Levi stood at the foster home entrance, his shirt worn thin. But my sister Vivian skipped to him and threw herself into his arms, cooing his name. In that instant I knew. Vivian had been reborn too. In our past life, when asked to choose between the city’s wealthy Prestons and the struggling Millers, Vivian had shoved me to the ground and sprinted for the sleek black limousine. “I’m not living in poverty, Skylar! You can wallow in misery all by yourself.” She got her wish. She lived in luxury, but the smile on her face faded with each passing day. Five years later, she was thrown out of the mansion and met a tragic end in a dirty alley. Meanwhile, I aced my exams, got into the best university, and studied abroad with Levi. With the blessing of our foster parents, we built a happy, fulfilling life together. Now, with this second chance, Vivian had chosen the exact opposite. I looked at Levi, the man I’d shared an entire lifetime with, waiting for him to speak. But he pulled Vivian behind him, his gaze icy as it fixed on me. “Stay away from her.” With Vivian’s triumphant stare burning holes in my back, I turned and walked toward the waiting stretch limousine. Perfect, I thought. I wanted a different life this time anyway.

“Get in, miss.” The Prestons hadn’t sent a welcoming committee, just a driver. On the way, he rattled off all the rules I’d need to follow once we reached the Preston estate. The car soon arrived. I followed the driver into a mansion that loomed like a palace of cold marble and soaring ceilings. “Madam, she’s here.” The elegant woman sipping tea on the sofa looked up, her gaze sweeping over me. She waved me closer. “Come here.” “What’s your name?” “Skylar.” The woman nodded. “Good. From now on, you’ll be Skylar Preston.” “Mr. Sterling, take her upstairs.” “Yes, Madam.” I trailed behind the butler, my steps quiet on the gleaming floors. The stair railing was carved from expensive sandalwood. Everywhere I looked, it screamed luxury. But honestly? I wasn’t all that impressed. In my previous life, I’d earned all this through my own grit and grind. Mr. Sterling glanced back at me, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He pushed open a door, revealing a sprawling princess-themed room. “Miss, this will be your room from now on.” “You can rest for a bit. I’ll be back later.” I stepped inside, surveying my surroundings. The environment was exquisite. It was clear the Prestons spared no expense, even for an adopted daughter. The room exuded the refined luxury of high society. A wave of pure excitement surged through me. Last time, I had to claw my way up from nothing to earn a life like this. This time, with the Prestons’ power behind me? I was going to conquer the world.

I was lost in thought when shouts erupted behind me. The door burst open, and a basketball flew out of nowhere, hitting me square in the head with a dull thud. “Hey, you! Country bumpkin! Go get my ball!” a spoiled voice called out. I turned slowly. A boy who looked about my age, though taller, stood there. His chin tilted up in pure, unadulterated arrogance. If my memory served, this was Jax Preston, the family’s only son. He was the epitome of a spoiled heir, obsessed with racing and skydiving and completely uninterested in the family business. In my past life, a racing accident crushed his lower body, leaving him paralyzed. His temper became legendary after that. “Hey, what are you gawking at? Did you hear me?” His impatient voice cut through the air. I snapped back to reality, picked up the basketball, and handed it to him. Remembering the driver’s instructions, I softly said, “Here you go, Jax.” He paused, then sneered. “Playing nice already, huh? Think that’s gonna get you a piece of the Preston fortune?” He scoffed and walked off. Over the next few days, I rarely saw Mrs. Preston, and Jax was practically a ghost. Mr. Sterling took me around, helping me familiarize myself with the mansion. The entire estate was huge. After the tour, he handed me a schedule. It was packed with various business management courses. “Here is your class schedule. Beginning tomorrow, you will begin private lessons in corporate management. Mrs. Preston has arranged it all. Your sole focus is to apply yourself. Do well, and you will be rewarded.” “So, think you can handle it?” This was the kind of stuff Levi and I only got into when we started our own business in my last life. To be exposed to it at just fifteen? I was thrilled. I nodded. “Of course, I can.” A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but he said nothing, continuing to give me instructions. To ensure I didn’t fall behind on my middle school studies, Mrs. Preston also hired a private tutor for me. But I’d already mastered all of this in my previous life, so it was a breeze. In just one year, I absorbed all the knowledge and applied it flexibly. “This child is a fast learner! Not only has she mastered all the middle and high school subjects, but she can also grasp those complex professional corporate management courses.” The tutor praised me relentlessly to her. I sat quietly, listening. “At this rate,” he said, beaming, “Skylar won’t even need to finish high school! She could go straight to studying abroad!” But that wasn’t Mrs. Preston’s plan. She wanted me to accompany Jax through high school first, then go abroad with him. The official reason was “so you can look out for each other.” The real reason, which I understood perfectly, was to make me her wild son’s keeper. Mrs. Preston gave the tutor a generous bonus, and her gaze towards me held a new level of approval. “Come here.” She pulled me down to sit beside her, handing me an acceptance letter. “Well done. Since Jax’s grades aren’t improving, you’ll help him. I don’t expect miracles-just keep him from failing.” “Once you both graduate high school, I’ll send you abroad. How does that sound?” Without any preamble, Mrs. Preston laid out her demands. I didn’t hesitate. “Thank you, Mom.” Her eyebrows lifted, clearly pleased. She squeezed my hand tighter. “Good girl.”

As a reward, Mrs. Preston gave me a credit card and told me to enjoy a free day out. It was the most relaxed I’d been since coming to the Preston mansion. The driver dropped me off in the bustling city center, and I got out alone. I hadn’t walked far when a familiar figure appeared. It was Vivian, or rather, Vivian Miller now. She was standing on the roadside, under the scorching sun, handing out flyers. The Millers were practically penniless, with almost no spare cash, so it was no surprise she was forced to work to earn money. My past life had been just like that; during summer break, I’d juggle three jobs a day while still keeping up with my studies. Not only that, but I also had to help my foster parents with all sorts of chores. They claimed to treat us equally, but in reality, they never made Levi lift a finger. I even found out later that my foster parents had initially adopted me not because they wanted a sweet, affectionate daughter. But because they were looking for free labor. “Hello, would you like to see this?” A flyer was thrust in front of me. Vivian’s voice abruptly cut off when she looked up and saw me. “Skylar?” Noticing my luxury brand clothes and well-maintained skin, a flicker of jealousy crossed her face. She smiled. “You’re living pretty comfortably now, aren’t you? But don’t say I didn’t warn you, the Prestons are a family that’ll chew you up and spit you out. Mrs. Preston is far scarier than you can imagine. You’ll find out soon enough.” “Fine.” My flat reply annoyed her slightly. She began to boast about her foster family. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller are so good to me. My days are packed, and Levi even tutors me. And we were both admitted to Northwood High this year!” Northwood High… The acceptance letter Mrs. Preston had given me was also for Northwood High. Only students from influential backgrounds or those with exceptionally high grades were admitted. In my previous life, Levi and I were the ones who got in on merit. “Our lives are only going to get better, while you, well, you’re going to meet a tragic end on the streets.” She sounded absolutely certain. My lips parted, just as I was about to say something. “Vivian!” “Levi! What are you doing here?” Vivian beamed, throwing herself into Levi’s arms. Levi, carrying a lunchbox, handed it to her. “Mom told me to bring you lunch. It’s too hot and tiring at midday. Why don’t I take over for a bit?” “No thanks, Levi. I can do it.” The Millers would rather pinch every penny to send Levi to expensive tutoring than let Vivian take a single break. I was exploited the same way in my previous life. “You’re working hard.” As he spoke, Levi noticed me standing nearby. “Levi, this is Skylar, my sister. You met her at the foster home before.” Vivian introduced. Levi scrutinized me, his cold expression laced with a hint of disgust. He ignored me, turning to Vivian. “Don’t hang around with sketchy people. Let’s go.” Without giving me a chance to speak, Levi pulled Vivian away. “Levi, why were you so mean? What if you scared her?” “Silly Vivian, that person just now didn’t look like good news. You should stay away from her in the future, otherwise, who knows how she might hurt you behind your back.” Their sharp voices faded behind me. I couldn’t understand his sudden hostility, but the question only flickered briefly in my mind before vanishing. Instead, I took out the card Mrs. Preston had given me and went on a shopping spree, buying out half the luxury store.

When I emerged, laden with shopping bags, Vivian’s face was green. “Hmph, what’s there to be so proud of? You’ll still end up dead eventually. Not like Levi and me; we’re going to open a big company.” I chuckled, amused by her naivete. Then I turned and headed back to the Preston mansion. Actually, none of the things inside were for me. They were all for Mrs. Preston, Jax, and the other staff members in the house. When I got back, Jax was home, a rare sight. He saw me and sneered. “Well, well, been with us for only a short while and already hauling in bags? You really think the Prestons’ stuff is yours?” “Jax!” Mrs. Preston warned him, “She’s your sister.” Jax pouted. “Sister? What kind of sister? I don’t have a country bumpkin sister like her. It’s embarrassing to even be seen with her.” Jax and I never got along, so I wasn’t about to stick my head in the lion’s mouth. I pulled out the gifts one by one from the bags. “Mom, this is for you.” I handed her the gift box, which contained a sheer, silky scarf. Then I gave gifts to the other staff members who had been looking after me-Mr. Sterling and the housekeepers. I saw an expression of genuine satisfaction on Mrs. Preston’s face, different from her usual demeanor. Mr. Sterling and the other staff members also looked pleasantly surprised. Jax’s face fell immediately. “Hmph. You think you can bribe people with a few presents? You think you’re-” “Jax,” I cut in, acting as though I hadn’t heard him. “This one is for you.” I pulled out the final gift. It was a race car model. “I heard Mom say you like racing, so I bought this when I saw it at the mall.” He froze, mumbled something, and took it.

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My crazy sister, completely hooked on soap operas, insisted on divorcing her husband, firmly believing a Billionaire would fall in love with her, a divorced woman with a child. I tried everything to dissuade her, and for a while, she seemed to calm down. But she just wouldn’t give up. To “accidentally” run into a Billionaire, she drained her savings on all sorts of high-end places. At one fancy hair salon, her mischievous son, Leo, grabbed a pair of scissors, planning to cut a customer’s hair. Luckily, I stopped him in time, preventing a disaster. But then, out of nowhere, another naughty kid copied Leo and snipped that same customer’s hair. And guess what? That kid’s mom ended up marrying into a wealthy family! When Chelsea found out, she completely lost it. She blamed me for ruining her chance with a Billionaire. She hit me with her car, leaving me paralyzed from the neck down. Then, she made Leo take the scissors and cut into my flesh. I was tortured to death. Before I took my last breath, I heard her whisper, full of venom: “Victoria, if there’s a next life, please, *please* don’t meddle in my business anymore!” The next moment, I opened my eyes. I was back at the time Chelsea was fighting with her husband about the divorce. I immediately raised both hands in support: “Do it! You absolutely HAVE to divorce him!”

After I said that, both Chelsea and her husband stared at me with shocked expressions. “Victoria, it’s bad enough Chelsea is being ridiculous, but why are you joining her?!” Ryan, her husband, practically yelled. “Do you even know why she wants to divorce me? She says she’s going to find true love with our son, and that *I’m* standing in the way of her marrying into a wealthy family!” “Chelsea, seriously, look at yourself! Do you honestly think a Billionaire would even glance at you? And with Leo, who’s just a complication, no Billionaire in their right mind would marry you!” In my past life, I, like Ryan, thought Chelsea was completely insane. But her brain had been so utterly poisoned by those soap operas. She genuinely believed she was the suffering heroine from one of those shows, waiting for her Billionaire savior to rescue her. Last time, I tried to reason with her: “Chelsea, honey, in those soap operas, when a Billionaire marries a woman with a child, it always turns out the kid is actually the Billionaire’s biological child.” “What kind of Billionaire would marry a divorced woman who already has a kid? Do you think those wealthy families would actually raise someone else’s son?” But Chelsea just scoffed: “That just means you haven’t watched enough soap operas! I’ve seen plenty where Billionaires marry divorced women with kids. Oh, just stop interfering in my life. Once I marry into a wealthy family, won’t you be living the good life too?” Eventually, I gave up. Ryan and I were practically on our knees begging her to reconsider. In the end, I had to promise her thirty thousand dollars for her to temporarily agree not to divorce Ryan. Now, I stood by Chelsea’s side: “I respect every decision Chelsea makes. She must have a plan for doing this! Divorce is a huge deal, she wouldn’t do it if she wasn’t sure!” Chelsea excitedly grabbed my hand: “Victoria, you’re the only one who understands me!” Understand you? How could I not? You lunatic, you practically ruined my life in the last one! “Ryan, if you don’t divorce me, I’ll sue you for adultery! I’ll even call the police and accuse you of domestic abuse!” Ryan’s face was beet red with anger. “Fine! Divorce then!” Finally, Chelsea got her divorce, just as she wished.

Just like in my previous life, Chelsea blew through money, dragging Leo to all sorts of high-end places. Today, she asked me to accompany her to an upscale salon to get Leo’s hair cut, and I knew the turning point was coming. The moment we walked into the salon, I spotted *the* Billionaire already there, talking to a stylist. Chelsea’s eyes lit up, and she nudged my elbow. “Victoria, did you see him? He’s definitely a rich guy.” “Soon, Leo will cut his hair, and then we’ll fall in love at first sight!” My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Had she been reborn too? Then she added: “I had a dream yesterday, and it was in this very salon. Leo was about to cut the Billionaire’s hair, but you stopped him.” “Then another kid did it instead, and that kid’s mom fell in love with the Billionaire and successfully married into his family!” “It actually woke me up, you know? That’s why I brought Leo here for a haircut today.” “This time, you are NOT allowed to mess things up for me, understand? If anything goes wrong because of you, I swear I’ll never forgive you!” *Phew*, I thought. Good thing she only dreamed about part of the last life. Otherwise, if she knew I’d also been reborn, how would I get to watch her self-destruct? “Don’t worry, Chelsea, you specifically told me not to, so how could I ruin your plans?” “Go ahead and do whatever you want, bravely! Whatever you do, I’ll support you!” Chelsea, touched, patted my hand: “Victoria, I’m so glad I have you! Everyone else thinks I’m crazy, but you’re the only one who supports me unconditionally!” “Of course! I’m your sister, after all! Our parents passed away early, and I raised you! So I have absolute faith in you. I know that anything you set your mind to, you can achieve!” Chelsea’s eyes welled up with tears. “Victoria, once I marry into the wealthy family, I’ll make sure you come live with us and enjoy the good life!” I nodded. “Okay, I’ll be waiting!” Leo had been playing with a pair of scissors the whole time. When he saw the Billionaire, who had just had his hair washed, sitting there, he crept up quietly. *Snip!* He cut off a huge chunk of the Billionaire’s hair. The Billionaire gasped, instantly touched his head, and let out a furious bellow: “Whose kid is that?!” Chelsea was ecstatic. She immediately rushed forward and took her son’s hand. “Oh, I’m so sorry, sir. My son was just playing, and I wasn’t watching him.” She even deliberately chose what she thought was her most flattering angle, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The Billionaire looked like he was about to lose it. “Do you have any idea how important my image is? I have an international meeting tomorrow! How am I supposed to meet clients looking like this?” “I’m so sorry, I’ll definitely compensate you for your losses!” She pulled out her phone. “How about we exchange contact information? It’ll be easier to get in touch later.” “No need. Just contact my lawyer directly!” Chelsea grabbed the Billionaire’s arm. “Oh, come on! Even though I’m a single mom, I promise I’ll pay back every penny of what I owe! Not a single cent less!” “And if I really can’t afford it, well, marrying you is always an option too!” She even winked at the Billionaire. He got even angrier. “Let go!” He yanked his arm, pushing Chelsea so hard she landed squarely on her backside on the floor. “Running into someone like you first thing in the morning? What rotten luck!” Seeing the Billionaire about to leave, Chelsea scrambled up from the floor and chased after him. Just as the Billionaire got into his Maybach, she rushed over and grabbed the car door. “You can’t leave! We haven’t exchanged contact information yet!”

The Billionaire looked utterly disgusted, throwing out a cold, “Forget the compensation. Just get lost!” Chelsea still clung to the car door, refusing to let go. “No! We haven’t exchanged contact info, and I *have* to compensate you for this money!” To keep the Billionaire there, Chelsea shouted and tried to open the car door. But the door was locked, and she couldn’t budge it. The Billionaire said coldly, “Drive.” The driver immediately hit the gas. Chelsea was dragged along, but she still wouldn’t let go, screaming at the top of her lungs. “This is destiny, a fated love! We HAVE to exchange numbers, or who knows when we’ll meet again!” The Billionaire rolled up his window, completely ignoring her. After being dragged for hundreds of feet, Chelsea finally couldn’t hold on any longer and let go. I quickly ran after her with Leo. “Victoria, quick, call an ambulance!” Chelsea said that then passed out. I had no choice but to take her to the hospital. After the doctors examined her, they said she only had minor scrapes and bruises. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. That woman truly had nine lives. During the few days I took care of her in the hospital, she was constantly glued to her phone, tinkering with something. The day she was discharged, she excitedly told me: “Victoria, I found out! My future husband’s name is Alexander Vance, and he’s the heir to Vance Group!” I just said, “Oh.” Chelsea grew even more excited: “If I go to his house as a maid, he’s definitely going to fall in love with me! After all, that’s how it always happens in the soap operas – the Billionaire falls for the housekeeper!” Sometimes, I honestly wanted to crack open Chelsea’s head and see what was rattling around inside. After she was discharged, she disappeared. Leo cried inconsolably, unable to find his mom. I had to take the child to Ryan, since I certainly wasn’t obligated to raise her kid. Three days later, the police called. “Are you Chelsea Vance’s sister? Chelsea Vance is suspected of unlawful entry, please come down to the police station.” I rushed to the police station and found a bruised and tearful Chelsea. “What happened?” “Victoria!” Before Chelsea could continue, Alex stormed over. “Can you control your sister?! If she has mental problems, send her to a psychiatric hospital! Don’t let her out to harm other people, please!” I was startled. “I’m so sorry, my sister doesn’t have mental problems. And she’s twenty-five years old, she’s responsible for her own actions!” “Chelsea, what exactly did you do?!” “She snuck into my house, crept into my bedroom, and almost *assaulted* me!” I was shocked again by Chelsea’s sheer audacity. “Could there be some misunderstanding?” “What misunderstanding?! She climbed in through the window, burst into the bathroom while I was showering and completely naked, and literally *pounced* on me!” “If I hadn’t pushed her off, my reputation would have been ruined! I’m pressing charges for attempted assault! I’m going to make sure she rots in jail!”

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After I was reborn, my first priority was to cancel our anniversary trip with my husband, Leo. I was still trying to figure out how to tell him that our booked flight was destined to crash. Then I overheard him on the phone with Stella, his childhood sweetheart. “With this second chance,” he said, “I finally see clearly. You’re the one. The regret I can’t live with.” That night, he came to me. “Iris, why don’t you go ahead tomorrow without me? Something’s come up. I’ve rescheduled my flight.” In that moment, I knew the truth. Leo had been reborn too. And this time, he had chosen to let me die alone. Seeing me dazed, he stepped closer and repeated himself. “What’s wrong? Not happy?” “Silly, I’ll rush to meet you the moment I wrap things up here..” The bitterness in my chest spread to the tip of my tongue. My clenched fingers dug deep into my palms. My body trembled, almost uncontrollably. My thoughts were a tangled wreck. The words spilled out before I could stop them. “Then I’ll reschedule with you. We can go together after you’re done.” But his eyes skittered away, a flash of pure panic. He couldn’t meet my gaze. “You still go first. The change fees are outrageous. It’s a waste of money.” “Be good. I’ll drive you to the airport tomorrow.” With that, he decided for me. Without waiting for a reply, he muttered something about work and retreated to his study. Countless questions warred in my mind, rendering me momentarily speechless. I didn’t even know where to begin. After a daze, I pulled out my phone to check our flight tickets. I tried to delude myself, searching for any evidence that the plane crash was just a nightmare, that Leo and I hadn’t been reborn at all. But the stark, familiar flight number glaring from the screen sent a searing pain through my pupils, scorching my very soul. The pilot’s final announcement began to echo incessantly in my ears, each word etched into my mind. “The flight is going down. Passengers, please help one another and stay strong…” This year was our fifth wedding anniversary. Before takeoff, I’d been excitedly chatting about our plans. He was distracted, constantly checking his phone. I finally asked, “Are you waiting for someone’s message?” He just said, “No, just checking the time.” It wasn’t until we hit violent turbulence over the Caspian Sea that I was truly terrified. I clung to Leo, sobbing. He fixed an oxygen mask over my face, helped me into a life vest, and held me steady. Then he held my face, his voice urgent but calm. “Iris! Listen to me…” “No matter what happens, I’ll be with you.” “But… if I’m not here, and you have a chance to survive, you must live on. You have to live a good life.” A love forged in the face of death should be unforgettable. So why, when given a second chance, did his choice change?

I hadn’t slept at all. At eight sharp, Leo knocked on my bedroom door. “Honey, are you awake?” “We’ll be late if you sleep any longer. Come on, up you get.” I dragged myself out of bed and opened the door. He looked refreshed after a night in his study, while I was completely exhausted. He seemed willfully blind to the shadows under my eyes. He gently pushed me into the bathroom to get ready. When I emerged, our luggage was already packed and waiting by the door. “This early? The flight isn’t until noon.” He just smiled, ruffled my hair, and handed me a boiled corn and a coffee. “Better to be safe than sorry. I’ve got some things to take care of later.” With that, he picked up the suitcases and walked out. On the way to the airport, he didn’t connect his phone to the car’s Bluetooth as he always did. Instead, he placed it on his left, occasionally glancing at incoming messages, an unconscious smile flickering on his lips. After we arrived, I hesitated before security. He gave me a gentle push. He gave me a gentle push. “It’s the same waiting inside. Iris, I really have to go now. The company is waiting.” I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. Was he really… hoping I’d die? I picked up my luggage, passed through security, and sat down at the gate. I secretly pulled Leo’s tablet from my bag. I’d taken it from his study that morning. His SnapChat was still logged in. The top contact, saved as “Sweetheart,” was Stella, his childhood sweetheart. Last night, Leo and Stella had been on a FaceTime call for five hours, from ten at night until four in the morning. Even after hanging up, they couldn’t get enough of each other. Leo: “I’ll see you tomorrow. Too excited to sleep.” Stella: “Silly, we have a lifetime together ahead of us.” Leo: “You didn’t have a wedding the first time you got married. When we get married, I’ll make sure you have an unforgettable ceremony.” Stella: “I’ll go confront him tomorrow about a divorce. What about you? When will you tell Iris?” Leo: “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” The tablet in my hands felt like it was about to snap. Of course, he’d handle it. He wouldn’t even need to mention divorce. Because, he’s waiting for me to die… I opened Leo’s Ins feed. He had posted something visible only to Stella. “You are the regret of my youth, and the joy of my future.” The photo accompanying it was their high school graduation picture. Two innocent-looking teenagers, holding hands in their school uniforms. And on his Ins feed, all posts related to me had been deleted overnight. Tears splashed onto the screen. The boarding announcement began. I sniffed, grabbed my luggage, and walked towards the gate.

Reborn, I wasn’t sure if this flight would crash again. I guessed Leo wasn’t sure either, which was why he was waiting. Ten minutes before the plane doors closed, I grabbed my luggage, preparing to get off the plane. The flight attendant asked me, confused, “Ma’am, is everything alright? Do you need any help?” I said, “I suddenly have a fear of flying, and my heart feels uncomfortable.” “I’m voluntarily ending my trip.” After the flight attendant consulted with the pilot, they let me leave. I returned to the boarding gate, standing by the glass window, watching the plane taxi to the runway. Then it gradually ascended, disappearing from my sight. I had thought about warning the people on the plane that it might crash. But rebirth felt too ethereal. I was afraid they’d think I was crazy. So, I could only pray in my heart for their safe journey. I sat in the airport for three hours, constantly staring at Leo’s chat logs. After dropping me off at the airport, he had immediately gone to meet Stella. They met at a hotel. He had screenshotted the group-buy room details and a delivery order for condoms, sending them to her. He asked her, “Is there anything else you need me to prepare?” She replied, “I heard men aren’t so good after twenty-five. Are you ready?” He answered, “Maybe not for others, but for you, you’ll be the one screaming you’re done.” Shortly after that message was sent, a notification popped up on the screen: a consumption record. The details showed a pharmacy, male enhancement products. I took photos of all the content in their chat and then took a cab to the old house where Leo and I used to live. Leo and I were college classmates. Though he struggled financially, he was handsome and academically gifted, which made teachers and classmates alike want to look out for him. My mother, who was also his professor, was especially kind. She often invited him home for dinner and bought him clothes and daily necessities, treating him almost as her own son. At that time, I only saw him as a classmate. I never thought about dating him. It wasn’t until shortly after college graduation that my mother passed away from cancer. Leo, along with other classmates, came to mourn my mother. But while others left, he stayed. He helped me tirelessly with all the funeral arrangements. My father had left when I was very young. After my mother passed, I felt like an orphan. Friends and relatives urged me to be strong. But those two words were easy to say, yet so incredibly difficult to embody. Thankfully, Leo stayed by my side during that time. He told me, “Iris, I’m here for you.” “Your mother was so kind to me. Now that she’s gone, I’ll take care of you for the rest of my life.” At first, I didn’t want to accept his kindness. A part of me was afraid of falling for him. But no matter how hard I tried to push him away, he remained steadfastly by my side Everything changed on the first anniversary of my mother’s death. Grief-stricken, I drank too much. I kissed him wildly, tearing at our clothes and pulling him onto the bed. He didn’t refuse me. His touch was nothing but gentle. The next morning, I told him we could pretend it never happened. But Instead, he immediately asked me to marry him. I was stunned for a moment, then hesitantly refused. “I don’t want you to marry me out of gratitude.” “You’ve already repaid your debt to my mother.” He didn’t say anything, just got dressed and left. I thought he would never come back. But to my surprise, less than an hour later, he reappeared, breathless, with flowers, a ring, and breakfast. “I want to marry you because I genuinely love you, Iris.” “Not for anyone else, only for you.” That ring, which he bought with all the money he had, is still on my hand today. Even though he bought me many other rings later, I never replaced it. I opened the door to the old house. Having been empty for so long, the air seemed to float with endless dust. The familiar scene made me feel like I was witnessing Leo’s proposal again. I chuckled self-deprecatingly. I took off the ring on my right ring finger and placed it on the console by the entrance. Perhaps he and I were a mistake from the very beginning.

In the afternoon, I was so tired that I drifted off to sleep on the sofa. I was woken by a series of phone calls. All my friends were calling me. Messages flooded in, one after another. “Iris! Are you okay?” “You’re not on the plane, are you? Please tell me you’re not!” “I’m begging you, text me back…” “Leo wasn’t on the plane, right? Why did you go alone?!” I glanced at the time: 8:30 PM. I numbly searched for news about the flight. The top trending headline read: Air disaster, crashed into the sea, no survivors. Those keywords flashed before my eyes. I understood then; the accident still happened. I didn’t immediately reassure everyone. Instead, I wanted to see Leo’s reaction. He posted a tribute online, titled “In Loving Memory of My Deceased Wife.” It was a rambling, thousand-word essay explaining that he couldn’t go with me due to an emergency. He also recounted our story, how we met and fell in love. He played the role of the devoted husband, his words brimming with apparent grief. He even declared that whether I was alive or dead, he would love me forever. He wrote that after the funeral, he would adopt a child to be “our child.” The picture accompanying the post was our wedding photo. Only, my half of the photo had been photoshopped in black and white, while his half remained vibrant red. In the comments, many comforted him, telling him to accept his condolences. Some even transferred him money, calling it a small token of sympathy. A sharp pain twisted in my chest. I opened his chat with Stella. Stella: “Iris is gone?” Leo: “Yeah, it was an accident.” Stella: “Then what about us… if we get together now, everyone will trash me.” “Leo, I’m with you because of love. I don’t want people to think I’m a home-wrecker because of this.” “You promised you wouldn’t let me get hurt.” Leo sent several sixty-second voice messages, continuously coaxing her, reassuring her of his feelings. He said, “Regardless of whether this accident happened, you are the only one I love.” “Please don’t leave me, you’re all I have left…” “After Iris’s funeral, we’ll get married.” “And we’ll bring you and his child to live with us.” “We’ll tell everyone it’s a child I adopted for Iris.” “Don’t worry, I would never let you be wronged.” “As for Iris’s inheritance, her mother’s old house, I’ll transfer it to the child.” A wave of bitter anger rose in my chest, so potent it felt suffocating. My hands trembled violently. How could he shamelessly say such things? I took several deep breaths to calm the choking emotions. So be it. If he’s so eager to hold my funeral, I’ll be sure to give him a parting gift he’ll never forget.

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When we were planning our Christmas show, Tiffany, our queen bee, convinced everyone to chip in for matching uniforms. But when the uniforms arrived, mine was a joke. The fabric was thin and scratchy, and the size I had ordered as a 3XL had been swapped for a Small. I went to Tiffany to ask for an exchange. She cut me off impatiently. “You’re bigger than everyone. Your uniform costs more. What quality did you expect? Maybe if you weren’t so fat, you wouldn’t have this problem. Figure it out.” After humiliating me, she turned and walked away. But when I refused to just accept the uniform, she panicked. Tiffany’s humiliating words cut through the room. Every classmate turned to stare, their judgmental eyes burning into me. Tiffany didn’t care. She pressed on, sharp and merciless.. “Let’s be real, you’re fat. If you were thinner, it would fit. It’s that simple.” “This was a custom order with our names on it. You can’t just return it just because you feel like it.” “Just make it fit. Stop being so difficult!” I bit my lip white, still struggling to be heard. The fabric was cheap and rough. It was not smooth like the others. And the size was wrong. This was not the 3XL I ordered. Everyone else was in their perfec uniforms. I stood there, a misfit. I took a breath, shut out their stares, and spoke. “Tiffany, never mind the quality. This uniform is too small. I can’t even get into it.!” The words had barely left my mouth when Tiffany’s face twisted with impatience. “I said no!” She yelled. “How do I know you didn’t just mess up your own size? And besides, we’re not that close!” I instinctively took a half-step back, my voice dropping. “Sorry, I-” Ashley, Tiffany’s friend, cut me off. “Oh my god, you fat pig, you’re doing too much! You filled out the form yourself, and now you’re complaining it’s too small? What do you even want?” “You’re being so pushy! She’s not your nanny. Who do you think you are, some kind of princess?” I shook my head, trying to deny it. But Ashley wasn’t listening. “Well, can’t you just squeeze your fat into it then? How small can it possibly be?” Just then, Tiffany, who had been quiet, spoke up. Her voice carried a strange, wounded tone. “Chloe, are you trying to cause trouble on purpose? You clearly filled out a Small yourself. Why are you trying to make it look like I deliberately ordered the wrong size for you?” With that, she pulled up the digital form where we’d submitted our sizes. I leaned in, my heart sinking. My size was listed as S, not the 3XL I knew I had entered! Before I could process it, others crowded around to see. Someone snatched the uniform from my hands to check the tag. “It is a Small,” they said, their eyes sweeping over me without a hint of shame. “Of course it doesn’t fit. Is she pretending to be skinny or something? She filled it out herself, so who knows what she’s trying to pull.” “Seriously?” another voice chimed in. “I’m 110 pounds and I wear a Large. You, at over 200, put down an S? The audacity.” “She’s so disgusting. She messed up her own order and has the nerve to blame Tiffany.” Their words came at me, one after another, suffocating me. I gained weight two years ago because I was sick and on hormone medication. After I recovered, I tried desperately to lose weight, but with little success. Now, it had become their weapon to attack me. I looked at them, enunciating each word. “I reported 3XL. I’m fat, and I’m well aware of it.”

Tiffany suddenly stepped forward, glaring at me and speaking loudly. “So, you’re saying we changed it? Seriously, no one is that bored, Sweetie!” “If you’re really that bothered, I’ll pay for a new custom one for you myself. What bad luck to run into someone like you.” Seeing this, the other classmates grew even more disgusted with me. “Fat pig, is this really necessary? You’re not going to let Tiffany off the hook, are you?” “First you accuse her of changing your size, and now you want her to pay for a new uniform? Have you no shame at all?” I swallowed the bitter taste rising in my throat. “That’s not what I mean. Even if I made a mistake with the size, there are plenty of people here wearing a Small. So why is mine the only one made from this cheap, scratchy fabric?” As I spoke, I pushed my uniform towards them. Tiffany’s eyes flickered. She snatched my uniform, holding it close as if to inspect it. “Oh really? Well, Well, why didn’t you just say that from the beginning?” But I had. I’d brought up the quality first. She was the one who had cut me off, citing my size as the cause for the cheap material. She knew she’d been caught. She threw my uniform back at me, pushing all the blame back onto my shoulders. “Next time, just get to the point, okay? Don’t beat around the bush like this. It’s exhausting!” Ashley also chimed in.”Seriously, a simple explanation would have saved us all this drama.” I let out a deep breath. I honestly didn’t know what the “point” was-the size or the quality. It was obvious that only my uniform had both the wrong quality and the wrong size. Seeing me fall silent, Tiffany snorted. “Fine,” she said, her tone dripping with condescension. “Just send me your size and the money. Don’t waste any more of our time.” “Everyone wears a uniform. Ruin the performance without one, and Mr. Miller will have your head. Don’t expect me to save you.” She paused, then shot me a glance and continued, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you! The district officials are coming to this performance, and it affects our school’s funding for next year. If you hold us back, you’ll face the consequences alone!” I didn’t rush to answer. Instead, I looked directly at her and retorted, “But I’ve already paid for the uniform. The vendor made a mistake, so why should I have to pay again?” Tiffany exploded. “The vendor had a problem? What about your problem? You messed up the size yourself!” “I’ve never seen someone as shameless as you. Do you expect the vendor to just do it for free?” “And this is a designer uniform! Do you think it’s some cheap thing from a discount store, that you can just return it whenever you want?” I bit my lip hard. I had double-checked the size when I filled out the form. And I was the only one in the entire class who had put 3XL. I even specifically mentioned it to Tiffany. Tiffany pushed me, her face darkening. “Speak up! Are you refusing to pay?” I lost my footing and stumbled back a few steps. Tiffany got even angrier, her eyes blazing. “What are you acting like, you fat pig! You’re so heavy, how could I possibly push you? Do you think you’re some delicate little thing?” “It’s absolutely disgusting! If you don’t want to pay, just say so. Don’t waste everyone’s time here!” Hearing her mock my weight again, I clenched my fists, my jaw trembling with rage. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t pay. It’s just not my fault, so I shouldn’t have to.” Tiffany crossed her arms and sneered. “Fine, I won’t push it. If you want to be cheap, we can all chip in.” “There are fifty of us besides you. Can everyone just contribute ten bucks? I don’t want to waste any more time.” She looked at me, her tone dripping with passive-aggression. “Otherwise, people might think I’m bullying you.” Her words were clearly mocking me, implying I was faking pity. Faced with her humiliating suggestion of a collection, I finally looked up and raised my voice. “No need. As you said, if I made a mistake with the size, then the vendor also made a mistake with the fabric. I’m willing to negotiate with the vendor myself.” “Can you give me the contact information for the custom uniform vendor?” Tiffany stared at me for a long time, then seemed to concede. “Fine, fine, I’m just tired of dealing with someone as nitpicky as you. Transfer the money to me, and I’ll handle the vendor.” “Honestly, I’ve never met anyone so slow!” I turned away without another word. The show was over, and the audience dispersed, heading back with their uniforms.

Tiffany kept saying she’d handle the negotiations. But as Christmas performance day approaching, and my uniform was still nowhere to be found. Everyone else came and went, wearing their new uniforms. I sat in a corner, feeling like a total outsider. People started ignoring me. If I took an extra bite during meals, I’d be laughed at and called a fat pig. When I practiced the routine in my own clothes, people would always stare. The uniform became an obsession. I carried the weight of it everywhere. I even secretly took pictures of the other uniforms, desperately trying to find the vendor. But no one sold this specific custom design. Left with no choice, I contacted Tiffany again. “Has the uniform exchange been processed?” Her reply came much later. She ignored my question entirely, zeroing in on my phrasing. “Is that how you ask for a favor? Where are your manners? Not even a ‘hello’?” I stared at the screen, baffled. Wasn’t my question polite enough? Still, I tried again, forcing patience into my words. “Hello, Tiffany. Has the vendor given you an update on the exchange?” She still dodged the question. “Use ‘please’ ! I’m the Tiffany! Do you have manner? You’re impossible!” “But I’m a bigger person, so I’ll let this small thing slide! I’ll tell you when the uniform arrives!” The words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat. I was just asking a normal question, did she really need to get so angry? At two in the morning, my phone started blowing up with messages. I groggily answered the FaceTime call, and Tiffany’s angry shouts came through. “Are you dead? Why are you answering so late?” “Didn’t you see all the messages I sent you?” I checked the time and frowned. “Sorry, my phone was on silent, I didn’t hear it. What’s up?” She said a nonchalant. “It’s nothing big. The uniform is back.” Hearing that, my heart leaped with joy. Just as I was about to speak, her furious voice erupted again. “I’ve been running around, dealing with your uniform, and you can’t even say thank you?” “Seriously, I don’t know how your parents raised you! So ill-mannered!” A knot of anger formed in my chest. I opened my mouth to argue, but she hung up directly. The next day, the day of the Christmas performance. Tiffany finally sauntered over with my uniform and threw it at me. “Go change into your uniform quickly! Don’t hold everyone up!” “I already stressed that the district officials are coming to this Christmas performance. If anything goes wrong, don’t blame Mr. Miller for kicking you out of our class.” I picked up the new uniform she’d had custom-made and saw the size printed on it. It felt like something exploded in my head. XS size! This uniform was even smaller than the last one. So small I probably couldn’t even get my leg into it. I pushed open the bathroom door and shoved the uniform directly into Tiffany’s face. “Tiffany, this is XS! Can’t you tell the difference between 3XL and XS? Why did you get the smallest size again?!” Tiffany slapped my hand away, fuming. “I told the vendor to make the largest size! How was I supposed to know they’d send an S? It’s the vendor’s fault, not mine! What good does it do to blame me?” “You are such a pain! I can’t deal with this anymore. Figure out your uniform situation yourself!” I stared at her for a long time. “Fine, I’ll figure it out myself.” She turned and walked away. I looked at the XS uniform in my hand and tried it on. But that tiny, almost childlike garment made me break down again. The horn for the Christmas performance sounded. Tiffany’s urgent message came through. “Gather up! If the uniform’s too small, just wear it anyway and get over here!” I tossed the uniform aside. In the very last second before our formation was about to go on stage, I rushed to the field. Mr. Vance, who had been waiting at the venue, frowned when he saw me. “What’s wrong with this class? So undisciplined! Why aren’t their uniforms uniform, everyone wearing their own thing?” Hearing that, Tiffany spun around, her eyes, spitting venom, locking onto me. She screamed without restraint. “Chloe! I told you to wear your uniform!”

I wasn’t flustered in the slightest. I challenged her openly. “I wanted to ask you the same thing! You prepared uniforms that were too small for me twice! How long are you going to keep targeting me like this?” Publicly called out, Tiffany exploded in rage, cursing and reaching out to hit me. “Damn it, you absolute bitch! What are you talking about?! When have I ever targeted you?! Do you have a death wish?!” “Tiffany!” The slap never landed. It was cut short by Mr. Miller’s sharp, commanding voice cutting through the air. Mr. Miller’s face had turned a ghostly pale. Beside him, Vice Principal Thompson was visibly shaking with rage, his jaw clenched and fists tight. On the stage, the district official glanced at Principal Evans, a dry, humorless smile on his lips. “The ‘culture’ here at your school is certainly…unique.” Mr. Evans forced a smile. “Please excuse us, Mr. Vance. These kids are just playing around.” He probably thought Mr. Vance would drop the matter to save face. But he didn’t. He continued, as if to himself, “Playing around? It looked like bullying to me!” Those words sent a chill down Mr. Evans’s spine. He lowered his head and shot Mr. Miller a look, urging him to quickly get us out of there. He then changed the subject. “No, no, that’s not it at all! Let’s watch the next class’s formation, I guarantee it won’t disappoint you!” Because our class was the first to perform, we left a bad impression on Mr. Vance right from the start. As a result, he barely paid attention to the subsequent performances. As soon as they were over, he made an excuse and left. Our class was kept back, and everyone remained silent. Only Tiffany was covering her face and crying. As soon as she saw Mr. Miller and Mr. Thompson appear, she choked up and ran to them, sobbing. “Mr. Miller, help me! I really wasn’t targeting Chloe. It’s her own fault for being too fat, that’s why the uniform seams ripped.” Mr. Miller remained silent, but Mr. Thompson snorted. “Then how do you explain secretly switching her 3XL uniform to an S-size?” “I just heard about this on my way over! Chloe’s uniform was replaced twice, and both times it was unwearable. What are you going to do about it?” “Are you sure this isn’t targeting?” Yes. That was the question. If this wasn’t targeting, what was it? If the first wrong size was a genuine mistake, I would have accepted it. But the second time, I confirmed my size was 3XL, repeatedly. What arrived was an XS. And after trying it on for just a few minutes, a red rash had already bloomed around my neck-proof of the uniform’s toxic quality. Wasn’t all this targeting? A mistake could happen once, but twice? Tiffany sobbed, trying to defend herself. “This really isn’t my fault. Maybe the vendor was negligent.” “Besides, maybe it’s because Chloe is too fat, and they just didn’t have enough fabric, so they could only make a smaller size. How is that my fault?” Mr. Thompson, being a reasonable man, didn’t buy her nonsense. He pointed at the uniform I’d taken off, gritting his teeth. “Isn’t this supposed to be a designer brand? Such a big company doesn’t have enough fabric to make clothes?” “Send me the manufacturer’s contact information. I’ll call them personally. I want to see how they make their clothes!” This made Tiffany panic. She clutched her phone, frozen. Mr. Thompson’s tone was unyielding as he repeated, “Did you hear me? Send me the manufacturer’s contact information!”

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My roommate, Chelsea, who had interned at my mom’s company for three months, suddenly claimed to be pregnant with my dad’s baby. “Chloe, please, I’m begging you, make your dad acknowledge this child. I know I’m just a poor student and not good enough for your family’s status, but the baby is innocent…” I was completely flummoxed. “Chelsea, are you sure you have the right person? My dad passed away a long time ago.” The words had barely left my lips when my boyfriend, Albert, slammed a paternity test report onto my face. “Chloe King, to defend your father, you’d cook up a lie like that?” “Don’t think I don’t know, you’re just scared the baby Chelsea’s carrying will cut into your inheritance, right?!” Hundreds of thousands of viewers flooded the comments, cursing me out, saying I deserved to die for helping my scumbag father deceive someone. It wasn’t until I saw the so-called intimate photo on Chelsea Miller’s phone wallpaper that I burst out laughing. Turns out, the “baby daddy” she was talking about was my mom – all six feet of her, so striking, people often couldn’t tell her gender at first glance. So what was up with that paternity test report?

I was busy revising my graduation thesis when my boyfriend, Albert, suddenly called, his voice accusatory. “Chloe King, what the hell is wrong with you?! Chelsea is your roommate! How could you help your dad do something so disgusting?!” I couldn’t quite process it. “Albert, what are you talking about?” “Still playing dumb?!” Albert continued to roar into the phone. “Go watch Chelsea’s live stream yourself! She’s pregnant and standing outside your house! You and your father, the Kings, are truly a pair of despicable monsters!” The call was abruptly cut off. My fingers trembled as I clicked open SnapChat. The first thing I saw was a huge push notification: **[Poor Female Student, Unwed and Pregnant, Exposes Corrupt Businessman’s Deception, Only to Be Threatened by His Daughter and Cruelly Abandoned!]** The cover photo was my roommate, Chelsea Miller. She stood outside my house, her stomach slightly protruding, tears streaming down her face. Behind her, a crowd of angry netizens livestreaming on their phones had gathered. I rushed home. Sure enough, the entrance was swarming with people. When Chelsea saw me, she dramatically fell to her knees, her voice a desperate wail. “Chloe, I’m begging you, make your dad acknowledge this child! I know I’m just a poor student and not good enough for your family, but the baby is innocent…” The live stream comments instantly exploded. “Holy crap! The villain is here! So young, yet helping her own father deceive people, even preying on her roommate! How disgusting!” “Exactly! She looks like a good person, but her heart is so evil!” I was fuming, shaking with anger, and tried to pull her up. “Chelsea, get up! Explain yourself! Who deceived you? My dad has been…” Before I could say “dead” a tall figure suddenly burst forward. He pushed me aside, shielding Chelsea. It was my boyfriend, Albert. The look he gave me was filled with disappointment and disgust. “Chloe King, I never thought you’d be this kind of person! Chelsea is so pure and kind, yet you used her trust to trick her into your family’s company, letting your dad exploit her! You utterly sicken me!” Chelsea nestled into Albert’s arms, crying her eyes out. “Albert, don’t blame Chloe. It’s my fault for falling for someone I shouldn’t have. Chloe just doesn’t want her inheritance to be split with a younger sibling…” Seeing her fake demeanor, my stomach churned with disgust. As graduation approached, I noticed Chelsea only had $500 a month for living expenses and often couldn’t afford food. So, out of kindness, I offered her an internship at my mom’s company, paying $300 a day, plus free meals. She had thanked me profusely back then. Now, this is how she repays me? I was so angry I laughed. “Chelsea Miller, are you out of your damn mind?” “You keep claiming my dad deceived you, but his ashes have been cold for eight years! How could he possibly get you pregnant? In your dreams?” The crowd went silent for a moment. Chelsea lifted her tear-stained face, whimpering. “Chloe, how can you curse Mr. King like that? When I interned, I was with him every day. He even told me he was single and really admired me…” With that, she pulled out her phone and showed me her wallpaper. The photo showed someone in a crisp black suit, with slicked-back hair and features as handsome as a movie star, slightly tilted their head, listening to Chelsea speak. That profile, that aura—it was breathtakingly handsome. But my vision swam. That was my mom! Though my dad passed away early, my mom was incredibly capable, single-handedly keeping the entire company afloat. She was tall, with short hair, and always dressed in suits, exuding an imposing presence. Nine out of ten strangers mistook her for a successful, powerful CEO. I never imagined Chelsea would make the same mistake, but what about the baby in her belly?

I took a deep breath, trying to explain. “Chelsea, you’ve got it all wrong! That’s not my dad, that’s my mom!” The words had barely left my lips when Albert let out a scoff. “Chloe King, you really just lie without thinking! To avoid responsibility, you’d even change your own father’s gender?” “Your mom? Why don’t you say it’s your grandma?” The live stream comments erupted in mockery. “LOL, this woman is desperate, she’s talking nonsense!” “Exactly, she just doesn’t want to share her inheritance! Selfish and greedy, afraid of a younger sibling taking her stuff!” “Don’t worry, streamer, we support you! That scumbag must take responsibility!” Chelsea weakly tugged on Albert’s sleeve. “Albert, don’t say that about Chloe, she’s just having a hard time accepting it. Mr. King is so masculine, how could he be a woman?” Watching the two of them play off each other, I felt my blood pressure shoot up. I pulled out my phone, found the number saved as “The Dragon,” dialed it, and put it on speaker. A low, neutral voice answered. “Honey? What is it? I’m in a meeting!” I practically yelled into the phone. “Alex! What kind of mess have you gotten yourself into?! Someone’s at our door saying you got her pregnant!” My mom on the other end was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly snapped. “Watch your tone, young lady! I’m working myself to the bone every single day. When would I have time to father a love child? You’ve probably run into some scammer. Deal with it yourself!” Immediately after, the call was abruptly hung up. Chelsea’s face turned pale, and tears instantly welled up. “Everyone heard that, right? Chloe just called him ‘Dad,’ not ‘Mom.’ And she just lied, saying her dad was dead.” “Mr. King clearly said he liked me a lot. Chloe must be threatening him not to acknowledge me…” I was so angry I laughed. “Alex is my mom’s name! A powerful name for a powerful woman!” “My grandpa named her that, saying a woman needed a commanding presence so she wouldn’t be bullied…” But before I could finish, Albert cut me off. “Chloe King, that’s enough! The baby in Chelsea’s belly is your own brother! How can you be so vicious, not even giving him a chance?” Seeing him blindly defend Chelsea without bothering to learn the truth, my heart went cold. But mostly, I was furious at his stupidity. “Albert! Are you out of your damn mind?! The ‘Mr. King’ Chelsea is talking about is my mom!” “She’s a woman! How could she possibly get Chelsea pregnant? Did she impregnate her with her mind?!” But Albert wouldn’t believe it. “Mental impregnation? Chloe King, you’re getting more ridiculous by the second!” The people who came with Chelsea, calling themselves online judges, sneered. “Where’s the proof? You say she’s a woman, and we’re supposed to believe it?” “They’re definitely in cahoots, the father and daughter, that’s why the scumbag is avoiding them!” “Poor streamer, her youth and good years wasted by a monster roommate and an old man!” Chelsea clutched her waist, looking like she might faint at any moment, and cried into the camera. “I know my family isn’t well-off, and I’m not worthy of the King family, but I truly love Mr. King. I don’t ask for a title, just for my child to have a legitimate identity.” “Chloe, you get $600,000 a month for living expenses! Just a little bit of that money would be enough for my baby and me to live comfortably for life. Why do you have to be so cruel?” Her words instantly ignited the anti-rich sentiment among the onlookers and online viewers. “$600,000 a month? No wonder she’s so arrogant!” “Exactly, that money must be dirty. We need to report her and demand an investigation!” “Support the streamer! Give birth to that son and inherit the family fortune, just to piss off this evil older sister!” Watching Chelsea’s pathetic act, I felt sick to my stomach. I must have been blind to think she was innocent and pitiful.

“Chelsea Miller, stop your acting! My mom is a woman, that’s an undeniable fact!” “The baby in your belly has absolutely nothing to do with my family!” To prove my innocence, I rushed back inside, found my dad’s death certificate, and shouted. “Look closely! My dad, David King, passed away in a car accident eight years ago!” Seeing the death certificate, the crowd quieted down again, and some faces showed hesitation. A flicker of panic crossed Chelsea’s eyes, but she quickly suppressed it. She clutched her stomach, her voice tearful. “This certificate must be fake! Chloe, you’d even forge a death certificate just to avoid acknowledging your little brother…” Albert, hearing this, snatched the certificate, ripped it to shreds without even looking, and yelled. “Chloe King, you came well prepared to deny the baby in Chelsea’s belly, even getting a fake document in advance!” “If Mr. King really is a woman, would you dare let us check her bedroom?” The surrounding crowd started to chant. “Yes! Let the facts speak for themselves! Fakes can’t be real, and real things can’t be faked! If you don’t let us see, it means you’re hiding something!” Incited by provocateurs, the crowd started pushing their way into my house, unstoppable. Chelsea had been to my house before and led them straight to my mom’s master bedroom on the second floor. The door swung open, revealing a massive walk-in closet. Inside, rows of designer menswear hung neatly—not a single piece of women’s clothing could be found. Chelsea looked as if she’d caught me red-handed, her face alight with excitement. “Everyone, look! If Mr. King is a woman, why are there only men’s clothes in her closet?” The public opinion, which had just wavered, swung back again. “Exactly! This is solid proof now! That death certificate must be fake!” “This Chloe King is full of lies, all to monopolize the family fortune!” “So selfish, she can’t even tolerate her unborn brother!” Albert looked at me coldly. “Chloe King, what else do you have to say?” I was speechless, veins throbbing in my forehead. “My mom is tall, women’s clothes don’t fit her well, she just likes wearing neutral clothing! What can I do about that?” “Besides, who says women can’t wear men’s clothes?” “Oh yeah? Then explain this!” Chelsea suddenly pulled a report from her bag and slammed it down in front of me. “If he’s a woman, how do you explain this?” Seeing the conclusion on the last page of the report, my mind went completely blank. Paternity probability: ninety-nine percent. It supports Alex King as the biological father of the fetus. My hand, holding the report, trembled slightly. A massive sense of absurdity threatened to drown me. How was this possible? My mom was clearly a woman; how could she have gotten Chelsea pregnant?

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In my previous life, Caleb’s first love died taking a knife for me. He hated my guts for it. He locked me away and subjected me to years of relentless torture, day and night. Until my twenty-second birthday. My body and mind were utterly exhausted, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I chose to slit my wrists. Before I lost consciousness, I saw Caleb’s bloodshot eyes. He warned me: “In your next life, don’t love me. And don’t ever stand between me and Luna again.” As he wished. When I woke up, I was sitting in my high school classroom. The clamor of a basketball game drifted in from the sports field outside the window. Caleb pushed the door open, casually tossing his jacket into my lap: “Hold this for me. Luna’s coming to watch the game later.” For the first time, I didn’t greet him with my usual eager smile. Caleb had no idea. In this life, I would automatically keep my distance from him. His school jacket floated lightly onto my desk. I subconsciously moved my wrist. There was no agonizing pain. These wrists, in my previous life, had been bound to the headboard of a bed with Caleb’s tie for seven whole days. All because, on the anniversary of Luna’s death, I still refused to admit guilt. Admit guilt for what? Luna was my older sister, the real daughter of the family. The moment she was found and brought home, she immediately won over everyone’s affection. I admit, I used to envy her. And for a long time, I resented her. Resented her for appearing and stealing my mom and dad. Stealing my Caleb. But she was so tiny and frail. When she was first brought back, her face was pale. She would only gently call me: “Rosie.” Suddenly, my heart softened. I thought, maybe having an older sister… wouldn’t be so bad. My parents said Luna wasn’t healthy. I needed to always give in to her. So, she wanted my room. I gave it to her. She wanted my dolls, I gave those too. She liked pretty dresses I had my eye on, I gave them all up. But when I started middle school, I found out Luna also liked Caleb. This time, I wasn’t giving way. He was my favorite Caleb, the one I’d grown up with since childhood. I couldn’t give him up. What I didn’t expect was that I only argued with Luna once. Just once. The cost, however, was a life. And my own miserable four years. Luna taking a knife for me was incredibly sudden. She fell into a pool of blood. Her last words were: “Rosie… I’m giving Caleb back to you. Please don’t blame me, okay?” At that moment, Caleb rushed over, and that’s the scene he saw. Luna had taken a knife for me. She bled profusely. And with her blood clotting disorder, she didn’t make it to the ambulance. She died on the spot. And her cryptic last words made Caleb hate me to the core. That day, my Caleb asked with a chillingly calm expression: “Rosie, why wasn’t it you who died?” It was only then that I knew. That afternoon, Luna had actually planned to confess her feelings to Caleb. But by an unfortunate coincidence, they ran into some hoodlums looking for a fight. In the chaos, she pushed me away.

It was strange. Everyone was strange. After learning Luna had died taking a knife for me, I became the target of everyone’s accusations. The home I’d lived in for over ten years was completely shattered. Dad’s hair turned white overnight. He told me: “You shouldn’t have lived.” Mom punched and kicked me, screaming hysterically: “You b*tch, you killed Luna! Give me back my Luna!” They stopped letting me go to school. They locked me in the basement for days on end. But… Why blame me, instead of the assailant? Wasn’t I the victim? Was being the one who lived the mistake? I didn’t know. I only knew, just as they said. I owed Luna for a lifetime, owed her my life. I stayed in that pitch-black basement for a long, long time. Until my eighteenth birthday. Caleb convinced my parents. Finally, they let me out. Seeing sunlight after so long, my legs felt weak. I could barely stand. Caleb didn’t say a word, just carried me on his back. Step by step, he walked all the way to Oxford. Oxford, that was the university I wanted to attend. And it was also Luna’s dream. In the season of blooming jacarandas, Caleb’s voice was very, very soft. “Rosie, do you know? This was Luna’s dream too, but she can never achieve it now.” I didn’t respond. I just silently cried on his back. This day was my eighteenth birthday. And it was Caleb’s last moment of tenderness towards me. After that, I was expelled from school. Locked away in the attic of the house. My parents went abroad, completely abandoning me. Caleb had no more reservations. At first, I would beg for mercy. “Please let me go, Caleb.” But the attic was so dark, so gloomy. Not a single ray of sunlight. Trapped inside, I lost track of time. Lost track of the seasons. Gradually, my mind began to unravel. On another anniversary of Luna’s death, when Caleb told me to kneel. We had a furious argument. “I won’t kneel!” “I hate her! I hate her! I hate all of you!” “I never asked her to save me.” “Just kill me, Caleb! Why don’t you just finish me off?” I must have been half-mad then. Caleb kicked me in the knee. He didn’t like it when I disobeyed. As punishment for talking back, he dislocated my wrist again. Binding me to the headboard in a humiliating position. Caleb’s tone was cruel. “Don’t blame me, Rosie, this is what you owe Luna.” “You’re not wronged. At least you’re still alive.” Oh. So my being alive. Was a mistake. Then I didn’t want to live anymore. On the night of my twenty-second birthday, I couldn’t bear it any longer. Blood soaked the sheets. I chose to slit my wrists. To fulfill their words: to give my life back to Luna.

Caleb’s handsome brows furrowed. He waved a hand in front of my eyes. “Rosie?” I snapped back to reality. The boy’s eyes were clear now. None of the gloom and hatred from the previous life. But I instantly jumped up. Putting as much distance between us as possible. “Um… I have something to do. I won’t be going to the basketball game.” “You guys go.” I was scared of Caleb. Truly scared. I trembled every time he came close. The person opposite me froze slightly. He seemed unaccustomed to me refusing him for the first time. After all, every interaction between us had always been me chasing after him. He thought for a long time before finally speaking: “Rosie, are you mad? Because I brought a gift for Luna the other day and not for you.” Mad? I gave a bitter laugh. What right did I have to be mad? In my previous life, Caleb never said he liked me, nor did he say he liked Luna. But he was always by Luna’s side. Yet I was blind. I deluded myself with foolish hopes. And competed with Luna. No wonder I met such a tragic end. The school bell rang on cue. If I remembered correctly, this was P.E. class. Classes 1 and 2 had a basketball game. Luna was in the next class, already standing at the door. Caleb finally didn’t say anything else, just glanced at me. Then he turned and ran towards Luna, who was waiting by the classroom door. Watching their shoulders side by side as they walked away. I let out a long sigh of relief. However, having just been reborn, I hadn’t even had a chance to properly enjoy the sunlight. When school was almost out, my mom’s phone call summoned me to the hospital again. The reason: Luna had an attack. And needed a blood transfusion. Just like in my previous life, whenever she needed it. I was still her walking blood bank. Actually, at first, Mom and Dad said Luna had a rare illness. And needed frequent blood transfusions. And when they found out my blood type matched perfectly. I was even quite relieved. Because I had so much blood. I could save my sister. I knew very early on that Mom and Dad loved Luna more. After all, Luna was their biological daughter. That was understandable. I only thought, if I could just be a little nicer to Luna, just a little more. My parents would be happy. And when they were happy, they would love me again too. But Luna was too greedy. She was always crying, always needing my blood. The increasingly frequent transfusions made it hard for me to cope. Especially when Caleb was around, it was particularly noticeable. Like right now. I took a cab and rushed over. Before I was pushed into the ward, Caleb hurriedly slipped a gift box into my hand.

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After my family went bankrupt, I decided to break up with my poor boyfriend. He didn’t even try to stop me. Later, I worked at a bar to pay off my debts. One day, he showed up—now a tech CEO—with a young, beautiful woman in his arms. He looked at me with disdain and said, “Regretting breaking up with me yet?” I replied, “Not at all.” As I was about to walk away, he grabbed my arm and said, “But I regret it.” 0 So many years after graduation, I never imagined I’d run into Dennis like this again. As I served the fruit platter, I kept my head down, terrified he’d see my face. Serena was sitting next to him. They looked perfect together. “Server.” Dennis called me. “Pour the wine.” My back to him, I slowly poured the liquid. A long time ago, when I loved drinking, Dennis would always mix cocktails for me. He was good at it; every drink tasted amazing. Back then, I thought he loved me. Later, I realized it was just a habit. When he mixed drinks, he thought about everything under the sun, except me. Four years apart felt like an eternity. Somehow, the guests started talking about college romances. Someone said, “I heard Mr. Dennis had a girlfriend in college he dated for four years.” My hand paused. Dennis hummed in agreement. “That’s so sweet, a whole college romance!” Dennis didn’t respond. The person felt a bit awkward, scrambling for something to say. “Dating for that long, it must be unforgettable, right?” Silence stretched like a still river. After what felt like ages, Dennis let out a soft laugh. “Hardly.” “Dennis not hating her was a miracle,” Serena interjected. “Dennis and I went to the same school. Honestly… ugh, he really suffered back then. If it weren’t for his ex-girlfriend, would Dennis and I have only gotten together now?” “Exactly, exactly! Miss Serena is a famous celebrity. No matter how good the ex-girlfriend was, could she really compare to a star?” The atmosphere quickly livened up again. I pulled my cap lower, desperate to leave. I accidentally cut my hand, hissing in pain, which drew the guests’ attention. “What’s wrong? Can’t even pour a drink properly?” Serena complained. “I’m sorry, I’ll go get a clean platter.” I grabbed the tray, ready to bolt. “Wait.” Dennis suddenly called out to me. Every word deliberate. “Turn around.” 2. My body felt nailed to the floor. One second, two seconds. Brenda, the supervisor, walked over at just the right moment. “I’m so sorry, our colleague is new and still getting the hang of things. All your drinks are on the house tonight.” Brenda winked at me. “What are you waiting for? Go get a fresh tray!” I managed to escape. Afterward, Brenda told me, “Next time, be quicker on your feet. We all start somewhere, but if you get a complaint, you’ll work for free tonight.” “Thank you.” “No problem. They’re really particular, a whole room full of VIPs. Especially the youngest and most handsome one in the middle—he’s the CEO of an innovative tech company. We can’t afford to offend any of them.” “Brenda, I’m a bit scared, could you help me deliver the drinks?” “Sure.” I breathed a sigh of relief. If there was anyone in this world who had already completely offended Dennis, it could only be me. I was that despised ex he spoke of. I still remember, at the start of freshman year. Dennis wore faded, worn-out clothes, standing among the new students, completely out of place. He was visibly poor. But also strikingly tall and poised. I loved the cool, clear tone of his voice when he spoke. And I loved the way his thin eyelids lowered when he looked at me. Dennis was really short on cash, and his scholarship spot had been snatched by someone else. So, after a late class one evening, I eagerly grabbed his soft hand. “Dennis, I like you. Be my boyfriend. I have plenty of money, we can share my living expenses. If not, I’ll even pay you for a kiss.” Of course, he refused. But back then, my life was smooth sailing, and I didn’t know what failure was. The more he refused, the more I clung to him. Until his grandpa, who had raised him, became critically ill. Without a blink, I covered his medical bills. Dennis finally gave in. I foolishly thought I’d done a great favor. Only much later did I understand— I got him, but I also broke him. After we got together, he still worked every day to earn his living expenses. He hardly ever used my money, but the situation only worsened. Rumors about Dennis spread throughout the school. They said he’d sold himself for money. His classmates’ gazes changed, and some even called him nasty names. I was still optimistic and naive then, holding his hand and saying, “Ignore them, they’re just jealous.” I lived in my own world, never realizing that Dennis was fighting a lonely battle. That year, my family went bankrupt. I didn’t tell Dennis. I just called him out and said, “Let’s break up.” “Why?” “I’m tired of you.” “Okay.” Just like that, we split. I guessed he was happy then, finally free. On the day we broke up, I snapped my phone’s SIM card, deleted all my contacts, and boarded a train to another city to work and pay off debts. Only three months ago did I return here. Dennis looked great. He was always a straight-A student, the kind of super genius in college who made everyone else feel inadequate. Just four years after graduation, he was already a rising tech mogul featured in finance magazines. Serena used to be a celebrity at our school; she debuted in her junior year. I never expected them to get together. Good for them. My chest ached, and I swallowed the bitter feeling. At 4 AM, I finished my shift. I was the last to leave. My colleagues, thinking no one was left, had turned off the lights early, and the elevator was shut down. I pressed the elevator button in frustration, hoping to light it up. “Make a call.” Dennis’s voice suddenly appeared behind me. 3. I stiffly called a colleague. The elevator restarted, and Dennis and I stood in its narrow confines. “You guys work this late?” he asked, his tone neutral. “We can only leave after all the customers are gone.” “Is the pay good here?” “It’s alright.” I kept my head down, my cap hiding my face. Dennis didn’t seem to recognize me. He chatted idly for a few moments, then checked his watch. “This elevator is so slow. My girlfriend must be getting impatient. She’s very clingy and loves to cuddle.” I froze, realizing he was talking about Serena. “What about you? Working this late, isn’t your boyfriend coming to pick you up?” “I live close by.” The elevator arrived. As soon as the doors opened, I rushed out. Dennis, who had been calm for several minutes, finally erupted in anger at that moment. “Why are you running?” “Where else can you possibly run to, Willow?” “Just vanishing, disappearing completely, was that fun?” Dennis advanced, step by step. He was still the young man I remembered, but the naivety had faded, replaced by maturity and restraint. “Contacts deleted, phone number disconnected, even the professors couldn’t find you. Willow, you’re really something.” I slowly looked up, meeting his gaze. “You must have… used your connections to find out, right? My family went bankrupt, my dad got caught in financial trouble, and we still haven’t paid off our debts…” “Why didn’t you tell me back then?” I was speechless. “Were you too proud, Miss Willow?” “No—” Before I could finish, Serena walked over. “Oh? Willow! It really is you!” She was even more stunning than in college, every strand of hair perfectly in place. “Long time no see! Everyone in class was looking for you. Why have we heard nothing from you for four years?” “I went south.” “No wonder,” Serena looked at my clothes, surprised. “Willow, isn’t that the puffer jacket you bought that year? The filling’s practically gone, and you’re still wearing it?” I used to buy clothes and wear them for one year before throwing them out. She asked that, wanting to embarrass me. But I was numb to it. “It’s not broken, I can still wear it.” Serena understood. “Are you struggling financially now? You should’ve said something, old classmates help each other out.” She pulled out a card. “Take it. No need to pay it back.” “Thanks, but I don’t need it.” I looked at her, then at Dennis, and smiled quietly. “I’m getting married soon. Remember to come.” As my words fell, Dennis’s entire demeanor shifted in shock.

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After I got pregnant, I kept working. But right before I was about to land a huge client, my boss’s assistant, Tiffany, tried to fire me. Her reason? I threw up too much and went to the bathroom “too often.” Fuming, I marched into my boss Aldrich’s office—my husband’s office. He handed me a termination letter and said, “Company policy allows only five bathroom breaks a day. You took ten. Tiffany has every right to fire you. And you’re pregnant—just stay home and rest.” My eyes dropped to the floor. A corner of a lace thong was sticking out from under his couch. So he was cheating. I said nothing. I slapped the termination letter across his face. The moment I walked out of the building, I called our biggest competitor. “Do you limit how many times employees can use the bathroom? If not, I’ll bring my client to you tomorrow.” “Serena, are you messing with me?” Daniel’s voice on the other end of the line was laced with shock. “I’m not kidding,” I said, my voice calm. “If you agree, I’ll bring the Evergreen Holdings deal I secured straight to you tomorrow to sign. Once that’s done, you’ll be the top company in Northwood.” Daniel hesitated. “Are you having problems with Aldrich? Is this call just to spite him?” “Everyone in the industry knows you’re the powerhouse, carrying all the major accounts for Aldrich’s company.” “You sold your parents’ apartment to fund his startup, and you’ve personally landed every single contract for the company all these years.” “For the Evergreen Holdings mega-deal, you pushed yourself so hard you nearly passed out from severe morning sickness. Employees wanted to rush you to the ER, but you were so worried about delaying the signing, you stubbornly…” I froze, surprised he knew about what happened recently. Listening to him, I just managed a bitter smile. Yeah, everyone in the industry knew how much I cared for Aldrich. I once believed we’d build our empire together, side by side, until the very end. But today, I was dealt a blow that shattered me awake from that beautiful dream. Aldrich and I started with nothing, two broke students, determined to carve out our own space in this big city. We built everything from scratch, pushing hard until today, finally owning our own company. Six months ago, when I told him I was pregnant, his hands trembled with excitement. But when I suggested we get married, he fell silent for a long time before finally speaking. “Serena, once we secure Evergreen Holdings, our company will be number one. Our dream of making it big in this city will finally be realized.” “Don’t you want to walk down the aisle when we’re at our peak, at our most glorious moment?” “Let’s get married after we close the Evergreen contract, okay?” I agreed. Yesterday, Evergreen Holdings confirmed the partnership, and the signing date was set. I was so overwhelmed, I collapsed on the street outside the office and ended up in the hospital. When I woke up, I rushed back to the company to prepare for the final signing. But I couldn’t get in. The facial recognition failed; I’d been blacklisted. I found a familiar intern to let me in, only to find my office supplies dumped in the trash. Photos of Aldrich and me were covered in footprints, my smiling face defaced with black marker. And sitting at my personal desk was the new secretary—Tiffany. With her bright red nails, she scrolled through her phone, pulling up three months’ worth of my bathroom break surveillance videos. “New company rule: no more than five bathroom breaks during working hours, each not exceeding five minutes.” “You go a dozen times a day. Who knows if you’re actually working or just taking a break?” “If everyone acted like you, how would the company function?” I was stunned. Since when did the company have such a rule? I went to Aldrich’s office and told him what happened. He simply said, his tone flat: “Tiffany was headhunted from a major corporation. The rules she’s implementing are based on big company experience. We, of course, have to follow them.” I tried to suppress my anger, explaining that my frequent bathroom trips were due to pregnancy and work stress. He waved his hand dismissively. “That’s just your weak constitution; don’t use it as an excuse.” “Today, I’ll make an exception because of your morning sickness. But in the future, if someone takes a break in the bathroom and then claims to be sick with diarrhea, am I supposed to pretend I don’t see it? How can I manage then?” My face flushed with anger, my eyes burning. In his eyes, my pregnancy sickness was no different from an upset stomach. I was about to say something more when Tiffany walked in, phone in hand. “Serena, company policy states pregnant employees should be terminated. I only didn’t fire you out of respect for Aldrich.” “But now you’ve violated the rules too many times. If I don’t act, other employees will lose respect for me. How can I lead my team?” “Besides, you’re expecting at your age; you should be home resting. Constantly running to the bathroom doesn’t just affect efficiency, it makes our company look unprofessional.” I stared at her, my voice icy. “My pregnancy, and my frequent bathroom trips, didn’t stop me from securing the Evergreen Holdings deal for the company.” “I’m also a VP here. This policy was never approved by me, so it shouldn’t have been implemented.” Her eyes welled up, and Aldrich slammed his hand on the desk. “Enough!” He saw the shock and tears in my eyes, frowned, and said impatiently: “I’m the one who set the rules. If you have a problem, take it up with me. You’re already fired. Stop pulling rank on her.” “And don’t bring up the deal. Tiffany told me you’ve been skipping out on work, constantly running to the bathroom. The rest of the team did everything.” “If working while pregnant is too stressful for you, making you run to the bathroom all the time, then isn’t Tiffany doing you a favor by firing you and sending you home to rest? Instead of thanking her, you’re bullying her right in front of your direct supervisor?” He furrowed his brow. “Apologize to Tiffany, now!”

Apologize? I took a long, hard look at the man I’d loved for ten years, from college sweetheart to business partner. There was a time when a key employee, disrespectful of a woman in charge, talked back to me. Aldrich, without a second thought for the crucial technology that employee held, told him to pack his bags and leave on the spot. He held my hand, standing firm in front of the entire company. “Serena is my wife and my business partner. Disrespecting her is disrespecting me. Furthermore, our company has no room for employees who disrespect women.” Those words spread online, earning us countless praises, and we were even named Best Enterprise that year. Just one year later, he was tolerating a new assistant, God knows where he found her, being disrespectful to me, and discriminating against a pregnant woman. I took a deep breath, about to speak, when my peripheral vision caught a glimpse of underwear tucked under a couch cushion. Embroidered with small snowflakes. It wasn’t mine. A mix of absurdity and nausea churned in my stomach. My feet swayed, and as I looked up, Tiffany was staring at me, a defiant glint in her eyes. It was hers. The words caught in my throat suddenly lost all meaning. I pulled my ID badge from my pocket and threw it on the couch. “You want to fire me? Fine. But according to regulations, I expect my severance package. If I don’t see the money by tonight, I won’t hesitate to take your ‘rules’ to arbitration. And when that happens, I won’t be the one losing face or paying the fines.” “Also, *I* landed this project. You fire me, and you can forget about the Evergreen Holdings deal.” Watching their faces cycle through shades of green and white, I sneered and walked out of the office. The first thing I did was call Daniel. There was no way I was letting them benefit from the project I worked so hard for while they were busy betraying me. Daniel’s voice came through. “Whether you’re doing this to spite Aldrich or not, I’m taking you seriously. If you come, my VP position is yours. And if you’re worried about managing a baby later, I can help with that too.” “That won’t be necessary,” I said, smiling. But for some reason, his voice on the other end dropped, a hint of disappointment in it. “Alright then. See you at the signing tomorrow.” I hung up and went home to pack. Good thing we weren’t married; otherwise, I’d be figuring out a divorce too. But the baby… I touched my belly. A few seconds later, my gaze hardened. With a father like Aldrich, it was better to raise this child on my own. I got home early and started packing. In the corner of the study was a storage box with a note taped to it: “Aldrich’s treasures, please do not touch.” This was the box he kept all my gifts in. He even collected my old water cups and hair ties. He used to say: “These will all be shown to our precious son someday, to tell him they’re tokens of our love.” I had intended to cut all ties with him, but seeing that box, my heart still ached. I opened it. The moment it opened, I froze. Inside weren’t my old things, but a pile of toys and lubricants. My head exploded with a buzzing sound. On the computer, Aldrich’s SnapChat was still open, and messages with Tiffany kept popping up: “Protecting you is what I should do. If you hadn’t helped me relieve stress these past few months, I would’ve exploded.” “Wear the bunny girl outfit tonight to celebrate the successful signing, okay?” My vision blurred, but I bit back the nausea and saved all the chat logs and videos to my phone. Still furious, I grabbed a bag of fuzzy peaches and rubbed them all over those disgusting items, back and forth. You want to play games? Fine. Play all you want. My things packed, I was about to leave when the door suddenly swung open. Aldrich walked in, saw me with my luggage, paused, then smiled. “What’s wrong? I just said a few things. Is that reason enough to get mad and run away?” “I’m just being professional, you know? You’re my wife, so I have to be even stricter with you for the others to follow rules.” “Alright, stop messing around. I bought your favorite steak. Tonight, we’ll celebrate tomorrow’s signing.” I was about to speak, but Tiffany came in behind him. “Aldrich, I don’t like my steak medium-well, make it medium-rare.” “Right, Tiffany likes it tender. Make sure you cook it well.” “Tiffany’s been so busy, she hasn’t eaten all day, unlike you, who got to go home early.” He pressed a package of fish into my hands, trying to push me toward the kitchen. My face went cold, and I threw the fish back. “I won’t cook it.” His face immediately darkened, and he grabbed my arm. “What’s wrong with you? Is pregnancy making you stupid? You can’t even handle this?” “You embarrassed Tiffany at the office today. I specially invited her here so you could personally cook her a meal as an apology, and you’re still being difficult?” “Aldrich, it’s okay. Serena’s pregnant with your baby, it’s normal for her to be moody. I can take it.” Tiffany cut in. “Just because she’s pregnant, she can act like this?” Aldrich grew even angrier at her words. He dragged me to the kitchen, pushed me in, and locked the door. “You’re not coming out until you cook dinner!” I stumbled and fell. A sharp, twisting pain shot through my belly, and cold sweat instantly drenched me. I pounded on the door, crying out. “Aldrich! Let me out! My stomach hurts so bad… I fell… Take me to the hospital…” “Aldrich, I think Serena’s just mad I’m eating dinner here, and she’s trying to use the baby to manipulate you. Maybe I should just leave?” The footsteps outside paused, then his cold voice came through the door: “I just asked you to cook dinner? Is that reason enough to threaten me with the baby’s safety? You’re crazy!” I couldn’t tell if it was heartbreak or abdominal pain, but I kept knocking, pleading. “Cook if you want, don’t if you don’t. Come on, Tiffany, let’s go to that Michelin-starred place instead.” “Oh, Aldrich, you’re so sweet~” I was in too much pain to speak. “I’m not lying… really… it hurts so bad…” My only answer was the *bang* of the front door closing. My vision went black, and I passed out.

When I woke up again, I was in a hospital bed. And the person watching over me was Daniel. He visibly relaxed when he saw my eyes open. “I called you a bunch of times, but no answer. You scared me to death. I thought you and Aldrich had a huge fight and he might have hurt you, so I rushed over.” “Then I found you collapsed in the kitchen. The doctor said you just fell and bruised your stomach; the baby is fine.” I managed a bitter smile. My injury and collapse *were* because Aldrich had effectively “hurt” me, in a way. I gratefully thanked him, then picked up my phone, wanting to contact Evergreen Holdings’ representative. I planned to tell him I’d left Aldrich’s company and jumped ship to Daniel’s. But my phone screen was flooded with texts from Tiffany. And videos. “Bitch, so what if you’re carrying Aldrich’s kid? You still got sent home to be a housewife? Giving your desk and your job to me?” “Aldrich said he’s sick of you, always working, no fun at all. And you smell gross when you’re pregnant. He prefers someone young like me, hehehe. Who knows, maybe soon I’ll be more than just his VP at work.” “Oh, and Aldrich said since you’re a housewife now, how can you be the Evergreen project lead? Don’t come to the signing tomorrow. I’ll go instead. Save them from seeing your disgusting face and throwing up.” I stared at her taunts and videos, expressionless. Before I could even react, Daniel exploded. “What the hell is this? How dare she talk to you like that!” “You’re not even mad? Do you really love Aldrich that much? Enough to just let this trashy woman walk all over you?” Daniel’s eyes were red. “Serena, if I had a wife as amazing as you, I’d cherish you every single day. I’d never let you suffer.” I calmly texted Tiffany back: “The garbage man is all yours. But you can forget about my project.” I looked up at Daniel, bewildered. “What did you just say?” He gritted his teeth. “Nothing. I just said I’m your boss, and if they dare try to steal your project, I’ll make them pay.” I nodded. “Okay.” The doctor recommended strict rest to prevent a miscarriage. I immediately asked Daniel for three months of leave, planning to rest at home after the signing. As I left the obstetrics department, I bumped into a man and a woman. Both were covered in red rashes, constantly scratching at their bodies. When Aldrich saw me, his face instantly paled, and he rushed to question me. “Serena, did you mess with anything in my study? What did you put in there? The doctor says if they can’t find the allergen, we’ll keep itching like this!” I instantly understood. They must have used the clothes that had peach fuzz on them. I said blandly, “What ‘thing’? Tell me, so I can try to remember if I touched it.” He flushed, but dared not explain clearly. I sneered, pulled out the videos I’d saved from his SnapChat yesterday and the videos Tiffany sent me, and laid everything bare. “Oh, you mean this bunny girl outfit? I was eating peaches yesterday, and I think I accidentally dropped some fuzz on the clothes.” “You!” His face was ashen, and he cursed under his breath. “You’re crazy, spying on my computer! And sending someone to record our videos! What are you trying to do?” He pointed at me and yelled: “You did this to us! I’m not letting you get away with it! Get on your knees and apologize to me and Tiffany right now! And transfer the Evergreen project to her!” “Otherwise, the wedding’s off, and you can look forward to being an unemployed single mom!”

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On my Valentine’s Day wedding, six different men showed up at my door, each with a child in tow. They all swore the kids were mine. They even pulled out DNA test results. My fiancé, Daniel, arrived late and saw the scene, then lashed out, hitting me. The six men joined in, punching and kicking me. Until my last breath, I had no idea. I didn’t even know these men. How could I have had children with them? When I opened my eyes again, it was February 13th. The day before the wedding. “Goodnight, babe. Sleep tight. Tomorrow, you’ll be the most beautiful bride in the world. Love you” Daniel hung up the phone. The dial tone in my ear made me realize I had been reborn. In my previous life, Daniel and I were so in love. Before the wedding, he wouldn’t even dare to touch me. He cherished me like a fragile treasure. But on our wedding day, when those six men slandered me, he didn’t listen to any of my explanations. He just started hitting and kicking me. The fear in my heart was greater than my disappointment. The most important thing now was to cancel tomorrow’s wedding. When I knocked on my parents’ bedroom door, a flicker of surprise crossed their eyes. “Eliza, why are you still awake so late?” my dad asked. “Mom, Dad, I’m canceling tomorrow’s wedding.” “What?!” “What?! No way!” My mom’s reaction was really strange. They had never said a harsh word to me my entire life, almost always giving me whatever I wanted. Maybe my request today was just too unreasonable. My dad patted my mom’s shoulder reassuringly and then looked at me. “Eliza, canceling a wedding isn’t just ‘saying’ it. Some distant relatives are already on their way, and the hotel food is all prepared. You can’t just cancel it like that.” “Did you and Daniel have a fight? You’re such a spoiled girl, it’s our fault for letting you get so headstrong.” I looked at them calmly, “Daniel cheated on me.” In my last life, he not only didn’t show up on time for the ceremony, but he was also late to the altar, and he had obvious hickeys on his neck. “How could that be? Are you overthinking it?” My mom’s gaze was incredibly cold. Normally, if I’d told her Daniel cheated, she’d immediately drag me to his house to confront him. “Anyway, I’m not going to the wedding tomorrow. You guys contact the hotel and cancel it.” My parents had handled all the arrangements for Daniel’s and my wedding. Daniel’s parents had passed away, and his older brother and sister-in-law had put him through college. “If you suddenly cancel the wedding, where will your dad and I ever show our faces again?!” That phrase sounded so familiar. In my last life, when those six men slandered me, and everyone around us was pointing fingers, My mom had said, “How could you do something so shameful behind our backs? You’ve completely ruined your dad’s and my reputation!” Back then, I was so busy trying to refute those men that I completely missed my parents’ abnormal behavior. “How about this, since you and Daniel aren’t legally married, let’s just go through with the wedding. If he really did cheat, it won’t be too late to break up with him afterwards.” My dad kept shooting glances at my mom. She agreed with him. “I’ve already posted in the family chat. No one’s coming tomorrow.” With that, I turned and went into my bedroom. Reborn, nothing was more important than my life. This time, I was definitely staying far away from those inexplicable men. I spent the entire night in a nightmare. Early in the morning, my bedroom door was pounded violently. “Eliza, get out here! After what you’ve done, you have the nerve to lock your door!” It was my mom’s voice. I had a terrible feeling. I couldn’t open that door.

I peered out the window, and sure enough, there was a crowd of people gathered, watching. My apartment’s on the ground floor. If I jumped out the window now, everyone would see me. While I was still wondering what to do, my dad suddenly broke down the bedroom door. He had an expression I’d never seen before, deadly serious. “Come out here.” I stiffened and walked into the living room, where I saw those six men and children again from my previous life. My heart skipped a beat; I even forgot to breathe. I had thought my parents were going to force me to go to the hotel for the ceremony. I never expected these six men to show up at my house. The six children swarmed around me. “Mommy.” “Mommy.” … Their incessant chattering gave me a headache. Looking at their faces, some of them vaguely resembled me. No wonder my parents believed them. Even I almost believed it. “Eliza always seemed like such a sweet, quiet girl. Who knew she was secretly having kids with six different men?” “What do you know? These days, young people’s private lives are a disaster.” “These guys are practically Mr. Vance’s age, and their clothes are totally worn out. What did she ever see in them?” “Maybe she just has a thing for older men.” “Mr. Vance, I’ve been single my whole life, make your daughter have a baby for me too!” “Me too, me too! Have one for me!” “My wife died twenty years ago. Can I spend a few nights with her?” The neighbors’ words sent shivers down my spine. My parents, meanwhile, sat on the sofa, completely unmoved. I forcefully pushed the children away. “Who’s your mom? Don’t call me that!” That push made my living room erupt. The rising cries attracted even more onlookers. It was a holiday, so probably half the people in the apartment complex were standing outside my door. “How can you push your own children like that, you monster?” “Exactly! No matter what, they’re your flesh and blood!” “You were the one who insisted on having a child with me, and then after the baby was born, you just ran off and didn’t care.” One of the men hugged a three or four-year-old girl, sitting on the floor and wiping his tears. “She told you the same thing? So you said the exact same words to six different men? And I looked for you with our child for so long!” This man’s child was older. The children ranged from about three or four to seven or eight years old. I was in school every day; when would I have time to have children? My best friend, Chloe, could vouch for me! In my last life, Chloe had gone to look for Daniel, missing this whole scene with the men. Last night, I had already told Chloe that the wedding was canceled. She hadn’t asked why, she just completely agreed. I was about to call her when a man snatched my phone and smashed it to the floor. “You tramp! Who are you trying to call now? Aren’t we enough for you? You’re really putting on an act!” “I heard you’re getting married today. I want to see which man dares to marry a whore like you.” “What are you doing! I’m not the woman you’re looking for!” Seeing my phone shattered to pieces, my anger reached its peak. “Still denying it?! You have a red birthmark on your shoulder, don’t you?!” “And two black moles on your waist.” “And a red mole on your left breast.” “And a butterfly tattoo on your inner thigh.” The men’s descriptions were spot-on, but I didn’t know them at all, nor had I ever slept with them. “If you want to prove we have the wrong person, take off your clothes.” “Yeah, yeah, take off your clothes.”

“Take off your clothes!” “Yeah, yeah, take off your clothes!” “Look at her, acting all innocent. She probably wanted to strip all along!” Someone rushed at me and, before I could react, violently ripped open the buttons of my sleepwear. The red birthmark on my shoulder and the red mole on my chest made the onlookers even more certain that I was the woman they were looking for. A powerful wave of shame washed over me. I hugged my clothes to myself and crouched down. “This is all a coincidence! I don’t know any of them! Mom, Dad, please, get them out of here!” Tears streamed down my cheeks as I looked to my parents for help. But my parents, who had been sitting on the sofa, were nowhere to be seen. Seeing that I couldn’t find my parents, more and more people surged in. They tackled me to the ground. Some even started pulling down my pants. “Let’s see if she has a tattoo on her butt!” Someone took advantage of the chaos, touching me inappropriately. Nausea and helplessness overwhelmed me. I struggled with all my might. But my wrists and ankles were held down tightly. “She’s had six kids and still has a body like that. She’s a born slut.” “Wonder if it’s all stretched out down there.” “Nope, still pink.” “Get off me! Get off me! All of you, get away! I’ll call the cops!” [Slap, slap, slap, slap!] A man slapped my face hard four times. A metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. “Call the cops? I’m the one who should be calling the cops! What’s the difference between you and a hooker?!” “Everyone here today gets a piece! One dollar a turn!” “Me! Me!” “Me! Me! I’ll pay two dollars!” The intense humiliation made me want to die. But my entire body was pinned down, unable to move. Was I truly helpless, even after being reborn? “Eliza, I can’t believe how depraved you are! I’ve been waiting for you at the hotel for ages, and you’re here having a damn orgy with all these men!” Daniel, looking deceptively charming in his suit, pushed through the crowd. The disgust in his eyes was absolute. But at this moment, he was the only person I could possibly appeal to. “Daniel… help… help me…” “Help you?! You’ve put me through so much, how do you even have the nerve to be alive?!” He raised his foot and stomped hard on my face. “Oh, so you’re the groom today, huh?” “Tsk, tsk Looks like you play around a lot too. You didn’t even wipe your mouth after sneaking a bite.” “It just goes to show you, people always find their own kind, they really weren’t wrong.” Daniel was pushed out of the living room by the other men. Just then, police sirens wailed outside my house. “It’s her man who called the police!” “No, no, not me.” Daniel was intimidated by their aggressive demeanor and kept shaking his head. “I called them.” Chloe’s voice stood out distinctly among the men’s shouts. I felt like I had found my lifeline. She helped me clean up and change my clothes. When I returned to the living room, the crowd of onlookers had disappeared. Only the six men and six children remained. Daniel cowered by the doorway. And my parents were talking to the two police officers. “It’s all a misunderstanding, officers. My daughter, Eliza, is shameless. She’s had so many children outside of marriage. My husband and I are utterly humiliated.” My dad hugged my mom, who was sobbing as she spoke. Everyone looked at me with complex expressions the moment they saw me. Daniel’s anger was about to explode; he looked like he wanted to rush over and strangle me.

“Mommy” “Mommy…” “Mommy!” The children rushed forward again, trying to hug me, but Chloe blocked them. “Mr. and Mrs. Vance! You know what kind of person Eliza is!” “How can you believe these men’s baseless claims? She’s your own daughter! How could you just stand there and watch her be humiliated by a group of men?!” Chloe’s eyes were red as she confronted my parents. But they seemed utterly possessed, unwilling to even look at me. “Who said our claims are baseless? We have DNA test results.” The six men simultaneously produced six paternity test reports. “If you doubt their authenticity, you can ask the police to arrange new tests.” Of course, I demanded new tests. The police called for a forensic doctor to take blood samples from me and the six children. When the results came back, I was stunned. The paternity test results for all six children were >99.99%. “Now what do you have to say?!” Daniel spat at me angrily. Even my parents had expressions like they’d known it all along. Only Chloe repeatedly checked all six reports. “How is this possible? No… This absolutely can’t be…” Although the police were in the living room, some bolder onlookers still lingered outside the door. Officer Blake cleared his throat. “We can’t legally intervene in this matter. Perhaps you should try to work this out amongst yourselves.” I rushed forward and blocked the officers. “No, this isn’t right! I don’t know these men at all! I demand a physical examination!” “A doctor will know if I’ve given birth!” The police agreed with me and were about to call the forensic doctor back. “Examine what?! If you want to be shameless, do you have to drag me down with you?!” “I might as well just die!” My mom made a move to bang her head against the wall. The two police officers, before they could even pull out their phones, rushed to stop her. “If my daughter were that shameless, I’d want to die too.” “Mr. and Mrs. Vance have always been decent, hardworking people. I can’t believe their lifetime reputation has been ruined by their own daughter.” “Even the DNA tests prove these kids are hers, and she’s still trying to deny it.” The police officers saved my mom and then looked at me with sharp, scrutinizing eyes. “Forensic doctors are very busy every day; paternity tests can’t be faked. If you say the children aren’t yours, whose are they?” I wanted to know too. Why were even my own parents helping these men, trying to drag my name through the mud? In my last life, I died without ever knowing why these men wanted to harm me. In the flashes of memories before death, many forgotten things appeared, but none seemed relevant. Seeing my silence, the police were about to leave again. They couldn’t leave. Otherwise, I would end up like my last life, beaten to death. And Chloe might get hurt too. If I was reborn and couldn’t save myself, and even harmed Chloe, then what was the point of being reborn?! Looking at the six children, a crucial piece of information flashed in my mind. I blocked the police again. “I know whose children these are.” The officers followed my gaze, sweeping across the children. “Whose?” “They’re my mom’s.” My mom’s sobbing body stiffened. Her face turned red, then white. “Eliza, what are you talking about?! I don’t know any of these people!” I ignored her and continued speaking to the police, “Daniel knows too. They conspired to frame me, to put me to death.” The neighbors watching were completely shocked.

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My wife, who always hated plush toys, suddenly bought a large teddy bear and started sleeping with it every night. She left me out in the cold. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I proposed divorce at our daughter’s first birthday party. Everyone was stunned. Vivian grabbed a glass of wine and splashed it across my face, her voice seething with anger: “You’re jealous of a teddy bear? Are you out of your mind?!” I calmly wiped the wine from my face, my voice flat. “Didn’t you tell the teddy bear you wanted to be with it forever? I’m granting your wish.” “Ryan Henderson!” “Our daughter just turned one, and you’re using such an absurd excuse to divorce me. You’re an absolute jerk.” Vivian’s eyes were red, and her entire body trembled with rage. “Sign it.” “Nine AM tomorrow, the divorce is final.” I couldn’t be bothered to say another word. I tossed the divorce papers onto the table and turned to leave. All the guests were dumbfounded again. No one understood why our seemingly perfect marriage, one everyone envied, was suddenly falling apart so spectacularly. A flicker of panic and disbelief crossed Vivian’s eyes. Her parents frowned, their faces instantly darkening. They clearly hadn’t expected me to be so resolute. Her assistant, Jeremy Stone, grabbed my arm, pulling me back and trying to reason with me: “Don’t all girls love plushies? Don’t be crazy, Ryan. Apologize to Vivian, now.” “Don’t forget, Vivian nearly died giving birth to your daughter. She held on without an epidural and was unconscious for two days from the pain.” “She slept in a separate room and took care of Lily herself because she didn’t want to disturb your rest. Why can’t you see how much she sacrifices?” The guests chimed in, chastising me. “Jeremy’s right. You two have a great life, why are you messing it up? Do you know how many people envy you for marrying such a good woman?” “If something’s wrong, you should sit down and talk it over. You shouldn’t take your frustrations out on your wife and threaten divorce.” Vivian took a deep breath, composed herself, and rushed forward to hug me. “Honey,” she said. “We’ve known each other, fallen in love, and stayed together for twelve years. I know you’re usually so gentle, you never get angry.” “Did something happen at the company? Are you afraid of implicating me, that’s why you want a divorce? Please tell me, we can figure it out together.” Seeing her defend me like this, everyone praised her, making me seem even more ungrateful. “Ryan, even though I’m retired and haven’t handled business in a while, people still respect me.” “We’re family. Just say what’s on your mind, don’t keep it bottled up.” Vivian’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke, still choosing to believe in my character. After all, I was the son-in-law they had carefully chosen. Ignoring everyone’s stares, I pushed Vivian away, my voice icy. “It’s simple. I don’t love you anymore.” A hush fell over the entire room. “What? Say that again…” Vivian froze, tears slowly welling up in her eyes. “I said, I don’t love you anymore!” “Did you hear me clearly this time?” With that, I walked past Vivian, ready to leave. “Hold it right there!” The next second, Jeremy grabbed my collar, shouting: “Stop making a scene, okay? Even I, your assistant, can’t stand this.” “Have you forgotten how much you loved Vivian? You chased her for three whole years! And it took another six years for you to get married!” “Have you forgotten what you said at your wedding? You promised to be together forever, until old age.” “And your daughter is one year old! Do you want her to grow up in a broken home?!” Seeing him stand up for Vivian, I gave a mocking smile. “What’s it to you? Why are you so eager? Could it be…?” Jeremy cut me off, becoming even more aggressive. “Anyone with a conscience would be disgusted by a monster like you.” “You came from nothing, but Vivian never looked down on you. Instead, she brought you into her family’s company.” “If it weren’t for the Hendersons, would you have the good life you have today? Would you be sitting as CEO?” *Smack!* I slapped him directly, challenging him: “You’re just an assistant. You don’t get a say.” Vivian immediately panicked. “Ryan Henderson, are you insane? Why did you hit Jeremy?!” She shoved me hard, rushing to help Jeremy, who had fallen to the ground. Her eyes were filled with concern. “He deserved it!” I clenched my fist, feeling no guilt at all, my tone righteous. Instantly, I drew everyone’s disgust.

They all believed my usual good temper was just an act. That I was actually hypocritical and volatile. Jeremy looked at Vivian. “I’m sorry, Vivian. It’s my fault.” “I shouldn’t have spoken out. I made Ryan angry, please don’t blame him.” He hung his head, looking very apologetic. “It’s not your fault.” “I got you into this.” Vivian comforted him, then turned to me, her voice pleading. “Honey, our issues don’t need to involve other people.” “Today is Lily’s birthday party, can we please not make a scene? I’m begging you.” As she spoke, Vivian began to cry. Her compromise. My stubbornness. It was a stark contrast. All the guests sided with Vivian. Mr. Henderson took a deep breath, and kindly urged me again. “Ryan, for all these years, you’ve been diligent, dedicated to our family, and respectful.” “There’s really no need to make such a mess.” “If you can provide solid proof that you’ve been wronged, I will personally see that justice is done.” He offered me an out. But I didn’t take it. Instead, I remained as cold as ever, stating firmly: “This divorce is happening.” Instantly, Mr. Henderson’s face turned ashen. Vivian, her face streaked with tears, stared at me. “Honey, do you have someone else?” “Say whatever you want. If you think I do, then I do.” I said calmly. “Enough!” Mr. Henderson finally lost his temper, roaring: “Ryan Henderson, I’m giving you three days to think about this.” “Either you sort things out and be a proper husband.” “Or we’ll see you in court, and you’ll leave with absolutely nothing.” “Don’t forget, everything you have today, I gave you.” His words were harsh. Everyone assumed I would finally relent. But I turned and walked away. Outside, Shelly Miller, my former classmate, had been waiting for me for a while. “I’ve already sent people to Europe.” “You’ll have answers to what you’re looking into very soon.” She said with a smile. “Thank you.” “In three days, I’ll be facing Vivian in court. I’ll need you to represent me as my lawyer.” I leaned back in the car seat, utterly exhausted, and pulled out my phone. I found a surveillance video. It showed Vivian’s beloved teddy bear casually walking out of the side bedroom. It even danced for the living room camera. Three days was enough time for me to prepare and let this whole thing settle.

I had planned to stay at a hotel, but then realized all my bank cards were frozen. That’s when it hit me: over the past year, financial control had gradually shifted back into the Henderson family’s hands. Even the bank account names had been changed to Vivian Henderson. Outwardly, I lived in a harmonious, happy home, but in reality, I was utterly alone. After staying a night at Shelly’s place, I went to the company the next day to get my belongings. As soon as I entered the lobby, I was met with a barrage of complaints from employees. “That useless idiot, no sense at all, asking for a divorce. Dumber than a brick.” “Vivian just likes sleeping with a teddy bear, so what? I like it too!” “He probably saw that Vivian’s body changed a bit after giving birth and got tired of her, looking for new things. Maybe he’s got seven or eight mistresses on the side.” Their gazes were like those of a jury staring at a criminal, full of judgment. Before I could respond, Vivian’s voice came from behind me: “Everyone, quiet down. Who told you to gossip? Get back to work.” The employees grumbled and dispersed. “Honey.” “I bought you a watch. Try it on.” Vivian pulled a brand-new wristwatch from her bag. It immediately drew gasps of admiration. “A limited-edition Patek Philippe! Only three were made, bought by a mysterious collector.” “Vivian must have gone through so much trouble to get this watch. She’s so thoughtful.” Everyone looked on with envy. But my attitude remained cold. I refused. “I’m here to get my family heirloom. You can give that watch to your teddy bear.” At those words, Vivian froze. The employees were furious, calling me heartless. I pretended not to hear and headed upstairs. When my parents passed away, the only thing they left me was a pendant, which they said would protect me. I had always worn it around my neck. Vivian had often complained that her office was eerie and that she heard strange noises. So, I took off my pendant and hung it in Vivian’s office. After that, there were no more strange noises. She didn’t deserve to keep it now. As I entered Vivian’s office, I saw Jeremy playing with Lily. “Ryan.” “You’re finally back. A good life is better than anything, come look at your daughter.” “She’s so cute, how could you bear to abandon her?” Jeremy picked up Lily and walked towards me. “Move.” I frowned in disgust. “Ryan.” “This is your daughter. Are you really not even willing to look at her?” Jeremy demanded loudly. “Get lost!” I impatiently pushed Jeremy aside and quickly entered the office, taking down the pendant from the wall. Then I heard crying. I turned to see Jeremy and Lily on the floor. Just then, Vivian and several senior executives walked into the office, witnessing the scene. Vivian quickly picked up Lily, carefully checked for injuries, and breathed a sigh of relief when she found none. “What exactly happened?” Her gaze shifted between me and Jeremy. Jeremy, head bowed, replied, “I wanted Ryan to see Lily, but he refused and pushed me away.” “It’s my fault for being useless. If I had just stood steady, I wouldn’t have fallen.” What? Vivian listened, then turned and slapped me, yelling: “How could you become so heartless? That’s your own daughter!” “She’s only one year old! What if she had been seriously hurt?!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “306126”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn