“Lyra, leave. Now.” Cassian was trembling, fighting the venom tearing through his wolf body. But when he collapsed, his guards panicked. “Alpha, only her kiss can neutralize the toxin.” His hand grabbed mine before he could stop himself. My lips saved his life. His pride hated it. Then Theo called. “You’re still chasing my brother. Pathetic.” Cassian ripped the phone away. “You did not cherish her. I will.” His eyes were glowing when he pulled me close. Theo’s family all had the werewolf gene. After turning 20, they would go into heat every full moon. Whoever they marked for the first time would become their lifelong, sole mate. I thought the person Theo wanted to mark was definitely me. But when he first awakened his werewolf nature, his friend called me over to help him ease the symptoms. Instead, I overheard Theo saying irritably outside the private room: “I really don’t want to give Lyra the satisfaction.” “I want to pursue the campus beauty, but she’s not an easy girl.” “Unlike Lyra, who’s like an eager puppy, always at my beck and call.” “When she gets here, even if she begs to help me, I’ll have to resist.” “I don’t want to sleep with her and end up tied to her for life, completely under her thumb.” Standing outside the room, my mind went blank. I never imagined that Theo, who had grown up with me, saw me this way. His friends, always quick to jump on the bandwagon, all laughed: “So in your eyes, she’s just a plaything.” “Why don’t I call and tell her not to come? Save her from taking advantage of you tonight and trying to climb the social ladder through your bed. To be honest, I think you get what you pay for.” But Theo stopped his friend from making the call, saying uncomfortably: “Forget it. If we tell her not to come now, what will she think?” “Even if she’s just a plaything, she’s the one I’ve spoiled since childhood. I can’t bear to hurt her feelings.” “When she gets here, I’ll see if I can resist touching her.” “There are some things I don’t want to spell out. This is a good opportunity to let her see things clearly.” At that moment, I wanted to burst in and shout at Theo: “You can’t bear to hurt my feelings, yet you compare me to an eager puppy in front of your friends, letting them mock and belittle me? You don’t deserve my infatuation!” But I held back. Why waste words on someone who doesn’t cherish me? I turned and fled the scene, telling myself not to cry. After some thought, I called his brother’s bodyguard: “Remember how you begged me to help ease Theo’s brother’s symptoms? Do you still need that now?” “Send me the address. I’ll be right there.”

Half an hour earlier, the bodyguard had called to tell me a truth Theo had deliberately concealed: “Miss Lyra, do you remember five years ago when the young master took you skiing and you unfortunately fell into a ravine?” “The older young master led us on a rescue mission. We searched for three days and nights before finding you buried in the snow, frozen like an ice sculpture. You had no pulse at the time.” “The older young master told his brother that werewolves could share half their lifespan with their mate through a blood ritual on the full moon night.” “The blood ritual is another form of marking.” “Once performed, they would consider that person their lifelong, sole mate.” “But the younger master wasn’t willing to do it, yet he couldn’t bear to let you die like that. He held you and cried uncontrollably.” “In the end, it was the older master who saved you.” “You were very lucky. It happened to be a full moon night.” “To save you, the older master performed the blood ritual and shared half his lifespan with you. But in doing so, he also marked you, committing to you as his sole mate for life.” “The younger master begged his brother not to tell you about this.” “For the past five years, every full moon night, the older master has endured alone, never bothering you, and strictly forbidding anyone from revealing the blood ritual to you.” “But tonight he really can’t bear it anymore. He’s been severely injured and is fighting for his life. With the full moon, he won’t make it through without you.” “Please, could you come and help him?” At that moment, my mind went blank. I never imagined that I had actually died once five years ago. Theo, who had cherished me since childhood, wasn’t willing to sacrifice half his lifespan to save me. Instead, it was his “cold-faced” brother who had snatched me back from death’s grasp. But I still hardened my heart and told the bodyguard: “I’m sorry, but Theo needs me more tonight.” I was willing to be ungrateful just to rush over and help Theo. Only to be mocked by him as an eager puppy, a mere plaything. Yes, I was truly pathetic. I deserved to be treated so cheaply. But I won’t debase myself anymore. I wiped away my tears of hurt and humiliation, gripping my phone tightly as I told the bodyguard: “Is it too late to repay this life-saving debt now?” “If Lucas absolutely needs me tonight, I’ll go right now. I’ll give it my all!” The bodyguard wept with joy: “It’s not too late, not at all.” “Miss Lyra, I’ll send you the location right away.” “If the young master wasn’t critically injured and facing a full moon night, I would never have dared to disobey his orders and reveal this to you. The family rules are very strict.” I understood. Lucas probably just wanted to save my life, nothing more. He didn’t want me clinging to him. And I just wanted to repay his kindness for saving my life. It wasn’t because Theo had broken my heart, and I was running into his brother’s arms.

But I never expected that when I rushed to the VIP ward at the hospital, I would see Fiona, the campus beauty, standing outside the room, desperate to get in: “Let me in, quick!” “Isn’t it a full moon night? How do you know Mr. Cassian doesn’t need me?” “Cassian, Cassian, just let me in to help you, please?” I suddenly found it amusing. Theo said Fiona wasn’t an easy girl, yet here she was, offering herself to his brother. The bodyguards who had refused to let Fiona in immediately opened the door when they saw me, tears in their eyes: “Miss Lyra, you’re finally here.” “Please, come in. The young master truly needs you tonight.” Envy and hatred distorted Fiona’s face. She shrieked hysterically: “Why does Lyra get to go in?” “Cassian got hurt so badly just to save her.” “She’s nothing but bad luck. How dare you let her in?” I froze for a moment. Saved me again? What did that mean? The ward was already in chaos. I saw Cassian lying shirtless on the bed, his face flushed, short hair damp with sweat. His fingertips curled tightly from the surging heat, and the thick white bandages on his back were soaked through with bright red blood. The doctor stood nearby, shouting urgently: “For heaven’s sake, stop resisting! I’m begging you, find a woman to help you quickly. The bandages we just changed are soaked through again. How much blood do you think you have left to endure this torment?” “It’s a full moon night. The werewolf blood is raging far beyond normal levels, and your blood’s ability to clot has failed. Even the best hemostatic drugs I’ve given you aren’t working.” “We need to find a way to ease the surging heat in your body now, or you might bleed to death tonight!” “Where is this girl you say can save the young master? When will she arrive?” The bodyguards standing by the bed had already seen me. They bowed deeply to me with respect and gratitude. “Doctor, she’s here.” At these words, the man lying on the bed, enduring his private hell, suddenly opened his eyes. A pair of intimidating dark red eyes, cold yet dazzling, held back the surging, intense desire as they fell unexpectedly on my face, surprised and annoyed: “Who called her here? Take her away!” The bodyguard bowed and said: “Young master, it was me.” “I’ll accept any punishment as long as Miss Lyra can help ease your symptoms tonight.” “Besides, you were injured this time trying to save Miss Lyra again.” “You’ve risked your life twice to save her without taking credit. You might not feel wronged, but we truly feel it on your behalf.” I secretly observed the imposing man lying on the bed. Although Theo and I were childhood friends, I had always avoided Cassian like the plague. Because he was known as the living incarnation of the Grim Reaper. Even the most arrogant troublemakers became meek in his presence. It was an absolute domination of methods and aura. I usually tried to avoid him at all costs when I saw him. Now, this man who struck fear into everyone’s hearts was clutching the bedsheets, his feet involuntarily curling as he tried to resist. Every part of his body radiated heat waves, his passionate breathing becoming more and more evident. The contrast was so strong, it was captivating. A beautiful man in repose, mesmerizing. However, “You say he was severely injured because of me again?” The bodyguard was about to speak, but Cassian cut him off harshly: “Shut up! Try saying one more word!” Then he switched to a gentle yet distant tone to address me: “Lyra, leave. I don’t need you here.” The bodyguard, risking his life, said: “Young master, stop pretending. You won’t win a wife by being stubborn.” “Your mouth is the toughest part of you, but your heart is as soft as putty. Whenever Miss Lyra is in danger, you’d risk your life, even rush into a fire to save her. Do you think we’re blind?”

There was more than one bodyguard in the room, and they all fearlessly started to complain: “That’s right. Last month’s full moon night, who was it staring at Miss Lyra’s photo on his phone screen, longing and pining until he was delirious, calling out Miss Lyra’s name? I bet she was in your dreams too.” “And the full moon night before that, you parked your car outside Miss Lyra’s dorm all night. How many times did you want to rush into the dorm but held yourself back at the last second? Even a ninja turtle would kneel and call you daddy.” “If we don’t say anything, Miss Lyra will never know. Do you really want to endure this for the rest of your life?” “Shut up. I can endure it,” Cassian said, lowering his eyes. The doctor standing nearby shouted anxiously: “Endure my ass! If you keep this up, you won’t see tomorrow’s sunrise.” “Miss, why are you just standing there? Hurry up and find a way to ease his symptoms.” The bodyguards standing by the bed all bowed deeply to me with utmost respect. But, “What should I do? I don’t know how.” The doctor, while using scissors to cut away the blood-soaked bandages, said: “Kiss him!” I blushed, my cheeks turning crimson. Standing at the head of the bed, I didn’t know how to kiss this aloof man in front of everyone. Suddenly, a bodyguard shouted: “Miss Lyra, do you know how the young master got injured?” “Two days ago, there was a fire in your school’s auditorium. Weren’t you trapped inside, unable to escape? You even passed out from smoke inhalation, nearly suffocating to death.” “Let me tell you, it was the young master who rescued you from the fire.” “Because of the marking, the young master can sense when his mate is in danger.” “The young master ignored everyone’s attempts to stop him and rushed into the inferno to find you. When he carried you out, he was unfortunately struck by a falling beam, and his entire back caught fire.” “But he still endured the excruciating pain and used his last ounce of strength to carry you out of the fire, only to have his brother snatch you away.” “When the younger master saw the older master carrying you out of the fire, he immediately rushed over and took you from the older master’s arms. If he was so concerned about you, why didn’t he go in to save you himself?” What? I couldn’t believe it. Was this how Cassian got hurt? I remembered waking up from my coma two days ago with Theo by my side. I had assumed Theo had saved me. The information I was receiving today was too much to process, leaving no room for bashfulness or embarrassment. Never mind, saving a life was the priority. In the heat of the moment, I leaned down towards Cassian. Staring at his sensual lips, I kissed him hard. “Don’t touch me.” Cassian’s tone was fierce, pushing me away, but his hands gripped the bedsheets tighter and tighter. He was trying so hard to resist that his throat bobbed up and down, his eyes red and frightening. The image of this beautiful man in repose was truly tempting. But his tone grew even colder: “Lyra, do you know what you’re doing? Don’t you usually try to stay as far away from me as possible? Don’t do something you don’t like just to repay a debt. And don’t listen to their nonsense, it’s useless. Your kiss doesn’t affect me at all.” But the doctor suddenly exclaimed excitedly: “It’s working! The rate of blood loss has slowed down.” “Miss Lyra, quickly, keep kissing him!” “The young master’s body is far more honest than his mouth. Kiss him hard!” The doctor’s excited words were like a harsh slap to Cassian’s stubborn mouth. Cassian’s face grew uncomfortable, and for a moment, he buried it in the pillow. Was he actually embarrassed? The tips of his ears were so red they could drip blood.

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I put on another man’s suit and saved Riley from being left at the altar. For three years, I thought our marriage meant something. Then her ex came back sick and weak, and she ran to him without even looking at me. Now she cannot remember signing our divorce papers. She also has no idea that in seven days I will leave her for good. “Lucas, are you really going to divorce Riley and study abroad?” In the quiet living room, Lucas looked at Mrs. Sullivan’s shocked face across from him and nodded. “Yes, Mrs. Sullivan. As you know, I wasn’t the one who was supposed to marry her in the first place. For Riley, I was just an unexpected stand-in, a substitute when the real groom didn’t show up. Now that he’s back, she’s been so happy lately. It’s time for me to go.” Outside, a light snow was falling, creating a beautiful winter scene. He smiled lightly. “Studying abroad has always been my dream anyway.” Mrs. Sullivan looked at the young man before her, remembering Riley’s wedding three years ago. Tristan, who was supposed to be the groom, had fled abroad at the last minute. Just as Riley stood awkwardly on stage, red-eyed and unsure what to do, Lucas had put on an ill-fitting suit and slowly walked up. He apologetically took the microphone and addressed all the guests: “I’m so sorry, there was traffic on the way. I’m late.” With that act, he had saved Riley’s dignity and the Sullivan family’s reputation. Mrs. Sullivan let out a long sigh, then asked uncertainly, “Will Riley agree to the divorce?” Lucas shook his head with a smile. “I already got her to sign the divorce papers.” Two weeks ago, he had given her the divorce agreement. At the time, Riley was in a rush to finish work and meet Tristan. She had signed without even looking and left. Now, in just seven more days, he would be able to get the official divorce certificate. He would be free. After all, the Sullivan family had a three-generation military background and couldn’t go abroad. So once he left the country, he and Riley would never have to see each other again. Just as Mrs. Sullivan was about to speak, a gentle female voice came from behind them. “Lucas, what are you chatting about with Mom?” Lucas turned around to see Riley, whom he hadn’t seen in days, walking towards them in a black evening gown that occasionally revealed her long legs. “…Riley.” Seeing her daughter approach, Mrs. Sullivan was about to step forward to scold her. “Why are you here?” With a mix of surprise and reassurance, Lucas stood up, giving Mrs. Sullivan a pleading look to interrupt her. “I missed you, so I came by to pick you up,” Riley said, her eyes looking a bit guilty. In truth, she had come on purpose after finding out Lucas’s whereabouts. After saying goodbye to the worried Mrs. Sullivan, the couple took their bags and left the Sullivan family home. On the way back, heavy rain pounded on the car windows, while inside was completely silent. Riley remained quiet for a long time before finally speaking. “Lucas.” “Tristan and I are really over. He just got back to the country and had heart surgery a few years ago, so his health isn’t good. As an old… friend, I just went to help him get settled. I hope you can understand.” Lucas stared out the rain-blurred window and nodded. If only he hadn’t seen how Riley had dropped everything and excitedly rushed to meet Tristan the day he returned. If only he hadn’t noticed Riley selling the watch she had used for years and replacing it with a cheap bracelet Tristan had given her. If only… There were too many “if onlys.” Lucas no longer had any expectations or trust left. A soft sigh filled the car. Faced with this husband she had married by chance years ago, Riley wanted to explain further. But thinking of her own actions over the past two weeks, she ultimately chose to change the subject. “Lucas, what was that document you had me sign two weeks ago?” As soon as she finished speaking, Lucas turned to look at Riley, his eyes showing three parts surprise and seven parts bitter amusement. She was only now remembering to ask about that? Then again, ever since Tristan came back, everything else in her life had faded into the background. How could she be expected to care about anything else? Lucas was about to speak when Riley’s phone suddenly rang. Seeing the name displayed on the car screen, Riley’s face instantly tensed up. “It’s fine, go ahead and answer. It might be something important,” Lucas said, looking out the window with an indifferent expression that made Riley suddenly feel afraid. But she still answered the call, with the car’s speakers automatically broadcasting the conversation. “Riley, I miss you so much. It hurts. Can we meet?” Hearing the whiny tone on the other end, Riley’s knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel. Her expression also suddenly turned cold. “Tristan, I’m married now. I’ve told you many times, don’t talk to me like that!” There was a moment of silence on the other end before Tristan replied, “But Riley, I was supposed to be the groom at that wedding.” The car suddenly screeched to a halt in the middle of the road, the tires making a huge noise as they skidded on the pavement. In their three years of marriage, this was the first time Lucas had seen Riley lose control. She shouted at the screen: “But you left! You abandoned me and left!” The phone went completely silent. A moment later, Tristan’s voice came back sounding choked up: “I’m sorry. I was sick at the time and didn’t want you to worry. I had no idea it would have such serious consequences.” “Ah! Riley! My heart hurts so much. It’s okay, just let me die like this. Then I won’t bother you anymore, and you can live happily with my substitute.” Soon, there was no more sound from the other end. Riley instantly panicked. She immediately looked at Lucas. Lucas spoke up first: “It’s fine, I’ll take a taxi home. You go check on him. Don’t let anything really happen.” Riley still felt somewhat guilty and said softly, “I’m not going to see him. I just remembered there’s an urgent matter at the company, so I need to stop by there.” “I’ll come back to be with you after I finish.” Lucas nodded and opened the car door to get out. Watching her car speed away, Lucas stood in the rain holding an umbrella, his eyes darkening. A moment later, he gave a bitter smile and started walking towards home, over ten miles away. Three years. It was time to end it. Three years ago, he had put on that ill-fitting suit and married a woman who could barely remember his name. Friends and relatives privately said Lucas was pitiful, just a stand-in for his wife’s true love. But in the three years since, they had shared romantic moments together and dreamed of the future. Lucas had thought he had melted the heart of this so-called ice queen. But now, Lucas clearly knew he had been wrong. If that was the case, he should return to where he truly belonged and give back this position as Mr. Sullivan. It would fulfill Riley’s wishes. And free himself as well. Lightning split the night sky, followed closely by torrential rain that swept through like a tidal wave. It also washed away the last of Lucas’s feelings for Riley.

