When Declan Pierce and I exchanged wedding rings, he had adult toys in his pocket meant for his young stepmother. To get back at him, I slept with his best friend on our wedding night. I deliberately left marks on my body. But when Declan saw the hickeys on my neck, he just casually dialed his best friend’s number: “Declan, your wife is incredible,” his friend laughed. “I’m already addicted.” Declan sounded completely indifferent: “You like her? How about sleeping with her again tonight?” Like a madwoman, I smashed his phone to pieces. For the next five years, we became the most notorious, hate-filled couple in high society. That was until he drove my family’s company into bankruptcy. My dad went to prison, my brother died in a car crash, and my mother, who used to dote on me, went insane overnight, hating me to the bone: “This is all your fault! If you hadn’t picked fights with Declan, the Kensington family would never have ended up like this!” “Why don’t you just die?!” That night, Declan pinned me under him, kissing the corner of my mouth fiercely: “Harper, whatever other tricks you have up your sleeve, bring them on.” My heart had finally turned to ash. The bottle of sleeping pills under my pillow pressed uncomfortably against my head. I was done fighting. This time, I planned to listen to my mother… …and go die. 01 My tears fell onto the pillow, but Declan didn’t notice at all. He roughly unbuttoned my pajama top: “Harper, you’ve been throwing tantrums for five years. It’s about time you learned to be obedient.” Obedient… My eyes shifted slightly. If it were the past, I would have shoved him away like a madwoman, slapped him twice, and told him I’d never give him a day of peace for the rest of his life. But now, just like he said, I had quieted down. I lay on the bed like a dead fish, letting him do whatever he wanted. Seeing my lack of reaction, Declan unusually stopped his movements. He frowned, a flash of surprise in his eyes. “Since when did you become so boring?” “You were pretty loud when you were in Rowan’s bed back then, weren’t you?” He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him, but his fingers met a patch of wetness. Declan’s fingers paused: “Why are you crying?” The scent of Vanessa’s perfume on him made me nauseous. I let my gaze fall on him. From his disheveled clothes to his bobbing Adam’s apple, to the lips that had just kissed me so aggressively, and finally, his eyes. Our eyes met, and I immediately looked away. I opened my mouth: “If you want to get off, hurry up. I want to go to sleep.” The hand pinching my cheek suddenly tightened. The teasing look in his eyes instantly darkened. “What did you say?” He was angry… But my throat felt tight. What is he angry about? Wasn’t I quieting down, exactly like he wanted? Declan stared at me darkly for a long time. The pressure on my face loosened as the seconds ticked by in silence. Finally, he sneered: “Harper, you really are full of tricks. You even learned how to play hard to get.” He got up and started fixing his clothes. A square box bulged in his pants pocket. Declan’s fingers paused, then he tossed the box in front of me, looking down from above: “Since you’re my wife in name, I suppose I owe you a little compensation for bankrupting your family.” “Harper, as long as you behave, the position of Mrs. Pierce is still yours.” When the gift box landed, its sharp corner hit my shoulder. It hurt a little. But I still didn’t move. I didn’t even look at it. Declan stared at me for a moment and scoffed coldly: “You brought this upon your family yourself, so you have to endure it. Stop giving me that dead-fish look.” “As for the gift, take it or leave it.” He grabbed his suit jacket and turned to leave. A long time after he was gone, I pulled the bottle of sleeping pills from under my pillow and stared at it blankly. When should I take them? Tomorrow night, I guess… Tomorrow is Mom’s birthday. I’ll go see her one last time. 02 The next day, I carried a cake to the psychiatric hospital. When I saw my mom, I forced a smile for her. “Mom, I came to see you.” Mom’s back stiffened on the bed. She ignored me. Holding back the bitter ache in my heart, I opened the cake box: “Mom, I came to celebrate your birthday today. The cake is strawberry flavored. It used to be your favorite.” “Get up and have a bite.” I spent four hours making it. Just one bite is fine, Mom. This is the last time, Mom… But before I could finish speaking, the back of my head felt heavy. The next second, my entire face was shoved into the cake. “Get lost!” Mom shoved me toward the door frantically. “Go die! Go join Leo in hell!” The thick cream smeared all over my face, sticky and suffocating, making it hard to even breathe. I opened my mouth to say something. “Mom…” I stumbled, shoved so hard by her that I crashed into the doorframe. Mom screamed hysterically: “Declan is sleeping with Vanessa! Couldn’t you have just pretended you didn’t know?! Why did you have to throw a tantrum and fight with him?!” “How did I give birth to such an ungrateful, worthless thing?!” “Harper, go die! Hurry up and die!” Tears finally fell uncontrollably. My hands were trembling. In the past, she loved me the most. She used to say… no matter what I wanted to do, the Kensington family would always have my back. But now, she hated me to the point of madness. She hated me enough to tell me to die. Was everything I did over these years really completely wrong…? I lowered my head, looking away, and it took a long time before I could speak: “Okay.” I’ll listen to you. I’ll go die. Perhaps the aura of death in my eyes was too heavy, because she actually quieted down for a second. The next second, with a loud bang, she slammed the door in my face. I stood stiffly outside the door for a long time before I found my strength again. Then, step by step, I dragged myself to the restroom to wash the frosting off my face. As the icy water splashed against my skin, I slowly regained some clarity. I stared at my face in the mirror, speechless for a long time. Maybe my decision to marry Declan all those years ago was a mistake to begin with. So now, this mistake should finally come to an end. It ends tonight. When I left the psychiatric hospital, it had started raining. I didn’t have an umbrella, and I couldn’t be bothered to call a cab. I walked alone in a daze for I don’t know how long. Just as I was completely soaked and feeling cold, a figure suddenly appeared in front of me. The rain instantly stopped hitting me. I looked up and saw Declan holding an umbrella, staring at me with dark, unreadable eyes. Through the glass window of the building beside us, I could see Vanessa, Rowan, and several of his close friends. 03 Declan pulled me into their private booth at the bar. “What, the great heiress Harper is bankrupt and can’t even afford an umbrella?” Rowan looked at me with a mocking smirk. “How about you sleep with me again, and I’ll buy you one?” Roars of laughter erupted around the booth. Someone nudged Rowan with their elbow, teasing: “Come on, man. Just how wild was Harper five years ago that you’re still obsessing over her?” “Declan, since you don’t care about her anyway, why don’t you let Harper entertain all of us? It’s not like we won’t pay.” The explicit, piercing insults came one after another. Declan sat in the booth, silent. After a long while, the corner of his mouth twitched: “Do whatever you want.” As soon as he said that, a chorus of hoots and jeers broke out. The smug smile on Vanessa’s face grew even more radiant, though she feigned glaring at them: “Alright, boys, enough. What kind of men bully a little girl?” She leaned close to Declan. “Speaking of which, I’m technically your mother-in-law. You’ve been married to Declan for five years, and I never gave you a welcoming gift.” As soon as she said that, Declan’s expression changed, his eyes even showing a hint of jealousy as he looked at Vanessa. If it were before, I would have definitely caused a massive, crazy scene in a situation like this. But now, all my fiery hatred and pride had burned out. I just wanted to end all of this quickly. I turned to leave, but Vanessa, who had stood up, grabbed my wrist. “Since we ran into each other today, I’ll give you the Pierce family’s heirloom jade bracelet.” With that, she slipped the bracelet off her wrist and pulled my hand to put it on me. The next second, the jade bracelet crashed to the floor and shattered! Vanessa stumbled back a few steps, stepped on nothing, and fell directly into Declan’s arms. The tears came right on cue: “Harper, I’m technically your mother-in-law in name. Even if you hate me, you shouldn’t have shoved me, let alone smash the family heirloom…” Her voice choked with sobs: “Declan, I think I sprained my ankle.” This trick again. Over the past five years, I don’t know how many times Vanessa had framed me like this. Her acting was clumsy, her excuses sloppy. But Declan always believed her. Unsurprisingly, this time was no different. Declan grabbed my wrist, his face dark. “Harper, are my methods still not harsh enough? Are you still completely unrepentant after everything?” “Apologize to Vanessa.” I lowered my eyes, my gaze falling on the hand he was using to grip me. “Okay.” I looked up at him: “How do you want me to apologize?” “Kneel? Grovel? Or service these guys…” I used to have sky-high pride, but now I felt that all these humiliations were nothing compared to dying. I continued, looking at his friends in the booth. “If you want me to service them, please make it quick. I want to go home before dark.” “Harper!” Declan violently threw my hand away. The atmosphere instantly fell into a dead silence. A long time passed before someone muttered: “Damn, she’s hardcore.” The voice wasn’t loud, but it was crystal clear in the quiet booth. “Enough.” Declan shot the man a dark, murderous glare. “Watch your damn mouth.” He stared at me for a long time, until Vanessa tugged at his shirt, crying: “Declan, my ankle hurts so much.” Declan finally snapped out of it, picked her up, and walked toward the exit. “I’ll take you to the hospital first.” Before leaving, he turned back to look at me for the first time after walking away, his eyes filled with obscure emotions. Not long after, a text message popped up on my phone. Declan: [Wait for me at home tonight. About today… I’ll listen to your explanation.] I gave a hollow smile. Declan, you want me to explain, but tonight… I’m destined not to wait for you. 04 Once Declan left, the others tactfully cleared out as well. I was the only one left in the booth. I stared at that text message for a while, then silently deleted it along with Declan’s contact info. Then I went home alone to organize my belongings. Piece by piece… When I reached the very bottom of a box, my hands suddenly stopped. It was a thick stack of old, un-sent love letters. I had written them to Declan when I was a teenager. Although Declan and I had an arranged marriage, no one knew that I had secretly loved him for many years. Even during the long, messy, and toxic period of our marriage, I hadn’t let him go. But now, looking at the bold, arrogant line on one of the letters: [Declan Pierce, just wait until I make you mine], it felt like a lifetime ago. Waste paper. Expressionless, I was about to throw them all into the trash can when a sudden force snatched them away. Rowan looked at the stack of love letters with a meaningful smirk. I was too exhausted to ask when he had entered the house. I just held out my hand blankly: “Give them back.” His eyes swept over the letters, his lips curling into a sneer: “You want them?” “Harper, so the reason you’ve been fighting tooth and nail with Declan all these years was because you harbored these dirty little feelings. But don’t worry… in Declan’s heart, you’re probably worth less than a dog.” His words sounded familiar. I suddenly remembered the year we got married, during a fight, the icy look in Declan’s eyes as he looked at me: “Harper, throwing all these tantrums, aren’t you just trying to get me to look at you more?” “But do you deserve it? To me, you’re just a dog wagging its tail, begging for pity…” I remained silent for a second. When I spoke again, my voice was as calm as stagnant water. “What exactly do you want?” Rowan reeked of alcohol. He smiled maliciously. “Harper… sleep with me one more time.” As he spoke, he opened the video recording app on his phone: “Look at the camera, let’s do it again.” Rowan forcefully pushed me onto the bed, speaking frivolously: “Actually, I’ve always regretted something. You moaned so well that first time, why didn’t I record it?” I felt completely numb and didn’t resist, but my hand gripped the bottle of sleeping pills under the pillow tightly. …… When Declan returned to his villa, he saw that I hadn’t replied to his text. There wasn’t even a routine curse word from me. He frowned: [Harper, I’m home.] [I told you the position of Mrs. Pierce is still yours. Don’t throw your heiress tantrums next time.] But the only response he got was the red exclamation mark showing he had been deleted. “Harper!” The next second, the pool of blood by the doorway violently pierced his eyes. Declan’s pupils shrank abruptly. He violently kicked open the bedroom door—

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It all started because my billionaire father smiled during a prime-time interview and said, “Honestly, the road to success has been incredibly smooth for me.” Those words hunted him down. A man twisted by extreme hatred for the rich broke into our home and beheaded him. He violated my mother, too. Hiding in the closet, I watched her emerald ring soaking in a pool of blood. I didn’t dare let a single tear fall. It was my boyfriend, Caleb Vance, who also happened to be my therapist, who pulled me out of that suffocating shadow. Until a movie hit the theaters, based entirely on my family’s tragedy. In this adaptation, my father was twisted into a corrupt, heartless capitalist. My mother was depicted as a homewrecking mistress. And I? I was portrayed as a vicious bully. The brutal, cold-blooded killer was whitewashed into a poor victim of circumstance, driven to desperate measures by poverty. On the night of the movie premiere, I went. I never expected to find out that the screenwriter was Caleb’s childhood sweetheart, Elara Vance. She smiled as she clung to Caleb’s arm, introducing him to the crowd: “This is the city’s finest psychologist, and the inspirational muse behind my film. He provided the incredible, raw material that allowed me to complete this masterpiece.” The theater erupted in thunderous applause. Ignoring Caleb’s look of absolute horror, I slowly raised my hand. “I have a question for this ‘muse’.” … Caleb’s face went completely rigid. He obviously hadn’t expected me to show up. I recognized the panic swirling in his eyes instantly. Two days ago, we had agreed to take a trip to a tropical island. The day before we were supposed to leave, he claimed an urgent crisis had come up at work. He apologized with such tenderness: “Rylee, just give me one day. One day.” “You go ahead. I’ll handle this and meet you there immediately.” I believed him. Until my best friend sent me a video link. There were Caleb and Elara, appearing together at the movie premiere. Striking an intimate pose, looking like lovers. Forgetting about the trip, I rushed here, only to watch a movie where my family was twisted into villains. Then, the realization hit me like a physical blow. He wasn’t busy. He just needed me out of town. Caleb’s eyes locked with mine. He immediately ripped his gaze away, not daring to look at me. So, he was capable of fear. Fear of me knowing. Fear of facing my fury. Yet he did it anyway. For Elara. I curled my lips in a bitter smile. “Dr. Vance, I’m just purely curious. As a psychologist, where exactly did you get the ‘real-life subject material’ you provided to Ms. Vance for this screenplay?” I wanted to hear his explanation. I was giving him one last chance. Caleb’s mind seemed to go blank for a second. The next moment, his voice was flat. “Just an experience of an old friend.” I stunned for a few seconds, then let out a low, bitter laugh. Caleb, I’m always the soft-hearted one, but thank God, you are far more ruthless than me. I was such a fool. I already knew the answer, yet I still wanted to hear how he would lie to me. Caleb saw my eyes turning red, and a note of worry crept into his voice. “I…” Suddenly, Elara’s slightly shrill voice cut him off. “What a wonderful question! It seems you are a deep admirer of our film. Why don’t I share the story of Caleb and I’s creative journey?” She started talking, completely self-absorbed. “The story in the movie was so heavy, I was stuck for the longest time, unable to put pen to paper.” “Until I met Caleb.” She turned her gaze to him, the adoration in her eyes thick and unmistakable. “As a top psychologist, he analyzed the raw, inner world of those suffering from PTSD for me. We explored the complexities of human nature, the boundaries of crime and punishment.” “He stayed up with me through countless late nights. Honestly, without him, this movie wouldn’t have a soul.” When she finished, she looked at Caleb with deep affection. Caleb glanced at me, then immediately pulled away as if burned, not daring to meet my eyes. Yet, he still nodded stiffly, playing along with Elara. The audience erupted in applause, mixed with envious whispers. “Oh my god, they’re soulmates!” I quietly stared at that face and laughed at myself. Six years of knowing Caleb, four years of being in love. Now, I was just an “old friend.” The scars I had once revealed to him in total trust had been served up to Elara. He used my wounds to please another woman. Chapter 2 When the applause died down, I forced myself to calm down. “Exploring human nature, analyzing psychology. That sounds so profound.” “But Dr. Vance, as a professional psychologist, using your patient’s private life as material for someone else—” I paused, my voice turning to ice. “Is that, perhaps, a violation of your professional ethics?!” As the words fell, the faces of the audience members, who had just been gushing over the “romance,” shifted. That’s right. Leaking a patient’s privacy was an absolute taboo for a therapist! The reporters reacted instantly, turning their cameras and microphones toward Caleb on the stage. “Dr. Vance, is what this young lady saying true?” “Did you really leak a patient’s private sessions to Ms. Vance to use as screenplay material?” Caleb panicked, frantically waving his hands, his voice pitching up. “No! No, that’s not right! Everyone is misunderstanding. This isn’t a patient’s private life!” Elara immediately chimed in, putting on a victim act. “This movie is adapted from actual social events. How could it be a patient’s private life? This young lady must be confused about something.” “Oh? Adapted from actual events?” I smiled. “Then can Ms. Vance tell everyone how you learned about these ‘actual events’?” Years ago, due to a massive error by the investigators, the killer almost got away. Because of that, the case was completely buried and never reported. Aside from Caleb as the source, Elara couldn’t have known. Elara froze, falling silent. She couldn’t say she heard it from Caleb, because that would confirm he leaked the information. She could only glare at me with venom. The air solidified. Elara looked to Caleb with a pleading expression. He took a deep look at me, seemingly having made some kind of decision. “The person involved was an old friend of mine. She didn’t want to be mentioned again, so I didn’t want to say much.” “Since this young lady is so persistent, I will clear this up.” My heart dropped. By instinct, he still chose to protect Elara. I had lost completely. “My old friend was deeply aware of the mistakes her parents had made. For years, she carried a massive moral burden, which led to severe depression.” “She came to me to pour everything out and begged me to find a way to make this matter public, to serve as a warning to the world. It was her way of seeking atonement for the victims.” He paused, pitching his voice up a bit, carrying an air of righteous indignation. “So, this was not a leak.” “Elara and I were simply helping a tragic girl achieve her self-redemption.” I stared at Caleb, dumbfounded. A sharp pain shot through my heart. I was so hurt I could barely breathe. After my parents’ brutal murder, I got sick. Depression. Living was more painful than dying. I swallowed sleeping pills, slit my wrists, and looked down from rooftops countless times. Every time, I was pulled back. Until one time, after getting my stomach pumped, the doctor couldn’t take it anymore and brought in Caleb. He told me, “You are a survivor, not a sinner.” Some people in life are like gifts. With his companionship, I was slowly healed. And now, his face had become just as repulsive as the killer’s from that day. I held back my tears, my voice shaking. “Caleb Vance, you truly have no soul.” “So righteous, aren’t you? Casting yourself as the big hero.” I let out an abrupt laugh, asking him with a raspy voice: “But you twist the truth and reverse black and white. When you’re asleep at night, does your conscience really never trouble you?!” Chapter 3 The crowd grew noisy. “What does she mean by that? Is she saying the movie is maliciously whitewashing a criminal?” “The depiction of the criminal in the movie did make me feel uncomfortable.” “Yeah, and the victims were so stereotypical, it felt like victim-blaming…” Hearing the whispers, Elara’s face flashed with panic, her grip on Caleb’s arm tightening slightly. Seeing this, Caleb’s eyes darkened. “Rylee Croft! Do you have to cause a scene out here?” “What happened to your parents was years ago. Why can’t you just let it go? Why do you insist on not letting them rest in peace!” I snapped my head up to look at him. The look in his eyes was one of disappointment, anger, and even a slight tinge of blame. There was not a single trace of the tenderness and heartbreak he once had. I was stunned. All those years, I thought of him as my salvation. In his most缱绻 (tender) voice, he had told me over and over again: “Rylee, don’t be afraid. You have me.” “Rylee, look. The sun is out. Let’s go out and get some sun, and I’ll read you poetry.” I blankly raised my hand and touched my face. The bitterness I had held back for too long had now coalesced into tears, crawling all over my face. Caleb saw my tears. He froze for a few seconds, and a look of pain flashed across his face. He instinctively raised his hand, as if wanting to wipe away the tears as he had countless times in the past. But he realized we were too far apart. He was on the stage, the center of attention. I was down here, isolated and helpless. He awkwardly dropped his hand. Across the noisy crowd, his lips moved, and though I couldn’t hear him, I understood clearly: Rylee, don’t make a scene. Let’s go home and talk. Hah. After he and Elara had pinned my entire family to a pillar of shame. Was there any “home” left between us? I curled my lips in a mocking smile, walked up onto the stage step by step, and faced Caleb. “My parents have been slandered as criminals who deserved to die. You are the ones not letting them rest in peace!” “Caleb Vance, if it were you, could you let it go?” His mouth opened, his Adam’s apple moving with difficulty. His voice was raspy. “Rylee, I’m doing this for your own good. What happened to your parents needs more attention. A truth is needed eventually.” Absurd. A short, sharp laugh escaped my throat. “The truth?” “Is the truth beautifying the crime and the killer while attacking the victims?” “Or is the truth slandering my parents, making my father a sweatshop boss, my mother a homewrecking mistress, and me a vicious bully who abused her classmates?” My voice suddenly went high. “Caleb Vance, does it taste good? Living off the blood of the dead?” The atmosphere around us solidified. Caleb’s shaking voice rang out. “Rylee, that’s not what I meant. I just got anxious earlier.” His eyes turned red, as if he truly was repenting. But the next second, he said urgently, “But this movie is very important to Elara. Nothing can go wrong. Rylee, just step back this once, okay?” “After this, we’ll get married.” I slowly looked up at him, burning tears slipping from the corner of my eyes. But I was laughing so hard my whole body was shaking. “Step back? How do you expect me to step back! You know how painful the last six years have been for me. You know!” Caleb heard my laughter, and his tone became impatient. “Then what exactly do you want?” “Do you want to destroy my career, destroy Elara’s most important work, before you’re satisfied?” His eyes were full of disappointment. “When did you become so unreasonable?” I froze on the spot. Looking at that face that once gave me so much peace, I suddenly found it frighteningly alien. “In your heart, her slandering my entire life is called ‘work’?” “And I, the victim you’ve trampled under your feet and sucked dry, I become the sinner?” My interrogation made his face even uglier. He avoided my gaze, not daring to look into my eyes again. Seeing this, Elara frowned, her tone full of disdain. “Ms. Croft, why are you speaking so harshly? Caleb and I are giving this matter more discussion, recording it through film.” The venom in her eyes flashed by. “You are so hopelessly disruptive. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you are that daughter who bullied her classmate and caused them to jump off a building.” So, Elara knew everything. She just wanted me to admit my identity and humiliate me publicly. Chapter 4 I had always hated Elara Vance. And she hated me. In front of my face, she would tell Caleb pointedly, “Caleb, pity isn’t love. Don’t be fooled by a patient.” I was already insecure, and she made it so I could never find peace. I had to confirm with Caleb over and over again: “Do you only pity me?” “Caleb Vance, will you one day abandon me?” Caleb would pull me into his arms with helpless adoration. “You silly girl, what are you imagining? How could I ever bring myself to leave you.” Now, he was standing against me, protecting another woman. So, it wasn’t that he couldn’t bring himself to leave. It was just that the person he couldn’t leave was not me. I met Elara’s malicious gaze and smiled. “Yes, I am that person. The daughter in the movie.” Her grin froze. She hadn’t expected me to admit it so easily. Immediately, she smiled again, faking surprise. “Oh dear, so Ms. Croft really is that bully.” The venue exploded. “Ms. Croft, was your father really a cold-blooded capitalist? Was your mother really a mistress?” “Ms. Croft, was your family’s tragedy retribution for you bullying others?” The reporters were incredibly excited. But they weren’t trying to find the truth. They wanted a gimmick, a shocking headline. The crowd surged forward. I was pushed down to the ground with massive force, my head hitting the floor hard. Buzz! The world instantly went silent. As the room spun, twisted, magnified faces blurred before my eyes, merging with the face of the demon from deep in my memory. I was back in that blood-colored afternoon, pinned inside the closet by my parents. Through that narrow crack in the door, I saw— My father on the ground, his head a bloody mess. My mother pushed to the ground, her skirt violently torn open, the demon’s face turning depraved. When her eyes met mine, they instantly filled with resolve. She actively thrust the knife in the crazed robber’s hand into her own heart. Then, step by step, she dragged herself through the blood covering the floor, crawling to the closet. Using her body to block that crack in the door, blocking the demon’s searching gaze. Blood seeped in, inch by inch, warm, thick… “Ah!” I clutched my head and let out a scream, my body shaking uncontrollably. That suffocating feeling of being close to death returned. The crowd was terrified by my reaction. They stopped pushing forward and backed away with strange looks on their faces. I finally got some breathing room. “Rylee!” Caleb noticed something was wrong. His face changed dramatically, and he tried to rush over to help me. “Don’t touch me!” I violently took a step back to avoid him. His hand froze in mid-air, his face full of hurt and disbelief. I raised my head, staring at him with blood-red eyes. “Is it fun? Turning everything I told you into gossip to tell her?” Caleb’s face turned slightly red, looking as if he were embarrassed or angry. “Rylee Croft!” “Not everyone is like you, always twisting every ounce of goodwill into malice.” I dully dragged myself up and said to him, one word at a time: “Caleb Vance, is it that hard to treat people with the same sincerity you started with?” “How did the old me not realize you were actually this disgusting.” His eyes began to dodge mine. This reaction fell into the eyes of the crowd, looking meaningful. “Now it really does look like Ms. Croft is the one being bled dry.” “I knew this movie was wrong. That’s a murdering demon; why are they whitewashing him?” “Exactly. And putting him right in the middle of the promotional poster. Their intentions are way too obvious.” The whispers of doubt grew louder. Elara completely panicked. Her voice went sharp as she screamed, “Don’t believe her! She’s crazy!” “She’s a patient of Caleb’s. She has a delusional obsession with him, and now she’s fabricating all this to destroy us!” The crowd frowned, barely able to keep up with the reversals. Elara shook Caleb’s arm urgently. “Caleb, don’t play along with her. You’ve done more than enough. She’s trying to destroy us!” “Don’t you have her medical records for her delusions? Stop being soft-hearted! Tell everyone the truth, everything I said is true!” In an instant, everyone’s gaze concentrated on Caleb Vance. After a long silence, he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, all emotion had faded, leaving only indifference. He looked at me and said quietly: “Yes. She… is suffering from severe delusions. She is one of my patients.” “She has been obsessively harassing me…”

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When I resigned, a coworker set his sights on the Apple Pro Display XDR I had bought with my own money. I ignored him and packed it up to leave. The next day, that same coworker reported me for embezzling company property. My manager immediately called the police on behalf of the company: “Ethan, the company has nurtured you for years. How could you do something so illegal? Hand the monitor over right now, and we can handle this internally without putting a felony on your criminal record.” I calmly pulled a stack of documents from my briefcase and slid them across the table to the mediating police officer. “Here are the official Apple store purchase records, the digital receipts, and my personal credit card statements for the Pro Display XDR and the Pro Stand. The total comes to exactly $6,998.” Later, during the company’s multi-million dollar Series A funding press conference, I legally revoked the core algorithm patent I had previously allowed them to use for free. A project worth hundreds of millions of dollars completely collapsed because of it. 1 Friday at 3:00 PM. I pressed Enter, sending the final handover documentation to the department’s shared email. A “Sent Successfully” notification popped up on the screen. I took off my glasses and massaged the bridge of my nose, preparing to pack up the 32-inch Pro Display XDR sitting on my desk. Two years ago, I couldn’t stand the terrible color accuracy of the cheap monitors the company provided. It was ruining my design rendering work, so I spent $6,998 of my own money to buy this one. Now that I was leaving, I was naturally taking it with me. Click. I unplugged the Thunderbolt 4 cable from the back, and the screen instantly went dark. Suddenly, a thick-knuckled hand slammed down on the edge of my desk. “Packing up, Ethan?” Brad Miller leaned in, his eyes glued greedily to my monitor. “Yeah,” I replied flatly, not looking up. I continued to untangle the messy cables on my desk, tying them neatly with velcro straps. “Ethan, this monitor…” Brad swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “I didn’t see it on the handover inventory list. Didn’t Manager Davis say all equipment from departing employees has to go back to IT to be reallocated?” He deliberately emphasized the word reallocated. The entire open-plan office instantly went dead silent. The clatter of keyboards from the surrounding cubicles ceased. I could feel several pairs of eyes peering through the gaps between their computer screens, quietly watching the drama unfold. Brad’s desk was usually covered in cheap, plastic anime figures. He used the standard, heavily color-distorted, hundred-dollar monitor the company bought in bulk. He had been coveting my equipment for a long time. Over the past six months, he had made countless excuses to “sync up” or “align our deliverables,” just to hover by my desk and drool over this screen. “It’s not on the company’s asset list,” I said, picking up a microfiber cloth to meticulously wipe down the aluminum bezel. “Not on the list?” Brad’s voice jumped an octave, sounding like a rat whose tail had just been stepped on. “Come on, Ethan, don’t be like that. We’re all wage slaves here. You’re leaving, but if you leave the equipment, the rest of the team can still use it. Taking everything with you isn’t exactly a class act, is it?” He turned his head, throwing his hands up to address the rest of the office loudly: “Everyone, be the judge here! The company spent big money to get this top-tier equipment, and now that he’s quitting, he’s trying to swipe it. Isn’t that stealing from the company?” A few muffled snickers drifted over from the corner. I stopped what I was doing, turned around, and looked at him coldly. “Brad.” My voice wasn’t loud, but in the silent office, it was crystal clear. “First, on my very first day here, I bought this monitor with my own money because the company equipment was trash. Second, keep your eyes off my property.” Brad’s face stiffened, then flushed a bright, angry red. He stuck his neck out and argued back, “Just because you say you bought it means you bought it? Everyone knows this thing costs thousands of dollars! Like a regular employee would drop that kind of cash. Besides, you’ve had it plugged into the company’s wall, using the company’s electricity every single day. That makes it public property!” His bottom-feeder logic was truly breathtaking. I couldn’t be bothered to waste another breath on him. Reasoning with a fool is a waste of a life. From under my desk, I pulled out a custom aluminum flight case I had prepared in advance. I detached the heavy Pro Stand and nestled it securely into the foam groove. Then, I lifted the monitor panel. Before sliding it into the case, I ran my long fingers lightly over the bottom right corner of the back panel. Right there, completely hidden from plain sight, was a tiny holographic security sticker. Printed on it was an independent serial number that only I knew. Clack. I closed the case, the metal latches snapping shut with a crisp sound. Brad stared at the silver case, his eyes a toxic mix of greed and resentment. He pulled out his phone, his thumbs flying furiously across the screen. I didn’t even need to look to know he was in the department Slack channel, dramatically exaggerating my “crimes” of stealing company assets. I picked up the heavy case, grabbed my tailored briefcase, and walked straight toward the elevators. Behind me, Manager Davis’s signature, nasal cough echoed as he stepped out of his private office. “What’s going on? What’s all this noise?” Davis asked, holding his Yeti thermos. “Manager Davis! Ethan just took that seven-thousand-dollar monitor! That’s the most expensive piece of hardware our department owns!” Brad yelled, tattling like he had just caught a bank robber. The elevator doors slowly slid shut. Through the narrowing gap, I saw Manager Davis’s chubby face twist in outrage, and the malicious gleam shining in Brad’s eyes. 2 Saturday, 9:00 AM. Sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow on the Persian rug in my living room. Compared to the formaldehyde-scented, backstabbing cubicles of my former employer, the air here felt incredibly free. Buzz—Buzz— My phone vibrated aggressively. An unfamiliar local landline number flashed on the screen. I swiped to answer. “Hello, is this Ethan Hayes?” A stern male voice came through the receiver. In the background, I could hear the clatter of keyboards and chaotic chatter. “Speaking.” “This is the local police precinct. We received a report from your former employer claiming you are suspected of corporate embezzlement and the illegal misappropriation of high-value company assets. We need you to bring the item in question to the precinct immediately for an investigation.” The officer’s tone was strictly business, entirely devoid of emotion. I picked up my coffee and took a sip. The bitter liquid slid down my throat, making my mind instantly razor-sharp. They actually called the cops? I originally thought Brad’s greed and ignorance were just loud barking, and that Manager Davis’s corporate posturing was just a way to flex his authority in front of the team. But I had underestimated the sheer insanity of low-level opportunists. To claim something that wasn’t theirs, they were willing to easily cross legal boundaries. “Understood, Officer. I’ll be right there.” I walked into my walk-in closet and changed into a perfectly tailored, dark gray suit. Then, I opened my safe and pulled out a manila envelope. Inside was the complete set of purchase records for the monitor, the shipping invoices, and a printed copy of the “Declaration of Personal Work Equipment” email I had sent to HR on my first week. I grabbed the heavy aluminum flight case and headed down to the underground garage. “Attorney Sterling,” I said as the Bluetooth connected in my car. “Good morning, Ethan. What can I do for you?” Robert Sterling’s voice was as steady and professional as always. “I’m heading to the local precinct. My former employer just reported me for corporate embezzlement.” I watched the red light countdown at the intersection, my tone completely flat. There was a second of silence on the other end, followed by a light chuckle. “That has to be a joke. Do you need me to come down there?” “Not yet. Using a sledgehammer to crack a nut,” I said, tapping my fingers rhythmically against the steering wheel. “But I need you to draft two documents. First, a cease and desist and a defamation lawsuit against an individual named Brad Miller. The second…” I paused, my eyes turning ice-cold. “Draft a legal notice to revoke a patent license. Yes, the core image-rendering algorithm they are currently using for their flagship project. I licensed it to them for free back then to speed up the development timeline. Now that I’ve resigned, that authorization is officially revoked.” “Understood. I’ll have them in your inbox in thirty minutes.” I hung up. The light turned green. The Porsche Panamera let out a low, guttural roar, shooting forward like a waking black panther toward the police station. 3 Local Precinct. Mediation Room. The air smelled faintly of bleach and old paper. When I pushed the door open, Manager Davis and Brad were already sitting across the long table. Brad had deliberately worn a slightly cleaner polo shirt today. He was sitting up straight, but his shifty eyes betrayed his nervous excitement. The moment he saw me walk in carrying the silver flight case, his eyes lit up like a vulture spotting rotting meat. Manager Davis sat back in his chair, clutching his chipped thermos, looking like a man who had already won. Officer Chen, the mediator, pointed to the empty chair in front of me. “Have a seat. Mr. Hayes, your former company is accusing you of embezzling a professional monitor worth around seven thousand dollars. What do you have to say for yourself?” “Officer, why are you even asking him? The stolen property is right there in that box!” Brad jumped up eagerly, pointing at the case by my feet. “That’s the stolen goods! He secretly packed up equipment our company purchased. If that’s not theft, what is?” Manager Davis coughed and pressed a hand down in the air, signaling Brad to sit. He put on a look of deep, theatrical disappointment. “Ethan, your performance at work was always solid, and the company valued you. But you can’t let your emotions about resigning push you to do something this foolish. As long as you return the property to the company and apologize right now, I’ll personally beg the CEO to handle this internally. We won’t press criminal charges. After all, if this goes to trial, your life is ruined.” What a masterful display of manipulative blackmail. Looking at Manager Davis’s hypocritical face, I suddenly felt a bit nauseous. I ignored them completely. Instead, I placed the manila envelope on the table and unwound the string closure. “Officer Chen, I purchased this Apple Pro Display XDR entirely with my own funds two years ago when I first joined the company, because the hardware they provided could not meet my professional color-calibration needs.” “Bullshit!” Brad slammed his hand on the table, rattling Davis’s thermos. “Seven thousand dollars! Do you even know what your monthly salary is? You couldn’t afford that! That monitor was specifically approved through a special procurement process for that massive project last year! Manager Davis signed off on it himself!” Brad turned to Davis for backup. Davis nodded without blinking. “That’s right, Officer. This equipment is absolutely fixed corporate property. Because the project was an emergency, IT didn’t have time to put an asset tag on it, so it was placed directly on Ethan’s desk.” “Oh? Is that so?” I sneered. From the envelope, I pulled out a copy of an invoice bearing an official red stamp and slid it over to Officer Chen. “This is a printed copy of the official Apple digital receipt. Purchaser: Ethan Hayes. Date of purchase: April 15th, two years ago.” Next, I pulled out a bank statement. “This is the billing statement from my personal Chase credit card. The charge is exactly $6,998. Merchant: Apple Inc.” Officer Chen picked up the documents, carefully matching the names and dates. He frowned slightly. Brad’s face dropped. He shot up from his chair, leaning over the table trying to look at the papers. “Impossible! He forged those! You can use Photoshop to fake anything these days!” “Forging financial documents and bank statements is a federal crime, Brad. Do you know anything about the law?” I stared at him coldly. “If you think they’re fake, you can call the IRS and report me right now.” Brad shrank back under my icy glare, but he still wasn’t willing to give up. He turned to Davis in a panic. “Manager, you… you said the company bought this!” Fine beads of sweat began to form on Manager Davis’s forehead. He set his thermos down, his fingers nervously tapping the table as he scrambled for an excuse. “This… perhaps I misremembered. But Officer, even if he bought the machine, he used it at the office for two years! What about the desk space? The electricity? This is a blending of personal and corporate resources, the boundaries are completely blurred!” “The boundaries are blurred?” I pulled the final document from the envelope. “This is a printed copy of an email I sent to the HR department and Manager Davis on my third day of work. The subject line is: ‘Declaration of Personal Work Equipment for Office Use.’ The attachment clearly lists the model and serial number of this exact monitor. Furthermore, HR replied to this email stating: ‘Approved for record.’” I slammed the piece of paper heavily onto the table. The sharp smack echoed in the room. “Manager Davis, do you need me to log into my email and show it to you live in front of the officer?” The mediation room fell into a deathly silence. Brad collapsed into his chair like a deflated balloon, his face ashen. Manager Davis stared wide-eyed at the printed email, his lips trembling, unable to form a single word. Officer Chen closed the case file, his expression turning severe. “Manager Davis, Brad Miller. Do you realize what the consequences are for filing a false police report and wasting police resources?” Davis shot up, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. “A misunderstanding! Officer, this is an absolute misunderstanding! It was a failure in our internal communication, a mistake in our asset inventory. We are so sorry. We withdraw the complaint immediately.” “Withdraw the complaint?” A mocking smile crept onto my lips. “You think the law is a revolving door you can just walk in and out of whenever you please?” I stood up, looking down at them from across the table. “Officer Chen, I’m done presenting my evidence. Now, I want to file a report.” I pointed directly at Manager Davis and Brad. “First, citing an ‘incomplete handover process,’ my former employer has illegally confiscated three Montblanc fountain pens, an Hermes tie, and several private design drafts that were in my desk drawer. The total value exceeds $15,000. That is the illegal embezzlement of private property.” “Second, without verifying any facts, Brad Miller publicly fabricated lies in a 150-person company Slack channel, defaming me as a thief. This has caused severe, malicious damage to my personal reputation. I have already had the chat logs notarized.” I looked into Brad’s suddenly terrified eyes and enunciated every word clearly: “Brad, expect a letter from my lawyer. I’ll see you in court.” 4 Monday, 10:00 AM. Former Company HQ, Conference Room 1. Today was the critical day my former employer was supposed to sign a Series A funding agreement with Sequoia Capital, one of the top venture capital firms in the country. As long as the agreement was signed, the company’s valuation would double, and Manager Davis would finally be able to cash out his long-awaited stock options. At the front of the conference room, a massive LED screen was running the company’s pride and joy—an AI-based dynamic image rendering engine. The VC representatives sat in leather swivel chairs, nodding frequently, clearly impressed by the engine’s rendering speed and color accuracy. Manager Davis stood by the screen in a sharp suit, his face glowing red with excitement. He was rambling endlessly about the company’s “technological moats” and “future blueprints.” Brad, acting as one of the department’s “key players,” stood in the corner, tasked with clicking through the PowerPoint slides. Even though he had been terrified out of his mind at the police station over the weekend, today, in this setting, he had regained his arrogant, sycophantic swagger. “Investors, what you are seeing now is our company’s proprietary, in-house rendering algorithm. This algorithm leads the industry in…” Before Davis could finish his sentence, the giant LED screen behind him flickered violently. Instantly, the smoothly running, high-definition 3D model froze, and the image tore apart into thousands of pixelated, mosaic blocks. “What’s going on? Brad! Switch the screen!” The smile froze on Davis’s face as he hissed under his breath. Sweating profusely, Brad mashed the keyboard and furiously clicked the mouse. “M-Manager, I can’t switch it! The system is throwing an error!” The screen went completely black. A few seconds later, a cold, white line of code appeared in the center of the display: Error: License Expired or Revoked. Auth Key Invalid. The air in the conference room instantly solidified. The investors looked at each other, their previously admiring gazes turning into suspicion and scrutiny. “Tech department! Get the CTO in here right now!” Davis panicked completely, screaming at an assistant by the door. Three minutes later, the CTO ran into the conference room, sweating bullets, carrying a laptop. He took one look at the error code on the screen, and his face turned whiter than a sheet of paper. “Mr. Davis…” The CTO’s voice was shaking. Davis grabbed the CTO by his collar. “What the hell is going on? Did the servers crash? Reboot them, now!” The CTO swallowed hard and closed his eyes in despair. “It… it’s not a server issue.” “The license for the base algorithm has been revoked. Our core rendering module… the underlying architecture calls an API from Ethan Hayes’s personal patented code.” “What did you just say?!” Davis looked like he had been struck by lightning. He abruptly let go of the CTO’s collar. “Back then, to meet the project deadline, the company didn’t have time to develop the base logic from scratch. Ethan let us use an image processing patent he registered in college for free. The licensing agreement clearly stated that the authorization automatically terminates the moment he resigns. Unless…” “Unless what?!” “Unless the company buys it out, or he agrees to renew it. Five minutes ago, I received an official letter from Ethan’s lawyer. He has unilaterally revoked all patent authorizations and demanded we cease usage immediately, or he will sue us for intellectual property infringement.” Clatter! The laser pointer in Manager Davis’s hand dropped to the floor, shattering into pieces. The lead representative from Sequoia Capital stood up. He adjusted his suit jacket, his tone freezing cold. “Mr. Davis, it appears your ‘proprietary technology’ and ‘tech moats’ have severe legal flaws. Until these intellectual property issues are resolved, today’s signing ceremony is canceled.” Without another word, the investors turned and walked out of the conference room without a shred of hesitation. “It’s over… It’s all over…” Davis collapsed into his chair, his eyes glazed over. That was tens of millions of dollars in funding! All because of a monitor. Because of one stupid, petty scheme, the entire future of the company went up in smoke. He violently whipped his head around, glaring murderously at Brad, who was shivering in the corner. “This is all because of you, you absolute moron! Out of everything in the world, you just had to covet his damn monitor! Now look! You killed the entire company!” Davis charged forward like a rabid boar and slapped Brad across the face with all his might. Smack! The sharp sound of the slap echoed through the empty conference room. Brad clutched his face, too terrified to even breathe.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “396434”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My husband, Silas Thorne, was having an affair. To get back at him, I spent six months making the nightlife scene my permanent address, partying at clubs every single night. Silas couldn’t care less. He just kept throwing money at me to shut me up. The day I finally asked him for a divorce, I got another incoming wire transfer notification for two hundred thousand dollars. Then, a text: “Mrs. Thorne, the little thing is quite demanding tonight. I won’t be home.” I stared at the screen calmly, then made a U-turn and headed to the exclusive club where I knew he’d be. Stepping up to the private room, I heard one of his friends joking inside: “Silas, man, how many is this now? Aren’t you afraid of pushing Rylee too far? She might actually run off with one of those boytoys she’s been seeing at the clubs.” Silas fiddled with the cigar between his fingers, giving a careless, arrogant smirk. “Rylee loves money. As long as I compensate her well enough, she’ll never let go of the title of Mrs. Thorne.” The room erupted in laughter. As I pushed the door open and walked in, Silas immediately reached out to wrap an arm around me. “What, two hundred grand wasn’t enough? You had to chase me down here for more? Rylee, playing hard to get has its limits.” I dodged his touch and held out the manila envelope containing the divorce papers. “The girl outside is making a scene. You need to sign this right now so I can give her an answer.” … As soon as I spoke, the VIP room fell completely silent. Silas’s smirk vanished inch by inch. He leaned back into the plush leather sofa, staring at me coldly. “Rylee, I didn’t care how hard you played on the outside before. But this act today? It’s a bit over the line, don’t you think?” “Or did those club kids develop a bigger appetite, forcing you to come back to me for an upgrade?” A round of snickers went around the room among his friends, their eyes raking over me with crude curiosity. Everyone in this circle knew how wild I had gone over the past six months to retaliate against Silas’s infidelity. I wasn’t just hitting the most expensive clubs every night; I was spending money like water, surrounded by attractive men. Silas never lifted a finger to stop me. He just thought I was throwing a tantrum, using this method to fight for his attention. I calmly pushed the envelope forward on the low table. “I’m serious. Sign, Mr. Thorne.” Just then, a head popped out from behind Silas. It was a girl with a short bob haircut, a lollipop dangling from her mouth. She looked incredibly young, maybe barely twenty-one. “So this is the wife? She looks so uptight and refined. How’d she get such a explosive temper?” She spoke casually, leaning her entire body weight onto Silas like she had no bones. “Si, I told you you can’t spoil women, right?” “See? You spoil them, and they develop issues. Threatening divorce the second they don’t get their way.” Her name was Chloe Davis. She was the “little thing” Silas was currently infatuated with. She wasn’t the glamorous, seductive type I had expected, nor a weeping willows type. But Silas was clearly eating up her act. “Hear that?” Silas said, glancing at Chloe. “Even the kid knows you’re just being unreasonable. Come on, Rylee. Just say it. How much more do you want?” Chloe giggled, took the lollipop out of her mouth, and shoved it directly into Silas’s. “Have some candy, Si. Cool down.” “The wife is probably just on her period. Hormonal imbalance.” Silas frowned slightly at the shared candy, but he didn’t spit it out. Instead, he kept it in his mouth, looking at me with a half-smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Rylee, take your garbage papers and get out.” “I’ll pretend tonight never happened. Don’t make me say it twice.” Watching this scene play out, a wave of revulsion washed over me. “If you won’t sign, fine. I’ll file the papers and we’ll go to court.” With that, I turned on my heel to leave. Behind me, I heard the crash of a heavy crystal glass shattering against the floor. “Rylee Croft! If you push this too far, there’s no coming back. Think long and hard before you walk out that door.” I didn’t even pause. My hand was just settling on the brass door handle when I heard Chloe’s exaggerated, high-pitched gasp: “Oh my god, Si, don’t be mad! The wife is just way too stiff. Unlike me—I just want to make you happy.” “Tell you what, you should stop giving her money. Cut off her credit cards for two months, let’s see if she still dares to be so arrogant with you.” Silas gave a cold laugh. “You’re right. Some people do need a little discipline to learn their place.” I had barely walked out of the club when my phone started vibrating incessantly. Notifications from various credit card companies were popping up one after another, informing me that my accounts had been frozen. Yet, my heart remained surprisingly calm. Just as I stepped onto the sidewalk, a familiar Ferrari roared to a halt right in front of me. The passenger window rolled down. Chloe blew a bubble with her gum, then popped it, jerking her chin at me with a smirk. “Hey, Mrs. Thorne. No ride home? Want us to give you a lift?” “Though this car only has two seats. Guess you’ll have to crouch in the trunk, huh?” Her shrill laughter filled the quiet street. Silas gave me a cold, indifferent look from the driver’s seat. “Rylee, it’s not too late to admit you were wrong.” “Just apologize for ruining everyone’s night back there, and I’ll take you home.” 2 I tightened my trench coat around me. “No thanks. I don’t want to get dirty.” Chloe gasped dramatically, slapping the leather steering wheel. “Si, look at her! I was being nice, trying to offer her a ride, and she calls me dirty!” “I don’t care, I’m upset. Does your wife think it’s embarrassing that I’m friends with you?” Silas chuckled and ran a hand through Chloe’s short hair. “Rylee, I’ve really cleaned up my act since the last time you made a scene.” “I’m just taking care of the kid because she’s spunky and naive. She’s like a little sister. We haven’t slept together!” Right, they hadn’t slept together. But they had done everything but that in public. Five years ago, when I first caught Silas cheating, I had thrown a massive fit. I even forced the woman to get an abortion. He hadn’t gotten angry at me back then. He let me scream, let me hit him. He promised he would never sleep with another woman again. The very next month, I caught him getting intimate with his female secretary. That was when I became truly cold toward him. That was when I started my six-month bender, drowning my sorrows in clubs and other men. He thought I was just copying him, trying to get revenge, forcing him to come back to me. But this time, he was dead wrong. Seeing my silence, Silas turned to one of his bodyguards who had followed us out. “Since Mrs. Thorne thinks my car is dirty, she can walk back.” “Watch her. Make sure nobody gives her a ride.” With a roar of the engine, the Ferrari sped off. The bodyguards immediately flanked me, motioning away a few curious onlookers. I sighed, took off my high heels, and started walking home barefoot in the chilly night air. I walked for nearly three hours. By the time I reached our gated community, my feet were covered in blisters, each step causing a sharp, stinging pain. The sky was already turning gray with the coming dawn when I pushed open the front door. Chloe was lying sprawled out on the sofa in the living room, wearing my expensive silk robe, resting her head on Silas’s lap. “Look who it is! The wife’s back,” Chloe chirped. “Nice endurance. Are you training for a marathon?” Silas looked down at my feet, which were covered in dirt and dried blood. He looked stunned for a second. “Do you know your mistake now?” He gestured to the coffee table. “There’s a bowl of oatmeal there. The kid made it special for you.” “Eat it, and we’ll put this behind us.” I looked at the living room. The bowl of oatmeal on the table was a disgusting mess, mixed with cigar ash, spilled whiskey, and the half-eaten lollipop Chloe had been sucking on earlier. I ignored them both and headed straight for the stairs. Silas’s voice went instantly cold. “I said, eat it!” Chloe jumped up from the sofa, bare feet padding on the hardwood floor. “Hey, I made this with my own two hands! I don’t usually go in the kitchen, but I wanted to be nice.” She was giggling as she shoved the bowl toward my face. The sour, rancid smell hit my nose immediately. I jerked my head away to avoid it. Chloe’s hand twisted, and she dumped the entire bowl over my head and trench coat! “Oops! Oh my god, I’m such a clutz. My hands must be sore from taking care of Si earlier. He just wouldn’t let me go.” “Si, it’s your fault. You took so long earlier. Come blow on my poor hands!” Silas strode over, shoving me hard. I was already unsteady on my painful feet, and I went crashing into the foyer cabinet behind me. He didn’t even glance at me. Instead, he actually started gently blowing on Chloe’s hands with a tender expression. “Rylee Croft, the kid left food for you out of the goodness of her heart. If you don’t want to show gratitude, fine. But who are you trying to depress with that dead look on your face?” “Apologize. Right now.” 3 I looked at him calmly. “I’ll apologize, as soon as you sign the divorce papers.” Silas was pushed completely over the edge. “Rylee! Are you giving me face and refusing it?” “Who the hell do you think you are? You’re a damn nobody from the middle of nowhere. Without Silas Thorne, what the hell are you worth?” Chloe hid behind him, making a face at me, her mouth forming silent words: “Nah-nah-nah-nah-nah. Die mad about it.” I smiled, casually peeling off the filth-covered trench coat and dropping it directly into the trash can next to the foyer. “If you hate looking at me so much, sign the paper. You think I want to look at the two of you?” A resounding slap landed squarely on my face. One side went completely numb instantly. Silas withdrew his hand, pulled a crumpled, signed envelope out of his pocket—the one I had given him at the club—and threw it directly into my face. “You’ve been trying to control me for too long. Did you really think I had no temper left?” Chloe was bouncing up and down with excitement. “Whoa! Go Si! Hardcore! A true man’s man!” Ignoring the throbbing in my cheek, I bent down and picked the divorce envelope up off the floor. Since he had actually signed it, the slap was worth it. I dragged my painful, blistered feet out of that house and never looked back. I had no money on me, no ID, nothing but the phone in my hand. I debated calling him. He would probably lose control, come over here, and tear Silas Thorne to pieces. Before I could decide, Chloe’s malicious call came through. “Hey, Rylee. Si was so angry after you left. He actually threw that fluffy ragdoll cat of yours into the alligator pond.” “Oh my god, the sound… it was so bloody. I was terrified. I actually cried.” My hand started to shake violently, and the phone almost slipped from my grasp. “What did you say!” 4 That Ragdoll cat was named Marshmallow. It had been my mother’s absolute favorite. On her deathbed, she had entrusted it to me, saying that looking at it was like looking at her. For seven years, Marshmallow had been my constant companion through countless lonely nights. To me, it wasn’t just a pet; it was family. On the other end of the line came Chloe’s heartless giggle, and I could even hear faint, sharp animal shrieks in the background. Then, Silas’s cold voice came through: “Rylee Croft, Marshmallow is just the beginning. Tomorrow is Chloe’s birthday bash. If you don’t get your ass back here and beg for forgiveness…” “The next thing going into the alligator pond will be your grandmother, the vegetable in the nursing home.” My entire body was shaking. “Silas Thorne! The divorce is final! Why won’t you let me go!” But the line had already gone dead. I scrambled to the nursing home, heart hammering in my chest. When I burst into the room, it was empty. Medical equipment lay overturned on the floor, IV tubes were ripped out, and there were shocking smears of blood on the ground. A nurse was cowering in a corner, terrified. “Miss Croft, Mr. Thorne sent men here. They said they were transferring her to a different facility.” “We couldn’t stop them… they had guns…” Everything went black, and I almost fainted. She was my only remaining family, my life! By the time I rushed back to the estate, the sound of laughter and cheering filled the air. A group of rich, young socialites were gathered around something, cheering. Seeing me enter, Chloe clapped her hands with excitement. “Look, Si! I told you this trick would work, right? Didn’t she come rolling right back here to admit her mistake?” Grandma was tied into a wheelchair, which had been pushed right to the edge of the alligator pond in the backyard. The protective iron railing had been lowered. I was shaking from head to toe. “Silas Thorne, what do you want? Come at me! Leave them alone!” Silas lazily raised his eyelids, looking at me with total indifference. “Rylee, your attitude last night made me very unhappy.” “Want to save her? Then from right there, get down on your hands and knees. Crawl all the way to everyone’s feet, kowtow to the ground, and beg for forgiveness.” The group around us immediately erupted in jeers. “Silas, man, Rylee pushed you to sign the divorce papers. Did she really have someone else on the outside?” “She’s been sleeping around. Don’t let her bring some dirty disease back here. Forget her, Silas. Chloe’s great. Why not make her the new Mrs. Thorne?” But Silas stepped forward and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close. “A little woman throwing a tantrum, that’s all. Rylee, as long as you admit your mistake, we’ll go remarry first thing tomorrow morning.” “But if you don’t know what’s good for you…” The bodyguard standing by the alligator pond gave the wheelchair a violent kick. The wheelchair instantly rolled toward the water’s edge, half of one tire already hanging in the air over the snapping reptiles! “No!” I screamed, my voice raw. My legs gave out, and I dropped directly onto my knees on the pavement. Silas gave a satisfied smile. “Good girl. Everyone’s watching, Rylee. You’ve held my face under water for so long; I need to regain some pride.” “If you don’t like Chloe, after you admit your mistake, I’ll let you slash her face myself to make you feel better.” As he spoke, Silas planted his foot onto my back, pressing down, forcing me to bow my head to the ground. I wanted to vomit. I wanted to scream. I wanted to take a knife and murder every single one of these animals. But in the distance, the wheelchair wobbled again. All my rage instantly turned into absolute despair. “Fine. I’ll kowtow. I’ll admit my mistake.” The group cheered with excitement, some even pulling out their phones to film it. “Holy shit, Silas! You’re a beast! Masterclass in wife-taming! No woman is too tough for you!” “Rylee, hurry up and kowtow! Make sure we can film it clearly!” Just as I was about to touch my forehead to the dirt, there was a deafening crash as the front gates of the estate were rammed open. A booming voice filled the yard: “You Thorne piece of trash. You’ve got a lot of nerve.” “Touching my wife?”

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After our wedding, Arthur was recruited by Columbia University with a multi-million dollar tenure-track package. I gave up everything to move to New York with him. But three years passed, and I still hadn’t even received my temporary resident card. Meanwhile, the female assistant who had relocated to the US with us had already secured her Green Card through Arthur’s connections. Furious, I demanded to return home to Toronto. For the first time ever, the always-calm Professor Arthur Vance had red, teary eyes. He held my hand, begging me to stay. “I’m providing for you, so there’s no rush for these documents. Besides, immigration is a formal process. My status is highly scrutinized right now, and I have to avoid any conflicts of interest.” “As for Chloe, she left her hometown to follow me to New York for work. Helping her settle down first is what a good boss should do.” My heart softened, and I ultimately let go of my suitcase. That was until the day I went to the bank to handle some business. When I pulled out my marriage certificate for verification, the teller told me: “Ma’am, the federal system shows that you are not legally registered as Mr. Vance’s spouse. Please verify your documents.” I froze on the spot. From the very beginning, I was never his legal wife. So how could there ever be a spousal visa sponsorship or a job arrangement for me? Without a word, I packed up all my belongings and quietly booked the fastest flight back to Toronto. Some farewells don’t require saying goodbye. … When I returned to the apartment, I tried the fingerprint lock three times. Each time, it beeped: “Verification Failed.” That was when I finally snapped out of my shock. I double-checked the door. I hadn’t gone to the wrong apartment. It was just that the smart lock was no longer the one Arthur and I had installed together when we first moved to New York three years ago. I called Arthur. “What’s wrong?” He answered quickly. “Why was the door lock changed?” It was perfectly fine when I left the house this morning. The other end of the line was silent for two seconds. “Oh, this afternoon Chloe said the lock on her apartment broke. She said she was used to the model we have, and ordering a new one online would take too long. So I took ours off and installed it on her door for now.” “I bought a new lock for our place, but I haven’t had time to register your fingerprint yet.” “Just find a hotel for tonight. I’m working late, so I won’t be coming home.” Chloe’s lock broke? So he uninstalled our front door lock and gave it to her… And told me, the lady of the house, to go stay in a hotel? I thought I had misheard him. I instinctively wanted to argue. But when the words reached my lips, all that came out was a single, “Okay.” What else was there to say? It was supposed to be our home, yet it held the fingerprint of an outsider like Chloe Bennett. Didn’t he say that when she moved to New York, he even kept a spare bedroom for her in our apartment just in case? Wasn’t it only natural that she was “used to” our lock? I hung up the phone. I booked a room at a cheap motel down the street from our luxury complex. It was $150 a night. When I swiped my card, the balance was almost empty. When we first moved to New York, Arthur had given me an unlimited American Express card. Later, Chloe started handling a lot of his personal shopping. His suits, his watches, even the insulated coffee mug on his desk—they were all bought by her. Gradually, he handed the Amex over to her. Instead, Arthur would deposit a $2,000 allowance into my debit account every month. He said she was better at shopping than I was, that she had a better eye for fashion and coordination. She claimed she was simply fulfilling her duties as an executive assistant. I didn’t feel like I had the right to argue. That was until our third anniversary. Arthur and I were having a romantic candlelit dinner at home. Just as the mood was getting intimate, the doorbell rang. Arthur went to open it. Chloe stood outside, panting slightly as she handed him a box of ultra-thin condoms. “Professor Vance, it’s your special night! I specifically went out to buy these!” She glanced past him at me, smiling naturally. “You always say this brand feels the best. Aren’t I thoughtful? Don’t I deserve a reward?” Arthur took the box, muttering an awkward “Yeah.” She waved and left. The door closed. He walked back to the dining table holding the box and casually tossed it aside. I stared at the box. I didn’t say a word. I never knew which brand he preferred… Because we had been trying for a baby, so we rarely used protection. That candlelit dinner felt like pure torture. Finally, he said he had something to handle at the university, grabbed his coat, and left. The moment the door shut, I suddenly understood. I hadn’t realized an assistant’s duties could be that intimate. That night, I dreamt of my first day arriving in New York. I had walked out of JFK airport dragging two massive suitcases. Arthur was waiting for me right at the arrivals gate. Back then, he was still the man who would tear up with guilt because I had given up everything to run to him. He was the man who would carry my luggage and let me lean on his shoulder when I was exhausted. But then Chloe arrived. Arthur said she had left her entire life behind to follow him, so he had to help her out. So he helped her get her Green Card. He helped her secure a cushy job at the university. I just never expected that, in the end, he would even help her take the lock off my front door… Early the next morning, I went to book my ticket back to Toronto. As I stood at the crosswalk waiting for the light to change, my phone rang. It was a friend back in Canada. “Eleanor, about that background check you asked me to run…” She paused, her voice hesitant. “I pulled some strings, but I could only see the basic registration info. The privacy laws down there are strict, so I can’t get the full file.” “It’s fine,” I said. “Just tell me what you found.” The other end of the line was dead silent for two seconds. “Arthur’s legally registered wife in the US… her last name is Bennett.” I gripped my phone, speechless. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine,” I whispered. “Thank you.” I hung up. The light turned green. The crowd surged past me, and a new wave of people stopped beside me. I stood frozen in place, staring at the glass facade of the building across the street. The sunlight stung my eyes, making them water. Bennett. Chloe Bennett. It turned out his real family had been by his side this entire time. Standing on the bustling New York street, I suddenly let out a laugh. For the past three years, I had exhausted myself trying to prove my worth, desperate not to be just a housewife, that I had ignored so many glaring details. Like how every weekend, he claimed he had “university business” and would disappear for the entire day. When I asked what it was, he would always brush me off: “You wouldn’t understand even if I told you.” Or the time he forgot his documents, and I brought them to his faculty apartment, only to see two toothbrushes on the bathroom sink—one blue, one pink. But I had never dared to think too deeply about it. … Pulling my thoughts back, I continued walking. I crossed two streets, turned three corners, and arrived at the airline ticketing office. As I stood in line, I remembered how long the customs line was when I first landed in New York three years ago. Because I was about to see the man I loved, I was acting like a lovesick fool. I didn’t feel tired at all. When Arthur picked me up, he spun me around in his arms. Until a young woman waved at him from nearby: “Professor Vance! What a coincidence, Eleanor and I were on the same flight!” It was Chloe Bennett. Arthur smiled, taking her suitcase, and explained to me: “I forgot to mention, Chloe is coming over to continue being my assistant. It’s tough for a young girl to move to a new country all by herself.” Chloe smiled sweetly. “Eleanor, I look forward to your guidance.” My smile stiffened slightly, but I nodded politely. On the ride to the apartment, I quietly watched them chat. When she spoke, Arthur would turn his head and listen intently. When she pointed at the skyline, he would follow the direction of her finger. That unwavering focus, which used to belong solely to me, was quietly being shared with her. I felt a sting of jealousy. But I was also happy for him. Good assistants were hard to find, and having someone he trusted by his side would make his transition at Columbia much smoother. During my first few months in New York, I tried to find a job. But because my major was incredibly niche, I couldn’t find anything in my field. Hundreds of resumes either vanished into the void or were met with automated rejections. Growing up, I was an honors student. My path had always been smooth. I had never tasted the bitterness of rejection. During that time, I tossed and turned every night, wondering if I just wasn’t good enough. Eventually, out of desperation, I asked Arthur for help. After dinner one night, I sat down next to him. I stuttered, “Um… could you maybe… ask around at Columbia for me?” “Since you have that spousal sponsorship quota… I was hoping, maybe they could arrange a position for me…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. I had never asked anyone to pull strings for me in my entire life. Even though employment assistance was a standard perk in his multi-million dollar recruitment package for spouses, my face burned with shame when I asked. It felt like I was doing something dirty. “Yeah,” he kept his head down, flipping through a research paper. “If you want to work, I’ll ask around when I have time.” I felt a wave of relief. But I waited for three months. When I asked him again, he said he was too busy and told me to wait a little longer. Yet, from what I knew, Chloe had been officially hired by Columbia ages ago. An administrative role, weekends off, excellent benefits. Arthur explained it was just standard recruitment. And I believed him. Looking back now, her degree and experience were nowhere near mine. She wasn’t fluent in foreign languages, and she even stumbled over basic local professional jargon. Why was it that I, who had submitted the exact same resume to the university, didn’t even get a single interview? The answer had been right in front of me all along. I just didn’t want to see it… The line moved forward a step. It was my turn. I handed my passport to the agent. The staff member typed on her keyboard, her brow furrowing. “Ma’am, the system won’t let me issue your ticket.” “Why not?” She turned her monitor slightly toward me. “The federal system shows you have overstayed your visa.” I froze. “Overstayed?” “Did your recent extension application get denied?” She glanced at me. “There is no valid legal status for you in the system.” I stood at the counter, completely silent. Three years. I had lived in New York for three years, and I didn’t even have valid legal status? “Then what do I do now?” “You need to go to USCIS to process the paperwork, pay the penalty fine, and obtain a departure clearance waiver before you can buy a ticket.” She slid my passport back to me. “Next in line, please.” I stepped aside, making room. The person behind me pushed forward, quickly filling the space. I stood there, staring at my Canadian passport. It turned out I wasn’t even legally allowed to be here. Then what were these past three years? Outside the ticketing office, I called the immigration consultant we used. “Mrs. Davis, I wanted to ask, for a case like mine, why has my visa extension never been approved? Now they’re telling me I have to pay a massive penalty.” Mrs. Davis’s voice was as cheerful as ever: “Mrs. Vance! Well, about your situation… logically, it shouldn’t be an issue. Your husband is a tenured professor at Columbia. Spousal dependent visas are usually rubber-stamped. Did your husband file the sponsorship paperwork?” “He did.” “Then that doesn’t make sense…” She paused. “Give me a moment, let me check the system.” The other end of the line went quiet. When she spoke again, her voice was much lower: “Mrs. Vance, forgive me for overstepping, but when your husband sponsored you… did he apply through the spousal family-reunification channel?” I gripped my phone, silent. “The system shows…” she weighed her words carefully, “that the individual approved under your husband’s spousal quota is a Ms. Bennett.” “He did sponsor you, but not as his wife. He used a different, secondary channel.” “However, that specific secondary channel was suspended over a year ago by the government. That’s why your status was never approved.” I took a breath. “I understand. Thank you, Mrs. Davis.” I hung up. Standing on the sidewalk, a lot of details started flooding back. When we first arrived in New York three years ago, Arthur said he was going to handle my paperwork and took all my identification documents. Later, he told me it was all sorted out, so I never asked again. It turned out that the move I thought was for love had just turned me into an undocumented immigrant… I stood on the street corner for a long time. I went to every federal office I could. Finally, I discovered there was only one way to resolve this. My former sponsor—Arthur—had to sign a sworn declaration. He had to state that he failed to inform me of the sponsorship channel change, proving that my visa overstay was not intentional. Only then could I pay the fine, apply for a short-term exit waiver, and legally leave the country. It was simple. It just required one signature from him. But how could I ask? Say, “Since you gave your spousal quota to someone else, can you sign this so I can leave?” If I did that, wouldn’t we have to settle the score for the past three years as well?

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The night before my wedding, I walked into my fiancé’s apartment and found him entangled with the younger sister of his so-called “savior.” The woman was wrapped in the red silk quilt I had bought for our honeymoon, the flush of passion still clinging to the corners of her eyes. I slammed my ultrasound sonogram onto his chest, my voice shaking. “Do you still want this baby or not?” He sat on the edge of the bed and chain-smoked half the night away. As dawn broke, he crushed his cigarette into the ashtray and looked up at me. “She is just an obligation. You are the one I love.” For the sake of that single sentence, and the child growing inside me, I put on my wedding dress the next morning. I decided to give him one last chance. What I got instead was his best man rushing into my bridal suite. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Miller. Mr. Vance said the wedding is canceled. Chloe went into cardiac arrest and is currently being resuscitated.” My bridal bouquet slipped from my hands, shattering against the floor along with my dignity. I chased after him, only to see the taillights of his car disappearing down the avenue. I screamed into the phone, teetering on the edge of a total breakdown. “Liam Vance! If you dare go to her today, I will walk into a clinic tomorrow and make sure your bloodline ends with you!” He was silent for a second. Then, he hung up. … Only the dial tone remained in my ear. I stood on the steps of the hotel, still wearing my custom Vera Wang gown. The guests milling around the entrance were pointing and whispering. Inside, the officiant stood awkwardly on the stage, holding the microphone, entirely out of his depth. Liam’s mother, Eleanor, hurried over and grabbed my hand tightly. “Rylee, come inside. Let’s not make a scene in front of everyone.” I looked at her, my voice eerily calm. “Mrs. Vance, there is no wedding.” “Nonsense!” She hissed, keeping her voice low. “Liam is just confused in the heat of the moment. Chloe is in a critical condition; he can’t just abandon her.” “So he can abandon me, but not her?” “You are the woman he is going to marry. You need to be the bigger person.” I laughed. A short, sharp, bitter sound. I pulled my hand out of her grip. “I am no longer interested in being Mrs. Vance.” I turned, lifted the heavy tulle skirt of my dress, and walked back toward the bridal suite. Eleanor called out behind me, “Rylee Miller! If you walk out those doors today, don’t ever expect to be welcomed back into the Vance family!” I didn’t look back. In the dressing room, I stripped off the gown and changed back into my jeans and a sweater. The makeup artist hovered nervously, reaching for my hairpins. “Ms. Miller, your makeup…” “Leave it.” I grabbed my purse and walked out. Outside the hotel, the sky was a heavy, overcast gray. I flagged down a yellow cab. “Mount Sinai Hospital, please.” My phone vibrated relentlessly in my purse. I pulled it out. It was Liam’s executive assistant, Mark. I let it ring. I knew exactly what he was going to say. Mr. Vance is handling an emergency. Mr. Vance didn’t mean to leave. Mr. Vance will explain everything later. Over the past ten years, I had learned their script by heart. Chloe Davis was Liam’s “obligation.” Because Chloe’s older brother, Tyler, had died five years ago, supposedly saving Liam’s life. That weight of obligation had crushed Liam for five years. For a long time, I actually agreed with him. I thought taking care of Chloe was the right thing to do. It wasn’t until today that I finally understood: some obligations had long since crossed the line into something else entirely. The cab pulled up to the emergency room entrance. I paid the fare and walked through the sliding glass doors. Outside the resuscitation room, Liam was sitting on a plastic waiting bench. His head was bowed, elbows resting on his knees, hands buried deep in his hair. His tailored tuxedo jacket lay crumpled on the seat beside him. I walked over. Hearing my footsteps, he looked up. When he saw me, he immediately stood up. His eyes were entirely bloodshot. “Rylee, why are you here? I am so sorry about today…” “How is she?” I cut him off, staring blankly at the closed doors of the ER. “The doctors said it was acute heart failure. They’re still working on her. It doesn’t look good.” I nodded. “Understood.” I turned on my heel, ready to leave. Liam grabbed my arm. “Rylee, please don’t be like this. Tyler died because of me. I can’t just leave Chloe to die; she has no family left in this world.” I violently shook off his hand. “Liam, I haven’t done anything. I just think it’s fascinating that our wedding, our future, isn’t as important as a ‘little sister’ you’ve known for five years.” “That’s not true! Rylee, you are the most important person in my life! But she’s dying!” “The doctor didn’t say she was dying,” I replied, my voice dead flat. Liam’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Just then, the ER doors swung open. An attending physician stepped out, pulling off his surgical mask. “Family of Chloe Davis?” Liam instantly rushed forward. “I’m here.” “The patient’s extreme emotional distress caused severe tachycardia. We’ve stabilized her rhythm. She’s no longer in critical danger. We’ll transfer her to a regular room for observation for a couple of days.” Liam let out a massive sigh of relief, his shoulders slumping. He turned to look at me, a hint of reproach in his eyes. “See? Look how fragile she is. Can’t you show just a little empathy?” I remained silent. A hospital bed was wheeled out. Chloe lay on it, her face pale, eyes closed. As she passed by me, her eyelashes fluttered, and her eyes opened just a sliver. When she saw me, tears instantly welled up and spilled over her cheeks. Liam immediately hurried to her side, taking her hand in both of his. “Chloe, don’t be scared. I’m right here.” I turned around and walked out of the hospital. The cold autumn wind hit my face. Only then did I realize my own heart was beating frantically against my ribs. 2 Liam didn’t come home the next day. Our newly purchased, newly furnished townhouse was dead silent. I called a real estate broker and listed the property. “Yes. Priced for a quick sale.” Liam finally returned that afternoon. His eyes were sunken with exhaustion. “Rylee, I want to apologize on Chloe’s behalf. She didn’t mean to cause a scene yesterday.” “She can’t apologize for herself?” Liam frowned, taken aback. “She’s still very weak.” “Liam, let’s stop talking about her and talk about us. What about the wedding? How are you explaining this to all our family and friends?” He fell silent for a long moment. “Let’s wait for things to cool down. In a few months, when the gossip dies, we’ll host another reception.” “Another reception?” I stared at him. “Do you honestly think this is something you can just ‘do over’?” “Then what do you expect me to do? It happened, Rylee. I know you feel wronged, but Chloe literally just stepped back from death’s door. Can we just be a little more understanding? Please?” There was that word again. Understanding. I stood up, walked into the master bedroom, pulled out a suitcase, and began packing my clothes. Liam followed me in, his brow furrowing deeply. “What are you doing?” “I’m selling this house.” His face darkened instantly. “Rylee, haven’t you thrown enough of a tantrum?” “I’m not throwing a tantrum.” I meticulously folded a sweater and placed it in the suitcase. “I just don’t want to live here anymore.” He marched over and grabbed my wrist. “You are not selling it! This is our home!” “From the second you abandoned it for another woman, it stopped being a home.” The anger in his eyes finally ignited. “You are being completely unreasonable!” His cell phone rang sharply, cutting through the tension. He answered it, his tone softening instantly. “What’s wrong? Another nightmare? Don’t be scared, I’m coming right now.” He hung up, released my wrist, and looked at me with thinly veiled impatience. “Rylee, stop this. Chloe is emotionally unstable right now, and I need to go check on her. We’ll talk about this when I get back.” He assumed I would compromise, just like I always had. I looked at him, my voice freezing cold. “If you walk out that door today, don’t bother coming back.” His footsteps halted. He looked back at me, his gaze equally icy. “Rylee, my patience has limits.” And then, he walked out. I listened to the heavy thud of the front door closing. I placed my last blouse into the suitcase and zipped it shut. 3 I moved back into my design studio. It was a tiny loft in Brooklyn—workspace downstairs, living quarters upstairs. Liam didn’t contact me. I didn’t contact him. A week later, Eleanor asked to meet me. In an upscale café on the Upper East Side, she slid a cashier’s check across the marble table toward me. “This is two million dollars. Leave Liam.” I stared at the string of zeros. “Mrs. Vance, between him and me, it’s never been about money.” “I know.” she picked up her espresso cup, her movements practiced and elegant. “You two have ten years of history. But Rylee, you need to understand something. The Vance family needs a wife who understands the big picture, a woman who can share Liam’s burdens. Not a woman who creates unnecessary trouble.” “And Chloe Davis understands the big picture?” “Chloe is pure and kindhearted. Her brother gave his life for Liam. It’s only right that Liam protects her. As his fiancée, you should have supported him, not fought him at every turn.” I understood now. In their eyes, every single grievance I swallowed was just me “creating trouble.” I slid the check back across the table. “Keep your money. As for Liam… you can keep him too.” I stood up. “I wish him and Chloe a lifetime of happiness.” I walked out of the café and blocked the phone numbers of every single member of the Vance family. The world finally went quiet. I threw myself entirely into preparing for the upcoming Milan International Jewelry Design Competition, only three months away. Winning that was my ultimate dream as a designer. The days were exhausting, but peaceful. Until an uninvited guest showed up at my studio. Chloe. She was wearing a simple white sundress, no makeup, looking the picture of fragile innocence. “Rylee, I came to apologize.” She sat in the chair across from my drafting table, her eyes rimmed with red. “What happened on your wedding day was my fault. I shouldn’t have…” “Get to the point,” I said, not looking up from my sketchpad. She choked on her words for a second. “Liam has been in a terrible mood these past few days. He’s been drinking heavily. I know it’s all because of me.” She pulled a sleek black credit card from her designer handbag. “Rylee, this is the supplementary card Liam gave me. I haven’t spent a single cent of it. I’m giving it back to you now. Please, just stop being mad at him, okay?” I put down my pencil and looked at her. “Chloe, do you think this is a fun game?” Her expression stiffened. “I… I don’t know what you mean…” “Every single time you get ‘sick’, every time you have an ’emergency’, it coincidentally lands on a major milestone for him and me. Chloe, you calculate these things down to the minute, don’t you?” The color drained from her face. “I haven’t…” “Take your card and get the hell out of my studio.” She bit her lip, and the tears began to fall perfectly on cue. “Rylee, I know you hate me. But… if the person who died five years ago was Liam instead of my brother, how would you feel?” I stared at her, saying nothing. She stood up, leaving the card on my desk. “Believe me or not, I never wanted to ruin your relationship.” “I was just… so lonely.” With that, she turned and left. I picked up the black card and dropped it directly into the trash bin. That night, Liam showed up. He reeked of alcohol. He practically kicked the door of my studio open. “Rylee Miller! What did you do to Chloe?!” He stormed over and grabbed me by the shoulders, his fingers digging in hard. “She went home and slit her wrists! If the housekeeper hadn’t found her in time, she’d be dead! Are you happy now?” My heart plummeted. This trick again. “I didn’t do anything.” “Stop lying!” he roared, his eyes bloodshot. “She is so kind she brought all her savings to give back to you! Why did you have to push her over the edge?!” His grip was painfully tight. “Liam, do you believe her, or do you believe me?” He froze. I stared straight into his eyes. I saw a chaotic storm of conflicting emotions churning inside them. Finally, he shoved me away. “I’m taking you to the hospital to apologize to her!” “I’m not going.” “You don’t have a choice!” He grabbed my arm and started dragging me forcefully toward the door. I struggled, fighting him with everything I had. “Liam, you’re insane!” “You’re the insane one!” he yelled back, his eyes feral. “You didn’t use to be like this! When did you become so vicious, so completely unreasonable?!” He was right. I didn’t use to be like this. The old me would have believed every word he said, would have empathized with every difficulty he faced. I would have taken his burdens as my own. When did I change? Probably somewhere between the first time he abandoned me for another woman, and the hundredth. He dragged me all the way down the stairs. His SUV was parked right outside. He yanked the passenger door open and tried to shove me inside. Using every ounce of strength I had left, I broke free from his grip. “Liam.” I looked at him, my voice shockingly calm. “We’re done.” He froze, as if he couldn’t process what I had just said. “What did you say?” “I said, we’re breaking up. From this moment on, you and your precious Chloe have absolutely nothing to do with me.” His face turned a sickly shade of gray. “Rylee, don’t you dare regret this!” “My biggest regret is pulling you out of the gutter ten years ago, and spending the next ten years letting you push me back into it.” I turned around, walked upstairs, slammed the door, and deadbolted it. I leaned against the heavy wood, listening to him pound on it from the other side. Again and again. Then, the roar of a V8 engine starting up. He left. I slid down the door until I was sitting on the floor, pulling my knees to my chest. A sharp, piercing pain ripped through my lower abdomen. I looked down. Blood was seeping through my jeans, pooling on the floorboards. I went to the ER alone. The attending doctor looked at my ultrasound results, his brow furrowed. “You’re seven weeks pregnant. You’re showing signs of a threatened miscarriage. Your emotional stress levels are dangerously high.” “My baby… can you save it?” “We need to admit you for observation immediately. But to proceed with interventions to save the pregnancy, we need a family member’s signature. Where is your husband?” I fell silent. “He’s… out of town on business.” “Then call another relative.” I had no other relatives. My parents died when I was very young. I was raised by my grandfather. He passed away five years ago. In this entire world, I thought I at least had Liam. Now, I had no one. I sat on the hard plastic chair in the hospital corridor for a very long time. My phone screen lit up. It was a photo sent by Mark, Liam’s assistant. In the photo, Liam was sitting by Chloe’s hospital bed, carefully peeling an apple for her. Chloe was lying against the pillows, her wrist heavily bandaged in white gauze, looking at his profile with a sickeningly sweet smile. Below the photo was a text message: [Ms. Miller, Mr. Vance said to tell you he will come see you once Ms. Davis’s condition is stable.] I stared at that photo for a long, quiet eternity. Then I stood up and walked back into the doctor’s office. “Doctor.” “Have you made a decision?” I nodded. “I don’t want to keep the baby.” The doctor looked at me, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. “Go to the front desk and process the paperwork.” I took the surgical consent form to the nurses’ station. The line for ‘Family Member Signature’ was blank. I signed my own name on the ‘Patient Signature’ line, and then I lay down on the cold operating table. The anesthesia pushed into my veins. In the final second before consciousness faded, I had one last thought. Liam Vance, our debts are settled.

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Yesterday, I broke up with Julian. Today, we ran into each other at the “wedding of the century” he was throwing for his childhood sweetheart. Taking in my flawless, head-to-toe styling, Julian’s voice was low and icy: “Are you here to congratulate me, or to crash the party?” “Harper, Chloe and I didn’t save a seat for you at our wedding reception.” I casually tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, flashing the diamond ring on my left hand: “Oh, there’s a seat for me. Right next to my husband.” He let out a harsh scoff, his gaze sweeping over the room full of elite guests: “Do you even know the net worth of the people here today? You’re not even fit to shine their shoes, and you dare talk this kind of nonsense?” I didn’t talk back. I just smiled and placed my red envelope of wedding cash on the reception table. It didn’t matter. In a few minutes, my husband would come out and personally escort me to the head table. When the time comes, we’ll see exactly who is shining whose shoes. 1 The red envelope was thick. Julian’s face darkened the moment he saw it. Before he could speak, Chloe stepped out from behind him. Seeing me, she covered her mouth in feigned surprise: “Harper! What are you doing here?” Her voice was overly sweet as she linked her arm through Julian’s: “It’s such a shame. Julian said he absolutely wasn’t inviting his ex, so he didn’t save you a seat.” “But that envelope is terrifyingly thick. If people didn’t know it was wedding cash, they’d think you brought a stack of your own resumes to hand out.” A chorus of mocking laughter erupted from the people standing nearby. I remained completely unfazed, responding calmly: “Since we’re all family, it’s only right to give a generous gift.” Hearing the word “family,” Chloe seemed to misunderstand. Her perfectly curled eyelashes fluttered nervously. Julian finally looked up from the envelope, his tone dropping to freezing: “Where did you get that kind of money?” “I earned it,” I replied evenly. Those three words made Julian’s face look even worse. He knew very well that two months ago, just to avenge some petty grievance for Chloe, he used his industry connections to fabricate evidence claiming my patented designs were stolen. My company furiously sued me for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Not only did I lose my job, but I was blacklisted from the entire tech industry. My university stripped me of my honors, and Julian gave orders to blackball me from even getting minimum-wage gigs. Right now, I supposedly couldn’t earn a single dime through legitimate channels. Catching onto his mood, Chloe’s eyes lit up: “Then we definitely can’t accept this! Your situation is so difficult right now…” “Julian, let’s just find her a seat. Harper came all this way to hunt for a new sugar daddy. I don’t have the heart to let her leave empty-handed.” Julian narrowed his eyes: “No wonder you’re dressed like that. So you’re here fishing for a new meal ticket.” “Are you really that desperate? You couldn’t even skip your ex-boyfriend’s wedding?” Hunting for a sugar daddy? If my husband heard that, he’d probably flip this entire hotel upside down. Thinking of this, I glanced toward the inner doors of the ballroom, but I didn’t see him yet. To Julian, however, my glance was solid proof: “Harper, give it a rest. To even get an invite to my wedding, you have to be the CEO of a publicly traded company. Anyone with a shred of dignity wouldn’t look twice at you.” My phone buzzed. Ignoring his insults, I opened the message. “Are you there yet? Are you tired? I got held up, I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” “If you don’t want to wait, go inside first. Your seat is at the head table.” It was followed by a cute sticker of a serious-looking cat getting headpats. I couldn’t help but smile. I typed a quick reply, and when I looked up, I met Julian’s livid glare. “Don’t trouble yourselves. My husband has already arranged my seat.” With that, I turned to walk into the ballroom. I hadn’t taken two steps before Chloe suddenly gasped: “Ah! Why are you wearing that…” Julian immediately lunged forward, his large hand aggressively swiping at my shoulder. A sharp pain tore across my skin. I winced and turned around, shocked to see that he was holding the official bridal corsage! But I definitely wasn’t wearing that when I walked in! Julian threw the corsage onto the floor, grinding his teeth in absolute fury: “And you said you weren’t here to crash the party!” “You just have to humiliate Chloe and me, don’t you?! You just can’t stand seeing us happy!” My shoulder throbbed intensely; it felt like it was bleeding. I was about to explain that I didn’t put it there, but Chloe cut me off with theatrical sobs: “Harper, I know you’re obsessed with Julian, but today is the wedding we’ve dreamed of since we were kids. How could you…” “I never should have come back to the States! I should have just died in that plane crash!” Right on cue, Julian pulled her into his arms, comforting her softly: “Don’t cry. You still have to change into your ceremony dress soon. What if you ruin your makeup?” “I’ll kick her out right now. Don’t worry, my bride will only ever be you. Didn’t we swear during the plane crash that we would never be separated again?” Then, he glared at me viciously: “Get the hell out of here!” “Let me spell it out for you, Harper: We are broken up, and I have only ever loved Chloe! You will never, ever be my bride!” This exact melodrama had played out countless times over the last six months. In the past, I would have become hysterical. I would have smashed everything in sight, crying and screaming at him. I never did any of those things! Why do you torture me just because of a few words from her? I didn’t book that doomed flight! I didn’t send those texts cursing her to die! Why did you destroy my entire life without even listening to my explanation? But now, all that resentment was completely gone. I didn’t want to ask, and I didn’t want to fight. My heart only had room for my husband. I hadn’t seen him in two days, and I missed him terribly. Enduring the pain in my shoulder, I shook my head: “I was invited to attend this wedding. Why should I leave?” Julian was enraged. He raised a hand to signal security: “Still lying! Your name is absolutely not on my guest list!” “Harper, the biggest regret of my life is meeting you. I never want to see your face again!” 2 Once you break up, words don’t cost a thing. Gone were the days when he sobbed, thanking me for dragging him out of a burning car wreck. Gone were the days when he had a 104-degree fever and begged me never to leave him. We dated for three years. I poured my entire heart into it, genuinely believing we would make it to the end. Then, halfway through, his childhood sweetheart swooped back in, and everything went back to zero. His savior became the villain hurting his true love. He said he never wanted to see me again. But he was wrong. Whether we saw each other again wasn’t up to him. As the security guards rushed over, I quickly looked down and texted my husband. Chloe suddenly sniffled: “Forget it, Julian. While I was away these past three years, Harper did keep you company…” “Isn’t Mr. Sterling from the recycling conglomerate looking for a new wife? Why don’t we introduce Harper to him? We’d be doing a good deed…” Julian gently wiped away her tears, sighing affectionately: “Even now, you’re still trying to help her. It’s because you’re too soft-hearted that she keeps walking all over you.” While the bride and groom were putting on their sickening display of affection, someone behind them laughed out loud: “Mr. Sterling? You mean the old geezer who started out collecting scrap metal, then made a fortune importing foreign trash until his garbage dump went public?” “I heard he’s married four women to help him sort trash. He refuses to give them an allowance, and if they don’t pop out a son, he divorces them and leaves them with nothing… But Harper is young and pretty. She could probably last a few years.” It was Julian’s frat-boy buddies. When we were dating, they never missed a chance to mock me to my face. “Some small-town nobody thinks she can snag the Pierce family heir just because she saved his life? Keep dreaming.” “Chloe has always been Julian’s true love. If she hadn’t gone abroad for grad school three years ago, you wouldn’t even be in the picture.” In the past, hearing those insults, Julian would coldly demand they apologize to me, then reassure me that Chloe was just history. But today, he just gave me a complicated look and said absolutely nothing. Not that I needed his protection anymore. “I’m already married, so you don’t need to trouble yourselves.” Seeing me twirl the diamond ring on my left hand, Julian inexplicably ground his teeth. “You really went all out. Even bought a fake diamond ring.” Chloe blinked innocently: “That must have… cost a lot of money. It’s been so hard for Harper…” “Julian, let me take her to Mr. Sterling’s table first. They can chat for a bit.” With that, she walked through the doors, making a huge, dramatic show of adding a chair to the very last table in the back of the room. Taking a deep breath, I started to walk forward. But a hand blocked my path. Julian lowered his voice: “Harper, can’t you just swallow your pride for once?” “I know you love me, but Chloe and I have been through life and death together… For the sake of our past, if you sincerely apologize to Chloe right now, I’ll move you to the friends’ table.” “Mr. Sterling’s empire is massive. Someone like you could never reach his level.” I looked up at him: “Julian, if you block me right now, when my husband gets here, you’re going to severely regret it.” He narrowed his eyes, his anger flaring up again: “Still running your mouth? Then don’t blame me.” “It’s a good thing Mr. Sterling knows how to discipline his wives. I’ll let him grind that temper out of you!” By the time Chloe came back out, Julian had already grabbed my arm and forcefully dragged me to the back table. I struggled to stand up, but he shoved me back down into the chair. “Mr. Sterling doesn’t like women dressed so provocatively. Get her a change of clothes!” Julian pointed at a janitor passing by, his tone dropping to absolute zero: “That outfit is perfect. I’m sure Mr. Sterling will love it.” 3 He handed the janitor a stack of cash, and the dirty uniform was brought over immediately. “Put this on before Mr. Sterling gets here.” I sat there, refusing to move: “I came to attend a wedding. Why the hell should I wear this?” Julian looked down at me from his high horse, throwing the filthy uniform right in my face: “Because today is my wedding, and everyone here is here on my terms!” “Harper, if you put that on right now, I’ll let you leave. If you don’t, the next wedding Chloe and I attend will be yours and Mr. Sterling’s.” I tilted my head up and locked eyes with him, catching a flicker of conflict in his gaze. It was almost as if he was hoping I would obediently change, rather than fight him to the bitter end. What was this? A sick little loyalty test? Checking to see if, even after breaking up, I was still his obedient, desperate girlfriend? But that obedient Harper had vanished completely the day Chloe returned—the day he started punishing me for her sake, the day he methodically destroyed every patent I had ever worked for. Seeing us at a stalemate, Chloe pressed her lips together tightly. A bridesmaid reminded her she needed to change into her ceremony gown, but she pushed her aside and enthusiastically walked toward me: “Is Harper just feeling shy? I’ll help you change.” There were already a few dozen guests in the banquet hall, and a crowd had gathered to watch the drama. Bursting with excitement, she aggressively yanked at my collar, exposing half of my shoulder. A few men in the crowd let out sleazy catcalls. Julian shot them a glacial glare, and they instantly shut up. Expressionless, I shoved Chloe’s hands away and fixed my collar: “You two are getting married today, and you’ve decided to make me the punchline of your wedding hazing?” More and more guests were filing into the hall. I glanced at the head table. It was still empty, save for a few impeccably dressed men standing nearby chatting. If I had known they were going to be this delusional, I wouldn’t have wasted my time out here. I stood up, taking firm steps toward the front of the room. Chloe gasped dramatically, yelling loudly: “Harper, don’t go over there! That table isn’t for just anyone… You’re going to ruin Julian’s reputation!” Julian lunged forward like an arrow, clamping his hand around my wrist. All his previous mockery had morphed into explosive rage: “I warned you! Everyone here today is someone of status, and the head table is strictly for our parents and the elite titans of the city!” “Do you really think your pathetic little tricks are going to turn you into a Cinderella?!” “Harper, if I let you walk over there today, I’ll be the laughingstock of the entire city!” He gripped me with all his strength; it felt like my wrist was going to shatter. I struggled a few times but couldn’t break free. Pushed past my limit, I decided to lay my cards on the table: “Julian, my seat is right over there. If you don’t believe me, go ask—” “Julian, why don’t I take Harper to the bridal suite to change? There are too many people here, it makes sense she’s shy.” Chloe smoothly interjected, stepping up to grab my other wrist. Julian let go, his tall frame blocking the view of the guests at the head table. He stopped looking at me. Instead, he stroked Chloe’s hair, his voice softening: “Chloe, thank God for you. I’m sorry you had to deal with this today. Once the wedding is over, I’ll make it up to you.” “Don’t say that, Julian. Marrying you is the greatest blessing of my life.” While they put on their sickeningly sweet PDA, my patience finally ran out. I violently yanked my wrist free, intending to call my husband. But Chloe’s bridesmaid suddenly rushed forward and snatched my phone out of my hand. “Give that back!” “Oh, don’t rush, Harper! Let’s go change your clothes first. Mr. Sterling is almost here.” They half-pushed, half-dragged me, forcefully hauling me into the bridal suite. The moment the door clicked shut, Chloe’s glam squad swarmed her to help her change into her main wedding gown. Her entire demeanor shifted. She let out a disdainful sneer and barked orders at her bridesmaids: “Strip her clothes off and take some explicit photos. Keep them as leverage so she doesn’t try any of her slutty tricks to seduce Julian later.” “I officially got my marriage license with Julian this morning, and you still think you can stand in my way? Well, you delivered yourself right to my doorstep!”

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The night before Valentine’s Day, my fiancé, who worked for a classified government agency, sent me a text. [Honey, I’m so sorry. A mission came up at the agency at the last minute, and my wedding leave has been canceled again.] The moment I received this message. I was standing less than thirty feet from the main gate of his facility. I watched with my own eyes as he tucked his “work wife,” Olivia Reed, inside his heavy overcoat. “Just to satisfy your sick sense of humor, your ‘Papa’ here has stood Emma up six times now.” “This is the last time. Next year, no matter what, I am marrying her.” Olivia smiled and held the Starbucks cup she had been drinking from up to his lips. “Didn’t you guys just buy a new wedding bed? I should go over and test it out for the bride.” “Don’t thank me, just consider it an early wedding gift.” Hearing this, I dug my fingernails into my palms and dialed the Brooks family’s number. [Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, call everyone. Let’s go over and decorate the new house tonight instead.] [Yes, I want to give Carter a surprise.] Since he didn’t care about basic decency. Then he shouldn’t blame me for going nuclear. …… [Let’s keep the fact that we’re all in West City a secret from Carter for now.] [Okay, I’ll wait for you guys downstairs at the apartment complex.] After hanging up the phone. I opened the surveillance app I had just installed yesterday. On the screen, they were already making out, moving from the entryway all the way into the master bedroom. I saw the blessed silver cross I had prayed on my knees at a cathedral to get for him. Right now, it was lying all alone in the mess scattered on the floor. My body went completely rigid, letting the freezing wind bite into my skin. Before long, both sets of parents and relatives arrived on time. Before they even got close, my parents anxiously surrounded me. “How is it, Emma? Did you see that scoundrel Carter?” “Don’t worry, your grandfather just called the director of his agency.” “Even if the sky falls tomorrow, the unit won’t call him in for a last-minute mission.” I fought back my absolute breaking point of emotions. I forced a smile onto my face for them. “Okay.” “Emma, didn’t you say you wanted to surprise Carter?” “What are we standing around for? Let’s get up there and start decorating.” Seeing the bright red balloons and ribbons in the hands of my parents and relatives. My nose stung, and I let the tears spill over my eyelashes. I had known Carter Brooks for ten years, dated him for eight, and we agreed to get married six years ago. Six years ago, one month before our wedding. He said he was up for a promotion to Senior Agent, so I agreed to push the wedding back a year. Three years ago, one week before our wedding. He said he had to go on a classified mission, and I agreed to postpone it for another year. Until this year, when both sets of parents finally lost their patience. Three days ago, we brought all our relatives and friends. We arrived early in the city where his agency was located to prepare for the wedding. But I never in my wildest dreams imagined. The wedding house I had spent six years meticulously decorating. Every single piece of furniture, every inch of the hardwood floor inside. Had already been broken in by his female bestie, Olivia Reed. Thinking of this, my stomach churned. I rushed over to a nearby trash can and threw up for a long time. I really wanted to tell them, to tell everyone. Just half an hour ago. Carter personally texted me to notify me. The wedding scheduled for tomorrow was being postponed for another year. I really wanted to tell my parents that Carter had betrayed me. Over the past six years, every time he lied about his wedding leave being canceled. He was actually fooling around with his work wife, Olivia Reed. But I found my throat felt like it was being choked by a massive, invisible hand. No matter what I did, I couldn’t force out a single word, nor make a single sound. As we walked into the apartment lobby, I took a massive gulp of ice-cold water. “Carter Brooks, it’s time for you to taste what it feels like to be played like a clown.” 2 The moment everyone stepped off the elevator. We saw shoes and a woman’s blouse scattered in the hallway. Seeing my extreme embarrassment as I kicked the clothes toward the wall. Carter’s mother covered her nose and smirked. Assuming she understood the situation, she unlocked the front door. At the same time, unspeakable sounds of intimacy drifted from the master bedroom. “Oh, baby, this bed is really comfortable.” “Later, when you’re doing this with your wife here, are you going to think of your bro?” “Change the sofa to leather, this fabric is too rough to lie on.” Hearing this, everyone’s expression froze. It was as if a spell had been cast over the group. Not a single person moved closer to see what was happening. Not a single person uttered a sound. I forced my heavy legs, which felt like they weighed a thousand pounds, to move. I picked up the silver cross, broken in two, from among the scattered bras and shirts. Even though I had prepared myself mentally. Being truly in the moment, I still felt as cowardly as a child who had done something wrong. I bit my lip so hard I tasted iron, letting the blood fill my mouth. “You Brooks son of a bitch, get your ass out here.” “Carter Brooks, do you hear me?” “You actually dared to betray my daughter? You have a death wish.” My dad ignored everything and charged toward the master bedroom. He slammed his fists heavily against the wooden door. Just as he was furious enough to raise his foot and kick the door in. Carter slipped out through a crack in the door, wrapped in a bath towel. “Uncle, Dad, Mom, Cousin…” “You, what are you all doing here?” “Why didn’t anyone tell…” Before he could finish, my dad punched him hard in the face. “You godless animal, you have the nerve to ask us?” “Our Emma waited for you for six long years, wishing upon every star.” “Was it just to wait and see how you would betray her?” Before Carter could even recover from his shock. My mom had already rushed into the kitchen and grabbed a heavy meat cleaver. “Where is that little bitch? Daring to ruin my daughter’s marriage.” “I’m going to butcher her. I’m going to butcher that little homewrecker right now.” Just as she raised the cleaver to storm into the master bedroom. Carter snatched the knife away and threw it to the floor. “Uncle, Auntie, are you misunderstanding something?” “My original plan was to leave the base at 7 AM tomorrow.” “Wasn’t this just to give Emma a surprise? That’s why I came home early.” “I just finished taking a shower and wanted to change clothes, and you guys were already here.” While he was speaking, my cousin Ethan had already rushed into the bedroom. “Carter, if you really betrayed my cousin, I’ll murder you.” The moment the door was pushed open. The wedding bed was made perfectly, incredibly neat. Scanning the entire room, there was no trace of a second person besides him. Seeing this, Carter’s mother immediately chimed in to deflect. “See, I told you. How could our Carter do something like that?” “It seems we’ve all misunderstood him.” “Emma, really, you should have just waited upstairs with Carter for us.” “What, were you afraid we couldn’t find our way with all these people?” She annoyed picked up his jacket from the floor and tossed it to her son. “Look at you, taking a shower is fine, but why are you watching those trashy videos?” “Now look, everyone misunderstood.” Carter’s cousin Jake also chimed in from the side. “To be honest, did you and the bride-to-be just finish a passionate session?” “You didn’t even clean up the battlefield before having everyone come decorate the new house.” “Yeah, you’re really not treating us like outsiders.” Carter, having quickly pulled his clothes on, took the easy way out. “Talk about bad luck.” “Who watches a spicy video in their own home and gets caught in the act like this?” He faked an awkward cough a few times. “Since everyone is here, why don’t we go out for dinner?” “Emma, what do you think?” 3 Seeing that I was completely unmoved. He strode right up and pulled me into his arms. “Weren’t you just cuddling in my arms acting spoiled?” “Now, in front of everyone, you’re getting shy?” As he said this, he lowered his head close to my ear. “Let’s take everyone out to eat first. I’ll explain the video thing to you later.” “Things aren’t what they look like, trust me.” “Say something quickly, everyone is waiting.” Heh, is he afraid everyone is waiting? Or is he afraid the person hiding in the master bedroom is waiting? After ten years together, Carter knew how to manipulate me better than anyone. He knew that every time he and Olivia Reed crossed the line under the guise of being “bros.” I would tirelessly believe his excuses, time and time again. But he didn’t know that when I found out he had done this for this so-called female bestie… Lying about his wedding leave being canceled for six consecutive years. I didn’t want to marry him at all anymore. But I didn’t want to just rip open this filthy paper window directly. I wanted to see with my own eyes how they would reap what they sowed and suffer the consequences of their actions. I laughed coldly, breaking free from his embrace. “What just happened was indeed a misunderstanding.” “It’s our fault for not being careful, sorry for making everyone laugh.” “Mom, Dad, Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, since it’s so rare for everyone to gather together.” “Why don’t we just order a massive BBQ feast here at home? It can be a housewarming for us.” “No!” As soon as these words were spoken, all three members of the Brooks family refused almost simultaneously. Seeing my confused expression. Carter’s mother was the first to explain. “There are no ingredients in the new house. Eating delivery here, wouldn’t that be neglecting everyone?” “Besides, it’s getting late now. There’s no time to go buy groceries and cook.” “Nancy is right, maybe we should all just go out to eat.” “My parents are right. Emma, Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, let’s go out to eat.” In the entire room. Only I and the three members of the Brooks family knew. Behind the hidden door, there was a master bathroom. They wanted to use dinner as an excuse to get me and everyone else out of the house. So Olivia could take the opportunity to slip away? In their dreams! I ignored the Brooks family’s desperate attempts to feign calmness. I pulled my parents and relatives to sit down on the sofa. “Oh, everyone has been tired all day. Let’s not make it a hassle.” “I already placed an order on UberEats. It’ll be here in twenty minutes.” “Everyone wants extra brisket and ribs, right? I remember Cousin doesn’t eat spicy BBQ sauce, right?” “OK, I added it to the notes.” Although their faces were full of reluctance. The Brooks family still bit the bullet and sat down. While I was in the kitchenette brewing coffee and tea for everyone. Carter looked incredibly awkward as he whispered his explanation to me. “Emma, did you get the text I sent? I wanted to surprise you, I didn’t think it would blow up like this.” I pretended nothing was wrong, asking him casually. “What text? Did you just send me a text?” “Sorry, I was so focused on decorating the house, I didn’t have time to look at my phone.” Just as I was about to pull out my phone, he raised his hand to stop me. “It’s good you didn’t see it. The wedding will proceed as scheduled. After tomorrow, you are my lawfully wedded wife.” I smiled coldly and pushed him away. I returned to the living room to warmly host our relatives. While waiting for the BBQ to arrive. Some people were putting up wedding decals. Some were blowing up balloons. And the task of decorating the master bedroom. Was left to us, the couple. Just as I was about to lift the comforter to sprinkle traditional wedding chocolates and rose petals on the bed. Carter yanked the fitted sheet and comforter entirely onto the floor in one motion. Seeing my confused look. He explained with extreme awkwardness. “No one has lived here for a while, I was afraid it was dirty.” He pulled a brand new four-piece bedding set out of the closet. “You sit and rest for a bit, I’ll change it.” “Emma, I know it’s been hard on you planning the wedding all by yourself these past few years.” “Don’t worry, once my security clearance upgrade goes through smoothly, I’ll apply for a transfer to the private sector.” “Then, we can live that 9-to-5, everyday normal life you’ve been looking forward to.” I couldn’t be bothered to listen to his lies. Just as I raised my hand to push open the hidden door to the bathroom. He grabbed me tightly around the waist from behind. “Wait!” 4 My face was filled with anger as I questioned him loudly. “What are you doing? I need to use the bathroom.” The moment I broke free from his arms. I was completely enraged, shouting my question. “Carter Brooks, what exactly are you hiding?” I rushed into the bathroom behind the hidden door like a madwoman. Seeing that I almost ripped up the floorboards. But still couldn’t find a single trace of Olivia Reed. Carter visibly let out a sigh of relief. “Alright, stop being so paranoid.” “Hurry back to the living room, the BBQ is almost fully unpacked.” As the smell of smoked brisket permeated the air. I felt my eyes tearing up and becoming misty. This moment was what I had once dreamed of the most. Parents, my lover, and relatives all by my side. Everyone eating BBQ, drinking a little beer. The elders talking about business and family gossip. The younger generation talking about ideals, about the collision of reality and the soul. “Emma, what are you standing there for?” “Hurry up and eat. After we eat, I’ll drive everyone back to the hotel.” It wasn’t until Carter aggressively piled food onto plates and rushed the process. That I finally woke up from the illusion before my eyes. “What’s the rush? Who finishes a feast in just an hour?” “Since everyone is here today, whatever else you guys want, I’ll order it.” “Two more racks of ribs, two more orders of pulled pork, two more sides of mac and cheese…” I completely ignored the urgent, panicked eyes of the three members of the Brooks family. If the person wasn’t hiding indoors. And the bathroom window happened to face the external air conditioning unit. Then there was only one last possibility. Olivia Reed was currently hiding on the A/C unit outside the window. At this point, I just wanted to see. Would Olivia be frozen enough to call out to us for help while stark naked? Admitting she was intruding on someone else’s relationship. Or would she, for the sake of her so-called dignity… Bite the bullet and endure the sub-zero freezing weather. Either social death or freeze to death. Let’s see which one she chooses! Seeing the second UberEats delivery arrive. And everyone still showing no signs of getting up to leave. Carter finally, visibly panicked. He practically begged as he urged me. “Emma, let’s just go back to the hotel after eating. If we stay any longer, something bad is going to happen.” “If you like BBQ this much, after the wedding tomorrow, we can eat it every day, okay?” Feigning the liquid courage of alcohol, I grabbed him by the collar like a belligerent drunk. “What bad thing will happen? What could possibly happen?” “Carter Brooks, don’t tell me you actually hid someone in our wedding house?” “Where are they hiding? Could it be outside the window? No, I have to go look.” As I stumbled and swayed toward the master bedroom. Carter’s parents anxiously followed behind me. “Emma, are you drunk? How can someone hide outside this window?” “Exactly, do they have superpowers or something?” “In this freezing weather, hiding outside the window would freeze them to death!” At that moment, Carter grabbed me around the waist and hauled me back to the sofa. “Emma, the whole family is here, you can’t act crazy like a drunk.” “Robert, Helen, it’s already so late. Let me drive everyone back to the hotel first.” “Yes, Robert, Helen, let’s hurry back to the hotel. Tomorrow we still have to hold the wedding ceremo…” Before the words were finished, the doorbell was rung frantically. The moment the door was opened, a group of firefighters and EMTs rushed in with a stretcher. 5 (Chapter 2 in original) “Apartment 1203, right? Someone called to report someone in your house is trying to jump.” “Which room is the external A/C unit in? Take us there immediately.”

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For the three years I was with Nolan Hayes, I was known in his circle as the ultimate, perfect “Ride or Die” girlfriend. I never checked his location. I didn’t care how many other women he texted. Even when he stayed out partying until dawn, I never picked a fight. Nolan was incredibly proud of this. He loved bragging to his boys about how hopelessly devoted I was to him. That was until one day, by pure accident, he found an old, private social media account filled with videos of me and my first love. Back then, I was petty, possessive, and easily jealous. I was the exact opposite of the “emotionally stable” woman I am now. In one of the videos, my first love was laughing helplessly, asking me: “Why do you have such a crazy temper?” I answered, completely deadpan and confident: “I only get mad because I love you! If I didn’t care about you, I wouldn’t give a damn what you did!” Nolan just froze. 1 When I ran into Nolan at an upscale downtown club, a gorgeous girl in a tight bodysuit and denim cutoffs was sitting on his lap. Her pale, slender arms were looped around his neck, and her glossed lips were curved in a sugary smile as she leaned into him. A few of his married friends in the VIP booth were already standing up, offering Nolan apologetic smiles. “Sorry, Nolan man. The wife is strict, she’s already called me five times. If I’m not home in twenty minutes, I’m sleeping on the couch tonight.” Nolan let the girl on his lap take the cigarette right out of his mouth and place it between her own lips. He scoffed. “You guys are pathetic. Letting a woman keep you on a leash.” The single guys in the group started hyping him up. “That’s our boy Nolan! Doesn’t matter what time he rolls in, Stella never dares to ask questions. Seriously, man, how do you train her like that? Teach us your ways!” The girl in his lap giggled, pressing her chest against him. “Yeah, Nolan. Aren’t you afraid Stella might walk in and get mad seeing us like this?” Nolan played with her hair, a smug look of pride settling on his face. “She’s obsessed with me. She does whatever I tell her to. In the three years we’ve been together, she hasn’t started a single argument.” “Damn! Legend!” The surrounding guys laughed, looks of envy plastered on their faces. “All these years, Nolan’s done whatever he wants, and Stella hasn’t said a word. Now that’s a real man—” His words cut off abruptly. He had spotted me standing to the side, completely expressionless. Nolan saw me, too. There was zero panic on his face. He just casually pushed the girl off his lap, smirked, and waved me over. “What are you doing here?” I paused for a beat, then walked over, my voice calm. “I came with some friends.” The girl he’d pushed away looked annoyed. She looked me up and down, forcing a stiff smile. “Hey, Stella.” It was only when I got close that I recognized her. She was the new secretary at Nolan’s firm. Sienna. She was just a regular state college grad. I remember Nolan personally signing off on hiring her just because he liked the headshot on her resume. I didn’t expect him to sleep with her this fast. I ignored her. Nolan looked pretty wasted. His handsome, dark eyes were hazy under the club lights. He grabbed my wrist and yanked me toward him. “Should’ve told me you were coming out. Give me a kiss.” He leaned in toward my mouth. Instinctively, I dodged. I didn’t know if he’d just been kissing Sienna, and the idea disgusted me. Nolan’s expression changed. The smile slid off his face. Even though he was the one sitting down, the look he gave me was utterly condescending. “Stella, what is your problem?” I turned my head and said softly, “You’re drunk.” “You think you’re too good for me?” Probably feeling like I’d embarrassed him in front of his boys, Nolan’s eyes went cold. He suddenly grabbed Sienna, pulled her onto his lap, and cupped the back of her head. Sienna looked thrilled, eagerly accepting his kiss. The two of them proceeded to swap a wet, deep tongue-kiss right in front of my face. When Sienna finally pulled away ten seconds later, breathless, a thin string of saliva connected their lips. She looked at me, a triumphant smirk on her face. Nolan looked at me in pure defiance. His friends went silent, all eyes on me. No woman would tolerate her boyfriend kissing another girl right in front of her. They probably thought I was finally going to snap. I just locked eyes with Nolan for a second. “You’re wasted,” I said flatly. “I’m leaving.” As I turned to walk away, I heard one of Nolan’s friends gasp in awe. “Holy shit. Her emotions are like a rock. She’s not even mad!” “Nolan’s just got it like that. She’s terrified of losing him, so she won’t risk starting drama.” 2 “She loves him too much. I heard she chased Nolan for an entire year back in the day. Completely submissive. She does whatever he says.” Nolan let out a laugh, rich with contempt. “She can’t leave me. She’s too scared to ever get mad.” The mid-winter air outside hit my face like a knife. Snow had started falling at some point, heavy and silent. In the distance, the headlights of passing cars turned the flakes red, and under the streetlights, they looked a hazy, vintage yellow. I tightened my scarf, leaned against the brick wall, and lit a cigarette. Menthols. The cold air made the smoke sting my lungs with a sharp pain. These were my first love’s favorite brand. When we were together, I used to beg him to let me have a puff, and he’d scold me every single time. “Stella, are you crazy? If I ever catch you smoking, I will literally break your legs!” The day we broke up, I bought my own pack. I coughed through every single drag. After that, there was no one left to care, so I just kept smoking them. I didn’t do it often these days. But sometimes, when the emotions got too high, I couldn’t help it. Seeing Nolan kiss someone else… it really didn’t make me angry. Because I didn’t love him at all. My relationship with Nolan began with me chasing him. The first time I saw Nolan Hayes was at a brand-new upscale bar. He was there as a VIP investor. The table in front of him was loaded with expensive bottles, and the beautiful women surrounding him were laughing hysterically at his jokes. That face attracted every set of female eyes in the room. I remember dozens of girls went up to ask for his number that night. I did, too. Plenty of girls liked Nolan, but I was the one who stuck around the longest. For a whole year, I was at his beck and call. One word from him, and I’d show up, no matter how far away I was. Nolan’s reputation as a rich playboy was infamous. His roster of women was never empty. Even when I knew he’d just finished up with someone else, if he called me to pick him up, I’d go. I never asked questions. I never said a word. I’d just make him some hangover food. Everyone thought I was absolutely pathetic. People whispered about how sad it was that the only daughter of a bankrupt family was now obsessed with the youngest Hayes heir, willing to be his doormat. The catalyst for actually getting together was a night we both drank too much and ended up stumbling into the same bed. I only remember that Nolan was incredibly rough. I cried a lot, just holding him and sobbing. When we woke up the next morning, Nolan looked at the marks all over my body and my swollen, crying eyes. For once, he seemed to actually have a heart. He lit a cigarette, taking a slow drag as he asked me carelessly: “You want to be my girlfriend?” “Let’s get one thing straight, though,” he said, biting down on the filter. “Don’t try to control me. I hate women who nag.” I stared at the comforter pooled around my chest for a long moment, then said: “Okay.” Nolan always thought I was crying out of happiness that day. He didn’t know that it was actually my first love’s birthday. His side profile looked so much like my first love. At that bar, I had spotted Nolan immediately in the crowd. That night, in the dim lighting, for just a fleeting moment, I felt like the person I lost had come back to me. … I was with Lucas Wright from the time I was seventeen until we broke up at twenty-five. Almost a decade. He was the only scholarship kid at our prestigious private prep school, admitted solely because his test scores were through the roof. I heard his family used to be wealthy, but his father had been backstabbed by a business partner. After the bankruptcy, his father couldn’t handle the fall and committed suicide. His mother was already in poor health and died of a broken heart shortly after. Overnight, Lucas went from a popular rich kid to an orphan with nothing. But Lucas bounced back fast. He was never humble, never arrogant. Even surrounded by trust-fund babies, he maintained the number-one spot in the class and was voted student body president. Who wouldn’t fall for him? I confessed my love to him countless times, and got rejected every time. But I never gave up. Dozens of girls liked him, but they all gave up after being rejected. I was the only persistent one. Finally, right before graduation, during my sixth confession, Lucas asked me with a helpless look: “What do you even like about me?” My face was red, and my eyes were tearing up as I looked at him with stubborn defiance. I didn’t know if I was angry or sad. I just knew I loved Lucas Wright. There was no “why.” Sometimes love just doesn’t have a reason. “I just like you! I like everything about you!” Lucas’s expression was unreadable. After a long silence, he said softly: “But I have nothing. I can’t give you anything. A guy like me… do you still like me?” I shouted: “Yes! Lucas, listen, I love you, but even I have boundaries. If you don’t say yes this time, I swear I’m never asking you again!” Lucas stared at me for a long time, letting out a long, heavy exhale. It was part helplessness, part surrender. Finally, he reached out and pulled me into a soft hug. “You really are an idiot.” My eyes went wide, my heart missing a beat before hammering against my ribs. That was the first time I understood what it meant to be walking on air. Turns out, when you’re that happy, fireworks really do go off inside your chest. After that, Lucas and I were inseparable. He was brilliant, and my grades couldn’t compete. Just to be with me, he intentionally left two major sections blank on his SATs so he could get into the same university as me. When I found out, I cried hysterically. He just held me and laughed. “Idiot. Why are you crying? College is college. Trust me, I’m never going to let you suffer.” He didn’t just make empty promises. Starting sophomore year, Lucas began working on his own startups. He and a few friends launched a tech company and made their first fortune. By the time we graduated, he had already bought a massive luxury penthouse downtown. He decorated it exactly how I liked, planning to use it as our future home. Everything was perfect. Our plans for the future only included each other. Neither of us ever doubted we would be together until the end. Until after graduation, when I took him home to meet my parents. And then I saw my father’s face turn completely white. Lucas swayed on his feet, all the color draining from his face. Later, I learned the truth. My father was the business partner who had backstabbed Lucas’s dad, causing his family’s ruin. Life is just that absurdly cruel. Because my dad was always away on business, Lucas had never seen him before. Neither of us could have ever predicted this possibility. That day, my dad ordered my mom and me to leave, demanding a private conversation with Lucas. Not long after, Lucas left without saying a word. He moved to Europe. He didn’t leave a note. He didn’t tell me anything. The man who would travel across the country just because I said I missed him, who promised to love me forever, who knelt on one knee with red eyes begging me to marry him, telling me that with me he finally had a home… he just abandoned me. And I couldn’t even hate him. Because my father was the one who destroyed his life. Who wouldn’t be full of hate? If it were me, I’d hate, too. Maybe it was karma, but after that, my father made several bad investments and committed suicide. My family went bankrupt. Meanwhile, Lucas thrived abroad. He had an incredible eye for investments, riding the tech boom. Within a few years, his company was ringing the bell at NASDAQ, and he became a famous tech magnate. The tables had turned, and we had zero contact. It was impossible for us to ever cross paths again. So when I met Nolan Hayes, I felt my long-dead heart actually beat again for the first time in years. To me, what did it matter who I was with? Nolan looked so much like Lucas. To me, it was a godsend. For the sake of that face, I spent three years being completely submissive, always available. I was there whenever he needed me. It didn’t matter how late he was out partying; one phone call, and I’d get out of bed to go get him out of some other woman’s hands. He didn’t remember my birthday or our anniversary. Hell, on my birthday, he didn’t even come home; he was out having a blast with some new girl he’d just met. Nolan had always been a notorious playboy in our circle, rich, handsome, and loved to party. He swapped women faster than he changed his clothes. Even before my family went bankrupt, I knew his name. After getting together with me, he didn’t tone it down at all. Several girls even confronted me directly. I could tell a few times he wanted to break up with me, trying to start drama, but I never got jealous, and I never fought back. Over time, he just got used to having me around. He and all his friends truly believed I loved him to my core, that I was pathetically devoted. Truth was, I really didn’t care. I just wanted to see that face occasionally when I woke up in the middle of the night. To pretend that Lucas was still by my side. By clinging to that shadow, I could keep going. 3 It was one of Nolan’s friend’s birthdays, so he’d rented out a private room at a restaurant. Everyone had brought their partners, and Nolan brought me. Except I didn’t expect Sienna to show up, too. Naturally, she sat right next to Nolan. She actually looked at me and asked: “Stella, you don’t mind if I sit here, do you?” Nolan glanced at me. I didn’t say anything. The smile slowly slid off his face. With a cold laugh, he wrapped his arm around Sienna. Sienna looked genuinely crazy about Nolan. Throughout the meal, she kept toasting him, practically leaning against him as they whispered. She laughed at everything he said, collapsing onto his shoulder. I wasn’t angry in the slightest. I just sat there quietly eating. Beside us, one of Nolan’s friends shook his head in envy and said to his own girlfriend: “Look at how chill she is. Unlike you, getting mad over every little thing. Learn from her!” His girlfriend was tipsy. Hearing this, she scoffed disdainfully: “I only care because I love you! If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t give a damn what you did!” Maybe it was a coincidence, but the entire room went dead silent the second she said that. Nolan had obviously heard it, too. He was still smiling, but the fingers gripping his glass were white with tension. His friend froze, immediately trying to laugh it off and apologize: “My girl is wasted. Sorry, Nolan. She didn’t mean anything by it.” His girlfriend started apologizing, too. Nolan didn’t say anything. He just fixed his gaze on me. I turned my head away, avoiding his eyes. He suddenly asked me: “You aren’t even a little bit mad?” “Why would I be mad about this?” I asked, genuinely confused. “Isn’t this exactly the kind of freedom you wanted?” I could see his face whenever I wanted. And he got his precious freedom. We both got what we needed. What was wrong with that? After all, from the very beginning when Nolan agreed to be with me, he had warned me not to try and control him. For all these years, his roster of women had never been empty. I assumed this was the dynamic he preferred. Nolan looked pissed off now, getting even closer to Sienna. She was almost sitting on his thigh, and the two of them started deeply kissing right in front of me. Zero respect for me as his girlfriend. Everyone else was used to this, but a few people looked at me with pity. I scrolled through the photos on my phone to pass the time, just waiting for the meal to end so I could go home. A few rounds of drinks later, Sienna was clearly hammered. She’d probably finally decided to make her move to replace me. She scrutinized me for a few seconds before picking a fight: “Who even uses an iPhone 12 anymore? That’s so vintage.” I ignored her, which only made her more aggressive. “I forgot what an iPhone 12 even looked like. It’s an antique, right? I’m actually kinda curious. Stella, why don’t you let me see your phone?” “No,” I said, gripping the phone tighter. “Nolan~ tell Stella to let me see it. What’s the big deal with a phone?” Seeing I wasn’t speaking, Nolan frowned: “She wants to see it. Just let her see it.” “No,” I refused again. “Nolan~” Sienna whined, shaking his arm. Probably feeling like I’d embarrassed him by refusing, Nolan’s face went cold as he held his hand out to me: “Phone.” I didn’t say a word. “What’s on the phone, anyway?” Sienna added fuel to the fire. “Is it, like, something you can’t show people?” Nolan’s eyes darkened, and he lunged to snatch the phone from my hand. “What are you doing?!” I gasped, but the phone slipped and fell in the struggle. Instinctively, I shoved Nolan away to catch it. His lower back slammed into the edge of the table, and he groaned in pain, cursing at me: “What the hell is wrong with you, Stella?! It’s just a damn phone! If it breaks, I’ll buy you a new—” The next second, he saw the video playing on the screen, and all his words died in his throat. The video I had just been watching had started playing again. It was from back when Lucas and I were still together. I was on his back, not knowing he was recording me, pouting as I scolded him. “Why did you talk so much to that girl today?!” Lucas groaned, sounding helpless. “She’s the VP of the student body. We were talking about official club business. Seriously, Stella, why are you such a jealous brat?” I got angrier. “I only get jealous because I love you! If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t care if you died!” Lucas just laughed, shifting my weight higher on his back. “Fine, fine, you love me, I get it. Am I supposed to be happy about that?” I leaned down and poked his cheek: “You are not allowed to talk to other girls from now on. You are not allowed to add other girls on social media. You are not allowed to love anyone else!” “Okay, okay. I’ll listen to everything you say. Where do you get this crazy temper…” The video kept playing. I picked up the phone and shut it off. Nolan remained in the exact same position, completely frozen. No one had expected this twist. The room went silent, all eyes on us. The next second, Nolan suddenly snatched the phone from my hand and violently threw it against the ground! Instinctively, I slapped Nolan right across his face. I bent down in a panic, scrambling to pick up the phone. This was the very last thing I had left of Lucas Wright. The phone was completely destroyed. The screen was black. I clutched the phone, and only then did I react. I turned my head to look at Nolan. The slap hadn’t been that hard. But Nolan looked completely stunned. He didn’t even cover his face; he just stood there staring at me, looking lost, as if he didn’t recognize me anymore. Everyone was shocked. No one dared to make a sound. You could hear a pin drop. I felt a twinge of regret, but at the same time, I felt a strange sense of relief I couldn’t explain. Actually, I hadn’t meant to hit Nolan. It was just a reflex. Since things had already come to this, I knew Nolan and I were over. I stood up, grabbed my bag, and walked out. When I got outside, I sent Nolan one last text. “Let’s break up.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “396428”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

After seven years of marriage, my husband finally agreed to accompany me back to my parents’ house for the holidays. But once again, the car pulled to a stop outside his first love’s apartment building. “I accidentally took a wrong turn.” He didn’t even look up from his phone. “Since we’re already here, let’s just eat here today.” His first love’s mother came out to greet us with a beaming smile, immediately grabbing his wrist. “My dear son-in-law, you’re finally here!” When she saw my son, her smile grew even wider. “Leo! Did you miss Grandma?” My son greeted her sweetly. I was the only one left standing in the entryway, still holding the gifts I had bought for my own mother. This was the seventh time he had “accidentally taken a wrong turn.” Suddenly, I felt a profound sense of clarity. It was time for me to take a different road, too. … “Claire, you came too?” Mrs. Davis looked at me, a flicker of dissatisfaction crossing her eyes, though she maintained a polite smile. “You’re not getting any younger, you know. Why are you still following your brother around everywhere?” My fingernails dug so hard into my palms that they ached. When you think about it, it was actually quite hilarious. I had been married to Arthur Sterling for seven years. Yet every year, on the second day of Christmas, he brought me to his first love’s house. He even told her mother that I was his sister. Right in front of this woman, my own son, Leo, was forced to call me “Auntie Claire.” “Mom, don’t worry about her,” Arthur chuckled softly, walking into the house with the ease of someone who truly belonged there. “Where’s Chloe?” Right on cue, Chloe Davis emerged from the bedroom and naturally linked her arm through his. “Husband.” When Leo saw her, he immediately ran over and hugged her leg. “Mommy! I missed you!” Arthur looked down at the two of them, the corners of his mouth curling up into a gentle, tender smile—a smile I had never seen him direct at me. My chest tightened as if squeezed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe. Mrs. Davis went into the kitchen. I looked at Arthur, hesitating for a moment before keeping my voice low. “Didn’t you say… you were going to accompany me to my parents’ house this year?” He still didn’t look at me, replying casually, “I’m just so used to driving this route, I made a wrong turn by mistake.” Leo, playing with blocks nearby, heard us and piped up in his sweet, childish voice: “Mommy is here! I like it here. I don’t want to go to your house.” I froze. That sweet, innocent voice hit my ears like a sharp knife. Chloe quickly stepped toward me, her face full of guilt. “Claire, kids just say whatever pops into their heads. Please don’t take it to heart.” She sighed, her eyes already turning red. “I’m so sorry… If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have to suffer this kind of humiliation.” Arthur immediately frowned and wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders. “What did you do wrong?” He reached up to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye, then turned his head to glare at me, his brow heavily furrowed. “Claire, stop picking fights over nothing.” I lowered my eyes. On the console table sat a framed photograph—a picture of the three of them smiling together. Arthur and I had never taken a single photo together. Because he said he didn’t like taking pictures. Just like me—Arthur Sterling never liked me. But I loved him. I had loved him for fifteen years. Back then, he and Chloe had a massive misunderstanding and broke up. In a fit of anger and rebellion against his family’s arrangements, he agreed to marry me. I was ecstatic. But on our wedding night, he simply looked at me coldly and said: “I don’t love you, and I never will.” I didn’t believe him. I stubbornly continued to love him. The day our son was born, he stood at the door of my hospital room, looked at me, and said, “You’ve worked hard.” That was the very first gentle thing he had ever said to me. I felt like everything I had endured was finally worth it. I thought our future would only get better. But then Chloe came back. She threw herself into Arthur’s arms, crying hysterically. “Arthur, you have to help me.” “My mom has terminal cancer. Her dying wish is to see me marry you.” “Could you please… just pretend for her sake?” He was silent for a long time, but finally, he nodded and said yes. Every year after that, he tricked me into coming here using the excuse of a “wrong turn.” But anyone with eyes could see that Mrs. Davis was perfectly healthy. It was Arthur who was a willing participant in this charade. Looking at that framed photo, my eyes suddenly felt incredibly dry. Seven years. I didn’t want to play along in his play anymore. 2 The sound of sizzling food drifted from the kitchen. Arthur and Chloe had both gone in to help, and Leo stood on his tiptoes, peering over the counter as Mrs. Davis laughingly fed him a piece of spare rib. The room was filled with laughter and joy. Leaving me standing alone in the living room, completely isolated. It felt like a boulder was pressing down on my chest, making my eyes burn. When I looked up, I saw Arthur walking out of the kitchen with a stack of bowls. I stepped forward and blocked his path. “I want to go home now.” He stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowing. “We haven’t even eaten yet. Where are you going?” “You can’t leave. If you leave now, her mom will think she was a bad host.” With that, he turned sideways, trying to walk past me. I grabbed his arm, insisting, “I don’t want to stay here.” He looked down at my hand gripping his sleeve, the crease between his brows deepening. “Why are you acting so dramatic? Haven’t you gotten used to this after all these years?” “Just sit down and behave. I’ll take you home after we eat.” I didn’t let go. “I want to leave.” Seeing my unusual persistence, Arthur’s face darkened completely. The air grew silent for a moment before he let out a short, cold laugh. “Fine. Leave.” I froze for a second, genuinely surprised he agreed so easily. But I didn’t hesitate. I turned around and pushed the front door open. The freezing winter wind hit my face, and I took a deep, sharp breath. Keeping my head down, I opened my phone to order an Uber. The loading icon spun twice. [Sorry, insufficient funds. Payment failed.] My entire body went rigid. I turned around. Arthur was standing in the hallway, just a few feet away, watching me quietly. He did it on purpose. He told me to leave because he knew I physically couldn’t. He had frozen my cards. I didn’t have a single cent to my name. “Are you done throwing a tantrum?” He walked toward me, his voice flat. “If you are, come inside. Dinner is ready.” Arthur’s perfect calmness made me feel like I was just humiliating myself. “Daddy!” Leo pushed the door open and ran out, glancing at me briefly. “Grandma says it’s time to eat.” Chloe followed right behind him. Her gaze darted back and forth between me and Arthur. “What’s wrong?” “Claire, did I do something to upset you?” “I’m so sorry… It’s all my fault… Please don’t be mad…” Seeing Chloe lowering her voice to beg me, Leo immediately rushed forward and stood protectively in front of her. He looked up at me and yelled: “You mean lady! Don’t you dare bully my mommy!” My fingernails dug so deeply into my palms they almost broke the skin. A bitter wave of sorrow washed over me. This was the child I carried for nine months. Initially, Arthur didn’t want a child with me. But his family pressured him relentlessly, and because I had been actively preparing my body for pregnancy, it eventually happened. My pregnancy was brutal. I suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum to the point of severe dehydration. I had to go to the emergency room alone and lie in a hospital bed at 3:00 AM. Arthur never came to see me. But I didn’t care about the suffering. I just prayed and prayed for this baby to be born. To ensure a healthy pregnancy, I even quit my job, leaving myself without a single penny of my own income. I never imagined that he would end up hating me this much. I never imagined he would stand in front of Chloe and call me a “mean lady.” “Let’s go. Get inside.” Arthur gave me a final glance, his tone leaving no room for argument. For once in my life, I wanted to hold my ground to the bitter end. “I’m not going in. Arthur, I want to go home.” The air went dead silent. Arthur stared at me for a long time, his gaze growing colder by the second. “Then walk home yourself.” With that, he and Chloe took Leo’s hands and walked back inside. The door was left slightly ajar. I could hear Chloe’s voice drifting through the crack: “Arthur, is she going to be okay out there alone?” “She’s fine. Let her cool off by herself.” “Yeah, Mommy! Don’t worry about that mean lady!” Right on cue, it started to snow. I stood frozen in place, the bone-chilling cold piercing through my coat. From here to our house was thirty miles. And he told me to walk. I lowered my head, my vision blurring completely. The scalding hot tears I had been fighting back finally fell, leaving trails of ice on my cheeks. Just then, my phone rang. 3 “Claire? Didn’t you say you were coming over today? Why aren’t you here yet?” My mom’s voice came through the speaker, full of concern. “Your dad and I have been waiting. Is everything okay?” I bit down hard on my lower lip, desperately trying to swallow the sob rising in my throat. “Everything is fine.” “It’s just… Arthur took a wrong turn by mistake, so we won’t be able to make it today…” The line went dead silent. Then, a forced, lighthearted chuckle came through. “Oh, that’s fine, that’s fine…” “After the holidays, your dad and I can find some time to come see you.” “Don’t worry about us over here. Just make sure… make sure you aren’t suffering too much.” I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. But the tears kept falling, drop after drop, splashing onto the back of my hand. The snow was falling heavier now. Arthur and Chloe’s laughter faintly echoed through the crack in the door. I hung up the phone and crouched down in the snow, freezing from head to toe. The Davis family lived in the suburbs. It was the day after Christmas. The surrounding shops were all dark, and the streets were completely deserted. I couldn’t even find a place to take shelter from the snow. I don’t know how much time passed. Footsteps stopped right beside me. Arthur frowned, bent down, and scooped me up into his arms. For once, his voice was surprisingly gentle: “Why do you have to be so stubborn?” “Are you freezing?” I kept my jaw clamped shut, letting the tears stream silently down my face. I didn’t want to say a single word to him. He sighed and placed me in the passenger seat, blasting the heater to the maximum. As the warmth slowly filled the car, my frozen fingers began to throb with pain. He turned his head to look at me. “Leo wants to stay the night with Chloe. I’ll pick him up tomorrow.” “He grew up with you, but he doesn’t like being around you. Sometimes… you really need to reflect on why that is.” A dry, humorless laugh escaped my lips. The reason my son didn’t like me was incredibly simple. It was because I disciplined him every day, while Chloe let him get away with murder. And who knows? She probably whispered plenty of poison about me in his ear. I had absolutely nothing to reflect on. Seeing that I remained silent, Arthur’s tone softened. “I only came to spend the holidays with Chloe because I feel sorry for her sick mother. There’s no other reason.” “Stop being mad, okay?” As he spoke, he suddenly pulled a velvet jewelry box from his pocket and set it in front of me. “I bought you that necklace you were looking at the other day.” “Consider this an apology. Stop throwing a tantrum.” I looked down. Inside the box lay a diamond necklace, an exclusive limited edition. It was the exact one I had happened to see in a magazine a few days ago. I had only mentioned it in passing, yet he remembered. I looked up, staring at his profile, realizing I could never truly understand this man. He forgot almost everything about me, yet he remembered a random page I flipped to in a magazine. He didn’t love me. But he knew exactly how to make my heart soften. “Are we good now?” Arthur let out a soft chuckle and reached over to ruffle my hair. “You’re so easy to please.” “Since we have some free time today, how about I take you shopping? We can buy whatever you like. How does that sound?” My fingernails dug into my palms. Before I could even open my mouth, his phone rang. Arthur answered it. Chloe’s tearful, pathetic voice came through the speaker: “Arthur, I just… I just accidentally twisted my ankle. It hurts so much…” “Could you come back and take me to the hospital, please?” Arthur’s expression changed instantly. Without a second of hesitation, he whipped the steering wheel around. When the car pulled to a stop in front of Chloe’s house again, he seemed to finally remember I was sitting there. He said in a low voice: “Be good. She’s delicate, she needs me with her.” “I unfroze your cards. Go shopping by yourself, buy whatever you want.” With that, he hurriedly got out of the car and scooped Chloe, who was waiting by the door, into his arms. She buried her face in his chest. My son stood next to them, mimicking his father as he patted Chloe’s arm consolingly. His mouth moved as he spoke. Through the glass, I couldn’t hear what they were saying. But I knew. They were both comforting her. One was the husband I had loved for fifteen years; the other was the son I had carried for nine months. Both of them were comforting her. I suddenly felt an overwhelming, crushing wave of exhaustion. My finger hovered over the screen of my phone for a long time. Then, I typed out a message, word by word: [Have a divorce agreement drawn up for me.] 4 It was past midnight when Arthur finally returned home. The moment I saw him, I was about to bring up the divorce. But the next second, Chloe walked in, holding Leo’s hand. “Chloe twisted her ankle, she’s not feeling well.” “She’ll be staying with us for a few days so I can take care of her.” Leo cheered excitedly, “Mommy! Can you stay here forever?!” He turned his head and glared at me. “I don’t like her!” “I like you as my mommy!” Arthur let out a soft, indulgent chuckle. It took him a moment to notice the look on my face. He lowered his voice: “She’s just staying for a few days. Don’t be so petty.” “Besides, this is my house. Whoever I want to stay here, stays here.” My heart had gone numb from the pain a long time ago. Hearing these words now, I felt surprisingly calm. “Okay. If she wants to stay, she can stay.” “Do you want all three of you to sleep in the master bedroom? I can take the guest room for the next few days.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Arthur’s face darkened drastically. “What did you just say?” Chloe’s tears fell on cue, her voice trembling: “Claire, please don’t say that…” “If you… if you really don’t welcome me… I can just leave…” Leo immediately wrapped his arms around her waist, screaming at the top of his lungs. “Mommy is staying here! You mean lady! Don’t you dare bully my mommy!” Looking at the three of them, I felt a wave of sheer exhaustion. From the very beginning, I hadn’t said the word “no” a single time. I took a deep breath, trying to make my tone as sincere as possible. “I said, she can stay if she wants to. And you’re right, this is your house. You can do whatever you want.” Without waiting for their reaction, I quickly grabbed my blankets and headed to the guest room. “I’ll sleep in here tonight.” Arthur stared at me, completely frozen in place. I closed the door, completely shutting out the noise. I could hear Leo happily cheering as he hugged Chloe. But Arthur, his brow tightly furrowed, knocked on my door. “Claire, what’s wrong with you?” I opened the door, looked at him, and gave a faint smile. “Nothing is wrong.” “Are you mad?” “Chloe is just crashing here for a few days, please don’t make a big deal out of it.” I smiled at him and just gave a small nod. “I know. I’m not making a big deal out of it.” Arthur’s frown deepened, his eyes locking intensely onto mine. After a long pause, he sighed. “I know. You must still be angry.” “How about this… didn’t you want me to go to your parents’ house with you? I’ll go with you tomorrow, okay?” I was stunned. I genuinely didn’t know how to react. Seven years of marriage. Every year on the day after Christmas, he took me to his first love’s house. Every year when my mom called to ask, he was suddenly “busy.” Seven years, and he hadn’t visited them once. And now, he was actually willing to go. “No need,” I smiled faintly. “You should stay home and take good care of Chloe.” Seeing my reaction, Arthur became even more insistent: “I said I’m going with you.” I met his eyes but didn’t say anything. In the silence, I finally spoke: “I have a gift for you tomorrow.” Arthur was slightly taken aback. “What is it?” “You’ll see tomorrow. Anyway… you should like it.” Arthur stared at me for a long time. Suddenly, he pulled me into his arms. “Alright, stop throwing your little tantrums.” “I promise I’ll go with you tomorrow. Just be a good girl and get some sleep.” The next morning, when I woke up, the house was completely empty. Arthur was gone. My phone buzzed. A text message from him popped up. [Chloe was feeling sick, so I took her to the hospital.] [Wait for me at home. I’ll go with you as soon as I get back.] [Be good, get ready. I should be back in about an hour.] I locked my phone, feeling absolutely nothing. I had waited for him for so many years. I didn’t want to wait anymore. I packed my things and placed the divorce agreement on the dining table. This was a gift he had probably been wanting for years. This time, I was finally willing to let him go. I took a deep breath and looked back one last time. And then, I completely walked away from the “home” I had mistakenly walked into for seven years. I walked away from Arthur Sterling, the man I had loved for fifteen years. For the rest of my life, I never want to see him again.

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