Seraphina Vance had found the perfect excuse to legitimize her blatant infidelity. Before we got married, I signed a non-disclosure agreement, which meant I could only be her secret husband. If I initiated the divorce, I’d walk away with a measly $9.9. For three years, I watched her shamelessly flaunt her staged romance with her so-called colleague, Caleb Reed. They traveled together, made public appearances, and even checked into the same hotel. All while I, her supposed “understanding partner,” was left to care for her ailing parents and act as her personal assistant, handling every single one of her affairs. I had no idea when her “work” would end until Caleb called her late one night, his voice thick with complaint. His fans were hounding them to get married, demanding to know when she’d finally make their relationship official. “Darling,” Seraphina cooed softly into the phone, “I’ll give you a perfect wedding soon, okay?” The cold night air blowing in from the balcony carried Seraphina’s hushed whispers. Hearing her answer, my body, nestled in the sheets, went rigid. My throat constricted, and I could barely breathe. On the other end, Caleb persisted, his voice low and melancholic. “Seraphina, everyone’s expecting us to get married. I can’t wait. Let’s do it soon.” Seraphina stood on the balcony, her profile appearing exceptionally tender in the dim light. She soothingly reassured him, “Don’t rush, I won’t let you down.” It was clear that even when disturbed late at night, she was more than happy to coddle her rumored boyfriend. Seraphina returned to the bedroom, a faint smile still lingering in the corners of her eyes. But the moment she saw me sitting on the edge of the bed, her expression hardened. “Julian, it’s the middle of the night. Why are you sitting here trying to scare me instead of sleeping?” I swallowed the dull ache in my chest and met her gaze. “And how does it feel for you to be up in the middle of the night, sweet-talking your lover?” “Lover? What are you talking about?” Seraphina frowned, annoyance flashing in her eyes. “Can you stop being so crude? Caleb and I are just work partners. Isn’t it a bit much to label him like that?” Watching her righteous indignation, my voice involuntarily tightened. “Me, too much? What ‘work partners’ in this industry plan a wedding together?” Seraphina stumbled over her words for a second, then looked away. “You heard all that?” She nervously rubbed her nose. “I couldn’t help it. The fans were practically demanding it. Caleb and I have too much attention as a screen couple. If we don’t see this act through, how can I justify his cooperation these past three years?” “Justify his cooperation?” A searing, numbing pain shot through my heart, and my body trembled uncontrollably. Three years of marriage. I watched the entire world believe she and Caleb were a match made in heaven, saw them interact sweetly on camera, flaunting their affection as if no one else existed. As Seraphina’s legitimate husband, I was hidden away like a shadow, banished from the light. Yet, all these years, Seraphina had never shown me a shred of guilt. She actually felt she owed Caleb. So what did my years of silent endurance and sacrifice count for? “Julian, you know how it is. You have to commit to the role. For the sake of publicity and career benefits, can you just bear with it a little longer? This is my job.” Seraphina was an A-list actress. Every time, she’d spout some high-minded BS, making it sound like she and Caleb were just professional colleagues. If my friend hadn’t personally seen them embracing as they entered a private hotel last week, I probably would have still believed everything she did was “just for work.” But now, her “work” had escalated to planning a global sensation of a wedding with Caleb. And when she and I got married, we didn’t even have the simplest ceremony. I suppressed the bitter churning in my stomach, my voice hoarse. “Seraphina, Caleb is just a colleague, yet you’re planning a lavish, public wedding for him. What about me? Your legal partner? Have you ever given me any kind of ceremony?” When we got married, Seraphina was just a struggling actress. She thought a rich kid like me was just playing around and always treated me with cold indifference. I voluntarily signed a prenuptial agreement, agreeing to only $9.9 if we divorced. I even gave up inheriting my family business to be her assistant. For the sake of her career, we didn’t even have a wedding. She once promised me that once she made it big, she’d give me a grand wedding. Later, she shot to stardom, but never mentioned the wedding again. I’d subtly brought it up, suggesting even a simple dinner with our families would be enough. But she’d always brush me off with “work is too busy, we’ll talk later.” Now, for a grand, extravagant wedding, Caleb just made a phone call, and she agreed without hesitation. Seraphina probably thought I was being unreasonable. She grew impatient, her tone sharp with frustration. “Julian, I’ve explained it countless times. Why can’t you just understand me?” “Caleb and I have such high public visibility as a couple. I can’t let all that effort go to waste.” “Can’t you just wait a little longer?” I didn’t say anything else. The night stretched long, the wind outside cold and fierce. Watching Seraphina’s irritated expression, a profound weariness washed over me. I couldn’t wait any longer.

“Julian, Caleb and I have talked it over. After the wedding’s public attention dies down, we’ll announce our ‘breakup.’ In a year at most, I’ll tell everyone that you’re my real partner.” “Everything I’m doing now is for our better future, don’t you see?” Seraphina probably sensed my mood was off and tried to salvage things. But I just found it utterly absurd. I was her rightful partner, yet I was hiding in the shadows, waiting for my wife to grant me official recognition. For her colleague, Caleb, Seraphina always went out of her way to ensure he was treated with the utmost respect. When she and Caleb first started pretending to be a couple for publicity, he was a newcomer working with the famous actress, and many fans couldn’t accept it, attacking him online. Seraphina then made a classic public defense, taking everyone who insulted Caleb to court. At a gala dinner, reporters pressed them about their relationship. Seraphina just smiled, then turned and kissed Caleb under a flurry of flashbulbs. The entire venue erupted. And I, as her assistant, watched from below as my own wife kissed another man. Later, Seraphina explained to me that it was “just a script” arranged by the company. But similar “scripts” kept piling up. They were inseparable in public, always together. Even at private gatherings with mutual friends, she stopped bringing me along. Gradually, even our shared friends started to think Seraphina and Caleb were the perfect match. I felt wronged and pained, but Seraphina would always tell me not to care about other people’s opinions, emphasizing that I was her legal partner. “Julian, I know you’ve endured a lot of hardship with me these past few years. I don’t want it to be like this either.” “Darling, please don’t be angry, okay?” Seeing my silence, Seraphina slowly moved closer, intending to kiss my forehead. She gazed at me deeply, as if in that moment, only I existed in her eyes. Many times before, I had been swayed by those soulful eyes, softening my resolve again and again, continuing to endure. I’d forgotten she was an actress; she could look deeply into anyone’s eyes. “I’m tired. Let’s just sleep.” As she leaned in, I turned my back to lie down. Seraphina raised an eyebrow, a little surprised, then lay down herself, wrapping an arm around me. The simple ring on my ring finger lightly brushed against the one on her hand, making a faint click in the darkness. The sound vanished as quickly as it appeared. I lay in the dark, lost in thought. When I met Seraphina, I was scouting film projects for my company at a studio lot. She was an extra, only getting roles as a corpse or a stunt double who got beaten up. Once, Seraphina offended an assistant director and was deliberately tormented, filming a beating scene twenty times. When I found her, she was sitting alone in the shadows, covered in bruises, looking so lonely and pathetic. I brought her home, meticulously cared for her, and used my connections to help her get opportunities. But at first, Seraphina always thought I, a rich kid, was just temporarily amused, and she never gave me a kind look. Until one time, to help her secure a role with lines, I endured severe stomach pain and drank too much, eventually passing out at the dinner table. When I woke up, Seraphina was by my bedside, her eyes red, her body still trembling with fright. “Julian, when I saw you in the hospital, I suddenly got so scared…” I was a bit helpless. “Scared of what?” “Scared of you leaving me.” After saying that, Seraphina paused, then seemed to understand something. She lifted her deep, captivating eyes and said earnestly, “Julian, I think… I’ve fallen in love with you.” From then on, she became incredibly attentive to me, working tirelessly on her acting. And I voluntarily stepped away from my family business, becoming her personal assistant, handling all her complicated affairs. Soon after, Seraphina proposed to me. She saved money for six months to buy me a branded ring. Though it had no diamond, I, submerged in love, was deeply touched. I wore that ring close to me for three years until I passed by that brand’s store one day. On a whim, I went in to inquire, only to be told by the sales clerk that the ring I was wearing was a fake, not even a decent replica. Meanwhile, Caleb? Over these three years, Seraphina had personally bought him countless designer gifts, their value immeasurable. And me? All I had was this fake ring. The memories faded, and I felt a wave of nausea, instinctively wanting to remove the ridiculous ring on my ring finger. The moment I stirred, Seraphina seemed to sense it and held me even tighter. “Don’t move,” she mumbled groggily. “Caleb…” A sharp pain seized my chest, and I curled up in agony. Even though the person beside me breathed warmly, I felt only a chilling coldness, so cold that my heart went numb, almost suffocating.

The moment I woke up the next morning, Seraphina called. “Remember to go to the nursing home to see my parents today. Don’t skip it just because you’re angry.” Seraphina prided herself on being filial. Even though her parents lived in the best nursing home, her pronouncement, “Children should personally care for their parents,” had me looking after my in-laws for three full years. Meanwhile, I barely saw my own parents once a year. “Yeah, got it.” I numbly replied, hung up the phone, and drove alone to the nursing home. “Oh, sweetie, look how wonderful Caleb is! He’s going to be our son-in-law!” My mother-in-law was proudly telling the nurse, pointing at Caleb on the TV, as I walked into the room carrying a pot of freshly made soup. The nurse’s eyes lit up. “Are they really getting married?” “Of course!” my in-laws said in unison. My steps faltered, and a familiar sharp pain pierced my chest. I suppressed the bitterness in my throat and softly spoke. “Mom, Dad.” As soon as they heard my voice, my in-laws’ faces immediately soured. The nurse looked at me, a bit confused. “And this gentleman who comes every day is…?” “He’s our godson!” my mother-in-law quickly interjected. The nurse suddenly understood, a look of envy on her face as she left. “Sir, I’m so envious you get to be Seraphina’s brother. How lucky!” I forced a smile, but it wouldn’t reach my eyes. The moment the door closed, my mother-in-law’s voice turned shrill. “Julian, why didn’t you tell us you were coming? You want to scare two old people to death?” I managed a strained smile. “Mom, Dad, you seemed to be enjoying your conversation, I didn’t want to interrupt.” “I made you some soup today. Please try it.” As soon as the soup was handed to them, my father-in-law sniffed it and slammed the bowl on the floor. The hot soup splattered on my hand, making me wince in pain, but they just said, “What kind of soup is this? It’s so greasy! Julian, you can’t even cook properly anymore. What good are you?” “I’ll make it again next time,” I said, enduring the pain as I cleaned up the mess on the floor. A profound sense of powerlessness swept over me. Suddenly, I felt that three years of unwavering care had all been in vain. After massaging my in-laws, I prepared to leave, but couldn’t resist asking one last question, holding onto a final sliver of hope to gauge their attitude. “Mom, Dad, do you know? Seraphina is going to have a wedding with Caleb.” I said, trying to sound calm. “Really?!” As soon as the words left my mouth, my in-laws cheered excitedly. “That’s wonderful!” Though I had anticipated it, my heart still sank. “But… I’m her husband…” “Don’t be ungrateful!” My father-in-law frowned and sneered. “We never agreed to you two being together in the first place. You’ve bled Seraphina dry enough over the years. You should know when to quit and stop clinging to her,” my mother-in-law snapped, her face darkening with impatience. Bleed her dry? Even though I knew my in-laws were always harsh, hearing those words firsthand made my body involuntarily tense up. In three years of marriage, I had never asked Seraphina for a single dime, nor had she spent any money on me. Most of our daily expenses were covered by me. I cared for my in-laws relentlessly, managed everything for Seraphina, and in the end, I was branded a “vampire.” At this point, I understood where Seraphina’s coldness and selfishness came from — it was a family trait. Three years of genuine affection had moved neither my in-laws nor Seraphina. My in-laws continued to chatter, even ordering me to empty their bedpan. I numbly turned around, ignoring their curses and walked out without looking back. Walking out of the nursing home, I looked at the distant sunlight gradually dispelling the gloom, took a deep breath, and dialed a number. “Hello, Dad, are you free right now?” “…I’ve made my decision.”

When I got home, the living room lights were already on. Seraphina sat on the couch, her face contorted with fury. I was about to speak, but she suddenly stood up, rushed towards me, and yelled, “Julian, what the hell is wrong with you?! I already swallowed my pride, and you actually went to my parents’ place to give them attitude?!” Seeing the identical smugness on all their faces, I sneered. “I made soup for your parents, and they knocked it over without even tasting it. The nursing home has plenty of caregivers, but they insisted I take care of them personally.” “As Seraphina’s husband, I’m treated worse than a servant.” Seraphina frowned impatiently. “My parents are old, it’s normal for them to be emotional. There are many caregivers, but they trust you more. They’re treating you like family by asking you to do it.” Hearing that, I just felt sick. “They trust you the most, so why don’t you personally empty their bedpans?” In three years, apart from sending her parents money, she had barely visited the nursing home, always claiming to be too busy with work. In reality, she just found her incontinent parents disgusting. She pushed everything she didn’t want to do onto me. Because I once loved Seraphina so deeply, I willingly endured it all. My self-sacrifice, in their eyes, was simply expected. “Julian, how dare you speak to me like that!?” Seraphina, stung by my words, angrily flipped over the coffee table in front of her. I couldn’t dodge in time, and the scalding hot water, just boiled, splashed all over my hand. A huge blister immediately swelled on the back of my hand. The burning agony spread from my skin through my entire body. My vision blurred, and I broke out in a cold sweat from the pain. “Now do you know how to talk to me?” Seraphina looked pleased, advancing toward me step by step. “You only calm down when I throw a fit. As my husband, why can’t you be more like Caleb, gentle and considerate, instead of constantly talking back to me?” It’s like three words out of four from her family were about Caleb. I stood up, enduring the pain, and sneered. “If you think Caleb is so great, then marry him!” “Julian!” Seraphina hadn’t expected me to talk back again. Her eyes turned red with rage as she threatened, “If you dare talk back to me again, I’ll divorce you!” That was exactly what I was waiting for. I met her angry gaze, my voice firm. “Fine! Let’s get divorced then!” Seraphina was uncharacteristically stunned. After several seconds, she slowly raised her eyes, an expression of disbelief on her face. “Are you serious?” “Yes.” But Seraphina’s emotions were unusually agitated. “Julian, are you insane?” I scoffed. “Perhaps only an insane person could tolerate their wife publicly dating someone else and even planning a grand wedding.” Seraphina’s voice trembled. “If you initiate the divorce, you’ll only get $9.9 in compensation.” Because of that paltry $9.9 compensation, Seraphina had never worried that I would leave her. I unhesitatingly pulled out my payment QR code. “Transfer me the $9.9. Let’s divorce immediately. And I’ll even give you an extra gift!” As soon as I finished speaking, Seraphina’s face instantly turned ashen.

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I have aphasia. My parents, ashamed of my inability to speak, pressured me into marrying Aria, my brother Brandon’s vegetative fiancée, to save him from a difficult situation. For three years, I devoted myself to her care. Miraculously, Aria awoke. But the first thing she did was demand a divorce. She believed Brandon was the one who had cared for her all these years, declaring that she would marry no one but him. Later, I overheard her best friend trying to explain that I was the one who had taken care of her for three years. Aria just laughed nonchalantly. “I already knew,” she said. “But my husband can’t be a mute.” My heart shattered completely. I sought a hypnotist to erase my memories and treat my aphasia. When I woke up, I gazed at the woman by my hospital bed and asked, confused, “Who are you?” The woman’s face instantly paled with panic… Aria had been in a coma for three years. The first person she saw upon waking was me, but her eyes were filled with disappointment. I didn’t notice the sorrow in her gaze, my heart swelling with joy as I helped her sit up. I immediately shared the good news in our group chat. Soon, the hospital room was packed with people. And I, her husband who had cared for Aria for three years, was pushed into a corner, utterly ignored. Brandon arrived late, dressed in a sharp blue suit, looking as if he’d just come from a party. Aria immediately clutched Brandon’s hand, her eyes rimmed red. “Honey,” she whispered, “you’ve worked so hard these past three years.” At her words, everyone in the room froze. The very air seemed to solidify. I stood awkwardly to the side, unable to utter a single word to defend myself. All because I suffered from aphasia. Her friend, sensing the tension, spoke up hesitantly. “Aria, Leo is your husband.” Aria’s brow furrowed instantly, her gaze turning icy as she looked at me, as if I had somehow intruded upon her relationship with Brandon. I had always known Brandon was the one she loved. They were supposed to marry, but a car accident left her in a vegetative state. Brandon, unwilling to endure the hardship, ran to our parents, crying. When I heard it was Aria, I agreed to their plea to marry her in Brandon’s place. I never imagined that three years of my devoted care would lead to this. I quickly grabbed my phone, ready to type out an explanation, but Brandon slammed his hand down on my device. “Leo, Aria just woke up. She probably can’t process so much information at once. You should step out for a bit.” The others in the room, sensing the strained atmosphere, quickly found excuses to leave. The moment the door closed, Brandon tearfully embraced Aria, as if he had suffered some monumental injustice. “Aria, you’re finally awake. I’ve waited for you for three years…” My heart lurched violently, and my hand gripping the doorknob trembled slightly. I don’t know how much time passed before Brandon opened the hospital room door, a few clear tears still clinging to his eyelashes. I walked into the room, filled with a sense of dread, just as a glass vase shattered at my feet. “Leo, you certainly went to great lengths to marry me!” “You’re disgusting, using such underhanded tactics!” Splintered glass shards cut my calf, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the ache in my heart. Aria and I had grown up together. She was the only one who didn’t dismiss me for my aphasia, the only one who encouraged me to seek treatment. But after she met Brandon, she was drawn to him. The girl who once promised to marry me, her heart slowly drifted away. Now, she saw me as a despicable intruder in their relationship. I anxiously gestured in sign language, then remembered she couldn’t understand, and shakily picked up my phone, trying to type an explanation. Brandon smirked, then raised his hand and swatted my phone, sending it crashing to the floor, where its screen immediately went dark. “Leo, please, just let us be together!” I stood there, stunned. Besides sign language, my phone was my only means of communication. And now, I couldn’t even defend myself. I shook my head desperately, but this world was cruel, and even more so to someone who couldn’t speak.

My parents, who had somehow heard the news, rushed to the hospital. Hope flickered within me. I stopped them, gesturing wildly in sign language, pleading with them to explain for me. They could barely understand some simple signs. My mother nodded gently, but my father simply pushed me aside, pulling my mother into the room. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, my mother hesitantly began, “Leo, he…” Brandon, realizing what she was about to say, cut her off. “Mom, Leo just loves Aria too much. Don’t blame him.” My eyes widened in disbelief. I grabbed Brandon, signing furiously: You’re lying! You’re lying! He rubbed his wrist, clinging tightly to Aria, putting on a pitiful act. “I’m sorry, Leo. Don’t be angry, I won’t say any more.” I desperately signed towards my mother, my vision blurring: Tell her the truth! It’s not like this! My mother avoided my gaze. A wave of helplessness washed over me. Not a single day in the three years I’d cared for Aria felt as desperate as this one. My father’s face darkened. “Didn’t you force Brandon to step aside? You said Aria wouldn’t know anyway.” If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I wouldn’t have believed my own father could so shamelessly twist the truth. His words were like needles piercing my heart. It was Brandon who had scorned Aria, deeming her a “lost cause” and refusing to marry her. That’s when my parents had made me take his place. Aria scoffed. “Leo, it’s a good thing I woke up. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have rested in peace even in death.” I bit down hard on my lip, the metallic taste of blood spreading in my mouth. So this was how pathetic I was in her eyes. My mother pulled me out of the room, her face full of apologies. “Don’t blame your father. We owe Brandon this.” Brandon’s parents had died saving mine, so my parents took him in and treated him like their own son. My parents felt indebted, so I had to give in to him on everything. If I ever refused, Brandon would cry and say, “If only my mom and dad were here.” When I developed aphasia, a time when I desperately needed companionship, Brandon convinced my parents to take him on an international trip. Three years ago, Brandon’s mocking words still echoed in my ears: “A mute and a vegetable, how perfectly matched!” My mother continued, “Now that Aria’s awake, she’s so proud, she’ll divorce you eventually. “Leaving a good impression now will only elevate Brandon’s standing in her heart, won’t it?” Tears splattered on the ground. I pounded my chest, trying to relieve the pain gripping my heart. But they owed Brandon’s parents, why did I have to pay the price? Aria moved quickly. She decided to divorce me in the morning and had the papers drawn up by the afternoon. Afraid I would cause trouble, she hired several bodyguards to watch me as I signed. I let out a bitter laugh and slowly wrote my name. Aria had saved my life once, and I had protected her for three years. Now, we were even.

The evening autumn breeze carried a hint of chill. After my phone was repaired, the first thing I did was text Dr. Hayes: I’d like to try the hypnosis therapy you mentioned last time. Dr. Hayes quickly replied: You will lose some memories after hypnosis. And we’ll need a family member to sign a consent form, ensuring someone can care for you during recovery. My gaze fell on the words “family member,” and a bitter smile touched my lips. I couldn’t even think of anyone who could sign for me. I scrolled through SnapChat endlessly, my finger hovering over one contact, hesitant to tap it. Unexpectedly, the avatar suddenly vibrated, and a message popped up: I’m back in the country today. Can we grab dinner? I quickly replied, setting a time and place. I stared out the window, my thoughts drifting far away. Maya was my sign language teacher’s daughter. Because I often went to her house for lessons, we naturally grew close. Three years ago, when she learned I was marrying a vegetative woman, she angrily smashed the birthday gift she planned to give me, saying it was a waste for her mother to teach me sign language. I signed back, spewing harsh words. Then she went to study abroad, and I thought we would never meet again. I never expected her to return. After several years, she had matured considerably. When she wasn’t smiling, an aura of “do not approach” radiated from her. I got straight to the point, signing my question: Can you… pretend to be my family and sign for me? Her expression stiffened. After hearing the full story, her hands clenched tightly, as if she was struggling to suppress something. “Are you sure about this?” I nodded gently. What use were those memories to me anyway? And once they were gone, I could speak again. “Okay.” It was evening when I returned to Aria’s house. My belongings were casually strewn in the villa’s hallway. Aria glanced at me indifferently. “Leo, don’t say I’m not being lenient. From now on, you’ll move into the guest room.” I nodded softly. She hadn’t expected me to be so calm and eyed me up and down. I would forget her soon anyway. What did it matter where I lived? Suddenly, a small dog, Cupcake, ran out from inside the house. My body tensed, and I instinctively grabbed Aria’s arm. She frowned in displeasure and harshly flung my hand away. “Leo, know your place.” Her strength was considerable. I wasn’t prepared and instantly tumbled to the floor, my wrist screaming in pain. I had been afraid of dogs since childhood, and the girl who once promised to protect me for life had now let go of my hand. A flicker of regret crossed her eyes, and she reached out to pull me up. I pretended not to see, and endured the pain as I pushed myself to my feet. Brandon emerged from the room and took Aria’s hand. “Cupcake doesn’t like being confined. Let’s move her to a bigger room.” Aria looked at him dotingly. “Okay, we’ll give Cupcake the guest room we just cleaned up. “Leo, you can move to the basement.” How ridiculous. In her eyes, I was worth less than their adopted stray dog. As I packed my things, I suddenly caught a strange scent. Following the smell, I found a large yellow stain on a red coat. This coat was a birthday gift from Aria. Because my birthday fell on the same day as Brandon’s parents’ memorial, my parents never allowed me to celebrate. Aria had secretly given me the coat, looking at me earnestly as she said, “Leo, I’ll spend every birthday with you from now on.” Promises, it seemed, only held true when love was present. I treasured this coat, never daring to wear it. It seemed I never would.

When Aria saw the coat, a hint of emotion stirred within her, and she instructed the butler to take it for dry cleaning. But I simply tossed the coat into the trash, along with all the photos Aria and I had taken over the years. In the future, I wanted nothing to do with her. Aria stared at me and slowly spoke, “Brandon is kind-hearted for adopting Cupcake. If you dare make him sad, I won’t let you off easy.” It was utterly absurd, almost laughable. It seemed Aria had completely forgotten my fear of dogs. Perhaps Aria had given instructions, as not a single servant offered to help me. I endured the pain in my wrist and tidied up until evening, finally clearing away everything related to Aria. This was the first time I had stayed at home in three years. After Aria became a vegetable, I practically lived at the hospital. At first, people visited, but eventually, the Jiang family gave up on her. Most of the time, it was just her and me in the room. I was just starting to drift off to sleep when a bucket of cold water doused me awake. Aria looked down at me. “Leo, you’re getting lazier and lazier.” “You’re not the master of this house anymore. How dare you sleep in?” My head felt a bit hazy. I simply nodded to indicate I understood. I wiped the water from my face and got up to change. The villa servants were bustling about. The butler glanced at me and instructed me to polish the piano. It was only then that I remembered it was Brandon’s birthday. My fingers glided over the keys, and a beautiful melody poured out. Aria once said these hands were made for playing the piano. Yet now, they were used for polishing it. A self-deprecating smile touched my lips. Sweet words were only true at the moment they were spoken. Halfway through, I received a message from Dr. Hayes: Tomorrow morning at ten. I quickly replied with “Okay” and forwarded the message to Maya. Just the thought of being able to speak again lifted my spirits considerably. I thought this party had nothing to do with me, but then Aria pulled me into the dressing room. I took the gown she handed me, a little surprised. Her face was full of impatience. “Hurry and change. If you don’t attend, what will people say about Brandon?” It turned out she was only afraid of people talking about Brandon. I felt the large stains on the gown, my heart long numb. I remembered an hour ago, Brandon’s social media post with a photo: No worries if the outfit gets dirty, Aria will prepare two for me. Brandon stood by the cake, like an elegant prince, while I felt like a clown for their amusement. I tried to make myself as inconspicuous as possible, sitting in a corner. But the whispers still reached my ears. “What’s on his clothes? So disgusting!” “He’s shameless, stealing Brandon’s fiancée.” “I heard he’s a mute.” The mockery was relentless. I clutched the hem of my clothes tightly. Brandon sat down at the piano, the spotlight illuminating him. All eyes were drawn to him. The music suddenly stopped. He cried out in alarm, “It hurts! How are there razor blades in the piano!” The butler pointed to me in the corner. “Only Mr. Leo touched the piano!” Aria glared at me, roughly dragging me to the piano. She slammed my hands onto the keys, and excruciating pain shot through my fingers, making it almost impossible to breathe. “Leo, this is the price for your mistakes.” Without another word, she disregarded my bleeding hands, picked up Brandon, and walked out the door. I clearly saw Brandon flash me a triumphant smile. Later, an ambulance took me to the hospital, but all the doctors there had been called to consult on Brandon’s case. Before I passed out from blood loss, I heard a nurse shout angrily, “If his hands don’t get immediate treatment, he’ll be permanently disabled!” Tears streamed down my face. I wished I had never met Aria. Meanwhile, a doctor recognized Aria and greeted her warmly. “How is your husband? He took care of you for three years; it’s about time his hardships ended.”

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I was just pulled back from the brink of death. Before I could remember my own name, I became my sister’s blood bank. The man who dragged me from my hospital bed to drain my blood was the one who hated me most. My husband. Julian Vance. Amelia’s POV The sharp sting of antiseptic dragged me back to the land of the living. I blinked up at a blank, white ceiling. My left wrist was a clumsy bundle of bandages. I had no memory. My mind was a clean slate, wiped. Nothing remained. The door flew open. A middle-aged couple stood there, their expressions not of relief, but of profound irritation. “Creating another scene, Amelia? Have you no shame left?” The man sounded furious. The woman’s was a razor. “We never should have fetched you from that backwater village. If our Chloe had an ounce of your dramatics, she’d never let herself be victimized!” From their unveiled contempt, the outline of my life began to form. My name is Amelia. The Dawson family’s long-lost biological daughter. But in this house, I ranked far beneath the cherished adopted one, Chloe. I also had a husband, Julian. Three years ago, an incident led to me becoming his wife. It also made me the most unwelcome and inconvenient person in his eyes. Because his heart had always belonged to Chloe, never me. My father continued his cold sneer. “Stop using these tactics in the future. When have you ever succeeded? Even if something really happened, Julian wouldn’t spare you a glance.” My mother’s face was full of disdain. “I really don’t know what part of you, besides your bloodline, resembles a Dawson.” “Let’s go. Chloe needs us.” They turned and left, never once looking back at me. I lowered my head, touching the bandages on my wrist, and gave a self-deprecating laugh. Even with amnesia, it didn’t mean I couldn’t feel pain. I could only imagine how many times the past me had endured such neglect. My parents didn’t love me, and my husband didn’t love me either. I was superfluous. The next day, I discharged myself. As I stood by the hospital entrance in thin clothes, a black luxury car pulled up in front of me. The door opened, and Julian stepped out. He held a petite woman in his arms, his gaze incredibly tender as he looked down at her. His usually stern features softened. Whispers of curiosity and gasps of envy rippled through the onlookers. “Isn’t that Julian? Who’s the woman he’s holding?” “He’s so handsome! Finally seeing him in person today. I’m so jealous of the woman in his arms, being cherished like that. I’d die on the spot.” He rushed into the ER with her, brushing past me without a glance. I wasn’t even a blur in his periphery. Only then did it hit me. He was my husband. My husband in the eyes of the law. A bitter laugh escaped me. My husband wasn’t here to pick me up from the hospital, but he was accompanying another woman to the emergency room. Just as I turned to leave, hurried footsteps echoed behind me. Julian had returned, grabbing my wrist with a force that felt like it would shatter my bones. “Chloe is injured and needs a blood transfusion urgently.” He stared at me, his tone an undeniable command. “You have RH-negative blood. Come with me for a blood draw.” He roughly dragged me forward. I didn’t struggle, just looked at him calmly. My gaze seemed to irritate him. He impatiently unclasped his watch from his wrist, shoving it into my cold palm. He clearly expected tears or demands. “Here. Now leave.” His posture was like dismissing an object. I clutched the watch, a faint, almost imperceptible cold smile playing on my lips. “Not enough?” He frowned in displeasure. “Amelia, don’t be greedy.” I tucked the watch away, replying blandly. “How could it not be enough? Such an expensive watch is more than enough for a hundred blood draws.” He seemed to sense something was off, but only frowned, eventually saying nothing. In the blood draw room, the needle pierced my skin. Through the glass, I watched him by Chloe’s bedside, gently tucking her blanket in. The nurses’ hushed whispers drifted into my ears. “It’s her again. Mrs. Vance.” Their low voices carried. “Jumping off buildings, cutting her wrists. She just tried to get Mr. Vance’s attention.” “What’s the point? Mr. Vance only cares about Chloe. She’s just humiliating herself.” Their words stung like needles. So, this was how pathetic my past self had been. Amnesia, perhaps, was a blessing. Four hundred milliliters of blood later, my face was pale. I leaned against the wall and walked up to Julian. “Where do we live?” I asked. Julian’s face was full of mockery. “What, another trick of running away from home so I’ll go looking for you?” “I forgot, I really forgot.” I smiled faintly. “After all, I’ve lost so much blood, my brain isn’t working right.” He waved his hand impatiently. “I’ll have the driver take you back.” “Thank you.” I turned to leave, then paused, looking at him. “Are you coming home for dinner tonight? To celebrate my discharge.” “Celebrate?” His face instantly darkened. “Chloe is still in there. What’s there to celebrate? Are you that heartless?” “If you’re not coming back, fine.” My tone was calm. “I had a gift for you.” “Stop with these attempts to curry favor. I don’t need them.” He cut me off, turning to stride quickly towards Chloe. Did he really not need it? I lowered my head and smiled. He would need this “gift.” I pulled out my phone, found Mr. Henderson the lawyer’s name in my contacts, and called. “Mr. Henderson, please prepare two documents for me.” “One divorce agreement.” “And a parental rights termination statement.”

Amelia’s POV Mr. Henderson noted down my requests over the phone. After hanging up, the Vance family car arrived. I opened the car door and got in, telling the driver, “To the embassy.” “Yes, ma’am.” The driver paused, but was wise enough not to ask questions, turning the car around immediately. During my two days in the hospital, I had already scheduled my visa application appointment. All the documents were prepared, and the process was surprisingly smooth. I expected to receive it in about two weeks. Back in the car, I instructed the driver, “Don’t tell Julian about today.” The driver’s hands paused on the steering wheel, then he said softly, “Mr. Vance… he doesn’t like us mentioning you in front of him.” So, his aversion to me was so deep that he didn’t even want to hear my name. I simply hummed in acknowledgment. That was fine. It would make leaving even easier, with no strings attached. The car stopped in front of an imposing villa. This was where I had lived for three years. A huge wedding photo hung in the foyer. In the picture, my eyes were filled with love as I looked up at the man beside me. Julian, however, wore a cold expression, like an unapproachable iceberg. The stark contrast made me, the “mistress of the house,” feel incredibly superfluous. Back in the bedroom, I found an old phone tucked deep in a drawer. It contained only one encrypted memo app. It chronicled the past three years, detailing how I had been repeatedly neglected, ignored, and hurt by him. “March 7th. I brought him lunch; he said he wasn’t hungry. But then he took Chloe to a fancy French restaurant.” “May 20th. He claimed he was in an all-night meeting. Yet, Chloe’s Ins story showed him setting off fireworks for her.” “August 15th. Chloe had a fever. He abandoned me in the ER, sick, to stay by her side all night. I overheard him telling his assistant, ‘Forget her. She won’t die.’” “December 1st. I hurt myself again. Julian, what do I have to do for you to finally look at me?” … Line after line of text, like a dull knife, cut into my heart. I looked down at my wrist. The scars, long healed, now felt as if they were being torn open again, throbbing faintly. I suddenly felt a profound sorrow for my past self. How could anyone love someone so much they completely lost themselves? Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Soon, I raised my hand and wiped them away fiercely. I put the old phone back in the deepest part of the drawer and closed it. As if sealing away that unbearable past. In the mirror, my face was pale but unusually calm. I looked at myself in the mirror and whispered. “It’s okay if no one loves you.” “From now on, you have to love yourself.” For the next two weeks, Julian didn’t come home once. No calls, no messages. It was as if I had never existed in that house. Until a phone call broke the brief silence.

Amelia’s POV On the other end of the line, my mother’s voice was full of unapologetic accusations. “Are you not even planning to show up for Chloe’s birthday party tonight?” Birthday? I was still struggling to remember when she impatiently barked her order. “No matter what your excuse, be there at 7 PM sharp!” With that, the phone was slammed down. I didn’t want to go. But then I thought, I was leaving soon anyway, so there was no need to cause more trouble at the last minute. So, I chose a black dress and had the driver take me to the birthday party venue. The entire venue had been booked out. Julian had specifically rented it for Chloe. When I arrived, the party was at its peak. The center of attention was Julian and Chloe, standing together. Chloe wore a designer pink gown, looking like a meticulously cared-for rose. Julian’s gaze remained fixed on her, never wavering. “I heard Julian personally planned the whole surprise for Chloe. Didn’t sleep for three days, they say.” Amidst the guests’ whispers, I watched Julian half-crouch, willingly adjusting Chloe’s gown. The smile on his face was a tenderness I had never seen before. That scene was like a silent knife. Suddenly, spotlights illuminated the stage. My father announced. “I’ve decided to transfer 60% of my company’s shares entirely to my daughter, Chloe!” The entire room erupted in whispers. The biological daughter gets nothing? The adopted one takes all? Eyes filled with scrutiny, pity, and schadenfreude all turned to me in the corner. But the real shock was yet to come. Julian led Chloe onto the stage, opening a velvet box. Inside was the Vance family heirloom ruby bracelet. “Isn’t that meant for the wife of the Vance family’s eldest grandson?” someone gasped. Julian clasped the ruby bracelet onto Chloe’s wrist. “Julian, this is too precious,” Chloe whispered, covering her mouth, then looked out at the audience timidly. “This should have been Amelia’s.” My mother immediately chimed in. “Amelia has Julian taking care of her, she doesn’t need these things. You’re frail, so it’s only right for you to have it.” Julian’s gaze swept across the room, as cold as ice. “If not for an accident three years ago, Chloe would be standing here by my side today. This bracelet is simply returned to its rightful owner.” That phrase, “returned to its rightful owner,” felt like a slap across my face. The guests’ snickers gnawed at my last shred of dignity like ants. I looked at the picture-perfect family on stage, at Chloe’s triumphant eyes and Julian’s merciless face. Even with amnesia, my heart felt no ripple. No heartache, no sadness, not even anger. I turned and quietly headed for the exit. “Look, Mrs. Vance is crying,” I heard someone whisper behind me. My steps didn’t falter as I walked into the restroom. The face in the mirror had no tears, serene like a deep ocean. It seemed that when a heart died, it truly stopped hurting. These people, these events, were now just an irrelevant past to me. I forced a smile at my reflection. Just a little longer. Once my visa was processed, I could finally leave.

Amelia’s POV I came out of the restroom and turned into a secluded garden balcony for some fresh air. The moment I stepped in, I froze. In the shadows, Julian had Chloe pressed against the wall, engaged in an intense kiss. “Julian… will Amelia be sad…” Chloe whimpered. “I think I saw her crying…” Julian released her, his thumb caressing her swollen lips. “Whether she’s sad or not, what does it have to do with me?” He looked at her, every word deliberate. “Chloe, you’ve always been the only one I love.” My face felt a little wet. I reached up to touch it and found tears. “Maybe my past self is mourning,” I thought. I left expressionlessly. Not long after returning to the ballroom, Chloe rushed over, agitated. “Amelia, the ruby bracelet Julian gave me is gone! Did you take it?” Her eyes were red. “Someone saw you were the only one who went near my seat!” My parents immediately rushed over. “Amelia, did you steal the bracelet?” My father demanded sternly. My mother slapped me hard across the face. “You’re humiliating our family! Hand it over now!” My cheek burned, and I looked at my so-called biological parents, feeling only absurdity. “I didn’t take it,” I defended myself. “Still lying!” My mother ordered the bodyguards, “Search her! Strip her if you have to, just find that necklace!” Two bodyguards roughly grabbed me. In the struggle, my dress ripped open, revealing a bare shoulder. The surrounding guests snickered. Just then, a bodyguard suddenly pulled the bracelet from my purse. “Found it!” Chloe, teary-eyed, took it, her face full of hurt. “Amelia, I know you’re upset. If you really wanted it, all you had to do was ask, why did you have to steal it?” Her words solidified my guilt. Julian slowly approached. He ignored everyone, his gaze a laser fixed on me. When he spoke, his voice was a honed blade, dripping with contempt. “Why steal it?” A sneering, contemptuous curve twisted his lips. “I never considered you my wife, didn’t you know that?” “Things that don’t belong to you, even if you steal them, will never truly be yours.” The ultimate humiliation drowned me. Just when everyone expected me to break down, I suddenly laughed. A soft laugh escaped me, and I watched Julian’s face tighten in response. I lifted my chin, meeting his glacial stare. “I didn’t steal it.” Then, holding his gaze, I poured every ounce of my being into three final words, a public decree for all to hear. “Julian, I don’t love you anymore.” “If I don’t love you, you’re nothing to me. Why would I steal that bracelet?”

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It had been ten years since Damien Thorne bullied me into dropping out. I ran into him at a food truck. He swaggered out of a BMW, arm slung around my ex, Tiffany. Spotting me hunched over a burger by the curb, he sneered. “Look how far our star student has fallen. Eating gutter food even my dog wouldn’t touch? And you’re actually enjoying it?” Tiffany shot me a look of pure disgust. “This is pathetic. Thank God I dumped you!” I kept my head down, eating my burger, saying nothing. Then Damien kicked it flying. “I’m talking to you! Are you deaf, or just stupid?!” He had no idea a single word from me could topple his family’s empire. Dozens of bodyguards in the shadows eased off their safeties. I waved them down with a cold smirk. “That burger was eight bucks. Pay up.” “Or else…” Damien stared at me, then burst into harsh laughter, cutting me off. “Have you lost it, you broke loser? You think you can demand money from me?” “You’re actually threatening me? What, you think you can kill me?” “Or have you forgotten how I used to pin you down and beat you like a dog in high school?” I could, in fact, end him right now. But seeing Damien’s unchanged, arrogant face, my mind snapped back to high school. Back when Tiffany and I were together. Damien had cornered me, saying he wanted her, and ordered me to back off. I refused. The result was a relentless campaign of bullying from Damien. He and his crew would dump trash in my desk, glue my seat shut, and stuff dead rats into my lunchbox. The worst time, they cornered me in the alley behind the school. Damien, a cigarette dangling from his lips, grabbed my hair and slammed my head against the wall, over and over. I was bedridden in the dorm for three days. And Tiffany, she broke up with me. The very next day, she started dating Damien. Convinced she must have been coerced, I went to ask her why. Instead,she and Damien lured me into a bathroom, shoved my head in a toilet, and gave me a “lesson.” To this day, I remember her words, dripping with contempt. “I only dated you because you were top of the class. I was betting on your potential.” “Then I met Damien. Grades are meaningless. His father is on the School Board. You could never compare. You’re just stepping stone material.” I walked home soaked, spiked a fever that lasted a week, and missed my final exams because of it. The teachers knew. But with Damien’s father on the Board, no one dared lift a finger. Later, I drop out. Never thought I’d run into them here, today. Damien’s laughter roared, drawing attention. A crowd spilled out of the bar next door. All my old high school classmates. They were having a reunion. Clearly, I hadn’t been invited. The moment they saw Damien, they swarmed him. “Damien! We’ve been waiting for you!” “Get in, the drinks are already!” Damien pointed at me, sneering. “Ran into some beggar scrounging for food. Accidentally kicked his burger, and now he wants eight bucks. Pathetic, right?” At his words, they finally turned to look at me. The sycophancy in their eyes for Damien twisted into pure contempt for me. “Our former valedictorian, reduced to begging for eight bucks?” “He must be completely broke!” Even my high school teacher stared at me with disdain. “Liam Carter, it’s just a burger. Damien wouldn’t kick it for no reason. What did you do to provoke him? Always check your own faults first!” It was always like this. Back in high school, every time Damien bullied me, the others just cheered him on. I asked him for help, and he’d always side with Damien without hesitation. “Why would he target you? Always check your own faults first.” Suddenly, a figure pushed through the jeering crowd. It was Benji Miller, my old desk mate. He glanced at me, then at the burger in the dirt, a flicker of pity in his eyes. “Liam, you don’t know who Damien is. You shouldn’t be picking a fight.” “Here. Take a few hundred bucks. Let it go. Don’t make things worse for yourself.” Benji pulled out the only few hundred bucks from his faded jeans and offered them to me. I was moved. Benji had been the closest thing I had to a friend in high school. The only one who ever spoke up for me when Damien bullied me. His life wasn’t easy now. But his concern was still genuine. I pushed his hand away. “Keep it. This won’t be a problem for me.” Benji looked anxious, ready to insist, but Damien shoved him aside roughly. “Playing a hero, Benji?” “YIou should spend that on cigarettes for us, not this loser. Might earn you some favors later.” He snatched the cash from Benji’s hand and tossed it to his ever-present sycophants. They caught it, smirking. “Yeah, giving it to Liam is a total waste!” “Buy our goodwill instead. Fall on hard times, and you can be our dog. We’ll even toss you a bone.” Benji clenched his fists but stayed silent. Damien turned his full attention back to me. “Liam, aren’t you desperate enough to beg for eight bucks?” “Tell you what. For old times’ sake, I’ll give you a way to earn it.” “Get on your knees and lick those burger crumbs off the pavement. I’ll not only pay your eight bucks, I’ll give you eight hundred. Sound good?”

His words sent the crowd roaring. Tiffany leaned on Damien’s shoulder with a wicked grin. “Oh, Damien, you’re too good. Letting this bum have a full meal and earn some cash!” Others joined in. “Liam, Damien’s handing you a golden ticket. Aren’t you grateful?” Even the teacher scoffed at me. “Liam, aren’t you going to thank him?” I stood there, quietly watching the whole scene. Ten years had passed. Nothing had changed. “Since you all think it’s such a golden opportunity…” “Why don’t you eat it.” My words killed the laughter instantly. Damien’s face hardened, his eyes bulging. “What did you say? I’m giving you a handout, and you refuse?” The others chimed in, jeering. “Trying to act tough, is he? Pathetic. Pride is all the poor have left.” The teacher shook his head with a theatrical sigh. “Hopeless ten years ago. Hopeless now.” Damien slowly lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and blew the smoke directly into my face. “Liam. You still don’t get it, do you.” He tapped the asphalt with his shoe. “This whole block? Belongs to the Thornes.” Then he gestured to the the skyscraper across the street. “That office tower? Ours too.” As he spoke, he jabbed the burning ember of his cigarette toward my chest. “And you? You’re just a beggar, surviving on my family’s goodwill.” “Understand?” Watching his performance, I couldn’t help but crack a smile.

Seeing me smile, Damien’s brow furrowed. “You think I’m joking?” I looked at him calmly, like he was nothing more than a barking dog. “This street might be yours, Damien, but you don’t own what’s right.” “I’m giving you one last chance. Give me and Benji our money back.” A muscle twitched in Damien’s face. Then he burst into an even more exaggerated fit of laughter. “Did you hear that? He’s giving me one last chance!” “That’s the funniest damn joke I’ve heard all year.” The surrounding classmates immediately joined in with scornful laughter. Tiffany looked at me like I was a clown. “Liam, are you broke and stupid?” “You couldn’t even begin to comprehend the world the Thorne family moves in.” “Still picking a fight? Do you have a death wish?” The others watched, contempt in their eyes. “One last chance? What can he even do if Damien doesn’t give him money?” “What can a poor guy like him do? Just cry to Damien! Hahahaha!” “Damien, you should really teach him a lesson, let this loser know his place!” Only Benji, seemingly afraid Damien would actually hurt me, rushed forward and pleaded with Damien. “Damien, Liam’s just hot-headed. Don’t take it personally.” “My money can be for the guys’ cigarettes. Let’s just drop this, Liam’s had it rough…” Before he could finish, Damien grabbed Benji by the collar. “You useless idiot, you always stuck up for him in high school, it’s annoying!” With that, Damien raised his fist and swung it at Benji. I reached out and caught Damien’s wrist. He froze, then slowly turned his head toward me. “What? Think you can teach me a lesson?” He leaned in until his face was inches from mine, then tapped his own cheek mockingly. “Go on. Hit me!” “Let’s see if a loser like you even has the-” SMACK! Before he could finish, I landed a sharp slap directly across his face.

The crisp sound of the slap echoed loudly in the night street. For a moment, everyone stared at me in disbelief. Damien stood frozen in place, a clear five-finger imprint rapidly appearing on his face. He clutched his cheek, glaring at me in utter disbelief, grinding his teeth. “Liam Carter! You dared to hit me?!” I clapped my hands, my voice flat. “Didn’t you tell me to?” Tiffany steadied Damien, her eyes narrowing at me viciously. “Liam, are you crazy?! Are you trying to die?!” Only Benji, his face ashen, tugged at me frantically. “Liam, run! Now!” “Damien has connections everywhere, he’ll kill you!” I lightly patted Benji’s shoulder. “Easy. He doesn’t have that kind of power.” “I don’t have the power?!” Damien exploded, his face twisting. “You know who my uncle is? Victor Sterling. This whole district answers to him!” A ripple of shock went through the crowd at the name. “His uncle is Victor ‘The Enforcer’ Sterling?” “I heard Sterling is ruthless about family. Didn’t he?” “Yeah. Word is some drunk insulted his nephew once. Sterling made him swallow his own tongue.” Amidst the whispers, Damien glared at me hatefully, his voice venomous. “Liam, today I’m going to show you what real power is!” With that, he pulled out his phone and publicly dialed Victor’s number. As soon as the call connected, Damien put it on speaker. “Uncle, get to Bourbon Street, I just got hit!” However, from the other end of the line, only Victor’s low voice came through. “I have an urgent matter to deal with. No time.” Then, Victor immediately hung up. The scene fell into stunned silence. Damien’s face was a mask of disbelief. But I smiled. “What? He won’t come?” “Then let me call him.” With that, I pulled out my phone and dialed a number. “Tell Victor to get his butt to Bourbon Street within three minutes.” After I hung up, the place was completely silent for a full three seconds. Then came a wave of scornful mockery. “Tell Victor to get his butt here in three minutes? Who do you think you are?” “You’re so desperate to look tough, you’re practically suicidal!” The onlookers stared at me like I was mentally challenged. Damien let out a cold laugh. “Liam, you’re unbelievably stupid.” “You’re a bottom-tier nobody, you don’t even have the right to speak to my uncle.” “Besides, my uncle spoils me rotten, and he’s too busy to even come for me. What makes you think you’re important enough for him to drop everything?” I looked at him, my voice calm. “When I call him, he has no choice but to come.” Benji’s face was chalk-white. He tugged at my arm, his voice on the verge of tears. “Liam, stop talking, just run, or it’ll be too late!” “After hitting me and disrespecting my uncle, he thinks he can run?” Damien roared, then yelled to the surrounding classmates. “Keep an eye on these two pathetic losers.” “Today, I’m going to drag him in front of my uncle and let him feel the terror of ‘The Enforcer’!” As soon as he finished speaking, the classmates immediately formed a circle, trapping Benji and me in the center. Tiffany shot me a disgusted glance. “So dumb.” “Good thing I broke up with you and chose Damien instead.” Damien snorted, checking his watch. “You said my uncle would be here in three minutes.” “Well, time’s up.” “Where is he?” The crowd erupted in derisive laughter. “Three minutes? He couldn’t get Sterling on the phone in three centuries!” “If that loser can summon Victor, I’ll eat my own shoes.” The echo of their mockery hadn’t faded when a convoy of black luxury sedans rounded the corner, screeching to a halt before the crowd. The lead door flew open. A middle-aged man launched himself from the back seat. Damien froze solid. “Uncle?!”

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At the hospital, I found our emergency fund empty while my husband toasted Christmas in a five-star suite with his sweetheart and her dog. The photo showed her in lingerie, straddling my husband over a game of strip poker. The doctor shook his head, declaring the patient deceased. I stormed home to confront my husband, only to find him too wasted to stand, waving me off like a bothersome fly. My son rushed out, yelling, “Mom, stop picking fights! What’s the big deal if Dad spends a little on Felicity. She’s just his best friend!” “Besides, it was Grandma who was sick! You should’ve paid! Why’d you even touch our savings?” My husband smirked at me. “I really can’t believe your mom died over a bit of money.” A cold, bitter laugh escaped me. It wasn’t my mom. It was his! I pushed the door open at 3 AM. Daniel was passed out on the couch. The stench of stale booze and perfume made my head spin. I walked over, the bank card digging into my palm. “Where’s the money?” He stirred, voice thick with sleep and annoyance. “What’s your problem? I just got off an overtime shift. I’m exhausted. Can’t you just chill?” I shoved the card in his face. “Two hundred thousand. Gone. Where is it, Daniel?” His eyes darted away. “I don’t know, maybe-” I didn’t wait. I opened my phone, pulled up Felicity’s Instagram, and thrust the screen under his nose. That photo was perfectly framed. There was Felicity, in a sequined bra, radiant as she clung to Daniel, gripping his tie. And there was Daniel, smiling, his hand tugging playfully at her bra strap. That relaxed, contented smile-I hadn’t seen it in years. In the corner, their Pomeranian, Snowball, perched before a pet cake studded with candles, its neck ringed by a sparkling gold collar. The caption read: “Thank you to my incredible Daniel for Snowball’s Christmas! Gold collar with his name, lifetime insurance-all set. Love my perfect ‘best friend’!” I stood there, arm outstretched, frozen. “It’s just… some money,” he finally muttered. “Snowball is family to her. She wanted to give him a perfect Christmas. What’s the crime in helping a friend? The venue, the photographer, the custom collar-twenty grand. A dog deserves love, doesn’t it? I got him lifetime insurance too. Fifty thousand. The rest…we celebrated. It’s called networking. You wouldn’t understand.” I heard myself laugh-a short, sharp sound. “What’s wrong?” “Why are you like this? Felicity isn’t a stranger. We have history. And if your mother died over money…that was her choice. Not my problem.” He turned his head away, dismissive. My son rubbed his eyes and walked out. “Dad’s right. If she died, it’s because you didn’t make enough. We shouldn’t have touched the savings. What’s wrong with helping a dog? Snowball’s a living thing. Aunt Felicity is nice to Dad, so he’s nice back. What’s wrong with that?” I whipped around to stare at the child I’d raised for fifteen years. He said it calmly, as if stating a simple fact. Just hours ago, the E.R. doctor’s words still rang in my ears. “Ms. Clara? Your mother-in-law has had a massive stroke. She needs surgery now.” I clutched the bank card and rushed to the hospital, only to see two words flash on the terminal: “INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.” My mother-in-law, Eleanor, had a pension of over ten thousand a month. She scrimped and saved, handing every spare cent to Daniel, or to her grandson. I watched his face cycle through self-righteousness, to irritation, and finally settle into a mask of cold blame-and beneath it, a flicker of relief. Even in the subtle curl of his lip, I caught it: that familiar, ghost of a smile. I’d seen it before. Every time my own mother was unwell, he’d perform concern, but that same fleeting, lighthearted look would surface. He’d always boasted about his mother being tough, brushing off her high blood pressure, her hidden snacks of fatty meat and strong tea. Now, his “tough” mother had collapsed. And he still thought it was my mother. I nodded, pressing my lip into a thin line. “You’re right,” I said, my voice eerily calm. “That’s fate. Nothing to regret.” “But the dead still need burying. What’s the plan for the funeral?” His face twisted with instant irritation. “She’s your mother! Why should I care? You handle it. I have no money and no time for this!” “Alright.” I didn’t look at him again. I simply turned and walked towards the bedroom.

My mother-in-law’s death certificate was just a simple sheet of paper. In the living room, Daniel was scrolling on his phone, shoving cookies into his mouth. My son, Leo, was sprawled on the sofa, the cacophony of his video game filling the air. “What time is it?” Daniel heard me and looked up, furious. “No breakfast again? Are you trying to starve us?” Daniel let out an irritated tsk, pushed himself up, and fished his wallet from the briefcase. He peeled off several bills, walked over, and flicked them toward me. “Enough. Stop moping around like it was your own mother.” His voice was thick with condescension and undisguised annoyance. “Here. Five hundred. Go buy some discount flowers and a cheap candle. Wrap this up. Quickly.” “I’ve already booked my annual leave. Leo and I are taking Felicity to Whistler to ski. Don’t you dare try to guilt-trip us into canceling.” Leo’s eyes widened. He paused his game, sitting bolt upright. “For real? Dad! Yes! I want the new Carbon Pros.” His young face showed pure elation, even a hint of complaint. “Grandma, seriously…she couldn’t have waited? She still owes me my graduation gift.” Grandma. He said it so naturally. Both father and son were absolutely convinced that the person who died last night was my mother. Slowly, I bent down and picked up the bills. This five hundred dollars was his entire budget for “my mother’s” funeral. “Daniel, don’t you want to go see Mom at the hospital? It’s the last time.” His lips curled into a mocking smile. “What’s the point? She’s dead. Occupying a hospital bed costs money. Just burn her, already.” He paused, his tone growing more impatient. “Honestly, your mom really knows how to pick her timing. Not dying sooner or later, but right on Christmas, almost ruining my ski trip with Felicity.” I took a deep breath. Well, if Daniel, her own son, requested this, why should I waste my effort? Just then, the doorbell rang. The annoyance on Daniel’s face instantly vanished, replaced by a cheerful lightness, and he strode to open the door. “Daniel! Leo, sweetie!” Felicity stood there, cuddling that fluffy white Pomeranian. A dazzling gold chain shimmered around her neck, its pendant identical to Snowball’s collar. “I’m here to take Snowball for his Christmas grooming! Oh, Clara, you’re here too?” Her lips curved into a perfectly measured, pitying arc. “My condolences, Clara. Daniel told me about your mom. Old age, you know, nothing you can do.” She changed the subject, her smile deepening, as she ostentatiously stroked her necklace. “Look, it’s a matching set for me and Snowball! Daniel picked it out specially. Isn’t it cute? He says I’m even more adorable wearing this than Snowball is.” Snowball was set down and immediately scampered around the living room, rubbing against Daniel’s pants, then going to Leo’s feet. “Oh, that reminds me,” Felicity chimed in, her voice artificially light. “About your mother…it won’t interfere with our ski trip at the end of the month, will it? Daniel assured me it was fine, so I went ahead and booked the hotel. All good?” I watched Felicity’s saccharine smile, Daniel’s utterly indulgent and even doting gaze upon her, my son chasing the dog, and finally, my eyes fixed on Daniel’s face. “Daniel, let’s get a divorce.” “What did you say?” Daniel took a step forward, his voice squeezed through clenched teeth. “Clara, are you out of your mind? You want a divorce over your mom dying?!” He tried to crush me with his usual intimidation. “How are you going to explain this to your dad? Don’t you dare embarrass me like this!” “Mom! What are you talking about?!” Leo lunged forward, shielding his father, his face filled with incredulity and fury. “Grandma just passed, and you’re not even sad, you’re here making a scene about divorce? Are you sick?! You’re making Dad and Felicity laugh at us!” He pointed at me, his tone full of accusation and disdain. “Do you know how good Felicity is to me? She buys me anything I want! She’s more like a mom than you are! What’s wrong with Dad helping her? All you ever do is make a long face!” Felicity, with her arm around Leo, shot me a triumphant, challenging look. Every word was like a final hammer blow, shattering the last vestiges of my heart, any lingering illusion that perhaps, just perhaps, some humanity remained in them.

The funeral home chapel was stark and empty, only my mother-in-law’s body lay there. A staff member handed me a price list. Daniel’s call came in just then. “Just pick the cheapest cremation,” his voice held its usual impatience. “It’s just ashes, what difference does it make? Don’t waste money.” I didn’t argue. I checked the last box. The urn was also the simplest wooden box. As I walked towards our apartment complex, familiar laughter drifted over. At the corner, in front of an expensive pet store, Daniel and Felicity stood side-by-side. Felicity was holding a brightly colored ski suit up to Snowball. Daniel’s arm was casually wrapped around Felicity’s waist. Snowball seemed to sense something, suddenly wriggling free from Felicity’s arms and dashing towards me, barking furiously. I was startled. The wooden box slipped from my grasp, smashing onto the ground. The lid flew open, and a scattering of gray-white ashes spilled out. “Snowball! Come back!” Felicity shrieked. Daniel finally saw me. The smile on his face instantly froze. The arm around Felicity’s waist snatched back as if burned. His gaze swept over the mess on the ground, his brows furrowed. Snowball ran to the ashes, sniffed curiously, then let out several loud sneezes, shaking his head repeatedly. “Oh no! My Snowball!” Felicity, in high heels, rushed over, cradling the dog protectively. Her eyes immediately filled with disgust and anger as she looked at me. “Clara, what are you doing?! You scared Snowball! He just got over a cold! And what… what is this on the ground? It’s so dirty! How unlucky!” Daniel walked over, first looking at Felicity and the dog in her arms, then shifting his gaze to me and the scattered ashes. His face was grim, part embarrassment at being caught, part pure exasperation. “Are you not watching where you’re going?” He preemptively accused me, then stiffly added, as if to explain the previous scene, “Felicity’s back isn’t feeling well, I was just… rubbing it for her.” He suddenly raised his foot and kicked hard at the pile of ashes several times! The ashes swirled up, scattering into the cold, dry air, becoming even more formless. “Clean it up now!” He shouted at a street sweeper nearby, his tone brooking no argument. “This is utterly disgusting! Throw it in the trash!” “Why are you standing there?” Daniel snapped. He yanked a bill from his wallet and shoved it at the worker. “Just take it away! It’s disgusting!” He turned to me, his tone chillingly casual. “Stop gawking. So the urn broke? Go scoop some dirt from the backyard, put it in a box, and be done with it. No one’s going to autopsy the ashes.” Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket. It was the funeral director, calling to finalize the simple interment for tomorrow. Before I could answer, Daniel snatched it from my hand. “Keep it simple. Don’t waste money on a plot. Just find some public land outside the city. Bury the box. Don’t order any flowers or anything.” He paused, glanced back at me with a look of pure, performative malice, then added. “Actually, add one more thing. Hire a mariachi band. A small one. Three people. Have them play at the graveside. Something upbeat. What’s with the long faces? She had a long life. Let’s give her a proper send-off. Make it festive.” I stood there, holding the empty wooden box, listening to him plan his mother’s “festive” funeral as casually as ordering a pizza, her ashes to be mixed with backyard soil. Felicity was cooing at Snowball, rolling her eyes. “Daniel, hurry up, this place smells weird, Snowball isn’t comfortable.” Daniel hung up, shoved the phone back into my hand, and brushed imaginary dust from his hands, as if he’d completed a bothersome chore. “That’s how it’s going to be,” he concluded, no longer looking at me. He turned and walked towards Felicity, his voice regaining its lightheartedness. “Come on, after we finish getting Snowball his gear, let’s grab some food.” I gently closed the lid. Fine. Have it your way, Daniel. After all, it wasn’t my mother in there.

The wind whipped dust across the rural landscape.I had to squint against it. Before me lay a raw mound of earth-no stone, no name. Only a weathered wooden stand held the box I’d filled with soil from our apartment’s dying flowerbed. A cheap Bluetooth speaker screeched out the latest viral pop song. In front of the grave, a handful of young women in sequined skirts gyrated in a crude, listless imitation of a dance. A crowd of local villagers had gathered at a safe distance, drawn by the noise. They stood in a silent semicircle, pointing and murmuring among themselves. I stood witness to Daniel’s demanded “celebration.” Just then, a taxi sped up. The door opened. A middle-aged woman, looking travel-ravaged and pale, stumbled out. It was Sarah. Daniel’s sister. She had clearly just arrived from the airport, her face etched with the fatigue of a long flight and an expression of disbelieving panic. Her gaze swept over the dancing women, the gawking villagers, finally landing on the solitary grave and the wooden box on the table. “Mom?” she cried out hoarsely, her legs buckling. She collapsed directly in front of the dirt grave, her shoulders trembling violently, a choked sob escaping her throat. “Mom!” I was about to step forward when another car arrived. Daniel got out, accompanied by Felicity and my son, Leo. The moment I saw them, my pupils narrowed. All three of them were dressed in garish, bright red. As soon as Felicity got out of the car, she raised her phone, excitedly pointing it at the dancing women, taking photos and videos, clucking approvingly. Daniel put an arm around her shoulder, a smile on his face as he said loudly, “This is more like it! A bit of liveliness is good, the old lady would have loved it.” I walked up to them and said, “This is a funeral. Dressed like this, isn’t it inappropriate?” Daniel immediately pulled Felicity behind him, as if shielding a precious treasure, and glared at me impatiently. “Clara, are you done yet? It’s just a memorial service! Don’t be so old-fashioned. Felicity and Snowball are here specifically to lighten the mood.” He paused, his tone growing even more self-righteous. “Besides, your mom’s dead. What does she know?” Sarah, who had collapsed to her knees by the grave, snapped her head up at his words. Her face was a mess of tears. She stared at her brother, as if he’s a stranger. Daniel finally noticed her. He moved forward, trying to pull her up. “Sarah, what’s all this? This is Clara’s mother’s-” He didn’t finish his sentence. CRACK! A raw, open-handed slap exploded across his cheek. Sarah staggered to her feet, her whole body trembling violently. She jabbed a shaking finger toward the raw mound of earth. “Daniel! Open your eyes! Look! Who do you think is in there? That’s Mom! Your mother! And you…you give her this? You let these performers dance at her grave? You wear red? You… you heartless monster!” The slap snapped Daniel’s head sideways, a red mark blazing across his cheek. He held his face, his eyes shifting from shock to utter confusion. He suddenly turned to me, lips trembling with a silent question. I took a deep breath, walked to my just-arrived parents, and calmly gestured toward the absurd scene. “Mom, Dad. This is the funeral Daniel arranged. For his mother.”

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The company’s layoff list went public, and my husband’s name was on it. To secure his future, I voluntarily resigned, ensuring the company kept him. He climbed the corporate ladder, while I became a housewife for forty years. Until, in our old age, he suddenly asked for a divorce, planning to move in with my former assistant… Even our son supported his choice: “Dad worked so hard to support us all these years, Mom. Just let him go.” That’s when I realized Marcus and Chloe had been having an affair ever since that layoff. After being abandoned, I died alone in a tiny rental apartment from heart failure. Then, I opened my eyes again. I had been reborn, back to the moment the company announced the layoff list. This time, I wouldn’t give up my job for my husband again. “Audrey, did you hear me?” Marcus waved a hand in front of my face. “I just got called into a meeting, passed by the CEO’s office, and got a sneak peek at the layoff list… My name’s on it too.” He wrinkled his nose, his face etched with despair. At that moment, he had no idea I’d been reborn. After his initial dejection, a glint flickered in Marcus’s eyes. He grabbed my shoulders. “Honey, I’m a man, I can’t lose my job. How about you volunteer to resign and give your position to me? You can be a stay-at-home mom, and I promise I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world!” I just stared at him. He’d said the exact same thing in my past life. Last time, I listened to him and went to the CEO to resign. I even begged the CEO to keep him on. The CEO eventually agreed to my request. After I was laid off, Marcus took over all my responsibilities. And Chloe, who had been my assistant, naturally followed him. Then, behind my back, they had an affair for forty years. I clutched my chest, forcing myself to pull away from the painful memories. “Audrey, since you’re not saying anything, I’ll take that as a yes.” Marcus grinned, and just like before, he patted my head and kissed me. Then he pulled a pair of gloves from his pocket. “Happy birthday, honey. Your old gloves were so worn out, so I bought you a new pair.” I didn’t answer. Because I clearly remembered that in my past life, I’d found a jewelry store receipt in his jacket pocket. He claimed it was a souvenir from a business trip, meant for his superior. But the very next day, I saw a beautiful gold necklace on Chloe’s neck. Back then, I was too naive to connect the two events. He gave me a cheap pair of gloves, but bought Chloe a gold necklace. There were countless similar incidents in my past life. So, I looked him straight in the eye and said: “Marcus, I don’t agree.” He didn’t react immediately. “…What?” “I won’t resign and let you take my position. Women have careers too. Why should I sacrifice mine for you?” Marcus’s eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief. “Audrey, I never thought you’d be so selfish!” “What kind of wife competes with her husband for a job? What you should be doing right now is taking care of our son and my mom!” I scoffed, shaking my head. “You being laid off just shows your incompetence. I think you’re better suited to stay home.”

“…You!” He was so furious he couldn’t speak, slamming the office door shut as he left. We were in a cold war for the next few days. On the first night, I cooked dinner. He simply flipped the table over. Gazing at the mess scattered across the floor, Marcus’s mom, Martha, didn’t scold her son. Instead, she glared at me. “Audrey, what did you do to upset Marcus again? Go apologize to him, right now!” Leo also piped up: “Mom, why are you always picking on Dad?!” I almost laughed from sheer frustration. I wasn’t going to hold back anymore. I kicked the overturned dining table. After that day, I never cooked again. Hearing that Marcus and I were fighting, Chloe started to secretly butter him up. She’d make two lunches every day, sneaking one to Marcus at the office. Once, I saw her feeding him bites of food. A flash of guilt flickered in Marcus’s eyes. Chloe, however, offered a knowing smile. “Audrey, I brought too much lunch, so I figured I’d share some with you. Want to try my cooking?” I shook my head, my voice cold. “No thanks.” “Audrey, you’re not mad, are you?” “I just feel bad for Marcus, working so hard every day. If you’re upset, I won’t do it anymore.” She bit her lip, her eyes sparkling with what looked like tears. Marcus immediately felt a pang of sympathy for her. He pulled Chloe behind him, lowering his voice. “Audrey, stop stirring up trouble for no reason. Chloe is a sweet girl, nothing like you!” I nearly scoffed, but I held it in. Only three days left until the layoff list was officially announced. Then I’d make sure Marcus was out for good. Right now, I couldn’t waste my time and energy arguing with him. Three days later, the company held the layoff meeting. Everyone sat with their heads bowed, terrified their names would be called. But Marcus, who had already seen the list, was perfectly composed, even a little smug. The CEO read the last name, then looked out at the room. “And finally, Audrey.”

My heart plummeted. I felt cold sweat instantly prickle my skin. My hands and feet went numb. How could this be… How could it be me? Beside me, Marcus struggled to suppress a triumphant smirk. After the layoff list was read, they moved on to the personnel assignments for the restructured company. Not only was Marcus not laid off, but he was also promoted. To manager… I didn’t fully recover until the meeting ended. I stumbled to the stage, picking up the sheet of paper covered with names. It really was me… Brenda, a colleague standing nearby, also on the list, sighed, her face etched with worry. “Audrey, you’re our best technician in the whole department. Did you upset the new Vice President?” I felt a strange disconnect, asking almost automatically, “Who is it?” “His name is Robert. He and the CEO finalized this layoff list together.” It finally clicked. Robert, he was Chloe’s brother-in-law. My face fell, utterly drained, body and soul. I had no idea where the road ahead would lead. Stumbling home in a daze, I found Chloe there already… Marcus’s mom, Martha, had prepared a lavish dinner. “Marcus, this time, it’s all thanks to Chloe’s help.” Martha said, not forgetting to shoot me a glare. She clasped Chloe’s hand tightly. “You’re such a good girl! I truly wish you were Marcus’s wife.” Marcus took a sip of wine, silently agreeing with them. Standing in the doorway, I felt like an outsider in my own home. Then, Chloe saw me, her eyes gleaming with a challenging glint. “Audrey, you’re back!”

After that day, Chloe became a regular at our house. She, dressed to the nines every day, stood in stark contrast to me, newly laid off. I didn’t even have money for new clothes anymore. A cold dread enveloped me. Was I doomed to repeat the tragedy of my past life? No. I wouldn’t allow it. Absolutely not. I took off my apron, found Brenda, and we discussed starting our own business. We bought a food truck, planning to sell burgers on the street. But Marcus was quick to mock me. “How much money do you think you’ll make selling burgers? Don’t embarrass me out there.” Ever since I was laid off, Marcus’s attitude toward me had grown increasingly hostile. But I ignored him, focusing on building our business. The weather was freezing, and my hands were raw with chilblains. The pain kept me awake at night. Marcus saw them but just brushed it off. “I told you not to go out. Now you’re suffering, serves you right.” I remembered in my past life, his excuse for wanting a divorce was because of Chloe’s hands. Her hands had developed arthritis from overwork, and she eventually couldn’t do housework. Marcus felt terribly sorry for her, so he decided to divorce me to take care of her. “Chloe’s hands got arthritis from helping me at work. I can’t just ignore her.” Later, both father and son threw me out, renting a rundown apartment for me. Now, I absolutely wouldn’t repeat those mistakes. I gritted my teeth, applied chilblain cream, and wrapped my hands in thick bandages. The next day, I was back at my burger stand. I worked the stand during the day and spent my evenings in the kitchen, studying. Besides selling burgers, I hoped to re-enroll in school and become a professional engineer. It was my only way back into the workforce, my only chance to change my life. And I couldn’t let Marcus know about any of my efforts. Marcus, thanks to Chloe’s connections, was absolutely crushing it at work. He came home later and later each night. Their affair was an open secret at the company. My former colleagues even joked about me in their SnapChat group chat: “Audrey is really generous! I wish my wife was that generous and let me have a mistress.” “She doesn’t even have a job now, she has to rely on a man to support her. Of course, she wouldn’t dare to divorce him!” “Such a pussy!” … Despite the humiliation, I remained unfazed. I stared at the date on the calendar. December 20th was fast approaching. I felt a surge of excitement. Because, in my previous life, one of the company’s multi-million dollar German machines broke down on that exact day! And in the entire company, I was the only one who knew how to fix it.

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“Get your best doctor in here!” I had just stepped out of the staff elevator when I saw my husband, Derek Hayes, yelling outside the operating room. What was he doing here? Didn’t he say he was on a business trip today and couldn’t be with me for our seventh wedding anniversary? Before I could react, he stormed over to a nurse, making a scene: “You have to save my wife and child, or I’ll make sure this hospital goes bankrupt!” His wife? The words hit me like a lightning bolt. If she was his wife, then who was I? I stood frozen, still processing, when a young doctor hurried towards me. “Dr. Miller, perfect timing. All the chief physicians are in surgery and can’t break away… Please, get into the operating room!” I took a deep breath, clenched my fists, and walked towards the double doors. Derek rushed over, blocking my path, his eyes blazing. “You’re the surgeon?” He didn’t recognize me? Even though I was completely covered by a surgical cap and mask, he couldn’t be so blind that he couldn’t recognize his wife of seven years! Maybe he just didn’t expect me to be here. I’d been temporarily assigned to this community hospital last month as part of a temporary rotation. I remembered telling Derek about it. At the time, he was engrossed in his phone, not really listening. Through my mask, I told him, “Family, please step aside.” I moved past him, but Derek shouted, “There aren’t any male doctors in there, are there? I don’t want any male staff in the room with my wife!” You must be out of your mind, I thought. My curiosity spiked. Who exactly was this “wife” Derek kept talking about? After sterilizing, I entered the operating room. A pregnant woman lay on the bed, barely conscious. When I saw her face clearly, my heart lurched. It was Tiffany Reed, Derek’s cousin-in-law! Derek’s cousin, Major Ryan Davies, was a military man, often deployed. Tiffany would often call Derek over with excuses like broken appliances or water outages. I was usually busy with work and hadn’t paid much attention to their frequent encounters. I never imagined… they were having an affair behind my back! A nurse handed me the patient’s chart, and I quickly scanned it. Tiffany was eight months pregnant. Her contractions were caused by intercourse during pregnancy, leading to a threatened miscarriage. Eight months… I remembered Derek’s cousin hadn’t been back in almost a year. So, the baby in Tiffany’s belly… was Derek’s? My vision blurred. Suddenly, some clues clicked into place. Derek and I had been married for years and hadn’t conceived. My periods were always irregular. Last year, I couldn’t help but want him to get checked, but he flat-out refused, insisting he was fine. Even my mother-in-law sided with him. Now I knew why. He had already gotten another woman pregnant! No wonder he was so confident! So, my mother-in-law was in on it too? My assistant asked, “Dr. Miller, should we prepare for a C-section?” I looked at the fetal heart monitor and the ultrasound results. At eight months, the baby could survive. It was sickeningly ironic. I was about to perform a C-section on the very woman who had cuckolded me. But as a doctor, bound by my professional ethics, I had no choice. I took a deep breath. “Yes, prepare the anesthesia.” We were busy with pre-op preparations when Tiffany on the operating table suddenly cried out, “Let my husband in! I don’t want to be alone!” The nurse tried to reassure her, “Ms. Reed, that’s against hospital policy…” “Against policy? Don’t husbands always accompany their wives in labor on TV?” Once the anesthesia took effect, Tiffany’s contractions eased, and she became fully energetic, yelling and demanding. The nurse patiently explained, “Those require prior application, and our hospital doesn’t have such a precedent…” Tiffany threatened, “My husband is an executive at a listed company! Be careful, or I’ll make sure you all pay!” Your actual husband is an active-duty military officer, I thought. Cheating with Derek means you’re both violating military marriage laws, which is a criminal offense! Clearly, Tiffany and Derek didn’t care. They openly referred to each other as husband and wife. Tiffany declared, “If you don’t let my husband in for the delivery, I’m not giving birth!”

My assistant asked what to do. I suppressed my anger. “Call the director for approval. I can’t authorize this!” Director Thompson quickly responded, agreeing to let Derek in for the delivery. The application forms could be completed later. Soon, Derek entered, wearing green scrubs. Seeing him, Tiffany immediately whined and played the damsel in distress. “Oh, darling, I’m in so much pain, I can’t take it anymore…” She’s blatantly lying, I thought. She’s semi-anesthetized; she wouldn’t feel any pain right now. Derek squeezed her hand, his voice full of feigned tenderness. “Honey, just hold on. After the baby is born, I’ll give you a big reward.” “I want that limited edition bag from H brand…” “Okay, okay, I’ll buy you as many as you want.” By now, seeing that scummy couple, I felt no more anger, just a cold detachment. I only had myself to blame for being so stupid! Derek had been distant lately, forgetting my birthday and our wedding anniversary, and I actually thought he was just overwhelmed with work! I kept telling myself internally. Chloe, you’re a doctor. You have professional ethics. Even if your enemy is on the operating table, you have to do your job! After bracing myself mentally, I picked up the scalpel. I skillfully made the first incision. Derek, who had leaned in to watch, suddenly rolled his eyes and collapsed. I ignored him, continuing to cut through the second layer. Tiffany shrieked, “Darling! What happened to you?!” She even tried to sit up, but my assistant quickly stopped her. “Ms. Reed, please lie still!” Two nurses rushed to help Derek to the side. I knew exactly what was wrong with him. The guy was a hemophobe, yet he still forced himself to come in for the delivery. Guess he really loves Tiffany. I scoffed internally. We successfully delivered the baby: a tiny, skinny boy. The umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, and his body was purple. Tiffany asked anxiously, “Is the baby out?” The assistant told her, “It’s a boy.” She beamed, then asked, “Why isn’t he crying?” The assistant didn’t answer. I calmly cleared the mucus from the baby’s airways, held him upside down, and patted his feet. A moment later, the baby finally let out a cry. Hearing the cry, Derek was about to get up, but seeing the baby covered in blood and vernix, he immediately stretched his legs out and fainted again. The midwife measured the baby’s length and weight, then brought him over for Tiffany to hold, explaining, “Your baby is a bit weak and needs to go into an incubator.” Tiffany yelled, “An incubator? Are you trying to scam us because you think my husband is rich?” My patience had worn thin long ago. I said in a low voice, “Premature babies with underperforming vitals must go into an incubator! If Ms. Reed doesn’t trust this hospital, she can request a transfer!” She bristled. “What’s with your attitude?! Transfer then! My husband has plenty of money! If it wasn’t for…” She paused, then continued, “Who would want to give birth in this rundown place!” I probably knew what she was going to say. If it wasn’t for me being a doctor at a top-tier hospital in the city, and their fear of exposure, they wouldn’t have chosen this small hospital for the delivery. I couldn’t be bothered with her anymore, leaving the remaining work to my assistant and the nurses. I walked out of the operating room, intending to get some rest, when I saw a woman adorned in jewelry yelling like a fishwife: “How could the baby be born before his due month?! I’ll sue you all! I’ll sue you until you lose everything!” It was my mother-in-law, Shirley Hayes!

Shirley was blocking the midwife, preventing her from taking the baby to the NICU. The midwife, exasperated, could only explain, “Ma’am, the mother was at risk of a threatened miscarriage, which is why we performed the C-section…” “What? A C-section?!” Shirley shrieked, her voice rising. “Naturally delivered babies are smarter! Who told you to give her a C-section?! Get your director out here!” I never knew she was so ignorant. I really learned something new today. My emotions were a complicated mess, and I desperately wanted to avoid getting involved in their mess. I’d go home, divorce Derek, and get away from these toxic people! I started to walk around Shirley. But Shirley noticed me, and with a swift move, she blocked me. “Was it you? Did you give my daughter-in-law a C-section?” I said coldly, “The C-section was performed with the patient’s and family’s consent! If you have a problem, ask your son!” Shirley didn’t recognize me either. She shouted, spitting everywhere, “Hey! How dare you talk to me like that? Do you know who I am? Who do you think you are? Just a damn doctor!” The midwife quickly took the opportunity to push the baby into the elevator. Shirley, caught between two fronts, couldn’t stop her. She directed her full fury at me. “How dare you make my grandson come out so early! What’s your agenda?! Do you want to make my grandson stupid?!” The other patients’ families waiting outside couldn’t stand it anymore and started chastising her. “How can you be so unreasonable? Your daughter-in-law was premature, the doctor was just following protocol…” “Exactly, your son and daughter-in-law both signed off on the C-section, what does it have to do with the doctor?” Some people had already secretly taken out their phones to record. Shirley aggressively retorted, “None of your damn business! Who else to blame but her?! My grandson wasn’t supposed to be born for another two months! It’s all this quack’s fault!” “Honestly, she saved your daughter-in-law and grandson, and you’re so ungrateful.” The two sides argued furiously. Shirley actually swung a fist at an elderly lady. I quickly intervened, warning Shirley, “Ma’am, if you keep causing trouble, I’ll call security.” “How dare you! Just try to touch me!” Shirley roared in a fit of rage. I shielded the elderly lady and stepped back, then told her, “Ma’am, please step aside for a moment…” When I wasn’t looking, Shirley pushed me hard. I staggered back a few steps, lost my balance, and fell to the floor. My head swam, and a heavy, dragging pain shot through my lower abdomen. Several family members quickly rushed to help me up. “Doctor, are you okay?” I swayed, unable to stand steadily. Shirley, the villain, was already playing the victim. “What are you faking? I barely touched you!” I clutched my stomach, too weak to argue with her. To my horror, a gush of warmth flowed down my inner thigh. I froze, too afraid to move. Just then, Derek came out with Tiffany, who was still on the gurney. Seeing Shirley, Derek asked, surprised, “Mom? What are you doing here?” Shirley immediately found her rock, twisting the facts as she spoke: “Your assistant told me you brought Tiffany here to have the baby! Tell me, son, did this quack trick you into a C-section? You didn’t even consult me about such a serious matter! These dishonest hospitals deliberately trick you into thinking your baby’s in danger, making you spend a fortune on ‘rescue’ just to scam you!” Several medical staff, unable to bear it any longer, said sternly, “Don’t you dare slander us!” “The mother’s water broke; the C-section was unavoidable!” Shirley put her hands on her hips and retorted, “How could my daughter-in-law’s water break for no reason? Don’t try to fool me!” I couldn’t stand her constantly saying “my daughter-in-law” anymore. I gritted my teeth through the pain and told her, “Because your son and your ‘daughter-in-law’ had intercourse during pregnancy, which caused the miscarriage!”

Derek nervously kept quiet. Shirley was clearly stunned, then immediately exploded. “Nonsense! My son would never do such a thing!” A nurse came over to help me. “Dr. Miller, don’t mind her. Let’s go…” Shirley wouldn’t let up, pulling and grabbing at me. “Stop right there! You think you can just run off? You’re responsible for my grandson!” A searing cramp twisted my lower abdomen. This wasn’t good! Cold sweat poured down me. In a panic, I flung Shirley away, and she hit her back against the wall. She immediately pretended to clutch her head. “Ouch! My head! You evil quack!” The nurse pointed out, “You hit your back! How could your head hurt…” Shirley started to whine. “I don’t care! Apologize to me, or this isn’t over!” She shouted at Derek, “Your mother’s being bullied, what are you standing there for?” Derek, who’d already been annoyed with me in the operating room, seized the opportunity. He pointed at me and commanded, “You, apologize to my mother!” I gasped for air, whispering to the nurse, “My… stomach hurts, please take me away first…” The nurse tried to help me leave, but Derek roughly grabbed my arm. “Where do you think you’re going? Don’t even think about leaving without apologizing!” The nurse tried to stop him but was shoved aside violently. “Derek! Look closely at who I am!”

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I had just undergone stomach cancer surgery and survived daily immunotherapy. Then I saw it on social media—my wife had transferred our house to her “old friend.” She said he was just a single father and told me to be more understanding. But to accompany him on a test drive of his new luxury car, She not only forgot my birthday, she also left me alone at the hospital on a rainy night. That was the day I stopped waiting for her to turn back and contacted a divorce lawyer instead. My wife Skylar Anderson’s “old friend,” Caleb Thompson, posted a photo of a deed on Instagram. The caption read, “Huge thanks to my big sister for signing this house over to me.” I looked at the address on the deed, stunned; it was our home. I commented with a single question mark, “?” Moments later, Skylar called, snapping at me, “He’s a single dad, drowning in bills and trying to keep a roof over his daughter’s head in a good school district. It doesn’t affect where we live.” Her tone was all reproach. “Can’t you show a little compassion?” From the other end, I could even hear Caleb’s mumbled complaints. A half hour later, Caleb posted again, tagging me to make sure I’d see it. This time, it was a brand-new, fully paid-for Mercedes-Benz. The caption: “As the saying goes, where a woman’s money goes, so does her love.” I knew it was Skylar’s gift to pacify him. But this time, I’d made up my mind—I was going to file for divorce. When Skylar got home, I swallowed my daily dose of immunotherapy meds, washing it down with a piece of birthday cake. This was the medication I needed after surgery for stomach cancer. I’d bought the cake in advance, hoping to surprise her and share the news about my surgery while she’d been away on business. I’d been waiting since morning, but she wasn’t picking up, not even responding to my messages. It was only when I commented on Caleb’s post about the deed that she immediately called back—angry and accusatory. Before I could even get a word in, she’d hung up and blocked me. My wound reopened from the stress. She barely glanced at the cake or the medication on the table, wrinkling her nose. “Whose birthday is it? Yours?” In silence, I put the meds away and tossed the cake in the trash. “Not mine—it’s for a friend.” A flicker of relief crossed her face. “Good, I thought it was the 28th. Today’s only the 8th.” Five years married, and she got my birthday wrong every single year. The funny thing? She remembered someone else’s perfectly. She sat down beside me and handed me a toy car. “Caleb asked me to give this to you. He was pretty shaken by your passive-aggressive attitude. You should apologize.” The little car was a Mercedes-Benz keychain, probably one of the trinkets they throw in when you buy the car—smudged with oil, no less. “No thanks,” I said flatly. Skylar’s expression turned sour. “What’s with the attitude? He even offered you a peace gesture. Can’t you show a bit of grace and apologize?” When I didn’t respond, Skylar grabbed my arm, pulling me up with such force that my injured leg struck the coffee table. It was the same leg that had been burned last week by scalding hot porridge she’d accidentally spilled when texting Caleb. Seeing blood seep from the wound again, she looked worried. “Let me take you to the hospital.” I didn’t refuse. “Fine.” As soon as we were in the car, her Bluetooth connected, and Caleb’s voice filled the silence, playful and warm. “Welcome back, big sister! Keep making money for me to spend, okay?” Skylar’s face tightened. “It’s just something he left in my car last time. I’ll get rid of it.” “Don’t bother,” I muttered. Silence filled the car, and she looked at me, surprised. “You’re not angry?” I pressed my lips together. Caleb used to matter to me. But now? I could hardly even care about Skylar, much less her pet. “Just drive,” I said quietly. “It’s late.” The hospital was only a half-mile away, just a straight drive and a U-turn. But Skylar’s phone rang, and I heard Caleb on the line, asking her to take him for a ride in the new Mercedes. “Something’s come up with Caleb,” she said, pulling over. “You can just walk the last fifty yards, right?” She was practically itching to go. “I can’t walk,” I said, holding her gaze. Her expression turned frosty. “Are you serious? You’re a grown man, not an invalid!” She opened the door and practically pushed me out, saying to call her once I’d taken care of my bandages. Her tires splashed filthy water over my leg as she sped off. Rain started to fall, soaking through my bandages. I took a few steps before pain shot through my abdomen, and I collapsed on the crosswalk, unable to move. I barely avoided getting hit, thanks to the hospital’s security guard, who rushed over and helped me in. Back home, barely settled, Skylar stormed in, furious. “I told you to call me once you’d changed the bandages! I waited at the hospital for an hour, but your phone was off!” I stared at her.

I’d spent two hours on an IV and eventually had to call a cab when I couldn’t take the pain any longer. My phone had only just died, but clearly, she’d never been at the hospital. Once, she’d cared so much. When had she turned so cold? “You blocked me, Skylar,” I said. “I couldn’t call you even if I’d wanted to.” Her face softened slightly, and she pulled out a takeout container. “I figured you’d be hungry. Brought you some porridge.” I looked at the bowl. It was plain, just a sprinkle of scallions—no meat, no eggs, as if it were someone’s leftovers. An hour ago, Caleb’s Instagram Story had shown Skylar cooking in the kitchen. “Who says good women don’t exist? She not only took me for a midnight ride in her new Mercedes, but when I got hungry, she whipped me up some porridge, too.” I stirred the bowl, feeling a wave of nausea. “I don’t want it.” Skylar’s expression turned dark. “What’s wrong with you? I brought this for you, and you’re throwing a tantrum?” “So what if I signed the house over to Caleb? You still get to live here. All he did was say thank you. And you embarrassed us both by commenting. Have I even gotten mad about that?” With fresh stitches in my stomach and an injured leg, I barely had the strength to speak. “I was just shocked it was our address on his post…” But Skylar cut me off. “Shocked? Caleb’s right—you’re just that kind of person. Always quick to anger, no empathy, no tolerance. Anytime I speak to a man, you get all paranoid. You’re the one with issues!” In the past, I would’ve tried to reason with her. But this time, I just stared, letting her rant until she was breathless. When she was done, I said, “You finished? Mind turning off the light?” She shot me a cold glare before slamming the door. After she left, I slept soundly for the first time in a long time. The next day, I contacted a friend for a divorce lawyer. She’d been gone for three days since that argument, but when I saw a new photo Samantha posted from their beach trip, there was Skylar in matching clothes with Caleb, beaming by his side. I liked the photo without a second thought. Skylar called back immediately. “I’ll pick you up later. My friends are meeting us at the beach.” She paused, adding, “I wasn’t planning on inviting you. Consider it a reward for good behavior.” “Sure,” I replied, hiding the ongoing divorce process. When Skylar arrived, it surprised me that Caleb wasn’t in the car, too. At the beach, Samantha greeted me with an apology. “I planned that meet-up last time—I should’ve given you a heads up. I’ll make up for it later.” I forced a smile. “Been swamped with work.” “Word is, you’re planning to open a branch in Aspen Ridge. Congratulations!” Samantha said, laying it on thick. I nodded. “It’s still in the works. Not sure if it’ll pan out.” Skylar walked over, face taut. “You’re moving to Aspen Ridge? Since when? Did I say you could go?” I met her furious gaze, unflinching. She continued to rant while Samantha tried to smooth things over, ushering us toward the cookout. As we sat by the grill, Skylar whispered, almost nervous, “Caleb and I agreed. After his daughter finishes elementary school, he’ll sign the house back over. Don’t get so worked up—it’s my property. I didn’t even have to explain.” “Alright,” I said, nodding calmly. As I replied, I noticed a familiar figure approaching. A young woman with them shouted, “Caleb! Skylar’s over here!” Everyone froze.

Samantha kicked the girl, cursing her for being so tactless. I stood and excused myself, heading toward the restroom to gather my composure. When I returned, they were playing games by the fire. Caleb and Skylar sat close, laughing. I found a spot farther away, watching quietly. “Alright, truth or dare!” Samantha suggested, trying to revive the mood. Skylar won the first round, and Caleb chose “truth.” “What’s made you happiest recently?” Skylar asked, giving him a pass. Caleb smiled, staring meaningfully at her. “I met an incredible woman who gave me a house and a car. She even took me on a midnight ride in her new Mercedes.” He glanced at me with a triumphant smirk. Everyone knew the house and car were Skylar’s doing, but they’d kept quiet out of politeness. But here, laid bare, the tension was thick. Samantha cleared her throat. “Alright, round two! Let’s see what we’ve got next.” This time, Caleb chose me. “Truth,” I said. Caleb stepped up with a grin. “How about a dare, Nathan?” I shook my head. “Truth.” He looked put out, his gaze drifting to Skylar. “Didn’t Skylar say you’re an amazing swimmer? Why not show us?” I refused, “I’m not feeling well.” Caleb glanced at Skylar with a hurt look, and she pressed, “It’s your specialty! Why not just swim a lap? It won’t kill you.” Ignoring my protests, they pulled me to the water’s edge, taunting me with every step. My abdomen throbbed from recent surgery, but they kept pushing. Finally, Skylar shoved me into the freezing water. I coughed as salt stung my throat and lungs, waves crashing over my head. I barely surfaced, gasping for air. As I struggled to shore, Skylar smiled at Caleb, whispering assurances. Then, she turned to me with a sneer. “Apologize to Caleb and take a drink—or else.” I looked at her, heart pounding with exhaustion and anger. “Skylar, I’ve already contacted my lawyer. We’re getting divorced.” She stared at me, eyes wide with shock. I stumbled back to the road. Before I could make it across, everything went black. I heard someone yell, “He’s bleeding—call an ambulance!”

I don’t know how much time passed before I regained consciousness, but the first thing I heard was Lucas Mitchell’s furious voice by my bedside. “Skylar, are you out of your mind? Forcing him to swim? He just had surgery to remove a stomach tumor! You didn’t know that?” “He… he just had surgery? Why didn’t he tell me?” Skylar’s voice sounded shocked, laced with a pang of regret. Lucas was fuming. “Are you blind? Haven’t you noticed how pale he’s been? Or have your eyes been glued to Caleb the whole time?” If it weren’t for the hospital setting, I could imagine Lucas slapping her right then. “I… I really didn’t know…” He scoffed. “Oh, but you knew about signing the house over to that wannabe hero and buying him a car, didn’t you? You think it’s a mystery why he’s so drained? It’s because you stressed him out so much his stitches tore open!” “I…” “Enough. Just seeing you is annoying. Leave.” As the room fell silent again, I opened my eyes slowly. Lucas sat next to me, eyebrows furrowed with worry. “You awake? Are you in any pain?” I managed a weak smile. “You know everything, don’t you?” Lucas sighed, looking disappointed. “Didn’t I tell you from the start not to marry her? Now look where it’s gotten you. Too little, too late.” Thinking back, I felt a pang of regret myself. If I hadn’t been so infatuated, my parents would have never allowed this marriage, despite Skylar’s family’s wealth. I remembered overhearing Skylar’s mother in the restroom during a family dinner before the wedding. She was on the phone, saying, “Oh, the wedding costs? Sure, they’re being reasonable. But her fiancé’s family… let’s just say their contribution isn’t quite what we hoped. We’ll match their energy, that’s all.” That night, I couldn’t help but tell Skylar what her mother had said. It wasn’t about the money; it was the contempt in her mother’s voice. Skylar promised to talk to her mother and settle the matter, but it was never mentioned again. Three years into our marriage, Skylar drunkenly confessed, “Of course I knew about scaling back the contribution. My mom asked me first. Nathan, you’re just so gullible—no wonder they say devoted men are the easiest to fool.” Seeing her in that cold light now, I realized how shallow she truly was. At some point, Skylar walked back into the hospital room, staring at me with a hint of sorrow. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d just had surgery…” I looked at her, a chill running through me, and interrupted her coldly, “I know you like Caleb. Let’s just get divorced so you can be with him. I wish you two all the best.” “I don’t want a divorce!” Skylar’s voice rose, and she stammered, “He and I… there’s nothing going on. I married you because I wanted to be with you, not him.” I let out a bitter laugh. “Really? Skylar, you’re the one who said that night you’d be with Caleb if you could. You even said you regretted accepting my proposal and would marry him if we divorced.” That night, Skylar had come home drunk, with Caleb practically carrying her in. I’d been sleeping in the guest room, but I heard everything clearly. Skylar clung to Caleb’s waist, whispering, “I regret it… How did I let myself say yes to him?” Caleb glanced towards the guest room, smirking as he replied, “And if you got divorced? Who would you marry then?” “You, of course. If I got divorced, I’d marry you in a heartbeat. Stay with me tonight, please?” That night, Caleb left, disgusted by the mess Skylar had made all over herself. Now, looking back, I knew that the fact I hadn’t burst into the room to fight him meant I’d already lost hope in Skylar. The time we spent together after that was just a process of slowly letting go. Lucas finally managed to get Skylar to leave the room. But soon after, my phone buzzed nonstop as Skylar pulled me off her blocklist. Message after message appeared on my screen: “I asked around, and chicken soup is good for recovery. I’ll make some for you later.” “You shouldn’t eat cold stuff; I ordered some supplements for you.” “I know I messed up. Can we just start over?” I set her messages to “Do Not Disturb” and asked the nurse to transfer me to a VIP suite, making it clear I didn’t want any visitors. When Skylar called to say she wanted to see me, I finally answered, irritation evident in my tone. “Skylar, I don’t want to see you right now. Let’s finalize the divorce after I’ve recovered, okay?” There was silence on the other end before she responded softly, “I’ll just look at you from afar; I won’t bother you.” I ended the call and turned off my phone. Three days later, as I was discharged, Skylar was already waiting at the hospital entrance, a smile lighting up her face. “Leaving already? Let me take you home.” I didn’t argue, climbing into her car. As soon as she started the engine, the Bluetooth connected, and Caleb’s voice filled the car. “Welcome back, big sister! Keep working hard and making that money for me!”

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I went to prison for my husband’s company for three years. The day I was released, he gave his mistress a one-million-dollar bonus—and handed me a one-dollar check. He said it was for the company’s image. Our marriage had to stay secret. I couldn’t ride in his car, couldn’t acknowledge him at work, and could only call him “Boss.” The department manager position he once promised me was given to her instead. At a charity gala, he even allowed her to frame me for stealing a three-million-dollar diamond ring. So I signed the divorce papers and walked straight into the arms of his most hated rival. By the time he begged me to come back, I no longer needed him. I spent three years in prison to protect my husband Alexander’s company. The day I was released, the company held its grand opening. As Alexander’s wife, I stood beside him at the ceremony and received a bonus envelope. Inside was a single dollar. At first, I thought there had been a mistake. Then I noticed the woman next to me—Chloe, Alexander’s assistant. She opened her envelope as well. It also contained one dollar. Relieved, I told myself it must be a symbolic gesture for the opening. I pushed the doubt aside and stayed with Alexander until the ceremony ended. That night, I was scrolling through social media when I saw Chloe’s post on Instagram. She had uploaded a photo of a check. “Congrats on the grand opening, boss! One million dollars—so generous!” The comments were filled with congratulations and teasing. Everyone was praising her and hinting at her special relationship with “the boss.” I went to Alexander for an explanation. Instead of denying it, he distanced himself from me at once. “You just got out of prison,” he said calmly. “It’s not appropriate to make our relationship public right now. For the company’s sake, our marriage stays secret. At work, just call me ‘Boss.’” A moment later, he liked Chloe’s post. I wiped away my tears, took out the one-dollar bill, and dialed his business rival. “I’ll come work for you.” There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. “You were willing to go to prison for Alexander’s company,” he said. “And now you want to leave? Didn’t he promise you the department manager position when you got out?” I stared at the dollar in my hand and let out a bitter laugh. “Mm, I don’t want it anymore.” Just as I said that, Alexander suddenly appeared in front of me, asking suspiciously: “What don’t you want?” I calmly hung up the phone and told the truth: “The department manager position.” Hearing this, a flash of relief crossed the man’s complex expression. “Good. I was planning to give it to Chloe anyway. You can start as a clerk for now.” Hearing these words, I couldn’t help but frown. Back then, I endured three years behind bars for Alexander’s company. He had repeatedly promised me that when I got out, the position would be mine and mine alone. Who would have thought that in the end, I’d become nothing more than a lowly office worker. At this moment, Alexander was breaking the promise he made three years ago with his own mouth. But I couldn’t see a hint of guilt in his eyes. My eyes burned as an unstoppable pain flooded my heart. Seeing I didn’t respond, Alexander took out a contract from his briefcase and tossed it on the coffee table. He said nonchalantly: “This is a secret marriage agreement, for the sake of the company.” The words “Secret Marriage Agreement” stung my eyes badly. Three years ago, the day before I went to prison, Alexander and I got our marriage certificate. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of a happy married life after my release. But now, I had become something he was ashamed to mention. He even wanted me to disappear without a trace. I laughed bitterly to myself, picked up the pen without a second thought. Alexander suddenly turned his head, frowning as he watched me about to sign. She who once couldn’t wait to announce this marriage to the world, how could she suddenly be so decisive? He instinctively grabbed my wrist, his words puzzling: “You’re not even going to think about it?” I didn’t even look up, signing immediately. Getting the secret marriage agreement as he wished, he fell oddly silent for a moment. After a while, he cleared his throat, his voice turning gentle: “Olivia, don’t worry. Once the company stabilizes, I’ll definitely make it up to you properly.” I responded with a noncommittal “mm”, just as the company WhatsApp group lit up. Chloe had become the company’s first department manager, with all the employees offering congratulations. “You’ve been by the boss’s side these past three years, we’ve all seen it. This position is well-deserved!” “I think Chloe will be the boss’s wife soon, right? We’ll have to get on your good side from now on.” Immediately after, Chloe sent a shy emoji, tacitly accepting everything. “I still think Olivia is luckier. She went to prison for three years and can still be a clerk at the company. The boss really spoils her!” Knowing the truth, she was clearly mocking me. I struggled to look away from the screen, inadvertently catching Alexander staring at his phone. The smile on his lips was a tenderness I had never seen before. It made me wonder. Was his secret marriage to me really for the company, or was it for Chloe?

To fulfill the secret marriage contract, Alexander moved from the master bedroom to the guest room. Besides that, he also made it crystal clear: I wasn’t allowed to ride in the same car as him. I couldn’t talk to him at the company, only call him boss. And his relationship with Chloe was just an act, I wasn’t allowed to make a fuss about it. After explaining everything, Alexander disappeared for three days. It wasn’t until I took a day off work with a fever that he bothered to call me: “You’ve only been working a few days and you’re already taking time off. Aren’t you being a bit dramatic?” “You’ll have to go to the hospital yourself. I’m still on a business trip, I can’t take you.” An expected result. I mumbled a vague “mm”. But just as I finished speaking, a coquettish female voice came through the phone: “Alexander, my zipper’s stuck! Come help me quick!” Although Alexander quickly hung up, I still heard the sound of his hurried footsteps. Looking at Chloe’s Instagram again, she had already changed her profile picture. It matched Alexander’s as a couple. I remembered when we were dating, I always pestered him to use matching profile pictures. But he always had countless reasons to refuse me: Too much trouble, childish, tasteless… I don’t know what came over him, but he started frantically texting and calling me. I only replied once: “This is my rest time, please understand, boss.” After finishing the IV drip, I returned to the company. My coworkers were as cold to me as ever, piling work on my desk. In their minds, I was probably just a lucky ex-con taken in by the boss. I should naturally take on more. I adjusted my mood and packed all the couple items from the storage cabinet into a black garbage bag. If I had known they would never see the light of day, I wouldn’t have worked so hard to bring them to the office. I was about to go throw them away when Alexander unexpectedly returned. Before I could react, he angrily dragged me all the way to the stairwell. Seeing the garbage bag in my hand, the man’s face darkened: “You have time to clean up garbage but not to return my calls?” The strong perfume on him made me take a step back involuntarily as I said calmly: “I replied to your message.” Hearing this, Alexander seemed to catch fire, demanding: “Why did you call me ‘boss’ on the phone?” What’s the difference between on the phone and in person? He was the one who told me to, so why was he upset when I did? Seeing I had no intention of explaining, he let out a cold laugh: “You know I don’t like willful women. You’d better not turn into someone I hate.” As he spoke, he snatched the bag from my hand and hurled it to the ground with all his might. Amid the thunderous crash echoing through the stairwell, he strode away. Looking at the shattered photos and couple mugs, my heart trembled. Just like our years of feelings would ultimately be broken to pieces. I cleaned up the fragments and called a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement. After getting the document, I printed a copy in the copy room. Just as I had mentally prepared myself and was about to knock, Alexander opened the door first. Meeting his icy gaze, I calmly handed over the document: “Sign it when you have time.” But Alexander didn’t even look at it, flipping straight to the last page to sign. Then he handed it back casually, instructing: “Come out with me to a charity gala later. Be smart and remember to help block the drinks.” I was puzzled – Alexander could usually hold his liquor well, why did he need me to block drinks? Before I could ask, Chloe bounced out from behind him: “Boss is so thoughtful! You even remembered I have a cold and can’t drink!”

Chloe sat next to Alexander wrapped in a blanket, her head resting directly on his shoulder. Seeing me, she frowned and complained: “The boss is just overreacting. It’s only a cold, but he won’t let me drink or go to work. If I hadn’t begged him, he wouldn’t even bring me to this charity event.” Hearing her say this, Alexander fondly tapped her nose. “I don’t care what you say. Just don’t cry when it’s time to take your medicine.” The two people before me were clearly a couple in love. His gentle humor was also a side of him I found unfamiliar. Clutching the divorce agreement in my hand, I felt oddly relieved. Arriving at the event venue, Alexander exchanged pleasantries with the sponsors and prominent guests for a while. Then he stepped back and began introducing everyone. “This is Chloe, our company’s department manager.” When introducing me, one of the main donors frowned slightly. “I remember clearly, this young lady went to prison for owing money. Mr. Smith, you really are loyal to old friends.” Alexander tensed up, glancing at me before laughing it off in agreement. During the networking portion, Alexander and Chloe’s seats were pressed close together. He kept giving me looks, telling me to proactively help block drinks for Chloe. At the table, someone noticed their intimate gestures and couldn’t help teasing: “Mr. Smith and Miss Chloe look so well-matched. I wonder if the boss is married?” As soon as the words fell, Alexander looked at me, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. The next second, we said in unison: “No.” Even though we gave the same answer, he abruptly turned his head to stare at me in shock. It wasn’t until the guests went to the restroom that he messaged me: “It’s all just an act, don’t take it to heart.” Alexander said it was acting, but I was telling the truth. After all, he had already signed the divorce agreement. I glanced at the message and flipped my phone face down. Seeing this, Alexander was about to get up and come over, but I turned and went to the restroom. Coming out of the stall, I ran into Chloe. She stood with her arms crossed, clearly with a victorious attitude. “Olivia, you’re truly pathetic as a woman. To be so despised by your husband – if it were me, I definitely wouldn’t have the face to show myself in public.” I washed my hands nonchalantly, saying coolly: “That’s not for Miss Chloe to worry about.” Drying my hands, I prepared to leave. But Chloe darted in front of me, looking me up and down. “How can the boss’s wife still wear such rags?” “Oh I forgot, Alexander must have spent all the money buying me haute couture. Sorry about that.” The expensive brands she wore seemed to constantly remind me of the difference between 1 and 1 million. In an instant, the bitterness that had built up in my heart exploded, and I fled in a panic. Back in the private lounge, I picked up my bag to leave. Alexander hurriedly came over to stop me, his tone gentle: “Don’t go yet, I’ll take you home later.” I was about to refuse when Chloe suddenly burst in crying. Instantly attracting everyone’s attention. Alexander immediately let go of me and ran over to ask what had happened. Chloe was frantically rummaging through her bag and all her pockets. Then she cried out in dismay: “My custom diamond ring is missing!”

As soon as the words left her mouth, everyone in the room started looking for Chloe’s ring. While searching, she kept muttering: “This was a birthday gift from Mr. Smith, worth over $3 million. I can’t bear to lose it!” Though I didn’t know what game she was playing, I just wanted to leave immediately. But just as I reached the door, Chloe blocked me. “Olivia, let me check your bag. Otherwise you won’t be able to clear your name.” Whether or not I stole her ring, I knew the truth. “I’m tired. Miss Chloe can look for it herself.” Seeing I was determined to leave, Chloe actually grabbed my bag directly. In the struggle, the contents of my bag spilled all over the floor. And among the scattered items, there was indeed a sparkling large diamond ring. I stared at the ring in shock, suddenly meeting Chloe’s provocative gaze. “Why are you framing me?” Turning around, I found everyone looking at me with contempt. Especially Alexander, who frowned with disgust in his eyes. I instinctively tried to explain to him: “I didn’t take this!” But my explanation seemed so feeble in the face of the glaring “evidence”. Next, Chloe picked up the ring and started crying even harder. “This ring means so much to me. How could Olivia steal it?” “I thought Olivia had reformed in prison, but I never expected she’d still do anything for money. I don’t dare work with her anymore…” Chloe’s words made everyone’s expressions turn ugly. The lead donor spoke up first, breaking the awkward silence: “Mr. Smith, let’s call off this sponsorship discussion!” With that, he stormed out of the room with his people. I wanted to chase after them to explain, but was met with a solid slap from Alexander. Meeting my incredulous gaze, there wasn’t a hint of regret in his eyes. “I never thought you’d be the type to see money and lose your mind!” “I brought you out, not for you to steal things!” Alexander’s words completely convicted me. Didn’t he know what kind of person I was? Had he also forgotten why I went to prison? Seeing the anger in his eyes, I knew he would never believe me. I could only laugh bitterly and hand him my phone. “Then call the police.” He looked down at the phone, then frowned at me again, still not moving. The long stare seemed to let me see through the man before me. After a while, Alexander snorted coldly, “Ridiculous!” He turned around, helped Chloe put on the diamond ring, and gently coaxed her to leave. In the room, only I remained, along with the mess on the floor. I picked up my scattered belongings and headed straight for the airport without hesitation. In the late night waiting area. I was about to draft a resignation letter when I received a dismissal notice from Alexander first. His words were filled with anger: “Don’t come to the company anymore. Stay home and reflect on yourself!” Seeing his absurd demands, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Without thinking, I sent him a photo of the signed divorce agreement. Along with the text: “Alexander, I wish you and Chloe a hundred years of happiness and growing old together!” “But first you need to get our divorce certificate, otherwise I’ll report you for bigamy.” After I sent this, Alexander started frantically calling me like his life depended on it. This is the cutoff point

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Seven years after the breakup, I was stopped at the entrance of an ultra-exclusive private gala—by my ex. He looked immaculate in his tailored suit, his smile laced with pity and mockery. “I didn’t expect you to fall so low,” he said. “Sneaking into events like this now?” Before I could respond, he had already rewritten my past for me— the woman who gave up her future for him, the woman mocked by the elite, the woman he personally discarded when she was no longer useful. Just as he signaled for security to escort me out, the hosts rushed over. They double-checked the guest list in front of everyone, lowered their voices, and apologized. Because tonight, I was the only guest personally invited by the board. I promised to transfer schools with my bullied boyfriend, but the day before we were supposed to finalize the papers, he backed out. His friend joked, “Seriously, dude? All that fake bullying just to get Olivia Parker to leave?” “But you’re her boyfriend. Are you really going to let her go to a new school all alone?” Carter Brooks shrugged, his voice indifferent. “It’s just another school in the same city. How far could it be?” “I’m tired of her clinging to me all the time. This works out perfectly.” The moment I heard the truth, my heart violently shuddered. For the past month, Carter had been ganged up on and falsely accused too many times to count. I tried my best to protect him from harm, but there were always slip-ups. Finally fed up, I suggested he transfer schools. Carter had just been drenched in ice water, his handsome face pale and pitiful. He helplessly clutched my hand. “Olivia, I’m scared to go to a new environment alone.” Carter and I had practically grown up together. We’d been walking to and from school together since kindergarten, a routine that hadn’t changed in over a decade. Besides, I secretly had a crush on him. So, in a rush of emotion, I promised him, “Don’t be afraid. Wherever you go, I’ll go with you.” But only now did I realize that everything he’d done was an elaborate charade just to get rid of me. I couldn’t help but wonder, did Carter Brooks really hate me that much? The voices in the private room continued, “Olivia Parker is completely devoted to you, you know.” “Aren’t you afraid she’ll fall for someone else if you send her to another school?” “Her?” Carter scoffed, as if he’d just heard the funniest joke in the world. “She dared to break up a group beating for me. She got beaten black and blue, didn’t back down an inch, and you think she’d change her mind about me?” Someone whispered, “But what if she does? Olivia Parker isn’t the type to be pushed around.” Carter’s voice was lazy. “There’s no ‘what if.’ There are plenty of rich guys at this school. When have you ever seen her even look at anyone else?” His voice couldn’t help but be tinged with contempt. “All she does is follow me around. Even a lapdog isn’t as clingy as she is.” Harsh laughter filled the room, feeling like a slap across my face. I wanted to leave, but my feet felt rooted to the spot, making me listen, and making me ache. Someone clicked their tongue in surprise. “First time I’ve seen someone actively push away a girl who’s head over heels for them. I gotta hand it to you, man.” “But if you don’t like Olivia Parker being so clingy, why don’t you just tell her? Olivia doesn’t seem like the type to beg or chase you.” Carter ‘tsk’ed, growing impatient. “Olivia Parker’s too… assertive. If I just told her directly, it wouldn’t be easy to get her to leave.” He changed the subject. “Besides, Maya gets so insecure and sad whenever she sees her. She only feels better when I’m around.” “For Maya’s sake, I had no choice but to do this. Olivia will just have to be inconvenienced for a while.” At that, everyone instantly understood. Doing the math, Carter decided to fake being bullied exactly one week after Maya Foster transferred to our school. Someone laughed and cursed Carter. “You sly dog, you fell for the sweet, innocent act the second she showed up?” “But Maya really is genuinely delicate and charming, with a fragile personality. It’s only natural for a man to be attracted to her.” “Not like Olivia Parker. Her personality is so stern, always wearing a cold face and keeping everyone at arm’s length. Doesn’t matter how pretty she is.” The unrestrained comments about me surged like waves, one after another, in the private room. And Carter Brooks, who I’d secretly liked for years, didn’t stop them, didn’t refute them, and even agreed with them now and then. Standing outside the door, my heart sank heavily into an abyss, feeling empty and numb, yet aching with a dull pain. For a moment, I wanted to open the door and loudly confront Carter. Ask him why he lied to me. Ask him if he ever felt a flicker of guilt or compassion, watching me get beaten for protecting him. Ask him if he ever thought about our decade-plus friendship when he did all of this. But then my mother’s words echoed in my ears: Don’t do anything unnecessary. People don’t just rot overnight. I turned and left that private room.

A creeping ache, one I only fully registered later. I wouldn’t have been this upset normally; it would have just been a friend’s betrayal, no big deal. But that line, the one that kept us just “friends,” Carter was the first to cross it. The day I decided to transfer schools with Carter, he took me to a bar to celebrate our “freedom” with a drink. The dim, intimate lighting enveloped us. I looked at the person I had secretly liked for years, feeling a little dazed. So, when he leaned in to kiss me, I didn’t resist. Years of suppressed feelings surged wildly to the surface. Unable to control my emotions, I couldn’t help but ask for confirmation, “Carter, what are we now?” Carter affectionately kissed my forehead again. “Silly girl, what other relationship could it be?” Cheers erupted in the private room, the atmosphere electric, mirroring the burgeoning passion within me. I never imagined that just two days later, I’d hear Carter himself shatter my one-sided affection. I smiled, but tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. So that ambiguous rhetorical question, that was also just Carter trying to trick me and get me to leave quickly for Maya, right? The wind chimes in my bedroom tinkled, slowly drying my tears. My broken heart slowly pieced itself back together. Carter was wrong. He was the illegitimate son of the Brooks family, and I was the sole heiress of the Parker family. We truly shouldn’t be so intertwined. Because we were a mismatch. The transfer application in my hand was soaked with my tears, the ink bleeding, making it messy and unreadable. But it didn’t matter. This one was ruined; I’d just get a clean one. The Parker family never lacked options. I reprinted a new form. But when it came to the “transfer to school” section, I called my mother. “Mom, that international high school you mentioned wanting me to attend, which one was it?” “Yes, I’ll go alone.” The wind chimes in my room made a clear, melodious sound, as if celebrating for me. I gently closed my eyes. This time, it wasn’t Carter Brooks’s face that appeared before me. A man who bore a faint resemblance to Carter, but was far more handsome and striking, smiled at me, with the same certainty and earnestness as two years ago. “Olivia Parker, sooner or later, you’ll give up on Carter Brooks and choose me.” Back then, I thought he was joking. Now, I silently repeated to myself: Carter Brooks, I really don’t want you anymore. After filling out the new application form, I let out a long breath, my heart already quietly calm. The knock on my bedroom door suddenly startled me. I froze. I lived alone in this house. The only person who knew the password was… I opened the door and, sure enough, saw Carter Brooks’s face. His voice was as gentle as ever. “Olivia, you haven’t come to say goodbye to our friends for a long time. I was worried about you.” I tried to keep my voice calm. “I’m not feeling so well, so I’m not going.” Just as I was about to dismiss him, my peripheral vision caught an unexpected figure. Maya Foster’s petite figure huddled next to Carter, and she flinched the moment our eyes met. Carter, attentive to her every move, immediately pulled her loosely into his embrace. “Olivia, you scared Maya.” It was always like this. Maya always put on this fragile demeanor, as if she was afraid I’d bully her, making me out to be some evil villain. But I hadn’t done anything. My expression turned cold. “I told you, I don’t like people coming to my house.” Carter frowned slightly, annoyed. “Maya isn’t an outsider.” “Besides, she only came because she was worried about you.” Before I could argue, Maya’s eyes suddenly welled up. “Olivia, I’m so sorry. I know you’ve always had a problem with me because I don’t come from as much, but I promise I’m careful.” Tears streaming down her face, she added, “I won’t dirty your beautiful home…” Hearing this, Carter immediately frowned, looking at me with displeasure. “Olivia, Maya just has a difficult family background, but she’s not as bad as you’re making her out to be. Your attitude towards her truly disappoints me.” Maya carefully tugged at Carter’s sleeve, appearing forgiving and understanding. “Carter, it’s okay, please don’t argue with Olivia…” She sniffled, forcing a wronged yet stubborn smile. “After all, Olivia said you two are childhood sweethearts. How could I ever compare to a relationship like that…?” “What are you talking about? You’re unique.” Carter tenderly cupped Maya’s face, coaxing her in soft tones. Then he turned to me, his face as cold as ice. He spoke gravely, “Maya’s upset, so I’m taking her home now.” “You should take some time to reflect. And don’t forget to finalize those transfer papers.” I did reflect—on my terrible judgment of character. Then I promptly changed the password to my front door. The pent-up frustration in my heart finally found a moment of release.

The next day, I took my new application form to school to get it signed. Watching that bright red mark, signifying my departure, being firmly stamped on the paper, my heart suddenly felt empty for a moment. After a brief愣怔 moment, someone blocked my path. Carter Brooks frowned slightly. “Olivia, you changed your front door password?” “I went to your place right after dropping Maya off yesterday, but the door wouldn’t open…” I cut him off, concisely. “Yeah, I changed it.” He seemed displeased, as if nothing had happened, and asked intimately, “What’s the new password? So I can come to your place and take care of you.” I said calmly, “No need. I won’t be living here after I transfer.” Carter looked at the folded application form in my hand, as if suddenly remembering. “Oh, I completely forgot about that.” “Olivia, don’t worry, I’ll come get mine signed tomorrow.” Such casual chats, walking side-by-side with Carter, had become increasingly rare since Maya transferred to our school. I closed my eyes, indulging in a moment of reluctance, then tentatively said, “Between us, what’s there to worry about?” Carter was silent for a long time, then abruptly spoke. “Olivia, actually, I…” Maya suddenly appeared behind Carter, carrying a stack of notebooks. She complained to him affectionately, “Carter, didn’t you say you’d help me with my tutoring? Why did you suddenly disappear?” Saying this, she handed Carter the notes. “I saw your study plan goes out two months, so I prepared the corresponding study materials.” She winked playfully. “Carter, you won’t mind me peeking, will you?” “Of course not…” Carter’s smile was strained. He nervously glanced at me. Seeing no reaction from me, a faint look of disappointment crossed his face. So, while pushing me away, you were already planning a future with someone else. Just a future that never included me. I tried my best to maintain a dignified composure, but deep inside, a bitter taste spread like a rich wine. I squeezed my palm, forcing myself to clear my head. “You two chat. I’m leaving.” Maya feigned surprise, acting as if she had just noticed me, as if I had startled her. “Ol-Olivia…” “Are you upset because Carter and I are studying together?” “But I come from a modest background, not like you with all your resources…” As she spoke, she started to sniffle again. I didn’t want to play along with her act, so I said coldly, “Move.” The sparse guilt in Carter’s eyes vanished. He grabbed my wrist, his voice laced with anger. “Olivia Parker, what kind of tone is that?” Without another word, he dragged me in front of Maya and yelled, “Apologize to Maya!” The last sanctuary in my heart silently crumbled into desolate rubble. This time, I didn’t hesitate. I raised my hand and slapped Carter Brooks hard. “Carter Brooks, the one who should be apologizing is you.” “But not to Maya Foster. To me.”

I started sorting through all the things Carter had given me over the past decade. This necklace was his eighteenth birthday gift to me. I wore it to school once, and not long after, I saw Maya wearing an identical one. She bashfully said, “Carter told me that anything anyone else has, I’ll have too…” Only the box of the limited edition teddy bear remained. Carter took the bear, saying he liked the perfume I’d sprayed on it. But the very next day, I saw it sitting on Maya’s desk. And the high heels for my eighteenth birthday, the indigo aromatherapy diffuser… It turned out that what I thought was uniquely mine had already been given equally to others by Carter. Or not even equally. I recalled Carter’s boundless protectiveness and endless favoritism towards Maya. A cynical smile tugged at the corner of my lips. If that was the case, these things had no reason to exist. I booked a flight for the next day, preparing to spend my last night in peace. At two in the morning, I was woken by a phone call. I groggily answered, but the line remained silent. Just as I was about to hang up, Carter’s voice came through. “Olivia, I’m sorry.” My mind instantly cleared. If he was finally going to tell the truth… Carter’s voice deepened. “Maya self-harmed. I can’t leave her alone right now, so the transfer application, I’ll get to it a bit later…” My heart, which had soared with a sudden hope, crashed back down to earth, pathetic and ridiculous. I suddenly wanted to ask Carter, what about all the pain I suffered because you faked being bullied? Carter’s voice continued, “Just apologize.” I thought I’d misheard him. “What did you say?” Carter’s voice was firm. “Olivia Parker, you really should apologize to Maya.” “Can you honestly say Maya’s self-harm has nothing to do with you?” I was suddenly speechless. Because I suddenly understood that with Maya around, every word I said would be wrong. Carter spoke again, his voice like cold steel. “Olivia Parker, you truly disappoint me.” “Just apologize, and I can pretend none of this happened. I’ll even come to the new school with you in two months.” “Are you really going to be so selfish and throw away all these years of our connection?” I heard the threat in his words. But there was no longer any resentment or sadness, only annoyance. I sharply hung up the phone, blocked his number, and deleted his contact. I eagerly anticipated my flight tomorrow. The foreign scenery felt fresh and new, and someone took my luggage. I looked up and met the eyes of the legitimate heir of the Brooks family. “Olivia Parker, long time no see.” I reached out, a gentle smile on my face. “Long time no see, Ethan Hayes.” My phone rang, interrupting our pleasantries. I swiped the screen, only to find it was one of Carter’s friends’ numbers. Puzzled, I answered. Carter’s voice, faintly anxious, came through. “Olivia, which class did you transfer to at Northwood High?” “Why does everyone in every class say they haven’t seen you?”

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