Lucas slept alone that night. By noon the next day, Riley still hadn’t returned. When he woke up, it was still raining outside. Lucas stayed at home, calmly deleting all the posts about their married life from his social media accounts. Just as he finished cleaning everything up, he saw that Tristan, who had been threatening to die yesterday, had suddenly posted on social media: “What’s it like to be doted on by your ex-girlfriend?” He included a grid of nine photos. In the first, the usually cold and indifferent Riley was in his arms, feeding him porridge. In the second, the normally aloof Riley was sitting by his bedside, holding his hand. In the third, the usually proud Riley was kneeling in front of him, her eyes full of concern as she helped him take medicine. The fourth showed a pile of luxury goods, each worth millions. Tristan had captioned it: “Thanks to Riley’s connections, I’m not angry or upset anymore.” In the photos, the handsome man smiled sweetly, looking like the happiest prince on a phone call. The comment section was full of envious remarks: “Left and experienced hardships, returned and it’s still true love. Tristan, did you save the galaxy in your past life?” “No way! It must have been at least ten galaxies. Tristan, how did you manage to make your ex still so devoted to you?” Besides the envy, there were naturally some who wanted to mock Lucas. Lucas just glanced over them briefly, a few comments catching his eye: “I wonder how Mr. Xu feels seeing all this?” “What could a mere substitute feel? Did he really think that by stepping in to save face as the groom, he could win the heart of the Sullivan family’s princess? He’s probably dying of jealousy right now. Want to bet how many minutes before this lapdog shows up?” “I bet 10 minutes!” “I bet 5 minutes!” “I bet 1 minute! He’s probably already downstairs. I’ll stake my new Lamborghini on it!” Many people eagerly joined in the betting, with the stakes getting higher and higher. But Lucas just smiled resignedly. He would soon no longer be “Mr. Sullivan” in others’ eyes, so why chase after a woman who didn’t belong to him? So Lucas quickly typed out a response on his phone: “I bet he won’t show up for a lifetime.” His words stirred up a storm, with many people immediately messaging to ask if he was joking. Lucas simply turned off his phone and stopped looking at any messages. Instead, he turned to make himself a bowl of noodles. Just then, the phone suddenly rang. Lucas didn’t answer, but the calls kept coming non-stop for five or six minutes before finally stopping. But soon after, the housekeeper Mrs. Zhang came in holding her own phone, looking troubled. “Sir, the young miss wants you to answer the phone.” Only then did Lucas pick up the phone and answer. “Lucas, it’s all a misunderstanding. I already made Tristan delete those posts. Don’t overthink it. He was feeling very unwell yesterday, that’s why I didn’t come home. Nothing happened between us.” Riley’s anxious voice came through the phone. The moment she saw Lucas’s comment, she had panicked. Lucas looked at the noodles he had made and calmly said, “I made noodles. Are you coming home to eat?” Riley was stunned for a moment before replying, “I’m glad you’re not angry. You can eat the noodles yourself. Tristan’s heart is hurting again, so I’m taking him to the hospital for a check-up. Don’t worry, we’re really just frie-” Before she could finish, Tristan’s panicked voice came through on the other end. “Riley, where are you? I can’t see you. Did I lose you again? My heart feels so anxious.” The call was abruptly hung up, leaving only Riley’s urgent voice addressing the other end: “Tristan, I’m right here. You didn’t lose me.” Looking at the ended call, Lucas sent Riley a message: “That document you asked about yesterday is in the glove compartment on your side.” “Open it and you’ll see what it is.” It wasn’t until two hours later that Riley finally replied with one sentence: “No need. Whatever you had me sign, I’m sure it’s not to harm me.” This meant she wouldn’t look at it. Of course. Right now she just wanted to be by Tristan’s side. Why would she bother looking at anything unrelated to Tristan? Even though that divorce agreement was right within her reach. In the afternoon, Lucas drove to follow a truck delivering supplies to the orphanage where he grew up. Lucas had been an orphan since childhood, raised here. Seeing Lucas arrive, the children were all very excited, running up to cling to him and share their experiences. After spending time with the kids, he went to the director’s office to say goodbye. “Mama Director, I’m going abroad for further studies.” The director was very happy. Lucas had been a top student in physics at Tsinghua University, but had suddenly given up studying abroad for a flash marriage. She had been regretful about it for a long time. “Lucas, that’s wonderful news.” The director held Lucas’s hand, smiling with satisfaction. But then she thought of something and her expression turned worried. “But… you going abroad to study means you and Riley will be in a long-distance relationship. That can be very difficult.” Lucas looked out the window at a few children playing and running around, shaking his head with a light smile. “It’s not a long-distance relationship. We’re getting divorced.” “Because… Tristan came back.” The director was stunned at first, then let out a long sigh, feeling both regretful and relieved. “I guess I wasn’t wrong in my initial assessment. This marriage of yours was never going to last long. You see, once a person still has someone else in their heart, no matter how loving things seem on the surface, it’s all fake. As soon as that person comes back, the marriage is over. So it’s good that you’re divorcing.” She held Lucas’s hand sympathetically, comforting him softly. Lucas smiled back and hugged the director. Yes, it was good that it was ending.

After returning from the orphanage, Lucas went to the civil affairs bureau and learned that in five more days he could finalize the divorce. Only then did he go home to pack his luggage. It was then that he realized his clothes filled several entire closets. Inside were also various expensive watches, sports car keys, and other priceless gifts from Riley. In truth, during their three years of marriage, Riley had always been good to him, constantly giving him black credit cards, houses, cars, and more. But he had never touched any of it. Because every time Riley gave him gifts, Lucas would see the shadow of someone else in her reddened eyes. To be precise, Riley’s kindness to him was all stolen from Tristan, who had temporarily exited the stage. He used to think that with time, Riley would see his true heart. But reality proved that what didn’t belong to him would eventually have to be returned. Lucas sorted out some of his own belongings, then took all the gifts he had given Riley over the years and sold them for scrap. Over the years, to make her happy, he had carefully prepared many gifts for her. She had never even glanced at them. The only watch she ever wore was quickly replaced by a cheap bracelet from Tristan after he returned. Seeing all these gifts tossed aside with a thick layer of dust on them, Lucas smiled bitterly again. If Riley truly loved him, where did all this dust come from? Watching the junk truck drive away, he was about to return to the villa when he heard a horn honk behind him. Lucas turned to see a flashy Ferrari stop in front of him. A girl in a red dress stepped out of the car with a showy air. It was his sister-in-law Sophie. Sophie frowned at the departing junk truck, then snorted disdainfully. “As expected of an orphan with no parents. Even cardboard boxes have to be sold for money. Acting like our Sullivan family is going bankrupt or something.” Lucas didn’t even look at her, turning to leave. Sophie’s mocking smile turned to anger. She stepped forward to grab him. “Lucas!” Ever since Lucas had entered their Sullivan family, he had always been very humble and tried to please everyone. He had never given her the cold shoulder like this before. Today he actually dared to turn his back on her. A fire of rage instantly rose in Sophie’s heart. “Hey orphan! Are you deaf? I’m talking to you!” Lucas turned back and pulled off her hand, his eyes flashing with annoyance. Sophie had always disliked him, feeling that someone of his background was completely unworthy of entering their prestigious Sullivan family. So for three years after the wedding, she had constantly targeted him, saying things like the breakfast he made wasn’t fully cooked, or stepping on the clothes he had washed to dirty them. But now that he was leaving, he didn’t want to tolerate her anymore. Sophie was about to continue making a scene, but seemed to think of something. The corners of her mouth curved up into a sneer. “Someone like you should sell more junk. After all, now that my sister’s true love Tristan is back, you can get lost, you so-called stand-in.” As she finished speaking, a man in a white suit, dressed quite elegantly, stepped out from behind her. This was Lucas’s first time seeing Tristan in person. A pair of almond-shaped eyes brimming with charm, messy black hair casually swept back, porcelain white skin paired with the fitted white suit – just standing there exuded an aura of nobility. No wonder Riley had been so obsessed with him for all these years. But that suit, those accessories – Lucas found them somewhat familiar. Wasn’t this style of dress exactly the same as what was in his own closet? In that moment, Lucas fully understood. He really had just been a stand-in all along. Tristan looked Lucas up and down, as if seeing a cheap version of himself, full of disdain and mockery. But this expression was quickly hidden away when Riley’s car pulled in behind them. He immediately put on a pitiful face and said, “Sophie, don’t talk about Mr. Xu like that. He’s your brother-in-law now. What if he gets angry and kicks me out?” Just as he finished speaking, Riley’s panicked voice came from behind. “What’s going on? Who’s kicking who out?!”

Riley hurried over. Her gaze fell on Tristan standing there unharmed, and she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief before turning to address Lucas. “Lucas, Tristan’s house has been empty for years and needs to be renovated. So could he stay with us for a few days?” Lucas looked at Riley without speaking. In the silence, Tristan’s expression became very uneasy and a bit pitiful. “Riley, maybe I should just leave. After all, it was my fault for not showing up at the wedding. Now you have a new husband, and Mr. Xu doesn’t seem to welcome me.” Riley looked at Lucas, her face hesitating. Tristan let out a long sigh, turning away dejectedly. Sophie immediately reached out to stop him. “Tristan! Why are you leaving?! If anyone should go, it’s him. The real man of this house should be-” “Shut up, Sophie!” Riley snapped angrily. “Who said you could talk to Lucas like that? He’s my husband and your brother-in-law. Apologize to him right now or get out!” Sophie’s eyes instantly reddened at this. Seeing the scene, Lucas finally spoke up, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile. “It’s fine, you don’t need to scold Sophie. I didn’t refuse. Mr. Fu, please make yourself at home here.” After all, in five more days, this home would belong to Tristan. There was no need to ruin the sisters’ relationship over an outsider like himself. With that, Lucas turned and walked into the villa. “Hey orphan! Who said you could speak for me?! Am I wrong?! If my sister wasn’t the Sullivan family’s princess, would you have stepped up as the groom?!” Sophie’s defiant voice came from behind, followed by Riley’s scolding and Tristan’s placating words. Hearing Sophie’s words, complex emotions surged in Lucas’s eyes. This was his eighth year of loving Riley. He still remembered the scene when he first fell in love at first sight with her in the dance studio. She was wearing a ballet dress, her graceful movements making her look just like a proud yet noble and beautiful white swan. In that moment, his heart was captivated. But she was the Sullivan family’s princess, the darling of high society. As an orphan, Lucas knew their backgrounds were worlds apart. But in the end, when he saw Riley red-eyed and at a loss standing on that stage, Lucas instinctively went up. That feeling had nothing to do with status or benefits. He simply didn’t want to see the girl he liked cry. Seemingly afraid Tristan would still leave, Riley immediately instructed the servants to move his luggage into the largest guest room. Sophie instantly strutted over to Lucas, her nose in the air. “What are you standing around for? Go make dinner. Oh, and Tristan can’t eat spicy food, so make it bland.” Hearing this, Tristan’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he looked Lucas up and down again. “I’ve heard Mr. Xu’s cooking is quite good. Then today I’ll have to trouble-” Before he could finish, Riley came down from the guest room upstairs. “Sophie, that’s enough! How many times have I told you, we have servants. Why do you always make Lucas cook for you?” Tristan’s expression soured, his glance towards Lucas filled with hatred. But when Riley walked over, Tristan immediately put on a different face, smiling. “I’ll cook today. I learned a lot of skills abroad these past years and have been wanting to make something for you all to try.” As he said this, Tristan was looking at Riley. Riley’s eyes suddenly had a moment of haziness, but when she saw Lucas standing quietly to the side, she still shook her head and said, “No need. Your health isn’t good. Let the servants-” Sophie latched onto her, grabbing Riley’s hand and saying, “Sis, just let Tristan cook for us. He worked so hard to learn.” Riley seemed to think of something and finally nodded. “Alright, but don’t tire yourself out.” Lucas watched all of this without saying a word, just standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out at the garden. Seeing Lucas so quiet, Riley suddenly felt an increasing sense of panic. After a long silence, she walked to Lucas’s side and softly said, “Lucas, if you don’t like Tristan staying here, I’ll send him back after this meal.” “No need. Let him stay if he wants.” Lucas turned to look at Riley. “That document, have you looked at it?” Mentioning the document again, Riley’s brow furrowed slightly. “I haven’t looked yet. Didn’t I say I trust you? Do I really need to look at it?” Did she need to or not? Lucas didn’t know. The signature was already there anyway. But thinking of their three years together… Lucas was about to speak when Tristan suddenly came over carrying a pot of hot soup. He glanced at Lucas standing like a stranger beside Riley, his eyes flashing with intense jealousy. Then, pretending to stumble, he rushed forward towards Lucas in a panic, spilling the entire pot of soup. “Watch out!”

“Watch out!” Seeing the hot soup flying towards him, Lucas instinctively pulled Riley into his arms to protect her. Then he watched helplessly as a huge pot of scalding chicken broth poured all over him. “Ahh!” In an instant, Lucas was drenched in soup, his skin immediately turning bright red from the burns. The searing pain nearly made him pass out. “Lucas!” Riley pushed Lucas away, her eyes full of panic. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll take you to the hospital right away!” He looked up at her, the pain spreading through his whole body. He used all his strength but couldn’t say a word. Then he looked at Tristan. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Xu. Are you alright? Riley, thank goodness Mr. Xu protected you.” Seeing Tristan’s fake panic and the satisfaction hidden in his eyes, Lucas immediately realized what had happened and said shakily: “You did that on purpose?” Hearing this, Tristan was stunned for a moment, then tears started falling from the grown man’s eyes. “Mr. Xu, what are you saying? How could I do that on purpose? I know you feel insecure and prejudiced against me. It’s my fault for making you get burned!” “But you can’t slander me like this.” Seeing Tristan cry, Sophie resolutely stepped in front of him and angrily said: “Lucas! That’s enough! So what if you got a little burn? Why are you making such a big deal out of it? Tristan worked hard to cook for us, he’s tired enough already! Besides…” Sophie looked at Riley, whose eyes were now filled with doubt and anger, and raised her chin to continue, “Besides, my sister was right there. Even if Tristan wanted to hurt someone, he’d never hurt my sister, right?” As soon as she finished speaking, the doubt in Riley’s eyes instantly disappeared. She looked at Lucas with furrowed brows and said disappointedly, “That’s right, Lucas. Tristan wouldn’t hurt anyone, least of all me. Please don’t overthink things, okay?” Hearing these words, Lucas felt countless emotions rushing to his head, tears welling up in his eyes. Riley sighed, her voice becoming calm. “Lucas, let’s go to the hospital, alright?” Lucas knew that no matter what else he said, Riley wouldn’t believe him now. He was about to nod when- “Oh no, Tristan, you’re hurt so badly!” Sophie cried out. Riley’s attention immediately shifted. She rushed over to Tristan in a panic. His snow-white arm had some small blisters, looking quite “severe” indeed. Tristan put his arm behind his back, shaking his head with red-rimmed eyes. “I’m fine. Mr. Xu looks much worse. You should take him to the hospital first.” He had barely finished speaking when Riley turned back towards Lucas. Tristan immediately put on an agonized expression. “Ah! Riley! My heart hurts so much. It must be the shock of Mr. Xu accusing me just now. Ah, Riley…” Tristan collapsed, grabbing Riley’s hand as she tried to support him. He gasped weakly, “Riley, am I dying? Will I never see you again?” Sophie stomped her foot anxiously. “Sis! Tristan’s heart condition is bad. Let’s get him to the hospital quickly!” “I-I’m fine…” Tristan continued gasping pitifully. But this act undoubtedly made Riley’s heart ache. She could no longer think about the disheveled Lucas. She helped Tristan up and headed for the door. Just before leaving, she seemed to remember something and turned back to Lucas with a guilty look. “Tristan’s heart is weak. I’m afraid something might happen to him. The hospital isn’t far from here.” “…Lucas, you can take a taxi to the hospital yourself.” It wasn’t until their three figures had disappeared from view that Lucas came back to his senses, inhaling sharply through clenched teeth as he fought against the pain. Seeing how severely he was injured yet left behind, the servants quickly ran over with painkillers and alcohol. But Lucas’s burns were too severe. Even after taking the painkillers, he still had to lean against the wall for support, enduring the pain as he slowly made his way towards the hospital. With each step, he moved further and further away from the place he had called “home.”

At the hospital, the doctor used cotton swabs to carefully press down the blistered areas while asking Lucas with concern why he was so severely burned yet had no family accompanying him. Lucas inhaled sharply from the pain. Two other doctors passed by the doorway, chatting. “Miss Sullivan really dotes on her husband. Just a few small blisters and she booked the entire floor, getting all the dermatology specialists to consult.” “I know, right? Those few blisters would have mostly healed on their own if he’d come in a bit later. If only I could find a caring woman like that who loved me.” “Haha, dream on. Women like that only come along once in a blue moon.” Once in a blue moon? Lucas smiled bitterly. Abandoning her severely injured husband to go take care of someone with minor injuries – she truly was a one-in-a-million good woman. Lucas’s injuries were too severe. He needed to stay in the hospital for a few days. Three days later, Lucas was finally discharged, his body still wrapped in bandages. As soon as he turned on his phone, countless missed calls and messages popped up, filling the screen. They were all from Riley. This had never happened since Tristan’s return. While Lucas was still in a daze, Sophie called. As soon as he answered, her shrill voice came through. “Lucas, you’ve got some nerve! Where have you been for three days? Did you do it on purpose?! Can’t compete with Tristan so you’re pulling this kind of stunt? Do you know my sister’s been going crazy looking for you?! Don’t think this will get her attention. Dream on! The position of Sullivan son-in-law will always belong to Tristan!” After finishing her tirade, Sophie hung up. Lucas just furrowed his brow. Had he heard wrong? Riley had been frantically searching for him? How was that possible? Wasn’t she busy taking care of Tristan? Why would she look for him? But when Lucas looked at the 999 missed calls on his phone, it did seem to show Riley’s urgency in trying to reach him. Filled with confusion, Lucas returned home. As soon as he entered the gate, the servants rushed over looking immensely relieved. Several of them were on the verge of tears as they spoke. “Sir, you’re finally back. The young miss has been going crazy looking for you…” Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps approached. “Lucas!” Riley anxiously ran over. In the three days apart, the usually glamorous woman looked rather haggard, especially the dark circles under her eyes. “I was in the hospital. The same one where you were taking care of Tristan.” Hearing this, Riley sighed. “About last time, I didn’t mean to abandon you. It’s just that after Tristan’s surgery, the doctors said he needed to stay calm and not get agitated, or something could happen. I’ve been used to taking care of him since we were kids, so that’s why I took him to the hospital first.” “And you didn’t object at the time either. Since you were at the hospital, why didn’t you tell me or answer my calls? You’re my husband. Don’t you know I’d be worried? Can you not do this again next time?” By the end, there was a hint of accusation in her tone. But Lucas just looked at her calmly, not responding. Because in two more days, he would be gone. So there wouldn’t be a next time. For some reason, seeing Lucas’s calmness, Riley suddenly felt panicked as she recalled Lucas’s behavior these past few days. She stepped forward and took Lucas’s hand, sighing, “Actually, Tristan really didn’t mean to hurt you last time. Since you don’t want him staying here, I’ve already had him move out. Can you stop being upset over this little thing from now on?” Riley stared directly at Lucas, hoping to see a trace of being moved in his eyes. But Lucas had no reaction. He removed Riley’s hand and turned to go upstairs. As soon as he entered the room, he saw an expensive watch placed on the bed. He looked up questioningly at Riley who had followed behind. Riley sighed. “Lucas, this is my way of making it up to you. You won’t be angry anymore now, right?” Lucas looked at the watch in the box, worth millions, a complex look flashing in his eyes. Three years. A full three years. They had shared a bed, had happy times together. In her eyes, was he really the type of person to fake being angry and hurt just for compensation? Suddenly, he recalled the gifts Riley had carefully prepared for Tristan in her social media posts. A mocking feeling welled up, but he quickly suppressed it. Forget it. If she didn’t understand, there was no point in explaining. Seeing no smile appear on Lucas’s face, Riley didn’t think much of it, just assuming he didn’t like it. “Lucas, if you don’t like these, once I’m done dealing with Tristan’s situation, I’ll take you to an auction to pick out the most expensive one for you…” Riley hadn’t finished speaking when Sophie and Tristan’s voices came from outside the door. “Tristan, I told you my sister loves you so much, she’d never really make you move out. It’s all that Lucas’s fault. I’ll scold him for you later. You’ll move back in, right?” As they spoke, the two brazenly walked into Lucas and Riley’s bedroom. Then upon seeing the watch set on the bed, Sophie exclaimed in delight: “Oh my god, sis! Tristan just mentioned to me that he really liked these watch models. I can’t believe you actually bought them!” She looked at Tristan beside her, her eyes full of envy. Hearing this, Tristan’s face instantly reddened, then he shot a smug look at Lucas. Seeing that Riley didn’t immediately deny it, but instead looked hesitant, Lucas didn’t even think before picking up the box and handing it to Tristan. “If it’s meant for you, then take it.” With one sentence, he made the choice for Riley, resolving her dilemma. At this moment, Riley looked at Lucas in shock. Seeing how generous he was being, the unease in Riley’s heart grew stronger. She wanted to object, but seeing how happy Tristan looked, she closed her mouth. She thought to herself, it’s fine, next week is our wedding anniversary. She could make it up to Lucas then. Surely she was overthinking things. He was just jealous and sulking. Lucas loved Riley so much. How could he possibly leave?

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Three years after my groom ditched me for his stepsister, he stormed back home and found me pregnant. He called me a liar.A whore. A traitor to the Hawthorne name. Then he dragged me to the pool and tried to kill the child in my belly. He thought the baby wasn’t Hawthorne blood. He was wrong. He was attacking his own uncle’s child. Three years ago. On my wedding day with Tristan Hawthorne, his step-sister Brianna threatened to jump off a building. Tristan abandoned me at the altar, still in my wedding dress, to save her. Facing the mocking eyes of the guests, I publicly announced, “Whoever comes up here to marry me today, I’ll be their bride!” Three years later, Tristan returned to the Hawthorne mansion with Brianna. I was sitting on a leather couch, sipping gourmet soup and binge-watching TV shows. Tristan glared at my swollen belly, gritting his teeth, “Whose bastard are you carrying?” I took another sip of my soup and smiled lightly, “Of course, it’s a Hawthorne child.” Tristan approached me furiously, yanking me off the couch. “You slut! I left with Brianna on our wedding day and haven’t been back for three years. How could that child possibly be mine?” I found it amusing. I never said it was his, and he wasn’t the only Hawthorne man. “Of course, this child isn’t yours. You’re not worthy of being its father!” Brianna, shocked, spoke up, “Riley, even though Tristan left you at the altar, he still let you keep the Hawthorne name and enjoy the family’s wealth. How could you be so shameless as to get pregnant with someone else’s child?” I glanced at her, “Brianna, you’re the Hawthorne’s step-sister, yet you openly seduced your own brother. When it comes to shamelessness, who could compare to you two?” Brianna immediately turned to Tristan with a pitiful voice, “Alex, for the past three years, we’ve kept our relationship purely platonic. But she’s pregnant with another man’s child, making you a cuckold.” Hearing the word “cuckold,” Tristan raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. “You whore! You get knocked up by someone else and dare to slander me and Brianna? Get out of the Hawthorne house!” The pain on my cheek left me dazed for a few seconds. Three years ago, when Tristan ran off with Brianna, leaving me alone at the altar to face everyone’s mockery, I publicly asked for a husband. It was Tristan’s uncle, Lucas Hawthorne, who stepped up and married me. Lucas was known as the “Ice King” in the city. Since I married him, everyone treated me with utmost respect and courtesy. Since my pregnancy, Lucas had been pampering me, not letting even a hair on my head be harmed. If Lucas found out Tristan had hit me today, there would definitely be bloodshed. To avoid a family tragedy and for the sake of my unborn child, I said coldly, “If you leave now, I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.” But they didn’t appreciate my offer. Brianna grabbed my hair. “Alex, this bitch is just guilty. She wants to drive us out so she can use that bastard child to take over the Hawthorne fortune.” Tristan cursed, “You scheming witch, so that’s your plan. I won’t let you get away with it.” I twisted away from Brianna’s grip and said coldly, “From the day you ran away, Grandfather Hawthorne removed you from the family. Everything in this house has nothing to do with you anymore.” Brianna laughed lightly, “That was just Grandfather’s angry words. Alex is the only Hawthorne grandson, how could he really be removed from the family?” Tristan looked smug, “Grandfather always said everything in the Hawthorne family belongs to me.” I placed a hand on my belly and said coldly, “Not anymore. The child I’m carrying is also a Hawthorne descendant.” I thought I had made myself clear enough. But Tristan glared at me angrily, “You bitch, you really are trying to pass off this bastard as a Hawthorne heir. I’ll teach you a lesson today!” He slapped me even harder, causing me to fall to the ground, clutching my stomach. Seeing their menacing expressions, fear rose in my heart. Worried they might harm the baby, I quickly said, “The child I’m carrying isn’t a bastard, it’s…”

Before I could finish, Tristan shoved the bowl of gourmet soup, along with its broken pieces, into my mouth. “Brianna and I have been struggling for the past three years, while you’ve been living the high life here, all because of that bastard in your belly!” “I’ll make you eat your fill today!” I choked immediately, unable to speak as the sharp ceramic pieces cut into my mouth, drawing blood. As I tried to resist, Brianna dug her sharp heel into the back of my hand. My entire hand throbbed with pain, but I couldn’t even cry out. After force-feeding me the entire bowl of soup, Tristan spat on me before standing up. Brianna moved her stiletto-clad foot to my protruding belly. Terrified, I desperately grabbed her ankle, preventing her from stepping down. Lucas was infertile, and this child was the result of three years of visiting specialists both domestically and abroad. Brianna’s face wore a mocking smile, “Riley, you look just like a mother dog protecting her pups. How ugly.” Tristan frowned at my belly, “If word gets out that I’ve been cuckolded, how can I show my face in the city again? Brianna, crush that bastard in her belly!” I shook my head frantically, spitting out the contents of my mouth along with blood, struggling to say, “The child… in my belly… is Lucas’s…” Tristan paused, then burst into laughter. “Riley, you’re really terrible at lying! Everyone in the city knows my uncle avoids women and is sterile.” “Right now, I’m the only one who can continue the Hawthorne line. Why else do you think Grandfather was so eager for me to marry you and produce an heir?” Brianna chimed in, “Alex is the only Hawthorne heir. Grandfather stopped his cards to force him to come back and inherit the family business.” “You’re ridiculous, trying to pin this on Uncle Lucas after we exposed your lies.” Tristan and Brianna had eloped for three years without even a phone call home. Grandfather Hawthorne was truly disappointed in him, which was why he cut off Tristan’s funds and wanted to sever ties with him. But seeing them both in such an irrational state, I didn’t argue to avoid provoking them further. I repeated, “I’m not lying. The child really is Lucas’s.” “If you don’t believe me, I can call Lucas to confirm.” With one hand protecting my belly, I reached for my phone on the table. If I could just contact Lucas, he would rush over to save me and the baby. But just as I grabbed the phone, Tristan snatched it away and smashed it on the ground. Seeing the screen shatter into pieces, my heart sank. Tristan grabbed my chin and said, “My uncle is unpredictable and feared by everyone in the city as the Ice King.” “If he finds out I can’t even handle being cuckolded, he’ll think I’m useless and won’t pass the company to me.” “Riley, isn’t that why you wanted to call my uncle?” I shook my head quickly, “No, the baby I’m carrying is…” Before I could finish, Brianna pressed her heel into my stomach, “Alex, why waste words on this slut? Let’s quickly get rid of the bastard in her belly and go report to Grandfather.” A sharp pain shot through my abdomen, and I could feel the baby moving frantically inside. I was filled with unprecedented panic. I looked at them pleadingly, “Please, spare my child…” Brianna took out her phone and pointed it at me, “If you kneel down and bark like a dog twice, then say you’re a promiscuous bitch, I’ll spare the child in your belly.”

At this moment, for the sake of my unborn child, I could no longer care about anything else. I turned and knelt on the ground, barked “Woof, woof” twice, and said with a trembling voice, “I’m a promiscuous bitch.” Brianna bent down to look at me, a smug smile on her lips. “Riley, when I knelt before you begging you not to marry Alex, did you ever imagine this day would come?” Back then, Brianna had come to me, saying she and her step-brother were in love, asking me to break off the engagement. The marriage between the Hawthorne and Winters families was arranged by our parents, with countless business interests behind it. If I had proposed to break it off, the responsibility would have fallen on me, and the Winters family would have suffered. So I refused her request. I never expected her to hold such a grudge until today. Now, I had no energy to argue about past events. I looked at them pleadingly, “Please, call an ambulance quickly.” Tristan stomped on my back, “Riley, you really are a slut! You’d do anything for this bastard!” I was pinned to the ground, my belly hitting the hard floor. A burning pain spread across my abdomen. “You said you’d spare my child…” Brianna spoke casually, “I said I’d spare your child, but Alex didn’t say anything!” “You bitch, using that bastard in your belly to scam the Hawthorne family under my name. If you think I’ll let you off, dream on!” Tristan kicked me hard in the abdomen. An intense pain ripped through my lower belly, and bright red blood began to flow down my legs. Feeling the baby’s movements gradually cease, I was filled with despair. My eyes burned with hatred as I looked at them. “Tristan, Brianna, you’ll regret this!” Brianna stood beside Tristan, her eyes filled with malice, “Alex, this bitch still hasn’t learned her lesson. Looks like she needs more punishment!” Hearing this, Tristan’s lips curled into a cold smile, “Let’s see who makes who regret!” “Brianna, go find a rope.” Brianna immediately understood and found a rope from the living room, walking towards me. I dragged my bleeding lower body backward, my eyes full of terror, “What are you going to do?” But their only response was excitement on their faces. They tied my hands and feet together with the rope, then dragged me from inside the house to the outside, leaving a long trail of blood on the floor. They dragged me to the edge of the swimming pool. Tristan kicked me into the pool. With my limbs bound, I could only sink helplessly to the bottom. The pool water sealed my mouth and nose, and the agony of suffocation overwhelmed me. Just when I thought I was about to die, Tristan pulled me up by the rope. “Riley, have you learned your lesson? Will you ever dare to cuckold me again?” I gasped for air, but I could feel the pain in my abdomen sinking lower and lower. I had attended prenatal classes with Lucas before, and I knew this meant I was going into premature labor due to the trauma. Although I knew the chances of the baby surviving were slim, I didn’t want to give up this last hope. I pleaded with Tristan again, “I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never do it again. Please spare me and the baby.” “I’m going into labor. Please call an ambulance, I beg you…” Tristan spat at me, “Bitch, you’re still thinking about that bastard. I see you have no remorse at all!” “There’s no way I’m letting that bastard leave the Hawthorne house alive today!” He raised his foot to kick me back into the pool. I closed my eyes in despair, my heart filled with fear of drowning. Just then, the gates of the Hawthorne mansion burst open. Lucas rushed in, his eyes filled with urgency, and shouted, “Stop!”

Tristan was startled by his uncle’s shout, instinctively dropping the rope. He had always been afraid of his uncle, known as the Ice King. But when he saw Grandfather Hawthorne following Lucas, Tristan regained his composure. After all, he was the only grandson in the family, the apple of his grandfather’s eye. He rushed to embrace Grandfather Hawthorne, forcing out a few tears, “Grandpa, I’ve missed you so much these past three years.” Brianna also stepped forward. As the Hawthorne’s adopted daughter, she wasn’t as close to Grandfather Hawthorne as Tristan. She stood to the side and said: “Grandpa, Alex and I know we were wrong. Alex has decided to come back and continue the wedding with Riley. We just didn’t expect…” Tristan added with a resentful tone, “We didn’t expect this slut to be so shameless, cheating on me and getting pregnant with a bastard, trying to pass it off as a Hawthorne child!” “But don’t worry, Grandpa. I’ve already taken care of the bastard in her belly. The Hawthorne name won’t be disgraced!” Hearing this, Grandfather Hawthorne pushed Tristan away and finally saw me, barely alive by the pool. Lucas ran to my side, his hands trembling as he untied the ropes binding my limbs. Seeing the blood flowing from my lower body, even his voice shook. “Riley, how are you?” I looked at Lucas, tears streaming down my face, “Lucas, the baby… save the baby…” Grandfather Hawthorne stared at the scene in disbelief. He raised his cane and struck Tristan hard, “You beast! What have you done!” Tristan dodged while glaring at me resentfully, “Grandpa, that bitch Riley used the Hawthorne name to cuckold me. She’s fooled you and Uncle Lucas. I never touched her, that child in her belly isn’t mine.” Brianna chimed in, “That’s right, Grandpa. Alex and I just got back to the Hawthorne house today. Her belly is already six or seven months along. It must be some bastard child.” Grandfather Hawthorne struck Brianna with his cane, “The child in Riley’s belly is not a bastard. It’s a Hawthorne descendant.” Tristan shouted, “Grandpa, that’s impossible! I never touched her!” Lucas picked up my bleeding body and kicked Tristan to the ground, his eyes full of murderous intent as he looked at him and Brianna. “If anything happens to the child in Riley’s womb, I’ll have your lives!” With that, he carried me hurriedly to the hospital. Tristan was so terrified by his uncle’s killing intent that he didn’t dare breathe. After Lucas left, he took a deep breath and looked at his grandfather. “Grandpa, has Uncle gone mad? How can he threaten my life for that promiscuous woman and her bastard child?” Brianna whispered beside him, “Alex, could this all be a plot by Riley and Uncle Lucas? Uncle is sterile, so maybe they’re using the bastard in Riley’s belly to seize your inheritance?” Tristan immediately turned to Grandfather Hawthorne, “Grandpa, you must stand up for me. All the Hawthorne fortune belongs to me. It can’t fall into outsiders’ hands.” Seeing that they still hadn’t grasped the situation even when facing death, Grandfather Hawthorne angrily struck Tristan’s head with his cane. “To think that I, Theodore Hawthorne, known for my wisdom, could have such a foolish descendant.” “The child in Riley’s belly is not a bastard. It’s Lucas’s child.”

