On the third anniversary of our engagement, I caught my fiancé Damien Foster tearing off a young influencer’s clothes and taking her. After discovering me, he simply tossed over a pink diamond. “Mind your own business. You’ll still be Mrs. Foster.” Later, he forced me to raise his mistress’s child, threatening me with my brother’s future. I smiled and swallowed the humiliation. Until the night before the wedding, when my bridal car went off a cliff into the ocean and he received my final message: “May we never meet again, in this life or whatever comes after.” Damien didn’t know that the “body” sinking to the ocean floor wasn’t actually me. He knew even less that three months later, I would marry his sworn enemy. Selena’s POV I stood in the entrance hall of the Foster family estate, holding freshly packed hot pasta from an upscale Italian restaurant. Today marked the third anniversary of my engagement to Damien. It was also the seventh consecutive day Damien had been working late. Since it was late at night, the servants had all gone to bed. I tiptoed upstairs, wanting to surprise the man in his study. The study door was slightly ajar, casting an ambiguous strip of yellow light. Just as I was about to push the door open, a coquettish moan came from inside. “Damien, slow down… don’t tear it, this is the evening gown Selena just ordered.” My feet rooted to the spot. Through that crack, I saw Damien with his back to the door, standing beside a leather executive chair. This billionaire who prided himself on being aloof and untouchable was now gripping a woman’s waist, his head buried in her neck. That woman was Violet Shaw, a social media influencer Damien had recently promoted to fame. And the light blue haute couture silk evening gown she wore was the engagement dress I had personally designed half a month ago. “This dress looks perfect on you.” Damien’s voice was low and magnetic, carrying an urgency and desire I had never heard before. I felt my blood freeze. The takeout box in my hand crashed heavily onto the carpet with a dull thud. Tomato sauce spilled out, pooling like thick, sticky blood. The movements inside the study stopped abruptly. Damien pushed Violet away and turned his head. His eyes flashed with momentary panic before quickly regaining their composure, even showing a trace of displeasure at being interrupted. “Why didn’t you knock?” He walked out while straightening his slightly disheveled collar, his tone flat. Violet hid behind him, clutching the torn evening gown, looking like a frightened doe. I looked at him, my lips trembling. “Damien, today is our third anniversary.” Damien glanced at his watch, his brow furrowing slightly. “I forgot. Selena, this was just an accident. Violet is new to the industry, she doesn’t know anything. I’m just mentoring her.” “Mentoring her in bed?” My voice sharpened for an instant, then filled with bitter sorrow. Damien’s gaze turned cold. “Selena, don’t be so harsh. I’ve given you the title of fiancée. As for the rest, don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.” He walked past me, heading straight for the elevator with Violet. As they brushed by, Violet turned back and flashed me a victor’s smile. That night, I sat on the cold floor, staring at that pool of dried soup. I had always thought Damien was cold. Turns out, he was just cold toward me. The next morning, I woke up frozen on the couch. Damien hadn’t come home all night. My phone screen lit up with a message from Violet. A photo. In the photo, Damien was sleeping on white pillows, his profile sharp and handsome, his expression relaxed. It was a side of him I had never seen-the relaxed look of him sleeping. “Selena, Damien is exhausted and still hasn’t woken up. I’m afraid today’s wedding dress fitting will have to be postponed.” I turned off my phone and got up like a puppet on strings to wash up and put on makeup. I couldn’t fall apart. My family’s company was counting on Damien’s investment. At ten o’clock, I stood alone in the bridal boutique in front of a huge floor-to-ceiling mirror. The woman in the mirror wore a pure white wedding dress, breathtakingly beautiful, yet her eyes were lifeless. “Miss Selena, Mr. Foster has commissioned a thousand wedding dresses for you. This is just the first one. Are you satisfied?” the clerk asked carefully. A thousand dresses. The world said Damien loved me to the bone, commissioning enough wedding dresses to fill a mountain. But only I knew that of those thousand dresses, not one had Damien personally accompanied me to choose. “I won’t be trying any more,” I said flatly. “Send them all back.” “But…” Just then, the sound of an engine came from outside. Damien got out of the car and strode in. He had changed clothes and looked composed, carrying an exquisite jewelry box in his hand. “Sorry, I had a conference call with overseas partners this morning. It ran late.” He walked over and embraced me from behind, placing a massive pink diamond necklace around my neck. “This is ‘Heart of True Love,’ the only one in the world. Consider it compensation.” I looked at the man in the mirror whose expression seemed so tender. If not for that photo, I might have believed in his devotion again. “Damien, does Violet have one too?” Damien’s hands froze, his gaze deepening. “Selena, I told you not to mention her.” “She sent me a photo last night.” I turned around, looking directly at him. “Damien, you buy me diamonds while sleeping with another woman. Aren’t you tired?” Damien’s patience seemed to run out. He released his hands, saying coldly, “Selena, your family’s company had a $300 million shortfall last month. I covered it.” It was a threat. I was left speechless. He always knew exactly where to step on my pain points, leaving me unable to live or die. “Choose whichever wedding dress you like. The wedding proceeds as planned.” Damien took a phone call and left in a hurry. He didn’t even notice my nails digging deep into my palms, drawing tiny spots of blood. I looked at the pink diamond called “True Love” in the mirror. It was too heavy. So heavy I couldn’t breathe.

Selena’s POV Damien’s “cold violence” intertwined with “material affection” continued for half a month. During this time, Violet became the ghost haunting my life. Violet would send photos of Damien working in his study, of limited edition bags Damien casually gave her. She even sent photos of silk lingerie Damien bought for her. I pretended not to see any of it. Until my father’s birthday banquet. It was an occasion where New York’s elite gathered, and as Damien’s fiancée, I naturally had to attend. Damien’s parents were also present. Halfway through the banquet, Damien’s mother suddenly walked over with a wine glass, saying condescendingly, “Selena, you and Damien have been engaged for three years. Why aren’t there any children yet?” I smiled awkwardly. Before I could respond, Damien’s cool voice came from the side. “What’s the rush? Selena’s health isn’t good. She’s not ready yet.” Damien’s mother sighed. “But that Violet, I hear she’s already pregnant.” My mind went blank with a buzzing sound. I whipped my head around to look at Damien. Damien’s drinking motion froze, his eyes showing a moment of evasion. Damien’s mother continued, “To ensure Damien’s assets don’t fall into outside hands, once the child is born, we’ll publicly announce that you obtained this precious child through surrogacy. You’ll be responsible for raising this child as your own, as the first-in-line heir to the foundation.” I felt the world spinning. They wanted me to raise Damien and his mistress’s child? What did they take me for? A wife in name only, a nanny who doesn’t have to give birth but has to raise the child? “I won’t agree to this.” My voice was hoarse but exceptionally firm. Damien’s mother’s expression immediately darkened. “Selena, why are you being so unreasonable? As long as you hold the position of Damien’s wife, you shouldn’t care about these things.” I looked at my father standing to the side. My father avoided my gaze, saying softly, “Selena, think of the bigger picture.” Everyone in the world was telling me to think of the bigger picture. No one asked if I was in pain. I pushed back my chair and ran out of the banquet hall, ignoring everyone’s stares. Outside, the sky was overcast, with pouring rain. I walked aimlessly through the rain. A black Maybach slowly stopped beside me. Damien lowered the window, his expression extremely displeased. “Get in the car. Stop making a scene.” I stopped walking, rainwater streaming down my face into my neck. “Damien, is Violet really pregnant?” Damien was silent for a moment, irritably loosening his tie. “It was an accident. I wasn’t planning to let her keep it. But my mother wants that child. There’s nothing I can do.” “You have no choice?” I laughed, tears mixing with rainwater. “Damien, you’re the one in control of the company. If you don’t approve, who can force you?” Damien pushed open the car door and forcibly pulled me into the car. His grip was strong, squeezing my wrist painfully. “Selena, just behave. After the wedding, I’ll reduce my contact with her. You’ll still be my one and only wife. What exactly are you making a fuss about?” “What am I making a fuss about?” I looked at the rapidly retreating scenery outside the window. What I wanted was never the position of some wealthy wife. What I wanted was that fifteen-year-old Damien who promised me in the sunset that I would be his “one and only” for life. But that boy had long since died in power and desire.

Selena’s POV That night, Damien didn’t take me home. He took me directly to his private villa in the suburbs. That place used to be my favorite secret hideaway. But when I pushed open the door, there was a pair of bright high heels in the entrance hall. My heart sank. “Damien, you’re back? The baby kicked me today.” Violet, wearing a sheer silk nightgown, came running out. The moment she saw me, her smile froze, then turned somewhat awkward. “Selena… I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were coming too.” Damien frowned. “Why are you here?” Violet’s eyes reddened, her voice soft and sweet. “I was scared staying alone at the main estate. Mrs. Foster said I could stay here for a few days. There’s security.” Damien looked at me, his eyes showing a trace of helplessness and appeasement. “Go to your room and rest first. I’ll handle this.” I said nothing and walked straight into the living room. Delicate desserts were on the table, along with a “Expecting Mother’s Handbook.” These things pierced my eyes. I felt like an intruder disrupting this family of three’s happiness. “Damien, this is what you call ‘reducing contact’?” I turned around, my voice so cold it had no inflection. Violet spoke up first. “Selena, don’t blame Damien. I know my status is lowly, that I don’t deserve to give birth to this child. But I really can’t bear to part with it… If you’re willing, I can give you the child. I’ll disappear…” As she finished speaking, she actually collapsed onto the floor beside the couch, clutching my dress hem and crying pitifully. Damien immediately bent down to help her up. “Get up. You’re pregnant. What are you making a scene for?” His movements were so careful, as if afraid of hurting Violet’s belly. I looked down at them, finding the scene absurdly ridiculous. “Damien, let’s cancel the wedding.” I calmly spoke these words. The air froze instantly. Damien’s hand supporting Violet suddenly tightened. He looked up, his eyes filled with hostility. “Selena, dare to say that again.” “I said, I want to call off the engagement.” I spoke each word deliberately. “I’ll find a way to repay the debt my family owes you. Consider these three years as my debt to you. I’ll even give you my life if needed. But this marriage-I can’t stay in it for another second.” Damien laughed coldly. He stood up and strode over to me. He reached out and gripped my chin tightly. “Call off the engagement? Selena, have you forgotten that your brother is still in a lab in New York? With just one word from me, his future-even his life-won’t be safe.” My whole body trembled. I looked at Damien, my eyes filled with terror. This man would use my only family member as leverage just to keep a fiancée he didn’t even respect. “Damien, you’re insane.” “You drove me insane.” Damien lowered his head and kissed my lips roughly. It wasn’t a kiss. It was devouring, a declaration of ownership. It tasted of punishment. Violet sat on the floor to the side. From the corner of my eye, I saw her staring at us intently, a flash of intense malice in her eyes.

Selena’s POV For the next half month, Damien kept me under house arrest. My phone was confiscated, the villa’s internet disconnected. Every day, only servants delivered meals at set times, along with Damien’s late-night returns to take what he wanted. He seemed to want to use this method to smooth out all my rough edges. I became increasingly silent. I no longer resisted, no longer mentioned calling off the engagement, didn’t even bring up Violet’s name anymore. I became like an exquisite porcelain doll, letting Damien manipulate me however he pleased. Damien thought I had compromised. Late one night, emboldened by alcohol, Damien embraced me from behind. “Selena, the wedding is set for the eighth of next month. Stop making trouble, okay?” He nuzzled my neck, his voice carrying a rare trace of exhaustion. I looked out at the pitch-black window and answered softly, “Okay.” Damien seemed pleasantly surprised. He turned my face to look at my expression. I cooperatively showed him an obedient smile. “Damien, I want to pick out a necklace for the wedding. I accidentally lost that ‘Heart of True Love’ from last time.” Damien paused slightly, then showed some distress. “If it’s lost, it’s lost. I’ll buy you something even better. Tomorrow I’ll have my assistant Adam take you. I still have a contract to sign.” “Okay.” The next day, accompanied by Adam, I went to New York’s largest jewelry store. Violet somehow got wind of it and showed up with her bodyguards too. “Selena, what a coincidence.” Violet, her belly not yet obviously showing, paraded through the lobby. She walked up to me and pointed ostentatiously at the necklace around her neck. It was another pink diamond. Though smaller than the one I had lost, the design was identical. “Damien said he was worried I’d be bored alone at the villa, so he specially gave me this.” I glanced at the diamond, my expression indifferent. “It suits you.” Violet’s triumphant expression froze, as if she hadn’t expected my reaction. But I simply walked calmly toward the VIP room. As I passed Violet, I suddenly stopped and said in a low voice: “Violet, everything you want, I’ll give it to you very soon.” Violet frowned. “What do you mean?” I didn’t answer. I went to the counter and selected several heavy pieces of jewelry, then excused myself to go to the restroom. In a bathroom stall, I quickly pulled out a new phone hidden in my clothes. I had secretly bribed a maid to buy it for me. I dialed a number. “Prepare a car for me. Tomorrow afternoon, pick me up at the back mountain dock.” A low male voice answered on the other end. “Selena, are you sure you want to do this? If Damien discovers you’re not dead, the consequences will be unthinkable.” I looked at my pale reflection in the mirror and gave a self-mocking smile. “He’ll see my ‘body.’” “As long as he believes I’m dead, he won’t pursue it anymore.” After hanging up, I dismantled the SIM card and flushed it down the toilet. I walked out of the restroom to find Adam waiting at the door. “Let’s go. Back to the villa.” I still had one final act to perform. An act about death. Only a dead Selena could truly gain freedom. And Violet, pregnant with Damien’s child, would be the best supporting player in my plan. Since Damien so desperately wanted a child and a docile wife. Then I would grant his wish. I would vacate this position completely.

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The biggest regret of my life was falling in love with my sister’s husband. When I first met him at twenty, I was trapped in an alley by a group of girls who used to bully me. He threw his jacket over my head, chased them off, and saved what little dignity I had left. I fell for him right then. That flutter came to an abrupt halt the weekend my sister Vivian brought him home. I actively avoided every encounter with them and immediately applied to graduate schools over a thousand miles away after graduation. But disaster struck half a month before I was supposed to start school. Somehow, I ended up sleeping with him. That morning, when Vivian opened the bedroom door and saw us sleeping in each other’s arms, she screamed and ran out of the house. She jumped into the sea. My family didn’t blame me. Instead, they kept calmly comforting me. From that moment on, guilt toward Vivian hung over me like a shadow. My parents reassured me gently. My brother-in-law showered me with comfort and affection. Day after day, I started to believe I could let go of the guilt and live a better life. Until I found out I was pregnant. The man who usually doted on me sat in silence through the night. Early the next morning, he dragged me into the car, brought my parents along, and drove straight into the sea where Vivian had jumped. The moment we plunged off the cliff, I clearly saw the man who was usually so gentle. His eyes now churned with hatred. “Are you scared? Vivian was even more scared than you. She was pregnant too.” I could still feel the seatbelt strangling my neck, as if it were happening all over again. But I was reborn on the night right after the family dinner ended.

Chloe’s POV I looked at Ethan lying beside me, his hands restless, a strange flush on his cheeks, his eyes full of pain and struggle. In my past life, I slept with him in a daze and became the one who killed my sister. Yet day after day, I was seduced by his sweet words and fell in love with him. But those sweet words were laced with poison. The moment he strangled me to death with his own hands, I finally came to my senses. Fortunately, I was reborn. This time I would go to school in New York and leave them forever. I shook off his hand that had slipped inside my clothes, rolled out of bed, but felt dizzy and disoriented the instant my feet touched the floor. I didn’t dare think too much. I pulled open the bedroom door and ran to the hospital. After various tests, the results showed there were certain drugs in my body. When the doctor handed me the results, his expression was complicated. My hand holding the test sheet trembled. I pulled out my phone to call my parents, only to find it had died and shut off. Shock and fear left me dazed and distracted. I didn’t even notice a familiar person walking quickly toward me. An unexpected slap stunned me completely. I staggered backward, covering my face as I looked at my mother glaring furiously at me. “Mom, the doctor said…” Before I could finish, Vivian spoke with red eyes. “Chloe, I thought you were my most obedient and sensible sister. It’s normal for someone your age to have a crush. You can tell me if you like Ethan. For your sake, I could step aside. But how could you do something like this?” Her eyes were full of concern, every sentence supposedly for my benefit, yet her words made me uncomfortable. I opened my mouth, about to hand over the test results, when Ethan, who had just finished his blood test, coldly interrupted. “I’m not so depraved that I’d lay a hand on your sister.” One sentence completely condemned me. The whole family looked at me with disgust and contempt. Not a single person even bothered to ask why I had disappeared all night and shown up at the hospital. In their eyes, there was only Vivian. “How could I have given birth to such a shameless daughter?” Mom twisted my ear, hurling one harsh word after another. The words I once heard when I was bullied were now coming from my mother’s mouth. The man who once saved me watched coldly from the sidelines. I gave a bitter smile and was driven out of the hospital. I stood in the pouring rain, numbly walking home. The chaotic scenes from my past life kept replaying in my mind, strengthening my resolve that I must go to New York. This time, I must stay far away from them.

Chloe’s POV When I got home, the house was cold and empty. I returned to my room as fast as I could, only to see a mess everywhere. My diary was missing, along with the photos and clothes I had hidden away. I frantically searched all night without sleep. It wasn’t until the afternoon of the second day that I heard cheerful voices and laughter outside the door. “Mom, Dad, who went through my room?” Ethan was walking in front and ran right into me. He paused for a moment, then immediately stepped back in disgust. I also clearly saw the dark circles under his eyes and the kiss marks on his neck. “You should know that your sister and I are about to get married. I can understand what’s going through your mind at your age, but it shouldn’t be directed at me, and you definitely shouldn’t use those kinds of methods.” Ethan frowned, his tone full of dissatisfaction. Those pitch-black eyes held scrutiny and disdain. “You were the one who came into my room last night. If I really did it, why would I run away?” I met his gaze. Ethan looked at me and told me something. After my parents heard the commotion, they immediately went to my room. They turned up many things, including the diary in my bag filled with filthy thoughts, and even countless secretly taken photos. At that moment, Vivian interrupted us. “Chloe, I’m just glad you’re okay. I don’t blame you.” Looking at the sister I used to love most, I couldn’t say a single word now. Vivian smiled and stepped forward. “Given that you’re still young, we’ll let it go this time. But there can’t be a next time, or I’ll be angry.” Ethan frowned slightly at her words. “I told you it wasn’t me who did it. Why do you insist on pinning it on me?” I raised my voice and shot back. Mom had been listening to the whole thing from behind. She closed the distance in a few steps and twisted my ear hard. “You did something shameless yourself, and you still dare to lose your temper. Do you dare say the things in that diary weren’t written by you, that the photos hidden under your bed weren’t taken by you, and that you didn’t take that piece of clothing?” The things I had secretly hidden were dug up and made public. I knew I was in the wrong and held back my tears without making a sound. In the end, Dad locked me in my room. I cried and apologized and begged for mercy, but got no response. Not until my phone’s special notification tone rang. I received a text from Vivian. Several pictures of playing at the beach, with an attached voice message. “Being locked up doesn’t feel good, does it? But I was often locked up because of you when I was little. Mom and Dad love you. In their eyes, I never existed. Everything you have should have been mine. This is just the beginning.” This voice message amplified the unease in my heart. When they returned from their trip, I took the initiative to suggest moving out. “Why move out? Chloe, are you still blaming me?” Vivian looked full of guilt. Mom frowned. “What are you making a fuss about now? Can’t you behave for a few days? Vivian and Ethan are about to get engaged. Do you want people to laugh at us at a time like this?” After being warned, I temporarily held back. I tried to avoid every encounter with Ethan as much as possible, yet I could still see his unique tenderness and attentiveness toward Vivian during meals when we had to be together. Perhaps because I had spent a long time with him in my past life, I understood his every look and gesture very well. Those smiles weren’t like the stiff and perfunctory ones he gave me. They almost all came from his heart. I suppressed the bitterness in my heart and began actively reaching out to former classmates, hoping to have familiar faces when I got to New York. After leaving early and returning late for several days, Ethan stopped me. “Vivian says you’ve been hanging around with a bunch of strange people lately?” I retreated warily to a safe distance, instinctively shaking my head. “They’re all my friends. Don’t read too much into it.” I didn’t dare have any more contact with him. Repeating past mistakes would cost me a price I couldn’t bear.

Chloe’s POV Ethan’s face darkened. “Regardless, I still need to remind you not to keep doing things you’ll regret again and again.” “I don’t want Vivian to be sad because of you anymore.” Every sentence he spoke couldn’t be separated from Vivian. His eyes were full of adoration for her. I pressed my lips together, feeling irritated. “Liking you was because I was immature before. I won’t have any feelings for you in the future, but you shouldn’t slander my friends like this either.” Being contradicted displeased Ethan, and his attitude turned cold. “Someone who could write such disgusting things I don’t think you were that innocent back then. But I’ll say it again. Give it up.” Having my most passionate feelings trampled on made me a bit angry too. I said, “Since it’s so disgusting, please return all my things to me.” The diary, the photos, and the things I had privately kept all needed to be dealt with. Keeping them would only give people something to use against me. Ethan looked at me twice, then turned and threw a paper box in front of me. Photos scattered, revealing the backs covered with a young girl’s innermost thoughts. Just as he was about to reach down to pick them up, he saw me light the diary on fire. “I wish you and Vivian happiness.” In the days that followed, I still left early and came home late, and avoided every opportunity to meet Ethan. Instead, I started going to various gatherings with my classmates. I just didn’t expect to run into Ethan and his friends at a restaurant. “That’s your fiancée’s sister, right? Those two sisters are both so beautiful. Look at how all the men at their table are staring at her. Who knows how many people will chase after her once she starts graduate school.” His friend’s teasing voice reached my ears. I turned around and saw him suddenly down a drink, looking rather troubled. I didn’t understand, and I didn’t want to think about it. I got home very late. Only after I confirmed all the lights were out did I breathe a sigh of relief. “Leaving early and coming home late just to hang around with a bunch of men. It doesn’t matter if you degrade yourself, but don’t make your sister worry and lose sleep every day.” Ethan’s icy voice came from a corner. It scared me so much I covered my mouth to barely stop myself from screaming. After calming my emotions, I spoke. “I’m an adult. I can take responsibility for any decision I make.” I didn’t want to disturb the family. I turned to head inside. Ethan seemed angered by my attitude and instinctively grabbed my wrist. Frightened, I reflexively slapped him across the face. The surroundings suddenly fell quiet. I quickly ran home, shut the door, and locked it in one smooth motion. The next day, when I planned to go out as usual, I saw Ethan’s familiar parents in the living room, along with countless gifts placed on the table. “This must be Chloe. Vivian has always talked about her obedient sister in front of us. Come sit by me.” Ethan’s mother beckoned to me. I stiffly walked over. The moment I sat down, another familiar voice rang in my ear. “Oh, it’s you. What a coincidence.” I looked up and met a pair of bright eyes. “Adrian?” My debate team nemesis. I paid no attention to the rest of the conversation between the two families. My restless mood was gradually soothed by Adrian’s series of cold jokes. Throughout the morning, the elders chatted about their own topics while my anxious mood was gradually calmed by Adrian. Vivian looked thoughtfully at us and casually remarked, “It’s rare to see Chloe get along so well with someone her own age.” Her words made everyone look over. Ethan’s eyes darkened, his voice indifferent. “Adrian rarely talks to girls.” “I heard Chloe also applied to graduate school in New York. Then these two kids can look after each other.” The topic suddenly shifted to us.

