already told him you’d do it, so you better get those books sorted.” I lifted my chin, defiant. “I won’t. If someone else wants to take the risk, let them. He’s asking me to cook the books, and if it gets exposed, I’ll be the one paying for it.” “Oh, please. It’s not like they’ll catch you that easily. I think you’re just lazy.” Dad rolled up his sleeves and raised his hand to hit me again. Just then, the front door opened, and Mom and Lucas walked in. I ran to hide behind Mom, but to my shock, she stepped aside and shoved me back toward Dad. “If you’ve made him angry, you might as well take the hit and get it over with. Don’t drag me into it,” she said coldly. Since I was a kid, whenever Dad got violent, Mom and Lucas would stay far out of the way, afraid they’d get dragged into it. Their indifference hit me hard. After realizing Dad was furious because I refused to make fake entries, Lucas frowned at me, “Dani, you’re really being immature. It’s just a little doctoring of numbers, not your life on the line. If you’ve embarrassed Dad in front of his friend, you deserve what’s coming.” Mom chimed in, “Exactly. And don’t say you can’t do it. You’re an accountant—I know what you’re capable of.” Her words reminded me of something important. Dad had already retired, but Mom hadn’t, and she wanted to stay a few extra years for the benefits. Mom worked as an accountant at a government agency with great pay and benefits, and when Lucas graduated, she pulled every string she could to get him in, too. But when I graduated, she’d gone out of her way to block me from joining her office, even though I’d already been accepted. She didn’t want me around, afraid I’d somehow disrupt her career plan to delay retirement. The memory made my fists clench. I looked at Dad and forced myself to back down. “Dad, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have refused in front of your friend. I could probably do it, but I don’t have as much experience, and I’d hate to mess it up for him. But Mom—she has tons of experience. She’d be perfect for the job.” Dad turned to Mom, who shot me a death glare. “Walter, my work’s been hectic lately. This kind of thing…” she started to say. Dad cut her off. “Dani’s right. She’s inexperienced, so you’ll do it instead.” Mom opened her mouth to protest, but one look from Dad, and she swallowed her words. He not only forced her to take on the task but gave her a deadline of one night to finish it. That night, he got irritated by the light in the living room, so he made her work out there in the dark. I slept soundly, waking up refreshed the next morning while Mom was left bleary-eyed, sighing and muttering under her breath as I headed out the door. Just one glance at those books had told me this job was more than just messy; if she cooked the books, she’d be in deep trouble if they ever got caught. But at least that wasn’t my problem anymore. On the weekend, I went out looking for apartments, thinking it was time to get away from this house. After a long day, I came home and collapsed on my bed, weighing the options for which apartment would be best. As I glanced at my bookshelf, I noticed my complete collection of classic American novels was missing. It was a rare, collector’s edition, a gift left to me by my best friend who had passed away. I’d even sealed the books to preserve them. My mind went blank, and I ran into the living room. “Dad, where’s my collector’s edition?” He looked startled for a second, then recovered with a shrug. “I gave it to someone.” I narrowed my eyes. “Gave it to who?” “Who cares?” he snapped. Anger surged through me. “Who did you give it to?” “I gave it to Charlie Davis,” he said coolly. “You should be glad he liked it. Otherwise, you’d have really made an enemy of him.” “Well, let him be mad then! He’s not my father—why should I care? That set was my friend’s last gift to me, and you gave it away without a thought. Did you ever even consider how I’d feel?” With that, tears started falling. Years of pent-up frustration flooded out of me. Dad hesitated for a moment, then stood and raised his hand to hit me again. “Are you serious? Your dad’s reputation isn’t worth more than some old books? You can just buy them again. They’re not irreplaceable. You’ve been acting out way too much lately. I’m going to teach you a lesson today.” But I was done. I ran into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and started slashing at the air in front of me. “Alright, fine! If you’re so determined to punish me, one of us isn’t walking out of here today!” Lucas grabbed me from behind, using all his strength to pry the knife from my hands. “Dani, have you lost your mind? How dare you wave a knife at Dad? You know this is just how he is! You should have hidden your things better if you didn’t want this to happen.” I looked at him, stunned. This was the same brother who’d always stood by while I was being hit, who only stepped in now to defend Dad because I’d picked up a knife. This family was rotten to the core. Lucas saw my look and frowned. “What are you looking at me like that for? This is on you. They’re just books. Stop making a big deal out of it. Dad does things like this for the good of the family, for our benefit.” I let out a bitter laugh. “You say that only because it wasn’t your stuff he gave away.” Lucas puffed up. “Even if it were mine, I wouldn’t complain.” Just then, a scream came from Mom’s bedroom. She ran out, holding her savings book in her hand, looking frantic. “My money! It’s gone!” Lucas turned to her, “What money?” Mom’s face twisted with despair. “Your car money—and your wedding fund.”

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