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When Tristan publicly chose another girl, people waited for me to break. But I’d already seen the future— the version where loving him killed me. So I went to the one man who mourned me for a lifetime. Silas Yates. Cold voice, steady hands, eyes burning when he thought I couldn’t see. Tonight, I won’t be the girl chasing Tristan. I’ll be the girl hiding in Silas’s bed when Tristan walks in. The day Tristan Reed confessed to the pretty transfer student, everyone thought I would break down and rush over to make a scene. But I didn’t show up at all, even after the confession was over. Tristan had no idea that at that moment, I was sitting on his roommate’s bed, wearing his roommate’s hoodie, asking in frustration: “I got your bed all wet. How are you going to sleep tonight?” Silas Yates averted his gaze, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he handed me a towel. “Go dry your hair. I’ll change the sheets before you sleep.” The day Tristan Reed confessed to the pretty transfer student, everyone thought I would break down and rush over to make a scene. But I didn’t show up at all, even after the confession was over. Tristan had no idea that at that moment, I was sitting on his roommate’s bed, wearing his roommate’s hoodie, asking in frustration: “I got your bed all wet. How are you going to sleep tonight?” Silas Yates averted his gaze, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he handed me a towel. “Go dry your hair. I’ll change the sheets before you sleep.” Tristan was going to confess to that pretty transfer student. He had asked everyone to keep it a secret from me. But he didn’t know that some gossips couldn’t hold it in and had already told me. Everyone knew I had a crush on Tristan and dreamed of marrying him someday. This time, Tristan seemed to have fallen head over heels for that girl. People thought I would throw a fit, cry and make a huge scene. Everyone loves to watch this kind of drama unfold between men and women. They were all waiting for me to lose it and rush over to cause chaos. But unfortunately, even after Tristan successfully confessed, I still hadn’t shown up. The crowd of onlookers, three layers deep, started to lose interest. Even Tristan’s face didn’t show much joy. He put his arm around his new girlfriend and took out his phone. There were no calls or messages. Tristan frowned slightly. Then he turned to the crowd and said, “I’m treating everyone tonight. You’re all invited.” The onlooking classmates all cheered. I had been standing behind some trees the whole time and only then walked out. Someone with sharp eyes spotted me and immediately shouted, “It’s Mia! Mia’s here!” “I knew it. How could Mia possibly stay away?” Tristan suddenly looked up. The moment he saw me, the corners of his lips curved up almost imperceptibly. I ignored all the people waiting to see some drama. I walked straight up to Tristan. “Mia.” Tristan held his new girlfriend tighter. He looked at me and said flatly, “You can’t force feelings.” “We’ve known each other for over ten years. I don’t want to say anything too harsh and hurt our old friendship.” “From now on, I’ll still treat you like a sister.” “If you need anything, you can still come to me.” Then he lowered his voice, “With so many people watching, don’t make a scene. Go home.” “Tristan,” I interrupted him and slowly took a step forward. He frowned again, “Mia, be good.” I smiled and handed him the bracelet I had just taken off my wrist. “I came to return this to you.” Seeing the bracelet, Tristan’s face suddenly darkened. “Mia, what game are you playing now?” “Take the bracelet back. I won’t bother you anymore after this.” Tristan stared at me, his voice growing colder, “I don’t care about this little bit of money.” “If you don’t want it, just throw it away.” As soon as he finished speaking, I turned and threw the bracelet into a nearby trash can. “You can throw away all the other things I gave you before too.” With that, I left without looking at him again. By the time I reached the riverside, it was raining heavily. Standing in the rain with an umbrella, I thought about the dreams I had in the past few days. In the dream, because of Tristan confessing to Olivia, I cried and made a scene. To force him to break up, I jumped into the river that night. But what was the result? I almost lost my life. Tristan only stayed at the hospital for five minutes before leaving resolutely. The White family who had fostered me thought I was embarrassing them by attempting suicide. And because of Tristan’s attitude, they felt I was no longer of any use to them. They forced me to drop out of school and sent me back to my birth parents, who were involved in all kinds of vices. In the end, my life spiraled downward, and I died miserably in a foreign country. After I died, the person who collected my incomplete remains turned out to be the one I had always feared and kept at a distance. And Tristan, newlywed and in high spirits, never showed up. These days, the events in my dreams came true one by one. If it weren’t for these dreams, I would have been frantically calling Tristan by now. Then I would have threatened to kill myself and jumped into the river. I’m very grateful for this dream. It made me feel like I was reborn. I can change my predetermined tragic fate bit by bit. The third time I dialed that number, it was finally answered. I clutched the phone tightly and held it gently to my ear. The name Silas Yates lingered on my tongue several times before I finally uttered it slowly. The heavy rain cut off all the noise in the world. Only Silas’s voice, slightly lazy, sounded deeply, “Mia?” “Silas, it’s raining heavily.” “I’m by the river and can’t get back. Can you come pick me up?” The other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds. I nervously gripped the umbrella handle, my palm clammy with sweat. In the dream, when Silas was collecting my remains, he seemed to cry. His tears fell one by one on my decaying flesh and bones. Even in the dream, I could feel that burning sensation. Later, he carried a small bottle of my ashes with him for a lifetime. And he was lonely for a lifetime. I couldn’t help but tear up and choked back a sob. “Why are you crying?” Silas’s voice suddenly came through. It was still that indifferent tone, even with a hint of impatience. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t come.” “Then when will you be here?” “Wait. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” “Okay, I’ll wait for you, Silas.” He didn’t say anything else, and the call ended. Fifteen minutes later, I gave my umbrella to a mother and child seeking shelter from the rain. So when Silas arrived, I was already soaked from head to toe. When he got out of the car, his thin lips were tightly pressed together, his face as cold as if it contained frost and snow. I brushed my wet bangs aside and looked up at him with a bright smile, “Silas, you’re really punctual.” “Mia, you might as well die of stupidity.” He coldly grabbed my arm and shoved me into the car. Then he threw me a soft blanket. “Dry yourself off. Don’t get my car dirty.” He glanced at me in the rearview mirror and then skillfully turned the car around. “Oh.” I obediently wrapped myself in the blanket. Then I couldn’t help but steal glances at him as he focused on driving. When he had no expression, he always looked very cold and unapproachable. Many girls at school liked him, but no one dared to confess. He was Tristan’s roommate. I often went to Tristan’s dorm, and every time I went, Silas seemed to really dislike me. Even now, although he came to pick me up, his attitude was still cold. Just now when he shoved me into the car, he used extra force. My wrist still hurt, with a ring of red marks. It’s hard to tell that he had been secretly liking me all along. I slowly lowered my eyelashes. Everything in the dream had come true. But now, because of my changes, many things have also changed. Would Silas still like me? If he didn’t like me at all, wouldn’t I be causing him trouble by doing this? “Back to the dorm?” Silas suddenly turned his head and glanced at me. My heart suddenly skipped a beat, and I blurted out, “Yeah, back to your dorm.” Silas gripped the steering wheel and snorted, “Tristan won’t be back tonight.” “I know.”

I gripped the edge of the blanket, twisting it tighter and tighter. “I’m not looking for him.” The car suddenly braked sharply and stopped by the roadside. Silas turned to look at me, the frost in his eyes so cold it made my heart tremble. “Mia, don’t treat me as part of your game with Tristan.” “I’m not…” He stared at me for a moment, then took out his phone. “I’ll call you a cab. You go back by yourself.” “Silas…” I bit my lip hard and snatched his phone away. “Mia.” He looked at me, but there was no anger or disgust in his eyes. His eyes were just very deep, filled with countless emotions. I suddenly felt inexplicably sad. “Silas, I don’t want to go back to the dorm. They’re all laughing at me.” “I’m also afraid to go home.” “Can you… let me stay at your dorm for one night…” I hid his phone behind my back, my voice getting smaller and smaller. “Of course, if you really hate me so much and don’t want to see me… then forget it.” As soon as I finished speaking, tears also fell from my eyes at the right moment. One by one, quietly and soundlessly. Silas didn’t say another word to me. But he started the car again. The car drove towards the direction of the school and finally stopped at the foot of his dormitory building. I followed Silas into the dorm. He went to the closet and took out a clean hoodie and handed it to me, “The bathroom is over there.” He’s tall, so the hoodie was very big on me. It reached almost to my knees, like a dress. After showering, I just put on the hoodie and came out bare-legged. Silas glanced at me and then averted his gaze. I walked past Tristan’s bed and sat down on Silas’s bed. My wet long hair dripped water, quickly soaking the sheets. The shampoo and shower gel on my body were all Silas’s scent. In the small space, the same scent permeated, creating an indescribable intimacy that was quietly growing. Silas took out a pack of cigarettes, coughed lightly, “I’m going to smoke a cigarette.” He went to the balcony. I curiously looked around Silas’s bed. Light gray sheets and blankets, clean and tidy. There was a computer and books on the desk, also neat. I was about to look at the decorations on his desk when my phone suddenly rang. Tristan’s name was flashing on the screen. I didn’t answer. He called again very quickly, seemingly with no intention of stopping. I simply put the phone on silent and put it back in my bag. “Silas.” I called out towards the balcony. He quickly turned around, put out his cigarette and walked over, “What’s wrong?” I sat on the bed, having to look up to see him. Silas made eye contact with me for two seconds, then looked away. But I noticed that the back of his ears seemed to be a bit red. “I got your sheets wet. How are you going to sleep tonight?” He glanced at me, then at the wet patches on the sheets. His Adam’s apple bobbed violently before he turned to get a clean sheet from the closet. “You go dry your hair first. I’ll change the sheets before you sleep.” After saying that, he went to get clean sheets from the closet. I clutched the towel, thinking of how his whole ear had turned red earlier, and couldn’t help but smile. When I came out after drying my hair, Silas had already changed to new sheets. “You go to sleep.” “What about you?” He pulled out a chair, not even turning his head, “I’ll play some games.” “Oh.” I sat down on his bed somewhat dejectedly. Silas put on his headphones and was about to put them on when his phone suddenly rang. He looked at the screen, then turned to look at me before answering. “Tristan, what’s up?” My heart suddenly tightened, and I instinctively held my breath. “Mm, I’m in the dorm.” “You say someone saw Mia come to our dorm building?” Silas turned to look at me again, “I…” In a moment of panic, I didn’t wait for him to finish speaking. I got up and walked over, straddling his legs and hooking my arms around his neck. When Silas was about to push me away, I pressed against his ear and said, “Silas, tell him I’m not here.” Under my fingers hooked around his neck, Silas’s skin instantly burned hot. I saw the blue veins on the side of his neck tense and slightly bulge. His Adam’s apple moved up and down violently, his heart beating very fast. I looked up at him, and he looked down at me. In the depths of his eyes, desire gradually spread. “No, I’ve been in the dorm the whole time.” “She didn’t come. Yeah, you should ask someone else.” Silas hung up the phone as soon as he finished speaking. He tossed the phone aside and gripped my waist with his long fingers through the hoodie. Holding me tight, pressing me into his embrace. I clearly felt the burning volcano. My ears buzzed, and my first thought was to escape. But Silas held me even tighter, “Mia.” His voice was a bit hoarse. His hot breath fell on my ear and neck. I shrank my neck, wanting to dodge, but his kiss fell directly on my lips. “Don’t tempt me… I don’t want to touch you in a place like this.” “Silas…” I twisted my body, wanting to adjust my sitting position. The volcano seemed about to erupt, frighteningly fierce. In the gap between breaths, I finally found a chance to speak. “If you don’t want to touch me, why are you kissing me?” Silas lowered his head slightly, his forehead pressed against mine. In the tangle of breaths, he closed his eyes, seemingly trying hard to calm down. “Also, do you know how to kiss… my lips are all swollen.” “Mia.” Silas didn’t open his eyes. But his hands holding my waist slightly loosened their grip. His fingers were very long and strong. Gripping my waist through the hoodie, making me both in pain and torment. “Silas…” I couldn’t help but frown, wanting to push his hands away. But Silas grabbed my fingers. “Mia, don’t move.” “I’ll be gentler this time.”

As he finished speaking, Silas’s hands fell on my lower back. He pulled me into his embrace, pressing tightly against him. This kiss was long and gentle. At the end, he seemed to lose control and kissed very deeply. “Silas…” I lightly punched him and bit him in the gap between breaths. “Mia.” Silas’s voice was extremely hoarse. His whole body tensed up. The heat from his palms almost burned my body. Silas suddenly buried his face in the crook of my neck and let out a low groan. The volcano erupted, then calmed down. But soon, it was on the verge of erupting again. However, Silas gently pushed me away and pulled me to stand up. I just felt that his expression was very strange. There was also a very unfamiliar smell permeating the air. I couldn’t help but ask, “Silas, what happened to you just now?” His ears were red as blood. The usually cold and aloof man now had eyes full of deep desire. “I’m going to take a shower.” He stood up, lowered his eyes and pulled down the hem of my messy hoodie. “You sleep first.” Before I could say anything, Silas had already quickly entered the bathroom. When the sound of water started, I lay on Silas’s bed and rolled over. Then I cooled my burning face with the back of my hand. I seemed to have vaguely guessed something. But Silas was tall and often exercised, with lean muscles all over. He had a high, straight nose bridge and a sharp jawline. His fingers were also very long, with strong knuckles. No matter how you look at it, he doesn’t seem like the type of guy who would… um, finish so quickly. Could it be that he hadn’t had a girlfriend before? And had never been intimate with a girl? Thinking this way, my heart started to fill with sweet bubbles. I lay on Silas’s pillow and accidentally felt a pearl earring under his pillow. The earring looked very familiar. It was one of a pair that I loved to wear daily. Once when I came to Tristan’s dorm, I accidentally lost one and couldn’t find it no matter how hard I looked. So it turns out Silas had picked it up. I suddenly remembered. In those previous dreams, Silas seemed to have kept this earring with him all the time. After being dazed for a while, I put the earring back under his pillow. The sound of the hair dryer stopped. When Silas came out, he was wearing a set of navy blue pajamas. After the steam, his skin looked as white as jade. With his hair falling neatly, that sharp coldness from before faded a bit. Somehow, I felt Silas looked a bit cute at this moment. Just as I was about to call out to him, there was suddenly a faint sound of people talking outside the door. My expression changed, and I froze completely. One of the voices outside was clearly Tristan’s. Silas’s face also darkened, but he obviously reacted faster than me. By the time Tristan pushed open the door, Silas had already stuffed my clothes into the closet. My shoes were hidden in the deepest part under the bed. And Silas was just lifting the blanket to get into bed. Only one night light was on in the dorm, the light dim. I was hidden under Silas’s blanket. There was only a slight, inconspicuous bulge. Even if Tristan came closer, he wouldn’t notice anything unusual unless he looked carefully. “Why did you turn off the lights so early?” Tristan asked curiously. “Got caught in the rain. My head hurts a bit.” As Silas spoke, he gently gripped my restless wrist under the blanket. The bed was only about 4 feet wide, and Silas was tall with long legs, taking up a lot of space. My whole body was almost pressed against him. My breath faintly brushed against his waist. I could clearly feel that the muscles of his waist and abdomen were very tense. “Alright then.” Tristan didn’t turn on the lights either. He sat down in a chair and took out his phone to make calls. After making several calls with no one answering, Tristan was obviously a bit angry. “Silas, do you think Mia is doing this on purpose?” “What?” “I just confessed to Olivia today, and she’s already causing trouble like this.” “Just now the news reported that a female college student committed suicide by jumping into the river because of relationship troubles.” “I thought she had done something stupid, so I rushed over there, leaving Olivia behind.” “But it wasn’t her when they pulled the person out.” “I’ve been calling her all night, and she’s not answering any of them. Now she’s nowhere to be found.” Tristan slammed his phone on the table, “She’s definitely doing this on purpose, deliberately ruining my date tonight.” At this point, Tristan let out a cold laugh, “I bet she’s going to cling to me for the rest of her life.” “Not necessarily.” Silas suddenly interjected. Tristan was a bit surprised, “Not necessarily?” “Silas, you’ve seen clearly how she’s been clinging to me these past two years.” “You’ve been annoyed by her too, never giving her a good look.” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but bite Silas’s waist. He winced in pain and instinctively moved his hand to block it, but his fingers just brushed against my lips. I simply bit his finger lightly. Silas’s whole body suddenly tensed up, and he let out a very low hiss. “What’s wrong with you?” “It’s nothing… my leg cramped.” Silas’s voice was very hoarse, and he coughed twice after speaking. “Alright, you rest well. I won’t bother you anymore.” Tristan said as he stood up, “I’ll just use the bathroom and then leave.” When he pushed open the bathroom door, I suddenly thought of something. Earlier when I showered, I had washed my socks and hung them in the bathroom. Sure enough, when Tristan came out less than two minutes later, there was a mischievous smile on his face. “Silas, did you bring a girl to the dorm?” “You’ve kept it so well-hidden. Which beauty managed to win over our ice prince Silas?” “Don’t talk nonsense.” Tristan took a few steps towards the bed, “Going to bed so early, hiding someone in bed, huh?” “Tristan.” Silas’s voice suddenly turned cold. “Okay, okay, I won’t come over.” Tristan stopped in his tracks. But he looked at Silas’s bed with interest, “Do you have protection? I have extra, want me to give you some?” Silas gently gripped the back of my neck under the blanket, making me lie still on top of him. Then he glanced at Tristan, his voice a bit cold, “Don’t make those kinds of jokes about girls.” “Are you serious?” Tristan seemed a bit surprised. Silas’s lips were tightly pressed together, his Adam’s apple bobbing, “Mm.” If the light had been a bit brighter, Tristan would have seen how pained and restrained Silas’s expression was. After all, he was gripping my neck to keep me from moving. But my other parts could still move. Anyway, no one could see under the blanket. So I properly felt Silas’s abs. Every time I touched him, his muscles tensed up a bit more. I secretly moved my hand lower, and when I reached his V-line, Silas’s reaction was quite big. It even scared me.

“Alright then, I won’t disturb you guys. I’ll stay out tonight.” Tristan turned and left the dorm. As soon as the door closed, I threw off the blanket, “Silas, I was about to suffocate…” Silas leaned against the headboard, looking at me deeply. The not-so-bright light fell on his handsome, chiseled features. Casting large patches of shadows. I was stunned by the sight. They say beauty is best viewed under the lamp. Actually, it’s the same for men. Looking at a handsome guy in the flickering light and shadows certainly creates more atmosphere. “Mia.” Silas slowly sat up. He reached out and brushed aside the messy hair by my ear. Then, cupping my face, he spoke very seriously. “I wasn’t annoyed by you.” “And I didn’t give you the cold shoulder.” “Don’t take his words to heart.” After Silas finished speaking, he let go of his hands. He got out of bed and took out a pack of cigarettes, “You sleep.” “What about you?” He pointed to the balcony, “I’ll smoke a cigarette. Go to sleep.” Very timely, I suddenly sneezed. Silas stopped in his tracks. I grabbed the sleeve of his pajamas, frowning pitifully, “I think I caught a cold. My head hurts.” Silas looked at me for a while, “Let go first. I’ll get you some medicine.” After I took the medicine, I still clung to him and wouldn’t let go, “Silas, I’m a bit cold. The blanket is too thin.” But this time Silas pushed my hand away. “Mia, Tristan left a long time ago. You don’t need to do this anymore.” “What does this have to do with him?” Silas laughed self-mockingly, “What were you doing by the river tonight?” I finally came to my senses. So the news about a girl jumping into the river that Tristan mentioned earlier had made him misunderstand. He thought I went to the river because I was feeling hopeless and wanted to end my life. Calling him and coming back to his dorm was deliberately getting back at Tristan. Actually, I know it’s normal for him to think this way. For the past two years, my foster parents from the White family had been pushing me hard. After the real daughter of the White family was found. They once wanted to send me back to my birth parents. Later, probably considering that I still had some value for an arranged marriage, they reluctantly kept me. So Tristan was like a lifeline for me. I thought since we grew up together as childhood sweethearts. There would always be some affection between us. He would save me from the quagmire. I placed all my hopes on Tristan. But all of this, in others’ eyes, was evidence of my obsessive love for him. Not to mention Silas. He was Tristan’s roommate. How many moments of my “persistent pursuit” had he witnessed? “Silas…” I wanted to explain. But he had already stood up, “Set an alarm and leave early tomorrow morning. Don’t let anyone see you.” “After all, this kind of thing isn’t good for you girls.” “Silas.” But he didn’t stop or look back. I bit my lip hard, “Then you kissed me so many times tonight.” “And even did that…” “Are you not going to take responsibility?” Silas suddenly stopped in his tracks. He turned to look at me. I sat on the bed, my eyes very red, but holding back tears. “I know you hate me.” “Every time I came here before, you ignored me.” “But thank you for coming to pick me up tonight and taking me in.” “If you really don’t want to have anything to do with me anymore, then I’ll leave now.” I got up from the bed. I didn’t bother looking for my shoes, just walked towards the door barefoot. As I passed by Silas with my head down. I had already silently shed tears all over my face. “Mia.” Silas grabbed me. “I said earlier, I don’t hate you…” “Then will you take responsibility?” I shook off his hand and looked up at him defiantly. “You kissed me, hugged me.” “And even did that…” Silas suddenly gripped my chin and kissed me fiercely. “Mia.” He sucked on my lips, his breathing getting heavier. “If you insist on provoking me, then provoke me all the way.” I hugged his lean waist and stood on tiptoes to meet this deep kiss, “Okay…” During the National Day holiday, I went to the city where my birth parents lived. I stayed there for three days. When I left, that pair of scumbags who indulged in all kinds of vices. Had already been taken away by the police, awaiting the severe and merciless punishment of the law. Human trafficking, gambling, forced prostitution, thanks to those dreams, I had iron-clad evidence for each and every crime. I didn’t need to wait for rebirth or the next life. In this life, I could completely get rid of this pair of demons and let them receive the punishment they deserved. When I got on the plane, I let out a long sigh. The biggest worry in my heart was finally settled. At this moment, I felt incredibly free and relaxed. When the plane landed in the capital, I first reported to Silas that I was safe. He didn’t know the true purpose of this trip. He still thought I had gone on a short trip with my girlfriends for a few days. “I’ll come find you tonight. Is everything ready at home?” Silas had moved to an apartment off campus. He was already a senior and hardly needed to go back to school anymore. Plus, living in the same dorm with Tristan was inconvenient after all. “It’s all ready. Should I come pick you up?” “Sure.” “Mia.” “What is it?” “Today is Tristan’s birthday. He’s throwing a party and asked me to go… with my girlfriend.” I had forgotten that Tristan’s birthday was on National Day. “Mia, do you want to go with me?” I didn’t answer, feeling quite conflicted inside. It wasn’t that I was unwilling to make our relationship public. But the White family might soon cut ties with me. At that time, my unsavory background would be known to everyone. I knew Silas wouldn’t care. But I couldn’t bear to let him be criticized. Just like in the dream. They accused him of being unfilial and disloyal. For the sake of an unworthy woman. Breaking his parents’ and relatives’ hearts. But, as Silas said that day. I was the one who provoked him first, so I should provoke him all the way. You can’t have it both ways, right? “Silas.” I took a deep breath, “Do you want me to go?”

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I was thrown into a horror game. Terrifying for anyone with normal vision. I’m nearly blind. I mistook the blood-red loli for a lost child. I mistook the headless final boss for her dad. Now they’re both glued to me— the girl wrapping herself around my waist, the father pulling her off and tossing her across the hallway, both hissing, “She’s mine.” 0[Welcome to the “House of Happiness” mission. [Players who survive for seven days in this mission will pass. [Initial players: 30; Currently alive: 30. [We wish all players an enjoyable game~] After dying in a car accident, a flash of white light passed, and I arrived in front of a large building. An eerie mechanical voice sounded in my ears. Because I’m severely nearsighted, I can’t distinguish between people and animals within 10 feet. I couldn’t see what the building looked like clearly, nor could I make out the exact appearance of the people around me. I could only see vague human shapes. At this time, I heard a fragile schoolgirl crying: “Wah, where is this? I want to go home.” A yellow-haired guy cursed angrily: “Who’s messing with us? Let me go back!” A relatively calm man and woman stepped forward. They introduced themselves as veteran players named Rachel and Jack, and kindly explained to us. This was an infinite horror game, and those pulled into this game were all dead people. If we could clear all the missions and accumulate the legendary 9999 points, we could be resurrected. Hearing we could be resurrected, I hurriedly asked: “So how many points can you get for clearing one mission?” Rachel seemed a bit down and said softly: “It depends on your terror value when you clear it. If you clear with 99 terror, you’ll only get 1 point. If you hit 100 terror, you die instantly.” Terror value, as the name suggests, is the degree of fear. Veteran players familiar with the game can usually keep their terror below 60. As for new players, well, it’s pretty rough. I rubbed my chin and asked again: “Then what if you clear with 0 terror? Can you get 100 points?” As soon as I said this, unbeknownst to me, everything was being livestreamed. Countless comments mocked me: [This newbie is so arrogant! Although the House of Happiness is only an S-rank mission and not the highest level, it’s still never been cleared due to its insane difficulty!] [Didn’t the famous player James from the top guild fail here last time? He made it to day 6 but still died in the end.] [We’re screwed, this random matchmaking only has two veteran players, Rachel and Jack. The two of them together aren’t as good as James. Looks like it’ll be a team wipe again.] 0

Soon, it was time for us to choose rooms. Rachel said that although no one had cleared this mission before, the players who died previously had figured out some tips. This building has 30 floors total, with one apartment per floor. Only one player can stay on each floor. And the House of Happiness is actually a role-playing horror mission. There are some ghosts living in each apartment, and they will play various close relationships with the players. So how could the terror value not fluctuate dramatically after living together for seven days? Jack hurriedly interrupted Rachel and pulled her along to choose the first and second floors. Seeing the veteran players make this choice, some smart people quickly followed suit and chose the lower floors. Because of my poor eyesight, I couldn’t run fast enough, so I had to wait for everyone else to choose. In the end, only the 30th floor was left for me. Taking advantage of the fact that I couldn’t see, the comments were chattering again: [This newbie is dead for sure. Everyone knows the higher the floor, the higher level the boss.] [Especially the 30th floor, it’s all big bosses, known as the House of Death.] I reached the 30th floor and looked around, finding it not much different from reality. Just a bit more bloody smell, redder walls, lower temperature, darker lighting… Plus, this was a huge penthouse! With the family I’ve always dreamed of! You should know, in reality I’m not only a severely nearsighted useless person, but also an orphan, and even more so a poor dog! I walked to the door, unhesitatingly reached out my hand, knocked hard, and shouted: “Open up quick, baby’s home! I’ll starve to death if you don’t open!” The comments were stunned: [Is she purely seeking death? Which player doesn’t politely knock or wait quietly at the door for the ghosts to be in a good mood to open up.] [I don’t want to watch this brainless woman anymore. I’m switching to another stream. I’ll go watch Rachel.] [Keep watching! I want to see how she dies!] 0

Actually, they don’t understand my thought process. Since it’s role-playing and we’re supposed to become a family with the ghosts, of course we should interact naturally. In real life, would you very politely say “Hello, is anyone there? Please help me open the door” when returning to your own home? After knocking, the door creaked open and a chill swept over my entire body. I sighed comfortably. This was simply a summer resort. No need for air conditioning even in summer. I looked down and saw a small red “figure”. Although my vision was always blurry, the two braids swinging back and forth suggested it was a child in a red dress. The child smiled eerily and suddenly pounced at me, her icy little hands gripping my neck. I hugged her in my arms, feeling her dress was wet, and immediately said disapprovingly: “How can a child wear wet clothes? Take them off quickly! I’ll get you changed into dry clothes!” My nose twitched, smelling a bloody scent, and I anxiously asked: “Are you hurt somewhere? Where’s the first aid kit? I’ll help you treat it.” The comments bitterly complained: [Sister, open your dog eyes and look! This is one of the bosses of the House of Death. What she’s wearing isn’t a wet red dress, it’s dyed red from killing and dismembering players! The bloody smell isn’t because she’s hurt, it’s the players’ blood on her dress.] [Never mind, when that person comes home, she’s dead for sure.] Unfortunately, I couldn’t see these comments. I carried the child into the house while helping her take off the red dress. I found a new white dress in her exquisite princess room and put it on her. The child’s little hands gripping my neck unconsciously loosened. Sensing her uncertainty, I took a warm towel, leaned in closer, and gently wiped the blood stains off her face bit by bit. Only then did I see clearly that she was an adorable little loli. I smiled and pointed at my face, saying: “As family members, helping each other is what I should do. But shouldn’t you give me a kiss to show your thanks?” The little loli shyly tugged at her white dress, quietly leaned in to my face, and gave me a quick peck before quickly pulling away. Her voice was soft and sweet as she said: “Thank you, Mommy.” What? Mommy? I’ve become a painless mother! This is simply too awesome! You should know, in reality I’ve heard so many stories of women dying in childbirth. Although I long for a family, I’m most afraid of giving birth. I had just coaxed the little loli to take an afternoon nap when I heard the mechanical voice announce: [Initial players: 30; Currently alive: 20.] I didn’t expect that just from choosing rooms, 10 players had already died. I opened my phone and held it close to my eyes, barely able to make out the text on the screen. It turned out everyone was exchanging information in the player group chat, like how other players died. Apparently, Brad and three other men had fought fiercely over the 3rd floor. In the end, Brad narrowly won and moved into the 3rd floor. As soon as Brad knocked on the door, a human-bodied dog-headed ghost walked out, opened its bloody maw, and swallowed Brad whole. It then chewed a few times and spat out some white bones with bits of flesh still attached. Through the half-open door, other players saw a large pile of bones inside. They guessed those were probably the remains of previous players. Witnessing this, basically all the new players’ adrenaline spiked. Now except for Rachel and Jack, everyone’s terror value was at 50, and this was only the first day! There was also a middle-aged uncle whose terror value shot up to 100 the instant he walked through the 10th floor door, and he died directly. The other players died in various ways, either killed by ghosts or scared to death. Of course, none of this had anything to do with me. I stood up and, while the little loli was sleeping, diligently found a mop from the bathroom and cleaned the entire apartment. I scrubbed the red floor tiles until they turned white. I’m really capable! The red stains on the walls that I couldn’t clean off, I just scraped away with a chisel. By the time I finished, it was already afternoon. My back ached from the work, so I lay down on the sofa next to the little loli and fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up again, I was enveloped by an icy aura. The room was very dark, and a blurry black shadow stood in front of me. Although I couldn’t see clearly, I was captivated by his voice from his very first sentence. 0

He chuckled in a low, sexy voice: “Heh, interesting. You’ve actually survived this long with Poppy.” Immediately after, the little loli Poppy’s cold voice also sounded: “You’d better not touch her. This mommy is quite interesting. I want to keep her to play with.” The man didn’t respond to her. With a wave of his hand, the little loli named Poppy flew backwards off the sofa, crashed into the balcony glass with a loud “bang”, along with the sound of bones shattering. The man laughed coldly: “Who allowed you to talk to me like that? You really think you’re my daughter?” I couldn’t stand it anymore. I scrambled up from the sofa, muttering: “Who allowed you to talk to a child like that? What kind of father are you?” I meant to slap the man’s face, but somehow my hand slipped and grabbed his abs instead. Tsk, the feeling was so good I couldn’t help but feel them up a couple more times. Seeing the man on the verge of exploding with rage, his whole body emitting black energy, I hurriedly tried to salvage the situation: “Poppy is my little treasure, you’re my big treasure. We’re just a loving family. “Actually, um, honey, your body is pretty nice, but why do you look a bit short? “It’s okay, now that I’m here, I’ll cook delicious food for you every day. I guarantee both father and daughter will grow tall.” The comments went crazy: [God, what is she saying? How dare she say these things in front of the Headless Big Boss!] [Finally the Headless Big Boss appears. He should be the strongest boss in the House of Happiness mission, right? James died at his hands back then.] [But why is the Big Boss’s face suspiciously red? I’m shipping it.] [Above, you’re just hungry.] The livestream audience was all waiting for the man to snap my neck. That was the fate of previous players.

