My neighbor, Maria Watson, and I went into labor at the same time. I was rushed to the hospital by my husband, Isaac Powell, only to give birth to a stillborn child. Isaac scolded me, “Is this what happens when you act so carelessly during pregnancy? No wonder you ended up with a freak of a child.” I lost my baby, my reputation was destroyed, and I was forced into a divorce, leaving me with nothing. One day, I overheard Isaac talking to Maria, “Lucky we swapped your stillborn with Laura’s healthy baby. If your husband’s parents found out, they’d know that dead baby was mine.” That’s when I found out—Isaac and Maria had been sleeping together the whole time. He had purposely pushed me into premature labor just so he could switch my healthy child with hers. I confronted him, but instead of an explanation, he and Maria shoved me into the bathtub and drowned me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I went into premature labor. This time, I was determined to make sure Maria bore the stillborn and expose the affair between her and Isaac to everyone. ***** As they pressed me underwater, fighting for breath, I begged Isaac to spare me—for the sake of the years we had spent together. Isaac looked down at me, disgust in his eyes. “Laura, I’ve had enough of you. You act like you’re the boss because of your job, but I’m a man, not your servant. Maria’s different. She loves me and treats me like a king. She gives me the dignity of being a man.” Maria stood smugly behind him, grinning at me with satisfaction. “Laura, thank you for giving me such a good man and such a healthy baby. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have known what to do with my stillborn.” I tried to struggle, but they pressed me harder into the water. Just before I lost consciousness, I saw my biological daughter, Arya, the one who had been swapped, running toward me, shouting, trying to stop them—but she was slapped so hard, blood pouring from her mouth and nose. But then, I opened my eyes again. I was back to the day Isaac had pushed me into premature labor. Isaac was flipping through my medical records, discussing things eagerly. “Laura, my mom checked, and today’s the perfect day for the baby to be born. How about we get the baby out today?” I quickly tried to gather my thoughts. In my previous life, Isaac had gone out of his way to contact someone in the obstetrics department. He stayed with me the whole time, making sure to swap my child with Maria’s. If I could avoid his contact, maybe I could save my baby. Worried he might notice something was off, I pretended to go to the bathroom and slipped downstairs. To my surprise, I ran into Isaac in the emergency room, rushing around. I followed him quietly, seeing him talk to a nurse. “Nova, we are cousins. If I hadn’t given you 200 thousand dollars to help you get into the hospital, you wouldn’t have had a chance. Don’t forget that favor. “That woman, always acting like she’s in charge because she makes money. If she gives birth, her money and property will go to that little bastard. I’ll have to serve her for the rest of my life with nothing to show for it. “Her baby’s position is wrong. I’ll push her a bit to make her labor difficult. Nova, you need to make sure she doesn’t make it to the operating table.” Isaac’s cruel words made my heart ache as if it had been torn apart. Isaac had no education, and no family background—his parents were either gambling or alcoholics. I had fallen for him because of his looks and had given up everything. When he said he didn’t want a job that paid three thousand dollars a month, I worked hard to support him while he “managed the house”. But “managing the house” meant he did nothing all day but play games and watch movies. I worked all day and still had to come home and cook for him. Last year, when I found out I was pregnant, he asked for 200 thousand dollars to ensure the baby, and I gave it to him. I didn’t know he was using that money to get Nova into the hospital and set everything up a year in advance just so I would die on the operating table. I tried to suppress my anger and planned to leave, but Isaac caught me. “Laura, what are you doing here?” Isaac looked at me suspiciously. I knew that if I didn’t come up with a good explanation, he wouldn’t hesitate to deal with me right away.

“When I came out of the bathroom, I didn’t see you. I thought you must have gone to the car first. Who’s this? A friend of yours?” I smiled at Nova, hoping Isaac wouldn’t notice my unease. He didn’t, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Isaac shook his head. “Not really. I was just asking about some insurance details. Let’s go, honey. I’ve already arranged the ward, and we’re going for the C-section this afternoon. By the way, our neighbor Maria lives next door. You two might end up giving birth around the same time.” Back in the room, Isaac walked in carrying fruit. My palms were sweating from nervousness. Isaac said, “Honey, that’s too much fruit. Could you send some over to Maria? Since we’re neighbors, it’d be nice to share.” I remembered the same moment from my previous life—Isaac had asked me to deliver fruit to Maria, but I ended up running into Maria’s husband, Hugh Watson. Hugh was a sailor, often away for long stretches. Isaac had taken advantage of Hugh’s absence to sleep with Maria, and when Hugh came home two months later, Maria was already pregnant. To avoid raising suspicion, they delayed the birth until now, even though Maria’s due date had been last month. They both knew the truth: the baby in Maria’s womb had died from lack of oxygen. They needed to swap my healthy baby with hers, or Hugh would definitely get suspicious if she gave birth to a stillborn. When I went to deliver the fruit, Maria would intentionally fall and blame me. Hugh had a fiery temper, and when he saw the scene, he would kick me, causing me to bleed and go into premature labor. In the chaos, Isaac would take the opportunity to steal my child. If I just delivered the fruit, I would be heading straight for the same tragic fate as last time. “Okay.” I tried to stay calm, took the fruit, and headed out. But then I turned back, waiting for Isaac to pack my things. I quickly took a video and posted it to Instagram. Isaac, looking uncomfortable, tried to stop me. “Why post this? We’re old married folks. What’s the point?” I immediately acted annoyed. “I’m about to give birth, and you won’t even let me post a sweet selfie? You’re grounded for the day!” I quickly left, locking the hospital room door behind me, ignoring Isaac’s attempts to knock. I knocked on Maria’s door, supporting my pregnant belly. Maria struggled to open the door. During her entire pregnancy, she’d been eating the nutrition supplements Isaac had stolen from my cupboard, making her belly swell unnaturally large. “Laura, you’re here.” Maria glared at my belly with hatred, looking like she wanted to slice me open right then and there. I kept my distance, prepared for her tricks. But even so, Maria deliberately threw herself to the ground, raising her voice to scream, “Help! Someone, help! Hugh! Laura pushed me!”

But I was faster—sitting down first, I immediately called for the doctor and nurse. When Hugh came rushing out, I was already on the floor, clutching my belly in pain and shouting for help, “The fruit is from Isaac—he said you like cherries. Even if you don’t want them, you shouldn’t push me!” Hugh was extremely traditional and controlling. Although he was often away at sea, he had very high standards for Maria’s purity and didn’t allow her to interact with other men. When he heard me, he immediately asked, “How does Isaac know Maria likes cherries?” I feigned innocence. “When you’re not home, Maria always calls Isaac when something comes up. They’re good friends, often eating and hanging out together. Isn’t it normal for friends to know each other’s preferences?” Hugh looked suspicious, and Maria panicked, grabbing at me. “Laura, stop talking nonsense. Whenever something goes wrong at home, I always call you, not Isaac. We’ve never had any private contact. It’s you who likes cherries, so Isaac just shared some with me!” In my previous life, Maria had used this same excuse to deceive Hugh. Back then, I was naive, thinking she was just a woman trying to get by. I even helped cover for her and criticized Hugh for being too paranoid and not trusting her. But this time, I wasn’t going to be so stupid. “Laura, tell me—does Maria really hang out with your husband often?” Hugh was furious, his fists clenched, as though he was ready to punch Maria at any moment. I acted confused. “Maybe I’m mistaken. Isaac usually goes out in the evenings, and I’m already in bed early because of the pregnancy. I must’ve misheard or something.” My words did nothing to ease Hugh’s suspicions. Instead, they only made him more certain that something was going on between Maria and Isaac. “Maria, tell me the truth! Or I swear, I won’t let you off the hook!” Hugh’s threat drained the color from Maria’s face. She looked at me with pure venom. “Laura, you know how much Hugh cares about this, and yet you’re trying to throw mud at me. You have such a cruel heart.” I played the innocent card. “But I really don’t know what’s going on between you and Isaac.” Maria, seething with anger, stepped forward and tried to grab me. “You’re humiliating me on purpose. If you think Isaac and I have something going on, then let him come out and face me!” Isaac wouldn’t admit to anything, and he’d certainly find a way to cover for Maria while pushing me deeper into this mess. But I had already locked the door, so Isaac wouldn’t be able to get out. Just then, Hugh, fuming, pounded on the door. “Isaac, come out here! Laura is spreading lies and slandering my wife! You better give me an explanation!” I didn’t expect the door to be so flimsy—Hugh smashed it open with just a few punches. As soon as Isaac came out, he grabbed me from the floor, his grip tight on my arm as if he were afraid I might run away. “Honey, what are you doing? We’re supposed to go for the C-section.” A chill ran through me, but it wasn’t time to give up yet. With so many people around, I didn’t believe they would dare push me into a complicated delivery. Especially with Hugh now doubting Maria and Isaac’s relationship, there was no way he’d target me the same way he did in my past life. To my surprise, Maria immediately started crying out to the people around us. “My husband’s never home, and when the lightbulb broke or the washing machine needed fixing, I had to ask Isaac for help. But Laura thinks I’m trying to seduce him, and she even came to my house a few times to threaten and destroy things. “Laura is just a jealous woman. Oh, by the way, she once said her brother was getting married and buying a house. She even asked me to sell her my house at a low price. When I refused, she held a grudge.” Maria’s story sounded convincing, but I knew her real goal. Maria kept crying. “She’s jealous of me. She pushed me just now! Hugh, are you really going to just stand by while I get bullied?” Hugh was clearly angry now, storming towards me, his hand outstretched to push me. I tried to dodge, but Isaac grabbed me and pulled me in front of him. “Honey, you really shouldn’t be talking badly about Maria. Apologize right now!” He yanked me straight into Hugh’s path. Without a word, Hugh kicked me in the stomach. The pain was so intense I couldn’t speak. As I bent over, I heard Isaac’s low chuckle. “She is about to give birth. Nurse, hurry up and get her into the operating room!”   As Isaac and Nova dragged me toward the operating room, I kept my eyes on Maria. The moment she saw me being restrained, she clutched her stomach and put on an exaggerated display of pain. “Hugh, I’m in labor. The baby’s too big—I can’t deliver naturally. I need a C-section too.” Hearing this, I immediately turned to the doctor beside me. “Isn’t the operating room only for one patient at a time? She’s not allowed in!” Maria was getting desperate. In a dramatic move, she suddenly dropped to her knees in front of me. “Laura, please don’t make this harder for me. Carrying this baby hasn’t been easy! I’m begging you!” she sobbed as if she were truly suffering, even knocking her head against the floor twice for effect. Some of the onlookers hesitated, their gazes turning suspiciously toward me. “She’s already kneeling and begging you. How can you be so heartless, you jealous woman?” From an angle only I could see, Maria shot me a smug smile. She thought this little stunt would be enough to get her into the same operating room as me. I struggled violently, shouting at everyone around me, “Maria’s baby is already dead! She’s trying to swap her stillborn for mine!” Isaac and Maria’s faces changed instantly. But Maria quickly pulled out her phone. “Laura, accusing me like this is slander. I’ll have you arrested!” She dialed the police, and as she did, she mouthed at me with a vicious smirk. “Go to hell, bitch.” I laughed. She could call the cops, and I could get backup too. Before long, the sound of sirens blared from downstairs. The bystanders started pressuring me to apologize. “You cursed someone’s baby, calling it a stillborn—how cruel can you be? Apologize now. Or would you rather be taken away by the police? Who’s going to take care of your kid then?” The crowd just wanted to smooth things over and move on. But Maria wasn’t about to let it slide so easily. She pointed at me and shrieked, “An apology isn’t enough. A woman’s reputation is everything—I want her to come to my house every day for a month and do all my chores. That’s a real apology!” Unbelievably, the onlookers actually sided with her. “Come on, isn’t that better than going to jail? You’re not carrying a royal heir or anything. Stop acting so delicate. Just agree to it.” I let out a cold laugh. “Agree my ass.” The crowd immediately bristled. “How could you talk like that?” Talk like what? I wasn’t insulting anyone. I had, in fact, agreed—to Hugh’s mother, Luna Watson. Luna was a sharp old woman, always keeping an eye on Maria’s every move. After I moved in with Isaac, she asked me to watch Maria for her and report if she had any dealings with other men. I used to believe Maria was a good wife who stayed home and behaved herself. Turned out, she had been messing around—right in Isaac’s bed. Before knocking on Maria’s door earlier, I had already texted Luna, telling her Maria was carrying a dead baby—one that had suffocated in the womb because she let the pregnancy drag on too long. Judging by the time, she should be here any moment now. Just then, the police arrived, and Maria immediately started shrieking, “It’s her! This bitch accused me of cheating—” Before she could finish, a small but fierce old woman burst out from behind the officers. With one swift motion, she yanked up Maria’s shirt, exposing her swollen belly, veins bulging under the skin.