Chloe’s POV After the two families officially met, the engagement date was quickly set. As Vivian’s younger sister, I couldn’t escape this banquet. But watching them go through all the formalities step by step and kiss passionately, I couldn’t stop the jealousy welling up in my heart. In my past life, after Vivian died, we just went to register our marriage certificate. No one around us knew we were married. Compared to the meticulous ceremony now, everything I had felt more like it was stolen. Halfway through the ceremony, Vivian said she needed to touch up her makeup. “Chloe, come with me.” I was on guard and carefully followed her out of the private room. As she said, she quietly opened her bag and slowly touched up her makeup. Looking at her heavy makeup, I said with concern, “Don’t wear such heavy makeup when you’re pregnant. It’s not good for the baby or your health.” Vivian’s lipstick fell to the floor. Her expression instantly darkened. She grabbed my hand, her tone cold and harsh. “How did you know? What else do you know?” The questioning tone made me realize something was wrong. I struggled hard, trying to break free. “I don’t know anything. Let go.” Vivian stood at the door. She gripped my hand tightly. Leaning close to my ear, she said word by word, “That juice tasted good that night, didn’t it? Too bad you weren’t ambitious enough. Otherwise, today’s engagement banquet would have been yours.” Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, snapping something inside me. So all the torment in my past life and the misunderstandings now were all her doing. “Why are you doing this? We’re sisters.” I grabbed her hand, my eyes full of confusion. The argument in the restroom could be heard clearly in the hallway. Ethan quickened his pace and pounded on the door. “Vivian, open the door!” Vivian gripped my hand and reached out to unlock the door. The instant the door opened, she smiled provocatively. “Of course it’s because I want Ethan to hate you.” As she finished speaking, her whole body fell out the door like a kite with its string cut. Ethan looked at the person who fell at his feet, his whole body rigid. He knelt on the ground in panic, carefully picking her up. Before leaving, his pitch-black eyes flashed with hatred. “You’d better pray nothing happens to Vivian. Otherwise, I definitely won’t let you off.” The commotion here was significant. The people in the private room were also alarmed. The originally joyful banquet had everyone on edge. I stood frozen in place, my hands and feet ice-cold. As I walked out of the restroom, I saw that pool of inconspicuous bloodstains on the floor. The baby probably couldn’t be saved. This guess was confirmed three hours later. My mother viciously slapped me twice across the face. Just as she was about to deliver a third slap, Vivian woke up. “Mom, don’t blame Chloe. I just didn’t stand steady.” Her face was deathly pale, looking as fragile as if a gust of wind could blow her over. A roomful of people crowded around the hospital room, saying all sorts of things to show their concern for her. The clothes on my body were soaked with cold sweat. Perhaps my prayers were heard. When the attending physician and Ethan entered the room, the hospital room fell unusually quiet. Everyone nervously looked at the doctor. “Ethan, don’t blame Chloe. She’s innocent. The bathroom floor was too slippery and I didn’t stand steady. She’s still young…” Vivian forced out a smile, her voice gentle. But before she could finish this time, Ethan cut her off sternly. “She’s already twenty-two years old. Because of her jealousy, a small life was harmed. Isn’t our child the most innocent one?” With these words, the hospital room fell completely silent. My body trembled slightly. An unprecedented despair engulfed my entire being. It’s over. I’m finished. “What did you say?” Vivian stared in shock, her vacant eyes making her whole person seem like she had lost her soul.

Chloe’s POV Ethan quickly stepped forward and held her in his arms with heartache. “We’ll have another child.” Hearing this, Vivian couldn’t hold back anymore. She buried herself in his embrace, sobbing quietly with grievance and suppression. After something like this happened, both sets of parents were shocked. I stood at the door, trying to minimize my presence as much as possible. “Vivian is your sister. How could you do such a thing?” Ethan’s mother looked disappointed. What happened in the restroom, no one knew except Vivian and me. Even Ethan, who came later, only saw the scene she performed. I kept my head down, unable to explain. “Get out. You’re not welcome here.” Ethan stared at me coldly, no trace of his usual easygoing manner in his eyes. Dad wordlessly dragged me out the door. In the crowded hallway, he let out a long sigh and handed me a card. “Go to New York. Don’t come back again.” I knew that after causing such trouble repeatedly, he didn’t want any more complications. I looked at that card, tears of grievance falling. “Dad, I didn’t drug him, and I didn’t mean to harm Vivian’s baby.” What responded to me was the card pressed into my arms and Dad’s back as he walked away without looking back. I stayed silent for a long time, then carefully approached the glass by the door, just in time to meet Vivian’s provocative smile. She deliberately got rid of the child. This thought broke through my rationality. I stood at the door without any dignity and laid everything out. “She knew she was pregnant a long time ago. She was the one who drugged me last time. She just wanted to make you all hate me.” “I didn’t push her!” My mother’s face turned white with anger at my words. That third slap that hadn’t landed finally came down. I could taste blood in my mouth and feel the ringing in my ears. The mouths of the people in front of me kept opening and closing, but I couldn’t hear a single word. “It’s my fault the baby’s gone. It has nothing to do with Chloe. Everyone leave. I want to talk to Chloe alone.” Vivian raised her head, her tone calm. Ethan was full of vigilance. “I’ll stay right here.” “Ethan, listen to me. You should leave too. I want to have a good talk with Chloe. After all, we’re sisters.” She hooked his hand, softly soothing him. Eventually, everyone in the room left. Ethan thoughtfully closed the door. I looked at the group of people standing guard at the door without moving an inch, and laughed at myself bitterly. “You’ve achieved your goal. Ethan doesn’t just find me disgusting now. He probably wants me dead.” Faced with my words, Vivian smiled faintly. “Speaking of which, we were able to get engaged so quickly thanks to your help. I’ve been thinking about how to make this child disappear completely lately. I didn’t expect you to build me a ladder yourself. You’re truly my good sister.” She leaned against the pillow, her face showing not the slightest heartache over losing a child. Almost instantly, I understood. “That child wasn’t Ethan’s.” Vivian clapped her hands in satisfaction, revealing a smile from the heart. “You figured out the key point so quickly. It seems using you was the right choice. But this still isn’t enough.” She opened her phone and pulled up a blurry video. The location in the video was very clear. It was from that year when I was exploring outside and encountered a mudslide. “Why do you have this video? You clearly didn’t go at the time.” I frowned and quickly walked over, trying to snatch the phone away. I felt like I had forgotten something. Vivian shrugged. “Everyone says we look alike. Back then, you looked almost identical to me. In such a blurry clip, unless the person experienced it themselves, who could guess that the person passing the rescue rope in danger was you?” She indeed didn’t go exploring, but she spent a wonderful night with her little boyfriend nearby. After they were sent to the hospital, Ethan came to their door with gifts to express his gratitude. She learned the whole story and rightfully became his savior. The little boyfriend from back then had already changed girlfriends a dozen times, while she and Ethan fell deeply in love through their daily interactions. It was just that he never wanted to touch her. Until that night, I suddenly ran away. She got what she wanted. “Speaking of which, I have today thanks to you. But you, this savior, should disappear more thoroughly.” Vivian calmly pulled out a fruit knife from behind the pillow. Taking advantage of my moment of distraction, she pressed it into my hand. Then she screamed. “Chloe, calm down! Calm down!”

Chloe’s POV Before I could react, my mother slapped me to the ground. That fruit knife just happened to pierce my lower abdomen. The piercing pain, mixed with cursing, made me increasingly powerless. “How can you be so vicious!” Dad roared and grabbed me up from the floor. Everyone surrounded Vivian. No one spared me a glance, nor did they notice the large pool of blood on the floor. “Chloe is my sister. She’s young. I don’t blame her. I just can’t understand why she would attack me over such a small matter…” Vivian leaned against Ethan, flashing me a malicious smile. I was in too much pain to speak. He looked at me with eyes like he was looking at a dead person, coldly saying word by word, “Young, but when you make mistakes, you should pay the price. Lock her in the dark room to reflect. When Vivian is discharged from the hospital, that’s when she can come out.” One sentence completely sealed my fate. I struggled, wanting to beg for mercy, but was kicked away by my mother. “Ah!” I cried out in pain. But the next second, Vivian’s delicate voice interrupted everything. “Ethan, I feel so dizzy.” He couldn’t care about anything else and angrily shouted at the bodyguards at the door. “Are you all deaf? Lock her in the basement. Without my orders, no one is allowed to give her food or water.” I was dragged out like a dead dog. Bloodstains stretched from the hospital room all the way to the entire hallway, making passersby gasp in shock. “Oh my God, how is this person bleeding so much?” “Nothing bad will happen, right?” “Let’s go quickly.” Seeing that people who cared about me were shifting their attention, Vivian sighed lightly and explained magnanimously. “Chloe must be on her period. She just has a childish temper. Just make a show of it. Don’t really let her suffer, or I’ll feel bad.” But along the way, I was deliberately targeted by the bodyguards. I was already in so much pain I nearly passed out. The blood from my lower abdomen kept flowing out. By the time they drove to the villa, the back seat was soaked with my blood. The two looked at the large bloodstains, badly frightened. “Call Mr. Blake and tell him now. She’s still a person, you know. If something really happens and she dies in the car, we’ll be in big trouble.” The two spoke and immediately called Ethan. In my daze, I actually felt a bit of expectation. If he answered the phone and knew I was covered in blood, would he not lock me up? Would he not leave me alone in the dark room? But I was in too much pain. Before I passed out, I seemed to hear Ethan’s voice. When the pain woke me up again, I found I was still locked in the basement. It was pitch dark here. I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. Everything around me filled me with fear. The only thing I could feel was the dull ache in my abdomen. I gently felt around and realized the wound here had been treated. There was also a bitter medicinal taste in my mouth. It seemed that while I was unconscious, Ethan had come. I harbored the hope that once I was let out, I would explain everything properly. I looked forward to getting out early. I waited and waited. Finally, Vivian was discharged. That was already half a month later. The day after her discharge was the day they were supposed to try on wedding dresses. After being forgotten for half a month, I, the “criminal,” was finally released. And only because Vivian casually mentioned something at the dinner table did they remember me, the forgotten person. After waiting for who knows how long, I was finally dragged up by the bodyguards. Before I even got close, an indescribable smell permeated the entire dining room. “Ugh, what’s that smell?” Vivian covered her nose, her expression ugly. Under everyone’s gaze, they instinctively looked around. At that moment, they saw me clearly for the first time in half a month. Ethan froze. Before he could speak, Vivian excitedly knocked over her bowl. Her eyes reddened as she looked at me. “Oh my God, Chloe, you… how did you become like this? It’s all my fault. If my health had been better, you wouldn’t have suffered like this.” She staggered over and hugged me tightly. But her hand hidden in the middle pressed hard on my wound. Fresh blood and pain spread together, making me instinctively reach out and push her away. “Ah!” Vivian fell to the ground in response, looking incredulous. “Chloe?”

Chloe’s POV Ethan quickly stepped forward and held Vivian in his arms, checking her up and down with heartache. His eyes looking at me became even colder. “You still dare to attack Vivian. It seems these days of lessons weren’t enough to make you remember your place. Vivian has been speaking well of you even after you tried to kill her, and you? She was the first to show concern for you when you were released, and you?” I opened my mouth. The low fever from days of wound infection, combined with not eating for a long time, made me unable to control myself any longer. I passed out. Seeing me collapse to the ground, Ethan paused. But Vivian opened her mouth with tearful eyes. “It looks like Chloe still blames me.” Seeing me lying on the ground without moving for a long time, my parents’ barely contained tempers could no longer be restrained. “Stop playing dead. How long are you going to make a scene?” “Your sister and he are getting married. What more do you want? Do you have to turn this family upside down before you’re satisfied?” “Chloe, you shameless girl…” Mom walked to my side and kicked me hard several times. The scolding continued, but the person on the floor still showed no sign of movement. Finally, it was the maid who couldn’t stand it and muttered quietly. “Ma’am, Chloe seems to have passed out a long time ago.” After being unconscious for three days, I slowly woke up. Seeing that I had finally awakened, the nurse breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness you’re awake. When your parents and boyfriend brought you in, they were so anxious they almost tore down our hospital.” Hearing the nurse’s words, I froze. I couldn’t help pinching my palm, suspecting I was dreaming. They only had eyes for Vivian. How could they possibly care about whether I lived or died? “You’ve got the wrong person. It was probably a kind passerby.” I casually brushed it off. The nurse wanted to continue, but was interrupted by Ethan, who had just entered. The hospital room fell quiet. The atmosphere grew increasingly strange. I only glanced at him lightly when he entered, then completely ignored him. He casually tossed the fruit in his hand onto the table and spoke awkwardly. “You were hurt so badly. Why didn’t you say something?” These words finally got a reaction from me. I looked straight at him. I kept my head down and said nothing. Ethan seemed unable to stand the atmosphere. He actively stepped forward several steps, grabbed my wrist in one motion, his tone stiff yet unyielding. “Vivian is your sister. I’m going to marry her in the future. We’ll always be family. I hope you can be more sensible from now on.” Before he could continue, Vivian walked in arm-in-arm with my parents, interrupting. “Ethan, what’s going on here?”She looked at his hand, her expression somewhat rigid. Only then did we, who had been locked in a standoff, separate. Vivian walked to Ethan’s side and instinctively took his arm. Looking at me in the hospital bed, her tone was ambiguous. “Chloe, have you still not forgotten him?” These words made the atmosphere tense. I almost instinctively refuted. “I haven’t reached the point where I need to torture myself to death.” After staying a few more days, I was taken home. “Chloe, I’m going to try on wedding dresses today. Come with me.” After saying this, she ignored my objections and brought me into the car. Arriving at the bridal shop, looking at the meticulously custom-made wedding dress, my heart still uncontrollably tightened. In my past life, they didn’t have a wedding. They just hastily registered their marriage and that was it. Now I watched Vivian in that intricate handmade wedding dress, every jewel a testament to Ethan’s devotion. He loved her fiercely. Just not for me. I lowered my head and began calculating when I could leave. “Does it look good, Ethan?” The curtain was pulled open. Vivian wore a perfectly fitted wedding dress, shyness in her eyes. Ethan looked entranced. He couldn’t help but step forward and kiss her. Watching this scene before me, I hurriedly lowered my head. “Stop it, Chloe’s still here.” Vivian protested verbally, but her hand hooked around his arm without letting go. After it ended, she looked at me. “Since you’re already here, why don’t you try on the bridesmaid dress? Be my bridesmaid then and witness my happiness, okay?” After speaking, she beckoned. A server beside her brought over the dress. Just then, Ethan received a work call. They both entered the changing room at the same time. Before I could react, a hand suddenly covered my mouth. Everything went dark. I passed out. When I woke up again, I found we were on the rooftop of an abandoned factory building. Not far away was Vivian in simple clothes. And I was wearing that wedding dress. The kidnapper stood not far away making a phone call. Half an hour later, Ethan arrived with my parents. “Two women. One is your wife, one is your sister-in-law. I want you to choose one. Otherwise, wouldn’t my wife have died in vain? Choose.” The kidnapper wore a hood. He pushed us together roughly. One hand held two ropes. A dagger pressed firmly against us. The scenes from my past life were still fresh. I knew Ethan wouldn’t choose me, so I took advantage of the kidnapper talking to ram hard into him, then shoved Vivian toward everyone. Since they didn’t welcome me anyway, I might as well end all this early. I was tired too. “Chloe!” “Vivian!” Two voices rang out simultaneously. I widened my eyes and saw Vivian somehow lunging toward me. I saw the knife the kidnapper stabbed into her. The glaring blood mixed with the piercing police sirens made my whole body tremble. Someone ran over and slapped me across the face. Someone untied my ropes. Someone kept cursing at me. But I couldn’t seem to hear anything clearly anymore. When I woke up in the hospital room, to my surprise, everyone was there. My parents had red eyes. Ethan looked even more haggard. Seeing me wake, everyone looked at me in unison. “Why did you deliberately harm your sister? If you hadn’t moved, even if we saved her, the police would have taken you away.” “But why did you have to hurt your sister?” “Now because of you, her kidney is severely damaged. While you were unconscious, we did a compatibility test. Since you owe her, you’ll repay her with your own kidney. After the surgery is done, Vivian and Ethan will get married too.” “After the wedding ends, don’t come back.” My parents condemned me to death in just a few words. I stared wide-eyed in disbelief. My mind had a moment of clarity. I instinctively opened my mouth to explain. “What if I said that kidnapper was hired by her?” Why was the wedding dress on her? How did Vivian break free from her ropes? All of this was evidence. But when I finished speaking, I was slapped hard across the face. “Where is your conscience?” Ethan’s hand trembled. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at me. I froze on the bed. “It wasn’t me.” “Vivian knew you couldn’t let go. She specifically took off the wedding dress to let you try it on, hoping to help you move on. But when the criminals kidnapped us, you wanted to kill her for your own selfish desires. She doesn’t blame you for any of this.” “But you actually pushed everything onto her. Chloe, you’ve disappointed me so much.” “The kidney removal is already complete. Your kidney has been returned to Vivian. From tonight on, we’re even.” His words were like a dull knife, stabbing viciously into my heart. I felt the wound on my side. I felt the pain in my body. But my heart seemed to have died. Any words of defense disappeared. Until Vivian was discharged early. They canceled the engagement and held the wedding directly. I stayed alone in the hospital. From beginning to end, no one came to check on me. When the wound became infected and I had a high fever in the middle of the night, it was the patient in the next bed who called a doctor for me. When I finally crawled out of that nightmare, Ethan showed up. He didn’t bother hiding the disgust in his eyes. He was wearing the suit he would use tomorrow. “Tomorrow is the wedding. I hope you won’t make any more scenes. But after all, you’re Vivian’s sister. I hope you’ll attend our wedding banquet tomorrow. As for anything else, stop thinking about it.” He stood at the door. Cold and mechanical, he left without another word. I froze for a moment, then checked myself out of the hospital. With Adrian’s help, I gathered evidence of Vivian colluding with those men, from the night I was drugged to everything that followed. I organized everything and sent it all to Ethan. Then I threw my belongings into a huge fire basin, took the train ticket Adrian bought, and headed for New York. From now on, I was free. Ethan, goodbye.

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My boyfriend was paralyzed for three years, and I served him with all my heart. Until I found a lipstick print on the collar of his white shirt. He coldly proposed to break up: “Looking at the same face for twenty years, any man would get tired.” Next to him, a female classmate blushed, tidying her clothes, her eyes full of provocation. I clutched the prenatal check-up report and turned to leave, but suddenly, a furious voice came from my belly: “Mom, don’t go! That lipstick mark was drawn by that woman with a pen while Dad was napping! He’s just acting because he thinks he’s useless and doesn’t deserve you!” Summer Linwood’s POV My boyfriend had been paralyzed for three years, and I had painstakingly cared for him for three years. Until I saw a bright red lipstick print on the collar of his white shirt. Before I could even question him, Ethan Stone looked at me with a cold face, his gaze not even lingering on me for a second. “Summer Linwood, let’s break up.” Standing next to him, his classmate, Vanessa Hayes, was blushing and tidying her slightly messy shirt collar, her eyes fixed on me with blatant provocation. I clutched the scan results in my hand, my heart sinking. “Twenty years of feelings, can’t compare to her accompanying you for a few months?” Ethan scoffed, his voice laced with disgust. “Looking at the same face for twenty years, any man would get tired. I’m sick of seeing you now. Grab your things and leave.” “If you want to end this with dignity, fine.” I wasn’t the type to cling on. Even though my heart ached as if it were torn, I gritted my teeth and turned to leave. But just as my hand touched the doorknob, A furious voice suddenly came from my belly. “Mom! Don’t go! Are you stupid? This old man is acting to deceive you!” “That lipstick mark was drawn by that woman with a pen while my actual dad was napping!” “Last night he was still calling your name in his dream. He woke up to find he was incontinent, felt like a useless person unworthy of you, so he wanted to act to drive you away!” My footsteps stopped abruptly. Who was talking? There was no one around. Was it… a hallucination? The voice grew more urgent, spewing information like a machine gun: “Mom, you’re the future billionaire’s wife, and you’re carrying me, the genius heir, in your belly!” “This woman is a transmigrator! She knows Dad’s legs will be cured and he’ll become a billionaire, that’s why she’s here to cause trouble!” “Mom, look back! Dad’s hands are almost crushing the wheelchair armrests, he’s crying!” Transmigrator? Billionaire? Legs cured? And… he’s crying? The flood of information instantly overwhelmed my sadness. I stood frozen at the door, not pushing it open. Behind me, Ethan’s voice, strained to the breaking point, came through: “Why aren’t you leaving yet? Waiting for me to call security?” Normally, I would have left long ago. But now, the “bullet comments” in my head were still appearing wildly. “He doesn’t mean what he says!” “Mom, don’t back down! Turn around and tell him off! That woman wants you to make room for her, in her dreams!” I took a deep breath, released the doorknob, and spun around abruptly. Sure enough. Ethan’s eyes, which had just been ice-cold, were now red at the corners. The veins on his hands, resting on the wheelchair, bulged, his knuckles pale from overexertion. Seeing me turn back, a flicker of obvious panic flashed in his eyes, but he quickly forced himself to look away, feigning composure. I stared at the incriminating mark on his collar, sneered, and walked back to him in my heels. “A breakup is fine.” I tossed my bag onto the sofa and sat directly opposite him. “But this lipstick mark is too fake, Ethan. Your acting is really bad.”

