1 My husband’s mistress and I share the same birthday. So, at dinner, my son, Charlie, asked, “Mom, are we celebrating your birthday a day early again this year?” My husband, Sean, didn’t look up from his plate. “No time for that.” “This year, Ms. Harris is turning twenty-five, and I’m taking her diving in Bora Bora. We need to take swimming lessons in advance these few days, so there’s no time.” I hadn’t expected that after five years of celebrating my birthday a day early, this year, there would be nothing at all. Charlie, however, perked up. “I want to go diving too! Dad, can you take me with you?” Sean nodded, silently agreeing, then looked at me. “Hannah, send me your birthday wishes on my phone. Whatever you want, I’ll make it happen.” My birthday wish was for a divorce. … As I cleared the table, Sean made a call to Sarah Harris. “Charlie wants to come along too, is that okay with you?” Sarah giggled in response. “What’s not okay? Are you planning something naughty?” Sean leaned lazily against the kitchen cabinet. “Naughty, huh?” He chuckled, fiddling with the new shelf I’d just bought. “Alright, you just wait till I see you.” While they bantered, I looked at Charlie. “Are you really going? Not spending Mom’s birthday with me?” Charlie tapped on his phone. “Yeah, it’ll be more fun with Dad and Ms. Harris.” I said nothing, went back to the bedroom, and took out a suitcase to pack their clothes. Suddenly, I remembered Sean and my first trip together. We were eighteen, and we were scammed out of 500 dollars just to hang a “love lock.” Sean comforted me. “When I make money, I’ll buy all these locks. You can hang them however you want.” Our love story had been so passionate, so grand, why had it turned into this? I still remembered when I found Sean’s flirtatious texts with Sarah on his phone. I cried, demanding a divorce, and Sean was so terrified he knelt before me. “Baby, I was wrong. I promise it won’t happen again. I’ll make her leave the company tomorrow.” Later, Sean openly gave Sarah the status of his girlfriend. Dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, he told me, “Hannah, don’t worry, I know how to separate home life from outside life. I won’t let her affect your life.” I was so angry I smashed the matching mugs we’d bought when we got married. That night, I thought a lot. I thought of Sean’s awkward confession, his wedding vows, and his eyes, red and pained, when I gave birth to Charlie. I looked at our son, sleeping soundly in his crib. The next day, I bought two acrylic mugs and accepted Sarah’s existence. My thoughts were interrupted by Charlie, who rushed into the room. “Mom, I don’t want to wear these ugly clothes you bought.” I held Charlie’s small hand. “You have a sensitive respiratory system; the wind at the beach is strong, you need something warm.” “No, I don’t!” Charlie’s crying brought Sean into the room, his phone put away. “Alright, Hannah, it’s hot in Bora Bora. These clothes are too much. The three of us will go shopping tomorrow.” “You don’t need to pack anymore.” With one sentence, he negated a whole night of my efforts. I took out the nasal spray I had prepared for Sean and Charlie from the suitcase. Since they didn’t need it, I wouldn’t give them anything. 2 When I dropped Charlie off at his after-school class, he bragged to the other kids. “My dad and mom are going diving in the Philippines soon!” A child glanced at me. “Your mom doesn’t look like she can dive.” Charlie let go of my hand. “Not this mom.” He quickly explained. “It’s another mom, prettier and younger.” “If you don’t believe me, wait after class. My mom is taking me shopping.” So, after class, Charlie pointed to Sarah, with her big wavy hair in a Rolls-Royce, and shouted. “She’s my other mom.” Charlie ran to Sarah, bathed in the envious glances of the other children. “Mom.” Sarah smiled in response. “No shame,” Sean said, his hand on the steering wheel, laughing. “You, a twenty-year-old girl, wanting to be a mom.” “What? You don’t want to be my baby daddy? Then I’ll find someone else.” Sarah raised an eyebrow, and Sean pulled her into his arms, giving her waist a playful pinch. “You dare?” She immediately pouted, feigning weakness. “I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t.” Her laughter reached my ears. Watching the two most important people in my life gathered around Sarah, I turned my back in self-mockery. I once thought that as long as I didn’t leave, Sean’s true love would still be me, and I could give Charlie a complete family. But now, it seemed I was the superfluous one. As I walked home, a downpour began, and I took shelter under a bus stop. I remembered the last time I took a bus, it was with Sean, carrying our suitcases after graduating from university. There were no empty seats on the bus, so Sean had me sit on a suitcase, his hand tightly gripping the pole, shielding me in front of him. Back then, our destination was a rented room. Today, we had our own home, but we no longer shared the same destination. Thinking of this, I got onto the bus that had just stopped. My rain-soaked hands couldn’t unlock my phone, and as the driver impatiently frowned, Sean’s calls kept coming in. The phone vibrated and slipped from my hand. I scrambled into the rain, and the driver cursed, “Wasting time.” As the bus pulled away, water splashed onto my pants, leaving dark mud spots. On the phone, Sean’s voice was accusing. “What are you doing? Why aren’t you answering your phone?” “It’s raining outside, I…” “Enough.” Clearly, Sean wasn’t truly interested in my situation. “I just wanted to tell you Charlie won’t be home for dinner. Sarah’s taking the little rascal out for pizza.” “You tell her.” Charlie’s childish voice came through. “I’m going to eat pizza with Ms. Sarah. Don’t make me that disgusting multigrain porridge.” Then laughter erupted, Sarah sounding a bit smug. “I told you no kid likes porridge, but you wouldn’t believe me!” “Alright, you win,” Sean said dotingly. “You’ll be in charge of the house from now on.” I could almost picture Sarah’s unrestrained, smiling face, a stark contrast to my current humiliation. I simply said, “Got it.” As I put my phone in my pocket, I accidentally felt two coins. It suddenly dawned on me that Sean had once craved candied hawthorn from the elementary school gate, and the old vendor didn’t use mobile payments. I had specifically exchanged cash to go find him. But that string of candied hawthorn was later forgotten by Sean on the dining table, leaving a sticky mess of syrup that was incredibly hard to clean. I laughed at myself self-deprecatingly. The bus I couldn’t get on, I wouldn’t ride. I didn’t go home; instead, I went to a lawyer’s office. 3 I waited on the sofa until ten at night. When I saw Sean put the sleeping Charlie on the bed, I brought up the topic of divorce with him. “Sean Davies, I will no longer interfere with your relationship with Sarah. Let’s part amicably.” Sean’s usually impassive face rarely showed emotion. “Hannah, if this is because I didn’t celebrate your birthday this year, I apologize.” “It’s just that Sarah is still a young girl, so it’s right for me to prioritize her a bit.” But I also followed Sean when I was young, burning through my youth until I became a worn-out wife. I shook my head. “It has nothing to do with her. I just don’t want to be with you anymore.” Sean tightened his grip on the water glass. “I don’t understand. We’ve been through five years, why are you making a scene now?” “We’re going abroad tomorrow; do you have to pick a fight tonight?!” The moment the cup hit the floor, I was only grateful it was acrylic. Sean put on his jacket and walked out of the room. “Going down for a cigarette, don’t wait up for me.” I next saw him at the airport. I ran into him, Charlie, and Sarah. She still had that same smiling expression. “Hannah, I specifically sent Sean home last night to pack, but he suddenly showed up in the middle of the night and clung to me for a while. Did you two have a fight?” “From now on, just let him stay with you.” I pushed Charlie towards Sarah, and Charlie happily grabbed her hand. “Sean too, I told him we could celebrate my birthday casually, but he went and planned a trip abroad.” I looked at Sean, who was checking in ahead. “When we get back, I’ll have him make it up to you with a proper birthday celebration.” Sarah’s face held a triumphant boast, and I suppressed all the words I wanted to say deep down. I couldn’t compete with that young body, so I wouldn’t. Sean took Sarah’s hand, with its extra-long manicure. “Hannah, we’re leaving.” A rare hint of guilt appeared in his eyes. “Remember to send me your birthday wishes. I’ll make sure to fulfill whatever I can.” “Dad, hurry up! Don’t waste time with her. I want to ride the big airplane.” Charlie pulled Sean and Sarah, skipping towards security. After returning home, I developed a high fever. Feeling disoriented, I just hid under the covers. In a daze, I dreamt of Sean. He was still twenty years old, holding my hand, playfully calling me his wife. “Good girl, sweetheart, take your medicine so you can get well.” He held the prepared medicine to his lips to test its temperature. “Perfect, drink it now.” When I woke up, all I heard was the loud ringing of my phone. I croaked a hoarse reply. “Hannah Davies, why didn’t you bring the nasal spray?” “Don’t you know the wind is strong at the beach? Charlie and I will get sick!” Sean dragged me back to reality, yelling impatiently. “Alright, just text me the medicine’s name. I’ll buy it myself. You’re such a hassle.” The phone went dead, and the tears I thought had long since dried finally flowed again. I profoundly understood one thing: Sean and I could never go back. I itemized all income and real estate since my marriage to Sean. I decided not to fight for Charlie’s custody, with only one condition: Sean must not have any more children, a promise he had made early on. I handed these documents to my lawyer, and the divorce agreement was quickly drafted. 4 Before deciding to leave, I went to visit Sean’s mother. When I was in school, she would always have Sean bring me home, constantly piling food onto my plate. “Eat more, little Hannah, you’re so thin.” Those words, to me, an orphan, brought the warmth of a home. My marriage to Sean was natural, almost devoid of any heartache from love. That’s why I swallowed my pride for those five years, nearly losing myself completely. When I entered, my mother-in-law was on a video call. She looked at Sean and Sarah on the screen, an unstoppable smile on her face. “You rascal, Sarah is still young, you should be more considerate.” Sean ruffled Sarah’s hair. “She’s only young, but she has a bigger temper than anyone. She gets mad if she eats one more bite.” My mother-in-law’s tone was doting. “Little Sarah, you should eat more, look how thin you’ve become.” My movement to take off my shoes paused. When my mother-in-law looked over, I hastily lowered my head, hiding my bloodshot eyes. My mother-in-law put away her phone and called out, “Little Hannah, come in quickly.” “No, Mom, I haven’t changed my shoes. I won’t go in.” I opened my umbrella and walked through the park where Sean and I used to stroll during university. Under the most lush tree there, we had buried our hamster, which we had raised together for three years. Sean wiped away my tears, calling me useless. “If I were gone one day, how much would you cry?” He sprinkled the last handful of dirt, then hugged me. I would forever remember his soft voice saying, “Hannah, I’ll always be with you.” He knew better than anyone that my parents had died young, and I had lived alone for over a decade. He was already my entire world. But his world didn’t belong to me alone. I sat on a wooden bench in the park, watching the time. At midnight, I sent him the divorce agreement. “Sean, this is my birthday wish.” The next moment, my phone rang. I had never seen Sean so furious. “Hannah Davies, why are you sending messages now? Because I was looking at your damn message, I didn’t hold onto Sarah, and now she’s in the hospital from drowning!” “I don’t care what you’re doing, you get over here now and take care of Sarah until she’s out of danger!” After the call ended, I received flight information: a 2 AM flight, with two layovers. It was the fastest way to get to the Philippines. When I saw them, Sarah had already regained consciousness. The first to rush up was Charlie. “Bad mom! It’s all your fault Ms. Sarah is like this!” “I hate you!” I let his small fists hit me, but my eyes were on Sean. He clearly hadn’t slept all night and was now carefully feeding Sarah water. “Good girl, drink more water, you’ll recover faster.” Sarah looked at me. “Hannah, you actually came. I don’t blame you; it’s my own lack of skill.” “After three days of diving lessons, I still didn’t dare to let go of Sean’s hand. I’m so clumsy.” “Even if you’re clumsy, I’ll take care of you. I’ll never let go of your hand again.” Sean’s eyes were overflowing with tenderness. “I was so scared, I almost lost you forever. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t live either, Sarah.” Sean leaned his head against Sarah’s face. Even though I was used to it, I couldn’t help but get red eyes, touched by their love and saddened by my own fate. The doctor walked in with the test results. “Ms. Harris, blood tests show you’re pregnant, estimated to be six weeks along.” This news hit me like a bomb, my mind going blank. “That’s wonderful!” “Sean, we’re going to have our own baby!” “No!” I rushed forward. “Sean Davies, what did you promise me?!” I looked at Charlie; he didn’t understand what all this meant. “Hannah Davies, do you have a say here?” “Get over here!” Sean dragged me into the hallway. “Sean Davies, you promised me you’d never have children with another woman!” Sean scoffed. “You have my child, why can’t Sarah have one?” “What about Charlie?! Your money, your company, will it go to Charlie or to Sarah’s child?” “Can you be fair to both?!” “I can.” Sean’s tone softened, and I exhaled. “Sean Davies, I don’t want Charlie to turn out like me. Make Sarah get an abortion.” The words had barely left my lips when a slap landed on my face. “No one is going to hurt Sarah again!” My ears buzzed. I saw Sean extend his hand. “Get out! Get out of my sight!” “Sean Davies,” I looked at him. “It’s my birthday today.” “You promised you’d fulfill all my wishes.” “All I know is it’s Sarah’s birthday today!” His eyes were filled with disgust. “I don’t have time to look at your stupid wishes now. Get out, I never want to see you again!” Charlie, hearing the commotion, also rushed out. He mimicked Sean, yelling at me, “Get out! Get out!” But I smiled. “Okay.” “Sean Davies, remember what you said.” I walked out of the hospital, and in the Philippines, I did the last thing I had planned for Sean. Half a month later, Sean received a phone call. “Hello, is this Mr. Davies? This is the Chinese Hospital in the Philippines. It has been confirmed that a deceased person is your wife, Hannah Davies.”

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1 Ben and I were notorious in our social circle as the “Eight-Time Divorcees.” After our ninth remarriage, I reined in my temper, and he settled down. For a time, we became the model couple of our set. At my birthday dinner, he received a call, his face etched with urgency. “Hannah, something urgent needs my attention. I have to go deal with it.” I didn’t mind, continuing to enjoy myself with friends. That is, until my arch-rival, James Forrester, sent me a photo of Ben embracing a woman at the airport. I stared intently at the couple on the screen. I dialed Ben’s number: “Darling, will you be home tonight?” He was silent for a moment before replying, “The situation is a bit complicated. Don’t wait up for me.” After hanging up, I immediately had someone investigate the woman’s identity. … At three in the morning, I stood by the window, looking at Penelope Hayes’ file. All the women he’d kept as mistresses before looked just like her. I smoked one cigarette after another. Our first divorce was because he’d given a deal to a competitor, and I slapped him. The second was when he called out the wrong name while drunk, and I burned down our marital home. The ninth remarriage, at the doors of the registry office. He said, “Hannah Lieberstein, are we insane?” I laughed, tears choking me. Just before dawn, Ben returned, carrying the scent of jasmine. He frowned, snatching the cigarette from my hand: “Smoking again? Who said they were trying to conceive six months ago?” I looked up at him. A year ago, after my parents’ plane crash, he found me, holding me and saying, “I’m here, don’t be afraid.” So I curbed my temper, and he settled down. Now, for his long-lost love, his heart had wandered again. But the word “divorce” caught in my throat. “Ben Morgan, will you cheat again?” He paused, then embraced me from behind: “Talking nonsense again. Who’s been filling your head with stories?” His failure to answer was the best answer. I pulled away from his embrace: “I’m going to the office.” After my parents’ passing, Lieberstein Industries was left in my hands. All morning, I kept a stern face, scolding two ineffective directors. By five in the afternoon, I had finished processing documents. I called Ben: “Dinner at the family estate tonight. Don’t forget.” “Alright.” I arrived at the Morgan family estate on time. But Ben was late. As Mr. Morgan’s face darkened, I calmly dialed Ben’s number. A woman’s voice answered: “Hello, Mr. Morgan is busy. I’m his assistant. If there’s anything, you can tell me.” I paused, stunned. He actually let Penelope answer his phone. He never allowed me to touch his phone, claiming it contained company secrets. Apparently, it wasn’t that no one could touch it; it was just that I wasn’t the exception. I pretended to accidentally press the speakerphone button. Ben’s voice came through the speaker, with the sound of running water in the background. “Penelope, the showerhead’s been replaced, throw the old one away.” Penelope’s tone was so natural. The living room was deathly silent. Mr. Morgan violently smashed his teacup. I lowered my head, my shoulders trembling slightly. When I looked up again, my eyes were appropriately red-rimmed. “Dad, Mom, since Ben’s true love has returned, I’m willing to step aside. I’ll have my lawyer prepare the divorce agreement.” “Nonsense!” Mrs. Morgan interrupted me, coming over to grasp my hand. “The only daughter-in-law of the Morgan family will always be you. As for that… person, and that scoundrel son, the Morgan family will give you an explanation.” That evening, Ben was mercilessly given ten lashes by Mr. Morgan and forced to kneel all night. The next day, Mrs. Morgan personally came to my office, placing two hundred-million-dollar contracts on my desk. She sighed: “Hannah, you’ve been wronged. This is the Morgan family’s compensation.” I took the contracts, smiling meekly: “Mom, let’s not talk business among family.” Mrs. Morgan left, satisfied. But I gripped the contracts tightly. 2 All day, Ben didn’t send a single message. I pushed down the disappointment in my heart. I resumed processing documents. Assistant Miller stood beside me, holding a stack of files, hesitant to speak. “Go on, what’s the bad news now?” “Ms. Lieberstein, Morgan Group has refused to pay the two hundred million dollars for the cooperation, citing a breach of protocol.” I slowly looked up: “Give me the documents.” I drove to the Morgan Group building. I walked to Ben’s private elevator, swiped my card, no response. Tried again, still nothing. Just then, the receptionist, Daisy, hurried over. Her face was flushed with embarrassment and tension: “M-Ma’am, Ms. Hayes said that for the CEO’s security and efficiency, the access permissions were reset last week. Now, only Mr. Morgan and her cards can use this elevator.” “Ms. Hayes?” I raised an eyebrow, my voice calm, “Penelope Hayes?” Daisy lowered her head, not daring to look at me: “Y-yes.” I smiled, gently placing the elevator card back into my bag: “Alright, got it.” I walked to the employee elevator. Upon reaching the top floor, I headed straight for Ben’s office. “Ms. Lieberstein, please stop.” Penelope stood up, blocking my path. “Do you have an appointment? Mr. Morgan is currently…” I directly slapped her across the face. “What are you, get out of my way.” Before she could react, I reached out and pushed open the door. Ben was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, on the phone. Hearing the commotion, he turned around. Seeing it was me, he frowned, hurriedly giving a few instructions into the phone before hanging up. “Hannah, why are you here?” I threw the documents in my hand onto his desk. “Explain.” He picked up the documents and flipped through them. At this moment, Penelope looked at him, her face full of grievance. He frowned slightly, looking at her swollen red cheek. I thought he was going to scold me, but he just gently took my hand. “Hannah, your hand isn’t hurt, is it?” “Ben Morgan, you know me. I’m someone who holds grudges and can’t tolerate any slight.” “Especially on my territory. I don’t want to see her at Morgan Group again.” He was silent for a few seconds, eventually sighing, his tone indulgent: “Alright, I understand. I’ll arrange for her to leave.” As his words fell, Penelope ran out, crying. Ben’s body unconsciously took two steps towards her, then stopped. Watching her retreating figure, he suddenly remembered that rainy night years ago. Penelope had unhesitatingly shielded him from an opponent’s bottle. But later, Mrs. Morgan forcibly sent her away. From then on, she became the untouchable love of his heart. So now, whatever she wanted, he gave. “Come on, let’s go home together.” All the way home, he was distracted. He answered several questions incorrectly. His heart really had wandered again. During dinner, his phone rang repeatedly. Eventually, he answered it. “Alright, I’ll be right there.” He hung up, grabbed his jacket, and left. “Hannah, I’m going back to the office.” After he left, I followed him to the restaurant indicated by his phone’s GPS. My eyes immediately fell upon the intimately entwined pair. Watching their intimate scene, I fiercely dug my nails into my palms. This was the first time I had seen him so passionately, so desirous of another person. Penelope shot me a defiant smile. I took pictures of the two of them wrapped in each other’s arms. Then, I sent the video to Mrs. Morgan and to Ben. [Ben Morgan, let’s get a divorce.] 3 After sending the message, I returned home. I looked at the wedding photos hanging on the wall. I took them down, cut them into pieces, and scattered them on the floor. He returned as I was clearing things away. I handed him the divorce agreement. “Ben Morgan, sign it.” Having said that, I no longer looked at him. I rose to leave, but my vision suddenly went black, and I collapsed to the floor. When I next woke, I was in a hospital. The entire Morgan family was in the room. Mrs. Morgan grabbed my hand: “Hannah, such a big thing as pregnancy, why didn’t you tell us?” My mind instantly went blank—pregnant. The careful counting of days for the past few months, filled with anticipation, now only left a bitter irony. Because of the pregnancy, Ben and I couldn’t finalize the divorce. I heard Penelope had been sent away. He seemed to have returned to the time when we were deeply in love. The night before leaving for Port City, I felt an inexplicable unease and pushed open the door to Ben’s study. He was staring blankly out the window, a long ash accumulating on his cigarette, a habit he adopted when he was troubled. Neither of us spoke. The next day, my arch-rival James Forrester invited me to Port City for a collaboration discussion. I didn’t want to go, but then I remembered Ben was also in Port City. So I agreed. This collaboration with James went unusually smoothly. After signing, he leaned back lazily on the sofa, his phone screen lighting up. He glanced at it, a wicked smile playing on his lips. “Ms. Lieberstein, would you be interested in seeing something interesting? It’s right next door.” “I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.” In the adjoining private room, Ben and Penelope sat in the center. Compliments abounded: “Mr. Morgan and his wife are truly devoted; even in Port City, he doesn’t forget to bring his wife.” I composed myself, then pushed open the door. The laughter and conversation abruptly ceased. Everyone looked at me. My gaze fell on Ben. “What a coincidence. I just finished talking with Mr. Forrester next door. Hearing Mr. Morgan was here, I came to say hello.” I raised my wine glass towards him: “Mr. Morgan, long time no see.” Then I smiled at the others: “Hello everyone, I’m Hannah Lieberstein of Lieberstein Industries. Nice to meet you. Welcome to collaborate with Lieberstein Industries in the future.” I took a small sip of wine, put down my glass: “I won’t disturb you all. I’ll take my leave now.” Penelope stared at my retreating back, fiercely digging her nails into her palms. A slight smirk, however, played on her lips. James laughed softly: “Hannah Lieberstein, you truly haven’t changed. You never concede an inch.” I turned my head and smiled faintly: “Mr. Forrester, you flatter me. It was a pleasure working with you.” After getting into the car, I directly instructed the driver to take me home. On the way, I called my lawyer, Mr. Wright. “Mr. Wright, please draft a divorce agreement for me.” After hanging up, I rubbed my temples. Suddenly, an intense light shone directly at us. The car began to swerve erratically. I gripped the handle tightly. Bang—! My vision blurred in waves. I struggled to open the car door and crawled out. I dialed Ben’s number. “Ben Morgan, I’ve been in…” Before I could finish, Penelope’s voice came through the receiver. Then the call was disconnected. I refused to give up and dialed his number again. It was hung up repeatedly. Rain fell on my face, and I suddenly remembered him saying on our wedding day, “I’ll never hang up on you in this lifetime.” Apparently, vows can expire. Just then, my phone lit up. It was a text message from Penelope. A photo of them passionately kissing. Below it was a single sentence. [Hannah Lieberstein, you lost. He chose to abandon you again.] I gasped for air. The pain in my chest made me ignore the physical pain. I curled up on the ground, my vision beginning to blur, able to see only a figure rushing towards me against the light. “Hannah—!”

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My son, Oliver, got an allowance of five hundred dollars a month. He thought it was peanuts and racked his brain to get more out of me. He’d charge five bucks for clearing the dishes, ten for making his bed. Even when I had a fever and asked him to run downstairs for some medicine, he’d deadpan: “Ten dollars for the errand, or you can just burn up.” By the end of the month, he presented me with a bill. “Mom, I did a thousand dollars worth of work this month. You owe me.” My husband, Arthur, chuckled, “I should learn from Oliver. I lifted the toilet seat when I went to the bathroom, you owe me ten bucks.” Seeing them genuinely planning to charge me, a stay-at-home mom, for household chores, I spoke calmly. “Alright, from today on, we’ll operate on a ‘pay-for-work’ system in this house.” 1 Oliver was only in middle school, but he spent money like water. All his birthday money went straight to toys. I capped his allowance at five hundred a month, and he threw a huge fit. When he saw I wouldn’t budge, Oliver tried a different approach. “Mom, I took out the trash for you today! You owe me five dollars!” Seeing him willing to help with chores, I was happy and even transferred him an extra five. But two days later, I was laid up with a fever, utterly drained and couldn’t find any medicine. “Oliver, could you please go downstairs and get some fever medicine for Mom? Cough, cough…” Oliver stood still, holding out his hand. “Mom, ten dollars for the errand.” I was stunned. I couldn’t believe my son was demanding money when I was sick. Oliver pressed on, “Pay first, or I’m afraid you’ll back out later!” Seeing that look on his face – the one that screamed “no money, no medicine” – I felt a chill spread through me. Hadn’t I always rushed him to the emergency room the moment he got sick? Every time, I’d be in tears, urging the driver to go faster. My head was spinning so much, I worried I wouldn’t even be able to take the medicine later. I forced myself to reach for my phone, and after several fumbling attempts to unlock it, I scanned his code and paid the ten dollars. Five minutes later, the medicine arrived. Oliver handed it to me. “Mom, need water? Pouring water is cheap, five dollars should cover it.” I looked up at Oliver in disbelief. Who takes medicine without water?! I tried to reason with him, mustering what little strength I had left. “Mom’s really unwell right now. If I don’t take this, I could get seriously sick.” “We can talk about money later…” But Oliver pouted, clearly annoyed. “Why later? Hurry up! Money first, then the goods!” His tone lacked any hint of concern for my illness. My head was heavy, and I didn’t have the strength to transfer money anymore. Just before I blacked out, I used every ounce of my energy to put the fever medicine in my mouth before closing my eyes. After swallowing the medicine, I slept straight through to the next day. When I woke up, Oliver saw my fever was gone and looked utterly disappointed. “Mom is so stingy! She wouldn’t even give me five dollars for the water!” I opened my mouth, only to find it terribly bitter. The fever medicine had dissolved in my mouth, and I still hadn’t had any water. A dull ache throbbed in my head and chest. I slowly sat up and noticed a box of fever medicine in the trash bin. “Did you throw this away?” A flicker of guilt crossed Oliver’s eyes, but he quickly put his hands on his hips. “If I hadn’t thrown it away, you wouldn’t have asked me to buy medicine!” “If you hadn’t asked me to buy medicine, how would I have earned ten dollars for the errand!” “You should just blame yourself for cutting my allowance!” I tried to explain. “Five hundred dollars is enough for your allowance. If there’s anything you want to buy, just tell Mom…” But Oliver shouted, cutting me off. “Five hundred is enough for what?! I told you I wanted to buy a toy, did you buy it for me?” Last month, he wanted to buy a hundred-dollar toy, and I’d refused. Seeing my silence, Oliver sneered, then pulled out a ledger. “I’ve helped you with a lot this month, Mom. You can’t deny it!” I stared blankly at the open bill. [Helped Mom hang laundry: $10.] [Helped Mom clear dishes: $5.] [Helped Mom close the door: $3.] … These were all small tasks, just simple favors, most of them even his own responsibilities. But he’d tallied them all under “helping Mom,” and the total for the month came to a staggering one hundred dollars! Seeing I hadn’t moved, he pressed 911 on his kids’ smartwatch, just short of dialing. “Mom, pay up! Or I’ll call the police! I’ll tell them you’re employing child labor and abusing children!” 2 Click! Arthur opened the door, frowning at the scene. “What’s going on?” Oliver ran over and handed Arthur the ledger. “Dad, I helped Mom with so much this month, and she’s trying to welch on the payment!” Arthur glanced at it, his expression hardening. “Eleanor, that’s out of line. The boy put in the effort, why shouldn’t he get a reward?” His critical tone sent a wave of hurt through me. I told Arthur about the fever medicine, expecting him to scold Oliver. But to my surprise, his voice grew even more impatient. “Is that even worth mentioning? Why are you being so petty as a mother?” He tapped the table, urging me. “Don’t discourage the boy from helping with chores. Besides, you’re a stay-at-home mom. If Oliver does some of your chores, isn’t it only fair you pay him?” I stood frozen, clutching my phone, looking at Arthur helplessly. When it came to raising Oliver, Arthur always loved to contradict me. But I never imagined he’d support me in transferring a hundred dollars to our son. Oliver, hearing his dad side with him, proudly flashed his payment QR code. “Hurry up!” Both of them closed in on me. I tried to protest, “I don’t have that much money…” Arthur stared fixedly at me. “Didn’t I transfer you twelve hundred for groceries yesterday?” My jaw dropped. “Then what about this month’s groceries?!” “Figure it out yourself!” Arthur snatched my phone and, without another word, transferred a hundred dollars to Oliver. Every month, I relied on that twelve hundred to feed the entire family, and it was often barely enough. Now, with only two hundred left, my head spun, and I had no idea what to do. Oliver immediately bought a new toy, gloating at me. “Mom, what good was your refusal? I still bought it!” “Oh, right, Mom, I just put my shoes in the shoe rack. A dollar for my trouble!” My heart clenched. Was I going to have to transfer another hundred dollars to him next month?! Arthur, meanwhile, was lounging with one leg crossed, laughing. “I should learn from my son. I lifted the toilet seat today. You should pay me ten dollars too. If I do that once a day, that’s three hundred a month.” He tipped his chin at Oliver. “Son, write that down. Your mom owes me.” I clenched my fists, barely able to breathe. By their calculations, I’d owe them an extra hundred dollars next month! But I’d been a stay-at-home mom for over a decade. My savings and what little dowry I had were long gone. Where would I get the money? Seeing Oliver diligently jot down another line, I couldn’t take it anymore. I snatched the small notebook. Oliver’s eyes glinted with disdain. He challenged me, “Mom, you’re not going to try to tear it up, are you? I’ve got backups!” I took a deep breath, crumpled the notebook into a ball, then released it. “I won’t tear it.” “You can write this down for me too.” 3 Arthur thought I was joking, but the next morning at breakfast, as he ate, I declared: “Cooking breakfast for Oliver, twenty dollars.” “Getting a bowl for my husband, ten dollars.” “Oliver, remember to write that down.” Oliver stared, bewildered. “Mom, are you serious?” Arthur frowned. “What nonsense are you playing at?” I smiled. “You can’t expect to get paid for chores while I’m free labor, can you?” “You are free labor!” Oliver immediately shouted. “They say a mother’s love is selfless! Charging your son for cooking? Have you no shame?!” Arthur was just as displeased. “How can you, a mother, even say such a thing? Your son came from you; it’s only right you care for him. And I paid twenty thousand dollars for your dowry. You were bought.” Oliver grew even more agitated. “You eat Dad’s food, use Dad’s things, and still dare to demand money?!” My heart sank, utterly. This was the love I’d sacrificed a high-paying job for. This was the marriage I’d painstakingly built for over a decade, and this was my beloved son. The two of them continued to sneer, but I ignored them, pulling out a new notebook and diligently writing down each item. By this calculation, I could earn thirty dollars just in one morning, far more than twelve hundred a month. But Arthur’s face turned completely black. He slammed his bowl to the floor. “This is ridiculous! Charging me for a bowl? I’m not eating!” As he walked out the door, he threw a cold remark over his shoulder. “Keep up this act! I’d be surprised if I give you even a dollar for groceries next month!” After he left, Oliver also headed out for school, but he couldn’t find his shoes in the shoe rack. “Mom! Help me find my shoes!” he cried anxiously. I slowly replied, “Finding shoes, ten dollars.” Oliver’s eyes widened in shock. He huffed indignantly. “Fine! I won’t wear any! I’ll wear my slippers to school!” He stomped on the ledger twice in frustration, not forgetting to yell, “Just idling around the house all day, living off Dad, and still shamelessly demanding money!” He kicked the table, sending food crashing to the floor. “How could I have a mom like you?!” My heart shattered into as many pieces as the broken dishes on the floor. In all these years, there hadn’t been a single day when I was “idling around the house.” On the contrary, to cook meals, I woke up earlier than anyone else. After I finished the housework, they would both be snoring away. Yet, my son thought I was doing nothing. I chuckled self-deprecatingly, wiping away tears from the corners of my eyes. All this, it wasn’t something I had to do! I stepped around the leftover food and followed them out. Since no one valued my labor, thinking it was all just expected, I decided I would find a job to prove my worth. But to my surprise, I searched all morning, and no company would hire me. I’d been a stay-at-home mom for too long; my life had revolved around my son and husband, and I’d been out of touch with society for too long. In the afternoon, Arthur called me, gritting his teeth. “Are you out of your mind? Not even coming home to cook lunch!” I replied calmly, “Order takeout yourself. Or I can come back and make a meal for eighty dollars.” At the mention of money, Arthur immediately swore. “Fine, then never come back!” With that, he slammed down the phone. Before I could even stand up, Arthur sent a text: [If you’re going to be like that, how much rent do you think you owe for living in my house?] My heart plummeted. It felt like a slap across the face. I realized this farce had escalated to an unmanageable point. Thankfully, I had no intention of managing it. I thought for a moment, then a suitable job came to mind. I didn’t return home until evening. Oliver, watching TV, rolled his eyes. “What took you so long? I’m starving!” I said calmly, “What do you want to eat?” Oliver immediately reeled off, “Sweet and sour ribs, braised pork, grilled wings!” “That’ll be eighty-nine dollars.” Oliver froze, his face contorted in anger. “You’re my mom! Why are you charging me to cook my favorite food?!” I found it amusing. “Then why do you charge me for making your own bed?” Oliver’s face flushed. “Because you’re my mom!” He then pinched his nose, looking disgusted at the overturned breakfast table. “It stinks! Can you please clean up that mess before talking to me?!” The morning’s disaster was still untouched, and the oil from the food had seeped into the floor. The house reeked of greasy, sour odors. “Sure, cleaning up will be fifty dollars.” Oliver’s face went white. “Are you doing this on purpose?! Are you trying to get back at me for that hundred dollars?!” He screamed, “This is your duty as a mother!” Just then, Arthur came home from work and frowned at Oliver. “What’s all the shouting about?!” Oliver pointed at me. “She’s being completely unreasonable! Dad! She’s on strike! Cut her allowance, that’ll teach her a lesson!” Arthur loosened his tie, looking annoyed. “Eleanor, are you done with this? If you keep acting up, I’m going to start charging you rent!” Seeing me stand my ground, Arthur sneered. “Two thousand dollars a month for a two-bedroom apartment isn’t unreasonable, is it? For fifteen years, you owe me three hundred and sixty thousand.” He pulled out his payment QR code and shoved it in front of me. “Transfer the money now! Or you can apologize to me and Oliver. After you apologize, cook dinner and clean the house, and no more talk about money!” I looked at his face, veins throbbing with anger, and suddenly I laughed. “Hold on, let’s calculate from the beginning. Let’s also put a price on all the housework I’ve done every day.” Arthur’s face turned completely black.

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While organizing my daughter’s backpack, I found a photograph tucked away in a hidden compartment. In it, Eric held a two or three-year-old girl, smiling gently. That child wasn’t my daughter. I flipped it over and saw a line of handwriting: “To Daddy’s Dearest Little One, Happy First Birthday.” Eric’s handwriting was all too familiar. In five years of marriage, every note, every love letter he’d written, I’d kept in a small metal box. I stared at that line for a long time. Dearest Little One. So he used that phrase, too. Just never for my daughter. I pulled out my phone and messaged Eric: “When did you learn to be a dad?” He replied quickly. “?” I didn’t answer. Putting the photo back in my daughter’s backpack, I went to my study. I opened my laptop and found the divorce papers. You can continue to be someone else’s father. My daughter, I will raise myself. 1 When Eric called, I was at the hospital with Lily, our daughter, getting an IV drip. Lily, three and a half, was burning up with a fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit, her little face flushed, whimpering in my arms. I held her with one arm and my phone with the other, listening to the person on the other end. “Tonight’s dinner engagement is unavoidable. Put Lily to bed early, don’t wait up for me.” “She has a fever,” I said. “One hundred and three degrees.” There was a second of silence on the other end. “Then take her to the hospital, what good am I? I’m not a doctor.” “I’m already at the hospital.” “Well, there you go.” His tone was tinged with impatience. “I really can’t get away here. The deal with Mr. Jenkins is signing tomorrow, I have to be at this dinner tonight. You can handle it alone, right?” I looked at Lily in my arms. She was feverish and hazy, still calling out “Daddy.” “She’s calling for you,” I said. “…” “Eric, she’s calling for you.” “Alright, alright, I get it. I’ll come see her after I’m done. I have to go.” The call ended. I stared at the screen for a few seconds. It went dark, then lit up again with a new message: “Remember to give her medicine, don’t forget again.” I didn’t reply. Lily had a fever all night, and I held her all night. By morning, her temperature finally dropped, and she slept soundly in my arms. I leaned against the hospital bed, just closing my eyes in a daze when my phone rang again. It was Eric. “Which hospital are you at? I’ll come by.” I gave him the address. Half an hour later, he appeared at the ward door, carrying a fruit basket, dressed in a perfectly ironed suit, as if he’d just stepped away from an important event. He walked to the bedside and looked down at Lily. “Fever’s gone?” “Yes.” “Good.” He placed the fruit basket on the nightstand. “What did the doctor say?” “Viral infection, two days of observation.” He nodded, glanced at his watch. “Then I’ll be going. There are things to do at the firm. If I can’t make it back tonight, order takeout for yourself.” I watched his back disappear through the doorway. From the moment he entered until he left, it was less than five minutes. He didn’t touch Lily’s hand. Didn’t ask if she’d been uncomfortable last night. He didn’t even spare her a second glance. I lowered my head, looking at my daughter’s small face. She was still asleep, her brow furrowed, as if having a bad dream. I suddenly remembered that photo. “To Daddy’s Dearest Little One, Happy First Birthday.” It turned out he wasn’t unable to be a dad. He just couldn’t be Lily’s dad. 2 Eric’s distance from Lily seemed to have been set the day she was born. He was away on a business trip that day. When my contractions started, I called him. He was having dinner with a client. “I’ll be back as soon as I’m done,” he said. I waited for thirty-six hours. By the time he returned, I had already signed the consent forms for surgery, gone into the delivery room, and given birth to Lily, all by myself. He stood in the hospital room, looking at the swaddled baby, with an unfamiliar expression on his face. Like he was looking at someone else’s child. “You worked hard,” he said. Then he went to the law firm. During my postpartum recovery, he came home a handful of times, staying less than half an hour each visit. My mother couldn’t bear it, grumbling behind his back. “Who does a father like that?” I defended him. “He’s busy. He just became a partner; he has a lot of cases.” My mother sighed. “No matter how busy, a husband and father should still care for his wife and child, shouldn’t he?” I didn’t speak. I didn’t know how to defend him either. When Lily was three months old, she cried inconsolably at night, and I couldn’t soothe her. Eric was woken up, sat up with a frown. “Can you make her stop crying?” “She’s fighting sleep, what can I do?” “Then take her out and soothe her. I have court tomorrow.” I took Lily to the living room. That night, I sat on the sofa until dawn. When Lily turned one, I held a small birthday party at home. Eric promised to come, but then a client called last minute. “You guys start without me, I’ll try to make it.” I waited until the cake was cut, and he still hadn’t returned. Lily grabbed a pen, smiling to show her two tiny teeth. I took a photo and sent it to him. He replied. “Good. She can be a lawyer someday.” I asked. “Where are you?” He replied. “With a client, can’t leave.” He came home very late that night. I had already put Lily to sleep. He tiptoed in, glanced at her, then lay down, turning his back to me. “Sleep,” he said. I looked at his back and suddenly felt that this man was very far away from me. Very far. 3 I found that photo on Lily’s third birthday. She had just learned to pack her own backpack, and every day before preschool, she insisted on organizing her things herself. That morning, as she rummaged through her backpack, she pulled out a photo, held it up, and asked me: “Mommy, who’s this?” I took it. In the photo, Eric was holding a little girl, with a children’s amusement park in the background. The girl wore a pink dress, with two small braids, looking about two or three years old. Eric’s smile was incredibly gentle. A tenderness I rarely saw on his face. I flipped it over and saw the handwriting. “To Daddy’s Dearest Little One, Happy First Birthday.” The date was last year. Last year, Lily was two. Eric had said he was busy with a big case, barely coming home for three months. I had taken Lily to her check-ups, for her vaccinations, and celebrated her birthday all by myself. So, this was what he was busy with. I squatted down, looking into Lily’s eyes. “This is Daddy’s friend,” I said. “The photo might have been put in by mistake.” Lily nodded, half-understanding, and ran off. I put the photo back in her backpack and went to the balcony. I stood there for a long time. The wind was strong, making my eyes sting. I remembered the first time Eric held my hand, at the university library entrance during our sophomore year. It was raining heavily that day, and I didn’t have an umbrella, so I stood under the eaves, waiting for the rain to stop. He walked over, holding an umbrella, and said. “Let me walk you back to your dorm.” The umbrella was small; half of his body got soaked. When we reached the dorm building, he handed me the umbrella. “Keep it. Just give it back tomorrow.” I asked him. “How will you get back?” He smiled. “I’ll just run fast.” And then he really ran into the rain. I watched his back, my heart skipped a beat. Three years of dating, five years of marriage. Eight years. I thought I knew him. But that photo made me realize I had never truly seen who he was. 4 From that day on, I started paying attention. I noted the time he came home, the expression on his face when he looked at his phone, the occasional “overtime” absences. I discovered many things I hadn’t noticed before. He had one weekend trip every month, but the destination was always a nearby city, a same-day round trip. He never let go of his phone, even taking it into the bathroom when he showered. He would occasionally buy children’s toys, but never said who they were for, just leaving them casually in the entryway. Once, I couldn’t help but ask. “Is this for Lily?” He paused, then said. “Oh, right, for her.” But he had bought a doll. Lily liked toy cars. I didn’t expose him. I just put that doll into the deepest part of the cabinet. Three months later, I found a shopping receipt in the pocket of his discarded suit jacket. Children’s amusement park, weekend, two adults and one child. The date was precisely the day he had gone on his “business trip” last month. That night, Lily had a fever again. I held her, sleepless through the night. In the early hours, I suddenly remembered something. From the day Lily was born until now, how many times had Eric taken her to a children’s amusement park? Not once. He said he was busy, no time. He said, later, when he had fewer cases. He said, there’s always tomorrow. It turned out his there’s always tomorrow was all for someone else. 5 The truth came from Lily’s preschool teacher. That day, I went to pick up Lily after school, and the teacher called me over. “Mrs. Peterson, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.” “What is it?” The teacher seemed a little hesitant. “It’s just… recently, a lady has been regularly coming to the preschool gate at dismissal time, saying she’s Mr. Peterson’s friend, and wants to see Lily.” My heart tightened. “What lady?” “In her twenties, long hair, quite pretty,” the teacher recalled. “She said her name was Amelia Vance, and she’s very close with Mr. Peterson. She also said…” “Said what else?” “She also said she has a daughter about Lily’s age, and she wanted Lily to meet her so they could play together sometime.” I stood there, my hands and feet growing cold. “I didn’t let her see Lily,” the teacher quickly added. “Preschool policy states that only immediate family members can pick up children. I just felt it was a little strange, so I wanted to tell you.” I thanked the teacher and walked out with Lily. By the gate, I saw a white car parked by the roadside. The window was half-open, revealing a young woman’s face. Long hair, big eyes, exquisite makeup. She saw me, paused, then rolled up the window and drove away. I stood there, watching the car disappear around the corner. Lily tugged at my hand. “Mommy, why aren’t we going?” I looked down at her. “Lily, do you know that lady?” Lily shook her head. I crouched down and hugged her. “It’s good that you don’t know her,” I said. “It’s good that you don’t know her.” That night, Eric came home early. When he walked in, I was in the kitchen cooking. He came over and hugged me from behind. “Why are you being so sweet today, cooking yourself?” I didn’t move, continuing to chop vegetables. “Someone came to see Lily at preschool today,” I said. His hands paused. “She said she was your friend, last name Vance.” He let go of me, walked around to face me. I couldn’t read the expression on his face. “You saw her?” “Yes, I did.” He was silent for a few seconds. “She… she’s my client’s sister. I’ve met her a few times before. Maybe she was just passing by and wanted to see Lily.” “A client’s sister, why would she want to see my daughter?” His brows furrowed. “Eleanor, what is that supposed to mean?” I put down the knife and looked up at him. “Eric, is there anything you’re hiding from me?” His eyes flickered. Just for an instant, but I saw it. “No,” he said. “What could I possibly hide from you?” I looked at him and suddenly felt very tired. Eight years. I thought I understood him, but I never did. “Good then,” I said. “Let’s eat.” He stood there, as if wanting to say something more. But I had already turned and carried the dishes out of the kitchen. 6 Dinner was quiet. Lily sat in her high chair, eating with her spoon. Eric occasionally glanced at her, his gaze complex. After dinner, as I cleared the dishes, he went into his study to take a call. The door wasn’t fully closed, and I could hear his voice. “…I know, don’t rush… I’ll handle it… Wait for my call.” His voice was very low, but every word was clear. I stood in the kitchen, my hand on the sink, unmoving. The faucet was running, the sound of rushing water. My mind was also a blank. After hanging up, he came out. “I’m going out for a bit. Something came up.” I didn’t turn around. “Okay.” He walked to the door, then stopped again. “Eleanor.” “Hmm?” “…Let’s talk when I get back.” The door closed. I continued washing dishes. I washed for a long time, until my fingers were wrinkled. He didn’t come back that night. At two in the morning, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. My phone lit up. A text message from an unknown number: “Eleanor, it’s Amelia. There are some things I’d like to discuss with you. Can we meet?” I stared at the words for a long time. Then I replied: “Time and place.”

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My son, Jim, was playful. He accidentally started a fire at home. I tied him in a sheet and lowered him from the balcony, then jumped from the third floor myself, breaking a leg. Jim vowed at my bedside never to let me be hurt again. When my drunk husband, Arthur, called me a cripple, Jim smashed a bottle over his head. Arthur fled, dropping divorce papers. At Jim’s coming-of-age party, three drunk men harassed me. Jim stabbed them with a dinner knife, killing one. He got three years in prison. After his release, I moved abroad, leaving him the company, to keep him from hurting others for my sake. Before Jim’s wedding, he flew me back. His fiancée mistook me for his mistress. On the wedding day, she and her friends cornered me in a jewelry store, shaved my head, broke my other leg, and stitched my mouth shut. They stuffed me in a sack and sent me to the wedding. “Honey, this wretch bullied me and insulted your mother!” Jim, enraged, smashed a chair over my head. As I lay dying, his fiancée opened the sack to show my face. “Haha, darling, actually, the wretch you just hit is the vixen who was seducing you. A surprise from me, do you like it?” … To keep Jim from getting into trouble again because of me, I had stayed abroad for a full five years. During those years, I suppressed my longing and avoided meeting him. But marriage is a lifelong event, and I didn’t want to miss my son’s most important moment. So, I agreed to return home. Reunited after so long, Jim was overjoyed. During dinner, he even took a photo with me and posted it on social media. The caption read: “Long time no see, the most important person in my life.” Throughout the meal, he talked non-stop, describing how he had grown the company over the years and become the wealthiest man in the city. He also told me he had found the perfect fiancée for me, someone he was sure I would adore. Seeing my son so mature and successful, I was immensely gratified. I was also filled with anticipation for the fiancée he spoke so highly of. I planned to pick out a thoughtful gift for her to mark our meeting. On the wedding day, I arrived at the jewelry store early. I had just purchased a necklace worth three hundred thousand dollars when a commotion suddenly erupted outside. “This is outrageous! I’m getting married today, and that hussy dares to try and seduce my fiancé at a time like this? Is she trying to ruin my wedding?!” “Everyone knows Mr. Malone is madly in love with you! That little harlot stepping in at such an important moment is clearly a deliberate provocation!” “Exactly! I think she’s coveting your position as the CEO’s wife. We absolutely have to make an example of her this time, so all those hussies out there know that the CEO’s wife’s authority is not to be trifled with!” Soon, onlookers gathered outside. I was a little perplexed and asked the sales assistant what was happening. The assistant said, “I heard that Mr. Malone has a mistress, and that mistress is openly provoking his fiancée on the day of his wedding. Now, the fiancée, Miss Rosalie Hayes, is leading a group of bridesmaids to confront the mistress!” Hearing this, I frowned slightly. I had seen photos of Rosalie Hayes; she certainly looked very sweet. Jim had also gushed about her virtues all last night. I had unconsciously grown quite fond of this future daughter-in-law. So, I immediately called Jim: “Jim, today is your wedding day. How could you be out finding a mistress? Is this fair to Rosalie?” Jim was utterly surprised: “Mistress? What mistress?” “Don’t play innocent with me! Rosalie is already going to confront her! I’m telling you, our family does not tolerate home-wrecking mistresses. And Rosalie is a good girl. If you dare do anything to betray her, I will disown you as my son.” Hanging up the phone, I saw Rosalie, accompanied by her bridesmaids, walking towards me. I was about to hand her the necklace and try to calm her down. But Rosalie immediately slapped me hard across the face. “You crippled hag, how dare you try to seduce my fiancé?” “Did you think I wouldn’t find you hiding here? Today, I’ll show you, you wretch, the authority of the CEO’s wife!” The sudden slap was forceful and brutal, leaving me dizzy and disoriented. All the onlookers turned their gaze to me. “So, this is the mistress who’s seducing Mr. Malone. She looks decent, but who knew she was so shameless.” “Some people look proper on the surface, but God knows what kind of wild behavior they get up to behind closed doors.” “Exactly! And spending money in a jewelry store, too. She’s clearly an experienced gold digger.” I ignored the onlookers’ comments, only explaining earnestly to Rosalie: “Your name is Rosalie Hayes, right? You’ve got it wrong; I’m not the mistress you’re looking for.” Rosalie scoffed, then pulled out her phone and showed me a photo. “Still trying to deny it? My fiancé never likes taking photos. If you weren’t his mistress, why would he take a photo with you?” “What, you have the nerve to be a mistress, but not the face to admit it?” With that, Rosalie glanced at the necklace in my hand, snatched it, slammed it to the ground, and crushed it under her heel: “You dare to use my fiancé’s money to buy jewelry? You despicable wretch, do you even deserve it?” It was then, seeing the screenshot of the photo of Jim and me together, that I understood. Rosalie had mistaken me, his own mother, for a mistress seducing her son? I immediately started to explain: “I’m not a mistress, I’m Jim’s…” Slap! Before I could finish, Rosalie slapped me again. “Jim? You dare to call him so intimately right in front of me? And still claim you’re not his mistress?” “A crippled hag like you, do you really think you can compete with me for a man?” Several bridesmaids chimed in: “I bet this cripple’s leg was broken by another wife when she was trying to seduce her husband.” “Such a depraved woman probably gets beaten a lot.” “She’s shameless anyway, so today we’ll strip her clothes off and give her a good public shaming!” The bridesmaids were all indignant, eager to tear me apart. Rosalie was very pleased with their suggestion, directly kicking me to the ground. She said coldly, “Strip her clean!” Several bridesmaids immediately surrounded me, forcibly tearing at my clothes. I struggled and shouted, “Stop! I am Jim Malone’s mother!” Hearing my words, the bridesmaids tearing at my clothes paused. Rosalie narrowed her eyes, staring at me intently: “You just said you’re Jim’s mother?” I stated emphatically, “That’s right!” I had thought that by revealing the truth, they would realize their mistake. But to my surprise, they burst into laughter, as if they had heard the funniest joke imaginable: “With your intelligence, no wonder you only earn money by selling your body. How can you even tell such a ridiculous lie?” “He’s the CEO! Do you know how dignified the CEO’s mother is? A low-class cripple like you dares to compare yourself to her?” “You vixen look barely in your thirties. How could you have a grown son like Mr. Malone? Do you think we’re as stupid as you?” Amidst the laughter, Rosalie grabbed my hair and sneered, “I thought you were smart and cunning, to make my fiancé take a photo with you, which he never does. But I didn’t expect you to be so utterly stupid. Don’t you know my fiancé cares most about his mother? You cheap little harlot, to avoid a beating, you actually claim to be my mother-in-law? You must really be tired of living!” With that, Rosalie’s eyes hardened, and she spoke to the bridesmaids: “Shave this harlot’s head clean for me. Let’s see how she tries to seduce men after this!” This group of people was clearly prepared. As soon as Rosalie finished speaking, several of them pulled out scissors from a black bag. Then they walked menacingly towards me. I looked younger for my age, and my appearance had always been good. But my leg injury was stubborn; years of treatment had failed to completely cure it. This had become a source of pain for my son, and he most resented anyone calling me a cripple. He would never voluntarily mention it to anyone. Yet, unexpectedly, these very facts became their reasons for disbelieving my identity. Seeing them about to cut my hair, I struggled and shouted again, “I am truly Jim Malone’s mother! If you don’t believe me, you can call him!” Hearing my words, they became even more unrestrained. Several of them surrounded me, haphazardly cutting my hair while slapping my face repeatedly: “You cheap harlot, your mouth is really tough. Even after being exposed, you still dare to lie? I’ll beat your mouth to a pulp!” Soon, my face swelled up, red and bruised. On my bald scalp, there were blood marks everywhere from the violent haircut. Seeing this, Rosalie laughed with satisfaction: “Hahahaha, look, doesn’t this harlot look like a turtle without its shell?” The bridesmaids also burst into laughter. A middle-aged woman among the onlookers couldn’t bear it any longer and stepped forward to offer kind advice: “Girls, I think you’ve taught her enough of a lesson. Perhaps you should find a piece of clothing to cover her up. If her family saw her like this, how heartbroken would they be?” Hearing this, Rosalie snorted, glaring at the woman. “My business, teaching a harlot a lesson, is none of yours. You’re so eager to defend a mistress, you must not be any good either. Are you also a mistress who’s lived to this age, so you can empathize with her? My fiancé is Jim Malone, the wealthiest man in this city. If you dare challenge me, do you believe I won’t teach you a lesson too?” My son was not only the local CEO but also notoriously ruthless. His past deeds of going to prison were widely known, and everyone knew he was a tough character. As soon as the middle-aged woman heard that Rosalie’s backing was my son, she immediately shut her mouth and quietly retreated into the crowd. Rosalie’s gaze returned to its icy coldness, and she looked down at me. “You crippled hag, usually limping around, it must be quite tiring, right? Today, I, the CEO’s wife, will do a good deed and relieve you.” With that, she shouted to the bridesmaids: “Bring the tools! I want this wretch to be able to crawl only from now on!” Hearing this, the bridesmaid carrying the black bag immediately pulled out a steel pipe and handed it to Rosalie. Rosalie took the steel pipe, her eyes fixed on me with vicious malevolence. Before I could react further, she raised the steel pipe and brought it down hard on my right leg. CRACK! The sound of bone breaking echoed. Intense pain quickly swept over me, making me break into a cold sweat and almost pass out. “A vile mistress like you deserves to crawl on the ground like a worm. A cripple, do you even deserve to compete with me for a man? I’m telling you, this position of CEO’s wife can only be mine!” Rosalie looked down at me from above, speaking arrogantly. Jim had always said Rosalie was gentle, considerate, kind, and generous. I believed him, and I was very pleased with Rosalie as a future daughter-in-law. But I never expected her to be such a brutal and cruel character. I gasped weakly, gritting my teeth. “You won’t be the CEO’s wife, I’m afraid.” Hearing my words, Rosalie’s face instantly turned icy. “You wretched woman, you dare to curse me? Since your dog mouth can’t say anything I want to hear, then don’t speak again.” With that, Rosalie directly took out a needle and thread from the black bag. Seeing this, a timid bridesmaid spoke with a hint of fear: “Rosalie, won’t this be going too far in public? Won’t it be against the law?” Rosalie, emboldened, said: “What’s there to be afraid of? My fiancé is the CEO. He always dotes on me. If anything happens, he’ll take care of it. It wouldn’t even matter if I took this wretch’s life!” With that, Rosalie, like a grim reaper, squatted in front of me. She had someone hold my mouth tightly. And then, she began to stitch my mouth shut, needle by needle. Each jab of the needle, each pull of the thread, caused me excruciating pain. Blood dripped in pools, flowing onto the ground. In just a few minutes, I felt like I was living for years. Unable to open my mouth, I could only utter desperate moans of pain. Rosalie finally stopped, satisfied, only when my lips were tightly sewn together. “Excellent. This wretch can finally shut her mouth.” She stood up, smiling, and wiped the blood from her hands. Several bridesmaids chimed in, “Rosalie truly lives up to being the CEO’s wife. She has a complete method for dealing with wretches like this.” “Without ruthless methods, your position isn’t stable. Our Rosalie is born for fortune.” “That’s right. That’s why God wants Rosalie to deal with this low-class mistress on her wedding day!” Under the relentless flattery of the bridesmaids, Rosalie’s lips curved upward. It was as if she could already see herself living a glorious life as a wealthy socialite. She raised her foot again and stomped hard on my face. “You wretch, didn’t you keep saying I wouldn’t be the CEO’s wife? Then I’ll take you to my wedding and let you witness firsthand how I grandly marry into a wealthy family!” “I’ll even make my fiancé tear you apart himself, you mistress, and make you feel what true despair is!” Rosalie shoved me into a sack and dragged me all the way to the wedding venue. The sack rolled and rubbed against the ground, creating many small holes. Through these holes, I saw the huge green lawn transformed into a perfect wedding site. The place was packed with people, and many reporters were live-streaming. The CEO’s wedding was drawing immense attention. In the very center of the venue, Jim stood by the main seat, gazing into the distance. That was the seat Jim had specially reserved for me. He was waiting for my arrival. Seeing Rosalie enter the wedding venue with the bloodstained large sack, everyone in the crowd was stunned. Jim, even more confused, asked, “What’s in there?” Rosalie looped her arm through Jim’s and complained tearfully, “Honey, inside is a wicked wretch. She not only bullied me and cursed that I couldn’t marry you, but she also insulted our mother and tainted her reputation!” Several bridesmaids also chimed in: “Yes, we’ve never seen such an arrogant wretch. Her disdainful face was infuriating.” “Luckily, Rosalie caught her immediately. Otherwise, Rosalie and Mrs. Malone’s reputations would have been completely destroyed by this wretch.” “Mr. Malone, you must not let her off easily, or else anyone will dare to step on Rosalie and your mother and bully them.” After hearing their words, Jim’s face darkened to the extreme. “Dare to taint my mom’s reputation?” Jim, filled with boundless fury, slowly walked towards me. Seeing this, the guests at the scene whispered amongst themselves: “Mr. Malone is not only the wealthiest man in our city, but he’s also notoriously ruthless. I once heard that someone bullied his mother, and he, with just a dinner knife, left one dead and two injured, and spent several years in prison for it.” “Yes, everyone knows Mr. Malone’s sensitive spot is his mother. To provoke him like this, she’s really asking for death.” Amidst the whispers of the crowd, Jim, like the grim reaper, walked up to me. “Anyone who bullies my mom will not come to a good end.” Through the tiny holes in the sack, I saw Jim’s furious face. I wanted to tell him that Rosalie was lying. I hoped he would quickly recognize me. But my mouth was tightly stitched shut. I could only watch helplessly as Jim grabbed a thick chair from nearby and slammed it onto my head. Accompanying a searing pain, my head slumped, and blood gushed out, staining the entire sack crimson. Seeing this, Rosalie’s lips curled into a slight smile, her eyes full of the triumphant joy of revenge. The next moment, she smiled and untied the sack, revealing my dying face: “Haha, darling, actually, the wretch you just hit is the vixen who was seducing you. A surprise from me, do you like it?”

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I’m a graduate student at a top university, and my advisor, Professor Christie, recently took on a new student named Chloe. He asked me to help her get familiar with the lab project. When I tried to add her on Instagram and get her email to send her project materials, she rejected both requests: “I just want to focus on my studies. I’m not interested in dating, so stop harassing me.” I was about to clear up the misunderstanding when my classmate Marcus sent me a link to the campus forum. It was a post from her: [On my first day, a male student sexually harassed me. I came here to study, not to be hit on.] Attached was a screenshot of my friend request and her rejection. In the comments, she was crying about it: “This guy only met me once and now he won’t leave me alone!” When I saw the post, I was stunned. I’m the only son of Dallas’s wealthiest family, with countless heiresses competing to marry me. Why would I need to chase after her? “This is so unfair. She’s the advisor’s new student. I just wanted to send her materials, and she flat-out rejected me.” I showed Marcus my chat history with the advisor, feeling helpless. “I even noted in my friend request that I was sending her materials, but she still insists I’m trying to date her.” When Marcus learned the truth, his face darkened. “What narcissism! Who does she think she is, some kind of celebrity?” As soon as he finished speaking, we saw the girl walking straight toward us. She looked extremely ordinary. “Are you done yet? I already told you I don’t want to date you. You actually followed me here. Can’t you just leave me alone?” Both Marcus and I were stunned when she opened her mouth. Looking around, we realized everyone was staring at me. I asked in disbelief, “Are you talking to me?” “Stop pretending. I have the records. It was you who added me. I checked.” “What? You do it but won’t admit it? I know I’m beautiful, but that’s no reason for you to harass me.” She looked completely confident and even ran her fingers through her dry, split-ended hair. Marcus leaned close to my ear and whispered, “That’s Chloe? I can’t believe she looks like that. How does she have the nerve? You’re…” I knew what Marcus wanted to say. After all, I’m the only son of Dallas’s richest man, with beautiful women lining up to marry me. I certainly didn’t need this woman I could lose in a crowd. Chloe looked me up and down. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Feeling guilty? Just because you’re slightly good-looking doesn’t mean I have to be with you. My family told me to focus on my studies. I’m not here to date.” I was exasperated. “Chloe, I think there’s something wrong with your brain. I was just following the advisor’s instructions to send you materials. I didn’t expect you to read so much into it.” “Someone like you? I’m really not interested.” I showed her my chat history with the advisor. She hesitated for a moment, then put on a disdainful expression. “To get me to date you, you’d even fake chat records with the advisor? With that kind of persistence, you could succeed at anything.” I immediately shot back: “At least take a look at yourself. If I look at you for even one second, I’d need to rinse my mouth with lemon water.” Chloe trembled with rage. “How can you slander a girl like this? Are you even a man?” “What about you? You’re spreading rumors that I like you. When I ignore you, you call me a pretty boy who’s being kept by someone. So you can say whatever you want, but I can’t talk back? Aren’t you a bit too sensitive?” Chloe was so angry she kept stomping her feet, gritting her teeth as if she wanted to swallow me whole. Being kept? Only an idiot like her would say something like that. My family has billions in assets. What would she use to keep me?

Ignorant, arrogant, and ordinary—my advisor really needs glasses this time. How did he accept someone like this? “Sorry, Chloe, I’m really not interested in you. If it weren’t for the advisor’s assignment, I wouldn’t even bother with you.” I packed up my food and prepared to leave. I had only taken two steps when I heard an unpleasant voice behind me. “Playing hard to get? I’m telling you, no matter what you do, I’ll never accept you!” Just as I got back to my dorm, a fat man blocked my way. He had a cigarette in his mouth and was looking at me sideways. “So you’re the one chasing the girl I’ve got my eye on? I’m telling you, she’s mine. A punk like you? I could take down ten of you with one punch.” “I’d advise you to wise up and stop harassing the person I like, or don’t blame me for not being polite.” I looked at him in shock. “Are you talking about Chloe?” He responded disdainfully, “Who else? Your harassment of her has caused a stir across the whole campus!” I actually laughed. “You two really are a perfect match. If you like her so much, keep an eye on her and stop letting her throw herself at random guys.” I shook my head and was about to leave when he grabbed me. “Oh, so now that you can’t get her, you’re trying to smear her? I’ve seen plenty of men like you. Do you know who I am? I’m interning at the Alexis Group, and my uncle is a supervisor there.” His fierce look didn’t intimidate me at all. “What’s your name?” I asked. “Brown.” Brown was extremely arrogant. I made a mental note. Back in my dorm bed, I found that Chloe had posted more rumors about me online. [The harassment maniac actually verbally abused someone who tried to help me just to get me. I’m so scared. With someone like this at school, what should I do? I just want to study quietly.] The comments below were all from people who didn’t know the truth and had been misled. “How did our school end up with such a scumbag? Does he even know school is a sacred place?” “This guy only thinks about sex all day. Can’t he live without women? If he loves women so much, why even come to school?” I’ve never been the magnanimous type. Since you can’t understand words, I’ll teach you a lesson.

I contacted my family’s butler and had him investigate Brown. Sure enough, the Alexis Group was just one of my family’s mid-sized businesses. Since he was so arrogant, he could forget about his internship. As for his uncle, they could both get out together. Just then, my advisor suddenly messaged me. “Did you contact Chloe?” I helplessly told my advisor about the situation. This task was quite difficult to complete. My advisor sent a question mark emoji. “That can’t be right. I heard she was very quiet and had a good temper. Let me check the school website right now.” At this moment, I vaguely felt something was off. Soon, the advisor finished verifying. The advisor replied, “I just rechecked. The school mixed up the students. My student isn’t Chloe. I’ll send you the correct student information later.” I finally breathed a sigh of relief. I knew it. How could my advisor have such poor judgment? But I still felt something was wrong. I heard that Chloe’s and the other girl’s scores differed by a hundred points. How could they mix that up? Just then, I saw that Chloe had actually applied to add me as a friend, with a message: “I’ll give you one chance. You better really be sending materials, or you’ll regret it.” This time, I directly rejected the request. I thought it was over, but she kept pestering me. There was a facial recognition scanner at the lab entrance. Only people with proper authorization could enter, and the specific application process was all in the materials the advisor asked me to forward. Chloe never got those materials, so there was no way she could get in. When she kept trying and failing to enter, she was almost in tears. And my appearance gave her a target for her frustration. “Are you done yet? I made it here and you’re still following me. Did you tamper with the system so I can’t get in? Using this method to get a girl’s attention—who do you think you are?” “I’m telling you, this is not how you chase a girl. The more you do this, the less I’ll like you, and I’ll never accept you.” “Can you stop messing with me?” She shouted at me, her eyes red. To onlookers, I really did look like I was bullying her. My gaze was cold, without a trace of warmth. “If you have mental problems, go to a hospital, instead of slandering me over and over here. If you can’t get in, it means you’re not the advisor’s student. Also, I suggest you look in a mirror. With your appearance, I really wouldn’t like you.” Chloe’s face twisted with anger: “Even if I can’t get in, there’s no way you can either. I’ve seen your little tricks plenty of times!” The next moment, in front of everyone, I successfully passed the facial recognition, while Chloe standing to the side turned even redder with rage.

“You’ve gone too far! Just to get me, you actually tampered with the facial recognition system so I can’t get in. There’s no way you could get in either. A creep like you couldn’t possibly get in!” “Everyone look! This creep is chasing me, and when I wouldn’t give in, he used this method to try to force me to submit. I’ll never give in. If you dare, let’s make this big and have the advisor give me justice!” After all, there are many people at school, and not everyone knows my situation. Some people started whispering, though not quietly—I could hear them clearly. “This guy is too much. To make things so hard for a girl. Although she’s not particularly pretty, if she’s Professor Christie’s student, she must have something special. Maybe he’s trying to curry favor with Professor Christie through her.” “Right, right. This has happened before. Professor Christie isn’t someone just anyone can suck up to. I heard people who did this kind of thing before got expelled directly.” “Why can’t he just work hard instead of doing this kind of thing? Does he have to be the kind of man who advances by using women?” These people—do they have no brains? They believe whatever comes out of Chloe’s mouth. Don’t they have any judgment of their own? I didn’t bother with them and turned to go in to work on my project. Before long, there was a commotion outside. Experiments require absolute quiet, and I couldn’t make any progress like this. Annoyed by the noise, I walked out frowning and saw Brown kicking the metal trash can at the entrance. When he saw me, he raised his eyebrows with a sarcastic tone. “You’re finally willing to come out. I was wondering how long you could hide. Turns out you can’t take much.” “I warned you last time. I told you so many times not to bully the person I like. Don’t you understand human language?” I saw Chloe pitifully hiding behind Brown, quietly sobbing. “I’m so glad you’re here. When my advisor comes, I’ll definitely put in a good word for you. Without you, I’d definitely be bullied to death by this creep.” When Brown heard the words “good word,” I saw his eyes light up. Too bad he was backing the wrong person. I quietly watched the two of them perform in front of me. When they had said enough, I slowly spoke. “Are you pig-brained? Are you sure she’s your advisor’s student? Have you verified it? What if she’s not?” Brown was shaken by my words. Seeing this, Chloe quickly interrupted me, afraid Brown wouldn’t help her anymore. “Brown, if I weren’t Professor Christie’s student, how would I dare to be so confident? I’ve already sent someone to get the advisor. He’ll come soon to back me up.” Just then, someone said my advisor had arrived. The crowd packed in tight made way. When Chloe saw my advisor, her eyes lit up. She quickly ran over and began crying about her ordeal. “Professor Christie, I’m your new graduate student. This guy sexually harassed me and won’t let me in!” “It wasn’t easy for me as a girl to get into such a prestigious university!” She got more and more worked up as she spoke, standing up very straight. The advisor couldn’t help pushing up his reading glasses and asking in confusion: “Are you sure? You say he harassed you. Do you know who he is?” Chloe insisted I was just a lowly creep. The advisor sighed. “Forget that you’re not my student—even if you were, James wouldn’t be interested in you. He’s the only son of Dallas’s richest family. What are you?”

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At the final round of the Olympic trials, I held my breath, preparing to execute the most difficult move. My best friend, who was also my biggest competitor, inadvertently revealed during a sideline interview: “Sophia has been taking banned substances to maintain her weight. I’ve tried to warn her…” The camera flashes went crazy, all pointing at me. The head judge raised his hand in a timeout gesture. The whole world thought my athletic career would end today in the most disgraceful way possible. The meaning of my rebirth was to wait for this exact moment. I ignored the head judge and walked straight to the sideline, pulling out two urine test vials from my bag. “One for her, one for me. Let’s go. Head judge, please take us both for testing right now.” A flash of panic crossed Lily’s eyes, quickly replaced by innocence and hurt. “Sophia, what are you doing?” “Didn’t you say I was using drugs?” I held up the two perfectly sealed official urine test vials. “Then let’s both get tested. Now. Immediately. Right this second.” The media cameras shifted from my face to Lily’s, then to the stern-faced head judge and several officials from the anti-doping center. “Sophia! Stop this nonsense!” Coach Harrison rushed over. He grabbed my arm and hissed in a low, angry voice: “Do you know what you’re doing? This is the Olympic trials! Do you want the entire national team to be humiliated because of you?” I shook off his hand. In my past life, he was the first person to stand up and righteously condemn me after I was caught using banned drugs, saying I was a disgrace to the team and a stain on his coaching career. I looked at him and asked back: “Coach Harrison, if I haven’t used drugs, who should be ashamed?” “If I’ve been framed, who should be kicked off the national team?” Harrison was left speechless by my questions. Lily pitifully tugged at Harrison’s sleeve. “Coach, I didn’t… I was just so worried about Sophia. She’s been off lately, and I was afraid she’d take the wrong path…” She cried like a delicate flower in the rain, as if I were the villain bullying her. The murmurs around us began to change tone. “Look at how Lily’s crying. She’s probably genuinely worried about her friend, right?” “Sophia is being way too aggressive. Even if she hasn’t used drugs, she shouldn’t treat her friend like this.” “Exactly. Lily was just trying to help.” Trying to help? In my past life, she used this kind of “help” to personally push me into hell. I died in that dark, damp basement, covered in wounds, with no one caring. And she stepped over my corpse, took the Olympic gold medal that should have been mine, and became the celebrated gymnastics queen. Reborn in this life, how could I possibly let her have her way again? I stopped paying attention to them and looked directly at the anti-doping officials on the sideline. “According to regulations, athletes have the right to request drug testing at any time, correct?” The official nodded. “Yes.” “Good.” I handed one of the urine test vials toward Lily. “Please, my biggest competitor, my best friend.” “Let’s both go prove our innocence together.” Lily looked pleadingly at Harrison, whose expression was extremely unpleasant. He knew Lily’s family background, and he knew how many connections her father had pulled to get her selected this time. “Sophia, stop this! Apologize to Lily right now!” He was still trying to order me around. “Apologize?” I laughed as if I’d heard the world’s biggest joke. “Coach Harrison, did you also drink one of Lily’s special juice drinks? Has your brain stopped working?” “You!” Harrison trembled with anger. Just then, the head judge spoke up, his voice authoritative and fair. “Since athlete Sophia has made this request, and since it’s an accusation made against another athlete in front of a national live broadcast, for the sake of fairness in the competition and for the reputation of both athletes, I agree to conduct on-site testing right now.” “Someone, take them to the testing room.”

In the testing room, Lily kept her head down, her shoulders trembling slightly, as if she’d suffered a terrible injustice. We were arranged in adjacent cubicles for sample collection. I could hear intermittent sobbing coming from her side. Harrison and several officials were waiting right outside. I quickly completed my sample collection and handed it to the staff. When I came out, Lily was also just coming out. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked at me like I was her mortal enemy. “Sophia, are you satisfied?” she said in a voice only the two of us could hear. “You want to destroy me, don’t you?” “You were the one who tried to destroy me first.” “I was just worried about you!” She was still being stubborn. “Really? So you secretly taking those sleeping pills every night was also for my benefit?” Lily looked at me in horror, her lips trembling. She’d done this extremely secretively. Even her parents didn’t know. This was something from my past life—after she’d achieved fame and success, during a drunken slip of the tongue, she’d proudly bragged to others about it. She’d talked about how she used drugs to maintain peak performance while using another drug to gradually destroy me. “How… how do you know?” Her voice shook. “I know a lot more than that.” I stopped paying attention to her and turned to leave. The test results would take some time. We were led to a temporary lounge. As soon as Harrison came in, he pointed at my nose and started yelling. “Sophia! You’ve disappointed me so much! Even if Lily said something wrong, you can’t destroy her like this! You’re teammates!” “When she publicly accused me of using banned drugs, why didn’t you tell her we were teammates?” “She just spoke without thinking!” “Coach Harrison, you’re being way too obviously biased. Is it because her dad paid you off?” “What nonsense are you spouting!” Harrison flew into a rage and raised his hand to hit me. A figure blocked in front of me. It was Dr. Smith, the team doctor. “Coach Harrison, talk nicely. Don’t use violence.” Harrison’s hand froze in mid-air and reluctantly lowered. Dr. Smith pulled me aside and asked quietly: “Sophia, what’s really going on? I believe you’re not that kind of person.” In my past life, only Dr. Smith came to see me after my incident. She didn’t believe I would use drugs, but had no evidence. Looking at her concerned eyes, I felt warmth in my heart. “Dr. Smith, don’t worry. I definitely haven’t.” “Then Lily…” “Whether she has or not, we’ll know the results soon.” Dr. Smith nodded and patted the back of my hand. “Okay, I believe you.” Just then, the lounge door was pushed open. Director Morgan from the national team walked in. As soon as he entered, he cheerfully tried to smooth things over. “Oh, what’s the big deal? Two girls having a little spat.” He walked up to me with a paternalistic expression. “Sophia, I know you’re upset. How about this—I’ll have Lily apologize to you, and we’ll consider this matter closed, okay? Don’t let it affect the rest of the competition or damage our country’s image.” Lily immediately got the hint, walked up to me, and squeezed out a few tears. “Sophia, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have said those things to the reporters. I was just too worried about you. I apologize.” She was about to bow to me. If I accepted her apology, this would really become just a small misunderstanding between friends. She’d get away scot-free, while I, even if I hadn’t used drugs, would still be saddled with a reputation for making a big deal out of nothing and forcing my teammate. Nice try. I stepped aside to avoid her bow. “I don’t need your apology. I just want the truth.”

Director Morgan’s smile froze. “Sophia, don’t be ungrateful. For the sake of team harmony and national honor, this matter must end here.” “Letting a drug-using athlete represent the country in competition—is that your so-called national honor?” “You!” Director Morgan was left speechless. He hadn’t expected that I, who had always been docile and obedient in front of him, would become so sharp-tongued today. “Sophia!” Harrison started yelling. “How dare you speak to Director Morgan like that! So disrespectful!” I was too lazy to deal with them anymore. Birds of a feather, these people had banded together to crush me in my past life. Director Morgan was an old friend of Lily’s father. Harrison had received substantial benefits from Lily’s family. They were grasshoppers tied to the same string. Today, I was going to burn that string in front of the entire nation’s audience. Time passed minute by minute. Outside the lounge, media reporters waited anxiously with various speculations. Inside the lounge, Lily sat restlessly, her face growing worse and worse. Harrison and Director Morgan were quietly discussing something in the corner. I knew what they were thinking. They were wondering, if Lily really tested positive, how to suppress the matter, how to throw all the dirt onto me. Too bad I wouldn’t give them that chance again. After about an hour, the testing room door finally opened. The head judge and officials from the anti-doping center walked in, holding two freshly printed reports. Everyone’s eyes focused on those two thin sheets of paper. The head judge’s expression was serious. He first looked at me, then at Lily. “The preliminary test results for the A samples are out.” “Athlete Sophia, test result: negative.” As his words fell, I saw Harrison and Director Morgan visibly relax. They thought that as long as I was clear, Lily would probably be fine too, and this matter could be minimized. A stiff smile appeared on Lily’s face: “That’s great, Sophia. I knew you were innocent…” Before she could finish, the head judge’s next sentence cut her off. “Athlete Lily tested positive for two banned substances. First, furosemide, a diuretic, S5 class prohibited drug. Second, propranolol, a beta-blocker, P1 class prohibited drug.” The entire lounge fell silent. In an instant, all color drained from Lily’s face. “No… impossible…” She murmured, her body swaying, almost unable to stand. Harrison and Director Morgan’s expressions looked worse than if they’d eaten excrement. Dr. Smith covered her mouth, her eyes showing shock but also understanding. “No! This isn’t true! You must have made a mistake!” Lily suddenly screamed, looking deranged. “It’s her! It’s Sophia framing me! She switched my sample!” Like a mad dog, she lunged at me. Dr. Smith quickly blocked her. “Lily! Calm down!” “How can I calm down!” Lily struggled, her face twisted. “I didn’t use drugs! I never did! It’s her! She’s jealous of me! She wants to destroy me!” Everyone watched this spectacle. Director Morgan and Harrison finally snapped out of it and rushed forward to hold her down. “Lily, don’t get excited. There must be a misunderstanding!” Director Morgan tried to calm her while giving the head judge meaningful looks. “Head judge, could there be a problem with the equipment? Or maybe the samples got mixed up?” The head judge looked at him. “Our procedures and equipment are world-class. There’s absolutely no possibility of error. From extraction to testing, the samples were under surveillance the entire time. There’s no possibility of switching.” His words blocked all escape routes. Lily completely despaired. She collapsed on the floor, wailing. “I didn’t… I really didn’t…” Her performance was enough to make anyone who didn’t know the truth feel sympathy, but unfortunately, everyone present was shrewd. Who was right and who was wrong—the results made it crystal clear. Harrison’s expression kept changing. He looked at Lily, then at me, his eyes extremely complex. He was probably regretting why he’d chosen to believe Lily instead of me. I walked up to Lily and looked down at her. “Now, do you have anything else to say?”

Lily raised her head to look at me, her eyes full of venomous hatred. “Sophia, you’ll die a horrible death!” “That’s what I should be saying to you.” I took out my phone and pressed play. A clear conversation came from the phone. “…Mom, don’t worry. The stuff I’m giving Sophia is the latest type. It metabolizes really fast—can’t be detected. Once she’s finished, the Olympic spot will be mine.” “…For double insurance, I also took a tiny bit of diuretic myself. If anything unexpected happens, I’ll just say she secretly put it in my water. Anyway, she’ll already be disgraced—no one will believe her.” “…That idiot really thinks I’m her best friend. She’ll eat whatever I feed her.” The recording was short, but the information was explosive. Everyone looked at Lily like she was a monster. She looked at the phone in my hand in disbelief, as if seeing a ghost. “You… when did you…” “Last night, when you were calling your mom.” I put away my phone, my tone flat. “I guessed you’d make your move today, so I planted something in your room in advance.” In my past life, this was exactly how she’d set me up step by step. First, she’d given me a drug long-term that made people mentally exhausted and weakened muscle strength, causing my performance to plummet. Then before the crucial competition, she’d added banned drugs to my water. A two-pronged approach that left me unable to defend myself. Reborn in this life, how could I possibly stumble in the same place twice? I’d turned the tables on her. Yesterday, I hadn’t drunk that special juice she’d handed me at all. Instead, when she wasn’t paying attention, I’d poured it into her water cup. And that tiny bit of diuretic she’d taken herself to frame me became the final straw that broke her. “No… this isn’t real… it’s synthesized! The recording is synthesized!” Lily was still making a last-ditch struggle. I looked at the anti-doping center officials. “I’ll submit this recording as evidence to the police and the sports bureau. False accusation and framing, administering dangerous substances—I believe this is no longer just a matter of violating competition ethics. This is a crime.” Lily completely despaired. Director Morgan and Harrison’s faces also became extremely ugly. Although the recording didn’t mention them, once Lily was criminally investigated, she might reveal all the benefits they’d given her to reduce her sentence. Pull up the radish and the mud comes with it—none of them could escape. The head judge took a deep breath. He looked at Lily with nothing but disgust. “Effective immediately, all of athlete Lily’s results in this competition are annulled. A comprehensive investigation into athlete Lily, her coach, and related personnel is being launched.” “Until the final investigation results are out, Coach Harrison’s coaching duties are suspended.” “Now, will all irrelevant personnel please leave. We need to take athlete Lily for B sample retesting and follow-up questioning.” Several uniformed staff members walked in and supported the limp Lily on both sides. As Lily was dragged away, she was still screaming hysterically. “Sophia! I won’t let you go even as a ghost!!”

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Everyone in the family could see the countdown above my sister Stella’s head. They all knew she would die on her sixteenth birthday. So Stella became the most precious person in this household. The delicious snacks were hers, the pretty dresses were hers, even the bedtime stories from Mom and Dad—those were hers too. I felt sorry for her, but I also envied all the favoritism she received. Until I finally made it to her sixteenth birthday. Mom and Dad, afraid I would cause trouble, locked me—burning with fever—in the storage room. I pounded on the door in fear. “Mom, let me out. I have a fever. My head hurts so much…” Mom gritted her teeth. “Enough! Your sister only has today left before she dies. Can’t you just bear with it?” “But I feel awful…” Gradually, the sounds outside the door disappeared, and my consciousness grew hazy… My body suddenly felt very light. Through the old wooden door, I could see the warm lights in the living room. Mom and Dad sat pressed close to Stella on the sofa. Mom’s hand gently patted Stella’s back while Dad kept his head down, his shoulders trembling slightly. Stella wore her only new dress—pale blue with tiny embroidered stars on the hem. Her face looked especially pale under the lamplight, her lips almost bloodless. “Mom, Dad, is Ivy really okay?” Stella’s voice was soft, heavy with congestion. “I heard her calling out that her head hurt…” “Don’t worry about her.” Mom echoed, reaching out to tenderly touch Stella’s cheek and brush the stray hair from her forehead. “Exactly. She’s not running a fever—she’s just faking illness for sympathy. You only have one more day before you…” Mom’s words caught in her throat. Her eyes reddened. “Just focus on your birthday tomorrow. Don’t let her ruin your mood.” Stella pressed her lips together and said nothing more, but her brow furrowed even tighter. I knew she always felt she owed me something. From the time I could remember, all the family’s favoritism piled onto her. I had to watch longingly as she got even a warm bowl of egg custard, let alone new clothes or new toys. But Stella would secretly slip me her snacks, alter the new dresses Mom and Dad gave her to fit me, and whenever Mom and Dad scolded me, she was always the first to shield me. She would always say, “Ivy, I’m sorry. It’s because of me that you suffer.” But Mom and Dad didn’t see it that way. Mom sighed, looking at Stella with eyes full of pity. “Don’t always defend her. That girl has been jealous of you since she was old enough to understand. She can’t stand to see you happy.” “Don’t you remember your fourteenth birthday?” Stella’s fourteenth birthday—that was the first time I truly understood the reality that Stella would die. That day, the family bought a cream cake for the first time, with fourteen thin candles stuck in it. Mom carefully lit the candles while Dad held up the old camera we’d had for years, wanting to capture one of Stella’s few remaining birthdays. I hid behind the door watching—watching the candlelight reflect on Stella’s face, watching her close her eyes to make a wish, watching the tears Mom and Dad struggled to hold back. I rushed out. I don’t know what I was thinking then. Maybe it was jealousy, maybe it was my inability to accept that the sister who was always so gentle with me was going to leave. I swept the cake to the floor. Cream smeared everywhere, candles rolled into corners and quickly went out. “I don’t want to watch you celebrate her birthday!” I shrieked like every annoying bratty child. I still remember the look in Mom and Dad’s eyes. When Dad’s hand came down, I didn’t dodge. Once, twice, three times… Mom cried but didn’t stop him. It was Stella who threw herself over me, using her thin body to shield me. “Don’t hit Ivy anymore, Dad, stop hitting her!” Her voice trembled, but she held me tightly. “It’s my fault, all my fault…” That night, Stella snuck into my room and pressed half a candy she’d hidden into my hand. She had a red mark on her wrist from where the chair had scratched her while protecting me during the day. “Ivy, I’m sorry.” She said softly, her fingers gently touching my swollen cheek. “I’ll be gone soon, and after that… after that, no one will compete with you for things anymore.” In the living room, Mom tenderly touched Stella’s face, her fingertips softly brushing the stray hair from her forehead. “Stella, don’t pay attention to her.” Mom said, exhaustion in her voice. “That child has been jealous of you since she was old enough to understand. You know that.” I froze. Yes, I was jealous of Stella. I was jealous that she had all the favoritism, jealous of her new dresses, jealous that when she had a fever Mom would watch over her all night, jealous that even with only one day left to live, she was still the apple of Mom and Dad’s eye. I drifted toward Stella, wanting to grab her hand, wanting to tell her I really did have a fever, that my head really hurt. But my hand passed straight through her body, like passing through a wisp of fog. I stopped mid-air, staring blankly at my transparent fingers. I looked back at the tightly shut storage room door. Dim light leaked from beneath the crack. I floated over and passed through the door panel, seeing myself curled up among the clutter. I was already dead. What came before Stella’s countdown hit zero was actually my death.

Memories rushed in like a tide, carrying the smell of old dust. When I was younger, maybe five or six years old, I really did hate Stella. If there was only one piece of candy in the house, it was Stella’s. The only apple got cut in half—the bigger piece for Stella, the smaller for me. New clothes always went to Stella first. I wore her hand-me-downs. Even bedtime stories were Stella’s. Mom’s voice was so gentle. She would read “The Little Prince”, read “Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales”, read those stories about stars and moons. But she only read those stories to Stella. I would secretly crouch by the door crack, listening to Mom say softly, “Stella, what would you like to hear today?” “I want to hear The Little Mermaid,” Stella said. So Mom would begin reading, her voice like a stream at night, flowing slowly. I squatted outside the door, hugging my knees, listening to those beautiful sentences, my heart feeling squeezed by something. Why couldn’t she read to me too? The summer I turned seven, Mom roasted a chicken. Two golden, glistening drumsticks sat on top. At dinner, Mom carefully placed both drumsticks in Stella’s bowl. “Stella, eat more. Build up your strength.” I looked at the few green vegetables in my own bowl. Tears suddenly fell. “Why does Stella get both drumsticks!” “I want to eat them too! I want chicken drumsticks too!” Dad’s chopsticks slammed heavily on the table. “Ivy! How can you be so inconsiderate!” He stood up, his face dark with anger. “Don’t you know Stella’s health is poor? Don’t you know that Stella…” He couldn’t continue. I didn’t know. I only knew that Stella’s complexion was always very pale, that she sometimes coughed, that Mom and Dad always looked at her with that sad expression. But I didn’t know what that meant. “Why, why does everything belong to Stella!” I cried out, jumping down from my chair and pointing at Stella sitting across from me. “Why don’t you just die! Give my things back to me!” Stella’s tears instantly fell, big drops splashing into her bowl. She opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound. Mom shot up and slapped me across the face. That was the first time I’d been hit so hard. Stella lunged forward to protect me, but Mom held her back tightly. “Let her learn her lesson! Let her know what she can and can’t say!” The next day, I overheard Mom and Dad talking in the kitchen. “Nine more years left.” Mom’s voice was crying. “I know.” Dad’s voice was hoarse. “Nine years… just nine years…” That’s when I learned that Stella really would die. That the numbers above her head that no one else could see were her life countdown. In the living room, Mom and Dad, eyes red, carefully sent Stella back to her room. I watched, my heart suddenly aching. “Should we… let Ivy out?” Dad’s voice was soft. Mom was silent for a long time. “Let her endure it a bit longer.” Mom finally spoke, her voice so exhausted it seemed to take all her strength. “At least… let Stella spend this birthday peacefully. Just this one day. The last day.” I saw Mom raise her hand to wipe her eyes. “Ivy will understand.” She seemed to be convincing herself. “After Stella’s gone, we’ll… we’ll definitely make it up to her.” Dad said nothing more, just walked to the kitchen, took a small piece of bread from the cupboard, and walked toward me.

“Ivy.” He said softly to the door. “Dad brought you some bread. Eat something, don’t go hungry.” I floated in front of him and crouched down to look at him. His eyes were very red, the wrinkles at the corners deeper than last year, white hair already showing at his temples. He was only forty this year, but looked like he was fifty. “Dad, I’m right here. I died. Won’t you come in and look at me?” “Ivy?” He called again. I reached out to touch his face. My fingers passed through his body. “Sigh.” Dad sighed and stood up disappointedly. “This child… still sulking.” He pushed the bread further through the door crack. “Just stay in there and behave. Don’t make trouble. After your sister is gone… Dad will definitely make it up to you.” I didn’t wait for him to discover me. I looked at his retreating back and said softly: “You don’t need to, Dad. You don’t need to make it up to me.” You’ll never have the chance. After Dad left, the hallway fell silent again. Soft sounds came from the living room. Mom came out of Stella’s room, gently closed the door, and stood in the hallway in a daze. She looked at the storage room door, her lips pressed tightly together, as if struggling with something. Finally she walked over and crouched where Dad had just crouched. “Ivy.” Her voice was soft. “Don’t blame Mom, okay?” “Mom knows you feel wronged.” She continued, her fingers unconsciously picking at splinters on the door panel. “But Stella only has one day left. Just let her have this, let her leave happy, okay?” I floated in front of her, seeing moisture at the corners of her eyes. She raised her hand and wiped quickly, as if afraid someone would see. “After Stella’s gone, Mom will make your favorite burgers, a whole plate, all for you.” Her voice grew smaller and smaller, finally becoming almost a murmur. “I’ll buy you a new dress, the kind with bows—you’ve always wanted one, haven’t you? Mom will take you to the amusement park, ride the carousel, ride the roller coaster… didn’t you say all your classmates have been there except you?” Her tears finally fell, hitting the old hallway tiles and spreading into small dark spots. “I’ll give you everything, everything… so just today, just today, don’t make trouble, okay?” I reached out, wanting to wipe away her tears. She waited for a while. The storage room remained silent. The sadness on Mom’s face slowly faded, replaced by a kind of anger. She suddenly stood up, stumbling because the movement was too abrupt. “This child… so inconsiderate!” She muttered quietly, her voice thick with tears. “Doesn’t think about her parents at all. Raised you all these years for nothing!” She turned and walked away quickly, her back stiff. As evening came, the sky gradually darkened. Mom came out of the kitchen carrying a small basket with a red cloth inside, along with some colored paper and scissors— Birthday decorations prepared for Stella. She’d just reached the living room when the doorbell rang. It was Grandma. Grandma held a cloth bag, bulging and full. Seeing Mom, she forced a smile. “Mom, why are you here?” Mom was a bit surprised and quickly stepped aside to let Grandma in. “I came to see Stella.” Grandma’s voice was somewhat hoarse. She put the cloth bag on the table and took out several apples and some pastries. “Tomorrow is the child’s birthday. I… I came to see her.” “Stella’s resting in her room.” Mom said, taking the things from Grandma’s hands. “Please sit. I’ll call her.” “No, no need. Let her rest properly.” Grandma sat down on the sofa, her gaze sweeping around the living room, her brow furrowing slightly. “Where’s Ivy? Why don’t I see Ivy?”

Mom’s expression changed instantly. “She… she’s in her room doing homework.” Mom avoided Grandma’s gaze, lowering her head to arrange the red cloth in the basket. Grandma said nothing, just looked at her. “Homework?” “I’ll go check on her.” “Mom!” Mom quickly stood up. “Ivy is… throwing a tantrum. I have her reflecting in the storage room.” Grandma’s movements stopped. “What did you say?” She asked, one word at a time. “You locked Ivy in the storage room?” “Knowing tomorrow is Stella’s…” Mom’s voice grew smaller and smaller, finally almost inaudible. Grandma’s face slowly darkened. She stood up, swaying because the movement was too sudden. Mom tried to help her but was pushed away. “Susan!” Grandma’s voice trembled. “Ivy is your daughter too!” Mom opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but Grandma cut her off. “Yes, I know Stella had a hard fate, born with that cursed countdown. I know you love her, want to give her the best of everything, let her leave happy!” Grandma’s voice grew louder and louder, tears pooling in her eyes. “But what about Ivy? Isn’t Ivy suffering too? From childhood until now, what has she ever gotten? Stella’s old hand-me-down clothes, Stella’s leftover food, even your love—she has to share half with her sister!” “Mom, I didn’t…” Mom tried to defend herself, but her voice was weak and unconvincing. “Both children are good children, both are good children… but what about you two? As parents, don’t you owe Ivy? Doesn’t she deserve even a little love?” Mom collapsed into a chair, covering her face, her shoulders shaking violently. “And now you won’t even let the sisters see each other one last time?” Grandma’s voice was hoarse. “Stella is going to… going to leave tomorrow. Ivy is her only sister, the sister she’s protected since childhood! How can you let Stella leave? Let her leave with regrets?” “I… I didn’t…” Mom’s voice leaked through her fingers, broken and fragmented. “I just wanted Stella’s last day to be happy. I didn’t want Ivy to disturb her…” Night deepened. Stella’s bedroom door remained tightly shut. “Go to sleep.” Grandma finally spoke, her voice hoarse. “Tomorrow… we still need to get up early.” Mom shifted, as if wanting to say something, but finally just shook her head. “I can’t sleep.” Dad didn’t move either. Grandma sighed and didn’t press further. She stood up, walked to the storage room door, crouched down, and said softly through the crack: “Ivy, Grandma’s here with you. Don’t be afraid.” My tears fell again. Time passed second by second. The candles burned out and the living room fell into darkness. The sky outside the window gradually brightened, changing from deep blue to gray-blue, then to the pale color of fish bellies. The first rays of morning light passed through the glass window, falling on the old floorboards, illuminating the floating dust in the air. Grandma stood up, walked to Stella’s bedroom door, raised her hand to knock, but stopped in mid-air. She hesitated for a long time, finally only saying softly: “Stella, time to get up.” Slight sounds came from inside the room. The door opened. “Grandma, Mom, Dad.” She said softly, showing a faint smile. Mom suddenly stood up and rushed over to embrace her, holding so tightly as if trying to meld her into flesh and bone. Dad also walked over, his hand trembling as he gently touched Stella’s head. “Stella…” Mom’s voice was completely broken. “I’m fine, Mom.” Stella said softly, her hand gently patting Mom’s back. “I’m really fine.” Grandma stood to the side, quietly watching. She watched for a long time, then suddenly remembered something and whipped around to look at the storage room. “Ivy!” Her voice was especially clear in the quiet morning. “Quickly, let Ivy out!” Only then did Mom and Dad remember me locked in the storage room. They broke into smiles through their tears, saying repeatedly: “Yes, yes, yes, let Ivy out. Ivy’s still in the storage room!” “Her sister is fine. This is wonderful news!” Mom pulled Stella along while Dad walked ahead. The family of three ran toward the storage room, faces full of joy. But when they reached the storage room door and Dad’s hand just pushed it open, his expression suddenly changed drastically. He jerked his hand back, murmuring: “Wrong, it’s all wrong!”

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I went undercover to work at a company under my family’s corporation. I didn’t expect to run into Sophia Smith, a manager who worships men and despises women. I was trembling from menstrual cramps and went to ask her for leave. Sophia took a leisurely sip of her coffee and rolled her eyes at me: “Young women are so dramatic. It’s just period cramps—grit your teeth and get through it.” Just then, intern Kevin pushed the door open. “Miss Smith, I need to take the day off. Didn’t sleep well last night, want to go home and catch up on some sleep.” Behind me came Sophia’s saccharine voice: “Oh my goodness, you work so hard. You men need to take care of yourselves while building your careers.” I laughed. Him, hardworking? He writes sixty lines of code and twenty of them are wrong! Just as I was about to leave the office, Sophia called out to me. “Laura, the group leadership is coming for the KDD project presentation. Let Kevin present instead of you—men command more authority.” I froze mid-step. I turned to look at Sophia and spoke without hesitation: “I refuse!” The KDD project was a promise I made to Grandpa three years ago. If I succeeded with the KDD project, Grandpa would agree to let me start my own company. And this project presentation was my moment to deliver! Seeing my refusal, Sophia’s face instantly darkened. “Don’t be so selfish. You’re a veteran at the company—give the younger people some opportunities. Kevin’s about to be converted to full-time, he needs some decent achievements to show.” I turned around. The persistent cramping pain in my lower abdomen made it impossible to stand straight, forcing me to lean against the door frame. I suppressed my discomfort and explained: “This presentation is very important to me.” I hoped she would back down after hearing this. Instead, what I heard was her raised voice scolding me: “Important? What isn’t important? Don’t think I don’t know you want to show off in front of the group leadership! You’re just a woman—what are you trying to prove!” She raised her chin arrogantly, her gaze scanning over me like an X-ray. She sneered: “Why are you so competitive as a woman? I think you look decent enough—just dress yourself up pretty every day and find a rich man to marry. Wouldn’t that be better?” Then she looked at intern Kevin, her tone suddenly turning coquettish. “My husband says women should be like me, a pretty little princess~” I really didn’t have the mood or energy to watch her affectation. I just replied flatly: “If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to my desk.” Sophia seemed to feel her dignity was challenged. She slammed her coffee cup down on the desk with a harsh clatter. “Don’t you dare brush me off!” “I’m advising you to be smart! The group leadership is coming personally this time. If you screw it up, you can’t handle the consequences!” She stood up, clicking toward me in her four-inch heels. Looking down at me: “Look at you, you can barely stand. Letting you present—wouldn’t that embarrass our company image?” She beckoned to Kevin: “Look at Kevin, handsome young man with good presence and a strong voice. The leadership will be impressed! Go organize the data and send it to Kevin so he can familiarize himself with it.” Before I could speak, Kevin quickly chimed in: “Thank you, Laura! I really appreciate it. Don’t worry, I’ll memorize all the data in advance and won’t let you down.”

He spoke quickly, as if afraid I would refuse first. Another sharp pain twisted through my abdomen, cold sweat forming on my forehead. But I still lifted my head to look at the two people in front of me. “This project, from planning to execution, every line of code, every piece of data, even every client meeting—I handled all of it myself! Kevin doesn’t even understand the project background. Are you sure you want him to present?” Sophia’s expression grew even uglier. “What do you mean? Questioning my decision?” Her tone became sharper: “Let me tell you! I’m in charge of this department. Whoever I say presents, presents. Do you think you own this company?” The commotion had drawn quite a bit of attention, with several colleagues poking their heads out from their desks. I frowned, unwilling to engage in meaningless arguments with her. “You can fight over anything else, but this KDD project presentation must be mine.” My tone was calm but carried unwavering determination. But Sophia suddenly laughed. “I understand now.” She covered her mouth exaggeratedly, her eyes filled with unconcealed contempt and disgust. “You’re so insistent on presenting because you want to show off in front of the group leadership, looking for a chance to sleep your way up, right?” Her words were cutting, her voice shrill and piercing. As soon as she said this, I clearly felt more and more colleagues casting hostile glances my way. Before I could say anything, Sophia continued in her raised voice: “You young girls nowadays are so shameless, always trying to take shortcuts with your bodies. No wonder you always dress up so flashily at work—turns out you’re just fishing for men.” “Watch your mouth!” The soreness in my lower back combined with the cramping pain already had me irritated. Hearing this made anger surge in my chest. “You need evidence when you speak. Making baseless accusations and slander like this—I can sue you!” Sophia snorted and took two steps closer to me. She crossed her arms, shrugging her shoulders dismissively. “Am I wrong? Why are you pretending to be innocent? Don’t think I don’t know what you do in private. Seducing men—you’re a professional, aren’t you?” She reached out, rubbing the fabric of my clothes between her fingers, pursing her lips: “This brand, costs at least a hundred thousand dollars, right? You’re a fresh graduate—where’d you get that kind of money!” “What, got hooked on servicing old men, now planning to seduce our group CEO?” As soon as she said this, a commotion rippled through the office. Several colleagues huddled together and started whispering. “No way, Laura’s actually that kind of person? She always seemed like such a good kid.” “That’s what you don’t understand. These women are the best at playing innocent. Those rich old men love that type.” “I knew it—wondered where she got the money for all those clothes and bags at her age. So that’s how she earns it. It’s easier for women to make money.” Listening to the vulgar gossip around me, my fists clenched involuntarily. “Dirty-minded people see everything as dirty!” The outfit Sophia mentioned was a gift I bought myself when I earned my first pot of gold from entrepreneurship in my sophomore year. It was the first thing in my life I bought without using a cent of my family’s money. This outfit held extraordinary meaning for me. But in others’ mouths, it became “spoils of war” I’d earned by selling my body. As if a woman’s value could only be defined by the men beside her.

I had no interest in arguing with these idiots. Right now I just wanted to finish the presentation and leave this place reeking of old-world misogyny. But my patience and retreat, in Sophia’s eyes, became a signal for her to continue her attack. She extended her hands with their long artificial nails and dug them viciously into my chin. Her tone contemptuous: “Women like you, I’ve seen plenty! Pretty enough to flaunt yourself and seduce men—you’re cheap trash. Sharing the same space with you disgusts me!” “Still want to show off in front of the group leadership? Kill that dream! Don’t go up there and embarrass the company!” “Be smart and get lost now, before I have to do it myself.” She shoved me away violently, her nails scratching a red mark across my chin. I was already unsteady on my feet. This push made me stumble and crash hard into the door frame. I clutched my arm in pain and turned to glare at Sophia. “Malicious slander! Workplace bullying! Your days as department manager are numbered! You better wait—I hope you won’t be begging me on your knees later!” With that, I ignored these people and turned toward my desk. Behind me came Sophia’s mocking laughter: “Ooh, I’m so scared. I’d like to see who ends up kneeling to whom!” The manager’s office door slammed shut. I walked to my desk under everyone’s judgmental stares and opened my computer. A message popped up in the bottom right corner. It was from HR director Rachel Norton. “Laura, come to my office.” Looking at those words, my heart sank. I walked into Rachel’s office. She was organizing files in her hands. Seeing me, she spoke without looking up: “You’ve been fired. This is the termination agreement. Take a look, and if there’s no problem, sign it.” She handed me the document. I skimmed through it, my fingers gripping the papers so hard they turned white. “What’s the reason?” I slapped the agreement on the desk. Rachel raised an eyebrow at me, then after a long moment, sighed: “Laura, we’re all civilized people. Some things are better left unsaid for everyone’s sake. Listen to me, sign it and leave early. Don’t make it ugly for everyone in the end.” She spoke with apparent concern, but I couldn’t help laughing. “Let’s be direct then. I’m asking you—what grounds do you have to fire me? I haven’t been late, left early, or been absent. My work ability speaks for itself. I haven’t violated any company rules or regulations!” Rachel looked at me, her tone calm: “Your personal morals are questionable and would tarnish the company’s image. Is that reason enough?” She spoke as calmly as if stating the most ordinary fact. I was shaking with anger. I leaned on the desk, speaking word by word: “What evidence do you have? You want to condemn me based on slander?” Seeing my agitation, Rachel patted my hand. “I know you’re unwilling, but this is a directive from above. I have no choice either. We’re all just workers—don’t make this hard for me…” Still that calm tone, calm to the point of numbness. At that moment I deeply understood the phrase “those who wrong you know your grievance better than anyone.” She wasn’t unaware that I was being slandered, but she chose cold indifference. I took a deep breath, suppressing my anger. “I won’t make it hard for you. Just tell me the truth—this is Sophia’s doing, isn’t it?” Rachel glanced carefully at the door. She nodded slightly and spoke quietly: “Mr. Miller sent the email personally…”

Mr. Miller, Marcus Miller, Sophia’s husband and the general manager of this subsidiary. “Fine!” I straightened up: “I’m not signing this termination agreement!” With that, I walked straight out of the office. But when I returned to my desk, I was completely dumbfounded. My once fully-stocked workspace was now completely empty! Even my computer monitor and tower had been removed! “Who moved my stuff?” I asked my nearby colleagues. They exchanged glances, but no one spoke. “What’s all the noise? The company is reclaiming office resources. Is there a problem?” Sophia’s voice came from behind me. She clicked over in her heels, head held high. Intern Kevin followed right behind her. “You’ve already been fired. Why are you still shamelessly hanging around the company?” I ignored her mockery and asked directly. “Where are my things?” She snorted coldly: “That pile of junk? Thrown away, of course.” “Who gave you the right to touch my things without my permission?” Being maliciously targeted again and again, I had no patience left for tolerance. Seeing I was standing my ground, Sophia lost her temper too. “Who do you think you are? Company property is mine to handle! Including you!” I laughed coldly and pointed at my desk. “The pen is a Faber-Castell Count series annual limited edition. The mouse pad is Bottega Veneta. The cup is Baccarat. Plus all the other items, they add up to about half a million dollars.” I looked at Sophia and smiled. “Miss Smith, you’d better explain this to the police.” With that, I picked up my phone, preparing to call the police. But before I could unlock it, Sophia rushed forward and snatched my phone from my hand, smashing it hard on the ground. “Who the hell are you trying to scare?” She grabbed my hair and her palm came down. The change happened too fast for me to react. And as if deliberately, she raised her knee and rammed it hard into my lower abdomen. My already cramping abdomen now felt like it had been run over by a truck. The stabbing pain shot through to my lower back. My face turned deathly pale instantly, cold sweat pouring out. As if still not satisfied, she shoved me hard, and I crashed to the floor. I curled up on the ground in pain, clutching my stomach and unable to stop groaning. Sophia crouched down and grabbed my hair again. The tearing pain in my scalp forced me to lift my head. She gripped my chin, her tone vicious: “I knew you were a slut! Who are you moaning for?” I forced myself to look up at Sophia, speaking word by word: “You just wait!” “Hah, cheap bones are always tough. Let’s see how long you can keep that up!” She snorted through her nose, grabbed my hair, and slammed my head against the floor. The intense pain blanked my mind instantly. Ringing filled my ears and my vision blurred. I bit down hard on my tongue, trying to stay conscious. “Miss Smith, forget it. No need to get angry over this kind of trash.” Kevin laughed as he tried to calm Sophia down. I looked up at him. He was watching me with amusement, his words sounding like advice, but his eyes were full of satisfaction and excitement. Sophia seemed afraid things would escalate. Hearing this, she released my hair. She stood up, looking down at me: “Get the hell out now and stop looking for trouble!” Kevin stepped forward pretending to help me, but at an angle no one could see, he leaned close to my ear and spoke in a frivolous tone: “Laura, why bother? If you’d agreed to be my girlfriend back then, none of this would have happened. I definitely wouldn’t have competed with you for these meaningless titles.”

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I’d been with Ethan Pierce for five years, thinking I was the person he trusted most. Five years of obedience, humiliation, and sacrifice. In his eyes, I was nothing but a shadow, a stand in for Claire Sullivan, the one he truly loved. The day Claire came back, he made me kneel on the floor to wipe her shoes. My dignity was crushed again and again. Even when I left, my freedom was restricted by his power and influence. Then came the day when he deliberately made out with Claire right in front of me, repeating over and over that she was the woman he truly loved. I dialed a phone number I’d kept buried for so long. “Come pick me up and take me home. Also, I want the Pierce family bankrupt.” Sophia Bennett POV I’d been with Ethan Pierce for five years. Everyone in our circle knew I was the most obedient pet Ethan kept by his side. If he told me to go east, I’d never go west. He didn’t let me wear dresses, so for five years I only wore pants. Everyone thought I was madly in love with Ethan, and Ethan himself thought so too. Late night. Pouring rain. I’d just finished cleaning up the company’s mess and came back to the villa soaking wet. The living room lights were off. The smell of smoke was suffocating. A crimson glow flickered in the darkness. Ethan sat on the sofa, his expression cold and hard. “You’re back?” His voice was hoarse. I set down my bag and went to change into slippers out of habit. “Why didn’t you turn on the lights? Is your stomach bothering you again? I’ll go make you some-” “Claire’s back in the country.” My movements froze. The air seemed to freeze. Claire. The one woman Ethan had always wanted but could never have. Because my face looked like Claire’s, especially my eyes. After a long moment, I straightened up, my fingertips curling slightly. “So?” Ethan stubbed out his cigarette, not even glancing at me. “She’s settling down here and hasn’t found a suitable place yet. This villa is close to her company. She likes it.” I lowered my eyes. “You’re telling me to move out?” “Move to that apartment in Regent Bay.” Ethan’s tone was casual. “Don’t bring too much stuff. Claire is obsessive about cleanliness. I don’t want any sign that someone else was living here.” Traces of other people. Five years. Over eighteen hundred days and nights. Turns out in his eyes, I was just an “other person” leaving my mark on his space. I smiled. “Okay.” I didn’t cry or make a scene. He finally looked up at me, frowning slightly. “What kind of compensation do you want? A check, or resources?” “No need.” I turned and headed upstairs. “I’ll go pack now.” “Sophia.” He called after me. I paused. “Don’t blame me.” Ethan’s voice was cold. “When we got together, I made it clear there were rules. Now that the real one is back, the stand in should naturally step aside.” I didn’t turn around. “Don’t worry, Mr. Pierce. I understand the rules very well.” That night, I packed quickly. Actually, I never had much that belonged to me anyway. The expensive jewelry, clothes, and bags-Ethan had bought them all based on Claire’s preferences. I only took a few old clothes and a photo album. Before leaving, I placed a spare key on the entry table. It made a crisp sound. Like something breaking. The day after I moved into Regent Bay, I was called back to the company. I was Ethan’s executive assistant. Even after breaking up, business still had to be handled. These five years, I’d kept work and personal life completely separate. Even if he left me so exhausted the night before that I could barely get out of bed, I still showed up the next day in heels to go over his schedule with precision. “Mr. Pierce, here’s today’s meeting agenda.” I placed the documents on the desk, my expression calm. Ethan glanced at me. “There’s an auction tonight.” Ethan finished signing and tapped his pen on the marble desktop. “Come with me.” I gave a professional smile. “Sure, I’ll arrange for a stylist.” “No need.” Ethan tossed me a gift box. “Wear this.” I opened the box. It was a white mermaid gown with a daring cut, the back almost completely bare. This not only didn’t fit my usual style, but more importantly, I had a scar on my back. From three years ago when Ethan was targeted by a rival. During the car accident, I threw myself over him to protect him and got cut by glass shards. Back then, Ethan held my bloodied body with red-rimmed eyes, saying he’d protect me for life. Now, as soon as that woman came back, he’d forgotten. “What? Don’t like it?” Ethan raised an eyebrow. I closed the box, my fingers gripping the edge tightly. “Mr. Pierce, this dress is backless. I have a scar. It might not look appropriate.” “A scar?” Ethan seemed to pause for a moment, then smiled carelessly. “That old scar must have faded by now, right? Besides, Claire likes this style. I want to see how it looks when worn.” I see. Another fitting model. I felt like my heart was being squeezed by a giant hand, the pain suffocating. I took a deep breath, maintaining my polite smile. “Understood.” That evening, at the auction, I entered on Ethan’s arm, turning heads. The dress was beautiful, but it was also revealing. I’d covered the scar on my back with concealer, but under the lights it was still faintly visible. People around whispered, their gazes filled with amusement. But Ethan seemed oblivious, only focused on exchanging pleasantries. Until the auction began. The finale was a set of pink diamond jewelry with a starting bid of eighty million dollars. Ethan bid without hesitation. I sat beside him and heard him say in a low voice: “Claire has fair skin. Pink looks good on her.” The price soared to two hundred million dollars. Eventually, Ethan won. After the event ended, staff brought over the jewelry box. Ethan took out the necklace and turned to look at me. “Try it on.” I froze. “It’s for Miss Sullivan. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to try it, would it?” “Just try it when I tell you to.” Ethan’s tone was impatient. “Your neck is slender, about the same as hers.” In front of everyone. I was forced to lower my head as cold diamonds touched warm skin. Ethan examined it for a moment and nodded with satisfaction. “Not bad.” The next second, he reached out and removed the necklace, putting it back in the box. His movements were efficient, not giving me even one extra second of warmth. “Alright, send this to Claire.” He shoved the box into my arms and strode away. I held that priceless box, standing in the cold wind, feeling like a joke.

Sophia Bennett POV Claire’s birthday party was set on a yacht. I didn’t want to go, but as secretary, I had to be there to coordinate. Top deck of the yacht. Lights and glamour everywhere. Ethan stayed by Claire’s side the whole time. The two of them standing together drew envious looks. I hid in a corner checking the guest list, trying to minimize my presence. “Isn’t this Ethan Pierce’s secretary?” A few rich kids came over with wine glasses, teasing. “I heard Mr. Pierce cleared out his villa for the goddess Claire to live in. So where are you living now?” “Miss Bennett, you used to seem so proud. How are you like a dog now?” One of them reached out to touch my face. “After five years with him, it must’ve been quite an experience, huh?” I turned my head to avoid him, saying coldly. “Show some respect.” “Stop acting so high and mighty!” The man flew into a rage and splashed red wine on me. My white shirt instantly soaked through, clinging to my skin. I looked completely disheveled. The man, emboldened by alcohol, reached to pull at my collar. “Stop!” Ethan’s voice rang out. The group immediately scattered, apologizing with nervous smiles. “Just joking around…” Ethan walked over, his gaze falling on my soaked clothes, a flash of disgust in his eyes. He took off his suit jacket, but not to give to me. Instead, he draped it over Claire’s bare shoulders next to him. “It’s windy. Don’t catch cold.” Claire held onto his arm, looking at me with surprise. “Oh my, Miss Bennett, what happened to you? Go change quickly, don’t catch a cold.” I bit my lip hard, saying nothing. “What are you standing there for?” Ethan frowned. “Get out of here. Don’t embarrass yourself.” I turned to leave. Suddenly, the boat lurched violently. Someone screamed. “Someone fell overboard!” In the chaos, I was shoved by panicking people, lost my footing, and toppled over the railing. At the same moment, Claire was also knocked off balance, hanging precariously on the edge of the railing. “Ethan! Save me!” Claire screamed. I gripped the outer edge of the railing. Below my feet was dark, churning seawater. I couldn’t swim. Ethan knew this. Five years ago, I nearly drowned trying to retrieve documents that fell into a pool for him. He was the one who pulled me out. At this moment, Ethan was only six feet away. He glanced at Claire, then at me. Just one second of hesitation. He rushed toward Claire and grabbed her wrist. “Save her! Pull Claire up first!” Ethan yelled at the arriving security guards. My fingers slipped on the railing, bit by bit. My nails broke. Blood dripped. I watched that man who once said he’d protect me for life hold another woman tightly, soothing her gently. While I was like a withered leaf, unnoticed by anyone. “Ethan…” My voice was barely audible, scattered in the sea breeze. Before my last bit of strength ran out, I let go. Cold seawater instantly engulfed me. As suffocation set in, I actually felt relieved. If this was the end, then so be it. But I was lucky. I was pulled up by a police rescue boat. Water in my lungs. High fever that wouldn’t break. I was unconscious in the hospital for three days. During those three days, Ethan never came once. When I woke up, only a nurse was changing my bandages. “Your boyfriend is so heartless.” The young nurse felt indignant for me. “I heard that woman just scraped her skin a bit, and he stayed by her side for three days and nights. You almost died, and not a single person came to see you.” I stared at the ceiling and laughed. “He’s not my boyfriend.” Right. He never was. Just a sugar daddy and his plaything. My phone vibrated on the bedside table. It was Ethan calling. I watched that name flash for a long time before answering.

Sophia Bennett POV “You’re awake?” The background noise on the phone was chaotic, like he was still at the hospital. “Once you’re awake, come back to the office and do the handover. These past few days without you, the schedule’s been a complete mess.” No concern. No guilt. The first thing he said was about work. My throat was painfully dry. “I’m in the hospital.” “Stop being dramatic.” Ethan said impatiently. “The doctor said you just swallowed some water. You’re not dying. Claire’s been traumatized and is still getting psychological counseling. Hurry over and handle the PR. The media got photos of the incident that day.” I closed my eyes. Tears slid down from the corners into my pillow. “Ethan.” “What now?” “Let’s end this.” Silence on the other end for a few seconds, then came a scoff. “Sophia Bennett, playing this trick once was enough. Want a raise or want a bag? Just say it.” In his eyes, all my pain and struggle were nothing but tactics to gain benefits. My hand holding the phone trembled slightly. “I’m serious. I’m resigning, and I’m… leaving you.” “You dare?” Ethan’s voice turned icy. “Sophia Bennett, did you forget who pulled you out of the gutter? Without me, what are you?” “You’re right. I’m nothing.” I pulled out the IV needle from the back of my hand. Blood immediately welled up, but I couldn’t feel the pain. “So I’m done serving you.” With that, I hung up and blocked that number I knew by heart. I climbed out of the hospital bed, ignoring the nurse’s attempts to stop me, insisting on checking out. Back at Regent Bay, I packed up everything Ethan had given me and called a courier to send it all back to the villa. Then I booked the earliest flight to San Diego. That was my grandmother’s hometown, and where I’d originally wanted to go. Before leaving, I went to the company one more time. The HR director looked shocked to see me. “Miss Bennett, Mr. Pierce said without his signature, we can’t process your resignation.” I slapped my resignation letter on the desk, along with a bank card containing five hundred thousand dollars. “I’ll pay the penalty. There’s five hundred thousand dollars on this card. That’s enough compensation, right?” “Tell Ethan Pierce that these five years, consider it me paying for his services. Transaction complete. We’re even.” The moment I walked out of Pierce Corporation’s building, the sunlight was blinding. I looked back at that towering skyscraper. That was the cage that had trapped me for five years. Now, I was finally free. But I couldn’t leave. At the airport security checkpoint, red lights flashed piercingly. The ground staff handed back my passport, their eyes carrying both sympathy and the look of watching a show. “I’m sorry, Miss Bennett. Your identification has been restricted from leaving the country. If you have questions, please contact the police or… the relevant restricting party.” The relevant restricting party. Besides Ethan Pierce, who else could it be? My fingers holding the passport turned cold. I walked out of the airport terminal and called that number I’d just blocked. The phone was answered after just one ring. A man’s casual voice came through, accompanied by the crisp sound of a lighter. “Finally willing to call?” “Why did you restrict my travel?” I stood in the wind, my voice trembling. “Sophia Bennett, you think five hundred thousand can buy out five years? You think the company’s a flea market where you can come and go as you please?” Ethan exhaled a smoke ring, his tone mocking. “The company’s been dealing with a leak case recently. You’re the executive assistant, so you’re the top suspect. Until we get to the bottom of it, you’re not going anywhere.” I closed my eyes. “Ethan Pierce, what exactly do you want?” “Nothing much.” He chuckled, cruel and arrogant. “I don’t like it when a dog I’ve trained well starts barking at its master. When you learn to wag your tail again, then we can talk about resignation.” The call ended. I looked up at the gray sky, feeling a bone-deep chill. I didn’t go back to Regent Bay, and I didn’t beg him. I found a cheap motel in the old district for a few dozen dollars a night. The room was damp, with the smell of mold mixed with cheap disinfectant. I curled up on the hard bed, stomach cramping painfully. I thought once I left, I’d be free. Turns out in his eyes, I didn’t even have the right to escape.

Sophia Bennett POV Over the next three days, I deeply understood what “absolute power” meant. I submitted dozens of resumes online, even lowering my standards to apply for administrative assistant and receptionist positions. At first, the conversations went well, but as soon as they verified my social security number, attitudes would do a complete one-eighty. “Sorry, Miss Bennett, we’ve filled the position.” “Miss Bennett, we don’t dare hire someone from Pierce Corporation. Please don’t make this difficult for us.” Some even threw my resume in the trash right in front of me. “You offended Mr. Pierce and still want to work in New York? Naive.” My last bit of savings was almost gone. I stood on the street, looking at the exquisite, expensive cakes in the display window. I touched my empty stomach, turned around, and bought two nearly expired loaves of bread. I used to dine at high-end restaurants with Ethan. Now I had to carefully budget just to get a full meal. This was the price of leaving him. Evening. Pouring rain. I returned to the motel soaking wet, but the owner threw my luggage out. “Get out! Someone called and said anyone who lets you stay is going against the Pierce family! I run a small business. I can’t afford that kind of trouble!” The suitcase tumbled in the muddy water. The zipper burst open. A few old clothes scattered everywhere. That was all the dignity I had left. I crouched in the rain, picking up each piece of clothing one by one. Rainwater mixed with tears ran into my mouth, so bitter it nearly made me gag. A black luxury car slowly stopped in front of me. The window rolled down, revealing Ethan’s cold face without a trace of warmth. He looked down at me from above, like looking at a stray dog. “Hungry?” I clutched the mud-stained clothes in my arms, biting down hard and saying nothing. “Get in.” Ethan’s voice was indifferent. “Claire wants cake from that shop in the south district. You used to buy it all the time. You know which flavors she likes. Go get some, and I’ll let you move back to Regent Bay.” I got in the car. Not because I wanted to move back to Regent Bay, but because I had nowhere else to go, and the pain in my stomach was so sharp I felt like I was about to pass out. The car’s heater was on full blast. Claire sat in the passenger seat, wearing Ethan’s coat, holding a hot water bottle. Seeing my bedraggled state in the back seat, Claire covered her nose and frowned. “What a strong musty smell… Ethan, I feel a bit carsick.” Ethan glanced at me in the rearview mirror, saying coldly. “Open the window.” Outside was heavy rain. Cold wind mixed with raindrops poured in, hitting me directly. I shivered from the cold. Ethan acted as if he didn’t see, even reaching over to turn up Claire’s seat warmer. “Bear with it. We’ll be there soon.” His tone when speaking to Claire was impossibly gentle. We arrived at the cake shop. Ethan didn’t get out. He didn’t even have the driver go. “Go ahead.” He gestured to me. “Get the strawberry one. She loves that.” I pushed open the car door and stumbled out into the rain. There was a long line at the cake shop entrance. I was soaking wet, my hair plastered to my face, my clothes covered in mud. People around me gave me strange looks and kept their distance. Half an hour later, I returned to the car with the bakery box. Just as I was about to open the door, Claire suddenly rolled down the window and said in an apologetic tone. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Ethan just said he suddenly doesn’t want cake anymore. He wants Japanese food. This cake… you can keep it for yourself.” With that, the window rolled up. The luxury car spewed exhaust and sped away. All it left me was a body splattered with muddy water. I stood there, holding that box of fresh cake. I looked down at it. This was what I’d waited half an hour in line to buy. I let go. With a “splat,” the cake spilled all over the ground, cream mixing with muddy water in a mess. Just like my five years of genuine feelings.

Sophia Bennett POV I collapsed on the roadside from a high fever and was taken to the hospital by a kind stranger. I had no money for hospital admission fees. The nurse, helpless, searched through my contacts and found only one number without a name saved. Half an hour later, Ethan’s special assistant arrived. Not to pay the fees, but to take me away. “Miss Bennett, Mr. Pierce said if you go to one place, he’ll count this medical expense as a work injury.” I was delirious with fever and was taken to “Nightshade.” New York’s largest club. In the private room, the lighting was dim, the air thick with alcohol. Ethan sat in the main seat with Claire in his arms. A circle of rich kids sat around, ready to watch the show. Seeing me enter, someone whistled. “Well, well, if it isn’t the once untouchable Miss Bennett? How’d you end up looking like this?” Ethan played with a lighter in his hand, his gaze lingering on me for two seconds, full of disgust. “I heard you need money?” He threw a card on the coffee table. “There’s a hundred thousand dollars here.” I stared at the card, my nails digging into my palms. “What do you want me to do?” “Claire’s shoes got dirty.” Ethan raised his chin slightly, pointing to Claire’s high heels that had a bit of dust on them. “Clean them.” The room instantly fell silent. Claire pulled her feet back in surprise. “Ethan, this isn’t right… She did follow you for five years.” “Precisely because she followed me for five years, she should know the rules better.” Ethan’s voice was hard. “When you do something wrong, you get punished. Sophia Bennett, you chose to run away. Can’t handle this little bit of suffering?” The high fever made my vision blurry, but Ethan’s cold face was seared into my mind. Clean shoes. In front of all these people, I was supposed to clean his woman’s shoes. This was his “punishment” for my “betrayal.” “Don’t want to?” Ethan picked up the card. “Then get lost. Figure out the medical expenses yourself, or go to jail. Leaking trade secrets? That charge alone carries ten years.” A threat. A naked threat. I slowly bent down. My knees hit the carpet with a dull thud. I knelt in front of Claire, my trembling hands using the tissue that kind stranger had given me to wipe the dust off Claire’s shoes, bit by bit. Mocking laughter surrounded me. Phone camera shutters clicked. Claire looked down at me from above, undisguised triumph in her eyes. Ethan took a sip of wine, watching me. After wiping away the last bit of dust, I braced myself on the floor to stand up, but swayed from exhaustion. “Enough.” Ethan kicked the card toward my feet, somewhat irritated. “Take the money and get lost.” I picked up the card. This time, I didn’t refuse, and I didn’t throw it back. Because I understood one thing: in front of this man, dignity was worthless. Only by staying alive would I have a chance to escape completely. I clutched that card tightly and turned to walk out of the room. My back was resolute. I didn’t look back once. I took that hundred thousand dollars. I paid the medical expenses, bought fever medicine. The rest of the money, I donated entirely to an anonymous charity. Ethan’s money burned my hands. I didn’t want to keep a single cent. The day I was discharged, New York had rare clear weather. I didn’t go back to the motel or Regent Bay. I went straight to the top floor of Pierce Corporation. That was where I’d worked for five years. The receptionist tried to stop me. I looked at her. “I’m here to get my personal belongings and to deliver a big gift to Mr. Pierce.” In the office, Ethan was frowning at a report full of errors. Seeing me enter, his tone was mocking. “What, spent all hundred thousand already? Back to wag your tail?” I didn’t speak. I slammed a thick envelope on the desk. “What’s this?” Ethan raised an eyebrow. “You said I leaked trade secrets?” My voice was flat. “This is all the evidence from the past five years of you using the Bennett family’s offshore accounts for money laundering and tax evasion. The originals are with a lawyer. If anything happens to me, these documents will be in the tip line within half an hour.” Ethan’s face changed drastically. He shot up, staring at me. “Sophia, you’re threatening me?” “It’s a transaction.” I met his eyes without fear. “Lift the travel restriction. Cancel the resignation obstacles. From now on, there’s no Sophia Bennett in New York, and no secretary by your side.” Ethan laughed in fury, his long fingers pressing down hard on the envelope, knuckles white. “To leave me, you’d even use this kind of tactic?” The corner of my mouth twitched. “Learned it from you, Mr. Pierce.” The air was deathly silent. “Good. Very good.” He spat out these words through gritted teeth. “Get lost. Get lost right now!” I turned and walked away without looking back. I went to the downstairs restroom, cut up that access card, and flushed it down the toilet. Walking out of Pierce Corporation, I dialed a number I had buried long ago. “Come get me. I’m done playing.”

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