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My mother, Grace Moore, was gravely ill, and her last wish was to meet my boyfriend, Joshua Davies—the man I’d been with for seven years. I begged him for a long time before he finally agreed. But on Christmas night, his childhood sweetheart, Lily Hall, called him, sobbing hysterically, saying she had been assaulted. Without a second thought, he left me on the highway and sped off to be with her. By the time I finished handling my mother’s funeral and returned home, I walked in to find the two of them standing close together, making bread. Lily’s tone was playful, yet a bit sharp. “I had to sacrifice my reputation to bring you back. Do you really think that if you’d gone to her house, her mother wouldn’t have used her illness to force you into marriage?” With a smirk, she added, “Now you owe me.” And Joshua? He affectionately tapped her nose, smiling, “Alright, my little troublemaker. Thank you for saving me.” That was the moment I realized just how ridiculous the past seven years had been. So, I turned around and walked away with the childhood friend who had been by my side, tirelessly helping with my mother’s funeral. Joshua went crazy, begging me to reconsider, to take him back. ***** I sighed, “She lives just a block away, and the police station’s nearby. Besides, it was an attempted assault, you know? She probably doesn’t want you, as a man, involved in this.” Christmas night, I made the mistake of saying one wrong thing. Joshua snapped at me, yelling that I lacked empathy and didn’t deserve to be a woman. He stared at me with anger in his eyes. “If it were you being assaulted, would you not need your friends around to comfort you? Aimee, where’s your compassion?” I stayed silent. I probably wouldn’t ever face that situation. After all, Lily had always kept a string attached to her ex. Things like assault, domestic abuse, or mistreatment weren’t unusual in her stories. She had mentioned them more than thirty times. I suggested she hold the man accountable, but she’d roll her eyes and accuse me of meddling. Lily didn’t seem to mind these things. She enjoyed the drama of it all. But Joshua? He was always overly concerned about her, more so than even about my own problems. Then, out of nowhere, Joshua swerved the car and turned around. “We need to take care of Lily. We’ll visit your mom some other time.” “No way! My house is only an hour and a half away. Come with me to meet my mom first. You only need to stay for an hour, just an hour—remember you promised me,” I pleaded, but Joshua remained unmoved. His coldness pierced my heart, and I felt the pain of it deep within. I shakily undid my seatbelt, desperately asking him to stop. “Joshua, please! My mom is about to give up. You promised me.” My pleading didn’t soften him even a little. And then, Lily, who had never hung up the phone, started crying even louder. “Joshua, come back! I’m alone here. I’m so scared!” Joshua was immediately drawn to her panic, his tone full of worry. “Stay at home. Don’t let anyone in. I’m coming back now.” Then, he gave me a cold, indifferent look. “You have two choices—walk back alone, or come with me to take care of Lily. In a few days, I’ll take you to see Grace.” “But you promised me…” I stammered. Joshua’s expression shifted to impatience. “Aimee, can’t you see the priorities here? Lily was almost assaulted, while Grace’s been sick for months. You can wait a few more days, can’t you?” I stared at him, stunned, my eyes wide. I grabbed his hand, unwilling to let go. Joshua, annoyed, pulled the car over, opened the door, and shoved me out. The cold winter rain hit my face. Joshua looked down at me from the car, indifferent. “Go walk back by yourself.” I couldn’t tell if it was rain or tears streaming down my face, but I acted quickly, grabbing onto the car door, pleading, “Joshua, you promised me you’d come back with me! You can’t just break your word.” Without hesitation, he slammed the door shut. My fingers were caught in the door, and I screamed in pain. Joshua’s face shifted with a flicker of concern, but before I could hope for him to make things right, I was suddenly kicked away from the car. “Want to die? Find somewhere else to do it!” he snapped coldly. The car sped away, leaving me alone, lying in the rain on the road. The cold, sharp rain made my pain unbearable. Suddenly, my phone rang with an urgent tone. My father, David Moore’s voice was furious, almost deafening. “Your mom’s gone! Why aren’t you back yet?”

By the time I got home, it was already late at night. My father dragged me to my mother’s bedside. “She waited up for you, holding on and refusing to close her eyes. Look what you’ve done.” I knelt on the floor, my tears long gone. After graduation, I joined Joshua’s company. I spent seven years as his secret girlfriend. Every time I begged him to come meet my parents, he always had an excuse to refuse. But this time, my mother was gravely ill, and her only wish was to see Joshua. I begged him over and over, and he finally agreed. Yet, in the end, he stood me up. I regretted it. I couldn’t believe I’d wasted seven years on someone like him. ***** Three days after my mother passed away, Joshua called, his tone casual, “Aimee, where did you put the hairdryer?” My voice was hoarse. “I don’t know.” Joshua’s voice rose sharply, clearly annoyed. “You don’t know?” I heard him rummaging through drawers. He snapped, “Aren’t you the one who takes care of everything around here? You’re telling me you don’t know? Aimee, what’s with the attitude? Didn’t I tell you I’d come see you in a few days? If you keep acting like this, we’re done.” I stared at the candle in front of me and blinked away the dryness in my eyes. “Whatever.” There was suddenly silence on the other end, and then he hung up. I knew he was angry again. In situations like this, I was always the one who backed down first. Because Joshua had once told me that he wouldn’t be the one to give in. If I wanted to be with him, I had to get used to being the one who always took a step down. But this time, I didn’t care. Let him be angry. I was tired. ***** Seven days later, I brought my mother’s ashes to Virelia. I’d always promised myself that when she got better, we would travel around the country together. But I never kept that promise, not even once. I arrived home in the evening. The door was ajar, and the smell of food wafted out. Joshua and Lily were busy making bread together. Lily lifted her chin, her voice teasing. “Joshua, I didn’t even care about my reputation to help you out this time. Do you believe me? If you go back with Aimee now, her mom will definitely use her illness as an excuse to force you into marriage. “People like them, once they get an opportunity to climb up, they won’t let go. I’ve seen it a million times. You’d better make it up to me later.” Joshua reached out and affectionately tapped Lily on the nose. “Don’t worry. The gift is already prepared. No one’s getting left out, especially you.” I stood at the door with my suitcase, gripping the handle tightly. So, this was the ridiculous reason Joshua had left in the first place. So, my mother hadn’t been able to leave in peace because of Lily’s jealousy. How absurd. In my agitation, the suitcase bumped against the doorframe. Joshua and Lily, standing by the island, suddenly turned around. Lily gasped, then grabbed Joshua’s arm with both hands, covered in flour. “Aimee, why are you back?” I sneered, “This is my place too. If you can come, why can’t I come back?” Lily’s eyes immediately welled up, and Joshua frowned, stepping in front of her protectively. “Lily’s been through a lot. I couldn’t let her stay home alone, so I had her stay here for a while. Be polite and don’t cause her any more harm. Don’t blame me for her issues. I’m not her ex.” I pushed the suitcase into the master bedroom. My eyes landed on a sexy silk nightgown on the bed. I never wore that kind. It was obvious whose it was. Joshua followed me, looking uncomfortable. “Lily’s a guest, and the guest room wasn’t cleaned, so I let her stay in the master bedroom.” I didn’t respond; I just started unpacking. Joshua grabbed my hand with a frown. “What are you doing?!” I raised an eyebrow at him. “She’s staying in the master bedroom, so I’ll move to the side bedroom. What’s wrong with that?” Joshua’s face darkened, and then he sneered, “Aimee, why are you being so sarcastic? I told you I’d come to see Grace after I settled Lily. Now it seems that’s not necessary. This is your punishment for not listening.”

A sharp pain stabbed through my chest as I yanked my hand away from Joshua. “You have no right to bring up my mother!” Joshua froze, about to say something, when Lily suddenly pulled off her apron, tears streaming down her face. “Aimee, please, stop fighting! I’ll just leave!” Joshua stopped her before she could go. “Lily, you’re not the one who needs to leave. This is my house—someone else should be packing their bags.” I looked at him, then at Lily, who was now standing behind him, under his protection. We had been together for six months when Joshua suggested we move in together. I insisted on paying rent. The first time I pulled out my wallet, his face darkened. “Aimee, are you insane? You think I need your money? Put that away—if anyone finds out, they’ll laugh their heads off.” Now I knew better. A man’s words were worth less than hot air—just as foul, and just as meaningless. I didn’t say another word. I packed my things, called a delivery service, and had my luggage sent to a hotel. When I picked up the last suitcase, Joshua’s expression was as dark as a storm. “Aimee, if you walk out that door, don’t bother coming back.” I didn’t even glance at him. I kept walking. The next morning, I handed in my resignation. Half a year ago, Lily had swooped in from overseas and taken my director position. Now, I was just another employee, free to leave as soon as my resignation was approved. But after waiting half the day, all I got was a message from the department manager: [Mr. Davies rejected your resignation. He wants to see you in his office.] When I walked in, Lily was sitting in Joshua’s chair, eating takeout pizza. A flood of memories hit me all at once. We have been seven years together. No one at the company ever knew. Back when we were madly in love, I once made the mistake of sitting in his chair. He ignored me for three days. But now, I finally understood. Someone else could sit in that chair. That someone just wasn’t me. Joshua pushed an unopened box of pizza toward me, his voice neutral. “Lily was kind enough to order this for you. No hard feelings.” I didn’t take it. I simply said, “Let’s not drag this out. Just approve my resignation.” His brows furrowed slightly. “You’re really quitting over this? Just because I let Lily stay at the house, you’re throwing a tantrum and resigning to prove a point? You even faked your mother’s death as an excuse?” Lily chimed in with a pitiful voice, “Yeah, Aimee, how could you say something like that? Are you seriously still mad that Joshua didn’t go with you to visit her? If it’s my fault, I’ll go with you—we can apologize to her together.” I stared at her for a moment, then suddenly laughed, “Sure. My mom’s waiting for you down there. Let’s see who dares to back out.” The color drained from both their faces. Joshua’s voice rose in anger. “Aimee, have you lost your mind?” I couldn’t be bothered to argue. “Yeah, I’m crazy. So hurry up and approve my resignation before I really make you regret it. If I tell the entire company about us, what do you think they’ll say about their oh-so-respectable general manager?” Joshua hadn’t even spoken yet when Lily shrieked in panic, “No!” “Why not?” I smirked at her and, without hesitation, shoved the office door wide open.   The commotion in the office had drawn everyone’s attention. Curious gazes landed on me from all directions. I clapped my hands together, making sure I had their full attention. “If you’re here for the drama, check the group chat! “I’ve been with Joshua for seven years. Maybe not a founding member of this company, but definitely a veteran employee. Then his childhood sweetheart waltzed in from overseas and took my position, demoting me from director to a mere employee—without so much as an explanation. “And now? I want to leave, and he won’t let me. If any of you are hoping for a stable, long-term career here, you might want to take a good look at how our boss handles things. Otherwise, you could end up just like me.” As soon as I finished speaking, the office erupted into murmurs. “Wait, wasn’t Lily supposed to be with Mr. Davies?” “She’s been hinting at it nonstop, showing off every chance she gets. It was getting unbearable.” “Aimee just dropped a kissing photo in the group chat—pretty solid proof. So Lily really was the other woman?” Joshua and Lily arrived just in time to see the aftermath, their faces instantly darkening. I suddenly understood. “Lily, so you’ve been running around telling people you’re Joshua’s girlfriend? How desperate for validation are you?” Lily’s face went completely pale. “Aimee, have you lost your mind? Joshua and I grew up together. Who the hell do you think you are? “You think you can just Photoshop a few pictures and fool everyone? Joshua, are you really going to let her slander me like this?” Joshua looked at me for a long moment—then chose Lily’s side. “Aimee, that’s enough.” And just like that, the whispers shifted again. “So it was fake?” “Knew it. No way Mr. Davies would have such bad taste.” The last shred of hope I had burned to ashes. I sneered, “Joshua, do you really think I spent seven years with you without preparing for this moment? You claim the photos are fake? Fine. But videos don’t lie. Neither do recordings. And chat logs? Those can be notarized. Let’s see who’s bluffing. “If you want to protect her, go ahead. I just want my severance and to walk away quietly. Otherwise, we can see this through the hard way.” With that, I turned and picked up my suitcase—the one holding my mother’s ashes. I had a flight this afternoon, and I wasn’t going to miss it. But before I even reached the door, Lily snapped. She lunged at me, clawing at my arm. “Aimee, you bitch!” I shielded the urn with everything I had. Then I saw it—that malicious glint in her eyes. Before I could react, she wrenched it from my grasp with all her strength. “You’re holding onto this like it’s some priceless treasure. What, did you steal it?” I yelled, “Lily, give it back!” Seizing the opportunity, she drove her foot hard into my stomach. I collapsed onto the floor, helplessly watching as she raised the urn high—then smashed it down without hesitation. The shattering sound echoed through the office. Lily’s smug expression hadn’t even faded yet. I snapped. I lunged at her, grabbing a fistful of her hair and slapping her across the face. “I’ll kill you! How dare you?” Lily’s screams and my fury left the entire office frozen in shock. Joshua rushed forward to pull me off her. Even as he pried me away, I yanked out a chunk of her hair with sheer force. Lily burst into tears, throwing herself into Joshua’s arms. “Joshua, did you see that? She’s trying to kill me!” Joshua’s grip tightened painfully around my wrist, his eyes cold as ice. “Aimee, have you lost it? You beat Lily up over a broken jar? A pile of worthless ashes?” I looked up at him, my vision red with rage. “She deserved it.” Somewhere in the crowd, a quiet voice murmured, “Wait… is that an urn?” Joshua’s hand trembled. His expression shifted from anger to confusion, then to something almost fearful. “What? What urn?”

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At the wedding of Lucas Blunt and me, Natalie Hanks, he was suddenly dressed like a best man, holding his first love, Jessica Hawkins, and heading to the altar after showing up fashionably late. Meanwhile, his sharp groom’s tux was casually tossed onto the sofa. “Lucas, isn’t today our big day…” I quizzed him. “Natalie!” Lucas cut me off sharply, his eyes flashing a warning. “Watch your mouth now. Don’t be so narrow-minded. I don’t want to end up hating you.” After hearing that, I let out a self-mocking chuckle. Just because Lucas’ first love lost her memory, everyone had to put on a show to help jog her memory. So we all had to coax her, making sure she would not be stressed out. To comfort me, Lucas stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. He whispered in my ear, “Natalie, I know you understand how important this is, right?” I nodded to show my understanding, then turned around. However, I took the hand of one of the real best men and walked to the altar with him. Later, while I was shopping in the mall with my baby in my arms, he approached me, tears streaming down his face, and said, “Natalie, weren’t we just putting on a show? How did you end up pregnant with someone else’s child?” ***** On my wedding day to Lucas, he didn’t even show up in the wedding hall. When I thought he might be in trouble, there he was, dressed in a best man’s suit with a blue boutonniere, holding Jessica’s hand as she walked slowly into the hall in a white puff-sleeved dress. It looked like they were the real bride and groom. Lucas’ best men quickly stepped in and whisked him away. “Are you out of your mind? Not only are you late for your own wedding, but you bring her here?” his friends exclaimed. Lucas furrowed his brow and said helplessly, “Jessica’s memory has gone back to the day we kissed in high school. She thinks we’ve been together since graduation. I can’t just abandon her, can I?” Jessica stood off to the side, looking innocent and awkward, twisting her fingers nervously. She acted like a lost high school student. My face went pale as I realized she was clutching my wedding ring in her hand. Then, Lucas approached me, dragging Jessica along, and wrapped his arm around her while congratulating me, “Natalie, congratulations on your wedding.” It was dead silent all around. I stared at him, my voice tinged with uncontrollable resentment. I said, “What on earth are you talking about? Today’s our day…” “Natalie!” Lucas quickly cut me off, his eyes betraying a hint of panic. He glanced nervously at the person by his side. Seeing that Jessica hadn’t caught on to what I hadn’t finished saying yet, he turned back to me with a look of displeasure, his eyes filled with malice. I was taken aback as he had never been so harsh with me before. In the past, when I was terrified by news of domestic violence and a husband murdering his wife, and couldn’t sleep, Lucas held me in his arms and reassured me that he would never hurt me, not even with a word, and if he did, he would go to hell. The old love words he once whispered still echoed in my ears, but now he loathed me for not being broad-minded enough. “Show some understanding to me, okay?” he asked. After coming back from the past memories to reality, I heard his words again. Looking at him, I stared for a long time before finally nodding my head. A look of relief spread across his face. But I brushed him aside and walked over to Jessica, extending my hand to her and saying, “Ms. Hawkins, I’m sorry. The ring on your hand is my wedding ring. Please give it back to me.” Jessica froze, then burst into tears. With tears streaming down her face, she looked at Lucas. “Lucas, isn’t this the gift you gave me to commemorate our time together? How could it be hers? Did you lie to me?” Lucas quickly wiped away her tears and said, “Don’t cry, Jessica. You’re breaking my heart.” I stood there, watching my fiancé comfort another woman wholeheartedly. Even the people around me were grumbling that I had made their good friend cry. One of Lucas’ dudes stepped forward to mediate. “It’s my fault. I made a mistake with the ring. Today it’s my responsibility to keep the wedding ring, and I accidentally mixed up the wedding ring with the gift Lucas was going to give you, Jessica.” Jessica had been pampered like a little princess since childhood. So, she pouted and tossed the ring onto the ground. “I don’t want to wear someone else’s wedding ring!” The ring rolled to someone else’s feet. I bent down and reached out to pick it up. Just as my fingers brushed against the ring, the heel of a high-heeled shoe crushed down on my hand.

I raised my head and gazed at Jessica’s arrogant face. Meanwhile, a sharp pain pierced through the back of my hand as her foot continued to apply pressure. Gasps echoed around us. “No one can take something even I abandoned,” Jessica declared. I tightened my fist, ready to speak, but someone cut in firmly, saying, “Alright.” Surprised, I turned to see who had spoken. Lucas was standing beside her, his head bowed, a hint of guilt flickering in his eyes. Without a second thought, he kicked the ring towards the nearby artificial lake. Like a meteor, the ring streaked across the sky and disappeared in the blink of an eye. I stared at the spot where the ring vanished, stunned for an eternity. In the past, Lucas treasured that ring so much, never letting anyone lay a finger on it. He secretly carried it with him, traversing seven countries, only to propose to me under the aurora. Now, he discarded it like it was nothing. His action pleased Jessica. She hugged Lucas’ neck and said joyfully, “Lucas, don’t blame me. You know me. I hate it when my things have other people’s scent on them.” Lucas nodded indulgently. Jessica turned around and seemed to notice that I was still on the ground. She exclaimed in surprise, “Ms. Hanks! Why are you still sitting there? You’re the bride today. I’m sorry about your ring. How about…” She turned and spotted something amusing, picking up a nearby can. “You can use this pull ring as a ring! Wow, this is like a TV drama. It’s so romantic!” I stood up, took the drink from her hand with a pale face, popped it open, and stared at her nonchalant smile. My anger surged. Just as I was about to throw the can at her, Lucas stepped in front of Jessica. My arm was forcibly restrained by the best men. Lucas’ roar mingled with others’ voices trying to calm me down. “Natalie! You’re losing it!” Lucas shouted. “Natalie, don’t argue with the girl. She’s special. She doesn’t mean any harm. She’s just a bit sensitive right now,” someone said. “Yeah, yeah. You’re the star of the day. Don’t let this ruin your special moment,” another added. My struggle ceased instantly, and a deep sadness enveloped my heart. Lucas hollered at me and rushed over, yanking the can from my grasp and tossing it aside. “Can’t you just simmer down? If you’re not into this wedding, then quit! Is it your pride to bully someone with amnesia? I had no idea you were this harsh. How could you be so heartless? Apologize to Jessica right now!” I clutched my wrist, standing there helpless, the ache in my hand paling in comparison to the pain in my heart. A quick glance at everyone doting on Jessica was all it took before I couldn’t take it anymore and bolted. Once I calmed down and headed back to the dressing room, I found Lucas holding Jessica on the sofa. The hickey on Lucas’ lips told tales of their recent antics. I overheard Jessica asking curiously, “Lucas, why didn’t I see Ms. Hanks’ groom? Was she dumped?” My steps halted, my grip on the door handle tightening, my eyes locked on him. This is your last shot, Lucas. Don’t let me down. Just admit you’re the groom of this wedding, and I’ll forgive you while still loving you with all my heart. Lucas noticed my intense stare and abruptly looked up. When Jessica, impatient at his silence, nibbled on his lip, demanding, “Answer me, Lucas.” I shook my head vigorously, pleading silently. Don’t say anything. Just don’t… Lucas’ lips quivered a bit before he finally averted his gaze from mine, gazing at the girl in his arms with affection, saying, “Jessica, you know who the groom is.” “Someone I know? Who?” she queried. “Benjamin Russell,” Lucas replied.

As Lucas wrapped up his speech, I dropped my head and chuckled, shaking my own head in self-deprecation. Benjamin had once called me out in front of everyone, accusing me of being two-faced and gold-digging. Seemingly, even though Lucas lied, he didn’t want to make up something that could at least save my face today. When Jessica heard the name, she was momentarily taken aback before diving into her phone. She had already dialed the number before Lucas could even blink. “Benjamin, it’s your wedding day. Where are you? We’re all gathered at Elysian Garden,” she announced. Jessica got caught up in the excitement and started rounding up the guests to head to the auditorium. Meanwhile, my hands and feet went ice-cold, and my heart felt like it was about to skip a beat. The phone rang endlessly before I finally, numbly, picked up. “Natalie?” The voice on the other end was like a devil’s whisper, making me instinctively want to chuck the phone aside. “Don’t you dare hang up on me,” Benjamin said. I responded in a hushed, defeated tone, “Can you please just ignore it?” The person on the other end chuckled mockingly, “I thought by declining to be Lucas’ best man, I’d avoid seeing you. But I heard that I became your groom. How could you forget to invite me to your big day?” I fingered the stains on my wedding dress and replied with difficulty, “Please, just let it go.” There was a long, uneasy silence on the other end. After what felt like an eternity, his cold laughter cut through like a chilling wind. After a lengthy stay in the restroom, I stood up, my legs stiff, using my hands for support. I felt my frozen body slowly start to thaw. As I opened the door, a shadow loomed before me—it was my groom. Lucas had a thunderous look on his face, staring me down. “Who were you talking to just now?” I brushed past him without acknowledging his question. Suddenly, his hand grasped mine, accidentally pressing down on my injury, sending a sharp pain shooting through my wound. “Answer me!” he roared, his voice echoing. I looked up, defiant. “My groom is Mr. Russell. Remember what you said yourself? Don’t tell me you’ve developed a case of ‘short-term memory loss’ in such a blink of an eye.” His face sulked. In our eye contact, his gaze slowly shifted away. “Natalie, that was just something I said in the heat of the moment,” he muttered. There was a hint of compromise in his smooth voice. “Will Benjamin really come here?” I inquired, my voice tinged with depression. The bitterness that had settled in my chest continued to rise, choking me. I locked eyes with him, tears pooling in my sockets. My voice, raw and strained, escaped my lips. “Lucas, you were just dying to hear how Mr. Russell put me through the wringer, weren’t you? “You told Jessica about Mr. Russell being my new groom-to-be because you knew he would never show up! After all, I betrayed him for you. He’s made it clear that I’m a lowlife, someone he despises with every fiber of his being! “You didn’t want to hurt Jessica, so you chose to hurt me! All I wanted was for this wedding to end without a groom, but you wouldn’t budge. You’d prefer to see me being laughed at in front of everyone! “Well? Are you content now?” I spat out, my frustration boiling over. Upon hearing this, Lucas’ face lit up like a Christmas tree. Ignoring my hysterical rant, he enveloped me in a hug, gently dabbing at my reddened eyelids with his hand, displaying a level of tenderness that was almost unnerving. “Did Benjamin say something harsh to you? Only I can put up with your wild antics.” He then attempted to stroke my forehead, but I subtly turned my head to dodge his touch. “It’s all on me. I’ll make it up to you in the future. Natalie, be a good girl. After today, I’ll come home to you. This whole mess will be over soon. Trust me, alright?” Lucas persisted. I blinked rapidly, swallowing back my tears, recalling the pathetic way I had begged him before. I summoned all my composure and said, “Lucas, there’s no future for us. We are done.” He furrowed his brow, his eyes flashing with dissatisfaction and disdain as if I were the one being unreasonable. “Come on, Natalie. What can you do after we break up? Have you forgotten the days when you vowed to have two kids with me and be the perfect wife and mother? If we break up, your life will be in a mess.” His words left me momentarily speechless. For him, I had left the Russell Group at a crucial juncture, sacrificing everything, all because he said the Blunt family only needed a competent homemaker as their wife. And this was his rationale for manipulating me. Before Lucas could take his leave, I clutched his sleeve tightly and stressed, “Lucas, I’m being serious.” Lucas’ face darkened, his patience worn thin. He methodically pried my fingers off one by one. “Natalie, you’re too naughty. Jessica needs another year to regain her memory. After today, I won’t see you for a year. Otherwise, she can’t handle the shock. In a year’s time, I’ll reassess whether you make a suitable wife. Don’t let me down.” Over at the auditorium, Jessica, with her encouraging words, rallied everyone together. Catching sight of me approaching, her eyes gleamed with malice. “Ms. Hanks, you finally decided to show up! Where’s your groom? Why hasn’t he arrived yet? Oh no! Did he dump you?” The murmurs among the guests intensified after they heard her words. “Isn’t Ms. Hanks’ groom Mr. Blunt? Isn’t the one on stage supposed to be the groom?” said a guest. Another guest chimed in, “Could her groom be one of Sir Blunt’s illegitimate siblings?” “The groom’s been late for so long. Did he really call off the wedding?” said someone else. Jessica clung to Lucas’ arm, gazing at me with a triumphant smile. I was on the verge of announcing the cancellation of the wedding when, suddenly, a strong arm wrapped around my shoulders. An exclamation erupted from the crowd.

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At the year-end review, Andrew Bennett’s childhood sweetheart, Kate Ross, requested to take over as the project leader, hoping it would help her secure a promotion to vice president. I had to put the company’s interests first and turned her down. In a fit of anger, she quit and went home to get married. Under my leadership, the project generated billions of dollars, and the company went public. Later, I married Andrew, but during our honeymoon, I was kidnapped and taken to an underground facility in Brackenfield. Just as I was about to call for help, I heard Andrew coldly say, “Do whatever you want with this heartless woman.” I couldn’t understand. “Why?” I cried out. Without answering, Andrew kicked me in the stomach. “If you hadn’t taken the project leader position for yourself, Kate wouldn’t have been forced into an abusive marriage and died. This is all on you.” When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day Kate had asked to be the project leader. ***** Kate said, “Olivia, is it possible for me to lead the project with the Knight Group? I just need this achievement to get promoted to vice president.” I froze. Hearing those words again, I looked at the clock on the wall and realized—I had been given a second chance. Andrew, standing nearby, tugged at my sleeve. “Did you hear what Kate said? Let her have the project leader position. She needs this more than you do.” In my previous life, when I heard Kate and Andrew’s request, I immediately refused. This project was huge—worth billions of dollars in investment—and securing it would likely lead to the company’s IPO. Kate wasn’t qualified, and to be safe, I didn’t want her in charge. I told her that once the project was completed, everyone would get a chance at promotion and bonuses. Kate, however, felt insulted, quit, and married without any further contact. The project was completed successfully, the company went public, and I married Andrew. But during our honeymoon, I was kidnapped. When I woke up, Andrew was standing next to my kidnappers, saying coldly, “Do whatever you want with this heartless woman.” Amid all the humiliation, I couldn’t understand why Andrew was treating me this way. He kicked me in the stomach again. “If you hadn’t taken the project leader position for yourself, Kate wouldn’t have been forced into an abusive marriage and died. This is all on you.” The memory of that suffering made me seethe with anger, my fingers trembling as I clenched my fists. Andrew yanked me roughly. “Are you even listening? Give Kate the project leader role.” I looked at his annoyed face and sneered, “I worked day and night on this project and lost my hair from stress. When I asked Kate to help, you both said I should do more because I was the leader. I drank so much to keep the partners happy that I nearly bled internally. And now you say it’s my responsibility?” I turned to Kate, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Why didn’t you step up to lead back then? Now that the proposal’s finished, the deal’s locked in, and all that’s left is to sign the contract, you show up asking to take the lead? How can you even ask?” Kate’s eyes filled with tears. “It’s just that my family is struggling. I wanted the promotion to help them. My mom said if I couldn’t make enough money, she’d sell me to an old man in the mountains as a bride for my brother’s wedding gifts.” With that, she dropped to her knees and bowed her head.

Kate said, “Olivia, please. I don’t want to go home and marry that man. He’s killed two wives already, and if I marry him, it’s a death sentence. Please, don’t make me go back.” Andrew shoved me roughly, his eyes filled with anger. “Olivia, how cruel can you be? Is it not enough for you to destroy Kate? Do you want to push her to death?” The people in the office looked on, gossiping. “Olivia, what are you doing? You’ve pushed her to the point of kneeling.” “Olivia, even if your family is wealthier than ours, that doesn’t give you the right to make Kate kneel to you. It’s too heartless.” As Andrew pushed me, I hit the corner of the desk. The pain made me gasp, but I kept my composure, rubbing my sore back. I walked up to Andrew and slapped him across the face. “Andrew, what gives you the right to lay a hand on me?” Without hesitation, I kicked Kate to the ground. “If you want to kneel, go to your mother’s grave. Don’t kneel in front of me. I don’t need that bad luck.” The crowd was stunned by my actions and became even more vocal in their criticism. “Olivia, you’re actually hitting people. This is too much!” I gave a cold laugh. “Too much? How about all those sleepless nights I spent working for the company, running around for contracts, and ending up in the hospital after drinking so much just to please the partners? How about that? “When you’re all cashing in the bonuses from the projects I sealed, why didn’t you call that too much? You’re no better than the ones who turn on people once they’ve gotten what they wanted.” Seeing the silence from the crowd, I scoffed, my words sharp, “If anyone here is really pitiful, it’s me. If you think I should just give away what I’ve earned, then why not donate your corneas to someone in need? After all, what’s the point of keeping them if you’re blind to right and wrong?” The crowd began to realize their mistake and started apologizing. Then, they turned their attention to Kate. “Kate, do you know how much effort Olivia has put into this project? She’s a qualified project leader.” “Yeah, Kate, even if you’re in a tough spot, that doesn’t give you the right to morally blackmail Olivia. She doesn’t owe you anything.” Seeing that the crowd was no longer on her side, Kate panicked and cried even harder, “Olivia, I didn’t mean it like that. If you’re going to force me to die, then fine, I’ll just end it all.” My heart ached with frustration. I was simply stating the facts, but now I was somehow the one responsible for driving her to death. I was at a loss. Anyone with eyes could see what was going on. But of course, Andrew couldn’t see it. He pulled Kate into his arms, full of pity, and then turned to me with an order. “Olivia, from now on, Kate is the project leader. You’ll be a team member. Just do your job.” I gritted my teeth in fury. “Why should I let her take the lead? I worked hard for this project. I won’t allow it.” Andrew shot back coldly, “What do you mean ‘you worked on it’? The Knight Group is working with us because our company has the strength, not because of you. Don’t take all the credit for yourself. Even without you, Kate could have closed the deal, and probably better than you.” Kate eagerly chimed in, agreeing with him, “The Knight Group trusts our company because of Andrew’s reputation, not just because of this little project.” I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. I looked at Andrew’s smug expression and spoke, “Fine. If you think Kate can do it, then I’ll step down.” Andrew, thinking I was backing down, smiled in satisfaction, “Olivia, you still have plenty of opportunities ahead. There’s no need to fight Kate for this one.” Kate walked up with a smug expression, clearly baiting me. “Olivia, you can keep handling the parts of the project you’re responsible for. Once the final plan is in place, I’ll go sign the contract with the Knight Group.” I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. I was the project leader before, so I had four times the work to handle. Now they expected me to do all the grunt work? I sneered, “Sorry, but I’m not doing it.” Kate furrowed her brows in frustration. “Olivia, this project is crucial to the company. Stop being difficult.” Andrew, thinking I was just throwing a tantrum, added, “Olivia, if you keep acting out, I’ll have no choice but to ask you to leave the company.”

I grabbed my bag and stood up after hearing that. “Alright, I’m leaving now. By the way, since you’re the one who fired me, don’t forget to send my compensation to my account.” With that, I walked out of the office without looking back. Once outside, I called my brother, Martin Knight, “The deal’s off. Andrew fired me.” Martin sounded shocked. “Andrew? Your boyfriend? You’ve been with him since college, and now he’s firing you?” I told him everything that had happened, and Martin slammed his hand on the table in frustration. “End things with him now. That guy’s a jerk. I’ll find you a new guy—tall, built, loyal, and perfect for you. “I’ll cancel the deal, too. Without you, his company wouldn’t even be in the running for this.” That night, I got home feeling a bit bitter. All the effort I put in, and it ended like this. Martin noticed my mood and immediately understood. “Olivia, come work with us. You know the company, you have shares in it. You can choose anyone you want to collaborate with.” I thought it over for a moment and immediately agreed. ***** The day of the Knight Group collaboration bidding came quickly. As soon as I walked in, I saw Andrew with his arm around Kate’s waist. When he saw me, he looked visibly annoyed. “Olivia, you’re not the project lead anymore. What are you doing here?” Kate mocked me further, “Olivia, didn’t you say you were leaving the company? What are you still doing here?” I gave them a cold stare. “This isn’t your company. Why shouldn’t I be here?” Andrew sneered, “Olivia, if it weren’t for our company’s name, you wouldn’t even have made it into the Knight Group’s door. You’d better leave now, or I’ll have the security throw you out.” I rolled my eyes and started to walk away, but Andrew grabbed me and threw me to the ground. “Where’s the security? How can anyone just walk in like this?” He called for security, “This woman is pretending to be part of our company and causing trouble. Throw her out.” I quickly explained, “You’re mistaken. I’m in charge of the Knight Group collaboration.” Andrew laughed, “Are you still lying? You just left our company, and now you’re claiming to be in charge of the Knight Group project? Do you really think they’d work with you?” I was surrounded by people, their whispers and stares following me as I was pushed out of the building. With a smirk, I sat down outside, right by the entrance. I wasn’t going anywhere—I was curious to see how this meeting would play out. Inside the Knight Group’s meeting room, ten minutes passed. Andrew was growing impatient, asking the senior executive, Freddy Mills, when the meeting would begin. Freddy exchanged looks with others, clearly confused. “Our project leader still hasn’t arrived.” Another half hour went by, and Freddy finally spoke up. “Didn’t Ms. Russell say she was already here? Why hasn’t she come in?” Someone suggested calling to check. I picked up my phone, taking a sip of my coffee at the café downstairs. When I heard Freddy’s question, I answered with a calm voice, “Oh, I was kicked out. I’m at the café downstairs.” Just a few minutes later, Andrew and others rushed over, drenched in sweat.

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I signed up for a membership at a nail salon during the holiday season. Little did I expect that the manicurist would develop feelings for my boyfriend. Not only did she spread malicious rumors about me, but she also deliberately cut my fingers while removing my nail polish, intending to infect me with HIV. In my previous life, the nail salon in my neighborhood had a year-end promotion. For every 500-dollar recharge, customers would receive an additional 1,000-dollar worth of credit. When I went for a manicure, the manicurist couldn’t take her eyes off my boyfriend. “Ms. Lewis, why is there such a stark contrast between the color of your face and your hands? Did you apply too much foundation? “You’re squandering your boyfriend’s money. You should be more frugal.” After saying that, she reached out and rubbed my face. I forcefully pushed her hand away and, with a cold expression, demanded a refund of the balance on my membership card. My fiancé, who accompanied me for the manicure, frowned and chastised me, ordering me to apologize. “She’s right. The cosmetics you bought were expensive. Why are you insisting on a refund now? You’re just being petty.” Grimacing with frustration, I gritted my teeth and compromised. However, the manicurist deliberately cut my fingers while removing the nail polish, which ultimately resulted in my being infected. I took the hospital’s examination report to seek an explanation from her. She made a video and spread the false claim that I had contracted that dreadful disease due to my dissolute private life. In the end, overwhelmed by cyberbullying, I committed suicide out of sheer hatred and despair. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the very day I went to the nail salon to apply for the membership card. “Ms. Lewis. You’ve got such a generous and considerate boyfriend. “He not only paid for your membership card but also accompanied you here for the manicure. I wish my boyfriend could be like that.” The manicurist, Rachel Wilmer, said these words while pinching my fingers jealously. Suddenly, the sharp pain jolted me awake, and I realized that I had been reborn. I was reborn back to the day when I first went to the nail salon to apply for that fateful membership card. In my previous life, taking advantage of the holiday, I visited the nail salon in my neighborhood. As soon as I sat down, Rachel kept chatting with me, and she brought up my boyfriend, Harry Zander, almost in every other sentence. She stared at my face and said, “Ms. Lewis, why is there such a stark contrast between the color of your face and your hands? Did you apply too much foundation? “Your skin is rather rough. You must wear makeup too frequently. I think you should be like me and go for a natural look without makeup. “Not only would it save your boyfriend money on buying you cosmetics, but it would also make you look clean and decent, just like a girl from a well-bred family.” Before I could react, she suddenly reached out and started rubbing the makeup off my face. My face hurt from the rough rubbing. I slapped her hand away and frowned. “What’s your problem? What business is it of yours whether I wear makeup or not? And who said my cosmetics were bought by my boyfriend?” Because of her actions, my impression of this nail salon plummeted to rock bottom. I no longer even wanted to have my nails done and coldly asked her to return the balance on my membership card. Unexpectedly, Rachel’s eyes welled up with tears, and she kept apologizing to me with a tear-stained face. She even knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly, saying that she was just an employee and pleading with me not to hold it against her. The other customers and staff in the salon accused me of making a mountain out of a molehill. “It was just a joke. Why are you taking it so seriously?” Even Harry shoved me away roughly. Then, he gently helped Rachel up and blamed me with a disgruntled look. “She’s right. The cosmetics you bought were expensive. Why are you insisting on a refund now? You’re just being petty.” For a moment, I became the villainous woman who was exploiting the situation to bully others, and I was severely rebuked by Harry. Thinking that it was better to avoid trouble, I swallowed my anger, bowed my head in submission, and apologized to Rachel. Rachel smiled and said it was okay, but she deliberately cut my fingers while doing my manicure. At that time, I thought she was just being careless. However, a few days later, adverse reactions appeared at the wound site. I rushed to the hospital for a check-up and was horrified to discover that I had been infected with AIDS. I took the examination report to the nail salon and demanded an explanation from Rachel. She just rolled her eyes and pointed the camera at me. “It’s obvious that you contracted this loathsome disease because of your promiscuous private life, and you still have the nerve to shift the blame onto me? “If I were you, I would have found a place to commit suicide a long time ago. It’s so disgusting!”

The video taken by Rachel quickly went viral on the internet. Countless people flooded the comment section with harsh words, scolding me for lacking self-respect. My personal information and address were also exposed. As a result, all my relatives and friends learned about my illness and began to look at me with strange and judgmental eyes. Even my parents were criticized and slandered behind their backs. Eventually, they suffered a heart attack and passed away. Unable to endure the brutal cyber violence any longer, I finally made the tragic decision to end my life by jumping off a building. And Harry, who didn’t waste any time breaking up with me, frowned and showed his disgust, thinking I was too “dirty.” However, shortly after my death, he got together with Rachel. They callously trampled over the “corpses” of my entire family and joyfully walked into the marriage hall. Just the thought of all this made me clench my hands tightly, my nails digging into my palms. Just like in my previous life, as soon as Rachel opened her mouth, she started commenting on my cosmetics and then tried to touch my face. Without hesitation, I slapped her hand in mid-air away forcefully, coldly observing as the back of her hand quickly turned red. The sharp sound of the slap immediately caught the attention of everyone else in the salon. Even Harry, who had been engrossed in his phone, walked over with a frown. Seeing Rachel’s red hand and her aggrieved expression, he didn’t even bother to ask what had happened before he started blaming me. “Jenna Lewis, why are you throwing another tantrum? And hitting someone? Apologize right now!” Looking at the man who was so fervently protecting Rachel, I couldn’t help but let out a scornful laugh. “Apologize? For what exactly?” “Because you hit someone first, and that’s clearly wrong!” Hearing his irritated and self-righteous tone only made me laugh even more. What was even more infuriating to me was that as he was scolding me loudly, he turned his head to gently comfort Rachel. “Don’t be scared. I won’t let anyone bully you. She must admit her mistake and apologize to you today.” Rachel looked even more pitiful, but the way she looked at Harry revealed a blatant sense of dependence. I was almost amused by the overly affectionate look they exchanged. “I bullied her? How dare you say that? Are you out of your mind?” Before Harry could open his mouth to retort, I took out my cellphone. Ever since I confirmed that I had been reborn, I immediately activated the recording software. After a moment of commotion in the nail salon, Rachel’s sarcastic words, recorded by my cellphone, reached everyone’s ears. Her expression changed instantly, and she looked rather embarrassed. “It was just a joke. I thought you wouldn’t mind a bit of joking, Ms. Lewis.” I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes in disdain. “Are we friends? Why are you making jokes at my expense? Or do you think that verbal abuse doesn’t count as bullying?” As more and more people gathered around, even the other manicurists who had been busy with their work couldn’t resist looking over. Rachel bit her lips, and her eyes welled up with tears. To my surprise, she actually bent her knees and was about to kneel. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Lewis. Please don’t hold it against me. “I’m just an employee. If you’re unhappy about something, feel free to take it out on me. Just don’t call our boss. I’ll even kneel for you, okay?”

However, her attempt to kneel was halted by Harry. He fixed me with a menacing glare. “What Rachel said isn’t wrong. Your cosmetics are expensive, costing over a thousand dollars each. “Even for a simple manicure, you chose to apply for a membership card worth thousands of dollars. Isn’t that just a waste of money?” His indignant demeanor might make anyone who didn’t know the truth think that all the money I spent was his. But in reality, those were my own hard-earned wages! The people gathered around to watch the commotion were misled by his words. They began to murmur among themselves in hushed tones. “How shameless of her to spend a man’s money so brazenly.” “I wonder how her parents raised her. Not only does she waste her boyfriend’s money, but she also forces others to kneel and apologize. If I were her parents, I would have slapped her long ago.” Their words kept coming, portraying Rachel as the real victim in their eyes. A palpable sense of pride and mockery appeared in Rachel’s eyes. She even pretended to mediate while still throwing veiled accusations. “Ms. Lewis surely didn’t mean it. She just took it the wrong way. Please don’t be too hard on her.” Hearing Rachel’s arrogant tone, I felt my forehead twitching with anger. Unable to hold back any longer, I raised my hand and delivered a stinging slap across her face. But in an instant, amidst Rachel’s shrill scream, I was violently pushed to the ground. My shoulder crashed onto the floor, scraping against the floor, and my wrist was soon smeared with blood. Grimacing in pain, I raised my head and was shocked to find that the person standing before me was none other than Harry. “Why can’t you just talk things over? How can you bully the employees like this?” With his face flushed with anger, he quickly turned around to examine the red and swollen slap mark on Rachel’s face. The gossiping onlookers, who were only there to stir up trouble, immediately joined in to blame me. “Everyone saw it. You were the one who started the fight.” “Luckily, this man is reasonable. Otherwise, the manicurist would have been seriously bullied.” They had all heard the recording of Rachel provoking me, yet they chose to act as if they were deaf, laying all the blame squarely on my shoulders. Rachel could no longer maintain her pretense of being a pitiful, innocent victim. Her eyes blazed with fury as she picked up the coat and bag that I had taken off when I entered the store and hurled them at me. “People who bully our employees are not welcome here. We don’t want your business!” My chest heaved with rage as I struggled for breath. With great difficulty, I managed to get up and pick up my belongings from the floor. “Fine by me. I didn’t want to spend any more money in this salon anyway. “I still have a significant amount of money left on the membership card I bought before. Give me a refund now!” This nail salon was located in my neighborhood and offered attractive discounts when it first opened. At that time, thinking it was convenient since it was close to my home, I recharged a few thousand dollars on the card. I had visited the salon several times since then, and even though the nail designs I chose were quite elaborate, there should still be some balance left on the card. A look of disdain crossed Rachel’s face. “How absurd. How can you be so unreasonable when you’re spending a man’s money?” She mumbled under her breath, then turned on the computer, and pressed a few keys. I waited hopefully for her to process the refund. Unexpectedly, Rachel glanced at me, and her eyes were immediately filled with disdain. “After I’ve checked, there’s no money left on the card. I can’t give you a refund.” I was stunned, and instinctively, I retorted, “That’s impossible!”   “I’ve only been to your salon two or three times. There were several thousand dollars on this card. How could it possibly be all spent?” I took a few quick steps forward. Just as I was about to peer at the computer screen, Rachel shoved me away with great force. “Our computer contains all commercial secrets. What are you looking at?” I was bewildered. I couldn’t fathom what kind of top-secret commercial information a small nail salon like this could possibly possess. But I was too fed up to engage in a prolonged argument with Rachel. “Fine, I won’t look. Print out the bill and let me see where all my money has gone.” Rachel feigned innocence and flatly refused. “Well, our store’s system crashed before, and all the bills were lost. “But I have an excellent memory. I clearly remember that there is no money left on your card.” As she spoke, Rachel’s eyes landed on my left hand. Before our argument broke out, I had been sitting, getting my nail polish removed. After the quarrel, only the nails on my left hand had been attended to, while those on my right hand remained untouched. Rachel sneered and said to me, “Not only do you have no money left, but you also have to pay extra for the nail polish removal today. “Considering the price hikes during the holiday season, along with rent, utilities, and labor costs, you need to pay me 500 dollars.” I had never encountered such a brazen store and such shameless people before. I was so infuriated that I almost laughed out of sheer disbelief. “You have no right to unilaterally decide the fees. Just wait for the Commerce Department to come knocking at your door!” I quickly put on my coat and turned to leave. However, someone blocked the door, barring my way. “You can’t leave!” Harry furrowed his brows tightly and scolded me in a condescending, almost paternal tone. “It’s only right to pay for what you owe. You can’t just walk away without paying, can you?” He was tall and burly, effectively blocking every possible exit. Rachel, standing beside him, also let out a sarcastic chuckle. She deliberately flaunted the red marks on the back of her hand and her cheek. “You also hit me, so you have to cover my medical expenses. Five thousand dollars, not a penny more, not a penny less.” I frowned and looked at Harry coldly. Although I had long known that he was not a decent person, his actions still made me feel a wave of nausea. Many of the shop assistants and customers who were watching the spectacle held up their cell phones, aiming the cameras straight at me. “She’s not going to flee without paying, is she? That’s just shameless of her.” “Why would they risk ruining their reputation and lie about something like that?” I remained unmoved, my expression icy cold. I certainly had no intention of taking out my phone to pay. Harry, with an impatient look on his face, snatched the phone from my bag. “Fine, if you’re not going to pay, I’ll do it for you.” Ignoring my attempts to stop him and my struggles, he forcefully held my phone’s camera in front of my face, trying to use facial recognition to unlock it. I made a series of bizarre and contorted expressions to foil his attempt. I watched as the warning popped up several times, indicating that the unlocking had failed, and it even prompted that we would have to wait five minutes before attempting facial recognition again. Harry finally lost his patience and wore a disgusted expression. Like a deranged, overly aggressive man, he smashed my phone against the ground, shattering it into pieces. “Jenna, just stop this nonsense and pay the bill! You’re embarrassing me here!” Rachel also took out her cell phone and made a show of threatening me. “If you refuse to pay, Ms. Lewis, then I have no choice but to call the police and let them handle it.” To everyone’s surprise, as soon as her voice trailed off, a sharp police siren sounded from downstairs. Rachel was stunned. “Why are the police here? I haven’t even called them yet.” I raised my head and gave her a mocking, disdainful sneer. “Of course, you didn’t call the police, because I’m the one who did!”

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At the company’s annual dinner, Meryl Wilde, the new intern, approached our table with a half-empty bottle of homemade wine, her cheeks flushed as she insisted on toasting with everyone. Her first toast was to Leon Hunter, the financial director. That very night, he was arrested for embezzlement and cooking the books. Mysteriously, Meryl suddenly mastered all financial operations overnight and skyrocketed through three ranks to become the new financial director. Her second toast went to Rylan Downey, our top salesperson. After the holiday, every old and new client cut ties with him, demanding to work exclusively with Meryl. The new financial director became the company’s golden child, her salary jumping from a modest three thousand to a million dollars per year. Meanwhile, Rylan found himself blacklisted in the industry and tragically took his own life. My world soon crumbled as she finished the last drops of wine in my toast. My father, Simon Sinclair, presented a DNA test that threw me out of the family. I plummeted from being the highly-regarded heiress of the group to a housekeeper’s daughter. At the same time, Meryl was revealed as the true Sinclair heiress. Later, my parents died in a sudden car crash on their way to a business meeting. Meryl smoothly took control of the family business and inherited everything. I met a tragic end at the hands of the housekeeper’s son, who used me to settle his debts. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back at the company’s annual dinner. ***** The dazzling lights in the banquet hall made my head spin, and it took me a moment to regain my composure. “Please, make yourselves at home and enjoy the evening!” Meryl approached our table with a half-empty bottle of wine and a sweet smile, but despite the lively atmosphere, I felt a chill run down my spine. I remember this scene from my previous life. Meryl, slightly tipsy, insisted on toasting everyone at the table. After pouring just three glasses, her bottle ran dry, and she passed out right there. I had to arrange for someone to take her home. Now, here she was again, standing right before us. “As a newcomer, I know I have much to learn from all of you,” she said warmly. “I brought some of my homemade wine to liven up the party. I hope you’ll do me the honor of trying it!” The annual toast was a tradition, but only middle management would usually approach us. Lower-level employees typically kept their distance. When Meryl appeared, none of us would have known her name if the HR director, Ronan Pierce, hadn’t introduced her. Yet here she was, acting like we were old friends, her intense gaze sweeping over us as she confidently poured the wine. “Oh my, the last drops are for Ms. Sinclair,” she said casually. As before, she had calculated ideally—exactly three glasses, and the bottle emptied right as she reached me. Noticing her flushed face, I offered her my drink as a substitute for alcohol, but she stubbornly insisted on having wine. Not wanting to embarrass the intern by implying I looked down on her brought wine, I drank it all despite its strange, fishy taste. Meryl exclaimed excitedly, “Wow! Ms. Sinclair, you’re such a great drinker!” She proudly showed my empty glass to everyone at the table, trembling with excitement and wild enthusiasm in her eyes. I smiled with a frown, thinking she was just tipsy, and didn’t think much of it. Then Meryl brought her wine glass to Leon’s side. Leon downed his drink in one go, and Rylan followed suit to be polite. The three of us finished all the wine she poured. The atmosphere at the table peaked, with Meryl barely able to contain her excitement. She slurred drunkenly, “Perfect, you all finished it!” “Every last drop!” she added with an unsettling mix of drunken excitement and something darker that gave me goosebumps. It was then that I noticed something off about the wine’s taste. Remembering Meryl’s shadowy looks and strange tone, I felt a chill run down my spine. Leon noticed my unease and suggested we get some fresh air on the balcony, touching his throat as he spoke. As Simon’s former military buddy, Leon mentored me when I first joined the company. He taught me about every department. He was both a teacher and a friend to me. But shortly after we sat on the balcony, the police arrested him for embezzlement. The prosecutor’s office found damning evidence at his home. I couldn’t believe a decorated veteran with three medals of honor would do such a thing. Unable to bear the false accusations and lacking evidence to defend himself despite his innocence, he left a handwritten note before taking his own life. By the time I attended his funeral, the holidays were over. When I returned to work, I found the company in turmoil. The distributors Rylan had carefully cultivated were now demanding to work exclusively with Meryl, threatening to end all cooperation otherwise. Rumors spread that Rylan had been taking kickbacks and exploiting the distributors, pushing them to rebel finally. I was the only one who sensed these successive events were somehow connected, too coincidental to be random. A week later, Meryl showed up at my house with DNA test results. “Ms. Sinclair, I am the chairman’s real daughter. You’re just a housekeeper’s illegitimate child who has been impersonating me all these years. It’s time to return everything that rightfully belongs to me.” The housekeeper said she had switched me with Meryl, making me the Sinclair family heiress. She took me away to settle her son’s gambling debts. I met a tragic end at their hands. Meanwhile, Meryl became the company’s CFO overnight, controlling key distributor relationships. With her newly proven identity as the true heiress, she smoothly took over my position as vice president. Three months later, my parents died in a sudden car accident. As the sole heiress of the Sinclair family, she inherited all the assets. The three of us who once symbolized power, wealth, and strength instantly fell from grace. Like a bolt of lightning, clarity struck my chaotic thoughts. Meryl was behind it all! We had all drunk the wine she had personally made!

I instinctively wanted to escape when I saw Meryl approaching with a bottle of wine. But before I could move, she called out loudly, “Ms. Sinclair, I’m honored to meet you finally! “I’m the new intern here, and I’ve only heard about you from others. I haven’t had the chance to meet you in person yet. I hope I can learn a lot from you!” Her voice trembled with nervousness, and her eyes were red with emotion. Everyone was surprised to see a new hire approaching the executives’ table to make a toast. Noticing their startled expressions, Ronan quickly stepped in to smooth things over. Ronan said, “Ms. Sinclair, Mr. Hunter, this is our new intern, Meryl. I apologize for not introducing her earlier. “Since everyone’s here, come on, Meryl, fill up everyone’s glasses and toast the executives.” My heart skipped a beat when he removed his glass and let Meryl fill everyone else’s with her bottle. Fragments of memories from my past life flooded back. If I remember correctly, Meryl only had an associate’s degree, yet she landed an internship at our company. Later, all her promotions were directly recommended by the HR director to Simon. After the company’s crisis, almost all the executives loyal to me were fired. At the same time, Ronan got promoted and became a major shareholder alongside Meryl. A chill ran down my spine as the realization hit me. I dug my nails into my palms to stay composed, but the memories of my past life still filled me with dread. When I remained silent, she held her wine glass with tears in her eyes. “Do you look down on my homemade wine, Ms. Sinclair?” Meryl asked tremblingly. “I brought it, especially from my hometown. It may not be as fancy as expensive wines, but I promise it’s clean!” she insisted. The atmosphere grew tense as her choked-up voice drew attention from others around us. “I’m sorry, Meryl, but I’ve already had a lot to drink. Why don’t we toast with soda instead?” I suggested diplomatically. When I still hadn’t picked up the wine glass, she became visibly upset and started wiping away tears, even taking a sip to prove her point. “Please trust me, the wine is excellent! We all make it back home! If you don’t want this glass, I can get you a fresh one. Just please don’t be angry with me!” Meryl’s tearful manipulation had backed me into a corner. Though I kept my face neutral, I noticed her subtle smirk and the unsettling look in her eyes. While I appeared calm outside, I was breaking into a cold sweat. Several people around us tried to smooth things over. “Ms. Sinclair, Meryl is putting herself out there. Just a small gesture would mean a lot!” someone chimed in. “That’s right! Just take a tiny sip! Show some encouragement to our intern!” Ronan added, pushing the glass towards me as if refusing would make me seem cruel to my staff. Seeing her chance, Meryl quickly raised her glass to toast with me. Their calculating eagerness was plain; even other employees gave me loaded looks. Left with no choice, I reluctantly took the glass. But just as it was about to touch my lips, breaking glass in the distance snapped me back to my senses. Pretending to be drunk, I stumbled and let the wine glass slip through my fingers. The dark red wine dripped down my coat, and in my panicked attempt to clean it up, I deliberately knocked over Leon’s and Rylan’s wine glasses on either side. Seeing the mess on the table, I felt relieved that my plan had worked. I apologized profusely to Meryl, “I’m so sorry! I guess I’ve had way too much to drink tonight. What a waste of such good wine! “Keep up the good work! There are lots of opportunities for growth in the company!” I said encouragingly. I gave her hand a supportive pat before excusing myself to change my clothes and leave the dinner party. Once outside, I called my assistant and instructed them to collect Ronan’s and Meryl’s used cutlery and wine glasses separately after dinner.

My heart was still racing even after the dinner ended. After the driver dropped me off at home, I received a call from Leon. Leon’s voice was concerned as he said, “Eleanor, are you okay? You seemed off tonight. Remember, you can always talk to us. With Simon away so often, don’t keep your troubles to yourself.” His caring words made my throat tighten as I remembered his tragic fate in my previous life. I took a deep breath before responding. I forced a casual tone and said, “I’m fine. I just had a bit too much to drink. Get some rest.” By the time I hung up, it was midnight. In my previous life, Leon would have been in police custody by now. I felt somewhat relieved, thinking that the tragedy might not repeat itself this time since we had not drunk the wine. But the following day, before dawn, my phone exploded with calls. “Ms. Sinclair, Mr. Hunter has been arrested on corruption charges!” My heart dropped, and I started trembling uncontrollably. Without wasting a second, I threw on some clothes and rushed to the police station. Just as my car came to a stop, Rylan jumped into the passenger seat. “Ms. Sinclair, I remember everything now! “That homemade wine Meryl poured separately for the three of us yesterday must have been tampered with!” I looked at Rylan, whose hands were shaking as badly as mine, and my stomach churned with anxiety. “But I spilled that wine, so why is Leon still being reported and arrested?” “To uncover the truth, we must talk to Mr. Hunter first.” Rylan’s eyes were filled with panic, but we knew questioning Leon was our only chance to understand what was happening. My heart jumped into my throat as I remembered Leon’s suicide from my past life, which had happened not long after this moment. Leon refused to talk, insisting he would only explain everything when he saw us, so the police granted us a meeting under their watchful eyes. “Finally, you’re here. I think I had the strangest dream!” Leon exclaimed. “At first, I thought it was just a coincidence, but I grew suspicious when I saw Eleanor repeatedly refusing to drink that odd-smelling red wine. That’s why I deliberately knocked over her glass. “After I called you yesterday and got home, I fell into a deep sleep. Next thing I knew, the police were at my door this morning!” Despite his military background and countless brushes with death, he struggled to make sense of these bizarre events as he held his head in his hands. “In my previous life, everything went downhill after I drank the wine she brought that night. “I was kicked out of the company and jailed. The shock was too much for my elderly parents, who had always been proud of me! They both passed away. “Then I saw on the prison TV that Meryl had taken my position as the financial director. Her career skyrocketed, and she even jumped over you to become the company’s top executive. “I never understood where all that evidence in those rooms came from. “It’s like… she traded her fate for mine!” Leon’s final words hit Rylan and me like lightning. We, too, had experienced this bizarre swap of destinies! In our moment of shock, Rylan’s phone rang, and our sales assistant’s urgent voice blared through the speaker. “Ms. Sinclair, we’re in trouble! All our dealers want to terminate their contracts unless…” Rylan’s face turned pale. He asked, “Unless they can work with Meryl, the intern, instead of me, right?” The other end of the line went silent. Rylan hung up the phone and looked at me with despair, wholly deflated. “How could this happen? We didn’t even drink that wine! Something must have gone wrong…” Just then, I got a call from my family’s butler. “Ms. Sinclair, there’s a woman causing trouble at the house! She has a DNA test claiming she’s the real Sinclair heiress. I sent her away, but she’ll likely be back. Please be careful when you’re out.” My hand froze and my phone slipped to the floor. I broke out in a cold sweat despite the freezing temperature. I mechanically picked up my phone, and my eyes fell on the wine stains on my shoes. Leon and Rylan checked their clothes, their eyes widening in horror. “We didn’t drink the wine yesterday, but it spilled all over us! We all touched it!” “Damn it…” At that moment, Meryl sent me the DNA test results. The report clearly showed I had no blood relation to my father, while she was a 99.99% match with Simon! The black-and-white proof brought back the crushing fear from my past life. Leon would still go to prison. Rylan would still lose all the dealers. And I would still be exposed as the fake heiress.

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My mother opened two bank accounts for my brother and me. Each account was filled with our pocket money, and she stated that the money was earmarked to cover the costs of our future weddings. However, when it came to my wedding day, she didn’t give me my bank card and even snatched away my engagement gift. “I’ll deposit the money into the bank account so that you can use it to buy a house in the future.” Later, I fell critically ill and needed a significant amount of money for an operation. However, my mother assumed that I was fabricating the situation to swindle money. “To swindle money, you even cursed yourself. How could I have a gold-digging daughter like you?” In a state of despair, I resorted to stealing the card. However, upon checking the balance, I was dumbfounded. At the same time, several of my brother’s Instagram posts popped up on my phone screen, showing off his newly purchased luxury car. On the wedding day, I waited with anticipation for my mother to hand me that card, but I did not get it throughout. So, upon returning home, I pulled her into the room and asked, “Mom, you promised to give me the card when I got married. Why haven’t I received it yet?” She patted my hand with a smile and said, “Amelia, your current house has just two bedrooms. When your baby is born in the future, surely you’ll want a bigger place. I’ve put the money in a fixed-term deposit to earn more interest. It’ll be wonderful when you can use that money to buy a new residence. Trust me, I’m not deceiving you! “I’ve also put your engagement gift money into the deposit. When the time is due, there will be enough funds for the down payment on a house.” “Alright, Mom. I won’t withdraw the money, but I want to keep the card. It will be nice to just have it with me when I sleep!” I stretched out my hand to grab the bank card from my mother, but she spun around and placed the card in her cabinet. “When it expires, I will give it to you. You’re not good at saving money. After squandering it, you’ll regret it!” Since my mother had locked the cabinet, despite my reluctance, there was nothing I could do. Thus, I had no choice but to ask her when it would expire. She told me that it would take a year. It was May now, so it would only expire next May. I was disappointed yet helpless. The next day, just as my husband and I were preparing to head home, my brother burst into the living room, kicking the door open with a swagger. Upon seeing us, he let out a whistle. Then, he sauntered over to me like a thug, slapped my arm, and said, “Amelia, I’m short on cash these days. Loan me some.” I shook my head bitterly. “I’m short of money as well. All of my funds are in mom’s bank account.” My brother asked, “Didn’t Mom give you the card?” I shook my head again. “She said it was on a fixed-term deposit and told me to leave the card with her.” My brother gave me a meaningful look and smiled, “A fixed-term deposit is really good. It yields a substantial amount of interest. Besides, it contains all your scholarships and pocket money from your childhood, so the sum must be quite significant.” Somehow, I was thoroughly confused. I had the urge to inquire of him whether he was privy to certain information, yet he didn’t carry on with the topic. Instead, he simply waved his hand at me. “My friend called me out for a drink. I’m leaving now.” I watched my brother’s retreating figure as he rushed away, constantly having the feeling that he and my mother were hiding something from me.

Shortly after arriving home, I experienced stomach pain and thus went to the hospital. The doctor diagnosed it as the early stage of stomach cancer. He stated that as it was merely in the early stage, if treated promptly, the cure rate could reach as high as 95%. But the cost of operation and treatment added up to about 100 thousand dollars. My husband and I just got married, and neither of our families was rich. As a result, we were unable to come up with such a huge at once. Consequently, I thought about the bank card in which my mother had saved money for me. After making up my mind, I went back to her house the next day. Upon hearing my words, she shot me a cold glance. “I’ve just informed you that it’s a fixed-term deposit and that I’m keeping the card for you. But, within just a few days, you are using this excuse to ask me for money. You clearly don’t trust me at all. Do you actually believe that I will embezzle your money? “Your father and I are engaged in business. I’m not a housewife with no income. Do you think I’m interested in this paltry sum of money?” I never anticipated that my mother would view me in such a light. Despite feeling both sad and disappointed, I still explained to her patiently, “Mom, I’m not deceiving you. I’m truly ill. Look, here’s the case record provided by the hospital!” With that, I handed her my case record. My mother took it and stared at it coldly. Next, she ripped it into shreds and flung them at my face. The cover of the case report was rather sharp, and it directly scratched my face. She sneered, “To get the card, you’ve even gone so far as to fake a case record. Ever since childhood, you’ve been full of schemes. Unlike your brother, who’s always been so affectionate towards me, you seem to just be born to hound me for money. How utterly exasperating!” Stunned by her words, I hurriedly explained, “Mom, how can you think of me in such a way? How could I possibly go and fake a case to lie to you because I don’t trust you? I’m really sick and need money for treatment. I’m not lying to you!” However, my mother didn’t believe me at all. She just kept sneering, “You asked me for the card just a few days ago, and now, all of a sudden, you’re sick. How could there be such a coincidence? It’s simply impossible! “I worked hard to bring you up and shelled out a fortune. The money on your card isn’t enough to pay it back. Before asking me for money, you should consider the debt you owe us. Even if I don’t hand over the card, you’ve no grounds to hold it against me! How dare you attempt to swindle me out of money?” My mother’s words struck me like a thunderbolt. My heart broke, as if a knife were slicing it. Since childhood, I had to make do with my brother’s leftovers for food and wear my cousin’s cast-off clothes. In fact, my mother had never spent much money on me. It was truly unexpected that she would say such accusatory words to me. Through this argument, I was already certain that she had no intention of giving me the card or the money today. However, my stomach cancer couldn’t afford to wait. I was left with no choice but to plead with her for the money to see a doctor. So, I begged her desperately, “Mom, I’ll pay back every cent I owe you. Could you please take out 100 thousand dollars so I can see the doctor first?”

But my mother simply ignored my pleas, completely overwhelmed by anger. “Pay back what you owe before asking to borrow more! Do you think you’re so smart, faking an illness to extort money from me? Do you really believe I’d be duped by your poor acting, get morally blackmailed, and ultimately have no choice but to hand over the money? “Amelia, aren’t you ashamed of lying? Ever since childhood, you’ve been a handful, always plotting and not as innocent as your brother. You’re constantly convinced that I’m partial to him. But reflect on yourself. What about you makes you worthy of my favor? “What I detest above all else is how petty, greedy for money, and full of deceit you are. You are as eager for wealth as a robber. No child should ever browbeat their mother for money. You still owe me money, and even if you are to take care of me in the future, you should give me money, not the other way around! How utterly shameless!” My mother’s insults broke my heart, leaving me so devastated that I was unable to utter a word. I could only clutch my aching stomach. My silence intensified her anger, so she picked up a broom to banish me. “You are quite ungrateful. Get the hell out of here. I don’t want a daughter like a debt collector!” I was defenseless against my mother’s assault with the broom and had no choice but to be chased out of the house by her. The instant I stepped out, she forcefully slammed the door shut, as if the person she was expelling wasn’t her own daughter, but rather a beggar. It was a sweltering summer day. Yet, as I stood outside, a bone-chilling cold seemed to penetrate my very being. The tears I had been suppressing for ages finally cascaded down my cheeks. Leaning against the railing, I hunched my upper body and crouched down. It turned out that in my mother’s eyes, I was such a sinister and cunning girl. During my childhood, to save money, I frequently took on part-time jobs every summer vacation and in my spare time, like copying homework for my classmates to make some money. I earned my income through my own hard work. In contrast to my younger brother, who was indolent and spent his days solely focused on playing, I was cast as a conniving villain. However, it was my mother who had promised to help me save any money I earned through my own hard work. When I was a child, even though I always shared my food with my brother, she still suspected that I had hidden motives. In fact, she was right in a way. But all I wanted was to be kind to my brother in the hope that my parents would treat me kindly in return! I kept pondering what on earth I could have done wrong to evoke such intense hatred from my mother. The pain in my stomach grew so intense that it became almost unbearable, and my tears flowed ceaselessly. But I had to survive. Having entered this world without any fault on my part, I couldn’t bear to die with blame. I must convince my mother that I was not at fault. So, I took a brief rest in the corner, biding my time until she left the house. Then, I quietly slipped back into the house. After rummaging through all of her drawers, I finally found the key to the drawer with the bank card in the corner of the study drawer. With the card, I hailed a taxi and headed for the bank. Along the way, my sadness was replaced by a growing sense of anticipation. I was quite curious. How much money is on the card? Is it 300 thousand dollars, 400 thousand dollars, or 500 thousand dollars? When I thought about that sum of money, the pain in my stomach seemed to subside a bit. Upon arriving at the bank, I stood in front of the ATM and took a deep breath to suppress my excitement. With utmost care, I slid my bank card into the ATM slot and entered the PIN number. All the while, I was like a deeply devout believer. However, when I pressed the inquiry button and laid eyes on the balance within, the numbers were like a bucket of ice-cold water dousing me from head to toe. All the excitement and euphoria turned into hopelessness and despair in an instant. The balance on the screen plainly indicated a value of zero.

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My name is Cynthia Mitchell, and I had a fiancé named Henry Williams. At an investment banquet, Henry’s secretary recklessly poured a glass of red wine over investor Jason Miller and berated him loudly. To seek revenge on Henry, Jason demanded that Henry’s lover, Annie Crawford, spend a night with him, or else he would withdraw his investment. In order to ensure the successful IPO of Williams Group, Henry handed me a glass of drugged wine, intending to sacrifice me. He looked at me, his eyes filled with hesitation. “Annie is different from you. She just graduated—pure and innocent. “Cynthia, don’t struggle. I’ll make it up to you once Williams Group goes public.” ***** When I woke up, I saw the man across from me. My voice was hoarse as I said, “I’ll sign the agreement.” Antonio Steers closed the file in his hand and adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. He looked at me with a condescending smile. “Then I wish us a pleasant cooperation, Ms. Mitchell.” As I looked at his refined, pale face, I recalled the scene from last night. When I was being dragged toward a room by that greasy investor, the elevator doors opened. Antonio stood straight inside, like a king. As the elevator doors were about to close, I cried out to him for help. The image of that man being brutally beaten to the ground, covered in blood, was still vivid in my mind. I swallowed hard, unsure if I had made the right choice. Suppressing my unease, I forced myself to say, “Of course, we will.” When I finished packing and left the hotel, I ran into Henry and Annie in the lobby. He was holding Annie affectionately. When he saw me, Henry awkwardly let go of Annie. Annie, however, rushed over to me with feigned concern. She pretended to be grateful, but her eyes were full of provocation. “Cynthia, are you okay? “Did that old man torment you? I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. If only I had endured his harassment, you wouldn’t have had to go through all this.” The crowd around us fell silent for a moment upon hearing this gossip. They all glanced at me discreetly, their gazes filled with both disdain and pity. Henry shot me a look of disgust and pulled Annie back to his side, scolding her, “You’ll never have to endure it. Girls must learn to protect themselves.” Seeing Henry ignore me, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of bitterness. I stepped forward, tears welling up in my eyes, and looked at him. “Henry, nothing happened last night. Do you believe me?” Henry’s expression stiffened for a moment, and his attitude softened slightly. Annie tugged at his sleeve, pouting, and said with feigned concern, “Mr. Miller said he would withdraw his investment if we didn’t meet his demands. But this morning, he called Henry and said the cooperation would continue. “I know every woman would choose to escape reality in such a situation. “I also know, Cynthia, you’re lying to save face. I understand.” I clenched my fists and glared at her. “Shut up.” Last night, when I was dazed and soaked in ice-cold water, Antonio pulled me out of the bathtub, pressed me against the wall, and made me listen. On the other side of the wall, they were opening champagne and celebrating loudly. They were convinced that once this deal was secured, Williams Group would successfully go public. Henry looked at me with displeasure, scolding me for yelling at his little lover. “Why are you being so harsh? Was she wrong?” I stared at Henry in shock, tears slowly filling my eyes. Perhaps my unusual demeanor startled Henry, as he rarely stepped forward to comfort me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and whispered, “Cynthia, you have to believe your sacrifice is worth it. Once Williams Group goes public, I’ll make it up to you.” Seeing that I remained silent, he gradually grew impatient and said in a firm tone, “I know you desperately want to marry me. Once Williams Group goes public, we’ll have the wedding, okay?” Looking at his impatient expression, I laughed at myself bitterly, “Cynthia, this is the man you’ve been chasing after, the man you’ve burned yourself out for, dedicating your youth to.” My desire to spend my life with him had completely vanished by now. I raised my head, holding back my tears, and said to him firmly, “No, I don’t want to marry you anymore.” Annie flashed a sly smile and exclaimed, “That’s great! You don’t deserve Henry anyway.” But Henry’s face suddenly darkened. He stared at me with a heavy gaze, not saying a word, trying to pressure me into submission. In the past, whenever he fell silent like this, I would immediately apologize and try everything to please him. But this time, I didn’t avoid his gaze. I spoke word by word, “Henry, I mean it. I don’t want to marry you anymore. This relationship ends here.” “Cynthia,” he roared at me. I stood my ground, unmoved. After a long stare-down, he sneered, “I’ll wait for the day you regret this.” With that, he left me behind and walked away with Annie.

That evening, as I was packing my belongings in my apartment, a notification sound from a social media platform alerted me to an update from a special follow. I opened it and saw a video of Henry and Annie. They were on a beach, kissing under a grand fireworks display. Watching this scene, memories flooded back like a tidal wave. When Henry loved me the most, he promised to give me the most romantic fireworks show and propose to me under the fireworks. I put away my phone and looked at the pile of packed boxes, feeling empty inside. I used to think Henry and I would be together forever. I had bought so many things to decorate the home of my dreams, but leaving turned out to be easier than I had imagined. After sending off my luggage, I returned to Williams Group. I walked into the office and found my belongings scattered in a corner, and the office had been redecorated in pink. I glanced outside the door, and my colleagues avoided eye contact with me. They pretended to be busy with their work, keeping their heads down and saying nothing, until a commanding voice broke the silence. “Hurry up. Throw out that desk too. It’s hideous. “The taste here is so outdated.” Annie walked in, looking at me smugly. “Sorry, Henry said this office is mine now. “You haven’t been here, so I took the liberty of organizing your things. “You don’t mind, do you, old bitch?” I gave her a faint glance, ignored her, and crouched down to search for a trophy that meant a lot to me. But I couldn’t find it no matter how hard I looked. I looked up at Annie. “Where did you hide my trophy?” Annie pulled out a cylindrical glass trophy from the desk. “Are you talking about this cheap thing?” I reached out to her. “Give it back to me.” She looked at me, a scornful smile on her face, her eyes filled with malice. I had a bad feeling and tried to grab the trophy. The next moment, the trophy was smashed heavily onto the ground. I froze, staring at the shattered glass on the floor. The anger I had been suppressing finally erupted. I pushed her away. “What the hell gives you the right to break it?” This trophy was the first national innovation award I had won during college, and it was because of this achievement that Henry’s Williams Group had been able to grow. Later, when Williams Group lacked clients, I gave up my beloved research and development to switch to sales. This trophy had always been placed in the most prominent spot, reminding me not to abandon my original passion. I had planned to return to research and development after marrying Henry. I crouched down and picked up the metal base, which bore my name and honor. Even if it was broken, I would collect the fragments. Suddenly, I heard a whimpering cry and Henry’s furious voice behind me. “Cynthia, what did you do?” I turned around, startled. Annie was sobbing in Henry’s arms, a trace of blood on her elbow from the shattered glass. “It hurts so much, Henry…” Henry held her elbow, blowing on it tenderly, then glared at me. “Cynthia, how could you be so vicious? Was your usual nice persona all an act? “It was my decision to let Annie take your position. You didn’t dare confront me, so you bullied a naive girl who just graduated.” I stood up and looked at them. I recalled that I had pushed Annie, but I hadn’t pushed her to the ground. “It wasn’t me.” “Then who was it? Are you saying you didn’t push her? Do you think I’m blind?” Other employees poked their heads out, curious about the commotion. “Aren’t you going to apologize to Annie? “Don’t you have any manners at all? Have all these years in sales been for nothing? “Did you get your orders by playing up to clients?” I tightened my grip on the metal base, feeling deeply humiliated. My resentment spilled out uncontrollably. Since I was leaving anyway, I might as well vent about the injustices I had suffered. With red eyes, I shouted at him, “Henry, how can you insult me like this? Do you have any conscience? “Do you know how much I’ve sacrificed for Williams Group over the years? I braved wind and sun to bring in clients for you. I stayed up late revising proposals. You’re right, you are blind. “You’ve not only dismissed all my efforts and achievements, but you’re also slandering me. “Who told you that? Annie? “Do you trust her so much? You’ve only known her for six months.” After I finished speaking, I glared at him. Henry was speechless. He hadn’t expected me, who had always been obedient, to fight back. He felt humiliated in front of his employees, and his expression turned terrifying. I didn’t want to deal with them anymore and was about to leave when Henry suddenly grabbed my arm forcefully. A hard slap landed on my face, and a ringing sound filled my ears. Everyone was stunned. “You hurt Annie and think you can just leave? It’s not that easy. “Annie and I may have only known each other for six months, but she’s purer than you. How could a fresh graduate be as scheming as a woman who’s been dealing with men for years? “I believe she wouldn’t lie to me. “And now she’s hurt, but you’re standing here unharmed.” I covered my face, looking at him in disbelief. Even when we argued in the past, he had never hit me. But for Annie, he had crossed that line. I felt my heart die. All the words I wanted to say were stuck in my throat, and I no longer wanted to argue. “Henry, don’t fight with Cynthia because of me.” Annie, pretending to be fragile in Henry’s arms, let out a sob. “My wrist hurts so much.” Henry anxiously picked her up. Before leaving, he glanced at me and issued a cold command. “I’m transferring you to the Spring County branch. “Come back once you know your mistake. “Pack your things and get out. Now!”

When I checked out of the hotel and was about to leave, Henry’s mother, Megan Williams, contacted me. She was one of the few people here who genuinely cared about me. “Sweetie, did you and Henry have a fight? “Yesterday, I went to Williams Group and didn’t see you. Someone told me you were transferred to Spring County. Tell me if Henry did something wrong, and I’ll make sure he fixes it.” I moved Megan’s hand away from mine and said seriously, “Henry and I have already broken up. “I’m leaving today, and I might not come back.” “Broken up?” Megan sat up straight in shock, looking at me with concern. “Did Henry do something wrong? “Is it because of that new secretary?” My eyes darkened. “I’ve already made things clear with him. Thank you for your kindness before. “I’ve booked a flight for this afternoon, and I’m running out of time. I’m sorry.” I stood up, grabbed my suitcase, and was about to leave, but Megan held onto my luggage tightly. “Sweetie, listen to me. Men are all fickle. He just made a mistake that all men make. “Believe me, marry Henry. With me backing you up, no other woman can shake your position. I only acknowledge you as part of our family.” At that moment, a noise came from the doorway. I turned to look and saw Henry. Megan happily went to greet him. “Sweetie, Henry’s back. He still cares about you. Clear up the misunderstanding. You’ll have a wedding next month.” When Henry heard the word “wedding”, his face darkened, and he stormed toward me. “Cynthia, how dare you come here to bother my mom and make her trick me into coming home. “Just because my mom likes you, you want to use her to pressure me, don’t you? “Didn’t you reject me when I proposed marriage?” He looked at me with a smug expression, his eyebrows raised. “You regret it now, don’t you? “I knew you couldn’t let me go. You don’t want to go to Spring County. “If you beg me and apologize to Annie, I’ll let you stay at headquarters. How about that? “As for the wedding, you missed your chance once. I’ll need to see how you perform.” Megan frowned and slapped Henry’s arm. “What nonsense are you talking about? “She didn’t bother me. I came here for her. “Promise Cynthia that you’ll fire that homewrecker and never contact her again.” Henry snorted coldly. “Cynthia, I really didn’t expect that everyone, regardless of gender or age, falls for your tricks. You even managed to make my mom listen to you like this.” The last bit of goodwill I had for Henry vanished. “If you fire Annie and apologize to me, I’ll marry you right away.” Henry was shocked, and his expression showed that he had expected this. “Dream on.” At that moment, his phone suddenly rang, and the unique ringtone echoed in the room. I remembered how many times this ringtone had gone off, and he would always avoid me from answering the call. “Hello, Annie, what’s wrong?” My already dead heart felt a sharp pang of pain. So, they had already been sneaking around behind my back for a long time. “Okay, wait for me there. I’ll be right over.” Megan grabbed his sleeve. “No. You’re not going anywhere. Apologize to Cynthia! I only like Cynthia. You can’t break up with her.” Henry glared at me impatiently. “Mom, stop causing trouble.” With that, he pushed Megan aside and left without looking back. Megan, holding her injured waist, stared in shock at Henry’s retreating figure. She slapped her thigh and cried, “How did I end up with such a son? He abandoned such an excellent girlfriend and ran into the arms of a bad woman.” Then she looked at me pitifully and said, “Sweetie, take me to the hospital. I’ll make sure Henry comes back to his senses.” I frowned and glanced at my watch. I was running out of time, so I refused, “I’ll call an ambulance for you. Goodbye.” As I left, I heard wailing and crying behind me. By the time I boarded the plane, the news of the engagement between the heir of Steers Group and the heiress of Mitchell Group had already gone viral, accompanied by a side-profile photo of me and Antonio at the banquet. And my contractual fiancé was already waiting for me at the airport.

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My husband, Evan West, and I were reborn on the eve of our marriage registration. We walked out of the City Hall, and neither brought up marriage again. He went on to start a business with his first love, Evelyn Scott, while I stayed home, sketching designs as always. Six years later, he became the CEO of a public company, happily together with his first love. Meanwhile, I was still at home, sketching away at my design work. When we met again, he had his first love on his arm, looking down at me in my simple outfit with a mocking smirk. He said mockingly, “After all this time, you’re still so… ordinary.” Little did he know that my husband, Sebastian Vaughn, was the wealthiest man in the world. I had flown back from abroad to attend my professor, Caleb Murray’s 70th birthday celebration. As fate would have it, I ran into my ex-husband Evan for the first time in six years since our split. He had indeed made it big as the CEO of a listed company. At first, everyone gathered around Caleb, making small talk. They all put on a show of being eager students. It delighted Caleb, who believed they had changed and grown more mature than before. When Evan walked in with Evelyn on his arm, everyone flocked around him like moths to a flame. They were all desperate to get on his good side. I noticed the hurt in Caleb’s eyes. I gently took his hand and stayed beside him with a reassuring smile. Someone piped up, “Evan, you’ve made it big! Look at you now! A hot-shot CEO!” “Yeah, Mr. West is way out of our league now. We might need to ask for some favors!” “Come on, we’re all old classmates! Mr. West, don’t hesitate to let us know if you need anything! We’ve got your back!” Evan just smiled politely and continued walking with Evelyn. The crowd quickly switched their attention, thinking they’d forgotten to compliment Evelyn. “Oh my, excuse my aging eyes! I can’t believe I didn’t notice Evelyn standing right there!” “Evelyn, you haven’t aged a day! You still look like you’re eighteen! You two make such a power couple!” The pair exchanged knowing smiles at the comment. “Oh, stop, you’re making us blush!” Evelyn protested with false modesty, clearly fishing for more compliments. The crowd caught her hint and kept laying on the praise. Everyone had completely forgotten about the real guest of honor. Even when it was time for the banquet to start, they were chattering away noisily. I frowned and walked over to speak up, “It’s already noon, and today is Professor Murray’s birthday celebration. Why are you all making a racket instead of celebrating with Professor Murray?” Evan finally noticed me and furrowed his brows slightly. “What are you doing here?” I found his question ridiculous. Why wouldn’t I be here on Caleb’s birthday? Everyone knew how Evan and I had announced our plans to get married, only to have things end badly in a very public way. People stared at us with evident curiosity, hungry for gossip. “Did you know Professor Murray treats Ava like his own protégé? I wonder where she’s working these days!” “Well, well, look at these old flames meeting again. My, how things have changed,” another person muttered. That was right. I was wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans. How could that compare to Evan’s designer suit and Evelyn’s fancy cocktail dress? Little did they know my outfit cost more than their fancy clothes combined. Evan was pleased to hear this. He deliberately tightened his grip on Evelyn’s hand as if preparing to make some big announcement. “Come on, guys, don’t joke around. I’m Eve’s fiancé now. Everyone’s invited to our wedding next May 20th.” The news excited everyone, completely glossing over my awkward history with Evan. They started showering them with congratulations and well wishes for their marriage. Seriously? They were not married yet, and everyone was already celebrating like they were.

Evelyn approached me as I stood there, clearly wanting to show off. She smirked, “Ava, which design company do you work for? I’d love to have you design some wedding dresses for me. “Since you’re Professor Murray’s student, I’m sure you’re talented.” Everyone turned to look at me. I forced a smile and shook my head. “Thanks, but I’m currently working on designs from home. “Your wedding dresses would be too fancy for me to handle. You should find someone more qualified.” Evelyn covered her mouth in mock surprise. “Oh my goodness, Ava! I’m so sorry! I had no idea you’d been unemployed for six years. “Ava, you’re Evan’s friend. Let us know if you need any help.” I waved off her fake concern and returned to my seat. The others exchanged knowing looks, clearly thinking I was being ungrateful. I helped Caleb stand up and shot them all a cold glare. “If you don’t want to be here, just leave. “Today is about Professor Murray. If you want to suck up to someone, at least pick the right moment.” Their cheerful expressions instantly turned cold as they glared at me resentfully. Evan finally turned to me, his smile never wavering. “Since Ava put it that way, I guess I’m wrong here. “Well! I’ll cover Caleb’s lunch bill, and tonight, I’ll invite everyone to see our new mansion.” The tense atmosphere instantly lifted as everyone got excited about visiting the mansion. Evan stared directly at me with a smug look on his face. “Would our former class monitor approve of this plan?” I nodded, not wanting to waste more words on them. “Then we’ll see you tonight. Don’t stand us up.” Before I could refuse, they walked past me to take their seats. Evan stopped beside me and gave me a few mocking glances. “Ava, still dressing so plainly, I see. “If you had listened to me back then, you wouldn’t be living off your parents and working from home now. “You’re just too stubborn. Look at us now—one soaring high, the other stuck on the ground.”

One was soaring high, and the other was stuck on the ground? That was one way to put it. After all, he could never reach the heights where I stand now. In my past life, Evan and I grew up as childhood sweethearts. Our parents naturally assumed we would end up together. He found his entry-level corporate job boring and unfulfilling. Meanwhile, I spent my days creating designs at home, but no one took my work seriously. Evelyn started a business with someone else. They quickly became the wealthiest couple in the city, living a life of luxury. He grew to hate me then, blaming me for holding him back. He believed he could have had a perfect life with Evelyn. He missed his golden opportunity because of our parents’ expectations and my presence. I still remember how Evan clenched his fists at Evelyn’s wedding, his face showing pure resentment. I thought he was only feeling bitter inside. But then he started staying out all night. Mysterious hickeys began appearing on his neck. Lipstick stains and foundation marks kept showing up in his car. In the end, that was the last straw that broke our relationship. “Ava, what more do you want? You just sit at home all day expecting me to care for you. What gives you the right? “I must have been crazy to choose you. If I had married Eve instead, I’d be the richest man in the city by now!” I watched as his usually gentle face twisted into something ugly. I felt a deep sense of heartbreak and helplessness for the first time. Sure, I spent my days at home. But I was the one paying most of our bills. He was right; my designs weren’t selling well. But my family was comfortably middle-class, and my parents provided the money. How did he support me and call me useless? He was just jealous that others were doing better than him. He blamed me for holding him back from getting rich. How did this become my fault? In the end, I gave in and agreed to divorce. A truck crashed into our car on our way to sign the papers. We plunged straight off the bridge into the river below. When I opened my eyes again, we had both traveled back to the day we sat in the City Hall, about to get married. This time, we walked straight out of the City Hall. Without many words, he called Evelyn. I went back home to continue working on my designs. My second chance at life had already started paying dividends. I had mastered the latest fashion trends and adapted my style accordingly. Now, I was the go-to designer for luxury jewelry brands. I had suddenly become the hottest name in the design world. Most of my earnings went back to the school as donations. I wanted to help more people pursue their dreams in design without financial barriers. They knew nothing about any of this. They still thought I was nobody, just waiting for life to pass. I had only come here to celebrate Caleb’s birthday. We were supposed to thank him for mentoring us, but instead, it turned into the Evan and Evelyn show. I had to stand up for Caleb. They love showing off their wealth, right? Well, let’s see who has the deeper pockets!

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My husband, Ethan Royce, drove to the village school in a luxury car to pick me up after work. The new female teacher, Vivian Spencer, pouted and asked for a ride. She hopped into the passenger seat, gazing at my husband with admiration. “Ethan, you’re already a school director at such a young age? That’s impressive! With your looks and success, you haven’t abandoned your wife for someone younger. You must be a truly devoted man.” Sitting in the backseat, I raised an eyebrow. Abandon me? If he dares, he can kiss his position goodbye. “Ms. Sutton, your husband is so handsome! And he’s rich, drives such a nice car, and treats you well. I’m jealous,” Vivian teased me. But her gaze was glued to Ethan. I was the principal of a village girls’ school, and Vivian was a newly hired teacher. Since the school was far from our home in the city, Ethan would come to pick me up whenever he had time. Vivian asked, “Ethan, what do you do to make so much money?” Ethan scratched his head and chuckled, “This car is not that good anyway. I’m just a director for a few private schools, that’s all.” I felt a little uncomfortable. This car was my birthday gift to him. I also arranged his position as the school director. But he was my husband, so I let him have his moment. Vivian’s eyes lit up. “Wait… are you with Nova International Academy? That’s the top private school in the province!” Ethan smiled and nodded. Vivian’s eyes flickered before she suddenly switched to a coy tone. “Ethan, my house is so far from school. I’m just a young woman who just graduated. I’m so scared to go home by myself every day! Would it be too much trouble to give me a ride? Please?” Vivian clasped her hands together pleadingly, staring at Ethan with innocent eyes. Ethan was about to agree but suddenly remembered I was sitting right there. His expression stiffened as he glanced at me. Vivian turned to me with a sweet smile. “Ms. Sutton, you care so much about your staff. Surely you wouldn’t say no to such a small favor? Or could it be that you’re jealous over something like this?” I glanced at Vivian and chuckled before agreeing. I was curious to see what tricks she had up her sleeve. The moment we said yes, Vivian dashed to the car, yanked the door open, and plopped herself into the passenger seat. Which meant I had no choice but to sit in the back. For over an hour, Vivian showered my husband with flattery. “Ethan, being a school director in your early thirties? That’s beyond impressive! “I was wondering how Ms. Sutton managed to keep a girls’ school running in the countryside. It only takes in underprivileged students, so there’s no money to be made! Turns out, she’s got a supportive husband funding everything behind the scenes. “What? Ms. Sutton is younger than you? No way. To me, she feels like an elder, but you’re like an older brother.” Vivian turned to glance at me, eyeing my plain outfit with barely concealed disdain before adding, “Ethan, you really should take Ms. Sutton shopping sometimes. If you two went out together, people might mistake her for your mom.” I had spent years working in the village, so my wardrobe was all about practicality. Besides, our students came from struggling families. I didn’t want them to feel self-conscious, so I dressed as simply as possible. I looked at Ethan. He seemed to be basking in the praise, grinning from ear to ear. When we finally got home, Vivian lingered, chatting with Ethan for a few more minutes before reluctantly dragging herself away.

As soon as we got home, our son, Joe, ran up to us excitedly, calling out, “Mom! Dad!” Joe was seven years old and had just started elementary school. To keep things simple, we enrolled him at Nova International Academy. “I’ll go make dinner. You play with Joe for a while.” Ethan put on an apron without being asked. Only then did my frustration ease a little. We had a clear division of labor. I focused on my career while Ethan managed the household and took care of our child. I initially wanted Ethan to be a stay-at-home dad, but after much hesitation, he admitted that unemployment would be too humiliating for a grown man. So, I arranged a few honorary board positions for Ethan at schools under the Sutton Education Group. The title sounded prestigious, but it was just a formality. Ethan only needed to attend an occasional meeting, leaving him plenty of time to look after Joe. As for me, my mind wasn’t really on the company. Ever since I volunteered to teach during my college, I have dreamed of opening a school for underprivileged girls. The moment I inherited the family business, the first thing I did was establish an all-girls school in a neighboring impoverished county. Now, my energy was entirely devoted to changing these girls’ futures. I had no interest in trivial matters like Vivian’s behavior. Still, I was worried that what Vivian did might affect the students. So, I called her into the principal’s office the next day for a talk. Before I could say a word, Vivian slapped a resignation letter onto my desk. “I quit!” I was stunned. “You’ve only been here for a few days. Why are you quitting so soon?” Vivian crossed her arms, looking impatient. “The conditions here are terrible. Who could stand working in a place like this?” I fell silent. The village’s conditions were indeed rough, which was why I had offered high salaries to attract good teachers. I accepted Vivian’s resignation. I needed teachers who were truly passionate about education. Forcing her to stay would only be unfair to the students.

Lately, I had noticed that Joe was becoming distant from me. He used to run into my arms the moment I got home from work. But that evening, he just stood there, frowning like an adult. “So you still remember to come home? Dad works so hard every day, and all you do is enjoy yourself out there.” Hearing those words from a child felt strange. However, I couldn’t help but feel guilty. Maybe I had spent too much time at the girls’ school and neglected Joe without realizing it. “Joe, do you want to go to the amusement park? I’m taking some time off to spend a few days with you, okay?” “I don’t want you to!” Joe shoved me with all his strength. I was shocked. I wasn’t around as much as Ethan, but I had never been anything less than loving toward Joe. I felt a flicker of irritation. “What’s gotten into you today? Joe, pushing people is wrong.” Joe only grew more upset. “I don’t want you! I want Dad!” I swallowed my frustration and reached out to touch his head. “Dad’s still at work. Can’t Mommy keep you company?” Just then, Joe sank his teeth into my hand. The sharp pain made me instinctively pull away, maybe with a little too much force, and Joe landed on the floor with a thud. Joe burst into tears. “You’re not my mom! I want Ms. Spencer to be my mom!” I was stunned. Ms. Spencer? Did he mean Vivian? Just then, Ethan came back. Joe immediately ran to him, clinging to his waist, sobbing as he spoke, “Dad, Mom hit me! We don’t need her anymore, right? Take me to Ms. Spencer. I want her to be my mom!” Ethan’s expression shifted instantly. He shot me a guilty glance before turning to comfort Joe. “Don’t cry, Joe. Mommy didn’t mean to. Can you forgive her?” But Joe wasn’t having it. He sobbed even harder, his little body shaking with every breath. Ethan sighed, “How about this? Let’s hit her back, okay?” He took Joe’s small hands, curled them into fists, and gently tapped my stomach over and over. “Bad Mommy. Daddy and Joe will fight her together.” My face darkened. “So this is what you’ve been teaching him while I’m not around?” Ethan frowned. “He’s just a kid. Why are you taking it so seriously? What kind of mother argues with her own son like this?” Then Ethan scooped Joe into his arms, wiping away his tears. “What do you want for dinner, Joe? Daddy will make it for you, and we won’t let Mommy have any.” Joe finally stopped crying. I spoke abruptly, “Who is Ms. Spencer?” For a split second, Ethan looked flustered, but he quickly regained his composure. “There’s no Ms. Spencer. Probably some character from a cartoon. Kids say all sorts of things.” I didn’t believe Ethan for a second. I silently made up my mind that I would find out where Vivian went after she quit. But before I even had the chance to investigate, she delivered herself right to my door.   That day, something came up, and I had to leave the rural school early to drive home. As I approached the villa, bursts of laughter drifted through the air. “Ms. Spencer, can you be my mom?” Vivian’s tinkling laughter rang out from inside. “Oh? Joe, you like me that much? But you already have a mommy. How can I take her place?” Joe thought for a moment before saying, “Then if Daddy and Mommy get a divorce, can you be my mom?” Vivian laughed so hard she nearly gasped for breath. “Would you really be willing to give up your mommy?” Joe snorted, “I hate that old witch! Ms. Spencer, you are so gentle and pretty. How could she ever compare?” Vivian’s voice carried an unmistakable note of glee. “Well, that depends on whether your dad agrees.” “Dad, didn’t you say she’s just an old nag? Kick her out and let Ms. Spencer move in, okay?” I pushed open the door just in time to see Ethan sitting there, his face flushed, caught between hesitation and temptation. “What a lively family gathering,” I said coldly. Ethan turned to look at me, his face instantly drained of color. He shot to his feet and stammered, “Sabrina, it’s not what you think…” I asked, “Then why don’t you tell me what it is?” Ethan said, “Vivian is Joe’s homeroom teacher. She came over for a home visit today. “She reached out to me after she left the rural school, saying the conditions were too harsh. She’s a fresh graduate and just couldn’t handle it. She begged me for help. “I thought, since she was your friend, I’d do her a favor and get her a teaching position at Nova International Academy. I did it for you…” I sneered, “She is just my subordinate. What kind of friend is that? And she just happened to be Joe’s teacher? Let’s be honest, Ethan, this was never about me. You had your own agenda, didn’t you?” Vivian finally spoke up, “Sabrina, how can you talk to your husband like that? If it weren’t for Ethan, would you even be living such a comfortable life?” I pointed a finger right at her nose. “And who do you think you are? No one asked for your opinion.” Ethan’s face flushed. “Sabrina, do you have no respect for teachers? Vivian is Joe’s teacher and our guest. Apologize to her right now!” Ethan had always been gentle with me. But now, just to defend Vivian, he was suddenly playing the role of the tough, righteous man. Joe ran over, screaming, “Don’t bully Ms. Spencer! Get out of my house!” I was beyond furious. In just a few days, Vivian had poisoned my relationship with my own son. I turned to her, my voice cold. “Ms. Spencer, you are a teacher, and I suggest you act like one. What you’re doing now is completely unethical, and I have every right to request your termination.” Vivian’s eyes flickered before she feigned a pitiful expression. “Joe, how could someone like this be your mother? Poor child…” Vivian turned and hugged Joe dramatically. “I’m sorry, Joe. I can’t see you anymore. If I do, your mom will have me fired.” Joe let out a piercing scream and charged at me, pounding his little fists against me. “I hate you! Why did you have to be my mom?” Then he ran straight out the door, wailing. Ethan rushed after him. Vivian dropped the act, shooting me a smug, condescending glance before following them. My expression darkened. I pulled out my phone and made a call. “Jack, notify Nova International Academy. There will be a board meeting tomorrow.”   The next day, I headed to Nova International Academy for a board meeting. As luck would have it, I ran into Vivian at the entrance. Vivian shot me a sideways glance. “What, really here to make a scene? This is a prestigious school. There’s no room for your nonsense!” Then, raising her voice, Vivian called out, “Security! We have a suspicious person here!” A security guard hurried over, frowning. “Who are you?” Since I rarely showed up at the school, the guard didn’t recognize me despite my status as a shareholder. I had no interest in arguing, so I simply walked over and pressed the elevator button. “I’m a parent. I need to speak with the principal about something important.” Vivian blocked my way, her eyes cold and sharp. “There’s a board meeting today. Did you really think I’d let you do whatever you want at a time like this? I don’t care if you’re here to sabotage my job or ruin Ethan’s reputation in front of the board. You’re not getting what you want!” Then, all of a sudden, Vivian raised her voice, putting on an exaggerated act. “Mrs. Royce, how could you say such things about me?” Before I could respond, Vivian burst into tears. A few teachers passing by stopped and asked what was going on. Between sobs, Vivian whimpered, “Just because I care about her son, Mrs. Royce accused me of having an affair with her husband. She even came to the school to hit me and demanded that I be fired…” One of the teachers frowned. “Ma’am, it’s our duty to look after the students. How could you make such baseless accusations?” A crowd started to gather, whispering among themselves. “Parents these days are so unreasonable. Poor Ms. Spencer!” “Look at her. She is probably a housewife who spends all day obsessing over her husband, thinking every woman is after him!” “People like her shouldn’t even be mothers. What a terrible influence on her child!” I glanced at the time. The meeting had already started. I pulled out my phone and sent a message in the group chat: [Meeting relocated to the first-floor lobby.] Then, I settled onto the sofa and watched Vivian’s little performance. Before long, the principal, Kevin Robson, and other board members arrived. The teachers immediately swarmed around Kevin, eager to report the situation. “Mr. Robson, a parent barged in, causing trouble and slandering a teacher! You have to do something about this!”

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