Summer Linwood’s POV Ethan’s body visibly stiffened. Vanessa Hayes, next to him, grew anxious and coyly leaned closer to Ethan’s wheelchair. “Summer, don’t talk nonsense. This… this was clearly him being overcome with passion just now…” As she spoke, she reached out to link her arm with Ethan’s. “This woman’s acting isn’t even as good as Dad’s! Was that passion? She just practically threw herself on him!” “Mom! Don’t believe her! She’s hiding a fake prenatal check-up report in her bag, planning to take it out later to deceive Dad!” “Dad’s totally freaking out right now. He’s thinking: Oh no, how did Summer figure it out? Has my acting gotten worse?” I almost couldn’t hold back my laughter. Looking at Ethan’s tense, handsome face, I completely ignored Vanessa, leaned forward, and stared directly into his eyes. “Ethan, since you said you’re tired of me, then tell me, what shade is this lipstick? What brand? What does it smell like?” Ethan’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his gaze darting away: “…Red.” “Red! This is pink, okay?!!” “Look, look! He’s pinching his thigh! He’s using pain to force himself to stay cold! Idiot Dad!” The last bit of anger in my heart completely vanished, replaced by a wave of heartache and helplessness. He’d rather pinch himself black and blue than let me stay. I didn’t acknowledge Ethan’s silence and turned to look at the embarrassed Vanessa. “Since you said you kissed him just now, what about that prenatal check-up report in your bag? Could Ethan make you pregnant instantly?” Vanessa’s face instantly turned ashen, and she subconsciously clutched her handbag: “You… what are you talking about…” Ethan also looked up sharply, staring at Vanessa in shock: “What prenatal check-up report?” I sneered: “Take it out. Let me see this medical miracle.” “Wow! Mom is amazing! Mom got smart!” “This woman got wasted at the bar last night, and that report is a fake certificate she bought online for a few bucks!” Under Ethan’s sharp gaze, cold sweat broke out on Vanessa’s brow. She gritted her teeth and glared at me, then suddenly clutched her stomach, pretending to faint: “My stomach hurts so much… Maybe my baby is in distress…” “Enough!” Before I could speak, Ethan suddenly roared. “Vanessa, get out.” Ethan’s voice was icy. Vanessa was incredulous: “You’re yelling at me? But we just…” “I said get out!” Ethan angrily slammed the water glass on the ground, glass shards flying everywhere. Vanessa shrieked in fright, grabbed her bag, and fled clumsily. The living room instantly fell silent. Only Ethan and I remained, surrounded by the mess on the floor. Ethan was gasping for breath, his chest heaving violently. After a few seconds, he looked at me again, the panic in his eyes undeniable, but he was still trying to keep up appearances. “You leave too. Don’t think that chasing her away will make me change my mind.” He looked away, not daring to meet my gaze: “I told you, I don’t need you anymore.” I looked at his bright red ears and sighed inwardly. It seemed he wouldn’t listen unless I got serious. I pulled the scan results, which I had been clutching, from my bag and gently placed it on the coffee table in front of him. “Ethan, look carefully.” “You want to break up? Ask your son if he agrees.” Ethan instinctively looked down. On the ultrasound report, that tiny gestational sac was clearly visible.

Summer Linwood’s POV Ethan stared at the ultrasound report, and time seemed to stand still. His slender fingers hovered in mid-air, wanting to touch the paper, but then he pulled them back abruptly as if burned. “See! I told you the old man was acting! His heart is pounding like crazy!” “Right now, his brain is going wild: I have a child? My child with Summer? I’m going to be a dad?” “Those uncooperative tears are about to fall! Hold them back! Men don’t cry!” Sure enough, Ethan bit his lower lip hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing with difficulty. After a full minute, he squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth: “…When did this happen?” I crossed my arms and looked at him: “Two months ago, on your birthday.” He had had a few drinks that day, holding me tightly and calling me ‘wife’ over and over again. Now he’s pretending to have amnesia. Ethan’s face instantly paled a few shades. He closed his eyes abruptly, his hands clutching the wheelchair armrests tightly. “Abort this child.” The words were cold, cutting through the air. I froze for a moment. Even though I knew he was acting, those words were too hurtful. Before I could even get angry, the “bullet comments” in my belly exploded: “What the hell! Old man, are you crazy?!” “Mom! Don’t believe him! His legs are shaking under the table! He’s thinking he’s useless, and the child would suffer if born, would be ridiculed for having a disabled dad…” “Idiot Dad! Who dares to mock a billionaire? Who dares to mock a genius baby? He’s truly insecure to the core!” Hearing my son’s thoughts, the anger that had just flared up instantly turned into a bitter ache. He felt utterly rotten and didn’t want to dump his mess on the next generation. I took a deep breath. Instead of getting angry, I stood up and sat directly on his lap. Ethan flinched, instinctively reaching out to push me, but fearing he might hurt my belly, his hands froze in mid-air, nowhere to rest. “Summer Linwood! What are you doing! Get off!” He bluffed a roar. “I’m not getting off.” I put my arms around his neck, feeling his stiff, tense body, and whispered in his ear: “Ethan, do you think you’re useless, so you want to drive me and the baby away?” Ethan’s pupils constricted, his body instantly stiff as stone. His raw nerve was hit, and he turned his head away in shame, his eyes terrifyingly red: “So what if I do? I can’t even take care of myself, how can I support you? Do you want the child to push a wheelchair to parent-teacher conferences in the future?!” He finally spoke the truth. I looked at his reddened eyes, my heart completely melted. “Then let him push it.” I said, “Anyway, you’ll be very rich someday. You can have ten bodyguards carry you if you want.” Ethan was stunned, looking at me as if I were an idiot: “What nonsense are you talking about?” “Mom, you spoiled it! But Dad’s expression right now is so adorable in its silliness!” “Quick! Now’s the time! Declare your claim! Kick that woman out for good!” I cleared my throat and pulled a card from my bag, placing it on his chest. “If we can’t agree on a breakup fee, I won’t abort this child, and I’m not leaving you, even though we’re not married yet.” “From today on, I’m staying here. If you dare to kick me out, I’ll go to your company and tell everyone Mr. Stone abandoned his family and disowned his own child.” Ethan’s chest heaved with anger, and he stared at me for a long time, unable to speak. Finally, he looked like a deflated balloon, burying his head in the crook of my neck, his voice muffled, with an almost imperceptible sob: “Summer Linwood… why are you so foolish?” “Yay! Mission accomplished! The old man surrendered!” “But Mom, you need to be careful. That Vanessa Hayes hasn’t given up yet, she was eavesdropping outside just now! She’s definitely going to cause more trouble!” My gaze turned cold. Eavesdropping? It seemed this woman would be hard to deal with.

Summer Linwood’s POV Even though Ethan hadn’t explicitly agreed to get back together, his body was very honest. That evening, he had the guest room prepared and covered all sharp corners in the house with protective strips. Watching him, clumsy in his wheelchair, instructing the housekeeper to change to a non-slip rug, any anger I had quickly faded. “Just now he told Mom to get out, and now he’s even changing the rug to wool.” “Mom, you need to be careful about that housekeeper! She’s Vanessa Hayes’s spy! Just now, while you were showering, she was SnapChatting Vanessa to report the situation!” My gaze hardened. That housekeeper, who usually seemed honest and simple-minded, turned out to be a spy. Just then, the doorbell rang. The housekeeper eagerly went to open the door: “I’ll get it, I’ll get it! It must be the milk delivery!” But when she opened the door, it wasn’t the milk delivery. It was a woman carrying a suitcase, wearing sunglasses, and fiery red lipstick. It was my cousin, Chloe Taylor. “So this is the mansion that made Summer cry her eyes out?” Chloe took off her sunglasses, her eyes scanning the room, finally resting on Ethan. “Well, well, if it isn’t you. I heard you were about to kick your own wife out.” Ethan’s face darkened, but he didn’t refute. He knew Chloe had a silver tongue. The housekeeper, seeing this display, immediately tried to intimidate her: “This is Mr. Stone’s house, you didn’t even say hello when you…” “Who are you?” Chloe cut her off directly, her eyes dismissive, “Since when does the housekeeper get to speak in this house? I’m here to take care of my cousin, got a problem with that? If you do, keep it to yourself.” The housekeeper’s face turned green with anger, choked into silence, and she could only look awkwardly at Ethan. Ethan said calmly: “Let her stay.” The housekeeper bit her lip, then sheepishly went to pour water. “Alarm! Alarm! The housekeeper put something in the water! This old woman wants to harm me!” “Mom! Don’t drink it! This is highly poisonous!” My heart pounded, and my palms instantly broke into a sweat. Vanessa Hayes couldn’t sit still this quickly? She actually dared to poison me? The housekeeper walked over with two cups of tea, smiling, her face full of wrinkles: “Miss Linwood, have a drink to soothe your throat.” She deliberately handed me the cup in her left hand. I stared at the water but didn’t take it. “What’s wrong, Miss Linwood?” The housekeeper’s eyes darted. I smiled and took the cup. Then, under the housekeeper’s expectant gaze, my wrist trembled! The scalding water splashed directly onto the housekeeper’s instep. “Ouch! You scalded me!” The housekeeper shrieked and jumped up, the cup shattering into pieces. Ethan frowned and looked over: “What happened?” I shook my hand: “Oops, sorry, clumsy due to pregnancy. Why are you so nervous? Is there… something illicit in this water?” The housekeeper’s face instantly turned ashen white. Forgetting her foot pain, she stammered in defense: “N-no! Miss Linwood, how can you say that!” Chloe, though unaware of the details, reacted quickly. She immediately squatted down, dipped her finger in a bit of the spilled water, sniffed it, then sneered: “Why does this smell like a pharmacy? Where did you buy this water? Does it come with an abortion package?” Ethan’s face completely changed. Even though he was paralyzed, his mind wasn’t broken. He slid over in his wheelchair, his eyes terrifyingly sinister: “Send the remaining water for lab tests. If I find anything…” The housekeeper’s legs went weak, and she knelt directly on the ground: “Mr. Stone! I was wrong! I… I was led astray…” “Get out.” Ethan roared. The housekeeper ran, not even daring to ask for her wages. “Well done!” “Vanessa Hayes must be furious! She must have smashed her phone outside, hahahaha!” I looked at Ethan’s gloomy profile, but I didn’t feel much relief. This was just the beginning. Since Vanessa Hayes dared to poison me, it meant she was desperate. And a desperate transmigrator would definitely have other tricks up her sleeve.

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I scrolled through a parenting blogger’s video: “Usually, when I want to check her diary or look through her chat history, she acts like I’m asking for her life!” “But ever since I became her online boyfriend, she’s been telling me all her little secrets!” The comments section was full of people pitying the daughter and criticizing the blogger for being too controlling. I was still feeling fortunate that while my mom was controlling, she hadn’t become this twisted. Suddenly, the special effects mask on the blogger’s face fell off. That blogger was my mom! She was proudly sharing: “When my daughter goes to college, I’ll become her dorm supervisor. When she gets married, I’ll buy a house right across from hers…” My world came crashing down. Since I couldn’t escape my mom’s control while alive, I might as well not live at all. After sending her one final message: “Today, I’m going to give you my most important thing.” I slowly walked into the bathtub and slit my wrists with a knife.

Warm, sticky blood dripped down my arm into the bathtub. A heavy metallic smell filled the air. After the burning, sharp pain came coldness and numbness spreading through my entire body. My vision began to blur. I used my last bit of strength to turn on the faucet, hoping to leave with some dignity. In the last moment before I closed my eyes completely, I heard angry shouting from outside the door. “A woman’s most important thing is her virginity, isn’t it?” “She even messaged me saying Mom isn’t home, then gave me the door code.” “Friends, how else am I supposed to interpret that?” My soul floated up into the air, and I saw the phone on the bathroom counter, still livestreaming. The netizens in the livestream were frantically trying to stop my mother: [If you want her dead, just kick open that door right now, point the camera at your daughter’s face, tell her the whole world knows she’s dating someone and about to give her first time to an online boyfriend. When she sees your face, let’s hope she doesn’t jump from the 34th floor.] Others chimed in agreement. [Your daughter only agreed to date you after she turned 18 on the SAT, and only because you deliberately manipulated her to find out her secrets. Is it possible that what she meant by “most important thing” isn’t what you think it is?] [Have you considered that you control her too much, which is why she doesn’t dare tell you her secrets and has to trust strangers online instead?] When I was in elementary school, my mom secretly installed cameras in my room. If I so much as stretched, she’d immediately rush in with a feather duster. “Your dad and I live apart so he can make money. I gave up my career for you. How can you treat us like this?” By middle school, my mom didn’t just control my words and actions—she wanted to control my thoughts, preferences, even my taste buds. She forced me to eat durian, which I found disgusting. “This smells so good! Where’s the stink?” But when I said a grape tasted sweet, she flew into a rage. “Do you have no taste buds? This thing is so sour—where did you taste any sweetness?” In recent years, my mom became obsessed with preventing me from dating. She’d often sneak looks at my phone while I slept, checking my photos and Twitter. I’d frequently thought about ending it all. Until I connected with that boy online whose username was “Light.” I could share all my frustrations with him without burden. He became my reason to keep living. Only now did I understand. Why every little secret I told “Light”… My mom would somehow “accidentally” discover shortly after. I should have guessed! Faced with the netizens’ accusations, my mom broke down in tears on camera. “Why is everyone blaming me! What did I do wrong? If I really did something wrong, could I have raised a daughter who got into Harvard?” “You should be grateful it was me! If it had really been some gang member, he would have scammed her immediately!” My mom forcefully opened the door and pointed her phone at the living room. Empty. After a moment of confusion, she heard water running in the bathroom and roared furiously. “So you really are fooling around with a man! You even know to shower before sex?!”

Deadly silence. Even as a spirit, my face burned with shame. My mom laughed coldly. “What? Disappointed to hear my voice? Too scared to make a sound now?” “Are you hiding in there texting your boyfriend to tell him not to come?” “No need to text—because I AM your boyfriend!” “I’m giving you ten minutes to get dressed and come out here and explain to me what you meant by ‘most important thing.’” “Otherwise don’t blame me for opening this door and letting all the netizens see what kind of person you really are!” “Once everyone sees you naked, you’ll never find a man for the rest of your life.” I felt as if someone had slapped me hard across the face, filled with shame and frustration. My mom seemed even angrier than me, breathing heavily as she paced back and forth. The clock ticked on, second by second. The netizens, who’d been too shocked to comment, became active again. [If my mom talked to me like that, I’d tear the house down. This girl has way too much patience.] [Something’s not right! After hearing such shocking news, there’s no way the girl would be completely silent, right?] [Yeah, did something happen?] My mom snapped irritably. “Happen? What could happen to her!” “If anyone’s going to have a problem, it’ll be me—I’m the one being driven to death here!” As soon as she said this, my mom suddenly seemed to think of something and strode into my bedroom. She violently tore off my blanket and pulled out a sundress, shouting loudly. “If you don’t come out, I’ll tear up this dress you’ve been hiding!” I cried out “No!” but of course my mom couldn’t hear me. I could only watch helplessly as she smiled viciously and cut my dress to pieces. Looking at the scraps on the floor, I couldn’t describe what I felt. My mom didn’t allow me to wear dresses. She told me that school was for studying, not for attracting attention. So for eighteen years, even on the hottest summer days, I could only wear long sleeves and pants. Every summer, I could only watch enviously as other girls dressed up beautifully. So I secretly saved up a year’s worth of allowance to buy myself a dress as a coming-of-age gift. I didn’t dare tell my mom. I only shared my joy with “Light.” But now it was all gone. After destroying my dress, my mom still wasn’t satisfied. She threatened me again. “If you don’t come out, I’ll tell the netizens all the secrets you told ‘Light’!” I couldn’t stop her, and there was nothing I could do. Whatever, it didn’t matter anymore. And so my bedroom was turned upside down. My mom continued mocking me to the livestream. “She’s really gotten bold today, daring not to come out even after all this.” “Do you know what lie she told me so I wouldn’t burst in to check her body while she was showering?” “She told me her uncle once rushed into the bathroom while she was showering and touched her inappropriately, so now she gets triggered when someone comes in while she’s bathing!” The livestream viewers were once again shocked. [I don’t believe such an excellent girl would joke about something like that.] [My God, it took so much courage for her to tell you that, and you mock her and broadcast it so casually. Are you even her mother?] [Shut up already! If her classmates or teachers hear about this, how can she face anyone?] [Whether this is true or not, you burst in to check her body while she’s showering? Is that even human?] My mom scoffed at these comments. Her patience completely exhausted, she strode to the bathroom door. She put her hand on the doorknob and twisted hard.

I’d habitually locked the door, so my mom couldn’t open it. Unable to find the key, she angrily turned to get a hammer. Suddenly, someone came home. It was my dad! He rushed in excitedly, both hands full of gifts. “To celebrate my daughter getting into Harvard, I specially took time off to come home!” “Are you happy?” I circled around my dad, clapping excitedly. “Happy! So happy! I’m always happiest when Dad comes home!” Dad’s work kept him very busy—he could only spend a few days at home each year. Sometimes he wouldn’t come home even once a year. But every time Dad came home, he’d bring me wonderful things. And Mom would restrain herself, giving me a few rare days of peace. When Dad showed no reaction, I instantly deflated. I’d almost forgotten he couldn’t see me. After the initial excitement, I remembered my situation and suddenly panicked. I didn’t want Dad to see my gruesome death. Not seeing me, Dad asked Mom in confusion. “Where’s Alice? And why are you holding a hammer?” Mom rolled her eyes irritably. “We had a few words, and she locked herself in the bathroom.” “I can’t even use the toilet. I must have owed you two in my past life.” Dad immediately became serious. “You didn’t force Alice to do something she didn’t want to do again, did you?” Mom looked slightly guilty. I’d told on her once before, and after Dad left that year, Mom punished me severely. So I never dared complain again, and Dad assumed Mom had changed. Mom blustered. “That was so long ago, and you keep bringing it up. What’s the point?” “She threw a tantrum for no reason, and somehow that’s my fault!” Dad couldn’t say much more. He walked to the bathroom and knocked on the door. “Alice, I’m home. I brought you chocolate and a pretty dress.” “Come out, okay?” After speaking, Dad sat on the sofa with his gifts. He sat up straight with a smile on his face, occasionally glancing back toward the bathroom. Ready to give me my presents at the first opportunity. I knelt helplessly before Dad, bowing repeatedly. “Dad, I was wrong. I was really wrong.” “Please, just leave, okay?” “I really don’t want you to see me at my ugliest.” “I don’t want to scare you!” But Dad couldn’t see me. His attention shifted to the phone on the coffee table. A message popped up in the building’s group chat. [Who in Building 4, Unit 3 is murdering someone in their bathroom? There’s such a strong smell of blood leaking through my floor!]

We lived in Building 4, Unit 3. So Dad picked up his phone and cheerfully shared the gossip with Mom. “Someone in the group says there’s been a murder in our building.” “Before I came home, were the neighbors on the seventh floor beating their kid? Everyone’s saying there was noise but then it went silent, and they suspect the kid was killed.” “These people really have wild imaginations.” Mom casually set down the phone that was still livestreaming in a corner. Then she picked up Dad’s phone and started sending voice messages. “Kids have self-respect when they grow up. You can’t just hit them all the time. Educating children requires proper methods. We should become friends with our children, connect with them emotionally, and guide them in positive directions.” People who didn’t really know my mom only vaguely knew she used to be a teacher, so they eagerly agreed. [Teachers really are more educated. That’s very well said.] [Auntie is so reasonable. I wish you were my mom.] My mom glanced toward the bathroom and sighed meaningfully. “See, you saw the messages in the group.” “Everyone envies you for having a mom like me—only you don’t appreciate it!” Watching my mom’s performance made me sick. The neighbors continued their heated discussion. The woman from the seventh floor suddenly spoke up. [Nonsense! My kid just spilled the soup I made. If you don’t believe me, I’ll beat him again so you can hear.] [That’s strange then.] [I’m on the second floor and there’s backflow—it’s red, RED!] [I’m calling the police!] Everyone was suddenly alarmed. After waiting a few more minutes, Dad began to worry. “What if something happened to Alice?” “It’s not appropriate for me to go in. Why don’t you check on her?” My mom crossed her arms. “I’m not going!” Watching the joy on Dad’s face turn to worry, my heart ached. Dad walked anxiously to the bathroom door. “Alice, even if you don’t want to talk to Mom and Dad, can you at least tap on the bathtub?” Suddenly, the constantly vibrating phone fell from the counter with a loud crash. Mom roared furiously. “See! This is what you’ve spoiled her into! Not coming out is one thing, but now she’s throwing tantrums at us!” Dad sighed, turned back to calm Mom down, and occasionally rubbed his chest. “But my heart… I just can’t shake this bad feeling!” As they argued, the doorbell rang. Two police officers stood outside. They routinely checked every household’s bathroom. After getting no response from me, the police forcibly broke down the door. When they saw what was inside, everyone present was shocked. Mom sat down hard on the floor, her face full of panic and disbelief. Dad’s legs gave out and he collapsed to his knees in front of the bathroom, letting out a piercing scream.

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I had just given birth when my husband Matthias tossed me a bundle of cash. I stared at him in confusion: “Why are you giving me money? Where’s the baby?” He avoided my gaze, but his stepmother Rachel smiled: “Matthias already gave the baby to me. I really like him. Thank you for bearing a child for me.” I threw the money in his face. For the next four years, we fought over the child constantly. The day the baby ran a fever, I rushed him to the hospital and set fire to the mansion. But when the child woke up, he pushed me away and cried: “Why did you take me! I want Rachel to be my mom! Get out! Get out!” I froze. After a long silence, I said to him: “Call me ‘Mom’ one last time, and I’ll never come back.” My son Steve blinked his little eyes: “If I call you ‘Mom’ just once, you won’t fight with Rachel over me anymore?” I nodded. “Mom.” My hands, burned from carrying him to the hospital, still hadn’t been treated. The blisters were badly swollen. I raised my hand to cover them: “Yes.” “I called you that. So you really won’t… fight over me anymore?” I looked at his innocent little face and smiled, shaking my head: “No. I won’t.” Never again. Steve was desperate to leave the hospital. I quickly bandaged my hand. I carried him back to the place Matthias and I shared. By the time we arrived, Matthias had already sent people searching everywhere. When he saw me return carrying the child, he paused. Steve struggled violently in my arms. I quickly set him down. He ran toward Rachel, who stood beside Matthias. His clear voice reached everyone’s ears: “Mommy!” Matthias frowned and scolded me: “Christiana! Why did you take the child again!” Rachel held Steve in her arms, checking him over with no gentleness in her movements. Her manicured nails could scratch the child’s skin at any moment. I instinctively reached out, then remembered my promise and pulled back. After confirming nothing was wrong, Rachel glared at me: “This is my and Matthias’s child. What right do you have to take him!” The other friends and family who had been helping search all frowned: “Rachel is your elder! And she treats your child like her own! “You’ve never fed him or taught him anything. How dare you call yourself his mother!” “What right do you have to take the child!” Someone grabbed my collar in their agitation. Matthias called out coldly: “She’s mine. I’ll discipline her myself.” Everyone fell silent. Rachel’s face darkened. Matthias escorted me back to my room. He spoke coldly: “Why would you do something so extreme? Do you realize you almost hurt Rachel?” I sat on the sofa, staring blankly ahead: “Steve had a fever.” “Fever or not, that’s his mother’s concern. What are you trying to prove by interfering?” I looked at him. He seemed to realize what he’d said and corrected himself: “I mean, everyone knows that Rachel is Steve’s mother in name. You shouldn’t have disrespected her like that.” I stared at the man before me for a long time. The longer I looked, the more he felt like a stranger. “Matthias, let’s get divorced.” His hand holding the cigarette paused. We sat facing each other, locked in silent eye contact. The cigarette ash burned down to his fingers, but he didn’t notice. I thought he wouldn’t agree. He laughed—a single mocking laugh. He stood up, stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray on my side, and leaned down to look at me: “They were right. You really did use this trick to manipulate me.” I froze. He pulled out his phone and transferred five million to someone. He sent a voice message: “I lost the bet. Transferred you the five million.” “Matthias…” I looked at him in disbelief: “What are you talking about?” “Rachel said you’d definitely threaten me with divorce. She was right. Women understand women best.” He tapped my nose: “You just cost me five million.” I slapped his hand away: “I’m not joking!” He looked at his slightly reddened hand. He pulled it back indifferently, sighing with a hint of impatience in his expression: “Stop making a scene, will you? After all this drama, you still can’t come up with anything substantial? “Christiana, if you actually went out and slept with another man, that would be more threatening than your tantrums.” Slap! A hard blow landed on his face. His head tilted slightly to one side. I used all my strength: “Where did the Matthias who killed his own mother for me go!”

The shout echoed in the bedroom. Matthias froze for a few seconds, then sneered and turned his head away. I knew he was remembering the time he went to prison for me. That year, he was fourteen. His mother had taken me in after my parents died. But the condition was that every evening after school, I had to wear revealing clothes and stand at the door. That day, my school uniform was torn, my face covered in handprints, as his mother dragged me out by my hair. Matthias knelt at his mother’s feet, his forehead bleeding from hitting the ground. But his mother just laughed: “Do you know why your father abandoned us? “That woman looked exactly like her!” She cut toward my underwear: “If you like seducing men so much, there are plenty of them outside!” “Mom!!” A desperate roar. A baseball bat left a dent in her skull. When the surgery room lights went out, the doctor said they’d done all they could. Matthias collapsed to his knees. As they took him away, he looked back at me. No blame, no resentment. He went to juvenile detention. I, previously ranked second in my grade, became first. When he got out, he’d already missed his best years. He was taller, thinner. He smiled at me and said: “Seeing you succeed academically puts my mind at ease.” Back then, I swore I’d love only him for the rest of my life. Ten years later, I hate that he’s still the only one in my heart. Matthias exhaled: “What’s the point of bringing up the past over and over?” My fists trembled as I looked at him. “Christiana, do you know why I was willing to go so far back then?” My voice shook: “Why…” “Because I was young and naive.” “What are you saying…” He leaned closer: “At fourteen, how many people had we even met? “We’d meet someone who made our hearts race and couldn’t help but imagine an entire lifetime together. But how many fourteen-year-olds fit into one lifetime?” I couldn’t speak. He smiled: “Are you still living at fourteen? After all these years, Christiana, can’t you grow up?” My eyes stung despite myself. He laughed, picked up his jacket, and turned: “The past is past. Let it go.” “Let it go?” My voice was hoarse: “What about you fighting for me, leaving the gang for me? “How am I supposed to forget that?” His footsteps stopped.

I took a deep breath: “After you got out of prison, you found me being forced by gang members to be their girlfriend. “You worked your way up to become their boss and warned them not to disturb my studies. “Back then you waited for me at the school gate every day. Have you forgotten?” Matthias looked down. “Later, the teacher told you to stop bothering me. You were upset and almost took it to the administration. “But he said… “Don’t you know how much you’d ruin my future—an ex-con gang member marrying me?” I smiled bitterly: “You didn’t sleep that night. The next day you became an apprentice at a hardware store near the school. “You built it up bit by bit into what it is today. “You were eighteen that year. You said you’d make your love a force that lifts me up. How am I supposed to forget that?” The room held only my questions and his silence. After a long while, he turned back: “That’s your problem.” The door closed. Those memories—I was the only one still treasuring them. Beautiful memories can kill too, apparently. I don’t know how long I stood there. When I came to, I had already drafted a divorce agreement. Unsurprisingly, Matthias was at Rachel’s place. I came to the door. Rachel’s laughter drifted out: “What did you mean by publicly announcing you’re giving me the seal that was meant for Christiana? Don’t forget, I’m your father’s woman now.” Through the crack in the door, I saw Matthias pull Rachel onto his lap. He looked at her with the same tenderness he once showed me: “I want everyone to know that my love for you, Matthias’s love, is a force that lifts you up.” The divorce papers fell to the floor. At eighteen, starting as an apprentice, he said he’d make his love lift me up. At twenty-eight, holding the woman his mother said looked so much like me, his words were identical. Christiana, you really haven’t grown up. The man who once stained his hands with blood to keep you from being defiled. Now he can mock you for not going out and sleeping with someone. Only you still cling to his former purity, unable to accept his change. “What are you doing here?” Steve’s childish voice came from behind me. I snapped back to reality and quickly left.

I had planned to wait for Matthias to come home before giving him the divorce papers. But the next day, before I even woke up, a slap landed hard on me. Rachel’s eyes were red from crying: “Where’s my necklace! The keepsake from my mother—where did you steal it!” That’s when I learned Rachel’s necklace was missing. Hearing I’d been there yesterday, she immediately came with Matthias. I grabbed her wrist as she tried to hit me again and pushed her back hard: “I did go yesterday, but it was to deliver the divorce papers.” Matthias’s brow furrowed. I lifted my chin: “If you don’t believe me, check the security footage.” Rachel’s face went pale. She was used to framing me. It’s just that before, my mind was always on Steve, so I never bothered arguing with her. But if I actually investigated, she wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. I didn’t need to think—I knew the necklace was still in her room. I stared at her: “Should we check the footage now? If it shows I really did steal it, I’ll turn myself in immediately. “But… if Rachel hid it herself…” I narrowed my eyes: “I’ll press charges for defamation. You can go to prison.” Rachel’s breath caught. She nearly lost her footing. “Mom stole the necklace!” A childish voice froze my body. Steve stood in the doorway, pointing at me: “I saw her take Mommy’s necklace last night!” I looked at him in disbelief. Even though we’d already severed our mother-son relationship, hearing those words still made my heart ache. “I told you, I only went to deliver… Ah!” I was shoved hard onto the bed. Matthias looked down at me: “He’s just a child, and he’s your child. Why would he frame you?” “Matth—” “Baby!” Rachel held Steve in her arms, checking him over. Her grip showed no restraint. Her manicured nails could break the child’s skin at any moment. I instinctively reached out, then remembered what I’d promised and pulled back. After confirming nothing was wrong, Rachel glared at me viciously: “This is my and Matthias’s child. What right do you have to take him!” In that instant, Steve’s little face turned bright red. “Christiana, even your own child doesn’t side with you. I think it’s clear whether you did it or not. “Of course, you can refuse to admit it.” Matthias smiled gently: “My legal team hasn’t had a case in a while. They’re worried they can’t find anyone stubborn enough to take to court.” My heart felt like someone was squeezing it: “What do you want?” Rachel held Steve in her arms, her red lips curling: “Don’t be so tense. As your elder, how could I really send you to prison? “Here’s what we’ll do. Since the necklace was my mother’s keepsake, just compensate me for its value.” “How much?” “Ten million.” I froze. Rachel’s necklace was plastic and had never been appraised. But ten million—that was exactly the total amount of “compensation money” Matthias had given me during our marriage. Matthias frowned. I swallowed: “I burned it all.” “Christiana,” Rachel held Steve: “If you don’t want to pay, just say so. Why use such a pathetic excuse?” Her eyes reddened: “Forget it. It was just something worthless my mother left behind. Only I treasure it as a keepsake. “Matthias, I’ll head back now.” She turned to leave, but Matthias pulled her back. “Debts must be repaid. That’s only natural.” Matthias smiled casually: “If you can’t pay, you can always go to prison, right?” “Matthias!” I looked at him in shock: “I really don’t have the money! I’m not joking!” “I know.” He leaned down: “But you still have me—your husband, don’t you?” He grabbed my wrist and pulled me off the bed, forcing me to kneel at the door. Matthias had his people take Steve away and pulled Rachel close: “In a moment, do whatever I tell you to do.” The door closed in front of me. Soon after, a startled cry came from inside. I clenched my fists. Ten whole hours. I delivered water six times, protection twice, clean sheets twice. Servants passed by, laughing quietly: “Getting called in once is worth a million. The money comes fast, but I’d rather die than earn it that way.” “A woman reduced to this might as well be dead. What dignity is there left in living?” “That’s just Christiana being shameless.” “This is called enduring humiliation!” “Right, right, exactly!” Only the butler who personally attended to me came over and tugged at me: “Christiana…” “I’m fine.” The wounds in my palms where my nails had broken the skin had long since scabbed over. Years ago, when Matthias begged his mother not to make me service men, he knelt just like this. Fourteen-year-old Christiana never imagined that one day, Matthias would make her kneel outside the door while he was with another woman. But Christiana, fourteen was fourteen years ago. I closed my eyes: “It’s time to grow up.” After delivering supplies the fifteenth time, I stood up. After the ten million, I still had five million left over. Amid the intimate sounds echoing from the room. I arranged the divorce papers, page by page, neatly on the table. I picked up my bank card and turned to leave. Steve’s little head poked out. He looked nervous: “Mom… I…” I said nothing, walked past him, and never looked back.

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“Can I borrow two million dollars to buy a dress?” On the other end of the line: “…How about I just skin myself and let you wear me?” A second later, a notification popped up on my screen. [Your account ending in 8975 received a wire transfer on Sept 11 at 08:13 for the amount of $10,000,000.00…] 01 We were filming a reality show. The game was simple: call a celebrity friend and, without letting them know we were being recorded, trick them into saying a specific sentence. The sentences were drawn from a hat. I opened my slip of paper and felt my soul leave my body. [Prompt: Do you have a death wish?] What kind of niche insult was this? It sounded like a line from a bad action movie. “Oh my god, that’s so hard! Director, can we please give Riley a new prompt?” Brianna Cross leaned in out of nowhere, grabbing my arm and shaking it like we were childhood best friends. Nice act, girl. We’ve known each other for less than thirty minutes, and you’re already gunning for an Oscar in “Best Supportive Friend.” I declined with a fake, tight-lipped smile. “It’s fine. No need to swap.” The live chat stream on the screen started flying: [What is Riley Moore’s problem? Brianna is being so sweet, why the attitude?] [Poor Brianna, getting bullied on national TV.] [Riley is such a ‘pick-me.’ She ignores girls but won’t stop talking to the male guests.] [She’s totally thirsty. Did you see her flirting with Leo earlier?] I ignored the comments and stared at my phone. Most decent people wouldn’t just scream that at me, unless… But if I failed this task, I’d be forced to partner with Brianna for the rest of the season. I sighed, glancing at her as she blew kisses to the camera. “You guys, it’s fine! Riley and I are super close. I love her, and she’s always so good to me!” Brianna chirped. Whatever. I’d rather be nauseous for a minute than miserable for a day. I scrolled to the one person who would definitely say it. The ringtone echoed through the studio. The high-definition cameras zoomed in on my screen, capturing the contact name I had for the A-list actor, Hudson Vance. [Hot Guy with an Ego & a Great Ass] … Crap. I forgot I hadn’t changed his nickname. The entire studio went silent. I let out a nervous laugh. “Cough… it was a dare from a party. I forgot to change it back.” The ringtone kept playing. Usually, after ten more seconds, it would go to voicemail. The tension in the room was thick. Brianna patted my shoulder, sounding smug. “Don’t worry about it. Hudson was filming night scenes yesterday. He’s probably still asleep.” Oh? And how would you know that? 02 The chat went wild: [Riley’s contact name for him is killing me! A ‘Great Ass’? She’s real for that.] [Wait, Brianna knows his schedule? She knows he’s sleeping?] [Are Brianna and Hudson dating? I’ve heard rumors they spent New Year’s together.] [Riley is so thirsty, calling a guy with a name like that on live TV.] Finally, the call connected. “Hello?” A raspy, tired male voice filled the studio. It was deep, accompanied by the sound of heavy breathing. He was clearly in bed. I looked at Brianna, who was blushing. Wait… are they actually a thing? If so, Hudson, I mourn for your taste. She’s as shallow as a sidewalk puddle. Hudson sounded annoyed. “Riley? It’s eight in the morning. I’ve been asleep for two hours. This better be a life-or-death emergency.” I snapped back to reality and delivered my line. “Can I borrow two million dollars to buy a dress?” Insult me! Come on, say it! There was a pause on the other end. Then, he spoke. “How about I just skin myself and let you wear me?” … The host and guests were stifling laughs. The chat was calling me a gold-digger. I didn’t give up. I decided to go full chaotic. “Even if you stood naked in front of me, I’d still ignore you, dig through your pockets, and Venmo myself from your phone.” “Sorry, I don’t do ‘hurting men’s feelings,’ but I definitely do ‘taking your money.’” 03 Hudson went silent. I could hear the rustle of sheets. Finally! He was going to snap. Instead, a low, husky chuckle vibrated through the phone, and then he hung up. Just like that. The host tried to save the moment. “Well, it seems Mr. Vance is indeed very tired from his shoot.” The comments flooded in: [LMAO, he’s so done with her.] [Riley, have some self-respect.] [I bet Hudson and Brianna were in the same bed two hours ago. My heart!] [Riley Moore is such a snake, trying to call someone’s boyfriend like that.] I wanted to cry. Hudson is usually a total jerk with a silver tongue. Why was he being so unhelpful today? The camera was still focused on my phone. Just as I was about to exit out of my messages, a text banner popped up. [Your account ending in 8975 received a wire transfer on Sept 11 at 08:13 for the amount of $10,000,000.00…] Wait. One, ten, hundred, thousand… ten million?! Did he sleep-walk into his banking app? That’s enough money to buy me a funeral at the Taj Mahal. The studio erupted. Everyone gasped at the string of zeros. The host screamed, “Did Hudson Vance just send that?!” Before I could process it, Hudson’s messages started rolling in. [The money is yours.] [And for the record, I’m not wearing any clothes right now.] [FaceTime me if you have the guts.] A second later, the FaceTime ringtone blared through the speakers. 04 My blood was boiling. My heart was racing. That idiot Hudson! Did he leave his brain in his trailer? He was making us look like we were having a scandalous affair! [What is happening?! Is Hudson dating Riley?!] [Look at Brianna, she’s literally pale. I feel so bad for her…] [Trashy Riley and her games.] [Wait, Hudson doesn’t have time for drama. A paparazzi once followed him for 3 months and all he did was film and play ‘Plants vs. Zombies’ in his trailer at 2 AM.] [Hudson is a loner. Brianna’s fans need to chill.] I was trapped. I had to FaceTime him back. I forced a pathetic smile and looked at the other guests. “Hudson definitely knows we’re filming. He’s just trolling. Let’s all say hi together!” I raised my phone, making sure every guest and the camera was in the frame. I wasn’t going down alone. Brianna’s miserable face instantly transformed into a sweet pout. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and squeezed to the front. Great. My PR plan was ready. Step one: I answer the call. It shows I have nothing to hide. Step two: If they are dating, I’ll just post a headline about being their “number one shipper.” Step three: If they aren’t, all the hate will go to Brianna for faking it and Hudson for being a weirdo. Perfect. I’m a genius. 05 The morning light on the screen was soft. The first thing I saw was the muscular line of a man’s forearm. Hudson was lying face-down on a bed, half his face buried in a plush white pillow. His dark hair was messy, his eyes were heavy with sleep, and his back muscles rippled slightly as he breathed. I let out a breath of relief. Thank god, he was wearing a black tank top. It wasn’t X-rated. Then, Hudson froze. He saw the ten people staring back at him through the screen. “Morning, Hudson,” someone chirped. “You look exhausted! Have you been getting enough sleep?” Brianna said, her eyes shining with fake concern. I tried to hide my face in the corner of the frame. The last time I saw him look this “done,” I had accidentally swapped his shaving cream for hair removal cream… Brianna didn’t notice his darkening expression. She just smiled wider. Girl, read the room, I thought. The audio through the studio speakers made his voice sound ten times more intimidating. I could practically hear him grinding his teeth. “Riley Moore. Do you think I’m blind? I can see you hiding.” “What’s the matter? Did you quit acting to become a pimp? Is this a catalog of your new talent?” “Do you want me to take the shirt off and dance for the crowd too?” The silence that followed was deafening. Even the host was speechless. Suddenly, Hudson flipped over and sat up. He squinted his “puppy-dog” eyes and let out a bright, mischievous laugh. He looked like he had just won a prank war. “It was a joke, guys. Did I scare you?” “Hudson, you’re so mean! I was actually terrified!” Brianna giggled, pouting. Hudson’s lip twitched. He flashed a charming smile, showing off his dimples. With his messy hair, he looked completely harmless. “Oh, hey Brianna. I didn’t see you there.” … What an Oscar-worthy performance. The crowd laughed. I looked at him with newfound respect. I don’t even care about the money. I’m just impressed. He was furious five seconds ago, and now he’s the “Internet’s Boyfriend” again. No wonder he has millions of fans. He’s a professional liar. 06 The internet was confused: [Who is he actually into? I’m lost.] [He didn’t even notice Brianna at first!] [I think he knew she was on the show and was just being a jerk through Riley.] [Brianna and Hudson are SO over. Riley and Hudson have way more chemistry.] [chemistry? He literally sent her ten million dollars! TEN MILLION!] [I just want to see him without the shirt.] The media shifted focus. They started wondering why Riley was so calm about a ten-million-dollar wire from a shirtless Hudson. Then, someone leaked a video from a private club. In the grainy footage, I was sitting in a booth, looking at a stack of model headshots and complaining loudly. “This guy is a male model? He looks like a thumb!” “If he sits next to me, people will think I’m the one paying for his dinner.” “This one looks like a plastic mannequin from a mall window.” The internet loved it. The tabloids ran the headline: [The Ice Queen’s Night Out: Riley Moore Prefers Cash over Comely Men.] My manager called and screamed at me for an hour. But then, the smells of money arrived. A dating show called “The Heiress and the Heartbreakers” reached out. Controversial fame is still fame. I’ll take it. However, after 56 hours of enjoying the spike in my follower count, I was summoned home by my family. Their excuse: “It’s time for your arranged marriage.” 07 My parents claimed the entertainment industry was a “sewer” and that their “innocent little girl” was being corrupted. They wanted me to settle down. Honestly, I didn’t fight it. The tropes about rich kids running away from arranged marriages are for people who don’t like money. Why would I give up my inheritance, my future husband’s inheritance, and the combined power of two empires for “love”? I told my family to schedule all four potential suitors at the same cafe on the same afternoon. One after another. Efficiency is key. … Candidate 1: Leo Sterling. A pale, shy “golden retriever” type who blushed when I looked at him. Not bad. Keep him on the list. Candidate 2: Elias Thorne. Sophisticated, high IQ, and had very nice hands. Also a keeper. Candidate 3: Miles Jaxon. A funny, arrogant guy with dimples. I’ll take him too. Can I just have all of them? I could have a husband, a boyfriend, and a side piece. The sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the cafe. My coffee was cold. Candidate 4 was late. If he didn’t show up in five minutes, he was getting cut from the roster. I opened my phone to harass Hudson. Since my single life was ending, it was only fair he suffered with me. [A donkey must have kicked you in the head.] [Why did you have to mention being naked on live TV?] [Now I’m being forced into an arranged marriage!] [I haven’t even had time to throw a ‘Single and Ready to Mingle’ party yet!] [My life is ending at 26. This is a tragedy.] [Candidate #4 is late. He’s probably a bald guy with bad breath.] [I’m keeping your ten million. Consider it a down payment on my misery.] [Tonight, I’m going to a club and ordering the hottest guys with the best abs. I’m going to be reckless!] [Wait, someone’s here. I can hear his footsteps. He sounds like he wears too much cologne.] The door to the private room opened. A scent of sandalwood and cold air rushed in. I looked up. A pair of long legs in perfectly fitted trousers. A black leather jacket. He held up his phone and waved it at me. On his wrist was a million-dollar watch that reflected the light. He looked down at me, his eyes full of amusement. “You want to use my money to go find ‘reckless excitement’?” “Why don’t you just take your fiancé? I’m much better at being reckless.” …HUDSON?! 08 The sunset turned the sky into a hazy pink. Outside the window, the city lights were starting to twinkle. It would have been romantic if I wasn’t staring at Hudson as he shoveled a croissant into his mouth. “Are you serious? Did you just come here for the free food?” Hudson swallowed a bite of cream-filled pastry. “Who says I’m just here for the food?” I rolled my eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re actually into me.” Hudson leaned back, his eyes roaming over me with a lazy smile. “Look, we have to get married eventually. We’ve known each other since we were kids. It’s better to marry a ‘frenemy’ than a total stranger, right?” Screw you! In kindergarten, he wiped his nose on my backpack. In middle school, he “played barber” and gave me a bald spot. In high school, he hit me in the face with a basketball and sent me to the hospital. In college, he intercepted and burned every love letter sent to me. His crimes were endless. He tossed a folder onto the table, cutting off my internal rant. “Read it.” I opened it. A health report, studio financial statements, personal asset list, and a pre-nuptial agreement. “I’m clean. No diseases,” Hudson said, tapping his fingers on his knee. “And I know you only care about the money. The last page of the pre-nup is for you.” I flipped to the back. [On the basis of equality and mutual consent, Party A (Hudson Vance) agrees to gift the following to Party B (Riley Moore):] 1. Multiple luxury properties. 2. A fleet of vehicles. … [In the event of a divorce, 70% of Party A’s total assets will go to Party B.] Holy… I actually felt my heart skip a beat. Usually, I have dignity, but for this much money? Dignity is for poor people. “What’s the catch?” I asked, trying to stay composed. “There are plenty of girls who would kill to marry you. Like Brianna. She’d probably do it for free. Why me?” Hudson looked out the window. “I want peace. We get married, and we do our own thing. You can take my money and spend it at whatever club you want.” He looked back at me, a genuine smile tugging at his lips. “As for Brianna… I’m looking for a wife, not a charity project. Our ‘visual gap’ alone would make me feel like she’s robbing me.” …His ego was truly legendary. “So? Do we have a deal?” Hudson slid a fountain pen across the table. “Sign now, and the first payment hits your account tonight.” “You talk too much,” I said. I signed it. 09 The autumn rain was light, making the streetlights look like glowing amber globes. Hudson was holding my hand tight as we walked to my parents’ car to say goodbye. He had his coat draped over my shoulders. “You’re overacting,” I hissed. Hudson beamed, nodding to my parents. “If I don’t sell it, how are we going to pull this off?” It had been three days since our deal. Hudson had already charmed both sets of parents into believing he was a man possessed by love. The moment my parents’ Bentley disappeared around the corner, I yanked my hand back. My palm was sweaty. I wasn’t sure if it was mine or his. “This is a business transaction. Let’s keep it professional.” Hudson’s smile faded. “You pay male models to touch their abs. I’m literally giving you millions. Let me hold your hand.” “That’s different!” Suddenly, I felt a sharp cramp in my stomach. I winced. “What’s wrong?” “Your attitude gave me an ulcer,” I snapped. Hudson’s dark eyes scanned me. “It’s your stomach. I told you, skipping meals to fit into those dresses will kill you.” “Are there cameras in my house?!” Hudson sighed. “You’re lazy and you hate exercise, so you just starve yourself. A cat eats more than you did at dinner. Of course your stomach hurts.” I glared at him. “It’s hard being a female lead, okay?!” Hudson sighed and reached into his coat pocket. “Check the pocket.” I reached into the deep pocket of his coat and found a small glass bottle of stomach medicine. I looked at him, surprised. He smirked. “Magic.” 10 Hudson had to go abroad for a month for a project, and I went straight into a new film set. Freedom! This marriage was the best investment I ever made. While the makeup artist was touching up my powder, my assistant, Chloe, ran over and whispered in my ear. “Riley! Someone is here to see you. It’s Noah Sterling. He brought a ton of desserts and Starbucks for the whole crew.” “The director wants you to come say hi.” Noah Sterling? The “golden retriever” suitor from the cafe? I had added him on social media but hadn’t talked to him since the deep-mountain shoot began. But hey, a friend with food is a friend for life. I was starving! Chloe had been forcing me to eat “nutritional meals” (which were just grass and boiled chicken) under the excuse of my “weak stomach.” Box after box of high-end desserts were being handed out to the crew. Noah was wearing a grey cardigan and jeans, looking like a total sweetheart. He saw me and his eyes lit up. “Riley!” He ran over with a small box. “This one is for you. Low sugar.” “Your parents told me you were shooting out here. I had some business nearby, so I thought I’d drop by.” His voice was clear and soothing, like a summer spring. We went into the trailer. “I heard you and Hudson Vance got engaged?” Noah asked, tilting his head. The circle knew, even if the public didn’t yet. I nodded, focused on the mango mousse cake he gave me. Noah’s ears turned red. “I know it’s not official yet… but would you consider me instead?” I choked on my cake. “If a full marriage is too much… I’m willing to be your ‘side-piece’…” WHAT?! Cough, cough! … “Riley, that Noah guy…” “Don’t mention his name to me!” I groaned. I had finally sent the “side-piece” boy away two days ago. I was too exhausted from filming to think about a harem. “But Hudson Vance…” Chloe started. “I don’t want to hear his name either.” Chloe shut up and handed me her iPad. It was the entertainment news. My name was climbing the trends. #RileyMooreCheating# #RileyMooreGoldDigger# #RileyMooreTheSnake#

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My mother is a delicate, high-maintenance socialite. Since I was little, I was always the one taking care of her. Yet, when my father’s mistress came at me with a knife, she didn’t hesitate to throw herself in front of me. When I woke up again, I had returned to being eight years old. She stroked her perfectly manicured nails, ordering me to cook her dinner. I silently prepared a feast of eight dishes and two soups. She was shocked: “Did you poison this?” I placed some food in her bowl and said earnestly, “I approve of you dating Uncle Julian.” 1 Evelyn exploded. Her perfectly shaped eyebrows furrowed as she slammed her chopsticks down. “What Julian? What on earth is going on in that head of yours?” Me: “…” I silently handed her a clean pair of chopsticks. She eyed me suspiciously. “You little brat, what kind of trouble did you get into?” I hesitated for a few seconds, then pulled the chopsticks back out of her hand. She nodded, as if her suspicions were confirmed. “I knew it, you’re trying to mess with me.” I opened my arms to her. “Mommy, hug.” Evelyn was clearly startled. She looked at me in bewilderment, her beautiful face full of doubt. After a long moment, she poked my cheek with her long nail. “What are you mumbling about? Go make me another bowl of bird’s nest soup.” My lip trembled. I wanted to cry. She froze, frantically pulling out a few tissues and tossing them at my face. “W-what are you doing? Are you trying to guilt-trip me?” Just then, the heavy front door of the mansion opened. A tall, slender man stood in the doorway, backlit by the evening sun. The sounds in the room instantly ceased. I looked at him quietly for a good while before opening my mouth: “Dad.” Evelyn glanced at the man, snatched the chopsticks back from my hand, and casually began to eat. The man walked in coldly, heading toward the study on the second floor. As he passed the dining table, his steps faltered slightly. “You don’t need to go to the banquet tonight.” Smack. The chopsticks were slammed onto the table. Evelyn let out a cold laugh. “Then who are you planning to take?” My mother is breathtakingly beautiful. Before she married, she was a famous, dazzling beauty in our elite social circle. After marriage, her beauty didn’t diminish by a single fraction. Her natural looks, combined with meticulous maintenance, made her even more captivating. Even when she was angry, she oozed charm. But even so, my father’s gaze hadn’t lingered on her for a long time. The man frowned slightly. Without answering her question, he continued his steady pace up to the second floor. As the study door clicked shut, Evelyn threw her chopsticks away too. The next second, she stood up, ready to flip the table. I watched her in silence, and at the very last second, she stopped. Evelyn pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and smiled with an ambiguous expression. “You’re about to get a new mom soon. Are you happy?” I stared at her for two seconds, then stepped forward and pinched her cigarette out. She was completely stunned. Then she let out a shriek. “Are you crazy? Why did you pinch my cigarette?!” She grabbed my hand; my fingertips were blistered and red. Her fingers trembled as she pulled out her phone to call the family doctor. After hanging up, she gritted her teeth. “I swear to God, have you been watching too many cartoons? Do you think you’re made of iron?” I whispered, “You shouldn’t smoke. It’s bad for your health. And if you smoke too much, you won’t be pretty anymore.” Evelyn’s eyes filled with a complex emotion as she went to find an ice pack. She scoffed, “Even if your mother were ten times uglier, there still wouldn’t be a woman better-looking than her. Got it?” Enduring the pain, I looked at her quietly. I thought so too. Everyone in our circle thought so too. But my father just had to fall in love with a girl by his side who was merely plain-looking. Those “uncles” would gossip behind his back: “The Sterling family married such a beautiful wife, yet Arthur doesn’t cherish her. That’s the great Evelyn Hayes! How many men wanted to marry her back then but couldn’t?” But after saying that, they would always add, “I guess the flowers at home just don’t smell as sweet as the wild ones. Plus, Evelyn has had a kid and isn’t as young anymore. It’s understandable, I suppose.” When their kids secretly told me this at first, I couldn’t understand what it meant. I only heard my father’s and mother’s names, so I repeated it word for word to my mother. Evelyn’s expression remained unchanged. She just rolled her eyes. “You’re so young and you already know how to listen to gossip. You really have a limitless future. If you have this much free time, go learn some more vocabulary words.” But whenever I walked away, she would lock herself in her room, secretly smoking and drinking. The next day, she would act as if nothing happened, book a beauty appointment, and ask the kitchen to make health tonics. After that, I never repeated those words to her again. 2 “What are you arguing about?” Arthur stood on the second floor, looking down imperiously. Evelyn shot him a glance and applied the ice pack to my hand. It hurt so much I inhaled sharply. Arthur’s gaze moved from my hand to the cigarette butt on the floor. His expression was cold. “You can’t even take care of a child?” Evelyn looked annoyed. “You put yourself on such a high pedestal. Just get lost.” Suddenly, she paused. “That finale necklace at the auction a couple of days ago… was that you bidding against me?” Arthur met her eyes. She smiled sarcastically. “You didn’t know? Your little mistress is already parading around wearing it.” “She’s not my mistress,” Arthur said, his lips pressing into a thin line, looking displeased. “Uh-huh, she’s your true love.” She waved a hand dismissively. “Wishing you both a long and happy life together.” Arthur let out a breath and slowly descended the stairs. “You’re still coming with me tonight.” As if expecting this, Evelyn chuckled softly. She slowly draped an arm over his shoulder and exhaled a breath near his ear. “Beg me, Mr. Sterling.” Arthur took a step back, his body tensing slightly. He warned, “The child is right here. Don’t mess around.” She let out a bored “oh” and turned to me. “Go upstairs. The doctor will be in your room in a minute.” Just as I closed my bedroom door, I heard the sound of a vase shattering outside. I sat at my desk and opened my diary from memory. The eight-year-old me had a very poor relationship with Ms. Evelyn Hayes. I grew up lacking fatherly love and hardly felt any motherly love either. While other kids were being held and coaxed, I was already fetching tea and water for my mother. She never managed my daily life; she elegantly dressed herself every day, doing her hair, getting her nails done, and going to beauty treatments. Occasionally, her maternal instincts would kick in, and she’d read me skincare tips. Whenever a parent was required to attend an event, it was always Grandpa Alfred, the butler, who went. Later, I often thought that my existence was unwelcome. I wasn’t the child of the woman my father loved. Perhaps my mother also frequently regretted having me, as my birth had taken a toll on her body. … I flipped to the last page of the diary. [Leo asked me to hang out the day after tomorrow. I want to go, but Uncle Julian will be there too. I hate Uncle Julian. He always looks at Mom with a weird expression.] As a sixteen-year-old reading what my eight-year-old self wrote, my feelings were quite complicated. Ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. I cleared my throat. “Come in.” Evelyn walked in, followed by the family doctor, who opened his medical kit to bandage me up. Evelyn comfortably sat on my bed. She paused. “Do you want to go to the banquet tonight? Your grandparents said they want to see you. It’s fine if you don’t go; it’s a mixed crowd there.” I pondered. Uncle Julian would be there too. I had to go and scout the situation. I nodded. “I’ll go.” Evelyn shrugged. “Up to you.” After the doctor finished, Evelyn was about to leave to prepare her gown. Watching her slender back, I couldn’t help but say, “Mom.” She stopped in her tracks, uncomfortably rubbing the goosebumps that had popped up on her arms. “…What is it?” I said pitifully, “I don’t have a suitable dress.” Evelyn loved luxurious, exquisite dresses, but I only cared about comfort, wearing T-shirts and shorts to every occasion. Moreover, I never let her pick my clothes; I only liked wearing bright, clashing colors—reds and greens. Evelyn turned around in shock, looking as if she had seen a ghost. “Really? You really want to wear a dress?” She came over, felt my forehead, and muttered, “You don’t have a fever either.” My lip trembled, ready to cry again. “All the other kids have pretty dresses, but I don’t!” She looked at me in bewilderment. “Y-you can’t blame me for that. Every time I tried to dress you, you’d get mad.” So eventually, she gave up and let me wear whatever I wanted. “I don’t care, I want a dress!” I wiped away a tear. She had never seen me like this before. She was stunned for a moment. “Fine, I’ll have someone prepare one. But I’m telling you right now, you have to wear little leather shoes with it, no sneakers allowed. Tsk, stop crying…” 3 I sat next to my grandmother, watching Evelyn holding Arthur’s arm. The surroundings were noisy and bustling. Her long, wavy hair cascaded down her back. Wearing a red mermaid gown, she was dazzlingly radiant. In stark contrast to her brilliant smile, Arthur looked much colder. My grandmother cast a calm glance over there before retracting her gaze. Turning to me, she pinched my cheek. “Our little Riley is finally willing to wear a dress. She’s growing up.” My grandfather looked over with a stern expression. He shook his head. “This is how a young lady should be. Evelyn loves dressing herself up but doesn’t put any effort into her daughter.” My grandmother agreed. “Exactly. I’ve told her so many times to get Riley a proper outfit, but she just won’t listen.” I piped up weakly, “Grandpa, Grandma, I was the one who didn’t like wearing dresses.” My grandfather scoffed coldly. “That’s still because she didn’t raise you right.” I was taken aback and wanted to argue back. Just then, someone poked my arm. I turned my head and was surprised. “Leo…” Leo smiled brightly and greeted them. “Hello, Grandpa, Grandma. Hi, Riley.” My grandmother smiled. “What a good boy.” I followed Leo to a corner to eat desserts. He stuffed a small cupcake into my mouth and then accused me: “Why didn’t you come to the amusement park yesterday?” Me: “…” I scratched my head. “I got into a fight with my mom.” He paused, then said slowly, “Oh, I guess that’s understandable.” Leo had a head of obedient brown hair, red lips, and white teeth. Wearing a small suit, he looked quite cute in his seriousness. I stared at him. In my previous life, during the eight years that followed, Leo and I became absolute enemies. I thought his dad coveted my mom, so I never gave him a good look. He always mocked me for dressing ugly and said I was missing a few brain cells. But looking back now, those days of constant bickering were some of the few colorful moments in my life. I grabbed his hand and asked deeply, “Do you think I dress ugly?” Leo took a step back, stammering, “Huh? Today… today you look pretty good.” I shook my head. “What about before?” He fell silent. The quiet corner formed a stark contrast to the noise elsewhere. I sniffled, my eyes turning red. “They all say I’m an ugly duckling, that they don’t like me, that I’m not as pretty as my mom…” He hurriedly pulled me close. “Who said that? You look great! You’re the prettiest!” “Really? I look great every day?” I asked. He nodded, then after a moment, he awkwardly scratched his cheek. “Yeah, they’re just talking nonsense. Tell me who said that, and I’ll go settle the score with them.” I paused. Way too many people had said that. From my childhood to adolescence, countless people had compared me to Evelyn, saying I wasn’t as pretty as she was when she was little, that I hadn’t inherited her beauty, that I wasn’t cut out to be a stunner. But… why did they have to compare me to other people? Why did they have to compare me to my mother? I sighed. I stuffed a small cupcake into Leo’s mouth too. Suddenly. A commotion broke out nearby. I saw that gentle girl in a white dress accidentally spill a glass of red wine onto Evelyn’s midsection. Both dresses were ruined. Everyone knew this was the girl’s petty trick, but Arthur didn’t stand by his wife’s side. My grandparents only blamed their daughter-in-law, who had no blood ties to them. I gritted my teeth in anger. Just as I was about to step forward, Leo grabbed my hand. I saw a man unhurriedly step into the center of the vortex. Wearing a low-key but luxurious silver-grey suit, he lazily raised an eyebrow. “Miss Hayes’s dress has been completely ruined by you.” The girl’s face paled slightly as she hid behind Arthur. She said softly, “Mr. Julian, her dress is red, mine is white…” The implication was that the stain on her dress should be more obvious. “Who spilled the wine? Do we need to check the security cameras?” Julian chuckled. Arthur’s eyes were icy. “This is my family’s business. It has nothing to do with you.” Julian’s expression froze slightly. I gritted my teeth and pulled Leo forward. The crowd parted to make way for us. I articulated clearly and crisply: “Leo and I have sworn an oath of brotherhood; he’s my brother now. That makes Uncle Julian my godfather!” I nudged Leo, who immediately nodded. “That’s right!” A dead silence fell over the room. Only Julian’s lips curled up slightly. With one hand in his suit pocket, he said, “Did you hear that? Now Miss Hayes’s business is my family’s business too.” The onlookers all gasped. Arthur’s face instantly darkened a few shades. “Godfather?” Leo and I nodded solemnly in unison. “Pfft.” Evelyn, who hadn’t spoken until now, let out a laugh. Her red lips curved; she seemed genuinely amused by us. But she didn’t refute it. Arthur reached out and grabbed Evelyn’s wrist, pulling her to his side. His joy or anger was indiscernible, but the hostility radiating from him was barely suppressed. “Miss Hayes? Mr. Julian, you should be addressing her as Mrs. Sterling.” “You sure like to manage things,” Julian said with a laid-back tone. He then turned and instructed a waiter, “Take Miss Hayes to change her dress.” Arthur didn’t let go. Evelyn looked at him with a half-smile. “Husband, aren’t you going to let go?” The girl hiding behind Arthur whispered, “Mr. Sterling, my dress is stained too.” A shadow fell over Arthur’s brow. After a long moment, he finally released his grip. Then he turned and personally escorted the girl to the lounge. The farce ended, and the subtle crowd of onlookers dispersed. Only Leo, Uncle Julian, and I remained standing there. I looked up. Julian happened to look down, his peach-blossom eyes gazing at me with unreadable emotion. Right at that moment, a waiter bowed slightly beside me. “The old madam requests your presence.” I froze for a moment, then turned my head to meet my grandmother’s stern gaze. Leo pulled me back. “Don’t go.” I shook my head. 4 “You’re deliberately trying to embarrass your father!” My grandmother was so angry she slapped me hard on the back. “Where are your manners as a young lady?” He wasn’t embarrassed; the one who was embarrassed was my mother. I said quietly, “Grandma, who is that woman? Why didn’t dad blame her when she spilled red wine on mom’s dress?” My grandmother frowned. “Your father is the head of the corporation; naturally, he has the capacity to be tolerant of others.” I didn’t say anything more. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Julian holding a wine glass, downing one drink after another. I had heard that back then, everyone thought my mom and Julian would end up together, but they ultimately fell one step short. Julian remained unmarried to this day, and Leo, who was under his name, was adopted from a relative. I stroked my chin thoughtfully. Just then, I saw Leo sneaking off toward a certain area. I immediately wanted to follow him. But my grandmother grabbed me firmly, displeased. “Don’t run around. Sit here and be good.” “I need to go to the bathroom!” I bolted out of there like lightning. I followed Leo all the way to the lounge. He didn’t notice me as he hid quietly by the crack of the door. Voices drifted from inside the lounge. Evelyn said lazily, “Back then, you said your family was struggling, so I recommended you to the company. I was a benefactor to you. Was there really a need to make such a scene at this kind of occasion?” There was a moment of silence inside, then that soft voice replied, “It’s Mr. Sterling who is my benefactor. He promoted me to secretary, and my salary is several times higher than my previous position.” Evelyn smiled. “Fine. You have love and money. What are you missing? The position of Mrs. Sterling?” There was no answer from inside. After a long while. “I’m pregnant,” the girl said softly. “Evelyn, you don’t lack anything. Just let me have him. I don’t want my child to be born without a father.” There was the sound of a coat rack crashing down; my mom probably kicked it over. Seeing that Evelyn had finally lost control, the girl’s smile carried a hint of genuine satisfaction as she continued: “I’ve had it checked; it’s a boy. Mr. Sterling and I are both very much looking forward to his birth. He’s even bought a lot of baby things in advance.” A crisp, sharp slap rang out, and the girl sighed. “Go ahead and hit me. In the end, Mr. Sterling is the one who will feel sorry for me.” Her gentle voice could no longer hide her smugness: “Miss Hayes, when you looked down on me with your charity back then, did you ever imagine that one day you’d be dragging your daughter out of the Sterling family in disgrace?” I clutched the hem of my dress tightly. Suddenly, a flash of white light went off in my brain. Wait a minute. She was never pregnant! If she were truly pregnant, and with a boy, let alone her getting a title, my grandmother would absolutely never let her grandson be an illegitimate child. My expression hardened. Then I locked eyes with Leo. He stumbled back two steps, not realizing I was right next to him. Leo was silent for a few seconds, then whispered awkwardly in my ear to comfort me: “It’s okay. If your mom really doesn’t want you, I’ll have my dad adopt you too. I won’t let you be homeless.” I froze, then grabbed his hand, deeply moved. “Thank you.” His fingers curled slightly. Suddenly, a tall, slender shadow fell over us. “What are you two doing?” Arthur looked down coldly. I jumped in fright and managed an awkward smile. “Dad, we were worried about Mom, so we came to check.” “We?” Arthur let out a cold laugh. He grabbed me by the back of my collar and lifted me up. “Stay away from this kid.” Leo gritted his teeth, turned around, and ran off. The door opened. The girl, with a red handprint on her cheek, threw herself into Arthur’s arms. She didn’t speak; she just sobbed. Evelyn stood inside, wearing a half-smile. As soon as she saw me, she immediately put out her cigarette. Me: “…” Arthur frowned and asked Evelyn, “Did you hit her?” Evelyn threw him a lazy glance. “I’d worry about hurting my hand if I hit her.” For some reason, the previously calm look on Arthur’s brow darkened a few shades. The girl looked incredulous. “What did you say? You were the one who hit me…” “Enough,” Arthur cut her off coldly. “Since you don’t want to stay here, I’ll have someone take you back.” With that, he signaled the bodyguards to take the girl away. The sound of sobbing continued, growing fainter and fainter. Arthur took a few steps closer to Evelyn, his voice devoid of emotion. “Satisfied?” Evelyn stared at him for two seconds, the fake smile completely vanishing from her face. After a long moment, she scoffed at herself. “You make me sick.” With that, she pushed past Arthur, her high heels clicking as she walked out. She was still wearing the mermaid gown stained with wine. Arthur’s back was to the door, so I couldn’t see his expression.

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They always say the childhood best friend can never beat the new girl. Not long after she transferred to our school, I saw it happen in the empty stairwell of the science building. My arrogant, untamable childhood friend, Caleb Vance, was standing there with his head bowed like a scolded puppy, apologizing to her for his mistakes. Later, I had a minor disagreement with her. He just casually tossed out a single sentence: “I don’t want to see Lily at school anymore.” Terrified of offending the wealthy Vance family, my parents immediately transferred me to another district. From that day on, it was as if I had completely vanished from his world. I didn’t dare show my face around him. But later, on his birthday, he knocked on my apartment door, completely soaked from the rain. He looked pathetic, his face full of grievance as he asked: “Did you forget it’s my birthday today?” 01 They say the girl next door can’t beat the new girl. I used to scoff at that idea. But when I sat in the school auditorium, watching Caleb look up at Chloe Adams dancing gracefully on stage, I saw the undeniable, unfiltered adoration in his eyes. At that exact moment, I believed it. I also finally believed the rumors going around—that Caleb, the bad boy who didn’t respect anyone or anything, had softened his edges for Chloe in an empty stairwell. The feelings I had buried in my heart, the confession I never got to make, would just have to stay buried forever. When the song ended, I joined the crowd in applauding the shining girl on stage. Caleb got up from his seat, probably to go find Chloe. I stood up and left the auditorium, too. Walking outside, I raised my hand. A small, woven friendship bracelet dangled from my fingers, swaying in the wind. “Lily… here… for you.” I had looked at him, confused. “What is this?” Seven-year-old Caleb had been watching soap operas with his aunt and learned about something called a “promise token.” “It’s for Lily. From now on, Lily can only like me.” “I’ll protect Lily forever.” My eyes stung a little. I took the bracelet off and gripped it in my palm. You shouldn’t take the words of a child seriously. But I did. The fearless little tyrant, Caleb Vance, was the biggest joy and the deepest secret of my entire youth. … Chloe transferred here this semester. She was gorgeous and a competitive dancer. Her arrival caused an instant stir. The girls in my class whispered that Chloe was like the female lead in a young adult novel—the sweet, perfect girl who catches the eye of the untouchable bad boy. And then the bad boy bends all his rules just for her. A lot of guys chased after Chloe back then. Someone even joked that the only one missing was Caleb himself. Caleb had lazily stretched his arms, glancing at the guy who said it. “Does she even deserve my time?” See? He talked so big back then. Before, I refused to believe Caleb and Chloe were a thing because I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, nor had he told me himself that he was with someone else. But now, I knew. It was time to reel in my feelings and keep my distance. I used to walk home with Caleb every day. I couldn’t even remember when it started, but eventually, he began making up excuses to make me walk home alone. Honestly, he could have just told me. I wouldn’t have clung to him. After all, we were never actually together. 02 When we got back to school on Monday, it was time to collect the weekend homework before study hall. Caleb was the ultimate rebel. He just stared at the class rep and said, “Didn’t do it.” He used to listen to me. The whole class knew it, too. So whenever this happened, they’d come running to me to complain. It was the same this time, except they couldn’t even find him. Because the second the bell rang, he was out the door looking for Chloe. “Lily, Caleb didn’t do his homework again, and we have no idea where he went. Could you…” “Just turn the stack in to the teacher,” I said, shaking my head with a smile. “If he doesn’t do his homework from now on, you don’t need to tell me.” Hearing me say that, they just nodded. It seemed the rumors about Caleb’s new girlfriend were entirely true. My attitude only confirmed it for them. When study hall started, I kept my head down, working on my AP Calculus practice tests. Before Chloe showed up, I wanted Caleb to get into Columbia University with me. Now, I only wanted to work hard enough to get into Columbia on my own and chase my own dreams. Caleb didn’t come back for the entire period. The teacher frowned from the podium, asking where he was. The whole class looked at me, but I never once lifted my head. During the second period, Caleb finally strolled in from outside. He sat at his desk without a word, staring into space until a classmate told him the principal wanted to see him. He snapped out of it. As he walked past my desk, he paused for a second. I didn’t look up. I was calculating the final problem on my test. Every time I hit the last question, I could only solve the first part before my brain froze. By the time I finally solved it, my desk-mate leaned over cautiously. “What’s going on with you and Caleb?” “Nothing.” “Seriously? But you used to get more anxious than anyone else when he skipped study hall or didn’t do his work.” She looked entirely unconvinced. I spaced out for a second, then told her, “That was in the past. I’m not going to manage him anymore.” “Oh.” She covered her mouth in shock. “So… Caleb really is dating Chloe?” I lowered my eyes and stayed silent. It wasn’t until after the bell rang for the second study hall that Caleb slowly wandered back into the room. A moment later, a folded piece of paper landed on my desk. Leave first after school. I read the note, my expression flat, put it away, and went back to my test. The classroom was always loud and chaotic right after the final bell. I sat at my desk, packing my bag. Suddenly, the room went dead silent. My desk-mate gasped, and I followed her gaze. Chloe was standing in the doorway. She tilted her head slightly, curled her finger at Caleb, and turned to walk away. I couldn’t control my eyes as they darted to Caleb. He gave a helpless, fond little smile, grabbed his bag, and followed her out. The classroom instantly erupted into whispers. “Holy crap, it’s actually true.” “I used to think Caleb and Lily were end-game. The bad boy and the straight-A good girl. But a bad boy and a dancer? Kind of a better aesthetic.” “Don’t be a sheep. Am I the only one who feels bad for Lily?” “They practically grew up together.” “Like I said, the girl next door never beats the new girl.” … My desk-mate pressed her lips together, trying to figure out how to comfort me. I threw my backpack over my shoulder. My heart felt like it was dying, aching so badly I could hardly breathe. But I forced a smile. I couldn’t cry. If I let anyone see how broken I was, I’d become the school’s running joke by tomorrow. “I’m fine. Caleb and I have only ever been friends. I’m heading out. See you tomorrow.” She still looked worried but waved back. “See you. Be safe on the way home.” Stepping out of the noisy school building, I gripped my backpack straps so hard my knuckles turned white, clenching my jaw. But the tears fell anyway. My chest felt impossibly tight. How did he just suddenly fall for someone else? My vision blurred, but the arrogant, bright voice of the boy from my memories kept echoing in my ears. “I can do anything. And Lily Evans is the girl I’m going to protect for the rest of my life.” 03 “Lily, why didn’t you wait for me this morning?” Caleb had shown up late again. After class, he walked over, sounding aggrieved, and slammed a carton of milk on my desk. My hand, which had been writing down vocabulary words, paused. I glanced at the milk from the corner of my eye. “I already ate breakfast. And from now on, I won’t be walking with you in the mornings. I need to get to school early.” Caleb sat in the empty chair next to mine, looking completely lost. He propped his chin on his hand. “I haven’t messed with you recently, have I? Didn’t we always walk together?” “Things are different now.” I put my pen down, took a deep breath, and gave him a polite smile. “You have a girlfriend. We should keep our distance.” His expression froze for a second before he processed it. “She won’t mind. She knows…” “I mind.” I looked him dead in the eye. “I don’t want to become the target if the two of you ever have relationship problems.” “Lily…” Caleb had a terrible temper and zero patience. After saying that much, his patience was officially gone. His face went ice-cold. He stood up abruptly. The chair scraped harshly against the floor, making a horrible screech. He dropped one last sentence: “Suit yourself.” I lowered my head and silently closed my eyes. I had sat on my balcony all night yesterday, letting the cold wind hit me, wondering if I should just keep playing the fool, hiding my feelings, and staying by his side. But the bond we grew up with had to end here. They say you can’t hide the look in your eyes when you love someone. If I kept following him around, it wouldn’t be fair to me, or to Chloe. No girlfriend wants an overly intimate female best friend hovering around her boyfriend. After that day, Caleb never initiated a conversation with me again. Even when we passed each other in the hallways, he looked right through me. The girl standing next to him went from being me to being Chloe. He introduced her to everyone in his inner circle. Chloe was his first love, the girl he was completely infatuated with. I studied quietly, listening to their epic romance through the grapevine, just like everyone else. Because Chloe practiced dance so hard, she would get stomach cramps late at night. The next day, Caleb would bring her special, low-fat dinners prepared by his family’s personal chef. A varsity athlete from a rival high school had a crush on Chloe. A few days ago, he cornered her in an alley after school. Rumor has it Caleb beat him half to death. In this month’s mock exams, I took back the number one spot in the grade. My teacher had once warned me not to manage Caleb anymore, saying it would only drag my grades down. Caleb’s family was filthy rich. Whether he got good grades or not meant absolutely nothing to his future. After school, I rested my chin on my hand, looking out the window at the brilliant sunset. “Lily, where do you want to go for college?” One hot summer evening, Caleb had sat next to me, casually twirling a strand of my hair around his long fingers, asking me out of the blue. I answered without hesitation: “Columbia.” “That’s so far away.” Truthfully, I never told him why. I wanted to go to Columbia not just because it was an Ivy League school, but because I wanted to escape this city. I wanted to escape my family. My dad was like a lot of men. Once he got rich, his heart wandered. My mom refused to get a divorce. She believed it was her fault for not giving him a son, which was why he messed around with other women. In the dead of night, she would point a shaking finger at me and scream, crying over why I wasn’t a boy. If I were a boy, Dad wouldn’t have cheated. Later on, she finally did give birth to a son. My dad briefly returned to the family, but my mom poured every ounce of her soul into my little brother. To her, she finally had someone to rely on—a son to take care of her when she grew old. “Hmm… then I guess I’ll just have to get into Columbia too. You’re so clueless. Without me there to protect you, you’d get eaten alive.” The boy bragging in front of me had been the only light in my shattered life. I wanted to hold onto that light with everything I had. So I was willing to waste all my time on him, even if I couldn’t make it to Columbia, as long as we ended up at the same school. 04 A rumor that Chloe was the “other woman” started spreading like wildfire across the school. When my desk-mate and I came back from the bathroom, Chloe ran past me, covering her mouth and sobbing. Caleb came charging down the hall in the opposite direction. He grabbed me by the throat, looking like he wanted to kill me. “Lily, didn’t you say you were going to stay the hell away from me?! What kind of stunt are you pulling now?!” I couldn’t breathe. My desk-mate panicked and tried to shove him off me. “Are you crazy?! Lily and I just got back from the bathroom! Let her go, she can’t breathe!” Caleb yanked his hand back like he’d been burned. I gasped for air, collapsing against the lockers. “You make me sick, Lily.” “Lily, are you okay?” I crouched on the floor, coughing violently, tears spilling out of my eyes. Mia Brooks hugged me, gently patting my back. “It’s okay, Lily. Caleb and that girlfriend of his have lost their damn minds.” I wiped my eyes, biting my lip so hard to keep from crying out loud. The sheer hatred in Caleb’s eyes just now… I didn’t even recognize him. It felt like he really wanted to choke the life out of me. The boy from my memories was gone. Completely gone. Later, a classmate carefully slid her phone under the desk to show me. Someone had posted an anonymous confession on the school’s gossip app, accusing Chloe of being a homewrecker who ruined my relationship with Caleb. A lot of people believed it. The comments underneath were tearing Chloe apart, using the ugliest words imaginable. The bruises on my neck had turned red. I thought to myself, When I get home tonight, I’ll post a clarification to clear her name. But before I could even write the post, I walked through my front door to find my parents sitting on the couch, their faces dark with fury. They had clearly been waiting for me. A terrible feeling settled in my gut. A glass suddenly shattered against the floor right next to my feet. “What the hell did you do at school to piss off Caleb Vance?!” My dad slammed his hand on the coffee table, his eyes practically bulging out. “Do you have any idea that our company only survives because of the Vance family?! Are you trying to ruin your own father?!” I stood there, listening to my mom call me a worthless waste of money, while my dad demanded I go apologize to Caleb. The cold, massive house felt freezing. I was shivering, cold down to my bones. I don’t know—and I can’t remember—how that interrogation ended, or how I was physically dragged over to apologize to him. I actually wanted to tell him that I didn’t write that post, but that I would clear things up for him. But when the door opened, he looked down at me from above, his eyes as cold as ice. The words died in my throat. I lowered my head. I bowed. I apologized. He just looked at me blankly, leaning against the doorframe. “I never want to see you at school again, Lily.” My parents bowed and scraped, promising over and over that they would never let me appear in front of him again. I looked up at him mechanically. Under the harsh white porch light, I couldn’t seem to read his expression anymore. I couldn’t even clearly see his face. In that moment, my pride was utterly trampled into the dirt. It was then I realized that he and I were never from the same world. We were never on equal footing. The moon never lowers itself just because people wish for it. The moon you see at the bottom of a well is just a reflection, a total illusion. And all the kindness that rich boy had shown me in the past was just a fleeting whim of youth. I shouldn’t have fantasized about anything. From the very beginning, I was wrong. That night, I packed my bags. My parents made some calls and transferred me. 05 It had been almost two weeks since I transferred to Westside High. I rented a small apartment near the school. My parents were so terrified of Caleb seeing me and getting angry that they just told me not to come home anymore. East side, West side. Even though we were in the same city, unless we went out of our way, we would never run into each other. “Hey, Lily. Come watch me play basketball today.” The guy talking to me was wearing a black-and-white jersey, his sharp, slightly upturned eyes full of amusement. When I first transferred, the girls in my class warned me: “That’s Asher Reed. Famous for being ridiculously handsome and a massive player.” The other students around us pretended to do their own thing, but kept throwing side-glances our way. They said this was the first time Asher had actually chased a girl for this long. At seventeen, people always romanticized the idea of a high school love story happening right in front of them. They said the player was turning over a new leaf. But a reformed player is still dirty. I gently shook my head. “I’m not going. I have AP Calculus to finish.” He glanced at the textbook on my desk and raised an eyebrow. “Lily, do you realize I’ve been chasing you for two weeks?” “And?” He chuckled. “And so, why do you keep rejecting me?” By then, the classroom had mostly emptied out. The sun was setting outside, painting half the sky in brilliant shades of orange. I suddenly remembered a quote I’d read once: The evening breeze is free, the sunset is free, and I am entirely unique. “Lily, do you know you give off this really contradictory vibe?” The sound of a referee’s whistle blew from the basketball courts, slicing through the quiet afternoon. I looked at him. He smirked. “It’s like this vibe of being completely dead inside, mixed with a weird, ruthless determination.” “Which just makes me more interested.” I gave him a cold look and kindly reminded him, “Your game started.” “We’re playing Eastside High today.” His voice was raspy, dropping a hint that he knew exactly where I came from. No one else was around. I looked back down at my test. Finding my reaction boring, he clicked his tongue and walked away. Once he was gone, I looked up at the silent clock on the wall. I had a pretty good idea who wrote that anonymous post about Chloe. But what good did it do me to expose it now? Westside High wasn’t like Eastside. Every day at 6:30 PM, the classrooms automatically shut off the power to save electricity. When the lights went out, only the fading sunset illuminated the room. I packed up my books and walked downstairs. A gentle evening breeze blew cherry blossom petals off the trees, scattering them across the ground before carrying them away. I stood there, blinking quietly at the sight. Looking back at my short seventeen years of life, it felt exactly like those cherry blossoms—helpless, blown away by forces completely out of my control. “Wait, is that Lily?” The voice snapped me out of my thoughts just as I was about to walk away. Two familiar faces blocked my path, looking shocked to see me here. When I used to hang around Caleb, I got to know his friends. We used to get along fine. Both of them were holding sports drinks; they must have just come from the vending machines. “Lily, you really transferred here?” I looked at him, not entirely sure what he meant by “really,” but I nodded anyway. The guy with the slicked-back hair nudged his friend and said, “Lily, you and Caleb grew up together. He happens to be here today. Why don’t you take this chance to clear up the misunderstanding?” Everyone else knew I wasn’t the kind of person to do something like that. Yet Caleb, the boy who grew up with me, was the only one entirely convinced I did. “I didn’t…” Before I could finish, a cold voice cut in from a distance: “Does it take this long to buy a Gatorade? Or are you just standing around talking to irrelevant people?” He stood a few yards away, his eyes dark and hostile as they swept over me, looking at me like I was a total stranger. Hearing that, the two guys looked at me awkwardly. I just smiled. “I’m heading out. See you.” “Yeah, see you.” 06 Life at Westside was quiet. Time moved slowly. Sometimes I’d get stuck in my own head, wondering why nobody loved me. I was brilliant. My name was permanently glued to the top of the honor roll. When I was little, my mom told me everyone loves the smart kid. But when I grew up, I realized only teachers love the smart kid. My parents didn’t. I studied in total silence, waiting for the next exam, waiting for the SATs, waiting for nobody. My grades were an unstoppable force. I took first place in the state-wide mock exams. Standing on the high podium, the warm summer breeze blew through my hair and ruffled my uniform jacket. I looked down at the sea of students in their identical blue and white uniforms. Their eyes held envy and admiration. The principal stood at the microphone, using every impressive adjective in the dictionary to describe me. The ivy vines outside the window kept climbing. The cicadas grew louder. The sunsets grew redder. The sound of students reciting flashcards in the senior hallways grew deafening. Everyone wished they could hit pause on time, slow it down just a little bit more. I never saw Caleb again. It was like my ties to all my old friends were completely severed. I suppose they were always Caleb’s friends, not mine. When summer break started, I didn’t go back to that house. My family lived too close to the Vance estate. The day I transferred to Westside, the only thing my parents told me was: Don’t let Caleb see you. If you see him, walk the other way. I was seventeen this year. Next semester, I’d be a senior. My parents never once wondered if I was anxious about senior year. They never asked. Under the dim yellow streetlights, I sat on a bench, reciting English essays from memory. It didn’t matter. Every formula I memorized, every vocab word I learned, every practice test I took—they were all going to carry me out of this place. They were going to carry me toward a better, brighter future. People walked past me in the street. Nobody stopped for anyone. … When I walked out of the public library that afternoon, my phone rang. I answered it, but there was only silence on the other end. I frowned at the screen. Unknown number. I hesitantly asked, “Hello?” Still nothing. I hung up without a second thought. “Lily!” Asher ran out of the sports complex across the street, waving at me. He jogged over. “Wanna grab food?” I hugged my books to my chest, glancing at his friends in the background who were clearly shoving each other and laughing. “I’m just going to grab takeout and head home. You should eat with your friends.” “Come on, eating takeout every day is terrible for you. I’m taking you to a real dinner.” Before I could protest, Asher was dragging me down the street. He took me to a high-end French restaurant. Everyone inside was wearing tailored suits or elegant dresses. Even the waiters were in formal wear. Then there was me and Asher. I was wearing an oversized white T-shirt and denim shorts; he was wearing his red-and-white basketball jersey. We looked completely out of place. I quickly tried to stop him. “Are you sure about this? We can’t go in looking like this.” He blinked at me, genuinely confused. “Isn’t it just a place to eat?” Hearing his totally unapologetic logic, I realized he was kind of right. Before I could make up my mind, a waiter walked over. He looked at our outfits, smiled professionally, and asked, “Table for two?” “Yep,” Asher nodded. “Right this way, please.” The waiter smiled and led us inside. He walked us straight to a booth by the window. He asked, “Would you like to enjoy the view?” Asher nudged his chin at me. I checked the time; it was past six. The sunset should be out. I gave a small nod. The waiter smiled. “Certainly.” He pressed a button somewhere, and the tinted glass instantly cleared, letting a flood of warm, golden hour light spill over the table. My jaw dropped a little. It was incredible. When I snapped out of it, the waiter was gone. Asher handed me a menu. “What do you want to eat?” The prices were insane. I hesitated. Asher laughed. “Scared of bankrupting me?” Half of his face was bathed in the sunlight, the golden rays making his eyes sparkle. I told the truth: “Everything is really expensive.” “Relax. I can afford it. Order whatever you want.” I pushed the menu back to him. “You order. I’m not picky.” He took it back, teasing, “Not bad. Easy to keep fed.” “How do you like your steak cooked?” “I don’t like it raw.” He thought about it. “If it’s too well-done, it’ll be tough. Medium-well?” “Sure.” After ordering, I pointed at myself. “Guess what I feel like right now?” He took a sip of water, the corner of his mouth curving up. “What?” “Like a peasant who wandered into a royal palace.” He burst out laughing. When Asher laughed, he had two shallow dimples. It was bright and warm. Looking at him, I suddenly thought of Caleb again. I actually hadn’t thought about him in a long time. Caleb had a dimple when he smiled, too. He just didn’t smile much. Most of the time, he only gave a faint smirk. I used to poke the spot where his dimple was and say, “You should smile more. You look good when you smile.” When Chloe transferred, he started smiling a lot more. Sometimes it was a sweet smile, sometimes a fond one. Looking back, that was the universal truth of it all: He just didn’t like smiling at me. The dinner started when the sunset was at its peak and ended when the sky outside had gone completely dark. By the time we walked out, the plaza was packed with people. “Lily, I had a really good time today.” I looked up at him. He was looking down at me, smiling. “Today’s my birthday.” “What?!” I stared at him in shock. “If it’s your birthday, I should have been the one buying! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” He sighed, faking a tragic look. “I was afraid if I told you, you wouldn’t come eat with me.” “I wouldn’t have done that,” I said. After a minute, I started thinking about what I could buy him as a gift. Suddenly, I felt warm breath brush against my cheek. He had leaned in close, his voice raspy as he asked: “Thinking about what to get me?” He had dyed his hair bleach blonde two days ago, which earned him a public reprimand on the school bulletin board. The wind blew through his hair, making him look like a golden retriever. “I want that scent pouch. The little sachet.” A while back, he’d come looking for me. As I was packing up, a small, hand-embroidered sachet fell out of my bag. He had picked it up, swung it around by its string, and asked, “Can I have this? Please, Lily?” I turned him down back then. Because I originally made that sachet for Caleb’s birthday. I had stitched the patterns onto it by hand, needle by needle. Even though I was never going to give it to Caleb now, it didn’t feel right to give it to Asher. It felt like I was giving him someone else’s trash. I nodded seriously. “Okay. But you have to wait a few days. I’ll make a brand new one just for you.” On the walk back to my apartment, Asher asked me for the first time: “Lily, where do you want to go for college?” I looked up at the sparse stars in the sky. “Columbia.” “Why?” “Because…” “Because I hate it here. It never snows in this city. I want to see the snow.” Asher kept his head down, deep in thought, and just nodded. We slowly walked up to the front of my apartment building. He said, “Go on up. Bye.” I took a few steps, then turned back to look at him. The boy in the basketball jersey was standing in the shadows, a faint smile on his lips, his eyes slightly dim. My heart fluttered for a second. I waved at him. “Happy birthday, Asher.” Hearing that, he raised his hand and waved back, laughing. “You’re definitely going to Columbia, Lily.”