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When I was four, my younger brother, Noah, and I both drowned. Only I survived, and from that day on, Mom hated me. At night, countless times, she’d try to force colorful “sweets” into my mouth, but Dad always stopped her just in time. Later, I cut off my long hair, shed my princess dresses, and tried desperately to live as Noah’s shadow. Only then would Mom spare me a glance. Three years passed. Mom became pregnant again, announcing that her beloved Noah had returned! I was happy for her. Noah was coming back, which was great… Because then, this family wouldn’t need me, the replacement, anymore. I found the “sweets” Mom had once tried to feed me, and quietly swallowed them. The “sweets” dissolved in my mouth, releasing a bitter taste. I couldn’t help but hunch over, dry heaving, bile and saliva rising to my lips. These were the pills Mom had hidden in the deepest part of her closet three years ago. Back then, she would often sit by my bed late at night, her eyes vacant, whispering: “Why aren’t you dead yet?” Now, I was finally fulfilling Mom’s obsession. I wore a boy’s school uniform, its collar frayed. It was Noah’s old uniform, long outgrown, but Mom said… I had to keep wearing it to be more like him. Mom’s laughter, a tenderness I’d never heard directed at me, echoed from the living room. She was stroking her stomach, talking to Dad, Robert: “The doctor said it’s definitely a boy this time. Look how stable the pregnancy is.” Her voice was sickeningly sweet. “Soon… I won’t have to look at that blight on our family’s face ever again.” I wanted one last look at Mom’s smiling face. Just as I reached the doorway, Dad saw me first, his brow furrowing. “Scarlett, why aren’t you doing your homework?” His gaze swept over my uniform, then quickly flicked away, as if he’d seen something offensive. Mom turned, her smile freezing instantly. “Who told you to come out? Your hair’s grown out again. Didn’t I tell you to cut it short, just like Noah’s buzz cut?” She hurried over, her finger jabbing hard at my head. “Always causing trouble. When Noah is born, if you dare to bother him, I’ll break your legs.” I flinched back, the red mark on my forehead stinging. The “sweets” in my stomach seemed to be dissolving, a throbbing pain rising in my abdomen, forcing me to bend over. Dad started to come to my aid, but Mom blocked him. “Don’t touch her. She’s probably just faking it for sympathy.” I bit my lip, saying nothing, slowly retreating to my room. With every step, my stomach felt like it was being twisted by knives. My limbs began to go numb, and even my hands clutching the doorframe trembled uncontrollably. I lay on the bed, my body starting to twitch. The door pushed open. It was Dad, holding a glass of warm water. He placed the glass on my nightstand, hesitating for a long moment before saying, “Scarlett, your mom is pregnant. Her emotions are a bit volatile, so don’t take it to heart.” I shook my head, but only a weak whimper escaped. Dad’s figure began to blur in my vision. Dad sighed, then simply pulled the blanket over me. “Get some good sleep. You’ll be fine tomorrow.” He closed the door as he left, and silence enveloped the room. I reached under my pillow for the small toy car, Noah’s favorite. Most of its paint had chipped off, but I polished it clean every day. Mom said it was Noah’s, and I had to keep it safe. Last time, when a classmate tried to take it, I fought desperately, taking a beating to get it back. Gradually, my vision blurred completely. I hugged the toy car tightly and closed my eyes. Mom, Noah is coming back. You won’t have to suffer looking at me, your replacement, anymore. This way, it’s truly good.

Slowly, I felt the pain fade away. Like a dandelion seed carried by the wind, I floated gently into the air, clearly seeing the small body on the bed. The crumpled school uniform clung to her, her face as white as paper, her lips an unnatural purplish-blue. A smudge of undigested bile still clung to the corner of her mouth, and in her hand, she clutched that small toy car. Mom pushed the door open just as I was looking down at my own hands. They were transparent, allowing the sunlight to pass through them, revealing a photo of Noah. She didn’t glance at me on the bed. Instead, she walked straight to the desk, picked up Noah’s photo, and meticulously wiped it clean, murmuring, “Noah, Mom’s going to buy you a new bassinet today. Do you like blue or yellow?” She turned to leave, accidentally kicking the bedframe. Only then did she impatiently glance at me on the bed, frowning. “Still sleeping? The sun’s practically noon. Get up and make breakfast. Do you want to starve Noah and me?” I floated in front of her, trying to speak, but she couldn’t hear me. She shuffled out in her slippers, still humming a lullaby. From the living room, I heard Dad, Robert, scrambling eggs, and Mom’s, Claire’s, instructions: “Add two more spoonfuls of sugar. Noah always loved sweets.” I floated to the kitchen doorway, watching Dad put pancakes on a plate—they were heart-shaped. I used to love pancakes like that, too, but ever since Noah died, Dad had only made round ones. He said Noah didn’t like anything fancy. Mom took the plate, carefully placing it in the center of the dining table, as if worshipping a precious artifact. “Go wake her up for breakfast,” Mom told Dad, her tone full of impatience. “Don’t let her make us late for buying Noah’s bassinet.” Dad put down his glass of milk and walked towards my room. I followed behind him, watching him stand by the bed, reaching out his hand, then letting it fall onto the blanket instead. “Scarlett, time to get up.” His voice was soft. “We’re going to buy a bassinet today. Do you want to come with us?” The me on the bed didn’t stir. Dad’s fingers trembled, and he nudged my shoulder. “Scarlett?” Mom’s voice came from the living room. “What’s taking so long? Is she faking sleep again?” She hurried in, saw Dad frozen by the bed, and immediately flared up. “She’s definitely faking it! She just doesn’t want us to buy Noah a bassinet! Let’s just go without her. Noah is waiting!” Dad didn’t move. He looked at me on the bed, very agitated. “She’s our daughter too!” “She is not!” Mom shrieked. “My only child is Noah! She’s the one who killed Noah!” She grabbed the photo from the desk and smashed it to the floor. Glass shards cut Dad’s hand. Dad didn’t say a word, just quietly picked up the fragments, wrapping his wound with a tissue. The living room phone rang. It was Ms. Rodriguez, my teacher, from school. Mom answered, her tone immediately softening. “Hello, Ms. Rodriguez, is this about Noah… oh no, I mean, about Scarlett?” Hearing the teacher ask why I hadn’t been to school, Mom’s voice turned cold again. “She’s just intentionally skipping school. Ms. Rodriguez, please don’t bother with her. Let her fend for herself.” She hung up the phone, then pulled Dad outside. “Let’s go. Don’t let her make us late for buying Noah’s bassinet.” Dad looked back at my room, his steps faltering, but Mom pulled him away. The moment the door closed, I saw Dad wipe his eyes. The house was eerily silent, only the ticking of the wall clock breaking the stillness. I floated to the bedside, looking at myself. My face was still round, but it was so gaunt it was unrecognizable, my chin unnaturally sharp. My hair had grown quite a bit, covering my eyes, not short as Mom demanded. I remembered the last haircut. The stylist accidentally cut it a bit too short, and Mom had yelled at him, saying he’d ruined Noah’s look. When we got home, she made me kneel for two hours, then told me I wasn’t worthy of having hair like Noah’s. As I knelt there, looking at Noah’s photo, I suddenly felt very distant.

In the afternoon, Mom and Dad returned, carrying a blue bassinet embroidered with little bears. Mom couldn’t stop smiling, placing the bassinet in the center of the living room and telling Dad, “Noah will definitely love this. He always loved sleeping with a teddy bear.” Dad glanced at my room, then quietly asked, “Shouldn’t we check on Scarlett?” Mom’s face instantly hardened. “Why check on her? She’ll come out when she’s hungry.” She sat by the bassinet, gently rocking it, humming a lullaby, her eyes filled with a tenderness that could melt. I floated closer, looking at the blue bassinet. It was small, delicate, just what Noah would have liked. Mom used to say she’d buy it for his birthday, but Noah left before his birthday came. Now the bassinet was finally here, and its little owner would soon return in another form. Mom suddenly looked up, as if sensing something, and glanced towards where I was. I quickly floated to the ceiling. Her gaze swept over the empty living room, then she frowned and lowered her head, continuing to rock the bassinet. “Noah, Mom is waiting for you to come back,” she whispered. “I’ll never let you leave again.” I looked at her profile, feeling no sadness at all. Mom was finally getting her Noah back. And I, the replacement, was finally fading away for good. This way, everyone could find happiness. On the third morning, a knocking on the front door echoed through the house, so loud it sounded like the doorframe would splinter. I floated to the living room, watching Mom impatiently open the door. Ms. Rodriguez, my school teacher, stood outside. “Scarlett’s mom,” Ms. Rodriguez’s face was stern, “Scarlett hasn’t been to school for three days. I couldn’t reach you by phone, so I came to check.” She peered into the house. “Is Scarlett home?” Mom’s face immediately darkened. She blocked the doorway, preventing Ms. Rodriguez from entering. “She’s home, just throwing a tantrum and refusing to go to school. Please don’t worry about her; I’ll talk to her.” “It’s not about a tantrum,” Ms. Rodriguez frowned. “Last week, some students reported that Scarlett was being bullied at school. Those kids were trying to pull off her clothes and splashing cold water on her. I wanted to discuss how to handle it with you, but I couldn’t get a hold of you.” Mom jumped up like a cat whose tail was stepped on. “Don’t listen to those kids’ nonsense! Scarlett must have provoked them herself! She’s been mean-spirited since she was a child; she killed her brother, and now she wants to act pitiful at school for sympathy!” Ms. Rodriguez’s face grew even more serious. “Scarlett’s mom, I saw Scarlett’s injuries, they’re all recent. And from what I understand, Scarlett was protecting a classmate when those children bullied her. She’s very well-behaved at school and works hard. You can’t talk about her like that.” “Well-behaved, my foot!” Mom shrieked, her voice so loud it could be heard throughout the hallway. “If she were well-behaved, how would Noah have died? She’s a jinx! I shouldn’t have let her live!” Ms. Rodriguez was startled by her outburst, sighing. “If you continue like this, I’ll have no choice but to contact child protective services. Scarlett is a good child; you can’t treat her this way.” With that, she turned and left. Mom continued to curse behind her until Ms. Rodriguez’s figure disappeared down the stairwell. After closing the door, Mom trembled with rage. She walked to my bedroom door and kicked it hard. “Scarlett! Look at the trouble you’ve caused me! Now even the teacher is showing up at our door! Why don’t you just die!” I floated beside her, looking at her distorted face, and suddenly remembered the drowning incident when I was four. Noah and I fell into the river. I desperately clung to his hand, but the current was too strong, sweeping us apart. When I was rescued, I saw Mom crying, holding Noah’s lifeless body. The first thing she said to me was, “Why aren’t you dead yet?” Dad, Robert, emerged from his study, stopping Mom. “Stop yelling, the neighbors can hear you.” His voice was low. “Scarlett hasn’t eaten in three days. Let’s go check on her.” Mom shook off his hand. “Why check on her? She won’t die!” But this time, Dad didn’t listen to her. He pushed open the door and entered the room. Mom hesitated, then followed him in. Dad walked over, pulling back the blanket. Sunlight fell upon my body. I could clearly see my pale face, my purplish lips, and the dried blood at the corner of my mouth…

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I have face blindness. My husband was a long-haul truck driver, always on the road. But every time he came home, it was like he was a completely different person. Sometimes, he was like a madman fresh out of lockup, pinning me against the wall the moment he walked in, his movements harsh, like he wanted to devour me whole. Other times, he’d hold me with red-rimmed eyes, whispering how he didn’t want to hurt me, yet his hands roamed, setting every nerve ending on fire. And sometimes, he’d slowly, deliberately, untie his tie, toss me onto the bed, his voice cold and deep: “Lie still, legs open.” I always thought it was just the immense stress from his job, pushing him to the brink of a breakdown. Until the day their logistics company went public. Three tall men, looking exactly alike, stood neatly in my living room. They all claimed to be my husband. My mind went completely blank. These three faces, utterly indistinguishable to me, which one was my actual truck-driving husband?

Jax had been back from his trip for half a month, but tonight, he seemed like a different person entirely. The motion-sensor light in the hall was out, leaving everything in darkness. I’d just fumbled for my keys when a scorching hand suddenly reached out from behind me and clamped over my mouth. It wasn’t the familiar scent of tobacco. Instead, a faint, milky scent. Before my body could instinctively go for a grappling move, the person behind me buried his face in the crook of my neck. He sounded utterly distraught, as if he’d suffered some colossal injustice. “Chloe… you’re still the best to me…” I was stunned. By the moonlight filtering through the window, I finally saw his face clearly. Chiseled features, incredibly handsome. Yes, it was Jax, my husband of only half a month. But those eyes… something was off! Half a month ago, I’d rushed into an arranged marriage with him to escape loan sharks. Back then, he was all muscle, swearing like a sailor, and had kicked those paint-splashing goons flying, a cigarette still dangling from his lips. On the day we got our marriage license, he’d snarled a warning at me: “I’m on the road all year. If you can’t handle the loneliness, get out now.” Our wedding night was even worse, like a wild bull, all force and no tenderness. But the man in front of me now… So gentle. This wasn’t him at all… “Jax…?” I called out, unsure. He pulled me closer, his hot breath ghosting against my neck. “Chloe, they tried to steal my cargo, they tried to beat me… only you’re good to me…” Goosebumps erupted all over me. Had this guy gone crazy on the road? Or had those truck hijackers beaten him senseless? Where was the tough guy who’d throw punches at the slightest provocation? “You… let go first. You’re choking me.” I tried to push him away, but this seemingly gentle guy had surprising strength. He didn’t budge an inch. Not only did he not let go, but he became bolder, one hand starting to sneak under my shirt. “Chloe, I want to take a shower. I feel dirty.” His tone was polite. But his actions were pure pervert! My mind was a complete mess. Staring at the identical face, and these drastically different eyes. For the first time, I had a terrifying suspicion: What kind of man had I actually married? Before I could even process it, he suddenly scooped me up and strode towards the bathroom. “Chloe, help me wash…” “Jax, you maniac! Put me down!” But his movements only grew more urgent. That night, I felt like every ounce of my strength was drained. That intense sensation almost drove me to the brink of madness.

The next morning, sure enough, the spot beside me in bed was cold. Only a crumpled note remained on the pillow, the handwriting scrawled with a little crying face drawn on it: “Chloe, I had to leave urgently. Don’t miss me.” I angrily crumpled the note. Miss him? No way! Wore me out all night, then just ghosted me? I thought that was the end of it, just my husband having a temporary breakdown from stress on the road. But over the next month, Jax simply vanished. Until that rainy night. I worked overtime until midnight, returning home soaked to the bone. I pushed open the door, and the lights were off, but someone was sitting inside. The figure was tall and straight, sitting on that creaky folding chair, somehow radiating the aura of a king on his throne. My heart lifted, not yet noticing anything wrong, I dropped my bag and rushed towards him. “Husband! Where have you been? You never answered my calls!” Normally, the brute would’ve pulled me into a fierce embrace and started kissing me senseless, or the gentle one would have rushed to hug me. But this man didn’t move. He didn’t even lift an eyelid. He held an unlit cigarette in his hand, and by the flash of lightning outside the window, I saw a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. Glasses? When did Jax get nearsighted? He slowly raised his gaze, those eyes deep as stagnant pools, devoid of any emotion. That bone-chilling stare instantly froze all my enthusiasm into ice shards. I stood rooted to the spot, my outstretched hand awkwardly suspended in mid-air. “Hus… band?” I called out, uncertainly. The face, the body, it was definitely him. But the way he looked at me was like I was an ant, or… a cheap commodity. He finally moved. Slowly, he put the cigarette on the table and stood up. That oppressive aura washed over me, a hundred times stronger than the tough guy, the undeniable presence of a superior. He advanced, step by step, until he had me cornered against the wall, with nowhere to retreat. His long fingers hooked under my chin, the pressure neither light nor heavy, but laced with an undeniable command. “For the past month, you’ve been living in this pigsty?” His voice was low and magnetic, yet cold enough to drop ice shards. I was bewildered. Pigsty? Isn’t this the home we’d lived in for months? He even said it was cozy when we got married! “Jax, what the hell is wrong with you? If you hate it so much, don’t come back!” I exploded, swatting his hand away. He didn’t get angry. Instead, a mocking smirk played on his lips. “Jax?” He repeated the name softly, his tone playful. “Fine, then I’ll be Jax.” He slowly unbuttoned his shirt collar, his movements as elegant as if he were unwrapping a work of art. Then he grabbed my wrist and tossed me onto that flimsy bed. His tone was as detached as if he were discussing business, devoid of any emotion: “Since we’re married, it’s time to fulfill your duties. Lie still, legs open.”

That night, it felt like I was being punished. This Jax with glasses was utterly inhuman. He wasn’t loud or aggressive, barely even spoke. But he was like a precisely calibrated machine, every action cold, precise, and straight to the point. No foreplay, no tenderness, just pure conquest and plunder. No matter how much I cried or begged, his face remained expressionless. Only at the very end, would his brow furrow slightly. Afterward, he got up and dressed, his movements as elegant as if he’d just left a formal dinner. He pulled a black card from his wallet and tossed it onto the bedside table. “The password is your birthday. Find somewhere else to live; this place isn’t worthy of you.” Then, without another glance, he walked out. Leaving me alone, staring at the black card, feeling utterly cold. What was happening? My hand trembled as I picked up the card, tears streaming down my face. I remembered half a year ago. My dad had just passed away, and loan sharks were harassing me daily. When the matchmaker introduced me to Jax, she said he was a long-haul trucker, poor but honest. On our first date, he treated me to noodles at a street food stall. When those loan sharks came to bother me, he didn’t hesitate, grabbing a stool and smashing it into them. It was a brutal fight, and in the end, with blood streaming from his forehead, he grinned at me: “Don’t be scared, Chloe. From now on, I’ll protect you.” On our wedding day, he gave me all his savings – ten thousand dollars – to pay off my debts. “I’m not much, just this. But as long as I have food, you won’t starve.” Back then, he was rough, he was poor, but he gave me a home, a profound sense of security. But now? The black card in my hand felt heavy. They said it could buy an entire street. Yet, the Jax who would fight for me, who would clumsily try to cheer me up, seemed gone. The man he was now, was a stranger, and it terrified me. I didn’t dare touch the card, locking it deep in my drawer. I feared it was money he’d risked his life for. Even more, I feared that by using it, I would truly lose my tough guy husband forever.

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We were the four girls the Sterling family took in. My foster mother, Mrs. Sterling, had one goal: to groom the most exceptional of us to marry her son, Damian Sterling. The other three—Lily, Sarah, and Maya—they learned flower arranging, dance, and how to charm Damian. Me? I learned finance, management, and how to bleed his family’s company dry. Damian cornered me against a wall, a smirk playing on his lips, smug and sure of himself. “Playing your little seduction games? I despise ambitious women.” He thought I wanted him. He had no idea I’d seen too many women who latched onto men, only to end up as discarded, fading roses. What I wanted was never his love. It was the power to utterly break free from his grasp. Later, he truly fell for me: “You win. I only want you. Stop working so hard, just be my Mrs. Sterling.” I laughed, slapping my resignation letter onto his chest. “Mr. Sterling, you think I was after the title of your wife?” “No. I was after *your* position.” Mrs. Sterling summoned the four of us to the main residence for afternoon tea, claiming she had an important announcement. In the enormous living room, the crystal chandelier sparkled, and the air was thick with the cloying sweetness of expensive diffusers. Lily, Sarah, Maya, and I sat side-by-side on the plush velvet sofa, like a line of products waiting to be appraised. Our postures were trained through countless repetitions: backs perfectly straight, smiles flawlessly calibrated. Mrs. Sterling’s well-maintained face wore a gentle smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Children, you’ve all been with the Sterling family for over a decade now. Each of you has grown into such beautiful young women; I’m truly delighted.” Her gaze swept slowly across our faces, as if she were inspecting her prized collection. “Damian is of marrying age now, and I’ve watched all of you grow up, so I know you well.” “I’ve decided that one of you four will be chosen to be his wife.” The moment her words fell, the breathing of the three girls beside me quickened. Lily was the least able to hide her feelings; her cheeks instantly flushed crimson, her eyes practically overflowing with anticipation, hands clutching tightly at the hem of her skirt. Sarah bowed her head, twisting her fingers into the fabric of her dress, appearing calm but with knuckles turning white. Maya, however, subtly straightened her back, striking her most poised and impeccable pose. As if the title of Mrs. Sterling was already hers for the taking. They all wanted to be Mrs. Sterling. Only I remained, picking up my coffee cup, gently blowing away the wisps of steam. The dark surface reflected my utterly calm face. I just wanted to escape this gilded cage.

After dinner, we returned to the rooms specifically prepared for us. The moment we stepped inside, the stifling tension in the room finally burst. Lily was the first to break the silence, her face alight with giddy excitement, twirling around in place. “I’m going to marry Damian! Did you hear that? Mrs. Sterling herself said so!” Sarah was mixing colors at her easel, but at Lily’s words, she calmly poured cold water on her enthusiasm. “All four of us want to marry him. But the Sterlings will only choose the most outstanding.” Lily huffed indignantly, puffing out her chest, and marched over to Sarah. “Damian has feelings for me! He treats me the most specially!” She pulled a small silver whistle from around her neck, dangling it before us like a precious treasure. “Last year, for my birthday, Damian took me to the stables, and this was his gift. He said he polished this whistle himself, that it’s one-of-a-kind.” Her voice was full of sweet memories. “He also said that if I ever blow it, no matter where he is, he’ll come to me instantly. He even said my smile was like the first flower to bloom in spring.” We all stared at the whistle, glinting with a cheap, deceptive gleam under the lamp. Damian had said similar things to every one of us. Those sweet nothings were nothing but his easy manipulation, a low-cost, high-reward hunting tool. Just last month, he’d told Sarah her paintings held the vastness of stars and oceans, a lonely genius no one else could comprehend. Then he’d turned around and told Maya her coffee had a calming, almost magical quality that perfectly mirrored her serene nature. But Lily believed him. She clung to that whistle as proof of her unique status, convinced she was the most special person in Damian’s heart. Maya scoffed, said nothing, and turned to enter the bathroom, her retreating back radiating disdain. I looked at Lily’s face, utterly lost in her fantasies, and couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth. Some people just have to learn the hard way. There’s no talking sense into them until they get burned.

Damian’s official fiancée, Veronica Shaw, had suddenly returned from overseas. She was the sole heir to the formidable Shaw Corporation, a family as influential as the Sterlings. Their marriage had been an unspoken pact between their grandfathers for decades. Mrs. Sterling instructed us to pick her up at the airport, giving the reason that we should “familiarize ourselves with our future sister-in-law.” Truth be told, she just wanted us to be her foils. To make her see how many women Damian had wrapped around his finger, hoping to ignite some jealousy. Veronica arrived in a custom-tailored designer suit, her makeup flawless. Her eyes, hidden behind dark sunglasses, swept over us like she was assessing a few eager pets wagging their tails. Her gaze finally settled on Lily. Lily had purposely worn the limited-edition dress Damian had gifted her, and her makeup was meticulously applied. Her obvious eagerness, her desire to impress Damian, was an open book to Veronica. At the evening reception, Veronica glided towards Lily, glass in hand, a predatory smile playing on her lips. “Lily, dear, isn’t it? Damian told me you’re quite good at riding. I’ve just returned and feel like a bit of a challenge. How about we head to the stables for a little friendly competition tomorrow?” Lily was thrilled. Damian had never openly praised her like that before, not in front of others. She accepted without a second thought, believing this was Damian’s acknowledgment of her. The next day, almost all the city’s elite received invitations to what was framed as a ‘friendly match’ but was clearly a calculated public display of power. Veronica personally chose the wildest, most unpredictable horse for Lily, claiming it was a handsome steed, perfectly suited for her. Lily was a little scared, but desperate to impress Damian, she forced herself onto the horse. The race began, and Veronica’s horse took an early lead. Lily galloped close behind. Then, on a sharp bend, Lily’s horse suddenly spooked, rearing its front hooves with a piercing whinny, violently throwing her to the ground. Everyone gasped in shock. Damian was the first to rush forward, but not towards Lily. Instead, he hurried to Veronica, who had inexplicably slipped from her own horse and merely twisted her ankle. He held Veronica close, his face etched with tenderness, anxiously examining her ankle, as if his beloved treasure had shattered. Meanwhile, Lily lay on the ground not far away, her lower leg bent at a sickening, unnatural angle. Her face was deathly pale from the pain, cold sweat beading on her forehead, yet no one spared her a glance. She watched Damian and Veronica in their intimate embrace, and the light in her eyes slowly, agonizingly, faded to nothing.

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Online, I had this hot VP boyfriend, six foot three, and I’d get daily ab pics from him to “approve.” So when he suggested we meet up in person, I broke up with him, no hesitation. Because only I knew the truth: my online boyfriend was actually my boss. But just as I swore to keep my identity a secret, I turned around and found myself in his arms. “Please, don’t break up with me?” he pleaded. My boss has been in a foul mood lately. Everyone felt it, and the office turned into a graveyard of productivity, with even fewer people secretly playing games. Ryan, my boss, was working insane overtime, and no one dared to leave before him. So, our workdays stretched to eleven, sometimes midnight. I was constantly exhausted, sporting dark circles, and my skin had even started breaking out. Honestly, I was probably the only one in the entire company who knew why he was so volatile, but I couldn’t spill the beans. Because, well, my boss had just gone through a breakup. And, unfortunately, I was the “ex.” He just didn’t know it yet. It all started when my online boyfriend of two years wanted to meet. We’d met on some random social app. He’d posted a “help me” thread, titled, “Why Can’t I Find a Date?” I clicked on it. The post read: “Male, 6’3″, 165 lbs, 25 years old. Harvard grad, Management and Engineering. Currently a VP at a publicly traded company, seven-figure salary, owns a car and a house, celebrity good looks. Still single. Just wondering, what’s my problem?” The comments section was brutal. “Troll post, confirmed.” “Dude’s living in a fantasy, right? 25, VP at a major company? C’mon, at least make your lies believable.” Just messing around, I commented, “Probably your looks. Post a pic.” Then I exited the thread. A little while later, the poster messaged me privately. “Hey, can I send it privately?” Me: “???” I was confused, but hey, I live for drama. “Sure.” Then, a photo popped up. I choked on my coffee, spraying it all over my desk. Are you kidding me? Six foot three? I’d believe five foot seven! It was a mirror selfie, a third of his face blocked. The weird angle made his head look huge and his body tiny. He wore dorky, black-rimmed glasses, making him look kinda frumpy and, well, short for someone that tall. But I couldn’t deny the face itself. Even half-covered, that jawline, that nose, those eyes – they all screamed one thing: “I’M HOT.” He just looked… vaguely familiar. My inner monologue was screaming, “How can someone this good-looking not even know it?!” But being the helpful soul I am, after zooming in and out like crazy three or four times, I fired off a whole list of suggestions: “You need to learn how to dress and pose for photos! Change the glasses – get rimless ones, or better yet, contacts. Don’t take photos from that angle! Tilt the phone slightly, so the charging port is closer to you. Change your pants, get something more fitted, black maybe…” He replied, “Thank you so much.” After that, I didn’t pay much attention. But the next day, the guy sent me his “homework assignment” based on my advice. I gave him some more pointers, and then he sent another the third day, then the fourth, then the fifth. Just as I was starting to get annoyed, he proactively asked to add me on SnapChat and offered to pay me for my help. Thinking, “only a fool turns down free money,” I gave him my personal account. And then, a familiar profile picture popped up, asking to be my friend. Isn’t that the boss?! My hand twitched, and I accidentally hit “accept.” My heart sank instantly, and I quickly changed my settings to “chat only.” My brain raced, wondering if I’d accidentally linked my personal SnapChat to anything at work. He was “typing…” for what felt like ages, then finally sent: “Thank you so much for all your guidance and help these past few days. Here’s a small token of my appreciation.” Then, a transfer of $7,000 appeared, with the note “voluntary gift.” I froze. I screenshotted it, double-checked the SnapChat ID. No doubt. It was the hot guy from online, and it was definitely my boss. After silently screaming “holy cow” for a solid minute, I shamelessly accepted the money. Whatever. It was my personal account; Ryan had no idea it was me. From then on, I kept helping him improve. He was a quick learner, soon mastering how to show off his natural good looks. But just as I was about to consider my mission accomplished, the dummy confessed his feelings for me. First, there was this ridiculously long message, like a mini-essay I hadn’t written since high school. I skipped straight to the end: “Actually, there’s something I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time. I like you.” Me: “…” My silence was deafening. Me: “Oh, thanks so much!” Him: “Huh???” Then: “I really like you!” Me: “I really appreciate it!” Him: “No, I’m serious.” Me: “Yeah, thanks a lot.” My head was throbbing. Is this guy for real? He seemed to pause for a moment, then asked, “No matter what, can you give me a chance to pursue you?” I didn’t reply. That night, I actually had trouble sleeping. The next day, the dummy started sending me daily messages: “Good morning,” “Good afternoon,” “Good night,” and things like, “I’m going to work,” “I’m heading out,” “I’ve arrived,” “I’m starting work now,” and so on. Yep, that’s how he tried to win me over. I’d occasionally give him a half-hearted reply, and he’d be over the moon. Things took a turn a month later. I was happily scrolling through hot guys online, and, on impulse, I tried to share a video with my best friend. But my hand slipped, and I sent it to him instead. Me: “Ugh, he’s so hot. I’m obsessed.” Me: “video” Him: “???”

By the time I saw the messages, it was too late to unsend. Even though it’s natural to appreciate beauty, I still felt a little bit guilty. Just then, he sent a message: “You like this kind of thing?” Then, a video. It must have been filmed at the gym. Not exaggerated muscle definition, but well-proportioned, with beautiful V-cut abs winding down, disappearing into his athletic shorts. As for above… Yeah, definitely easy on the eyes! The guy in the video seemed shy; his face was flushed red by the end. My heart fluttered. Me: “Got more? Send ’em over!” Then he shyly sent a few more videos. I admit, I was completely swayed by his good looks. Who knew my boss, Mr. Straight-Laced, was so… well, that in private? How should I put it? It was unexpectedly thrilling. As I was enjoying the view, he suddenly sent another message. “If you agree to be my girlfriend, I’ll record one for you every day. You can watch as much as you want.” Look, everyone’s got their vices. For me, it’s pretty boys. The first three – money, power, fame – meant nothing to me. So, the last one was incredibly tempting. Me: “…Well… I guess that wouldn’t be so bad.” It was just an online relationship, after all. Of course, there were conditions. No going public, no matching profile pics, no video calls, and definitely no meeting in person. He wasn’t thrilled, but he agreed. And so, we dated for two years. As he got better at dressing and styling, I got better at enjoying the benefits. He could pull off any look. Just as I thought this blissful routine would continue forever, the dummy suggested we meet. Me: “Didn’t we agree not to meet? Just online dating, nothing real-life.” He sounded genuinely hurt: “I know, I’m sorry. But I really want to see you.” I knew what he was getting at. A couple of days before, I’d gone to my college reunion, and afterward, a former classmate confessed his feelings. I rejected him, and then he started sending me really creepy and gross messages. So, I blasted him on my Ins story. Then blocked and deleted him. Since we were “dating,” my dummy of a boyfriend would have seen it. He clearly wanted to meet up and publicly stake his claim. I knew exactly why I couldn’t meet him, so the answer was an obvious no. After a week of his pestering, I got annoyed and broke up with him. He was totally terrified, deflated like a balloon. My phone showed his call for the nth time. I sighed, flipping it facedown on the desk. Just then, my direct supervisor, Victoria, called my name. “Cassie, can you take this proposal to Ryan?” It was an open secret in the office that Victoria had a crush on Ryan. Normally, she’d jump at any chance to interact with him. But lately, with his foul mood, she’d tried to “comfort” him last time and gotten a humiliating dressing-down. So she wasn’t bothering with that anymore. I winced, forcing a tight smile: “Victoria, that’s a bit of a bypass, isn’t it? Going over my direct manager’s head isn’t ideal.” Ryan was my online boyfriend. While I had his work contact, I’d never actually interacted with him professionally. Plus, this proposal had been dragging on forever, and Ryan was never happy with it. Even on a good day, you’d get ripped apart for it, let alone now. This was clearly Victoria sending me in to take the fall. Victoria rolled her eyes: “Just do it, Cassie. Less talk, more action.” …Fine. Even though I’d practically seen everything there was to see of him online, I was still a total chicken about meeting him in real life. Especially at work, where he was notoriously strict, practically a tyrant. —And totally sharp-tongued. I hesitated for a moment, then pulled out my phone. After I’d broken up with him that day, the dummy had been apologizing non-stop, clearly freaking out. But I hadn’t replied to any of it. I’d just steeled myself to break up with him and hadn’t really checked my phone. Partly because I was scared I’d cave, and partly to teach him a lesson. Meeting in person was out of the question, but breaking up felt right. After thinking it over, I sent a message. “We don’t have to break up, but can you be good? I really don’t like people who don’t keep their promises.” He replied instantly: “Baby, you finally answered me! I know I messed up, I’m so sorry, I promise I’ll never do it again.” Followed by a crying puppy emoji. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The person inside seemed to jump, then cleared their throat. “Come in.” The moment I stepped in, my eyes were drawn to Ryan’s slightly red nose. Had he been crying? Noticing my gaze, he seemed a little embarrassed and tapped his desk. “Proposal? Just put it here. You can go back now.” His temper was noticeably better. Otherwise, he would have totally chewed me out for skipping ranks. A colleague had been fired before for going over their manager’s head. While that colleague also had issues with poor work performance and disobeying assignments, and they did receive severance pay, going over someone’s head is still a huge workplace no-no. But that proposal was still no good; it got sent back. Victoria then dumped it back on my desk. No choice. I had to work overtime to fix it. But, typical, Ryan was in a good mood today and left on time, and since it was Friday, the other colleagues who’d been suffering through endless overtime also bolted early. Soon, it was just me and the receptionist left in the office. But I had no idea how long this proposal would take, so I told the receptionist I’d lock up and turn off the lights, and she left. After who knows how long, I heard the facial recognition scanner at the door activate. I froze, a pang of fear in my chest. I checked the time. It was already ten at night. Who could it be at this hour? All those office horror movies started playing in my head. I was telling myself ghosts aren’t real, while subconsciously holding my breath, too tense to move. A familiar figure approached. When I clearly saw his face, I breathed a sigh of relief. It was Ryan. “Why are you still here alone? Aren’t you going home?” Ryan sounded surprised that I was still working overtime. I silently gritted my teeth: Whose fault do you think it is?! “This proposal is pretty urgent. I’m worried it won’t be viable by tomorrow, so I thought I’d stay late tonight to perfect it.” “Oh, that proposal.” Ryan paused, then actually walked straight towards my desk. “Let me explain it to you in more detail. That way, it’ll be easier to revise.” My heart leaped—because we’d made up, I had to reply to his messages, and I hated constantly checking my phone, so I’d already switched my computer to my personal account. What now? Ryan walked closer. “Open it up, let me see.” My brain spun, and my fingers flew across the keyboard. Just as I thought I’d got it, Ryan said, “Scoot over, I…” “Wait!”

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I had terminal cancer, but my wife, Clara Hayes, gave my treatment opportunity to Alex Stone, who only had early-stage cancer. When I signed over my company to Alex, my parents smiled with satisfaction; When I signed Clara’s divorce papers, she sighed, saying I was so mature; When I asked my daughter, Lily, to call Alex “Daddy,” she happily did; Even when I gave Alex all my properties and assets, they didn’t sense anything was wrong. Three days before I died, I finally became the son and husband my family always wanted. Would they ever remember me after I was gone? Under the doctor’s pitying gaze, I swallowed the painkiller. Only three days remained until my death. After taking the medicine, I went to Alex’s hospital room. Inside, Dad was peeling an orange for Alex, while Mom chatted happily with him. When they saw me enter, their smiles instantly froze and became distant. “Oh, what now? Can’t keep up the sick act, so you’re back to bothering Alex, are you? Liam, let me tell you, with us here, you can forget about trying to mess with him!” Dad looked at me, his voice icy. “Our family has always prided ourselves on raising our kids right. I don’t know where you picked up such bad habits, being so jealous of Alex and even snatching his chemotherapy chance,” “If only I’d known, I shouldn’t have given birth to you!” Mom pointed at me, her voice laced with accusation. In a corner where my parents couldn’t see, Alex smirked, his eyes full of provocation. I lowered my gaze. I’d heard these words from my parents countless times before. Usually, I’d argue back, expose Alex’s deception in front of them, Even though my parents never believed a single word I said. But now, I was tired. I just didn’t want to fight anymore. “Anyway, you came at a good time. I have something to discuss with you,” Dad said then. I smiled faintly. “Dad, I also have something to tell you.” “Alex, he wants my shop businesses and my company, doesn’t he? I’ve thought about it. I’ll give them all to him!” Dad froze for a moment, and Mom looked at me with some surprise. “How did you know I was going to talk to you about this today? You agreed?” I gave a slight twitch of my lips. It wasn’t surprising they were shocked and double-checking. Alex had wanted my shops and company for a long time. My parents had said every good and bad thing imaginable to make me hand over everything I’d worked so hard for to Alex. But I’d always refused. Now, though, I was a dying man. These things were meaningless. Mom saw my serious expression and finally smiled, a look of relief on her face. She stepped forward and gently touched my head. “You’ve finally come to your senses!” “Alex was always more excellent than you in school, and even though he’s sick now, he’s much better at managing finances than you are.” “We’ll feel much better if you let him manage your shops and company.” I barely managed a smile, then handed the transfer agreement to Alex. After my parents saw Alex sign it, they excitedly held my hand, repeatedly calling me their “good boy.” A faint irony bloomed in my heart. How laughable. Only when I yielded to Alex would Mom show me a smile. But I was also curious. If Mom ever discovered Alex’s true colors, and realized I was dead, Would she and Dad feel any regret? That evening, I returned home. My wife, Clara, and my daughter, Lily, were in the kitchen, cooking. Perhaps because of my late-stage cancer, my movements were softer, and the mother and daughter were laughing, seemingly oblivious to my arrival. Clara, serving a dish, turned and saw me. Her smile froze for a split second before she recomposed herself. “Liam, when did you get back? You’re so quiet.” I silently watched the dish in Clara’s hand—it was Alex’s favorite. Judging by the presentation, it looked like it came from a professional chef. It was quite ironic. I was dying, And only now did I discover that Clara, whom I’d spent five years with, could cook. She used to always complain about my cooking, and under Clara’s influence, Lily gradually started to dislike it too. I’d slaved away for this family, only to earn not a shred of respect. In the past, I might have lost control, utterly breaking down. But now, I calmly walked past them, sat on the sofa, and organized the things in my bag. Clara saw my silence and paused, then placed the dish on the table and walked over to me. “Liam, today, there’s something I want to discuss with you.” Clara touched her nose, a slight awkwardness in her gesture, then hesitated before speaking: “It’s about your brother, Alex.” My heart sank, a terrible thought suddenly surfacing. The next second, Clara’s words froze me in place: “Alex has been very depressed since his chemotherapy. So Mom and Dad want me to marry Alex, hoping this happy event will help him recover.”

My ears buzzed loudly, the sound overwhelming everything. It took a long time before I found my voice. “So, you agreed?” Clara sighed. “Liam, even though Alex isn’t your biological brother, he’s still family since Mom and Dad adopted him.” “And it’s just to help him get back on his feet. As soon as Alex is discharged, I’ll still be your wife, and Lily’s mom.” Before I could speak, Lily chimed in: “That’s right, Daddy! Alex has been feeling really down lately, you should try to understand him!” I silently watched the mother and daughter in front of me. This was the woman I had loved for so many years. This was the child I had painstakingly raised. I asked myself if I had ever made a mistake; I truly believed I had been a good son, husband, and father. My conscience was clear. Yet, in the end, I received their betrayal. But it didn’t matter now. If Alex wanted it, I would give him everything. I didn’t want any of it anymore. I looked up at Clara. “Fine, I agree!” A flicker of surprise crossed Clara’s eyes. “Really?” With that, she quickly pulled a divorce agreement from a drawer and placed it on the table. I gave a slight, bitter smile. Clara, Clara. Your eagerness is so transparent, you’re not even trying to hide it, are you? I picked up the pen and quickly signed. After I signed, Clara’s face was filled with utter satisfaction, her expression solemn and seemingly affectionate. “Liam, we’ll remarry once Alex is discharged. Don’t worry, I’ll never betray you!” Clara finished speaking and signed the divorce agreement herself. After signing, She looked at me and sighed, “Liam, you’ve become so much more mature than before. I know I’ve had my faults too, I was wrong.” “Once Alex is well, I promise I’ll never let you worry about anything again!” “That’s right, Daddy!” Lily, trying to sound like a little adult, also spoke up. “Daddy is so good to Alex, I’m proud of you!” Watching them, a wave of despair washed over me. Before this, I had held onto a last shred of hope for Clara and Lily. And now… It’s over. I had no expectations left, except for death. I stood up, intending to walk past them and rest in my room. A powerful wave of dizziness hit me, and I couldn’t help but collapse. In that last flickering second before my world went black, I thought I saw Clara’s face, etched with a fleeting panic. I was jolted awake by a sudden chill. When I opened my eyes, I found myself still lying on the floor. Clara and Lily were both looking at me, their faces etched with disappointment. “Mom, I told you! Daddy’s just faking it again!” Lily said. “Daddy, can you stop being so childish? You’re really delaying us from going to see Alex at the hospital!” Faking it? Then Clara spoke, her voice filled with disappointment: “Liam, can you please stop this nonsense?” “Didn’t I tell you? Even though we’re divorced, you’re still the one I love. You really don’t need to use childish tricks like faking a faint to test me!” After hearing Clara’s words, I finally understood. The painkiller I took, it completely blocked out all symptoms for three days. During that time, I’d look and feel like a perfectly normal person, my complexion no different from anyone else’s. But the side effects were brutal: after those three days, my organs would fail, and I’d die. Turns out, the medication was doing its job a little too well. I forced myself to stand. “It’s probably just low blood sugar, it’s nothing. I’ll come to the hospital with you.” “There are still some transfer documents that need Alex to sign.” Clara nodded. There wasn’t a hint of surprise on her face, so my parents must have told her beforehand. At the hospital, Alex was in his room, watching TV. “Liam, you’re here!” Alex still looked pale, But his spirits were clearly much higher. I didn’t miss the smugness, the outright arrogance, glittering in his eyes. “Liam, thank you for trusting me and letting me manage your businesses. Don’t worry, I won’t let you down!” “That’s right, Liam! With your shops and company in Alex’s hands, you can just relax at home every day and collect dividends. How wonderful is that!” Mom said, smiling. I took out the remaining documents from my bag. “In that case, I’ll let him manage all my other assets too.” “That way, I won’t have to worry about anything anymore.” Everyone in the room froze.

“Liam, are you serious? You’re giving Alex all your assets?” Clara grabbed my arm, her eyes wide with surprise. This time, I was the one confused. They used to always side with Alex, giving him whatever he wanted. If I refused, they would scold me endlessly. But now that I was giving Alex everything, They were confused? Dad was the first to snap back, his eyes beaming with satisfaction. “Our son has finally come to his senses! Our affection for him wasn’t wasted!” “Liam, it’s a good thing you’ve finally accepted your brother!” “From now on, you two live good lives together, and we’ll be at peace, even in our old age!” At peace? Mom and Dad, you’ve been fooled by Alex’s fake kindness for too many years. Do you really believe Alex will manage everything of mine properly? My head spun again, and my nose felt itchy. I touched it and found my fingers slick with blood. “Liam, why are you bleeding from the nose? The weather hasn’t been dry lately, has it?” Mom asked then. My hand, wiping my nose, paused. I couldn’t hold back anymore and looked at them, speaking: “Dad, Mom, if I really die of illness one day, will you regret it?” But Mom’s expression didn’t even flicker. She just smiled and glanced at me. “Your face is so flushed, how could you be that sick? Stop talking such nonsense, it’s bad luck!” “Exactly! Alex is different. Once he recovers, we must make sure to help him recuperate properly!” Dad said, looking at Alex with concern. “I think so too!” Lily chimed in quickly. “Daddy is quite healthy, Godfather Alex is the one we should worry about the most!” The last shred of hope in my heart vanished. I had nothing left to hope for… I looked down at Lily and smiled. “Lily, haven’t you always wanted Godfather Alex to be your real daddy?” “I’ve agreed. Alex is your daddy now. Won’t you call him Daddy?” Lily’s eyes lit up with surprise. “Really?!” I smiled faintly. “Once you call him Daddy, you can always eat the food he makes and he can always spend time with you!” “Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted? Aren’t you happy?” Lily jumped up excitedly. “Yay! Daddy is the best in the world! Thank you, Daddy!” With that, Lily pulled her hand from mine and hugged Alex. My parents and Clara watched the scene with satisfied smiles. I turned to leave, taking one last look at them. My parents were laughing and playing with Lily alongside Alex, and Clara watched with a soft smile. No one noticed me. I closed the hospital room door and left the hospital. Only one day remained until my death. I had nowhere to go. My life had been busy and rushed, I’d never truly let go and enjoyed myself. I booked a ticket to a coastal city, went to see the sea at night, and wanted to climb a mountain. But I couldn’t hold on anymore. Just before I passed out, I dialed a number I hadn’t called in almost five years. Then, my vision went black, and I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I was already in a hospital. I slowly moved my eyes to check the time. Only six hours remained until my death. Beside me was my friend,Mark Miller, his eyes red-rimmed. Years ago, Mark had strongly opposed me getting together with Clara, saying she wasn’t worth marrying. But I hadn’t listened. We had a huge fight, so much so that he didn’t even come to my wedding. I knew I shouldn’t bother him now, But besides him, in this world, I truly couldn’t find anyone else. “What the hell happened to you? Weren’t you so smug after marrying Clara?” “Weren’t you three living happily ever after? How did it come to this? Why did the doctor say your organs are failing?” Mark’s voice was choked with tears. I wore a breathing mask, smiling at him. When we were kids, we made a pact: if one of us reached the end of their life, The other would, no matter what, take care of things afterward. I couldn’t speak anymore, so I forced myself to raise my hand and point to my bag. Mark pulled out several agreements from the bag. He looked at the papers for a moment, then nodded slightly and put them into his own bag. Thankfully, our privity hadn’t changed over the years. We didn’t need words to understand each other’s thoughts. Only three hours remained until my death. I gave up on resuscitation. After another bout of unconsciousness, I woke up. Mark showed me his phone. It was a message from Alex: [Liam Davis, I won! I got everything of yours.] [You thought you could compete with me? Blame your own incompetence. Who asked your parents to love me so much?] [Just quietly leave the Davis family! I’ll take good care of your parents, and your wife and daughter.] After Mark read it, he cursed loudly in the hospital room. I sighed, a self-deprecating laugh in my heart. In my entire life, I had never regretted anything, except for asking my father to sponsor Alex. I saw Alex in a dilapidated orphanage. I was volunteering with my teacher there, That day, it was snowing heavily, and all the other children were huddled inside for warmth. Only Alex was in the backyard, scrounging for scraps in a dumpster, picking at discarded bones. I couldn’t bear to watch, so I begged my father to sponsor Alex. After that, Alex and I became inseparable friends. The next year, Alex joined my class. As soon as he arrived, he charmed both teachers and students with his supposed brilliance. Whenever someone praised him, I felt incredibly proud; Until later, things started to go wrong. My friends inexplicably began to drift away, suddenly treating Alex as their best buddy; Girls who used to like me grew cold, showering Alex with declarations of affection instead; Even my parents constantly pushed me to bring Alex home for dinner, to stay over. They even split my own room, turning half of it into Alex’s. I blame my own naiveté and dullness back then. I never realized that Alex’s greatest talent was to, amidst others’ praise, Steal everything that belonged to me. By the time I came to my senses, My room was gone. My family was gone. Everything I had was occupied by Alex. I actually once asked Alex why, but his answer sent chills down my spine: “Liam, did you actually think I’d be grateful for your help? Grateful? How could I be?” “I hated seeing you so smug, so proud in front of me. I swore I’d take everything from you.” “All I wanted was to see the look of pure despair on your face when I stripped you of it all!” … I once thought I could drive Alex away. I also thought I could make my parents and Clara see his true face. But I was too naive. I underestimated Alex’s tactics, and even more, I overlooked the affection my parents, Clara, and Lily had for him. I had utterly lost. Only nine minutes remained until my death. My consciousness began to fade, my vision blurred. But I still saw a message from Mom on Mark’s phone: [Liam, could you get someone to paint the walls in your old room blue these next few days? Your brother likes blue!] [Also, Alex will be discharged in about two weeks. Once he’s out, you’ll need to move some of your things out; he’ll need space for his stuff!] Even at the last moment of my life, Mom was still concerned about Alex. It seemed I truly wasn’t important in her heart. Then, so be it… Mark seemed to be crying and screaming something in my ear, but I couldn’t hear it anymore. After so many years of fighting, I was truly exhausted. Finally, I could get some good sleep… On November 24th, Liam passed away at a hospital in Coast City, aged only 29.

Alex was in his hospital bed, watching TV, when the door suddenly burst open. He looked up and saw a man enter. The man was Alex’s biological father, Frank Wallace. “What do you want?” A flicker of disgust, mixed with a hint of fear, crossed Alex’s eyes. Frank sneered. “What, if I hadn’t thrown you in that orphanage back then, would you have ever met such rich people?” “I’m broke. Transfer me money. I need a hundred grand!” Alex shot up in bed, staring at Frank. “Why should I? Have you supported me for a single day since I was born?!” Frank made himself comfortable on the sofa in the room. “Cut the crap, Alex. I know all about your dirty little secrets, every single one of them.” “You transfer the money quietly, and we won’t have to make a scene. Otherwise, you know what I’m capable of!” Alex clenched his fist tightly, then slowly released it after a moment. “Fine. Give me some time. I need to be discharged to earn money.” Frank scoffed. “You don’t have the fate to be rich, but you got a rich man’s disease. Early-stage cancer, that’s it? What a waste of money!” “I’m giving you two days. If I don’t see the money by then, I’m going straight to the Davis family!” Frank stood up, kicked the hospital room door open, and left. Alex violently smashed the glass cup on the nightstand, sending shards flying. He gasped for breath, his eyes filled with burning hatred. Why… Why did everyone else get to have such happy lives? Why was he only destined to be thrown into an orphanage by a scumbag father like that? Why did he have to live such a despised existence? He had finally managed to usurp Liam’s place in the Davis family, to push Liam out. He absolutely refused to go back to those days of having no security! Alex got out of bed. After tricking Liam into giving him the chemotherapy chance, his body was recovering faster each day. He’d be discharged soon. But right now, he just wanted to quickly sell all the assets, shop businesses, and the company he’d snatched from Liam. Then, he’d transfer all the money in batches overseas and use the excuse of moving abroad. That way, his scumbag father would never find him. Even the gullible Davis family wouldn’t find him. Yes, he had to handle this as quickly as possible! He told the nurse at the station that he was going out for a walk to clear his head. Downstairs, he hailed a taxi and went to the bank. Alex arrived at the bank, handed his card to the teller, his heart trembling with excitement. Soon, Liam’s money would be his, and he would finally be free. But then, the teller looked up, giving him a strange glance. “Sir, the name and identity associated with this card do not match your identity.” “Sir, did you pick up the wrong card?” Alex froze. “How could that be? My family already transferred ownership of this card to me when we did the paperwork!” “Could you have made a mistake?” The teller shook her head. “Sir, the owner of this card is still Mr. Liam. Furthermore, this card has an asset protection freeze applied to it by our bank!” Alex was stunned. Asset protection freeze? How was that possible? How could this be? He had watched Liam sign the transfer agreement! He had checked that transfer agreement again and again before signing to confirm. Had Liam pulled some trick afterward? Right, and the shops and the company! Alex left the bank and called a friend he knew. He sat anxiously on a bench outside the bank. A few minutes later, his friend called him back. “Alex, the shops and company you’re talking about, their ownership belongs to someone named Liam.” “Two days ago, this Liam had his lawyer, representing him fully, apply for an ownership protection order!” Boom! A deafening explosion echoed in Alex’s mind.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307591”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn