After getting accepted into Stanford University, my parents decided to reward me by buying a small house near the campus. My brother’s girlfriend, though, seems to think she has him wrapped around her finger and acts like she owns the place. She threw out all my stuff from the house and had the nerve to warn me: “Your brother is the only heir of the Sterling family, so I’m the lady of this house now. Stop hanging around here eating for free and be smart—pack up and leave!” I immediately recorded her little act on video and posted it in our Sterling Family Group Chat on WhatsApp, writing: “If this kind of trash gets into our family, consider me, Harper Sterling, a failure!” My name is Harper Sterling, and I have a fraternal twin brother, Ethan Sterling. Growing up, I was always the one being pampered by my parents, while Ethan was more like someone they picked up out of a dumpster. Take this instance as an example: I got accepted into Stanford University, which is about a 30-minute drive from home. Even though it’s not far, my parents went all out and bought me a small house near campus so I could have my own private space without worrying about noisy roommates. As it happens, Ethan also got accepted into Stanford. But for him, my parents said, “Boys are fine in dorms. No need for private space. No fuss.” Ethan practically begged me with tears in his eyes, and since I have a soft spot for him, I agreed to let him have a room in the house. Although they bought me the house, I still preferred living in the dorms with my friends, so I stayed on campus. My parents would only stay in the house for a few nights when they visited me and Ethan. Today, I got a delivery call saying my package had arrived and been left at the front door. That’s when I realized I had mistakenly put the house address instead of my dorm address. Since I didn’t have any afternoon classes, I decided to walk over and grab it. The house wasn’t far—just a 10-minute walk. Standing outside the front door, I figured since I was already there, I might as well stay the night and head back to campus tomorrow. I confidently punched in the entry code, but it was wrong. Not thinking much of it, I tried again. After three failed attempts, all showing incorrect, I knew something was off. I snapped a picture of the error message and sent it to the Sterling Family Group Chat. Before I could even type a message, Ethan called. “Is the lock broken or something? Why does it keep showing the wrong password?” I asked, frustrated. Ethan hesitated on the other end, sounding nervous. “Uh, sis, mom and dad aren’t visiting. Why are you home all of a sudden?” It was blazing hot outside, and I was getting cranky. “What’s with all the questions? What’s wrong with the lock? Did you change the password?” “Sis, don’t get upset! We’re just about to finish class. We’ll be there in a few minutes. Just wait a bit!” Clearly terrified of me losing my temper, Ethan hung up in a hurry. What’s the big deal? Couldn’t he have just told me the new password? Annoyed, I stood in the shade, waiting for Ethan. Fifteen minutes later, Ethan came rushing over, and I noticed a girl following behind him, walking at a leisurely pace. So that’s why he said “we.” He’s dating someone. The girl, Madison “Maddie” Cole, had flawless, fair skin and perfectly applied makeup. But as she walked over, she shot me an unfriendly look, as if I had interrupted her date and offended her. Sensing that I was on the verge of exploding, Ethan quickly handed me an ice-cold Coke. “Sis, this is Maddie. Maddie, my girlfriend. She’s been staying here for a few days.” I took the Coke, and it cooled me down a bit, but the second I realized my brother had his girlfriend staying at the house without even telling me, my anger reignited. Ethan, knowing my temper all too well, immediately added, “Maddie, this is my sister, Harper. She’s in the finance department at school.” Maddie clearly didn’t want to talk. It wasn’t until Ethan nudged her that she gave me a half-hearted nod as a greeting.

The atmosphere was incredibly awkward. Ethan broke the tension by punching in the new password and opening the door. The new code was clearly a birthdate. It wasn’t mine, Ethan’s, or our parents’. It had to be Maddie’s. The previous code had been set by me, but Maddie had apparently found it too complicated and had Ethan change it to her birthday. When Ethan explained this, I couldn’t help myself and punched him in the shoulder. This idiot gave the house code to someone outside the family, and not only that, he changed it to something she could remember? Ethan, sensing my irritation, resorted to his usual tactic—playing the pitiful little brother. Fine. I’ll let it go this time since Ethan seems to like her. After all, it was our first time meeting. Who knows if we’ll even see each other again? No need to make things too hostile. But as soon as I stepped into the living room, I was in complete shock. Can someone explain why everything was pink? I had hired an interior designer to create a sleek, minimalist look. Now, the walls were covered with tacky, country-style paintings and posters. Cheap, mismatched decorations hung everywhere, like something out of a bargain bin at a discount store. I swallowed my anger and walked inside. Ethan followed behind me but kept quiet. I glanced at the staircase and saw my books scattered all over the steps. The table had an empty cup of instant noodles on it, with one of my expensive hardcover books underneath it, being used as a coaster. What enraged me the most was that the upstairs suite—my room—had become their bedroom. The second floor had a shared bathroom and a master suite with a walk-in closet and private bathroom, which was originally mine. Now it was a complete mess, and they had replaced the bedding with a hideous, bright red set. Surveying the scene, I saw that my vanity, which had been lined with my collection of skincare products and makeup, was now nearly empty. “Where’s all my stuff?” I asked, pointing to the now-bare wall where my perfumes and lipsticks had once been neatly displayed. “What, did you eat my lipstick? Use my perfume for a bubble bath?” I stared at Ethan calmly, which only made him more scared. When I’m truly furious, I go quiet. When I was little, I had a pet rabbit. A clueless relative killed it and tricked me into eating it. I calmly ate a bite of the rabbit, then picked up a baseball bat and went to their house, smashing everything I could. For the next three months, I visited every month to smash something new until they finally moved away. Maddie, however, seemed completely unfazed by my fury, casually sitting in a rocking chair by the window, enjoying an avocado smoothie bowl. Ethan, terrified that I was about to explode, hurriedly promised he’d replace everything that had been lost or broken. That cooled me down slightly. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and strolled over to Maddie, flashing her a forced smile. “Maddie, I’m a bit of a neat freak. I don’t like people touching my stuff.” Maddie wasn’t pleased by my words and shot back sarcastically, “Well, Harper, this is my boyfriend’s house. I can use whatever I want. The owner doesn’t mind, so why should you, the guest, care?”

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After five years of marriage, my wife’s childhood friend posted a property deed on his Facebook Feeds. He captioned it: “Thanks to my boss lady for transferring the house to me.” I stared in shock at the deed with my home address on it, and I commented with a simple “?” My wife, Seraphina “Sera” Jade, immediately called to scold me: “He’s a single dad; he’s so pitiful. I only transferred the house to help his daughter with school later; it doesn’t affect our living situation.” “How can you be so heartless, showing no sympathy at all?” On the other end, I could hear the sad complaints from her childhood friend, Jasper “Jazz” Caldwell. Half an hour later, he posted again, tagging me. This time, he flaunted a brand-new Luxury Mercedes-Benz. “Paid in full. As the saying goes, where a woman spends her money, that’s where her heart is.” I knew this was a gift from Sera to placate him. But this time, I decided I was going to divorce her. …… When Sera came home, I swallowed a capsule of medication with a slice of birthday cake. This was the medication I had to take after my gastric tumor removal. It was my birthday, and I had prepared a cake, waiting for Sera to return home, wanting to tell her that I had undergone surgery while she was away on business. I waited until 7 PM; she didn’t answer my calls or reply to my messages. The moment I commented on Jazz’s post about the property deed, Sera called me back, launching into a tirade. I tried to explain, but she hung up and blocked me. I was so furious that my stitched-up wound felt like it was tearing open again. Sera glanced at the medication and the cake on the dining table, frowning: “Whose birthday is it? Yours?” I silently put the medication away and tossed the cake in the trash, calmly saying, “Not mine, it’s for a friend.” She sighed with relief: “I remember your birthday is on September 28th; today is only the 8th.” Five years of marriage, and Sera had always mixed up my birthday. Ironically, she seemed to remember someone else’s birthday just fine. Sera sat next to me and handed me a small toy car: “Jazz asked me to give you this; he was scared by your sarcasm today, and you need to apologize to him.” The toy car had a Mercedes-Benz logo on it. It was probably a promotional item from the car purchase, with a noticeable grease stain on it. I replied flatly: “I don’t want it.” Sera frowned, displeased: “What are you being so proud about? He was scared and came to make amends, and you can’t even apologize to him?” Seeing that I wasn’t budging, Sera tried to pull me up to call Jazz. She yanked me up with such force that my injured leg bumped against the cold coffee table. That was the same leg Sera had burned a week ago. She had been walking out of the kitchen with a pot of scalding porridge, distractedly replying to Jazz’s messages, and had accidentally spilled it all over my right foot, burning the skin badly. Seeing blood seeping from my right foot again, Sera panicked: “I’ll take you to the hospital.” I didn’t refuse: “Okay.” As soon as I got into the car, the Bluetooth speaker came to life with Jazz’s soft, playful voice. “Welcome back, my boss lady! Work hard to earn more money for me to spend!” Sera’s expression shifted slightly: “Jazz left that in my car last time; I threw it out.” “No need.” I replied indifferently. The car quickly fell into silence. Sera looked at me, surprised: “Aren’t you angry?” I pursed my lips. I used to care about Jazz a lot. Now, I didn’t even care about Sera; how could I care about her little puppy? “Just drive; it’s getting late.” We only needed to make a U-turn and drive a mile straight to the hospital, but Sera’s phone rang. When she answered, a smile appeared on her face. I recognized Jazz’s voice as he sweet-talked her into taking him for a ride in the new Mercedes. “There’s a little urgency with Jazz; I’ll drop you off here, just cross the street, it’s only fifty meters.” Sera didn’t even want to turn around; she couldn’t wait to see Jazz. I glared at her coldly: “I can’t walk.” Sera’s expression turned cold: “Can’t you be less dramatic? You’re hurt, not disabled!” She opened the passenger door and forcefully dragged me out of the car, telling me to call her when I had my medicine sorted. The car sped away, splashing dirty water all over my injured foot. The sky started to drizzle lightly, leaving me soaked and looking a mess. Fifty meters felt like a marathon; after just a few steps, I was drenched in cold sweat. The wetness aggravated the pain from my freshly stitched abdomen, and my leg buckled as I collapsed onto the crosswalk. Numerous cars sped by, and if it weren’t for the kind security guard at the hospital helping me up, I might have been hit by one. Finally back from the hospital, I lay down, and Sera stormed in: “Didn’t I say to call me when you had your medicine sorted? I waited for you at the hospital entrance for a whole hour, and your phone was off the entire time!” I stared at her blankly.

I had been on an IV for two hours in the hospital, and when I came out, I didn’t see Sera’s car. I was feeling miserable and had no choice but to take a taxi home. My phone had only just died two minutes ago. In short, she hadn’t come to pick me up at all. When did Sera, who used to care for me meticulously, start to become distant and cold? “You blocked me; I couldn’t call you.” Sera paused, her anger slightly fading: “I knew you’d be hungry, so I brought you some late-night snacks—skinny rice porridge.” I looked at the bowl of porridge. It was just sprinkled with some scallions, hardly any rice or meat, more like leftovers from someone else’s meal. Half an hour ago, I had seen Jazz’s post. The picture showed Sera cooking porridge in the kitchen: “Who says there are no good women in the world? Not only did she take me for a midnight ride in her Mercedes, but when I was hungry, she also cooked me porridge. It smells amazing!” I stirred it self-deprecatingly, feeling a wave of nausea: “Throw it away; I don’t want it.” Sera’s expression darkened instantly as she glared at me coldly: “What’s wrong with you? I brought this especially for you, and you just want to throw it away?” “Am I wrong for being upset that I just transferred the house to Jazz today? It doesn’t mean you can’t live there. His child has a place to go to school now, and all I got was a thank you post on Facebook. You went and left your sarcastic comments; did I hold that against you?” My abdominal stitches were barely healed, and now my leg was re-injured; I felt utterly exhausted: “You misunderstood me; I was just surprised that his property deed had our address on it…” Sera interrupted impatiently: “Misunderstood? Jazz is right about you! You always fly off the handle over nothing, with no grace or tolerance. If I so much as talk to another man, you become paranoid! I think the issue lies with you!” If it were earlier, I might have argued back, trying to get her to understand the real me. Now I just stared at her coldly. Once she finished her hysterical rant, I slowly said: “Are you done? Could you please turn off the lights?” She shot me a dark look and slammed the door on her way out, leaving the lights on. Seconds later, the sound of another door slamming echoed from the living room. In the past, when she would sleep at Jazz’s place after a fight, I’d lie awake all night. Tonight, however, I fell asleep comfortably on my own. The next day, I contacted a friend for a lawyer and consulted about divorce proceedings. Since that door-slam, Sera had disappeared for three days. The next time I saw her was in a travel photo shared by her friend Felicity “Flick” Hart. In the picture, she and a few friends posed together, with Jazz standing beside Sera, both in matching outfits, Jazz’s youthful face beaming with joy. I quietly liked the photo. Sera, who had been MIA, called me back in an instant: “I’ll pick you up later to go to the beach and introduce you to my friends.” After a pause, she added: “Actually, I didn’t have to invite you; this is a reward for how well you’ve been behaving lately.” “Sure.” The divorce was already in motion; I didn’t want to stir things up with her. Sera came to pick me up as promised, but strangely, Jazz didn’t show up to cause a scene today. Once we reached the beach, Flick came over to greet me: “Last time was my gathering, sorry for not giving you a heads-up. I’ll punish myself with three drinks later.” Flick’s acknowledgment elevated my status in front of everyone. I offered a perfunctory smile: “Been busy with company matters recently.” “I heard you managed to persuade some elite talents to open a branch in Willow Springs; congratulations!” Flick continued to shower me with compliments. I smiled slightly: “That’s the plan, but it’s still uncertain.” As I spoke, Sera marched over, glaring at me: “You’re going to Willow Springs? Why didn’t you tell me? Did I permit you to go?” I turned my head, calmly gazing at her furious face. The atmosphere around us froze again. Sera was still loudly questioning me, while Flick could only awkwardly attempt to lighten the mood, suggesting we head to the barbecue. The server quickly set up the grill, and Sera sat beside me, a rare look of panic flashing across her pretty face: “I’ve already told Jazz that once his kid graduates from elementary school, we’ll transfer the house back.” “Don’t be upset; it’s my house, and I don’t have to explain it to you.” “Oh.” I nodded calmly. Before long, a familiar handsome figure walked toward us, and my smile froze. A girl I had never met but who was close to Flick and Sera jumped up, excitedly waving at Jazz: “Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, Sera’s here, hurry over!” In an instant, everyone around us gasped.