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I stalked my husband’s mistress. Her life was glamorous. She lived in a mansion in a wealthy neighborhood, drove a million-dollar car, and acted like a rich heiress. Even when she was out on a date with my husband, she always had a strict curfew. “I’m sorry, my dad is very strict.” To defend my marriage, I secretly took photos and sent a message to her “strict dad.” “Did you know your daughter is acting as someone’s mistress?” It took a long time for the other side to reply. “I know.” “I’m the one being cheated on.” 1 I stared at my phone screen, unable to process it for a good while. Why did he say he was the one being cheated on? I’m clearly the one being cheated on. Maybe the old man made a typo. After all, anyone finding out their daughter is a mistress would probably have trembling hands. I patiently corrected him: “Sir, I’m the one being cheated on. Your daughter is secretly dating my husband.” Thinking about it, I added, “If typing is inconvenient, we can talk on the phone.” The other party only replied with four words. “Let’s meet and talk.” 2 Before this, I had assumed Mia’s dad had to be at least fifty. I didn’t expect him to look so young. Even if a rich man took excellent care of himself, he shouldn’t look like the man sitting across from me. Dressed in a sharp suit, with deep-set eyes and thick hair. But this was also my first time doing something like this. How should I start the conversation? “I didn’t expect you to look so young. You don’t even look forty.” He raised his eyes slightly, staring at me. “Thirty-three.” I froze. “Huh?” “I’m thirty-three years old,” he said, pursing his lips. “…Oh.” I quickly took a sip of coffee. Feeling indescribably awkward, I blurted out, “Then you must have had kids really early.” He was silent for a long moment, his fingertip tracing the rim of his cup. “Actually, I’m not her… biological father.” I finally caught on. “You’re her stepfather?” “Something like that,” he said, looking down to take a sip of water. I nodded. “No wonder you’re so young.” He took a deep breath, gave me a look, pulled a business card from his inner pocket, and placed it between us. “My name is Alexander Vance. Let’s get straight to the point.” He withdrew his hand. “Regarding Mia and your husband, I want to hear all the details.” I gripped my coffee cup tightly. “Okay.” 3 My husband, Julian, runs a fairly well-known piano training center. Mia is his student. She’s been taking lessons for over a year. I don’t know exactly when they got together, but three months ago, I went to find him and walked in on them kissing on the piano bench. My heart stopped at that moment. I wanted so badly to push that door open, but my pride and rationality crushed me until I could barely breathe or move. Even though my vision was blurred, my mind was ice cold. I memorized the girl’s face, went to the office, checked the student files, and found her name: Mia. She was young and pretty, tall, and enrolled in the advanced class at $5,000 a lesson. She had paid for thirty-two lessons. A total of $160,000. “For a female student her age, that’s not a small sum.” Alexander Vance listened to me with a blank expression. “Yes, I remember she asked me for $200,000.” Tsk, looks like she pocketed $40,000. I couldn’t help but grumble internally. It must be nice to have a dad willing to throw money around. Because I had only caught them once, I wasn’t sure if it was a one-time fling or a long-term relationship, so I started stalking her. I didn’t expect Mia’s life to be so glamorous. She didn’t work, slept until the afternoon, drove a million-dollar luxury car, and lived in a mansion in a wealthy neighborhood. Besides meeting friends for afternoon tea, she played golf and tennis. I followed her for half a month and was starting to feel depressed. “To be honest, I’m very surprised. Her lifestyle is so high-end, I don’t understand how she could settle for my husband.” Alexander’s face darkened, his lips pressed tightly together. “Would it be convenient to know about your husband’s financial situation?” I spoke openly. “He has a Ph.D. in music. He quit his university job a few years ago to start his own business. His annual income just reached seven figures.” “A million?” Alexander seemed to find this answer unbelievable. He twitched his lips, looked me up and down, and asked with a tone seeking confirmation, “So, is he exceptionally good-looking?” I reached out my phone to show him a picture of Julian. “Actually, he’s just okay… He’s not as good-looking as you.” He instinctively looked up at me, narrowed his eyes, and his tone shifted subtly. “You think I’m better-looking than your husband?” I froze for a moment. Is that what I meant? “No, I mean… we’re just ordinary people. We don’t have the superior looks that you two… father and daughter have.” He stared at me for a while, then suddenly grabbed my phone, tapped the screen with his finger, and knocked on it lightly. “He looks very ordinary. You do not.” My heart skipped a beat. I gripped my phone and pulled my hand back. “Mr. Vance, I came to you because I want you to discipline your daughter.” “Of course I will discipline her.” He nodded, raised his eyes to meet mine, his tone lukewarm. “But I don’t understand. Do you think that by doing this, you can win back your partner?” His words felt like a heavy hammer smashing into the most painful part of my heart. “Of course not.” I pocketed Alexander’s business card, stood up, took a deep breath, and looked down at him. “I just don’t want my ex-husband to have the chance to leech off a rich woman after I divorce him.” Alexander remained seated, tilting his head up, looking at me with interest. “What’s your name?” I slowly held out my hand to him. “Chloe.” 4 When I got home, Julian was moving things into the study. I stood in the doorway and looked at him. “Are you sleeping in the study?” He smiled at me and responded naturally, “My work is going to keep me up late recently, and I don’t want to disturb your sleep.” “Oh.” I ignored him. He probably wanted to keep himself pure for his mistress. I went into the master bedroom, took out the business card, and searched for him online. I had gotten Alexander’s phone number from the property management at Mia’s neighborhood. Thanks to the fact that the house wasn’t under Mia’s name. I wanted to know exactly what he did. To my surprise, typing in Alexander Vance’s name brought up countless affiliated enterprises, some of which even I had heard of. He was that rich… No wonder he gave that helpless smile when he heard about a seven-figure annual income. “Honey, do you want a cup of hand-brewed coffee?” Julian suddenly appeared. I immediately closed my laptop, terrified he would see. A cup of hot coffee was placed in front of me. “I have a female student whose family is quite wealthy,” Julian said, taking my hand. “You know I’ve been busy looking for investments lately. I invited her over for dinner tonight to chat about it.” I knew exactly what was going on. I looked up at him. “Which one?” “Mia.” Julian mentioned the name with a perfectly casual expression, as if she had absolutely nothing to do with him. “Sure,” I smiled. “Should I cook?” “No need, I’ll do it.” Julian suddenly reached out and touched my face, his eyes full of smiles. “You don’t need to do anything.” I met his eyes, feeling a moment of confusion. Maybe my taste was different from Alexander’s. In my eyes, Julian didn’t look ordinary. He had a very striking, clean-cut face, a good education, and a gentle demeanor. He was the kind of man who was easy to marry. If he had already had a change of heart, why pretend so well? At six o’clock in the evening, Mia arrived at our house. Julian went to the kitchen to cook and asked me to keep Mia company. “I didn’t expect Chloe to be so pretty.” She took the coffee, tilting her head and smiling at me. I maintained my smile. “Hmm… is it that surprising?” Mia was speechless for a moment. “But isn’t it tiring for you to be like this?” She looked away, gazing in Julian’s direction. “Do you know why I came to your house for dinner?” She turned her head and met my eyes. “Because the property management told me that a woman has been asking about me recently.” My heart pounded. Did she already know? Mia leaned in close to me, lowering her voice. “I came to warn you.” I froze in place, my heart racing, my palms sweating. 5 “Let’s eat.” Julian’s voice cut in, breaking the eerie atmosphere between Mia and me. At the dinner table, Julian chatted with her while putting food on my plate. I didn’t take a single bite. Who wants to act in a play with no audience? Mia seemed unable to stand it either. She pointed her chopsticks toward the study. “Mr. Julian, are you sleeping in the study?” Julian responded to her gently, “My work schedule is too busy, so we’re sleeping in separate rooms to get better rest.” He spoke ambiguously, probably trying to make people think we had been separated for a long time. I couldn’t be bothered to expose his lie. Sure enough, Mia believed it and flashed me a provocative smile. My expression was blank. I put down my chopsticks and stood up. “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.” Then I turned and walked away. Julian instinctively glanced at me, and it wasn’t until Mia called his name that he snapped back to reality and continued discussing business with her. He needed a multi-million dollar investment to expand the scale of his piano training center. “Sure, it just so happens that… my family also wants me to try finding some projects to invest in.” Julian actually acted quite reserved: “Mia, don’t rush into agreeing. I’ll send you the project proposal; take a good look at it first.” “Okay, I’ll listen to you.” She nodded. I stopped at the corner, took out my phone, and sent a text to that man. “Mr. Vance, Mia is at my house. As a well-known entrepreneur, if you don’t know how to discipline your daughter, I’m going to have to do it for you.” I waited a minute before the reply came. “Go ahead and hit her, my hands are tied.” My eyes widened. This man was baffling. A moment later, I sat back down. Mia seemed to be in a fantastic mood. She glanced at me: “Mr. Julian, if you and I become partners, wouldn’t that make me half a boss lady? Would Chloe mind?” Julian paused, then said seriously, “You would be half the boss.” I had endured enough provocation during this meal, and I had completely lost my appetite. I scrutinized Mia and spoke coldly: “But such a large sum of money, can Miss Mia really come up with it all by herself?” She met my gaze fearlessly: “This is nothing to me. As long as I want to, my family will support me.” Julian tugged at my arm: “Chloe?” He gave me a look. “I’m just worried she’s pushing herself too hard.” I smiled apologetically, then turned to look at Julian. “I know you’ve been looking for investments lately. Why don’t you send me a copy of the project proposal too? I happen to know a big boss who is very interested in this.” I stuffed my hand into my pocket, felt the thin card, pulled it out without hesitation, and placed it on the table. Julian was stunned. He read the name on it: “Alexander Vance?” The Mia across from us instantly changed her expression, looking at me in disbelief. The aggressive aura she had before vanished completely. I quietly enjoyed the change in her expression. She was indeed very afraid. The next second, Mia’s phone rang. It was a special ringtone, sudden and shrill, startling us all. Mia clutched her phone, stood up abruptly, her expression extremely tense. “That… that’s my dad calling… I, I’m going to take this.” She rushed into the guest bathroom and locked the door tight. I couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed Alexander finally had his hands free and knew to make a phone call. Julian asked me what I was laughing at. “She’s in her twenties and still so afraid of her parents, don’t you think it’s funny?” “I don’t think so.” Julian didn’t smile. He picked up the business card and stared at me. “How do you know Alexander Vance?” “How would I know him? I have a friend who knows his assistant.” I was about to take the business card back, but Julian dodged my hand and tucked it into his pocket. “Then let me have it.” Less than a minute later, Mia came out. Her face was pale. She hastily said her goodbyes, saying she needed to go home. She even refused Julian’s offer to drive her. Julian closed the door, muttering in confusion, “What… happened to her?” “Good girl, probably. Strict upbringing.” I had lost interest too. I turned to go back to my room. I had only taken a few steps when someone suddenly hugged me from behind. Julian rested his chin on my shoulder, his voice incredibly soft. “Wife.” I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, pushed his arm away, and turned around. “Didn’t you say you were sleeping in the study earlier?” Julian’s face stiffened slightly. “I…” He moved his lips but said nothing. “Then goodnight.” I walked into the bedroom alone. 6 Mia didn’t come to class for the next few days. I heard this from Julian. “Do you think something might have happened to her?” He frequently checked his phone, but there were no messages. “Maybe it’s about the investment. She couldn’t come up with that much money, so she cut contact.” I brushed past him and walked to the door. “Are you really pinning your hopes on her?” Julian frowned. He turned around and stared at me: “Where are you going?” “To meet a friend.” I grabbed my car keys. “You seem to be going out alone a lot lately.” He seemed to be complaining about me. “Can you accompany me?” I met his eyes. He nodded and was about to come over when his phone suddenly rang. He glanced at it, then looked at me apologetically, “I have something to take care of here, so…” “Okay.” I cut him off and walked right out the door. The friend I was meeting was a divorce lawyer. “The divorce agreement has been drafted.” I handed over the photos I took while stalking him and Mia on their date. Most of them were intimate interactions like holding hands and hugging. “As evidence of his infidelity, this is not sufficient.” I put the photos back in the file folder. “Then what level of evidence do I need to collect for you to be confident in helping me get all the assets?” “All the assets?” I looked up and repeated to confirm with her: “Yes, I want everything, including everything under his name.” Before leaving, the lawyer told me I needed more direct evidence. More direct… I opened my phone, tracked the location of Julian’s car, and drove to the place. It was a winding mountain road. Julian and Mia were standing by the side of the road. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Mia reached out to hold his hand, and Julian coldly pulled away. I sat in the car and took the opportunity to take some photos. But while reviewing the photos, I realized Julian was looking in my direction. Oh no, he recognizes my car. My heart raced. When I looked up again, Julian was already walking over. I can’t let him catch me! I immediately turned around and sped off. In the rearview mirror, Julian’s car was in hot pursuit. My heart was pounding. I stepped on the gas, continuously accelerating. I finally managed to put some distance between us, but unexpectedly, a car slowly pulled out from a bend. I slammed on the brakes and jerked the steering wheel, but a severe scrape still occurred. Damn it, and it was a Bentley. I pounded the steering wheel, forced to get out of the car. Just as I was about to apologize, I realized the person stepping out of the car was Alexander. “It’s you?” Thank goodness he still remembered me. Alexander glanced at my aggressive-looking car: “Practicing drifting?” I had no way out and could only ask him for help. “I was spotted. My husband’s car is right behind me…” Alexander: “…” He had his driver take my car away. I got into Alexander’s car. He drove, and I sat in the passenger seat. Julian’s name popped up on my phone screen. I hung up, and it rang again. It wasn’t until Alexander told me to answer that I dared to pick up. “Wife, are you nearby? I think I saw your car on the road.” Julian’s voice carried unconcealable tension. “My car got into a minor accident. It should have been towed away for repairs.” “Oh, is that so.” Julian breathed a sigh of relief. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine.” “Then where are you now? Should I come pick you up?” I instinctively glanced at Alexander, paused for a second, “No need, I took a taxi.” The call ended. Alexander, holding the steering wheel, chuckled lightly, “Both husband and wife are very good liars.” I was speechless. The car drove along the winding mountain road, the scenery outside the window like a lush green painting. “Mr. Vance, this doesn’t seem to be the way back to the city.” “Yeah.” He answered casually, “I have plans today. I’m meeting someone for dinner.” I was very confused: “Ah, then what about me…?” “You’re hitching a ride. You go wherever the ride goes, right?” Alexander turned to look at me, his tone matter-of-fact. I frowned and opened my mouth: “You’re having dinner with someone, what am I going to do there?” He tapped his fingertips on the steering wheel, articulating every word: “If you leave, it’s a hit-and-run.” “I…” I was forced to go have a meal with Alexander. The place was hidden deep in a dense forest, an exclusive private restaurant that was hard to book. Alexander’s friends were all waiting for him. “You’re always the most punctual. Why are you late today?” “Got into a car accident. Barely survived.” Everyone fell silent. I sat next to him, feeling like I was sitting on pins and needles. Especially during the meal, my phone kept ringing constantly. It was Julian looking for me. I stood up, and people looked over. Alexander explained for me, “Her husband is very strict.” “…Ah?” At that, everyone looked over in unison. I stood frozen, opened my mouth, but decided to keep it shut. I turned and went to answer the phone. On the line, Julian’s voice was strained: “Why aren’t you answering my calls?” I glanced at the screen. Over ten missed calls. “I’m having dinner with a friend.” “What friend? Male or female? Do I know them…” My head throbbed just listening to him: “You don’t know them.” Julian fell silent on the other end. I hung up the phone and was about to go back when I suddenly heard someone say: “Your taste is getting more and more obscure.” “Just an ordinary friend.” Alexander focused on his food. Everyone exchanged glances. I waited a moment before sitting back down, pretending I hadn’t heard anything. But his friends suddenly became interested in me. “Alexander, Miss Chloe looks very young. How long have you been married?” He looked directly at me: “How many years?” I was very embarrassed: “Three years.” His friend pressed on: “Then what does Miss Chloe do for a living?” Alexander turned his head: “Right, you are…” “A music teacher at a university,” I quickly chimed in. “Very nice,” he nodded approvingly. His friend crossed his arms and cast a helpless glance at him, “How come you don’t know anything?” Alexander put down his knife and fork. “I know her husband is cheating on her, their marriage is broken, and they’re about to get a divorce. That’s all. Isn’t that enough?” 7 The whole room went dead silent. You could hear a pin drop. “I… I’m full. I’ll head back first.” I absolutely couldn’t sit there any longer and hastily fled the scene. I didn’t expect to see Mia approaching from a distance just as I stepped out the door. —She was definitely here looking for Alexander. I turned to avoid her, but bumped right into someone’s chest. “Hm?” Alexander took a half-step back, looking down at me. “Didn’t eat enough?” I shot him a look. “Mia is here…” Only then did Alexander notice the figure in the distance. He grabbed my wrist, shoved me alone into the car, and swiftly closed the door. Before he could get in himself, Mia ran over and started talking to him. I couldn’t hear their conversation. But Mia was crying non-stop and seemed very emotional. Meanwhile, Alexander stepped back, speaking with a blank expression. I secretly cracked the car window open a sliver. The man’s cold voice drifted in: “You said you wanted to learn the piano so you could play for me.” Mia’s voice choked with sobs, speaking in fits and starts: “I didn’t… those things you said… I don’t know who told you what…” Alexander showed no emotion. “It doesn’t matter who said it. Let’s just end it here.” Just as he opened the car door and was about to get in, Mia rushed forward, gripping the car door tightly, and actually knelt down in front of Alexander right then and there. “Mr. Vance, I know, I was wrong…” I never expected a girl as proud as Mia to bow her head to this extent. Alexander looked down at her calmly. “Don’t make this so ugly.” At that moment, my phone pinged, scaring me into instantly putting it on silent. Mia froze and tried to look into the car, but Alexander used his body to block her view. She understood, her face turning ashen. He got into the car, cast a glance at me, and quietly rolled up the window. “Did you eavesdrop?” I avoided his gaze, my heart pounding wildly. “You’re not her dad.” “I never said I was, just that it was something similar.” I was silent for a long moment: “How is it similar?” Alexander pressed the start button. “Sugar daddy. Financial sponsor.” Me: “…” The car started down the mountain. He swiped his fingertip across the main screen, playing an English song. I really felt like he was going to drive me crazy. I didn’t expect my complaint to land right with the mistress’s sugar daddy. My first reaction was to apologize: “Sorry, my husband cuckolded you.” “Ah, the perfect wife,” he suddenly sighed. I was half-dead with anger, speaking with a fake smile: “Mr. Vance, you seem to have a problem with me.” “No, I got cuckolded. This is just how I talk.” He kept his eyes on the road. “I hope you can forgive me.” He said everything there was to say… I whispered back: “I was cuckolded too. Why should I tolerate you?” He turned the steering wheel with one hand, showing no sign of feeling offended. “Oh, so you only tolerate your husband.” “You—” The car took a turn. Inertia caused me to sway slightly backward, and my angry words came to a screeching halt. A mountain full of lush greenery rushed into my view. The English song hit its chorus right at that moment. “I like driving this stretch of road the most,” Alexander said suddenly. I quietly appreciated the mountain view. But my phone vibrated, stopped, and vibrated again. Julian was calling incessantly. Alexander noticed too. “He seems to be calling every ten minutes.” I turned off the screen. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately.” Alexander glanced at me. “A cheating person is more insecure than a person who isn’t cheating. Because he knows exactly what he’s doing when he’s not answering the phone.” I laughed out of sheer anger: “Does he suspect me?” “Looks like you haven’t planned on cheating on him for revenge.” He quietly withdrew his gaze. I fell silent. After a while, the music was suddenly interrupted. Alexander’s phone rang too. He looked at the string of numbers, frowned, and pressed the answer button. “Hello?” “Excuse me, is this Mr. Vance’s assistant?” His Bluetooth was connected to the car, so the voice was on speaker. Almost instantly, I recognized whose voice it was, my body stiffening abruptly. Why would he call this number? Alexander was completely clueless: “I am Alexander Vance. How did you get my personal number?” The person on the other end was silent for three seconds, their voice inexplicably cold and deep. “I am Chloe’s husband.” 8 Alexander paused, not speaking. I dared not make a sound either. Julian’s voice came through the speaker, mixed with a bit of static. “Mr. Vance, sorry to bother you. I can’t reach Chloe, and she said she’s having dinner with you. Are you two still together?” “Ah?” Alexander looked toward me in disbelief. I sat up straight in a panic, waving my hands frantically. I hadn’t said that. Julian was trying to trick him into giving information. Alexander understood my gesture: “I’m not having dinner with her. You must be mistaken.” “Then perhaps I am mistaken… sorry to bother you.” “It’s nothing.” Alexander’s lips twitched. “But Mr. Julian, if you can’t reach your wife, you should call the police, not randomly call a stranger. Don’t you think that’s very intrusive?” This time, Julian’s voice paused for a good while. “Mr. Vance, you aren’t married yet, so you don’t understand my situation. Waiting at home alone, making call after call to ask around, is indeed very embarrassing. But compared to those minor things, I care more about where she is.” He slowed his voice, articulating every word: “I care more about who is destroying my family.” Alexander furrowed his brow, no longer smiling. “So, is a person like me offending you?” Julian, on the other hand, sounded like he was smiling. I gave Alexander a look, telling him to hang up quickly. Alexander found an excuse: “I have to go. I have a meeting coming up.” Julian’s voice was eerily calm: “I didn’t say my surname was Julian.” Alexander hung up as if he had seen a ghost. He stepped on the brake, pulled over, and opened the car window to get some air. “He thinks I’m the other man. Terrifying.” He started talking nonsense, “Working in this line of work must be really stressful.” I was also very helpless: “You let it slip.” “Did you marry Sherlock Holmes? You play stalker, he plays interrogator?” I laughed self-deprecatingly: “An unhappy marriage breeds excellent detectives.” “Whatever.” Alexander pursed his lips, his voice displeased. “How did he get my number?” “The business card you gave me was confiscated by him.” “Then I have to block him.” Alexander looked down to swipe on his phone. A moment later, he looked up at me. “I added you on WhatsApp. Remember to accept.” I stood there, a bit lost. He had already broken up with Mia, why did he still want to add me on WhatsApp? Was there still any need for us to keep in touch? Thinking back on all the events of today, especially the scene where Mia knelt before him, it lingered in my mind. Alexander was not a simple man. I really didn’t want to have any more involvement with him. “Mr. Vance, I’m not divorced yet. I don’t think we should keep in touch.” He paused, raised his eyes, and looked at me thoughtfully: “Hmm? What do you mean?” I carefully chose my words, “I’m a decent person.” “…Oh, so I’m not decent.” He let out a sigh, leaned back in the seat, tilted his neck back, and squinted slightly. “Your husband slept with my girlfriend, and I didn’t settle the score with him. Instead, he turns around and calls to interrogate me. You and I are completely innocent, yet I get inexplicably cursed at as the ‘other man’… and now you’re telling me I’m not a decent person?” “I didn’t—” He didn’t give me a chance to speak at all. “My days are like this: I have to work, get scammed out of my money, get cuckolded… I’ve really had it…” He suddenly unbuckled his seatbelt, strode out of the car, walked around the front, yanked open the door on my side, unbuckled my seatbelt, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me out of the car. “What are you trying to do?” I screamed in terror. “Alexander Vance, we live in a society governed by law now, there are cameras everywhere.” Only then did I regret it. How could I dare get in his car? I didn’t know this man at all. I was just blinded by his appearance, thinking he was a good person. “You know it’s a society governed by law?” He forcefully pulled me to the front of the car and pinned me against the hood. “I finally managed to take a day off to have a meal, and halfway there I run into you drag racing in the mountains. Do you know the speed limit here is forty? How fast were you going?” I froze, struggling to recall: “Eighty, eighty-five?” “Eighty-five? If I hadn’t been following traffic laws, I would’ve been killed by you!” His palm landed on the back of my neck, pressing me down to look at the dented area. “Look at what you did to my car. And you won’t even add me on WhatsApp. Are you trying to pull a hit-and-run?” I felt both ashamed and nervous. “Mr. Vance, it’s my fault. I take full responsibility.” Only then did he lean down, threatening me sternly by my ear: “Are you going to add me on WhatsApp or not?” “I’ll add you! I’ll add you right now!” “Pin me to the top.” “…Okay.” “Set as a favorite.” “…Why do I need to set you as a favorite?” Alexander paused. “My car is very expensive. I’m going to claim damages from you. Don’t pretend you didn’t see my messages.” “Fine.” I chose to submit. This black-hearted, evil capitalist. He makes so much money, yet he still wants to claim damages from me. I accompanied him to that meal for nothing. And here I was, naively thinking I wouldn’t have to pay. Alexander and I squatted by the mountain road. I took out my phone and operated it right under his nose. “You can’t block me from your ‘Moments’.” “…Okay.” “I want to be pinned above your husband.” I looked at him, having reached the end of my patience. Alexander clapped his hands and stood up. “Never mind then. The husband comes first.” We finally reached a settlement.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “404119”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Because I got together with my stepbrother, I lost my right to inherit our family’s billionaire estate. He was beaten until he went completely deaf in one ear. We were both cast out, abandoned by everyone we knew. We swore to each other that we would at least love each other forever, just to make that tragic price worth it. But by the seventh year, we had morphed into a resentful couple with zero communication outside of angry sex. Every day, I would hysterically ask him for reassurance: “Do you still love me?” “Do you still love me?” “Do you still love me?” And he always chose to answer my questions with silence, turning his deaf ear toward me. On a beautifully sunny afternoon, I tracked him to a corner café. I watched him flash a soft, shallow smile at a pretty boy, his brow completely relaxed. Suddenly, I felt at peace. Aside from my memories, I took nothing with me when I left. No matter how many times that question is asked, my answer will always be the same: I still love you. So, I am letting you go. 01 From the moment I received the location pin from the private investigator to the moment I arrived. It only took me twelve minutes. I ran a red light. I didn’t need to be this anxious. I had looked up the café on Yelp on the way over, and the top review caught my eye—Great spot for a romantic date. This was not a place to discuss business. I slammed my foot on the gas. I parked right outside the café. The very next second, my eyes locked onto the two of them. One was dressed in a tailored suit, the other in a cream-colored hoodie. My boyfriend, Tristan, and the shameless home-wrecker trying to seduce him. The two of them weren’t even trying to hide it. They were sitting openly at a table on the sidewalk patio. They had ordered two slices of some ridiculously unhealthy cake, both placed right in front of hoodie-boy. The anger burned so hot it made my optic nerves ache. Gritting my teeth, I grabbed the door handle with one hand and snatched my iced Americano from the cup holder with the other. It was full. Lots of ice. If I threw it, that manipulative, innocent-looking hoodie would be instantly ruined. But I didn’t pull the door handle. Because I saw Tristan smile. My movements froze in place. Like a machine suffering from years of neglect, I could practically hear the rusty grinding of my own joints. Through the tinted car window, the sunlight was blinding. Tristan wore a faint, shallow smile. He looked completely relaxed, the tension gone from his forehead. He was so beautiful, like an oil painting in warm tones. Quiet, peaceful, bathed in soft sunlight. I don’t know what the boy said to him, but Tristan’s smile deepened. He even leaned forward, as if trying to hear him more clearly. I slowly opened my eyes. I was a voyeur hiding in the dark, peeking at Tristan’s joy from the shadows of my car. My boyfriend was being thoroughly entertained by someone else. How long had it been since I saw him like this? Looking so happy and at ease. In a daze, I felt like I was seven years old again. My father was holding a strange woman’s hand, and that woman was holding Tristan’s hand. He was wearing a black-and-white striped sweater. You could tell at a glance he was a gentle, polite kid. My father said to me, “Call him your brother.” At the time, I had a huge piece of candy in my mouth, so I mumbled, “Bubba.” He smiled at me, just like he was smiling today. Soft and shallow. He corrected me with a grin: “It’s brother.” A freezing drop of condensation slid down the plastic cup and dripped onto my thigh, soaking a dark patch into my jeans. The hand holding the coffee had gone completely numb. I stared down at it blankly. Strange. It was just a few drops of water. So why did it feel like I was drowning? 02 It was midnight by the time Tristan came home. When he turned on the lights, he saw me sitting on the couch, hugging my knees. He paused for a fraction of a second, then ignored me. He took off his shoes and casually dropped his watch into the valet tray. He was too lazy to even ask why I was sitting in the dark. He walked over to the dining table, poured a glass of water, and drank it slowly. The bobbing of his Adam’s apple was incredibly sexy. “Tristan.” I took the initiative to break the silence. He didn’t reply. He just gave me a side-eye. “How long has it been since we slept together?” His Adam’s apple stopped moving. He set the glass down, hooked a long index finger into his collar, and loosened his tie impatiently. “I’m tired.” An unsurprising answer. Lately, this was exactly how he rejected me every single time. I nodded. “Okay, new question.” “I’m seriously exhausted. What is it…” “How long has it been since you smiled at me?” Tristan’s voice cut off abruptly. He turned his head to look at me. I smiled. “What, are you too tired to even lift the corners of your mouth? Do I need to turn into a college kid in a hoodie for you to smile?” He stared blankly for a second. Then, very quickly, his face darkened. “How many times do I have to tell you? Stop stalking me!” “Yeah. I won’t do it anymore.” “Heh,” Tristan sneered. “I won’t believe a single word you promise.” Saying that, he picked up the coat he had just taken off and turned toward the door. “I’m staying at the Chelsea penthouse tonight.” Over the past two years, Tristan’s company had exploded in value. We had long since escaped our initial poverty and desperation. We bought condos and villas, one after another. The days of getting kicked out and sleeping under bridges were never coming back. At first, I complained. It’s just the two of us, how could we possibly live in all these places? He said every property had a different vibe, and we could rotate them. But from beginning to end, I only ever stayed in this first apartment. It was a bit small, but it was crammed full of our shared belongings. It was cozy. All those other properties just became convenient places for him to escape me. Watching him unhesitatingly put his clothes back on, I knew he was dead set on leaving tonight. But just as his hand gripped the doorknob, I opened my mouth. “Tristan.” He would stop. I knew it. This was my ultimate weapon. Sure enough, Tristan stopped. He didn’t turn around, waiting in absolute silence for what I had to say. “Let’s do it.” I heard him scoff softly. He twisted the doorknob to open it. “Please, Tristan.” I added that, swallowing the second half of my sentence—After all, this is the last time. This time, he responded. He turned around, taking long strides toward me. He pressed a heavy hand against the back of my neck, forcing me face-down into the couch cushions. The crisp sound of a belt buckle unfastening echoed behind me, but in that exact moment, my mind started to wander. Would he be this rough with that boy? No, he would probably be incredibly gentle, carefully listening to his needs. My brain masochistically replayed the scene from this afternoon. Every frame was filled with Tristan’s tenderness and care. I was violently yanked back to reality by a tearing pain. No foreplay. No affection. I kicked my legs in pain, but he just let out a cold laugh. “Isn’t this what you wanted, Rowan? Are you satisfied now?” A strange thrill of pleasure bloomed within the pain. I buried my face in the sofa cushion, gasping for air as I stammered, “Tristan… do you still love me?” My answer was only a continuation of his rough movements. I gritted my teeth, my knuckles turning white as I gripped the fabric of the couch. “Do you remember… we promised to love each other into the next life.” Tristan remained completely silent. “Tristan…” My voice trembled uncontrollably. “Being with me… do you regret it?” Tristan finished his task in silence, pulling away without a single ounce of lingering affection. “I know you heard me. Answer me.” He straightened his clothes and coldly spat out a single word. “Boring.” Hearing the front door slam shut, the tears I had suppressed the entire time finally fell. If Tristan had just glanced into the bedroom, he would have seen the large suitcase I had already packed. But now, I didn’t want to take any luggage with me at all. I was taking the eighteen years of love, resentment, and history that I shared with Tristan. People say that if you just throw away all your yesterdays, your footsteps will become lighter. Tristan will definitely feel lighter now. I wish him well. 03 I wandered around aimlessly by myself. During this time, my text thread with Tristan was dead silent. Not a single message. On a whim, I booked a group tour to Iceland. This was supposed to be my 18th birthday trip. I had originally planned to elope and get a marriage license with Tristan on the way. But our family found out about our relationship, so we never went. Later, we were too broke to go. And after that, we had money but no time. Everyone says traveling clears the mind, but I just ended up thinking about Tristan the entire trip. Thinking about exactly how we ended up where we are today. Maybe when you fall into the mud, your most precious dignity becomes the cheapest thing you own. We went from never looking at price tags to bitterly calculating every single penny. Or maybe it was the holidays. Everyone else had big, loud, happy family reunions, while we only had each other in a cold, quiet room. These tiny, insignificant details slowly eroded the love I thought would never shake. I started getting paranoid, anxious, terrified that Tristan would regret it. I was the one who seduced him. I was the one who turned him gay. I was the one who dragged him down into this mess. I was the one who hysterically demanded he prove his love every day. I was the one who bomb-dialed him if he didn’t text back within seconds. At first, Tristan would patiently coax me. I will always love you. Slowly, he started giving me silence. Tristan was deaf in his right ear. My enraged father had punched him so hard he destroyed it. Whenever Tristan didn’t want to respond to me, he would turn his right side to me and pretend he couldn’t hear. I could read his brush-offs perfectly. The more panicked I got, the harder I pushed him. And so, the tension between us grew. It got so tense that he needed to go to someone else just to relax, just to catch a breath of air. “So, you’re going through a breakup, huh?” The recent college grad on my tour group suddenly asked me this one day. He claimed his roommates bailed on him, so he was on his graduation trip alone. Seeing that I was also alone, he unilaterally declared us travel buddies. He stuck to my side, buzzing in my ear non-stop. I really wanted to find his battery compartment and rip the batteries out. That’s what I was thinking, completely annoyed, when he asked the question. We were nearing the end of the trip, and he had pretty much worn down whatever temper I had left. “Yeah.” “Why did you guys break up?” I thought about it and gave my conclusion: “I pushed him too hard. I suffocated him.” “Why’d you push him?” “Because… I loved him too much.” The college grad thought for a second. “Sounds like unrequited love to me. That doesn’t count as a breakup.” I stopped walking. For the first time in days, a massive wave of emotion hit me. Standing in the freezing, sleet-filled air, my chest heaved violently, my face flushing red. I scared him. He frantically tried to backtrack: “Whoa, okay, I mean you loved each other! You loved each other, but feelings change as people grow. There’s nothing you can do about it. Just gotta look forward, right?” Tristan must have loved me. If he didn’t, then everything we went through over the years was nothing but a massive joke. When I got back to the hotel and plugged my phone in, there were still no new messages from Tristan. I swiped the screen with a blank expression and saw a text from an unknown number. [Your father is on his deathbed. If you have a shred of conscience left, come back and see him one last time.] 04 I hadn’t seen my dad in seven years. He looked so terrible I almost didn’t recognize him. His face was ashen, the color of wet cement. When he saw me, his dry, cracked lips trembled slightly, and his pupils shook. “Dad.” I walked over and held his hand. My cousin was right behind me, not giving me an inch of space. Letting me see him one last time was definitely not my cousin’s idea. He wasn’t that kind. I rubbed my thumb over my dad’s broad, calloused hand. This was the same hand that dragged me out of Tristan’s bed. The same hand that beat Tristan deaf. Back then, Tristan’s mother had already passed away. My dad was raising his stepson purely out of the goodness of his heart. He never expected that the reward for his kindness would be catching his two sons tangled in the same bed. He wanted to throw Tristan out. I refused to let him. So, I was thrown out right alongside him. Goaded on by my uncle’s manipulations, my father drafted a new will in a fit of absolute rage, leaving the entire family estate to my cousin. He used to be so imposing, so powerful. How did he end up looking like this after just a few years? I wanted to ask him if he regretted it. “Dad…” The moment I opened my mouth, my throat seized up. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The past seven years felt like a dream. The stark white fluorescent lights above poured down on me, chilling me to the bone. I heard my own voice say, “…I regret it.” Before I could even see my dad’s reaction, my cousin hurriedly grabbed my shoulder. “Alright, that’s enough. Don’t disturb his rest.” I was dragged out of the hospital room. The moment the door clicked shut, my cousin’s expression turned ice-cold. He sneered at me. “The dust is already settled. Regretting it now won’t do you any good.” I hadn’t even tried to contest the will, but he was already on the defensive. “It’s hilarious, really. Weren’t you acting all tough back then? It’s barely been a few years and you guys broke up? I heard you even brought your new toy. Everyone knows how you people are—a month together is considered a golden anniversary…” I followed his gaze to the “new toy” he was talking about. The college grad was standing by the stairs, guarding my two large suitcases. Even though he had told me his name several times, I still couldn’t remember it. He was supposed to have a layover in my city, but when he heard I had a family emergency, he insisted on tagging along. I walked up to him. He was intensely focused on scrolling through hotel apps. “Let’s go to my house.” I pulled out my phone to hail a ride. “If you don’t stay there now, you’ll completely lose the chance in a few days.” 05 The old family estate was piled high with moving boxes. Clearly, someone was very impatient to move in. The college grad gasped, “Wow, you’re a rich kid?” He paused, then delivered a brutal blow with a totally innocent face: “Then why couldn’t you even bear to order the lobster soup in Iceland? You only ate noodles.” I was too lazy to explain. He didn’t understand. People who have actually starved develop a sick, obsessive attachment to cheap, high-calorie carbs. Was my attachment to Tristan a sickness like that too? My chest felt hollow. The boy’s attention was quickly drawn to something else. He stood by the window, pointing down at the backyard gardens. “This is beautiful! Why is no one maintaining it?” I looked down. The Endless Summer hydrangeas were overgrown and drooping. The climbing trellises for the roses had collapsed, and the layered anemones were all dead. The first time I met Tristan, he was standing in front of a massive patch of anemones. I stumbled after him as we grew up, developing feelings I shouldn’t have. I took this untouchable flower on a pedestal and dragged him, inch by inch, into a web woven of agony and ecstasy. What I called him changed over time. From “brother” to “husband,” to “Tristan,” and finally, back to “brother.” After a fiercely passionate, burning love, we ended up just like this garden. A ruined mess. “Do you mind if I prune them tomorrow? Honestly, my childhood dream was to be a gardener.” “I don’t mind, but you’d be wasting your time.” I let out a yawn and pulled back the bedcovers. “This place is changing hands immediately. The new owner hates this flashy Victorian style. He’ll probably bulldoze it and rebuild.” The college grad didn’t care at all. He looked totally pumped. “That’s fine, I just want to do it for fun.” Unfortunately, he never got to have his fun. My father died that very night. He left in an incredible hurry. Maybe if I hadn’t said that sentence, he could have lived a few days longer. I really am a jinx. 06 The college grad attended the funeral with me. He nudged me and whispered, “Why does it feel like everyone is staring at us?” I looked down and straightened the flower pinned to my chest. “Because I’m the unfilial son who didn’t get a single penny. They’re terrified I’m going to snap and make a scene.” “Why didn’t you get a penny?” I seriously tried to remember his name. But my brain was just screaming Why? Why? Why? over and over again. He was way too curious. I decided to just shut him up. “Because I’m gay. I fucked my stepbrother. When we got caught, we were literally inside each other in the exact room you slept in last night.” It was wonderful. The world instantly went quiet. I looked over at my cousin’s family. They wore expressions of deep sorrow, but their eyes were dancing with joy. My chaotic heart slowly settled, turning into a completely still, dead lake. But the college grad wouldn’t stop throwing rocks into it. He leaned in close. “Is that him?” I shook my head. “I could never stoop that low.” “No, man, I don’t mean the cousin.” My heart skipped a beat. Slowly, stiffly, I raised my head inch by inch until I met a gaze from across the lawn. I should have known. He would come. Tristan was holding a black umbrella, standing beneath a pine tree. He stood tall and straight, exuding a cold, distant aura that screamed stay away from me. Some of the nosier guests were already staring openly and whispering to each other. Tristan completely ignored them, staring directly at me. Even after half a month apart, I still couldn’t control myself. My hands started shaking involuntarily, and soon my whole body was trembling. “Hey, are you okay?” I couldn’t give an answer. Watching Tristan take a step toward us, I panicked and asked the boy like I was pleading for help: “Can I hold your hand?” “Hold hands?” He tilted his head. A second later, realization dawned on him. “Ohhh. You want to make him jealous.” My freezing fingers were enveloped by a large, warm palm. A second later, Tristan stopped right in front of me. His eyes were dark and heavy. He stared straight ahead, completely ignoring the boy next to me as if he didn’t even exist. The buzzing whispers around us swarmed in like flies. The boy must have felt awkward. He gave a gentle tug to pull his hand away. I gripped it tighter and looked Tristan right in the eye. “Tristan. I saw Dad one last time.” Tristan gave a slight nod. “Did you speak to him?” “Two sentences.” “That’s good.” His face remained entirely devoid of emotion, like we were discussing something completely trivial. I wanted to remind him that he had called my dad ‘Father’ for ten years too. The words reached my lips, but I swallowed them down. Tristan probably hated our family. Hated us, one by one, for making his life so difficult. But I still couldn’t help asking, “Aren’t you curious about what I said?” He replied, “As long as you said what you needed to say. No regrets.” How could there be no regrets? My entire life was tightly bound by regrets I couldn’t escape. The biggest regret of all was that right now, at this exact moment, there was no one left to stop us from loving each other. Our relationship was no longer at the mercy of anyone else’s control. But one person had stopped loving. And the other had no choice but to let go. Tristan looked away, staring off into the distance, before bringing his eyes back to me. “When you’re done playing around, come home.” I froze. His tone made me feel like I was dreaming of our childhood. When I secretly followed my classmates to the arcade after school and played until the sun went down, Tristan would find me. He never scolded me, never rushed me. He just sat next to me and quietly did his homework. The second I showed the slightest hint of boredom, he would pack his bag, hold out his hand, and say calmly, “When you’re done playing, let’s go home.” Then we would hold hands and walk home, stepping on our shadows under the streetlights, while our driver slowly trailed behind us in the car. When we got home, the housekeeper would have hot soup waiting, and Dad would have brought back snacks from his business trips. The road ahead was long, but we could see where we were going. But now. I lowered my head and smiled bitterly. “I don’t have a home anymore.” 07 After the college grad finished blow-drying his hair, he asked if I wanted to visit his city for a while. “Grad school doesn’t start for a bit anyway. I’m just sitting around doing nothing, I can be your tour guide.” “You’re a really nice guy.” I stared at the smoke detector on the hotel ceiling, trying to sound casual. “I don’t get why your roommates bailed on you.” He instantly looked aggrieved. “I didn’t find out until after graduation that all three of them were gay! They didn’t want to bring me along. And then I come out here and meet you, and you are too. Seriously… what is my luck?” “I don’t get you guys. Are guys’ lips softer or something? Why does every guy…” Muttering under his breath, he slid under the covers. The nightstand between our beds was narrow. The draft from him pulling up his blanket brushed across my cheek, rustling my hair. When the lights went out, my vision plunged into absolute darkness. During the day, the guy distracted me enough that the agonizing pain wasn’t as overwhelming. But once it was quiet, my nerves were stretched and sliced open again. The noise in my chest was deafening. Too many mouths. Too many voices. That drowning sensation slowly crept up from my chest to my throat, suffocating my mouth and nose… I shot up in bed. “What’s wrong?” The bedside lamp clicked on. I looked at his sleep-tousled face, and my heart slowly dropped back into my chest. “Nightmare?” I shook my head. “Then… should I leave the light on? Can you sleep?” I shook my head again. “Ah… do you want to talk? I can order some coffee and hang out with you…” “Do you want to try it?” Cut off completely out of nowhere, the boy blinked in confusion. “Try what?” “Guys’ lips.”

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