Flick kicked the girl, angrily scolding her for her lack of awareness. “I’m going to the restroom.” I slowly stood up, not wanting to explode in front of everyone, just wanting to keep some semblance of dignity between us. Sera glanced at me and then at Jazz, but she ultimately didn’t follow me. When I returned, everyone had eaten and sat down on the beach. Jazz and Sera were sitting close together, their postures intimate. I quietly found a spot to sit off to the side. Flick again tried to lighten the mood: “Alright, let’s play a game of Truth or Dare!” In the first round, Sera won, and Jazz lost. Jazz chose truth, and Sera let him off easy, asking him what he had been happy about lately. Jazz blinked and gazed at Sera affectionately: “I met a wonderful woman; in just one day, I have a house and a car. By the way, she even took me for a midnight ride in her new Mercedes-Benz to unwind.” After saying that, Jazz smirked at me triumphantly. Most people present knew exactly how Jazz had gotten that house and car, but everyone typically turned a blind eye, knowing yet saying nothing. However, Jazz bringing these matters to light changed everything. The atmosphere thickened again; even Flick felt a bit awkward. Noticing that I wasn’t getting angry, Flick forced herself to keep the ball rolling: “Alright, it’s time for the second round, and look, it’s our handsome Ethan’s turn.” When it was my turn, Jazz was the one to impose a penalty on me. “Truth,” I said flatly. Jazz approached me with a drink in hand: “Ethan, let’s play big, how about a dare?” I frowned, alarm bells ringing: “I choose truth.” “Let’s do a dare; I won’t make it hard on you. I heard Sera say you’re an excellent swimmer. Just swim a lap for us!” Jazz smirked as he looked at my abdomen. I firmly refused: “I’m not feeling well; I can’t swim.” Jazz looked at Sera with a pitiful gaze, and Sera, slightly annoyed, said: “You’re a level-two athlete; swimming is your specialty; how could you not swim? A few days ago, he apologized to you; now he’s trying to make amends. You showing him a swim will not cost you anything!” Sera insisted, ignoring my struggles, pushing me towards the beach along with Jazz. Jazz skillfully removed my jacket while taking a swig from a bottle of alcohol: “Ethan, I toast to you; now it’s your turn to shine.” With a drink in hand, I felt like I was being put on a spit to roast. I grew impatient: “I said I didn’t want to swim; forcing me while you drink isn’t fair. Why can’t I choose truth?” Jazz pouted, glancing at Sera. Sera’s expression darkened instantly. She slammed the bottle of alcohol into the sand: “What’s your problem? Swimming is your forte; he’s not making it hard on you; he’s even punishing himself with a drink! Why are you being so ungrateful?” Looking at Sera, the “damsel saving the hero,” and at Jazz, whose eyes were reddening, I replied coldly: “Did I force him to drink? I told him I didn’t want to swim, and he’s still pushing me; isn’t that the definition of being difficult?” I shot back three times, causing Jazz to burst into tears. Sera’s expression turned dark as she rolled up her pants. “Not swimming, huh? Fine, I’ll swim with you!” With everyone staring in shock, Sera grabbed my ear and forcefully pushed me into the water. The cold seeped into my wound, making my scalp tingle with chill; in the next moment, seawater rushed into my nose, and I choked violently. Sera still didn’t let go; she and Jazz held me down. I felt like I was suffocating, my eyes turning red from discomfort as tears and snot streamed down my face. When it felt like my lungs were about to explode, I desperately tried to push Sera away; finally, she let go. Unfortunately, a big wave crashed in just then, and as I tried to grab Sera’s pant leg, she kicked me away. I was swept into the sea, icy water engulfing me completely. After what felt like an eternity, I finally swam with all my strength to the shore, gasping for fresh air. Meanwhile, Sera was gently rubbing Jazz’s head, soothing him with patience and warmth: “Don’t be sad; I punished him.” “He deserves it; I’ll teach him a lesson later.” Then, she walked up to me, looking down from above: “Apologize to Jazz! You owe him a drink! Otherwise, we…” In the midst of everyone’s shocked gazes and Sera’s demanding eyes, I interrupted, my eyes reddening: “Sera, wait for my lawyer to contact you; we’re getting a divorce.” With that, Sera stared at me in disbelief, her dark eyes filled with shock. I felt weak as I took a few steps forward. When I reached the main road, everything went black, and I collapsed. Before losing consciousness, I heard someone nearby shouting: “Someone’s passed out!” “Call an ambulance! Oh my God, he’s bleeding a lot from his abdomen!”

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I was picking up Carter from Windsor Elementary when I ran into Lily Whitman’s mom. Just as I was about to greet her, Carter jumped out in front of me, blocking my way. “This is our nanny. You don’t need to talk to her!” Then he turned to me and shouted, “You’re embarrassing! Don’t come to school looking like that!” I was furious when I got home and immediately complained to Nathan, but instead of support, he snapped at me. “Well, if both of you think I’m such an embarrassment, I’ll just spend all my time and money on beauty treatments and new clothes. Let’s see how that goes.” And as for being the “free nanny”? Whoever wants the job can have it. The very first day I stopped doing everything, Carter’s clothes weren’t washed, his homework wasn’t done, and he was late to school. My little prince went from being the class favorite to looking like a scruffy kid from the wrong side of town. Nathan stormed at me, “You’re making excuses to go to work and not even taking care of our son? Vivian, how can you be so selfish?” I calmly replied, “6.” Both Nathan and Carter were about to lose it.

When we got home from school, I sat on the couch with a cold expression. I didn’t cook dinner, didn’t clean, didn’t wash a single piece of clothing. Carter, as usual, didn’t think he’d done anything wrong. He expected everything to continue like normal. “Mom, I’m hungry! Hurry up and make dinner!” he demanded. I shot him a look and said, “Don’t call me Mom. I’m not your mom.” Carter’s face flushed with anger. I had promised him burgers and fried chicken after school, but after his performance at the school gate, those plans were gone. Earlier, I’d seen Carter chatting up Lily, laughing his head off like nothing else mattered. Next to Lily was her mom, Sophia Whitman, looking effortlessly stylish. I walked over, intending to greet her, but the second Carter saw me, his face dropped. He jumped right in front of me and cut me off, loudly proclaiming, “This is our nanny. You don’t need to talk to her!” He turned and yelled at me again, “You look so embarrassing. Don’t come to school looking like that!” It was pickup time, and other parents were passing by, giving me curious looks. Sophia Whitman’s face was full of surprise as she glanced at me with concern, slightly raising her brows. I looked down at my faded clothes. Between taking care of the house and family, I hadn’t had time to dress up. My ungrateful little brat had the nerve to be ashamed of me? But I wasn’t going to take it lying down. I slapped some sense into him, hard. Carter’s face turned beet red. I mumbled an apology to Sophia and walked away without looking back. Carter, in a panic, came running after me, wailing, knowing I was furious. He probably thought I wasn’t going to take him for fried chicken anymore. As if! I wasn’t going to give him anything. He could have looked like fried chicken for all I cared. Once we got home, Carter locked himself in his room and gave me a dirty look. I looked around at the dirty laundry and messy living room and sank deep into thought. It’s been seven years since I became a full-time mom. I gave up my job for Carter. Every little thing—meals, laundry, school, health—was all on me. But today, the way he acted made me realize all my efforts were for nothing. Why had I sacrificed so much? When I refused to make him dinner, Carter lost it completely. He threw himself on the floor and started screaming. “I wasn’t wrong! You don’t even have a job. What’s the difference between you and a nanny? I’m telling Dad!” To my shock, Nathan frowned when he heard the story, and his eyes were full of disappointment when he looked at me. “Why are you making a big deal over what a kid says? You promised him fried chicken today. No wonder Carter’s upset!”

“Nathan, are you serious?!” I couldn’t believe it. “Your son has serious issues, and when I try to teach him a lesson, somehow it’s my fault?” Nathan’s face showed nothing but annoyance. “Carter’s just a kid. What does he know? But you’ve let him go hungry this long? That’s on you.” Carter looked smug, glancing at me, while he whined to Nathan about wanting fried chicken. Before the two of them could head out, I yelled, “If either of you walks out that door today, I’m done with this house!” The only response I got was the slam of the door and the sound of their laughter fading down the street. I collapsed on the couch, tears running down my face. Seven years of my life, all for nothing. Every day, I’d wake up early, cook, clean, take care of Carter, and do all the household chores. My workload wasn’t any less than Nathan’s. But now, neither Nathan nor Carter appreciated me. Well, if they think I’m so embarrassing, I’m done. I’ll spend my time and money on self-care and clothes. Let’s see who misses me then. After making up my mind, I tossed Nathan’s stuff into the guest room. There was no way I was sleeping next to that man for another minute. I called up Bianca and we made dinner plans. Nathan took Carter out for fried chicken, so I wasn’t going to hold back either. After dinner, Bianca and I hit Rivercrest Shopping Mall. I had years of missed self-care to make up for!

The newest skincare set? Bought. Trendy clothes and bags? Yes, please! Gym membership, spa package—got them both! Bianca watched me spend money like water, her eyes wide in disbelief. “Vivian, aren’t you worried Nathan’s going to lose it?” I admired my purchases with satisfaction. “Who cares? I’m spending my own savings. He has no say in it!” I posted a picture of my shopping haul on Instagram to celebrate this new chapter of my life, but then I saw that Nathan had already posted something first. He’d tagged me, too, with a snarky caption: “Took Carter out for fried chicken. He says I’m his favorite!” In the picture, they were smiling, faces pressed together, in front of a table full of junk food. Typical. I rolled my eyes.

Every time I tried to discipline Carter, Nathan would play the good guy. So, despite me spending every day taking care of Carter, it was Nathan who Carter adored. I gave the post a sarcastic like and went to grab drinks with Bianca. We spent the evening mingling with some charming guys who kept calling us “ladies” in that flirtatious tone that made me feel young again. Dancing in the club released all the stress I’d built up during the day. Carter might still be young and need guidance, but as his mom, I couldn’t just abandon him. I’d have to rethink how I raised him. When I got home at 11 p.m., I was ready to make some changes in our dynamic. But instead of being in bed, the house was still brightly lit. Carter was up, playing with his toys in the living room, way past his bedtime. I always made sure he was asleep by 8 p.m. for school the next day, but here it was, 11 o’clock, and he was acting like it was the middle of the day! Furious, I roared, “Carter Summers! Do you have any idea what time it is? You’ve got school tomorrow!” Normally, Carter would have jumped into bed the moment I raised my voice, but tonight he actually had the nerve to shout back. “You’re the one who doesn’t keep your promises! Why do I have to listen to you? You just sit around at home all day, living off Dad’s money. You’re pathetic!” I stood there, stunned. This was the same child I’d devoted seven years of my life to, and now he was lashing out at me like this? The first time he’d said something hurtful, I thought it was just his age. But now, he was doing it on purpose. He meant every word. Tears stung my eyes. I couldn’t believe I had given up my career, everything, for this ungrateful child. I stormed over and yanked him off the floor. “Say that again! Who taught you to speak to me like that? WHO?!” My voice was shaking with despair. Carter glared at me with nothing but hate in his eyes. I shivered. He started sobbing, but his words stayed harsh. “You don’t do anything! My friends’ moms aren’t like you!” As he screamed, he kicked and punched at me, putting every ounce of strength into each blow. At that moment, I realized—he truly despised me. Nathan, finally noticing the chaos, stormed into the room and shoved me aside. “Vivian, are you out of your mind? Look at what you’re doing to him! He’s terrified!” He turned to Carter, “Don’t just stand there. Wash Carter’s clothes, pick up his toys, and get him to bed.” Both Nathan and Carter acted like they had every right to boss me around. I stood up, grabbed the dirty laundry, and threw it right in their faces. “I told you earlier—if you walked out that door, I was done. So, whoever wants to deal with this, go ahead!” Carter froze, unsure of what to do. I slapped him hard across the face. “You don’t want me to take care of you? Fine. From now on, you’re not my son!” Carter burst into uncontrollable tears. Ignoring him, I kicked a toy out of the way and walked toward my bedroom, leaving Nathan and Carter behind, too stunned to react. From that moment on, I swore I’d never do another thing for either of them. Not one. And with that decision, I felt lighter. After a long hot shower, I finally relaxed in bed. Just as I was drifting off, Nathan stormed into the room, eyes blazing with anger. “What the hell is wrong with you today? Is this because Bianca’s been egging you on again? How many times have I told you that woman is no good! Those fancy things you bought are probably her influence too! Return them all tomorrow!”

I was on the verge of sleep, but his rant brought me fully awake. He wanted a fight? Fine, I’d give him one. “I’m spending my own money. I can buy whatever I want. Who do you think you are to control me? Bianca’s got real men in her life—men you could never measure up to. And now you’re jealous? Pathetic.” Nathan’s face twisted with anger. I knew exactly what to say to hit him where it hurt. As his wife, I knew him better than anyone. He’d always been envious of Bianca’s success, trying to cozy up to her crowd, but they didn’t want anything to do with him. “You’re insane,” Nathan spat. “Sleep it off, you’re clearly out of your mind.” He stormed out of the room. I laughed to myself. He probably thought his silent treatment would terrify me. Little did he know, I was relishing the freedom of being alone. The next morning, I was woken up by Carter’s cries. When I checked the clock, it was already 8 a.m. Well, well, someone’s late. I stretched luxuriously in bed, savoring the fact that I didn’t have to rush out of bed to make breakfast for anyone. Carter had tripped over his toys and split his forehead open. He lay on the floor, clutching his head, wailing, expecting someone to come to his rescue. Nathan came stumbling out of the master bedroom, looking disheveled and clearly panicked by the scene. Carter ran into his arms, bawling, “Dad, I’m late! I’m going to lose points for being late!” Nathan was just as unprepared, having clearly just woken up himself. He never thought I’d actually stop taking care of Carter. Seeing me standing there watching the scene, Nathan snapped. “Why are you just standing there?! Go grab a band-aid! Can’t you see Carter’s hurt?” I yawned and glanced at them. “Oh, he’s got a scar now? Too bad. Guess it’s gonna leave a mark.” 7 Carter was always so conscious of his appearance, and now with a gash on his forehead, he was crying like the world had ended. Nathan saw I wasn’t going to help, so he started looking for the band-aids himself. After practically tearing the house apart, he still couldn’t find one. Frustrated and red-faced, he shouted, “Where the hell are the band-aids? You hid them, didn’t you?” I rolled my eyes. “If they’re right in front of you and you can’t see them, that’s on you. Don’t go blaming me because you’re blind.” Nathan was furious, looking like he might charge at me. But he quickly realized now wasn’t the time because Carter was really late for school. Carter attended Maplewood Academy, a private school where the other kids were from well-off families, all used to following the rules. Being late was practically unheard of. To make matters worse, Lily Whitman—the girl Carter liked—was the class’s discipline monitor. If he was late, she’d surely look down on him. Nathan hurriedly dressed Carter, who stood there looking helpless. “Where are my clothes?” Nathan asked. I barely glanced at him. Before, I’d always have freshly washed and ironed clothes neatly laid out on the sofa for him. But now, remembering all those times I tried to be the “perfect wife” made me want to slap myself. “They’re on my face,” I said sarcastically, as I turned on the TV and started my morning yoga. Nathan shot me a death glare, grabbed some mismatched clothes from wherever he could find them, and with his hair a mess, dragged Carter out the door. Neither of them had eaten breakfast, and Carter’s complaints about being hungry echoed down the hall as they left. Meanwhile, I leisurely ordered myself a deluxe breakfast delivery, completed my yoga session, and enjoyed my meal at a slow pace. Just as I finished, my phone started ringing. It was Ms. Valerie Harper, Carter’s teacher. I let the phone ring, then hung up. Carter wasn’t my problem anymore. Why should I care about his school issues? Ms. Harper was persistent though. After several missed calls, she sent a text. “Mrs. Summers, what is going on at your house today? Carter not only arrived late, but he didn’t wear his uniform. He looked filthy, like he hadn’t washed his face! And what’s more, he didn’t even do his homework! Is this how you raise your child? You need to come to school immediately!” I was tempted to ignore her, but knowing she wouldn’t let it go, I replied:

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My sister-in-law, Chloe Rivers, was getting married. On the way to pick up groceries for dinner, I decided to buy a lottery ticket. Little did I know, when the numbers were drawn, I’d hit the jackpot—$20 million! I had imagined living a dream life with my family, but then my husband, Brad, decided he wanted a divorce. I raised my thumb and held back my excitement. “Well, isn’t this just perfect? A double blessing!” After thirty failed blind dates, Chloe finally found her “Prince Charming,” Ethan Montgomery. Everyone in the family was thrilled about the news. Mrs. Margaret Rivers, my mother-in-law, invited Chloe and her new fiancé over for dinner. “Sophia, here’s two hundred bucks. Go to the store and buy something you young folks like to eat,” she said, slipping the cash into my hand. On the way to the store, I casually bought a lottery ticket. When I got home, I put the groceries in the kitchen and noticed that neither Mrs. Rivers nor Brad were in the living room. I started putting away the groceries, and soon enough, I heard the front door open. It must’ve been Brad and his mom coming back. “Brad, make sure Sophia doesn’t find out about the $75,000, or she’ll make a scene!” Mrs. Rivers said as she changed her shoes. “Relax, Mom. The money is safely tucked away in my personal account. Sophia has no clue it even exists!” Brad said, carelessly tossing his shoes around. “Good! With that $75,000, Chloe can marry into her new family with confidence. No one will push her around, and I can finally stop worrying,” Mrs. Rivers said smugly while sipping her water. I stood there, frozen in the kitchen, gripping the spatula. $75,000? Where did that come from? And it’s for Chloe’s dowry? As far as I knew, Mrs. Rivers worked at a factory, making about $4,000 a month, with plenty of expenses to cover. Brad had always told me that between the house, the wedding, and other expenses, the Rivers family was financially drained. When we got married, I didn’t even keep the $20,000 dowry my parents gave me—I handed it back to Brad’s family to help them out. So how in the world did they save up $75,000 in just three years? My thoughts raced like wildfire. I had thought marrying into the Rivers family made me one of them. But now, it was clear: the real family was just Mrs. Rivers, Brad, and Chloe. I was nothing more than a foolish housekeeper. Mrs. Rivers would toss me a few hundred bucks here and there, and I thought she was being generous. Turns out, compared to Chloe, I was nothing. She was practically treating me like a beggar, throwing me scraps. By now, the food in the pan had dried up and started to burn, but I hadn’t even noticed. “When did you get back?” Brad opened the kitchen door and was startled to see me standing there. My thoughts snapped back to reality, and I glanced at him. “I… I’ve been home for about ten minutes…” Brad rushed over, taking the spatula from my hand. “What were you doing? The food’s burning!” I quickly grabbed a bowl, poured some water into it, and dumped it in the pan. “Oh… I was just thinking about whether the store owner overcharged me for the groceries.” I made up an excuse, hoping to cover my tracks. Brad gave me a suspicious look. “You didn’t hear anything after you got home, did you?” His gaze felt like it was trying to pierce through me. I played dumb, staring back at him with confusion. “Hear what?” “You came in so quietly. I didn’t even hear you.” Brad’s expression softened, and he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “I went out to get your favorite—durian. Just got back.” He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. It was then I noticed the giant durian in his hand. Suddenly, I felt repulsed by the durian—and his kiss. Not because I liked durian, but because Chloe did. This family was exhausting.

That afternoon, Chloe and her fiancé Ethan showed up empty-handed, ready to eat and drink as soon as they walked through the door. At dinner, I decided to bring up the subject of Chloe’s dowry. “So, Ethan, now that you’re marrying our precious Chloe, how much are you thinking for the dowry?” I asked, half-joking, half-serious. Ethan froze for a moment. “Sophie… We agreed on $18,800.” I chuckled. “Oh, lucky numbers, huh?” Then I turned to Mrs. Rivers. “Hey, Mom, that’s not a bad amount. How much are you planning to send Chloe off with?” “Do you have enough? If not, I can chip in. That dowry money is still with Brad, isn’t it?” Mrs. Rivers gave a nervous laugh. “Oh, don’t worry about it. I’ve already got everything set aside for her.” Then she turned to Ethan. “I’ve been saving my retirement money for years, and I’ll give it to Chloe as her dowry. It’s not much, but I hope you don’t mind, Ethan.” Ethan quickly waved it off. “Not at all.” They all thought they were playing me for a fool. But without solid proof, I didn’t dare confront them at the dinner table. After dinner, they sat in the living room, laughing and chatting about wedding plans. The atmosphere was warm and lively, but there was no room for me on that couch. I looked at the chaotic dining table and the kitchen, which looked like a war zone. I took off my apron, excused myself, and went to my room, claiming I wasn’t feeling well. Mrs. Rivers looked slightly irritated, but with guests in the house, she didn’t say anything. I shut the bedroom door and collapsed on the bed, letting the tears I’d been holding back fall. A week later, Chloe and Ethan got engaged. They didn’t invite many people, and of course, I wasn’t one of them. How ridiculous. Mrs. Rivers told Brad I had to work, so I couldn’t attend. She sent Brad to bring me food at the office, making sure I ate before he left. But after he left, I took the rest of the day off and followed him to the Crystal Ridge Country Club. Not many people were there, but all the important folks from back home showed up. I watched as Chloe and Ethan posed for photos in front of an elaborate display. Not only was there a hefty dowry from Ethan’s family, but there was also a stack of cash—$75,000—waiting for Chloe. The reality hit me like a slap in the face. There it was—$75,000, not a penny short. Mrs. Rivers’ face turned pale when she saw me walk in. I handed the bouquet I had brought to Chloe and smiled. “It’s your big day, Chloe. How could I, as your sister-in-law, miss it?” Chloe’s face flushed with embarrassment. Brad rushed over, clearly annoyed. “Didn’t you already eat? Why are you here?” I raised my voice. “What? Just because I ate means I’m not allowed to attend the engagement party?” “Or are you worried I’ll see the $75,000 you’re giving Chloe?” The moment I mentioned the money, Mrs. Rivers’ face darkened. Once the secret was out, there was no more pretense. Chloe strutted over to me, full of arrogance. “So what if I’m getting $75,000? Can your family give you that?” “Your parents couldn’t afford a dowry like that, so what are you trying to prove?” Her words left me fuming. “Chloe, you know exactly where that $75,000 came from!” Mrs. Rivers jumped up, panicked. “Sophia, watch your mouth! What do you mean, ‘where it came from’? I saved every penny of that myself!” Brad frowned and added, “Sophia, stop causing trouble!” Ethan’s family sat there watching like they were at the movies, probably happy to see me humiliated. After all, marrying Chloe meant they were about to pocket $75,000.

When I refused to back down, Brad slapped me. It was the first time he had ever hit me in our two years of dating and three years of marriage. That slap woke me up. What was the point of staying in this mess? I slapped him back and walked out of the country club. When I got home, I grabbed a suitcase and started packing to go back to the Grant Family Home. As I was packing, I found the lottery ticket I’d bought a week ago in the pocket of a coat. It was the day of the drawing. I pulled out my phone and started checking the numbers one by one. Two billion… I’d won $20 million! In that moment, all the hurt, anger, and frustration melted away. My hands trembled as I reached for my phone to call Brad and share the incredible news. But just as I was about to dial, I stopped. He slapped me. Unless he apologized, I wasn’t forgiving him, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to share in my good fortune. Halfway through packing, I gave up and sat on the couch, waiting for him to come home. It wasn’t until nearly dark that Brad and Mrs. Rivers stumbled through the door, drunk. Brad tripped over my suitcase and fell. When he got up, he seemed a bit more sober. “Sophia, what are you doing?” “What’s all this? Are you planning to run away?” Mrs. Rivers rolled her eyes and let out a loud burp. “A useless hen who can’t lay eggs should’ve left a long time ago! Get out of here if you’re going!” I stood up, shocked, staring at Brad. “You want me gone too?” Brad pushed me aside and collapsed on the couch. “Yeah, go! Leave! I’m so done with you!” “Three years of marriage, and still no baby. My buddies think there’s something wrong with me!” “If I had known you were this useless, I wouldn’t have wasted money marrying you. What a damn waste!” Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t believe he’d say something so shameless. When we got married, he’d insisted we couldn’t afford to have kids. Now he was blaming me for not getting pregnant. At that moment, my heart hit rock bottom. I left the rest of my packing unfinished, grabbed my suitcase, and went to my parents’ house. The next morning, Brad called. I thought he might regret everything and ask me to come home. But the first thing he said was, “Sophia, where the hell are you? The house is a mess, and you haven’t made dinner! Get back here and clean up!” Typical. I sighed deeply. “Brad, I want a divorce.” There was silence on the other end, and then he burst out laughing. “Hahaha, great! Let’s get a divorce! Come right now, and we’ll do it!” I couldn’t believe how eager he was. From the time we ended the call to when we had the divorce papers in hand, it took less than an hour. Standing outside the County Clerk’s Office with the divorce certificate in his hand, Brad looked like a new man. He sneered at me. “Sophia, three years of marriage, and you didn’t even give me a kid. Let’s see who’d want you now.” I looked down at the divorce certificate, suddenly thankful I hadn’t told him about the $20 million lottery win. For me, the jackpot and the divorce were a double blessing. Brad had just lost the best thing that ever happened to him, and he didn’t even know it. Ignoring him, I took my divorce certificate, disguised myself, and headed to the State Lottery Office to collect my $20 million. A month later, as I sat at home counting my money, I received a summons from the court. Brad was suing me… Had he found out about my $20 million? Technically, winnings before a divorce are considered joint marital assets… Was he trying to claim half?

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When I was 16, my father saved Mr. Malcolm Monroe’s life. In return, I became engaged to the Monroe family as their daughter-in-law. By 21, I had transformed into a lady, admired in high society. At 22, I married Elijah Monroe. At 26, I gave birth to our first child. He, like Elijah, never liked me. I worked hard to play the perfect daughter-in-law in the Monroe family. One day, Elijah asked what I wanted for my birthday. I handed him the divorce papers. “Elijah, I want a divorce.” Elijah gave me a cold look. “Serena, stop being ridiculous.” Even Gavin, our son, chimed in, “Mom, stop wasting everyone’s time.” I signed my name and looked at Elijah again. “Elijah, I want a divorce.” “Why?” Elijah’s voice was as cold and distant as ever. I sat down, took a deep breath, and said, “There’s nothing to explain. It’s just pointless.” The diamond bracelet on my wrist, a gift from Elijah for my 30th birthday, sparkled faintly under the light. To everyone else, Elijah was a perfect husband, always attentive in public, but only I knew how cold his heart truly was. “Mom, it’s almost midnight. Stop wasting everyone’s time,” Gavin called down impatiently from the stairs. I looked at the child I had nearly died giving birth to, still wearing the same patient expression I always wore around him. “You’ll stay with the Monroe family. You won’t need my support. I have nothing to give you; I’m an orphan. Consider my absence from your life my final gift to you.” Gavin, mature for his age, understood what I meant. Turning back to Elijah, I said, “I’m not greedy. I don’t understand much about property or wealth. I only want the house you transferred to my name recently. I like it. Everything else belongs to the Monroes. I won’t take a thing.” I removed the diamond bracelet from my wrist. “This was meant for your wife, but I don’t think I ever truly was your wife. And I’ve never liked the title Mrs. Monroe. You should have it back.” I took off each piece of jewelry and placed them on the table, one by one. Elijah remained silent, watching me quietly from across the table. Finally, he spoke, “Serena, are you just trying to get my attention?” “Isn’t being Mrs. Monroe enough for you? No matter what you do, in my heart, you’ll never matter.” “Let’s go to court and finalize the divorce. The sooner, the better. We don’t have to wait a month. Sign the papers quickly—I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

I headed upstairs. Gavin had already gone to bed. Like his father, Gavin had a strict schedule and never wasted a second for anyone. Especially not for me, the mother he didn’t like. From the day my father died in a car accident after saving Mr. Monroe, I became trapped in the Monroe family. On that very day, Mr. Monroe held my hand and declared that I was to be their future daughter-in-law, and I lost my identity completely. At that time, I was grieving my father’s death, trapped in a fog of despair. I had stopped speaking, incapable of uttering a word. Mrs. Monroe stormed into my house, dragged me out, and forced me into a series of etiquette lessons. She looked down at me and said, “You have one month to start speaking again. The Monroe family doesn’t need a mute woman as its mistress.” I tried to resist, but Mr. Monroe’s public announcement made my fate clear. I was trapped. I was brainwashed. By the time I was released, Mrs. Monroe asked me what my duty was. I responded automatically, “To be the perfect daughter-in-law of the Monroe family.” From the age of 16 to 21, I transformed from a helpless girl into a poised woman, admired by high society in Manhattan. At 22, I married Elijah under the watchful eyes of everyone. Four years later, I gave birth to Gavin. My life became focused on managing the household and raising Gavin. Attending galas with Elijah was my full-time role. The most frequent sight I saw was the small garden at the Monroe Family Estate, where I planted many flowers. Elijah ripped them out with his own hands because the person in his heart was allergic to pollen.

Thinking about it now, I packed my bags faster. In Elijah’s heart, there was a dead girl he had loved—a girl like a delicate white flower, taken by acute leukemia. By the time Elijah realized, she was already gone. From then on, he hated me for occupying the position of the Monroe family’s daughter-in-law, and he hated the family for keeping it from him. Gavin, too, was the result of a drugged night. When Elijah woke up, he locked himself in the bathroom for an entire day. He thought I was dirty. I tossed a dress out of my suitcase—the one I wore to an event with Elijah. Bad luck. When I finished packing, all my belongings fit into one small suitcase. As I walked out, Elijah was still downstairs. He frowned as usual when he saw me. “There’s no need to rush. We aren’t divorced yet.” I smiled at him. “I can’t stay here a minute longer.” The moment I stepped outside, I felt free for the first time. The house I liked had been empty for a while, so I checked into a hotel nearby until I could get it cleaned. For the next month, I stayed in that house. The day of the divorce arrived quickly, and I waited outside the New York County Court. Elijah arrived with Gavin in tow. When they saw the smile on my face, their expressions turned cold. “Serena, are you happy about the divorce?” Elijah asked. “Let’s hurry. I have a plane to catch.” Without further words, I dragged Elijah to take the necessary photos. After receiving the divorce certificate, I rushed to the airport. Aside from not loving me, Elijah had no faults. He transferred $50 million to my account, along with the house. I was finally free to live my life. I decided to go on an expedition in the Arctic.

As the ship rocked under the massive waves, I watched the sea and laughed. My father and I were both thrill-seekers. We had plans to challenge the most exciting adventures around the world, not end up trapped in a box buried beneath a headstone. That’s why I brought his ashes with me on this trip. When the sea was calm, I scattered his ashes into the water. “Dad, this is the ocean you’ve always dreamed of,” I whispered to myself. That night, just as I was falling asleep, my phone rang. It was Elijah’s voice on the other end. “There’s a party tomorrow with Mr. Williams. He’s asking about the wine from last year. What was it again?” Mr. Williams was one of Elijah’s key business partners. Every year, I agonized over what gift to bring to his birthday party. The wine he was talking about was one I’d spent months searching for—a rare bottle from a renowned winemaker. Being woken up at night was frustrating enough, but the way Elijah ordered me around as if we were still married was infuriating. I snapped, “We’re divorced. Stop acting like a man-child.” “And maybe think before you call someone in the middle of the night. Don’t be a rude man-child.” With that, I hung up and turned off my phone. The next day, I planned to take pictures of the stunning glaciers. When I turned my phone on, I saw a dozen missed calls from Elijah. More than he’d called me in an entire year. Usually, I was the one asking when he’d be home or when Gavin’s school events were, since both parents needed to attend. Elijah’s responses were always the same: “Hmm,” followed by a date and time for the next social event I was expected to prepare for. I put on the perfect dress, held Elijah’s arm, and played the role of the perfect Mrs. Monroe. This time, I blocked his number and focused on the beauty of the glaciers. That night, just before falling asleep, a strange number called me. A woman’s voice asked, “Are you Gavin Monroe’s mother?” “No. I don’t have any children. I’m single now. If you need something, contact his father.” “You’re lying.” It was Gavin’s voice, filled with disbelief. “I don’t think I am. You don’t like me, and I don’t like you anymore either. You can pretend I’m not your mother, and I’ll do the same. Don’t call this number again. Consider me a stranger.”

After hanging up, I decided that once I got back to shore, I would change my number. The Arctic was breathtaking, the towering glaciers impossible to describe with words. On a calm day, the crew lowered a kayak into the water. A foreign tourist next to me asked if I wanted to join them in diving into the sea. I put on my life jacket and stood on the makeshift platform. With a leap, I plunged into the icy water. The cold was intense, but the exhilaration was worth it. In the distance, I could hear the excited chatter of other tourists. I ducked my head underwater, where the noise was muffled. Once back on shore, I dried off and went to check out the kayaks again. By the time I returned to shore, it had been half a month since I’d started this journey. When I landed at the airport, it was already midnight. I got home and fell into bed, sinking into a deep sleep. I woke up in the afternoon, still in a dreamlike state. In my dreams, Mrs. Monroe’s voice echoed, saying how fortunate I was. Then the scene shifted to whispers behind my back, mocking me—”A sparrow can’t become a swan.” Finally, the image settled on the first time Elijah saw me. He stood in the sunlight, wearing a crisp white shirt, each strand of his hair glistening in the light. The moment he looked at me, he held the hand of another girl and promised, “Don’t worry, I’ll never love her.” Elijah really did manage to never love me. When we first got married, Mrs. Monroe pressured me to quickly have a child with Elijah. Under her coercion, I wore embarrassing outfits to seduce him. But that day, in Elijah’s cold gaze, I felt like an ancient courtesan desperately seeking favor. I hurried to get dressed and fled to my room, and from that moment on, I stopped expecting any affection from him. Even on that night when he took traditional medicine, he didn’t call my name.

Waking up now, my head felt heavy. I remembered the two people I despised in my dreams and decided to head downstairs to shake off the bad vibes. I figured I might as well grab a bite to eat. As I stepped into the elevator, I found Elijah standing inside. Dressed in a suit and tie, he looked like he could go to a meeting in a moment. His expression didn’t change when he saw me. “I’m giving you one last chance, Serena. Come back and continue being Mrs. Monroe. Don’t venture too far next time; if something goes wrong, public relations could become messy.” A sarcastic smile spread across my face. To Elijah, my death would only complicate things for the Monroe family’s public relations team. To him, my life was merely a symbol of stability for the shareholders. “Mr. Monroe, we’re divorced. Please respect our agreement and don’t bother me,” I replied, my voice steady. Elijah’s face showed doubt as he opened his mouth to speak, but I turned and walked toward the other elevator. When I reached the ground floor, I spotted Gavin waiting by the car. As I stepped out, he opened the door and climbed in, saying, “Mom, I have an enrichment class later. Don’t waste everyone’s time.” I ignored Gavin and walked directly to the side of the car. Suddenly, I heard a faint mewing sound from under the tires. That sound was all too familiar; it reminded me of the first orange tabby cat I rescued as a child. When I saw the little orange kitten with its tail held high, I couldn’t help but gasp. It looked just like my childhood pet, Dreamer, down to the short, broken tail. Carefully, I picked up the kitten, thinking maybe this was Dreamer’s way of coming back to me. Ignoring Elijah and Gavin, who were both staring at me, I rushed out with the kitten in my arms. At the entrance of the community, I took the kitten to Riverside Animal Hospital, where the doctor took it off my hands, and I finally felt relieved. Sitting in the chair, I couldn’t believe I had found my long-lost companion. Though I knew this kitten wasn’t really Dreamer, it still felt like a part of my heart had returned. Gavin appeared behind me. “I’m allergic to cat hair! Why did you adopt a cat?”

During the early days of my marriage to Elijah, I often found myself alone in the estate, with no one to talk to. I wanted to get an orange cat, just like Dreamer, but Elijah thought cats were a nuisance. After much pleading, I finally convinced him to let me keep one. However, when Gavin was born, we discovered he was allergic to cat hair. The kitten was sent away less than a day after it arrived. My focus then shifted entirely to Gavin. Now, hearing Gavin’s words again, I didn’t hold back. “I’m not your mother anymore. Didn’t you understand what I said that day?” Gavin’s eyes showed a flicker of confusion, as if he couldn’t believe I truly didn’t love him anymore. In his mind, I should always be the one standing behind him, patient and caring, no matter how he treated me. “Even if I opened a cat café now, that’s my business.” “There’s nothing more to discuss. You and your father should stay out of my life. Seeing both of you is exhausting.” “Fine, walk away. You’ll regret being alone one day,” Gavin retorted angrily as he stormed off. I remained seated, waiting for the doctor to return with the results. An hour later, the doctor emerged holding a beautiful little orange tabby, its teeth bared in a cute little grin. As soon as it saw me, it let out a series of adorable meows. I took the kitten from the doctor and gently tapped its nose. “From now on, your name is Beauty, okay?” Initially, I had wanted to name it Dreamer, but it only responded to the name Dreamer. Now, I finally had my dream cat. I bought a bunch of supplies from the pet store and had them delivered. Holding Beauty, I said, “From now on, you’re a princess. Let’s see who dares to call you a little stray.” Once home, I set up Beauty’s new space before making a phone call. While on the Arctic ship, I met three children planning to travel from Xinjiang all the way to Iceland. They asked if I wanted to join them. Now, I needed to figure out what paperwork I’d need to take Beauty overseas. After sorting everything out, a month had passed, and I was waiting at the meeting point for them. Once everyone had gathered, we set off into the distance.

Beauty behaved perfectly on the road as another person and I took turns driving. The first thing he said when he got in the car was, “Hey, if the car breaks down, don’t blame me. This is my first time driving such an expensive car.” We drove through a deserted area for miles. We also landed in a hot air balloon, which was my first time lying down to get into one. Passing through a small town, a little girl tugged on my sleeve, pointing to her disabled father, asking if I could spare some change. We took a day to help her father get to the hospital. When we finally reached Alaska, we were a week behind schedule. Beauty had gone from being a timid little kitten to a bold, plump cat. Every time we arrived at a new accommodation, she was the first to jump down, patrol the area, and only then would she return to my side. The Northern Lights were breathtaking. I waited three hours in awe, marveling at the vibrant colors lighting up the sky. Beauty poked her head out of my jacket, the wind rustling her fur before she burrowed back inside. We had just agreed to go skiing next. Then, a strange number called my phone. “Serena, I’m your mother. Can we talk?” The unfamiliar voice took me back to the day of my father’s car accident. He had called me that day, excitedly telling me he had good news and wanted to introduce me to my mother. His voice had been filled with joy, stirring countless fantasies about meeting her. But soon after, I received the news of his passing, and the mother he spoke of never appeared. I handed the car keys over to them and boarded the plane with Beauty. At the airport, I stepped off the plane and saw Elijah. Standing next to him was a woman in a wheelchair. I recognized her immediately—she looked just like the woman in my father’s wallet. “Back already?” Elijah asked, but I pretended not to hear him.

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Before her death, my daughter was drugged, beaten, and abused for a long time— This was the autopsy report for Madeline. I’ve never been a good mother. After Maddie’s death, I can finally admit that. Night after night, I am haunted by nightmares, where she stands before me, drenched in blood, saying, “Mom, avenge me.” I pushed her into the abyss, all because I wanted her to be perfect. I spent everything I had, changed my appearance, and forged a new identity, all so I could infiltrate this high-end preschool. Don’t cry, Maddie. Mommy is here to get revenge. I removed the thick bandages wrapped around my head. When I looked in the mirror again, I couldn’t help but marvel. Such a beauty. With arched brows and deep-set eyes—a strange combination, but undeniably seductive. The cosmetic surgeon asked, “Can I use your photo as a model?” I smiled and declined. This face is better kept out of the public eye. A few days later, I went to Fairview Hills Academy to apply for a job as a preschool teacher. The assistant principal interviewed me. She was impressed with my qualifications, and after a series of questions, I passed the interview. As I was leaving, she asked, “With your proficiency in four languages and overseas experience, why do you want to be a preschool teacher?” I smiled, “Our nation’s future flowers are worth protecting.”

Three days later, I officially became a proud preschool teacher. The kids were absolutely adorable, surrounding me and calling me “Miss Cindy.” My colleague, a young woman named Jessica Monroe, laughed and said, “You’re amazing! The kids really like you.” I chuckled, teasing, “They like us both. Who can resist two young, pretty teachers?” After work, Jess smiled and waved as she said, “I’m heading out. My husband’s picking me up.” I followed her out until I saw her husband get out of the car to open the door for her. I hurried toward them, handing Jess a notebook from my bag. “Jess, you forgot your notebook.” She quickly took it and thanked me. Her husband, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, smiled at me as his eyes lingered. I looked away quickly, but Jess noticed the awkwardness between us. Jess looked at her husband with amusement, then grabbed my hand to introduce me. “This is my new colleague, the stunning Miss Cindy. You’ll be seeing her often.” Her husband extended his hand and introduced himself, “Zachary Monroe, doctor at Horizon Medical Center. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I glanced at Jess nervously, then shyly reached out to shake Zach’s hand. Jess pulled Zach into the car quickly, her expression darkening. Ah, the curse of being too attractive. Always seen as a threat. Always assumed to be some kind of homewrecker.

As expected, Zach reached out to me. I had no idea how he got my number, but when he called, I acted flustered. I asked, “Does Jess know you’re asking to meet me?” He hesitated for a moment before responding, “How could she possibly know? I didn’t expect such a sultry beauty like you to ask such a… disappointing question.” I let out a sweet, gentle laugh. He asked, “So, do you want to meet up?” Without hesitation, I replied, “Of course. I’d love to. Just the two of us.” He laughed heartily and set the time and place. Tomorrow night, 10 PM at The Clock Tavern. Honestly, I was surprised he didn’t suggest a hotel. But I didn’t mind. Once the clothes come off, everyone looks the same anyway. The fun is in the flirtation before that. I arrived on time, dressed in a loose t-shirt and shorts. He looked shocked as I casually took a seat. Raising his glass, he smirked, “You’re… different.” “I’ll take that as a compliment,” I replied, mimicking his motion and raising my glass. “Thanks for the drink and the flattery.” Zach was a master of flirtation, taking his time—sometimes making me laugh with stories from work, sometimes switching to topics more suited for adults. I raised my glass again, “Who would’ve thought a doctor could tell raunchy jokes better than the average guy?” He downed his drink in one gulp. “What can I say? I’m only human. I need an outlet too. At least I’m not as bad as some who are… less than human.” My curiosity piqued. “Less than human? Do you mean they’re hiring escorts, or… worse?” He shook his head playfully, “Much worse.” I pouted, pretending to be annoyed. “You’re so annoying, leaving me curious like that.” He laughed heartily, “Do you really want to know?” I nodded eagerly, giving him my best innocent look. “Alright, you win. But you have to promise not to tell anyone.” He leaned in close, putting an arm around me, his fingers brushing the hair behind my ear. In a low voice, he whispered, “Some people… have violent tendencies. They like to abuse children.” I swallowed hard, trying to suppress the ache rising in my chest. “Really? That’s… sick.” Zach chuckled, tapping my cheek affectionately. “You scaredy-cat. Don’t worry, I’m not that kind of man.” “I like mature women. But playing innocent… that’s even better.” His fingers trailed down to my lips. I stared at them for a few seconds, then gently licked the tip of his finger with my tongue. I could feel his gaze ignite with desire. If we weren’t sitting in the middle of the tavern, I wondered if he’d have taken me right there.

The next day at work, Jess didn’t look well. I asked her if she was okay, but she just shook her head. Out of concern, I said, “If you’re not feeling well, you should rest in the office. I can handle things here.” Jess thought for a moment before nodding. “Thank you, Izzy. I appreciate it.” I smiled softly, telling her it was no trouble. By lunchtime, Jess still hadn’t shown up in the cafeteria. I brought some food back to the office and found her with swollen, red eyes. “Have you been crying?” I asked, worried. She hesitated for a long time, but maybe she couldn’t hold it in any longer. Her voice trembled as she opened up to me. “My husband didn’t come home until late last night. He wasn’t even on call, but he came home reeking of alcohol… then he just started yelling at me… and hitting me.” I quickly handed her some tissues, and she sobbed for a while before finally calming down. Jess said, “Izzy, thank you for being my shoulder to cry on.” I waved it off. “It’s no problem. We all have things we need to get off our chest sometimes.” She gave me a grateful look as she took the lunch I had brought her. In the blink of an eye, I’d been at Fairview Hills Academy for three months. During that time, I had gotten to know my colleagues well—even the security guards and janitors were on good terms with me. Everyone praised Miss Cindy for her beauty and high emotional intelligence. They said I was bound to go places. Some even complimented me directly to my face. I would just shake my head and say, “I have no ambition. As long as I can be a good teacher, I’m content.” This led them to say, “Miss Cindy is a breath of fresh air, a true gem among women. Graceful and understated.” I would just smile and stop trying to correct them. When people want to praise you, no matter what you say, they’ll think you’re right. And when they want to tear you down, no matter what you do, they’ll still find a way to criticize and hurt you. I’m sure Jess understood this all too well. She was always straightforward and wore her emotions on her sleeve. At just 27, she’d already become one of the top-ranked teachers in the city, earning her quite a bit of attention at the school. But with that attention came arrogance. She looked down on others, especially when compared to my humble attitude, which only made her seem more proud. In these three months, whenever she upset the other teachers, I was the one apologizing on her behalf. When she complained about the cafeteria food, I’d make sure to compliment the staff’s cooking. At first, people probably thought I was just her lackey. But over time, they realized—I was everyone’s little ray of sunshine. Jess’s reputation, however, continued to worsen. During the anonymous mid-year evaluations, she received over forty negative votes. The principal called her in for a meeting. Jess, being the proud person she was, couldn’t stand the humiliation and argued with the principal. It wasn’t a big deal at first, just words being exchanged, but the principal had enough and threatened to fire her. Jess sneered, slammed the desk, and loudly declared for everyone to hear: “No need to fire me. I quit!” Jess quit, and the principal was furious. Whether it was out of pride or genuine intent, she threatened to blacklist Jess. Oddly enough, Jess didn’t seem afraid. I wasn’t sure if she was incredibly brave or incredibly foolish. Fairview Hills Academy is the top-ranking elite preschool in the city. The woman who built it into what it is today didn’t rise to the top without some serious skills. If she really wanted to blacklist Jess, Jess would never be able to work as a preschool teacher again. As Jess left the classroom with her things, I shed a few genuine tears. Maybe I was the only one in this entire school who would truly miss her. She smiled at me, unbothered, and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back.” Seeing my confusion, she leaned in close and whispered in my ear, “I know the principal’s secret.”

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I was reborn. In my previous life, I married Jack Zhou. After our wedding, his sister Fiona would frequently come over with her kids to mooch off us. Jack and I would argue. Fiona directly introduced him to a mistress. I divorced Jack and took our son with me. I scrimped and saved to raise our child. I helped him start his own family. Just when I thought I could finally enjoy life, the doctor told me I had stomach cancer. In the end, I died in pain. Now that I have a second chance at life, I refuse to be a bitter wife again. As my son’s heartbroken cries faded away, I felt my body becoming lighter and lighter. I wanted to tell my son not to be sad, to think of me as going to a better place in heaven. But when I opened my eyes, I found myself in a room that was both strange and familiar. After carefully looking around for a while, I realized it was the bedroom Jack and I had shared. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, decades younger, I pinched myself hard to confirm that I had really been reborn. Where was Ethan? Right, my son. Thinking of my child, I rushed out of the room. That’s when I saw the malted milk powder I had bought for Ethan opened on the table. My son was staring at it longingly, while Fiona’s three children each had a cup and were drinking happily. My mother-in-law saw me and quickly made a cup for Ethan too, looking a bit guilty. “Maggie, did we wake you up?” I didn’t say anything, just picked up Ethan and hugged him tightly, unable to get enough of his sweet baby scent. Ethan was only two years old now. He had always been small and frail as a child. For his sake, I had denied myself food and new clothes, trying to save every penny I could to help him grow up healthy. My sister-in-law Fiona, on the other hand, loved romance and indulgence. Even after her husband passed away, she didn’t change. She could spend a month’s salary on a pair of designer heels without blinking. Her three children often went hungry and poorly dressed. Every few days, my in-laws would bring them over to “improve their nutrition.” At mealtimes, they ate like refugees. Ethan and I were often left with just leftovers. Although Jack didn’t give me his salary, I was working and paying my share of living expenses to my in-laws. But my son and I still couldn’t even eat our fill in this house. My father-in-law, mother-in-law and Jack spoiled Fiona beyond reason. Despite being an ordinary family, she wore designer clothes and shoes. After I divorced Jack in my previous life, he remarried and had to support his new family. Fiona’s three kids were older by then and cost even more. They all started to struggle financially. Only then did Fiona begin to give up her pursuit of luxury brands. I took Ethan back to our room and pulled out my bankbook. It showed 500 yuan that I had painstakingly saved. It was the 1980s now. The wave of economic reforms was sweeping across the country. In my previous life, the factory I worked at announced its closure two years later. After losing that job, I could only find work as a waitress or doing odd jobs. So even when faced with Jack’s betrayal, no matter how angry and resentful I felt, I didn’t dare initiate a divorce. We dragged on until Ethan was 10 years old. By then, Jack’s mistress was pregnant. Only then was I forced to leave with Ethan. Now that I’ve been reborn, I refuse to be a bitter wife again. That afternoon, I took Ethan to visit several of my good friends. I managed to borrow another 300 yuan from them. The next day at work, I submitted my resignation to the workshop director. With the factory’s poor performance lately, the director approved my resignation quickly. I took Ethan back to my parents’ home in the countryside. I gave my parents 100 yuan and asked them to help take care of Ethan. I said I would come back for him in three months. By this time, Jack was already living as husband and wife with his mistress in the employee dormitory, thanks to Fiona’s matchmaking. In the eyes of my in-laws and Jack, I was an unreasonable troublemaker. They probably thought I was up to no good by taking the child back to my parents. So I wasn’t worried about them coming to bother me. That evening, I boarded a train to S City. At the wholesale market there, I used my remaining money to buy several dozen pairs of jeans. Then I took them to the provincial capital to sell. In less than half a day, all the jeans were sold out. I did some calculations. In less than half a day, my net profit was 200 yuan. To be on the safe side, I chose a nicer looking hotel. After checking the doors and windows carefully, I hung a cup on the doorknob before falling into a deep sleep. The next day, I continued to buy inventory at the wholesale market, then resold it in the provincial capital. After a month of early mornings and late nights, I calculated that I had earned several thousand yuan. At that time, a house in my hometown only cost a few thousand yuan. In other words, I had earned in one month what an average person would make in ten years. I deposited the money in the bank, then put on my old shabby clothes and took the train back home. First, I bought lots of gifts and returned to my parents’ home. After a month apart, Ethan looked pretty good under my parents’ care – his cheeks had filled out a bit. My brother and sister-in-law were genuinely happy to see the gifts I brought. After distributing the presents, I stayed one night before returning to the city. I went to my friends’ homes to repay the money I had borrowed. I also bought them gifts to thank them for helping me in my time of need. Finally, I returned to my in-laws’ home. Jack happened to be there too. My in-laws didn’t show much expression when they saw me return. Jack looked at me with disgust: “Are you done with your month-long tantrum?” I smiled slightly. Biased people will always be biased. Ethan had been away with me for a month, but they hadn’t even asked once how he was doing. I got straight to the point: “Let’s get divorced. I’ll take custody of our son.” My father-in-law immediately smashed his teacup. Jack also asked angrily: “Maggie, what kind of nonsense are you talking now?” I snorted coldly: “You don’t care about me or our child. Divorce is best for both of us. I’ll raise the child myself. I know what you’ve been up to at your factory, even if I haven’t said anything. If you won’t divorce me, I’ll tell everyone about it and let them judge. Your sister finding women for her brother? What kind of people are you? If you push me too far, I’ll report you for bigamy.” My father-in-law slammed the table: “Maggie, you’ve gone too far.” I laughed coldly: “You didn’t think it was too much when your daughter-in-law had to raise a child alone. You didn’t think it was too much when your daughter found a mistress for your son. But now that I want a divorce, you think it’s too much? Your standards for what’s ‘too much’ are quite flexible. I guess only your own children are human, and everyone else doesn’t matter?” In the past, I had tried to be respectful of my elders. So even when faced with my in-laws’ bias, although I was unhappy, I would back down as soon as they got angry. Living this life over again, who would still treat them like saints? Morally upright elders deserve respect in their old age. But people with poor character are just nasty old folks when they age. My mother-in-law came over: “Maggie, you’re a mother too. You may feel we’re biased, but Fiona is my daughter as well. Forcing us to abandon her – isn’t that unreasonable of you?” Just then, Fiona returned home with her three children. I looked at Fiona’s outfit. Her hair was freshly permed. I had seen the same coat at the wholesale market – even the wholesale price was 200 yuan. Add in the dress and high heels, this outfit cost at least 500 yuan. That was her entire year’s salary. She looked nothing like a girl from an ordinary family – more like a rich young lady. “It’s not wrong for you to care about your daughter. I care about my son too. He has a father but it’s like he doesn’t. Since you won’t take care of him, I’ll take him with me. Stop wasting time. Let’s get divorced.” As soon as Fiona heard this, she pulled her three children behind her and shouted at me: “Sister-in-law, what have I done to offend you? Why do you dislike me so much? Is it not okay for me to bring my kids to my parents’ home?”

“You’re right, there’s no problem with you bringing your kids to your parents’ home. So now I’m also taking my child back to my parents’ home.” I realized there was no point trying to reason with them. So I spoke directly to Jack: “Jack, say something. Are we getting divorced or not? If not, I’m going to find that Lily at your factory. I’d like to ask her if she has any shame, an unmarried girl living with a married man.” Jack raised his hand to slap me. I grabbed his arm and pushed him away. My mother-in-law and Fiona came to stop me. I pushed them away too, one in each hand. I grew up in the countryside and had done plenty of farm work. I still had some strength in me. I certainly wasn’t going to stand there and be hit. My mother-in-law stumbled to the side. Fiona steadied her mother and cursed at me: “Maggie, you shrew! My brother was truly blind to marry you.” “Say what you want. Jack, are you divorcing me or not? If not, I’m leaving. Just don’t regret it later.” My in-laws stared at Jack. Fiona spoke up: “Brother, divorce her. Let’s see if she still dares to make such a scene.” Jack took a deep breath: “Fine, we can divorce. But you can’t have custody of our son.” I just smiled: “Jack, after we divorce, you’ll marry Lily and have another child. Add in Ethan, you’ll have to support two children plus help out your sister. Are you sure your salary is enough? If I take Ethan, I’ll only spend money on him. He’ll have a much better life with me than with you. Think it over. Tomorrow at 9 AM, let’s meet at the Civil Affairs Bureau.” With that, I turned and left my in-laws’ home. I went straight to stay at a local guesthouse. I believed that after a night of consideration, Jack would give up Ethan. After all, he had done so in my previous life. The next day, Jack brought the necessary documents and met me at the Civil Affairs Bureau. With the official stamp, my marriage to Jack was officially over. In front of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Jack said: “You can have custody of the child. But you should still let my parents see him every few months.” I nodded in agreement. Let them see. Without them, Ethan and I would have such a good life. That night I returned to my parents’ home in the countryside. As I held my son in my arms that evening, I was determined to give him a better future. Before returning to S City, I gave my mother another 100 yuan. I told her not to skimp on spending money. My nephew was already three years old, and my sister-in-law was pregnant with her second child. Including Ethan, all the adults and children needed proper nutrition. I didn’t want my sister-in-law to feel I was overstepping. I understood the need for boundaries now that my brother was married. In my previous life, my brother had taken care of me a lot after my divorce. Whenever I visited home with Ethan, my sister-in-law was always very welcoming, cooking chicken and duck for us. In this life, now that I had the means, I definitely wanted to help them out. Over the next six months, I would send 100 yuan back home every few months. The rest of the money, I held onto tightly. I had already made plans. While property prices were still low, I would buy a commercial space first. During the day I could run my clothing business, and at night I could sleep there to save on rent. Money makes money. Then I would buy a house. I could bring Ethan to the city for a good education. Before the New Year that year, I bought my first commercial space and house. I personally handled all the renovations and inventory. Then I returned home with luggage full of gifts. My sister-in-law couldn’t stop admiring the clothes I bought her. For my brother, I got a pair of leather shoes. I bought alcohol for my father and a new cotton jacket for my mother. Although my parents were happy, their expressions couldn’t hide their worry.

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I’ve always wondered if professional figure models experience physical reactions during their work. My wife’s experience taught me that it can happen, but they have special techniques to manage it. My name is James Wilson. Despite my average looks, I managed to marry a beautiful model! The first time I saw my wife was when she was working as a car show model. Her long legs in black stockings immediately caught my eye. My gaze traveled up her short skirt, which barely contained her shapely behind, making me swallow hard. Further up was her slim waist and her chest straining against the thin straps of her top. Suddenly, she bent down, covering her chest with her hand, and flashed me a sweet smile. In that instant, my heart melted! With sheer persistence and three months of relentless pursuit, I finally won her over. In my mind, a wife as beautiful as her shouldn’t be on display for others to see, so I persuaded her to change jobs. She understood my jealousy and quickly resigned after we got married. But on the third day after she quit, I suddenly received several photos in my email. “Look how wild your wife really is!” the message read. When I opened them, the photos were dimly lit. They showed a woman with a curvaceous figure, her body covered in body paint, swaying seductively on stage. But something seemed off about her state. Her eyes were unfocused, her legs were pressed together, and her hands were roaming over sensitive parts of her body. It didn’t look like she was walking a runway; it looked more like she was in heat! The photos were like a flipbook, showing a sequence of events. Suddenly, a man appeared and gave her bottom a hard slap, leaving a clear handprint. Seeing this, my blood instantly rushed to my head! Was that my wife?! Besides the familiar figure, there was a birthmark on her rear that I would never mistake! My whole body trembled, my teeth clenched, and the veins in my hands bulged as I nearly crushed my phone. What the hell was going on? Who sent these photos? Were they trying to blackmail me, or just mess with my head? I tried asking, and the sender quickly replied: “Nude models always release their tension before going on stage to avoid physiological reactions. They drain every last bit of desire! Your wife was really wild on stage today! What’s wrong, did you two have an unsatisfying night?” Nude model? My first instinct was to curse back. My wife was just a regular model, and she had already quit. She wasn’t that kind of woman! But just as I had typed out a long angry response, I suddenly remembered what happened last night. Last night, my wife had indeed called me, telling me to wash up and wait for her in bed. But the project I was responsible for suddenly had issues, and I worked overtime until late at night. When I got home, she was still very proactive, but I had neither the mood nor the energy to do anything with her… Soon after, I received another email. “Your wife has another show tomorrow. She’ll definitely have needs tonight, so perform well!” After that, no matter how many emails I sent, the sender didn’t reply. With a complicated mood, I left work early and waited for her at home. I had even downloaded the photos, ready to confront Olivia. “Honey, come give me a massage. I’m exhausted…” Olivia complained as soon as she entered the door. She kicked off her high heels, sat on the couch, and put her legs on my lap. Looking at those round thighs wrapped in black stockings, I couldn’t help but think of the content in the photos. I pushed her away without any tenderness. Olivia pouted, looking innocent and wronged. “Honey, what’s wrong? Didn’t I listen to you and quit my job? I went to several job interviews today, my legs are so tired!” I stared at her intently: “You really went for interviews?” Olivia stretched lazily, revealing a strip of her flat, white belly: “Why would I lie to you? Hurry up and massage my legs, I’m so tired. I want to go to bed early tonight…” As she spoke, she yawned. Seeing her exhausted face, which didn’t seem fake, I began to have doubts. Did I get it wrong? I took a deep breath and reached into her clothes, but she slapped my hand away. “Stop it, I’m really too tired! If you want to do it, wait until tomorrow!” She must have been really exhausted because after I massaged her legs for a bit, she started snoring lightly. I gritted my teeth and, following her thigh, gently lifted her skirt…

I lifted the skirt and looked carefully. There was no handprint! At that moment, I was completely relieved. The person who sent the email was indeed just trying to mess with me! I even took out the photos and compared them again, but unfortunately, the photos were too blurry, and the model was covered in body paint, making it impossible to see her face clearly. I carried my wife back to the bedroom to sleep, then sat on the couch and chain-smoked several cigarettes. First, I couldn’t doubt my wife because of a few blurry photos. It wasn’t easy to marry such a beautiful wife. Once there’s a crisis of trust, the cracks in our relationship would be irreparable. Secondly, even if the model in the photos was really Olivia… It must have happened before she met me! At least since we’ve been together, she’s been completely open with me and obediently quit her job as I asked. Although I felt a bit uneasy, who doesn’t have a past? As long as she’s willing to settle down and live a good life with me, I’m willing to accept everything about her. I took a deep breath and stubbed out my cigarette. When that bastard who sent the email asks for money and reveals their true colors, I’ll immediately report them to the police and drag them out! At this moment, my phone chimed with another email. “So, was your wife very proactive last night?” Seeing the new email, I angrily replied. “Stop messing with me! How much money do you want?” This time, the other person took a long time to reply. “Haha, there are still good people in this world, helping to relieve your wife’s pressure and even giving you a green hat to wear! Here’s the address for tomorrow’s show. I invite you to watch the good show!” After this, the email sender disappeared again, as if into thin air. This feeling was particularly torturous. If they had really made demands, I would have felt more at ease. This neither-here-nor-there situation was just deliberately keeping me on edge, wasn’t it? With an uneasy heart, I didn’t sleep well all night. The next morning, when my wife got up to go out, I was still in a daze. “Where are you going for an interview today?” “Ocean View Tower!” she said as she applied her lipstick and stepped into her high heels. I suddenly woke up. Wasn’t this the address for the show mentioned in the email? I immediately got up, not bothering to wash up, put on a baseball cap, sunglasses, and a mask, and hurriedly followed her. But as soon as I left the community, I lost sight of her. “Ocean View Tower!” I didn’t dare to drive my own car, so I took a taxi there. I found a small company according to the address. There were indeed many people queuing at the entrance, but they were mostly men. I didn’t see my wife at all. I gave a cigarette to the security guard at the door. “What positions is your company recruiting for? There are so many people. Where are the women queuing? Why are there only men?” The security guard rolled his eyes at me. “They’re all men, what are you pretending for? If you want to see women, just queue up obediently. The show is about to start! Pay the fee first, $188!” My brain suddenly went blank, and I stood there stunned. “Show? What show?” The security guard frowned: “Are you here for an interview? Sorry, you don’t meet our company’s requirements. Please leave!” As he spoke, he forcefully pushed me out. Another security guard also walked over quickly, seemingly afraid I would cause trouble. At this moment, I really felt my blood freeze, my mind went blank. But soon, I came to my senses and squeezed out a smile. “Brother, don’t be hasty! I’m here to see the nude models. I was just a bit excited earlier…” Hearing the words “nude models” and seeing me take out several bills and stuff them into his hand, the security guard’s expression improved a bit. “First time watching the show, huh? Don’t know the rules! Hurry up and pay!” After transferring the money on my phone, my mind was in a mess as I followed the queue into this so-called company. After several twists and turns, we entered a large hall. Below the T-stage, there were at least a hundred seats, all filled with men. Suddenly, the lights dimmed. Amidst the noise, a group of women wearing Japanese fox masks walked onto the stage with cat-like steps. They were only covered by a thin veil, which slowly slid off as they moved their bodies. I immediately spotted that familiar figure! I knew every inch of Olivia’s skin all too well. She really was doing nude modeling!

“Whoosh!” I suddenly stood up, clenching my fists. I wanted to rush onto the stage immediately, tear off Olivia’s mask, and confront her! Why did she lie to me? But as soon as I stood up, several nearby security guards fixed their eyes on me, their rubber batons at the ready. A man next to me grabbed my arm. “Bro, calm down. There’ll be a chance to go on stage later! If you rush up now, security will kick you out immediately!” I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. Rushing up now would definitely get me stopped, and I wouldn’t be able to get any substantial evidence to prove that woman was Olivia! Seeing me sit down, the security guards didn’t pursue the matter. It was then that I noticed almost all the men around me were like me, wearing hats, sunglasses, and masks, completely covering themselves. The fat guy beside me smiled and advised me. “First time here, right? Don’t be shy. The first time I watched this kind of show, I was even more eager than you! Take my advice, don’t do anything rash here, or you won’t even know how you died!” As he spoke, he took out his phone and lecherously recorded videos, commenting on each model. “Number two’s figure is so hot! Number five’s long legs are just incredible! And number eight’s body, tsk tsk…” I snatched his phone. The number eight he mentioned was Olivia! The fat guy got anxious: “What are you messing around for? What, you’ve got your eye on number eight too?” “That chick is really wild, I can’t wait! I won’t give up the chance to go on stage to you!” Suppressing my anger, I asked, “What do you mean, go on stage?” The fat guy sneered disdainfully. “You’re really a newbie. Going on stage is for body painting, of course. Do you understand art?” Before he could explain clearly, the host came out to explain a few things. He said he would select a few audience members to go on stage and personally apply various body paints to the models, calling it “artistic creation”! “What kind of art is this? It’s vulgar and degrading!” I couldn’t help but curse. The fat guy glanced at me sideways: “Then don’t fight me for number eight later!” I was so angry I almost hit the fat guy! When the host was selecting lucky audience members, I was the first to rush up, unhesitatingly choosing number eight. This was my best chance to expose Olivia! The fat guy was too slow and cursed at me from behind, calling me a hypocrite and a bastard. The host smiled and said, “I can see that all the distinguished guests present are true art lovers! But I still need to remind you again, when applying the body paint later, don’t deliberately tease the models’ sensitive areas!”

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After the breakup. Nauseous and with no appetite, I called my ex. I cautiously said, “I’m pregnant.” My ex scoffed, “Lily Anderson, we’ve been broken up for a year and three months.” I nodded, “I never said the child was yours.” Ex: “…” Early in the morning, I felt like throwing up before I even had breakfast. It had been like this for several days in a row. I didn’t know if I had eaten something wrong. Looking pale, I leaned against the wall as I walked out of my room, startling my roommate Emily Watson. She hurried over to help me sit down. “You’re nauseous again?” “Nothing’s coming up, but I feel awful.” Emily poured me a glass of warm water. “When was your last period?” I curled up on the sofa, feeling sick. “I can’t remember. Besides, my periods are always irregular. Why are you asking?” Emily suddenly gripped my shoulders, her expression unusually serious. “Lily, I strongly suspect you’re pregnant!” I looked at her in horror. “Don’t… don’t say that!” “Really, all five of my sisters had morning sickness like this. I’m too familiar with it! But aren’t you single? Have you been hiding a secret boyfriend?” At that moment, I was at a loss. No, it should be him— My ex-boyfriend, James Sullivan! Two months ago, on my birthday, I didn’t want to celebrate. I went out for a late-night walk and somehow ended up outside James’s apartment. Coincidentally, James was drunk that night, and some girls were fighting over who would take him home! I rushed over immediately. Claiming to be his girlfriend, I chased them all away. I carried the completely drunk James upstairs, and then things got heated, and some indescribable things happened! Afterwards, I ran away, feeling guilty. Because I was the one who broke up with James, vowing never to appear in front of him again. How could I go back on my word and slap my own face? “Lily, you must talk to the father of the child. After all, he has a responsibility too. Being a single mom isn’t easy, especially for a child growing up in a single-parent family…” Emily didn’t continue. Because I grew up in a single-parent family. Without a father, I faced a lot of judgment from a young age, and my mom went through so many hardships raising me alone. My eyes welled up with tears, and I felt incredibly low. Suddenly, I felt very lost about the future. “Lily, don’t panic. Maybe I’m wrong! Why don’t you go to the hospital for a check-up? The hospital is just next to our neighborhood.” Emily comforted me while glancing at her watch. She exclaimed, “Oh no, I’m going to be late!” “Lily, you rest at home first. I’ll come back at noon to take you to the hospital!” Before she finished speaking, Emily had already rushed out the door. After agonizing at home for half a day. I finally called for delivery and bought a few pregnancy tests. Five minutes later, they all showed two lines!

After a quick touch-up, I appeared at the hospital next door, with a pregnancy test stick in my pocket. For the sake of the child, I put aside my damn pride. James’s office was right in front of me, but I just couldn’t take a step forward. How could I just go up and tell him that two months ago, we slept together, and now I’m pregnant! No, I couldn’t say it! “Excuse me!” A cleaning lady pushing a cart came by. I hurriedly stepped back, accidentally bumping open the door behind me, stumbling a few steps before steadying myself. Plop. The pregnancy test stick fell out of my pocket. I was about to bend down when a doctor in a white coat picked it up for me. He looked at it and asked, “Is this yours?” This office was James’s! I averted my gaze, putting down my appointment slip. To talk things through with James, I had specifically made an appointment with him as a specialist. “Um, I’m pregnant.” James was stunned for a full five seconds, then he chuckled sarcastically, “Lily Anderson, we’ve been broken up for a year and three months.” I forced a slight smile, wanting to laugh, but the smile quickly faded. “I never said the child was yours.” James raised an eyebrow, his eyes flashing with a cold light, “So why did you make an appointment with me? Do you want me to congratulate you?” “We parted on good terms, won’t you congratulate me?” My face was expressionless. But inside, I was cursing myself a thousand times. I came here intending to explain everything, but I just couldn’t help being stubborn! “Con-grat-u-lations!” James stared at me intently, these two words squeezed out from between his teeth. I lowered my head, “I’ll let you know about the baby shower later.” “…Please leave, I have many patients waiting!” James was so angry he was rubbing his temples, the pen in his hand about to snap. I didn’t dare to say anything more. But after just a few steps, my stomach churned. I covered my mouth and ran to the sink in the office, dry heaving, but nothing came up. I leaned against the wall weakly, sliding down. Suddenly, a large hand caught me. James led me behind a curtain where there was a recliner, probably where he took naps. He told me to rest for a while. Then he went back to the other side of the curtain to see patients. After the patient left, James suddenly asked, “Lily Anderson, where’s the baby’s father?” Outside the window, warm sunlight streamed in. I hadn’t slept well last night, and now, resting on a pillow that smelled like James, I felt drowsy. “He… he’s dead.”

In my heart, the James who belonged to me was already dead. I slept on the recliner for a while. When I woke up, the office was quiet. I called out “James” a few times but got no response. When I pulled back the curtain, I found that James had left. I smiled bitterly. This was probably for the best, saving us both from awkwardness. So I got up to leave. Otherwise, I’d be seen as ungrateful. “James.” Just as I was about to open the door, I heard a voice from outside. I froze in fear, my heart racing. Instinctively, I looked for a place to hide. Just as I hid behind the curtain, the door was pushed open and a woman walked in: “James, Mom brought you lunch.” “Oh, not here?” Mrs. Sullivan sat down, habitually helping to tidy up the things on the desk: “My, the sun is so strong today.” Saying this, she got up to close the curtains. This made me, hiding behind the curtains, hold my breath, panicking. If I came out now, there would be no way to explain, and she never liked me anyway! Just as Mrs. Sullivan grabbed the curtain— “Mom, don’t close the curtains, it’s fine like this.” Thankfully, James returned just in time. Mrs. Sullivan turned around, “Where did you go?” “Why did you bring two portions of food? The cafeteria food isn’t good. I had some free time today, so I made you something delicious. Eat quickly, before it gets cold.” James gave a noncommittal “Mm” and said, “Mom, if you have something to do, you can go.” “What could I possibly have to do?” Mrs. Sullivan sat down in the chair: “Tell me, didn’t your aunt introduce you to that music teacher last time? How’s it going?” “Mom, I’m eating.” “What’s wrong with eating? You can talk while eating.” “What do you want me to say?” I could clearly hear that James was getting impatient, but Mrs. Sullivan kept nagging: “She’s very satisfied with you, but you’re just cold towards her, not even replying to her messages. How can you be so impolite?” “I already replied that I was busy. She’s the one who keeps sending messages non-stop. Who’s being impolite?” “But you can’t just…” “Mom, get up.” “What’s wrong?” James spoke while pushing Mrs. Sullivan towards the door: “I’m full now, I need to take a nap. I have a surgery this afternoon.” With that, he closed the door. Mrs. Sullivan grumbled a few more words in the corridor before leaving. Swoosh— James pulled the curtain open directly. I waved awkwardly, “How did you know I was hiding here?” James looked at me deeply. “I know all your little tricks, don’t I?”

I waved my fist at James’s back. To my surprise, there was a full-length mirror in front of me! James, walking in front of me, could see my little gesture clearly in the reflection! He sat down speechless and opened the other two lunch boxes. “Eat.” Although it was food I liked, I had no appetite at all. I waved my hand, “No need, I don’t want to eat.” James frowned, “Wait for me to come back.” “Hey…” Before I could speak, he had already turned and left. In the blink of an eye, James returned with a jar of preserved plums in his hand: “Eat some of these.” My eyes lit up, and I quickly took them. This was exactly what I needed! “Thank you.” I ate two preserved plums directly, then handed the jar back to James: “I’ll go buy some myself later. I’m leaving now.” As I reached the door, I couldn’t help but pause: “James, if she’s a good girl, I suggest you try to get along with her.” “You need to move on so others can get close to you.” Afraid that James would argue, I hurried away as soon as I finished speaking. After leaving the hospital, I didn’t contact James again. I even deliberately took detours, continuing my daily routine between home and work. Only at night did I have trouble sleeping. I gently placed my hand on my still-flat stomach. Feeling a small life quietly growing inside. “Baby, what should I do?” I knew well that single-parent families are not easy, neither for the mother nor the child, but I really couldn’t bear to give up the baby. Ring ring ring! I fumbled around for a while before finding my phone. It was my mom calling! “Hello, Mom?” “Have you been very busy lately? You never call home.” Hearing the sounds from my mom’s end, I knew she must be preparing some roasted meats, ready to deliver door-to-door later. My mom’s roasted meats are delicious, so she started a small business selling them. “Why aren’t you saying anything?” My mom stopped what she was doing. Hearing my mom’s voice, I suddenly realized it had been over a year since I’d been home. My eyes stung with tears: “Mom, I…” “What’s wrong? Did that manager bully you again? Sweetie, if you don’t want to work there anymore, just quit. Come back home, we can work together selling roasted meats. Business will definitely boom!” My mom’s words made me laugh, but inexplicably, I felt more like crying. “It’s not that, Mom, I…” Probably hearing the choke in my voice, my mom became anxious on the other end of the phone: “Sweetie, what’s wrong? Tell me quickly, do you want to worry your mother to death?” “I… I’m pregnant, but the baby’s father doesn’t know.”

There was a long, long silence on the other end of the phone, so long that I thought my mom had hung up, before her voice came through: “You need to tell him about this.” “If he doesn’t want it, Grandma wants it.” “When the time comes, you give birth and leave the baby with me, I’ll raise it for you.” I tightly covered my mouth, but tears kept falling. Indeed, in this world, only mom is the best. Hearing my crying, my mom sighed, “Sweetie, we women go through difficulties, but we overcome them. There’s nothing we can’t get through, you know?” “Mm…” I wiped my tears messily: “Mom, thank you.” “Silly child, what are you thanking me for? I’m your mom, of course I’ll help you.” Hearing that my mom was crying too, I felt even worse. When I initially chose to come to the big city alone to make a living, I wanted to earn big money so my mom could have a comfortable retirement. But after more than three years, not only have I achieved nothing, I’m also making her worry about me. I cried for a long time, but my mom composed herself first. “Don’t cry anymore, get some sleep. Mom still has to deliver roasted meats to people now, to earn milk money for my grandchild.” My mom deliberately joked to cheer me up. “Mm, go ahead with your work.” After hanging up the phone, I looked at the bright moon and stars, taking a deep breath. I felt much lighter. Because mom is always the strongest pillar behind me! I told Emily my decision. Emily was surprised but also happy for me: “You’ve thought it through?” “Yes, although it’s said that children from single-parent families have a harder time growing up, thinking carefully, the love my mom gave me from childhood was no less than children with both parents. So if my mom could do it, I’m sure I can do it too. Moreover, my baby will have a grandmother to dote on them!” I rubbed my belly, suddenly feeling less lost about the future. Emily strongly agreed with my words. “So are you planning to quit your job and go back?” “Anyway, I’ve worked diligently at this lousy company for over three years, and forget about promotion, I haven’t even gotten a raise. Why should I stay?” “Hearing you say that, I want to quit too.” “Quit, find someone to marry! Turn around and work at home, without even getting paid.” “Haha, then I’d better continue being a wage slave!” We laughed and chatted for a while, then Emily suddenly looked reluctant: “When exactly are you going back home? I want to treat you to a nice meal.” “I’ve already submitted my resignation letter, it should take about a month before I can leave.” “But you’re so capable, will your boss be willing to let you go?” “I’ll just tell him I’m pregnant, see if that doesn’t scare him to death.” “Haha, he’ll have you carried out in a sedan chair right away!” But after laughing, we both fell silent.

On the weekend. Emily insisted on accompanying me to the hospital for a check-up. She held my arm tightly, feeling a bit sad: “After you go back, I don’t know if I’ll have the chance to see you again.” “How could there be no chance? As long as we’re both alive, we’ll definitely meet again! Besides, when my baby has their first-month celebration, you’d better come!” “Oh, no matter what, as the baby’s godmother, I must accompany you for the check-up.” I couldn’t argue with her, so I had to let her come along. In my heart, I prayed we wouldn’t run into James! As a result, James came walking towards us, but he only glanced at me briefly before quickly walking towards the emergency room. “That’s James!” Emily was obviously very surprised. I turned my face away: “Is it? I didn’t see.” “What do you mean? You saw him before I did.” Emily looked gossipy: “You’ve been broken up for over a year, you’re not still thinking about him, are you? Why don’t you tell him about your pregnancy and see how he reacts?” “The baby is his.” “What!? You!” I calmly told Emily about what happened three months ago: “But he doesn’t believe it, so you don’t need to find him.” Emily fell completely silent, hugging me comfortingly. She sighed: “I never thought James would be such a jerk!” I shook my head: “It’s not entirely his fault.” After all, that night, I was half-willing. There were many pregnant women coming for check-ups. Emily and I found a place to sit and wait, but Emily couldn’t sit still and wandered around. She came back and told me: “Some pregnant women came very early, next time we should come earlier.” I smiled, next time I should be doing check-ups at the hospital back home. Ring ring ring! A phone call came in, and Emily had to go back for overtime work. She looked very apologetic: “Lily, I’m so sorry, my boss is really terrible!” “It’s okay, I understand. Go quickly.” I’ve encountered this kind of thing many times, even once when I had just fallen asleep and was called back for a meeting, too many times to count. The life of a working person is just bitter. But soon, I’ll be free! After waiting for more than an hour, it was finally my turn to go in for the check-up. The doctor frowned, making me anxious. “Doctor, what’s wrong?” “Did you come for the check-up alone?” “Yes, they’re all very busy.” “No matter how busy, someone should take care of you and accompany you for prenatal check-ups. Because your situation is a bit special, if not careful, you could easily miscarry.” The doctor sighed and shook his head. My heart tightened, and I suddenly felt very panicked. “I’m here.” James suddenly appeared.

“Oh, so the baby’s father is Dr. Sullivan!” The doctor who was examining me was very surprised, then his expression became more serious as he explained my condition to James in detail. After listening, James’s handsome face was tense. “Okay, I know what to do.” “It’s fortunate that Dr. Sullivan is your husband. With him around, the baby will surely be born healthy and safe.” The doctor smiled. For me, I didn’t know whether to smile or worry. Because I was going to leave soon. Seeing that I had been silent since coming out of the consultation room, James thought I was too worried about the baby. “If there’s anything you don’t understand, or if you feel unwell, call me anytime.” I lowered my eyes and pursed my lips: “Thank you.” “But I think I can take care of myself.” James stopped talking and just walked me to the hospital entrance. After walking a distance, I couldn’t help but look back and saw James still standing there. But I’m a bit nearsighted and couldn’t see his expression clearly. I couldn’t help waving at him, silently saying in my heart: James, farewell, mountains high and roads long, who knows when we’ll meet again, take care. Then I turned and left. Since my mom found out I was pregnant, she’s been video calling me every day, reminding me to eat meals on time and drink soup every day. On this day, I was walking home when I received another video call from my mom. I answered, holding a box with one hand: “Mom, I’ve already bought the high-speed rail ticket. The day after tomorrow at 8 am, I should arrive around 4 pm.” “Look, I’ve packed up everything from my company, just one box.” My mom frowned, looking a bit worried. “Why didn’t you buy a plane ticket? You’ll have to eat a meal on the high-speed rail, and the boxed meals there are expensive and not tasty.” “You can order takeout on high-speed rails now.” “Alright, I won’t talk to you anymore. Don’t look at your phone while walking on the street, what if you bump into someone? I’ll talk to you later.” My mom hung up before finishing her sentence. I couldn’t help but laugh. Just as I looked up, I almost bumped into someone. But this person was James, who had deliberately stood in front of me, his face not looking very good: “You resigned? You’re going back to your hometown?” This was obvious, and I had no need to hide it. “Yes, there’s no point in staying here anyway.” James’s face looked even worse. But I ignored him and walked straight ahead. Unexpectedly, James caught up and blocked my way, his expression extremely serious: “Lily Anderson, how did the baby’s father die?” At that moment, I really almost couldn’t keep a straight face! Fortunately, I bit my teeth hard to keep from laughing. I deliberately put on a cold face, staring at him coldly: “Why are you asking this? It seems to have nothing to do with you, right?” “He really died?” James persisted, determined to get an answer. This was something I made up on the spot, how could I answer? So I refused to respond. I moved to the right, James followed to the right. I moved to the left, James continued to follow to the left, determined not to let me leave. I was very helpless: “What do you really want?”

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I broke up with Adrian Guthrie, receiving a $900,000 severance package, a Mercedes, and a condo in downtown Los Angeles. I never knew I was worth so much. After shipping a bunch of stuff back home, I headed to the train station with the designer bag Adrian had bought me just days before. I chose to take the train because I wanted to come full circle. Five years ago, I had arrived in LA by train from a small, nameless town up north, leading to my encounter with Adrian and our subsequent five-year arrangement. I deliberately bought a coach ticket, planning to enjoy the scenery along the way. It seemed fitting for this journey. But as the carriage filled with chatter and various accents, I couldn’t help but shed a tear, falling into deep reminiscence. After dropping out of high school, I had apprenticed at a local hair salon for over a year. Against my family’s wishes, I set off for LA with just $1,500, claiming I wanted to make something of myself. But at nineteen, I was too young and naive to understand the harshness of the world. If I hadn’t met Adrian, I probably wouldn’t have lasted five days before heading back home. As soon as I got off the train, I realized my phone was gone. Faced with the vastness of LA and the bustling streets, I helplessly crouched down and cried. I had less than $100 in cash on me, and my phone contained all my savings. Without it, I couldn’t even get back home. But crying wouldn’t solve anything. I took a cab to the nearest police station to file a report. The officer, seeing how pitiful I looked, let me stay at the station while they checked nearby surveillance cameras for clues. I knew the chances were slim. In such a crowded place, a skilled pickpocket could easily snatch a phone without being noticed. It was at the police station that I first met Adrian. He was there for a traffic incident, his tailored suit a stark contrast to the surroundings. We sat next to each other, me looking miserable, him expressionless. Seemingly bored, Adrian struck up a conversation. “What brings you here, little miss? In trouble?” I glanced at him, thinking I might have swooned if not for the circumstances. But as soon as I opened my mouth, I burst into tears. “My phone was stolen.” Adrian looked a bit flustered, quickly grabbing some tissues and handing them to me. “Oh, it’s not a big deal. Can’t your parents just buy you a new one?” This only made me cry harder. Perhaps I needed an outlet for my frustration, so I sobbed out my whole unfortunate story. I was crying so hard I started hiccupping. Adrian seemed a bit put off, inching away as if afraid I’d get snot and tears on his suit. “Young people need to face some setbacks,” he said. “When I was in my teens, I went to study in Europe with just a few hundred dollars. I lost it all and had to work part-time jobs for a year to make ends meet.” Looking at his expensive suit and designer watch, I figured he must be doing well now. His past hardships hadn’t been in vain. Just then, the officer handling my case returned with a shifty-looking middle-aged man and my phone. I don’t know how they caught him, but I was so happy I gave the officer a big hug before scurrying out of the station. In my excitement, I completely forgot about the man in the suit. Looking back, I regret not sneaking a photo – he was so handsome. I found a job as a hairstylist assistant through an online job board. They said I wasn’t qualified to be a full stylist yet, and the assistant position only paid $1,800 a month, but it included housing. In hindsight, I was lucky in my naivety. Not only did I get my phone back, but my first job was at a legitimate salon. I could have easily fallen prey to a scam or worse. After working there for about a month, I saw Adrian for the second time. He came to the salon for a haircut, still in his impeccable suit, driving a black Mercedes. I was assigned to wash his hair. He squinted at me, seeming to find me familiar but not quite placing me. After the wash, he suddenly pointed at me and said, “I want her to cut my hair.” “Mr. Guthrie, she’s new and might not be skilled enough yet,” the stylist said, looking worried. It would be a small matter if I messed up, but offending a customer would be a big deal. Adrian waved his hand, insisting. The stylist had no choice but to give me a “good luck” look. Halfway through the cut, Adrian suddenly said, “I remember you now. You were at the police station that day, weren’t you?” I felt incredibly awkward, not wanting my coworkers to know about the police station incident. We’d been working together for a while, and knowing too much could make things uncomfortable. Without thinking, I covered his mouth with my hand, smearing his face with hair clippings. Adrian’s face darkened. Realizing my mistake, I quickly apologized. How stupid of me! Perhaps seeing me in such a vulnerable state before made me unsure how to face him now. Or maybe it was just the classic Cinderella-meets-CEO moment meant to happen. Aside from my competitive coworkers, Adrian became the first person I grew familiar with in LA. I still don’t know how my silly self caught Mr. Guthrie’s eye back then. He asked me out on an ordinary evening as I was leaving work with my colleagues. I saw him leaning against his car, smoking. It was the same Mercedes, perfectly matching his aura. My coworkers nudged me, hinting that Adrian was there for me. But I stood frozen, my whole body stiff. At nineteen, I might have been young, but I wasn’t completely clueless. I could understand Adrian coming to the salon frequently for haircuts, but now he was waiting for me so blatantly. I could no longer ignore that strange feeling. Did he want to sleep with me? I was self-aware enough to know that besides my young, pretty face, I had little to offer him. Seeing that I wasn’t moving, Adrian stubbed out his cigarette and walked over, unceremoniously pushing me towards the car. “Come on, let’s go get dinner.” Under my colleagues’ burning gazes, I got into the Mercedes’ passenger seat. After driving for five minutes, I finally spoke up. “Do you… want to sleep with me?” As soon as I asked, my face felt like it was on fire. It was awkward to ask, but I had to. My parents were honest, hardworking people, and although I was a bit rebellious, I had never done anything too out of line. I hadn’t even liked anyone before. If I hadn’t met Adrian, my life would probably have been very ordinary. Maybe I’d go back home one day and marry some local guy, or maybe I’d stay in LA and keep working menial jobs. But I did meet Adrian, and even when I asked such a blunt question, he just glanced at me and nodded. Seeing my disbelieving look, he explained, “You’re cute and pretty. It’s not strange that I’d want something to happen between us, is it?” “But… no, let me out. I won’t do it,” I wanted to say so much. I felt it was insulting, but he was so straightforward that I found myself at a loss for words. “How about I become your sugar daddy? $15,000 a month,” Adrian said. This was even more shocking than a one-night stand. I couldn’t believe that I would be associated with the term “sugar baby.” But at that moment, I became surprisingly calm. Even now, five years later, I can’t remember exactly how I reacted. All I know is that by the time I came to my senses, I was sitting with Adrian in a restaurant, and I had agreed to his proposal. Maybe it was vanity, or maybe I had read too many romance novels. Under those conditions, it was hard not to be tempted. But after agreeing, I felt regretful. My parents hadn’t raised me to be someone’s mistress. But it was too late. For a long time afterward, I was torn between feeling that my actions were immoral and indulging in the lifestyle. I still remember that Adrian took me to eat hot pot that night. After dinner, he took me straight to his apartment. It wasn’t very big, just a two-bedroom, but I ended up living there for five years. He didn’t do anything that night, perhaps sensing my nervousness. He was even considerate enough to sleep in separate rooms. Later, when I asked him about it, he said, “You smelled like hot pot and had this ‘sacrificial lamb’ look on your face. You were even trembling when I held your hand. It completely killed the mood.” What he didn’t know was that even with his concession, I didn’t sleep a wink that night. The next day, after work, I moved my things into his apartment with his help. I stayed at the salon for another week before I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t stand my colleagues’ looks and whispers. But I couldn’t deny it either – after all, I had indeed started an inappropriate relationship with Adrian, as they said. After quitting, I didn’t just sit around. Adrian gave me six months’ worth of money upfront, very generously. With $90,000 in my account, I didn’t know how to spend it, so I signed up for a bunch of classes – art, yoga, English, you name it. The reason I hadn’t continued my education before was due to my mediocre grades and rebellious attitude. Now, sitting down to study again, I found I had more patience. Adrian said, “Not bad, you know how to please your sugar daddy.” I pushed him away, annoyed. “I’m just bored. I’m rich now, you know. If I don’t spend it, it’ll just collect dust.” Adrian pressed me down on the couch, his breathing heavy. “Then how about pleasing your sugar daddy now?” I was still nervous, but I leaned in and kissed him on the lips, my attempts at seduction clumsy. Our first time wasn’t exactly great. I was too afraid of pain, so I started resisting and refusing as soon as he entered me. But with things already in motion, he couldn’t just stop, so we went through with it. Initially, he didn’t come every day. Sometimes it was every two weeks, sometimes every few days. We didn’t always have sex either. But when he discovered I couldn’t cook, he complained, “Damn, I’m paying all this money and getting nothing but sex in return. I’ve brought a freeloader into my home.” However, he didn’t force me to learn. When he came over, we’d order takeout or go out to eat. Occasionally, he’d cook. But since I was bored anyway, I decided to take some cooking classes too. The first time I cooked, I made four dishes. Three were disasters, and only the tomato and egg stir-fry was barely edible. It was my least favorite dish, but Adrian ate it happily, even mixing it with rice and finishing the small plate. He was being very polite. After eating, he grumbled, “You’re the real boss here,” and then went to make me a bowl of noodles. But my cooking skills improved quickly. My dishes went from looking okay to tasting okay, and eventually became delicious. I couldn’t compete with restaurant chefs, but I could handle home cooking just fine. When I first came to LA, I had a short, chin-length haircut that made me look cute and lively. By the time my hair reached my shoulders, Adrian and I had grown much closer. By the time I had long hair down to my waist, Adrian and I had become accustomed to each other. He would let me know if he wasn’t coming home at night, though he didn’t report his entire schedule. If he wasn’t coming back, he’d always say, “Lock the door and take care of yourself.” Aside from the monthly $15,000 deposit, I almost believed we were in a real relationship. Two years into our arrangement, Adrian’s family found me. It was his mother. When I got home one day, she was already sitting on the sofa, dressed in designer clothes and expensive jewelry. Adrian had shown me her photo before, so I recognized her immediately – a true socialite. I felt awkward and even scared, remembering scenes from novels where the rich mother throws money at the mistress and tells her to stay away from her son. I wondered if I should take the money and leave, or righteously declare, “I don’t want your dirty money. We’re in love!” But Adrian’s mother was different from what I had imagined. She just patted the sofa beside her, gesturing for me to sit down. She was even kind, you could say. “So you’re Mia? How long have you been with Adrian?” she asked. I felt exposed in front of her. “A little over two years,” I replied. She nodded, looking me over. “You are very pretty. No wonder Adrian comes here so often.” My face instantly turned red with embarrassment and guilt. “I’m sorry, ma’am.” She shook her head, smiling. “Don’t be nervous. I just wanted to meet you. I have no other intentions. After all, you’ve been with him for so long. I’m like half a parent to you.” It seemed she knew about our arrangement, referring to me being “with him” rather than us being “together.” This made me feel a bit relieved. “Adrian’s company is close by, so he often stays here,” I explained. His mother didn’t say anything more and left soon after, as if she really had just come to see me. It wasn’t until Adrian and I separated that I understood.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294801”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy