When Liam accompanied me to my prenatal checkup, he suddenly pushed me into the abortion operating room. “Sorry, I lost a game of Truth or Dare last night. The stakes were the baby.” “We can always have another child after the abortion, but I can’t back out of a game. Just bear with it for now.” I stared at him in disbelief, my whole body turning cold. “That female friend of yours put you up to this again, didn’t she? Now she even wants to harm the baby. Does she have no shame?” Trembling, I turned to run, but he pinned me down with one hand. Liam’s face darkened, a contemptuous sneer curling his lips. “You have the nerve to talk about Lily? Do you have any shame yourself?” “You climbed into my bed when you were eighteen, moaning like a whore in that thirty-dollar-a-night fleabag motel.” “Melody, who in this world could be more shameless than you?” That one sentence shattered the last shred of my dignity. I gave up all resistance and walked into the operating room on my own. “Melody.” Just before I entered the operating room, Liam suddenly called out to me. He lowered his head, his voice somewhat hoarse. “I didn’t mean to hit you where it hurts. I just can’t stand you targeting Lily. I spoke without thinking.” Draping his coat over my shoulders, Liam looked at me earnestly and made a promise. “I’m a businessman. If I welch on a bet, people will look down on me. Who would want to do business with me after that? I can’t bear to lose this child either, but there’s no choice.” “I promise you, we’ll have another child very soon.” Another child? This was already my third pregnancy with Liam. To conceive, I’d taken countless ovulation injections. The needle marks around my waist still hadn’t faded. The doctor had warned me repeatedly that this child might be the last one I could ever carry. How could there be another? I opened my mouth, but my throat felt like it had a blade stuck in it. The pain made it impossible to utter a single word. Liam’s phone rang. On the other end, Lily urged impatiently, “Why is getting an abortion taking so long? Don’t tell me you can’t bear to go through with it?” “It’s not like this is Melody’s first time. Why is she being so dramatic? Hurry up and get it done. The guys are all waiting for you to come drink!” Eager to keep his appointment, Liam’s last bit of patience with me evaporated. He perfunctorily kissed the back of my hand. “I have a drinking engagement. I can’t stay with you for the procedure.” “Besides, it’s not your first abortion. You know the drill. You’ve got this. I believe you can handle it on your own.” Liam practically flew out the door. I clutched my stomach and stumbled into the abortion room. The doctor pushed up her glasses, looking at me with an expression that was three parts sympathy, three parts contempt. “Your uterine wall is as thin as paper. One more abortion and you really won’t be able to conceive again.” “If you don’t love yourself, why should anyone else love you?” Heat flooded my face. I was too ashamed to meet the doctor’s eyes. Pinching my palm, I forced myself to sound calm. “Let’s proceed. I’ll take full responsibility for any consequences.” After signing the waiver, I stripped naked and was wheeled into the operating room with zero dignity. The thick, long needle pierced my body without warning. I broke out in cold sweat from the pain and couldn’t help letting out a whimper. In my ear, I could faintly hear a young nurse complaining. “This is her third time. Why is she acting so fragile? Where was this act when she was having her fun?” My consciousness began to fade. Accompanied by the nurse’s voice, I seemed to see three adorable babies holding hands, leaving my life forever… When I woke up, the procedure was over. No miracles, no lucky breaks. This time, I had permanently lost the ability to have children. Numbly, I stuffed the surgical report into my bag, my face showing not a trace of sadness. This heart that had beaten for Liam countless times and ached for him countless times had finally died completely. “Liam, let’s get div—” When I got home and pushed open the door, before I could bring up divorce, I was choked by a thick cloud of cigarette smoke. I coughed violently, tears streaming from my eyes. Inside, a group of people were playing Truth or Dare. Liam had clearly promised me he would never bring his drinking parties home.

“Oh wow, your belly’s flat! You really went through with it—you actually aborted her baby!” Lily excitedly touched my stomach, exaggeratedly giving Liam a thumbs up. Liam glanced at Lily smugly. “A bet’s a bet. When have I ever lied to you?” To ease the awkward atmosphere, one of Liam’s buddies pulled me down to sit, playing peacemaker. “We’re businessmen, right? Integrity matters.” “We rarely get to hang out with you. Why don’t you join us today?” Liam frowned, instinctively about to decline on my behalf, but I cut him off coldly. “Sure. I’ll play.” I really wanted to see what kind of game was so thrilling that Liam could sacrifice even his own flesh and blood for it. My luck was terrible. Lily and I played rock-paper-scissors several rounds in a row, and I lost every single one. Worried that Lily’s dares would go too far, Liam volunteered to drink three shots as penalty instead. Glass after glass of liquor, he downed them one after another, his neck straining. “She just had an abortion. I’ll drink for her.” With each round of jeering, Lily’s expression grew darker. Finally, after I lost yet another round, Lily exploded with a curse. “What’s the point of playing if you keep drinking for her? Women are so damn annoying. I’ve said it a million times—no women at our gatherings!” Liam was drunk, trying to placate Lily with a smile, but I spoke first. “I choose Truth.” Lily’s eyes lit up. The complaint on her face vanished instantly, replaced by an excited gleam in her eyes. She raised her eyebrow at me maliciously, her tone both contemptuous and playful. “Well then, I’m going to ask.” “You’ve had three abortions, so you must have been examined by plenty of male doctors. Why don’t you tell the guys which male doctor had the best technique? Which one felt the best when he touched you? Hahahaha!” I gripped my glass tightly, my heart trembling. Those first two children were my life’s deepest pain, a secret between Liam and me. How did Lily know about them? “Tsk, no wonder Liam doesn’t want to sleep with you. A bunch of men have touched you down there—what normal guy wouldn’t find that disgusting? Even I’m grossed out, and I’m a woman.” Lily’s shrill laughter was like a sharp blade, stabbing into my heart again and again. I couldn’t suppress the anger and grievance in my heart any longer. I picked up my glass and threw the contents in Lily’s face. Still not satisfied, I added a slap. “That felt the best.” Lily covered her face in humiliated fury, eyes wide as she glared at me. The sudden turn of events left everyone present stunned. Once he realized what had happened, Liam grabbed me by the back of my neck in rage. Slap. He hit me once, then again. “Melody, have you lost your fucking mind? It’s just a game! What gives you the right to hit Lily?” “If you can’t take a joke, don’t join the game. Besides, Lily was just stating facts…”

Liam’s eyes were bloodshot, reeking of alcohol. He walked over to Lily, carefully blowing on her swollen cheek again and again, his eyes filled with undisguised heartache. As if trying to spite me, Liam hooked his arm around Lily’s shoulder and said loudly enough for everyone to hear, “Lily, you wanted to know which doctor made Melody feel the best?” “I’ll tell you—it was the one today.” “Because Melody only had one proper abortion procedure. She aborted the first two children with her own hands!” The room erupted. Lily covered her mouth in shock, her smile stretching practically to her neck. “You’re not kidding, are you? Damn, Melody, you actually gave yourself abortions!” “You’re so rich—why would she do that herself? Is she psychologically twisted, or was she chasing some kind of thrill? That’s pretty kinky~” Eyes fell on me from all directions—shocked, contemptuous. “Three abortions—her uterus must be wrecked. Think she can still have kids?” “If she can’t, there’s always our Lily. Liam can have kids with Lily. Lily’s probably still a virgin. How could that damaged goods compare?” Lily jumped in front of the man who’d spoken, playfully punching him twice. “Stop it! He and I are just friends!” “But you’re right about one thing—I am clean…” Lily showed a rare hint of shyness. Liam ruffled her hair with an indulgent smile. The others roared with laughter. Looking at those disgusting, laughing faces, I almost vomited. Tears stung my swollen skin, sending waves of piercing pain. I shook my head desperately, trying to shake off those painful memories. But the memories flooded over me like a tide. When I was eighteen, I got into Columbia University. The orphanage couldn’t pay my tuition, so I had to work at an auto repair shop. But my meager wages couldn’t cover tuition and living expenses. I considered dropping out. Liam, a fellow apprentice at the shop, cornered me against a wall, eyes red as he made me a promise. “Keep studying. I’ll support you.” From then on, Liam worked at the shop during the day, did construction at night, and took on handicraft work in the dead of night. At the prime of his youth, he nearly burned himself out for my sake. Every time we met, he’d give me money and tell me to study hard. He never complained once. When he learned I was being bullied by classmates, Liam charged into the school with a fruit knife and stabbed himself three times in front of everyone. Blood splattered everywhere. He said, “If anyone dares bully Melody again, this is what they’ll get. I dare to stab myself—what wouldn’t I dare to do?” From then on, even the flies at school avoided me. I grew up in an orphanage. I’d always lacked love. Meeting a man like that, it was really hard not to fall in love. To hold onto that bit of warmth, I was willing to give everything. In that thirty-dollar fleabag motel, I confessed to Liam and begged him to try again and again. Later, that place became our regular haunt. He was like a wild wolf, always so intense that he’d break the cheap condoms. Because of that, I got pregnant twice. Without money for a proper hospital, I had to find my own way to abort. I swallowed expired abortion pills at random, then threw myself down the stairs. If once didn’t work, I’d do it twice, three times. This method was incredibly cruel—to me, and to the babies. Liam hated himself for it. To avoid hurting me again, he went to a back-alley clinic for a vasectomy and nearly lost his fertility permanently. He said he owed me for the rest of his life. He said he’d work himself to death. He said he’d make me happier than anyone, that I’d never have to suffer like that again. Things really did get better. But Liam’s heart changed. The deepest pain I couldn’t bear to touch had become his conversation piece. As long as it made Lily laugh, he didn’t mind stabbing me in my most painful places again and again. Like a madwoman, I grabbed a bottle and smashed it over Liam’s head. “Game over.” “Get out. All of you, get out!” Liam’s friends wisely scattered. Lily was dragged away as well.

Liam was knocked out by my blow. He didn’t wake up until noon the next day. He clutched his head in pain, groggily remembering yesterday’s events. Liam grabbed my hand and made me slap his face. “Honey, drunk people don’t know what they’re doing.” “Slap me back. I promise I won’t fight back. As for the abortion… I’ll go clarify things for you right now. With me around, I’ll see who dares gossip.” Watching Liam’s shameless performance, I said calmly, “Let’s get divorced.” Liam smiled helplessly, his pinky finger gently hooking a strand of my hair. He thought I was just throwing a tantrum and wanted to get intimate like before, to coax me into forgiving him. His phone rang. Liam glanced at the caller ID, quickly withdrew his hand, and answered. “Lily, what’s wrong?” “What do you think? I lost Truth or Dare, that’s what. And you know what? I’m unlucky enough that my penalty is to sleep with one of the guys for real!” “They’re all laughing, saying I won’t dare. But you know me—I honor my bets! I’m choosing you.” Liam’s breath hitched. He looked up to gauge my expression, then quickly refused. “Don’t push yourself, dummy. Just forfeit.” “You don’t want to? Hmph, then I’ll find someone else~” Liam panicked and immediately agreed without thinking. “Lily, you’d better not! Send me the hotel location. I’m on my way.” Liam frantically pulled on his shoes, not even bothering to look at me. “Lily’s naive and competitive. If I don’t go, some outsider will definitely take advantage of her.” “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll go talk sense into her. I’ll definitely convince her not to do it!” I followed Liam’s car all the way to the hotel. Using my status as his wife, I got a room key and burst through the door, phone in hand. Click. Click. I perfectly captured the two of them, faces flushed, completely naked. Realizing I was taking photos, Lily screamed. “Melody, delete those photos right now! We were just doing a dare penalty. Can’t you be less petty?” Liam covered himself with the sheet, his face red as he stammered an explanation. “Lily was too stubborn. She insisted on completing the penalty. I had no choice…” “But don’t worry, I only see her as a buddy. Just this once. There absolutely won’t be a next time.” “Be good, Melody. Delete the photos. Lily’s a girl after all. How will she get married in the future?” I couldn’t help laughing. I’d caught them red-handed in bed, and they were still calling themselves good friends. I calmly tucked my phone into my pocket. Seeing I wouldn’t budge, Liam’s expression gradually darkened. He pulled out his phone and started playing a blurry video. It was footage of me, at eighteen, throwing myself down the stairs to abort. Liam had secretly kept this video on his phone, labeled “Lifelong Guilt.” Whenever he was too exhausted from work, he’d watch it once to motivate himself. After watching, he’d have the strength to keep going. Now, what was once his guilt had become leverage to threaten me. “Melody, if you dare spread those photos, I’ll make everyone in New York see this—see how you secretly aborted, how you killed your own children!” Through my tears, I smiled calmly. “Don’t worry. I won’t spread them.” “I’m not here to fight the mistress.” “I just wanted to keep some evidence. In court, it might help with our property division.” With that, I turned and left without a shred of hesitation. In the empty themed hotel room, Lily rolled her eyes and asked, “Hey, is Abortion Girl serious this time?” Liam instinctively shook his head. “How could she be? She’s an orphan with no family, no home. Where would she go if she left me?” “I’ll just contact the hospital to schedule the next IVF cycle. Melody loves kids so much—she’ll definitely calm down right away.” Liam called the hospital. The response he got nearly destroyed him. “You didn’t know? After the last abortion, Melody permanently lost her ability to conceive.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “372448”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance

I once had a secret, hidden relationship with Roman Pierce. He paid for my tuition, and I slept in his bed. Later, he told me he was at the age where he wanted to get married and have kids. So, I unilaterally ended things. Years later, we met again. I was accompanying my academic advisor to pitch him for a research investment. After a few too many drinks, I pinched his face and drunkenly ran my mouth: “I have money now. Here’s two thousand bucks. Let me top you just once!” Everyone else froze in sheer panic, scrambling to explain: “Mr. Pierce, he’s just wasted and talking nonsense! He really doesn’t like men!” “Yeah, exactly! My senior colleague here has a girlfriend. They’re super serious.” He just stared at me, a smirk playing on his lips that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Oh, really?” 1 Professor Miller had dragged us out to another networking dinner. All the way there, he wouldn’t stop nagging us: “You kids, when I tell you to drink, you drink. When I tell you to talk, you talk. Stay sharp, all of you.” A couple of the younger grad students grumbled quietly: “We’re researchers, not escorts…” Word on the street was that tonight’s investor didn’t have much of a formal education. Apparently, he’d made his fortune scraping by in the gritty underworld years ago before hitting it big. The self-made, uncultured tycoons were always the worst at these dinner tables. We academics absolutely dreaded this part of the job. “Do you think I enjoy throwing away my dignity?” Professor Miller snapped. “Our research grants are gone. How am I supposed to support you guys? If we don’t land this investment, I’ll have no choice but to cut your stipends and send you back to basic lab work.” The van went dead silent. Everyone knew Miller wasn’t having it easy either. With the funding pulled, he was more desperate than anyone. We arrived at the private dining room. Soon, the heavy door was pushed open. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Professor Miller.” A deep, low baritone cut through the air. It immediately sparked whispers among the junior researchers: “I thought they said he was some uncultured thug? How is he this young and hot?” “God, his aura is insane…” I lifted my head, completely dazed. Five years. It was an encounter I was wholly unprepared for. Roman Pierce had changed significantly. He’d shed the jagged, reckless edge of his youth, dressed now in a perfectly tailored Tom Ford suit. Yet, the untamed wildness between his brows remained, only now it was tempered, making him seem heavier, more formidable. My advisor scrambled to his feet: “Mr. Pierce! A pleasure, truly a pleasure. These are my brightest doctoral candidates.” Roman offered a curt nod and took the seat of honor at the head of the table. His gaze swept coldly over us. Miller shot us a look, and we all stood up to toast him. The female grad students who had been complaining moments ago were now practically tripping over themselves: “Mr. Pierce, a toast to you. It’s inspiring to see someone so young achieve so much.” “Mr. Pierce, we are really looking forward to working with you.” I shrank back into the corner, lowering my head as far as it would go. “Mr. Pierce, this is Asher Blake, my star PhD student,” Miller announced, calling me out specifically. “Asher, don’t just stand there. Come toast Mr. Pierce.” I stood up rigidly. I picked up my glass, not daring to meet his eyes. “Good evening, Mr. Pierce.” He just sat there. He didn’t raise his glass. He just watched me in silence. Advisor Miller tried to smooth over the awkwardness: “This one is a bit of a wallflower. Usually just buries his head in his textbooks. Not much of a talker.” Roman’s gaze landed on my face, slowly tracing my features inch by inch. After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke, his tone measured and slow: “Loving to study… is a good thing.” Miller quickly seized the opening: “Absolutely! Asher has been with me since his undergrad years. His capability is unquestionable. To be honest with you, Mr. Pierce, our project data is incredibly promising, it’s just the capital…” He shot me a pointed look. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to look up and meet his stare: “Mr. Pierce, our data is solid, and the market applications are broad. If you are willing to invest…” He let out a short scoff, cutting me off instantly: “Mr. Blake, I am a businessman. I only care about a beneficial exchange of interests.” The phrase “exchange of interests” pierced through me like a knife. Right. An exchange of interests. In the past, he gave me money, and I slept with him. Now, I had an education, but I still had to beg him for money. 2 When I was eighteen, my dad racked up a mountain of gambling debt and ran away, leaving me behind. The debt collectors smashed our house to pieces. I lived like a stray dog, hiding out wherever I could. After school, I didn’t dare go home. I barely had any money left in my pockets. There was a cybercafe near my high school where an overnight pass cost twenty bucks. The owner looked like a gang leader—a shock of bleached blond hair and sleeves full of tattoos. That place was a haven for delinquents, reeking of cheap smoke and clicking keyboards. I stood at the door, hesitating for a long time before I dared to walk in. “I… I want an overnight pass.” He looked up. He had high brow bones and narrow, sharp eyes. “You an adult?” He radiated a dangerous energy that terrified me. I frantically pulled out my ID. Thank God. I had just turned eighteen last month. The cybercafe had small private booths with a computer and a tiny, narrow sofa. I put my backpack down, read my textbooks, and did practice tests. When I got hungry, I gnawed on half a cold bagel I had saved from lunch. When I got tired, I curled up on that tiny sofa. It was hard, and it got freezing at night. But it was the cheapest place I could find. At least no one was coming in the middle of the night to smash windows or throw red paint. For the next few days, I went straight there after school. Finally, the umpteenth time I handed over my ID, Roman looked up, visibly annoyed: “You’re a student. Shouldn’t you be studying? Why the hell are you always at an internet cafe?” I opened my mouth, then lowered my head and muttered: “None of your business…” He cursed under his breath and ignored me. Until one late night, a drunk guy in the booth next to mine kicked my door open. “You little brat, hiding out here?!” “If you can’t pay back the cash, that’s fine. I know some guys who’d love a pretty boy like you. Come on, I’ll find you a way out!” I struggled frantically to get away. He kicked me to the ground, raising his fist: “Don’t be a ungrateful little bitch! You want me to kill you?” Hearing the commotion, Roman stormed over, grabbed the guy by the collar, and threw him out the front door. He kicked the guy viciously while he was down: “You dare start shit in my territory? You got a death wish?” He hit hard. The guy didn’t stop wailing. When Roman came back inside, his anger hadn’t faded. He glared at me: “If you’re not playing games, why the fuck are you practically living here?” “I… I’m surfing the web…” “Your monitor is turned off! What web are you surfing?!” He impatiently tried to kick me out. “Hurry up and go home! This ain’t a place for a good student like you!” I refused to move. After a long silence, I whispered: “I… I don’t have a home.” He scratched his head in frustration, grabbed my backpack, and said: “Follow me.” Behind the cybercafe was a rundown one-bedroom apartment. It was a mess. Clothes piled on the sofa, empty beer cans on the coffee table. He pointed to the room. “Here. Ten bucks a night. You staying or not?” I had no other choice, and no energy to worry about whether it was safe. “I’m staying.” He tossed me a spare key, turned around, and left. 3 Roman was rarely home. Sometimes he was at the cafe, sometimes God knows where running the streets. I went straight there every day after school. I’d buy an extra plain roll from the cafeteria at noon to eat for dinner. On the fifth day of living there, I was gnawing on my cold roll when he pushed the door open. “Move,” he grunted, frowning. I clutched my bread and automatically scooted over on the sofa. He dropped a massive bag of takeout BBQ on the table and started eating. The smell of roasted meat filled the room. I chewed my dry roll, secretly swallowing my saliva. He glanced at me: “You want some?” I asked cautiously: “Does it cost extra?” He suddenly laughed. “If you eat, you’re on cleanup duty.” To me back then, those few skewers of meat were absolute salvation. After that, he started coming home a bit more often, and he’d always bring food. Sometimes BBQ, sometimes lo mein, sometimes hot soup. It smelled so incredible that, years later, I still remember exactly how it tasted. He would watch me wolf down the food and laugh: “Asher, you got a massive appetite, don’t you?” Honestly, I was just starving. I skipped breakfast, ate the cheapest thing for lunch, and had a cold roll for dinner. Whatever he brought back was the only real meal I had all day. After eating, I’d lean against the sofa and study. He’d play video games next to me, occasionally lighting a cigarette when he got bored. I habitually stayed up late studying. When he checked the time, he’d bark at me: “Asher, roll into bed and go to sleep.” I’d mumble an “okay” and slowly get up. I couldn’t help but warn him: “Roman, smoking is bad for your health.” He didn’t care. “Life and death are up to fate. Riches are up to heaven.” I cautiously tested the waters: “Can I try a drag?” His eyes turned lethal: “You want me to break your legs?” I slept in the bedroom; he usually crashed on the sofa after gaming. The sofa was small. He was tall, and he couldn’t even stretch his legs out. “Roman, why don’t you sleep in the bed?” He shot me a look, a half-smile forming. “What, two grown men cuddling up together?” I felt embarrassed. The bed was narrow. Two guys would definitely be cramped. But Roman was the type who could pull the covers over his head and fall asleep instantly. I never thought I’d cross paths with someone like him. He was so fierce. He fought brutally. Even the high school bullies were terrified of his name. And me, the teachers’ pet, somehow ended up sharing a weird, harmonious life with this gang boss in a rundown apartment. Eventually, I completely ran out of money. “Roman, the rent… can I pay you after I graduate college?” He raised an eyebrow. “Can you do laundry, cook, and clean? Work off your debt.” From then on, I took over all the chores. He even started paying me a “salary.” Thanks to that money, I could finally afford full meals at school. The days I lived there became the most secure time of my life. He had a lot of friends, guys and girls. One guy saw the spotless apartment and gasped: “Boss, why is your place so clean? You hiding a sugar baby in here? If Stella finds out, she’ll cry herself to death.” I had seen this “Stella.” Tall, glamorous, stunning figure. Word was she’d been chasing Roman for a long time. One day, she stood at the door with red eyes, screaming: “Tell that little vixen to come out here! I want to see what she looks like!” Roman casually grabbed me by the collar and dragged me to the door. “Take a look.” The group of friends stood frozen. “Holy shit! You got a boyfriend?!” Roman leaned against the doorframe, arrogant as ever: “I like men. Stop wasting your time on me, Stella.” Stella’s heart shattered completely. I followed him back inside, hesitating for a long time. I wanted to ask if he really liked men, or if it was just an excuse to reject her. But I couldn’t get the words out. For some reason, my heart wouldn’t calm down. Why did I even care who he liked? He stared at me, frowning: “What is it?” “Just… what are we having for dinner?” He let out a laugh, tossing a bag of walnuts at me. “Eat these. Heard they’re good for the brain. Perfect for you.” That day, he proudly showed off how he could crush walnuts with his bare hands. “Cool, right?” Honestly, a little dumb. Of course, I didn’t dare say that out loud. I asked him: “Roman, why’d you dye your hair blond?” He got defensive: “What do you mean blond? It’s gold!” Me: “Oh, so like a golden retriever…” “Are you calling me a dog?!” He shot me a warning glare: “Asher, you got a death wish today?” But this time, I wasn’t scared. Spending so much time with him, I realized he was all bark and no bite with me. One day, I carefully told him: “Roman, I want to apply to the State Tech University. It’s in the suburbs, I’d just have to take two buses to get there.” He shoved a handful of crushed walnuts into my mouth: “You think a top-tier university is that easy to get into? Better eat up and fix that wooden brain of yours.” 4 But right before my final college entrance exams, a few debt collectors ambushed me. They snatched my exam admission ticket. “Call your deadbeat dad and tell him to pay up. Otherwise, I’m burning this right now.” “Heard you get good grades, huh? Too bad. Say goodbye to college.” I frantically called my dad, but the line was dead. In pure desperation, I called Roman. He rushed over, out of breath. He just asked coldly: “How much does he owe you?” They said, “Thirty grand.” He turned around and left. Not long after, he came back carrying a bag of cash. The moment he reached his hand out to me, my nose stung. He gripped my wrist tightly, pulling me out of that dark alley. Walking behind him, I wiped away pathetic tears. He turned around and glared at me fiercely: “You’re a grown man, why are you crying? So annoying.” During the two days of my exams, he canceled all his business and waited outside the testing center. The night I finished my last test, after dinner, I gathered all my courage and hugged him from behind. “Roman, you… you can sleep in the bed tonight.” His body went completely rigid. “What do you mean by that?” “I heard you like men…” “And I can’t afford to pay you back…” Honestly, with every day that the exams had approached, my anxiety grew. Once I graduated high school, I’d have no excuse to stay here. But I stubbornly wanted to be tied to him. He used thirty thousand dollars to sever the ties between me and my toxic family. But it also made the dynamic between him and me completely unequal. 5 Five years later, our positions hadn’t changed at all. Back then, I needed money for school. Now, I needed money for research. He sat at the head of the table, watching impassively as I toasted him glass after glass. But he refused to give a straight answer: “I’ll need more time to evaluate this project.” What a ruthless capitalist face. I cursed him out in my head. By the end of the night, the alcohol had gone straight to my brain. My mind was buzzing. I looked at a face that looked remarkably like Roman’s, and lunged forward, hugging him. I even reached up, pinching his cheeks left and right, inspecting him: “Hmm, you look just like him…” “I make three thousand bucks a month now! I’ll give you two grand, you just have to sleep with me once, okay?” “And this time, I get to top!” As those words dropped, the entire room went dead silent. Professor Miller turned pale with absolute horror: “Mr. Pierce, please excuse him! My student has had too much to drink, he’s just spouting nonsense!” Roman held his wine glass, staring at me with a dangerous amusement. “Student Blake is only offering me two thousand?” I grabbed his tie, arguing my case aggressively: “What’s wrong with two grand? You’re old and wrinkly now, you think you can still compete with the young guys?” “Oh? I’m old and wrinkly?” He laughed out of pure anger, his gaze sweeping over me with blatant aggression. “Well, I certainly can’t compare to Student Blake—” “You were always so tight.” “Mr. Pierce, he really is just drunk! He never talks this much normally…” Miller was sweating profusely. A junior female researcher jumped in to save me: “It’s true! Mr. Pierce, please don’t misunderstand, my senior really doesn’t like men…” “He has a girlfriend! They are super stable…” Before she could finish, Roman’s face darkened drastically. The hand gripping my waist suddenly tightened. “Is that right?” I looked at his face, inches from mine. I opened my mouth. “Blergh…” I threw up all over his expensive suit. … 6 The next morning, I was getting chewed out in Professor Miller’s office. “Asher Blake, look at yourself! Usually I can’t get three words out of you with a crowbar, but you get drunk and act like a maniac?! Huh?” “If a girl acts boy-crazy, fine! But you, a grown man, screaming about wanting to top an investor?! I have never heard of such a thing in my life!” “Two grand to sleep with you?! Do you hear yourself? Where are you gonna sleep with him, in your dorm?! Did you consider your roommates?! Are they supposed to stand guard at the door?!” I wished the floor would swallow me whole. “Professor, I… I’m sorry…” “Thank God Mr. Pierce has a good temper. You puked all over him yesterday, and he didn’t even get mad. He even had the decency to have someone drive you home.” Miller caught his breath and issued his final order: “Today, you are coming with me to his company to apologize in person! And your attitude better be sincere!” “Whether this project survives or dies depends entirely on Roman Pierce nodding his head.” On the way to his corporate headquarters, Miller gave me a rundown of Roman’s legendary rise. “Don’t underestimate him just because he doesn’t have a college degree. He’s ruthless and has incredible foresight! A few years ago, he made a killing in real estate, and now he’s pivoting to the tech sector. He’s the new golden boy of the industry…” Five years. He had gone so far, becoming completely unreachable. While I felt trapped in a time loop. Studying, studying, and still broke as a joke. Roman’s company occupied the top floors of a massive CBD skyscraper, overlooking the bustling city. His secretary led us into the reception room. He still had that same cold, aloof demeanor. Miller approached him with a fawning smile: “Mr. Pierce, I am so sorry for the absolute disaster yesterday. My student here… sigh. I brought him here specifically to apologize to you!” He shot me a look. I braced myself and stepped forward, not daring to meet his eyes: “Mr. Pierce, I… I drank too much yesterday. I am so sorry. Please forgive me.” Miller chimed in from the side: “Yes, exactly! Yesterday was the anniversary of his ex-girlfriend’s death! The alcohol and the grief just went straight to his head…” My heart skipped a beat. This old man literally just pulls lies out of thin air. Roman raised an eyebrow, a mocking glint in his eye: “The anniversary of her death? Tell me, Student Blake, how did your ex pass away?” Miller answered for me: “Terminal illness! A tragic terminal illness.” He quickly added, “But don’t worry, Mr. Pierce, Asher has moved on. His mental state is very stable, he definitely won’t delay the research progress!” “Yesterday was purely the alcohol. He absolutely does not have any inappropriate thoughts about you. His sexual orientation is perfectly normal, you can be 100% assured.” To add credibility, Miller added: “He actually has a new girlfriend now.” Roman’s eyes went pitch black: “Is that so?” “Yes, yes, a junior from our university. She chased him for a long time. Everyone in the lab knows, they’re practically glued at the hip.” “Rest assured, he has absolutely no ulterior motives regarding you.” Me: “…” Old Miller gave me a look that said, ‘Look how smart your professor is.’ Roman stayed silent for a moment before saying calmly: “That’s good to hear.” Miller struck while the iron was hot: “Mr. Pierce, about our project…” He paused, seeming to weigh his options: “I am still very interested in the project. However, my company needs to understand some of the finer details… Would it be possible to borrow Student Blake for a few days? To assist us with our evaluation?” Miller’s eyes lit up: “No problem at all! Use him however you need! Asher is the brightest student I’ve ever taught.” Me: “…” Did Old Miller just sell me out that easily? 7 After leaving Roman’s office… “Professor, do I really have to go?” Miller patted my shoulder, lecturing me earnestly: “Asher, this involves the life or death of our entire department! This involves everyone’s stipends and graduation! Can’t you just make a little sacrifice?” “Besides, you’re a grown man, what are you afraid of? How exactly is he gonna ‘use’ you?” “At worst, you’ll just do some extra grunt work and get a little tired.” “I…” How was I supposed to explain the exact ways he could ‘use’ me… Seeing how old Miller was, I didn’t dare give him a heart attack with the truth. Seeing me hesitate, Miller lowered his voice: “I still have a spot open for the international symposium. I’ll save it for you.” “Professor, I’ll go.” For that, I would walk through fire. I braced myself and reported to Roman’s company. “Engineer Blake, please have a seat. Mr. Pierce’s meeting isn’t quite over yet. Just wait a moment.” While waiting, the friendly receptionist started chatting with me. I couldn’t hold back my curiosity, asking quietly: “Hey, how old are the boss’s kids?” The receptionist looked shocked: “Kids? Mr. Pierce doesn’t have kids.” None? “Wait, he didn’t have any?” Back then, he had literally said he wanted to get married and have kids. The receptionist looked at me like I was crazy: “Mr. Pierce isn’t even married.” My heart skipped a beat. He still wasn’t married? A complex mix of secret joy and bitter sorrow welled up inside me. After processing it for a few seconds, I muttered under my breath: “Oh, so nobody wanted him…” The second the words left my mouth. “Asher.” A clearly displeased voice sounded right behind me. I jumped out of my skin. I’m dead… Why did he have to hear that exactly? 8 I followed Roman to his office. My mind was still echoing with the phrase, “Isn’t even married.” During my junior year of college, he had calmly informed me: “Asher, let’s just end this.” I blankly asked him why. He just said: “I’m at the age where I need to get married. You think I can just mess around with a guy forever?” I cried and begged him: “Just… wait for me one more year. I’ll graduate…” He sneered. “Wait for what? Can you give me a child?” “Asher, stop making yourself look so cheap.” It was true. I had always been cheap, throwing myself at him. Starting from when I was eighteen, when I willingly threw my arms around him. Back then, he had tried to push me away: “Asher, you should live a normal life.” “Don’t get mixed up with someone like me. There’s no future here.” I had cried pathetically: “Roman, you’re a good person…” He laughed like it was a joke: “Are you brain-damaged? I have no money, no education, I’m years older than you. You’re throwing yourself at me over thirty grand?” “With your face, who knows how many girls will be chasing you later. Don’t ruin your own path.” I stubbornly clung to him, refusing to let go: “Roman, I… I don’t even know if I like men or women…” “I just know that I like you.” He fell silent. I stood on my tiptoes, clumsily trying to kiss him. But he was too tall, and even with my head tilted back, I could only graze his jawline. He stared at me, then suddenly laughed. He tilted his head down and kissed me fiercely: “If I don’t lower my head, how are you ever gonna reach?” That day, in that tiny apartment, we tangled in the sheets from the afternoon until the sun went down. His sweat dripped onto my neck. In that endless tidal wave, I was nervous and clumsy, but a secret joy bloomed in my heart. I spent almost that entire summer break in his tiny apartment. After taking the money, my mom had vanished to God knows where. Roman sold his internet cafe. When I asked why, he just said: “Don’t worry about it. Off to make big money.” He became incredibly busy, coming home near dawn every day, often covered in fresh bruises. When I applied ointment to his wounds, my heart ached: “Roman, why are you always getting hurt? Can’t you quit that job?” Though he never said it, I knew he was working as muscle at a shady nightclub. He brushed it off: “You call these scratches injuries?” When I kept sulking, he would just shut me up with a kiss. That summer, we loved each other desperately on that tiny bed, as if trying to exhaust all our energy. Before college started, he took me to the mall. With a wave of his hand, he bought me a new iPhone, a laptop, and a whole new wardrobe. We even went to see the ocean together. The salty sea breeze, the circling seagulls, the endless expanse of blue. It was my first time seeing the ocean. I was so excited I took countless photos. I secretly set a photo of us together as my phone’s lock screen. But when he saw it, he frowned: “Change it.” I froze. He didn’t want anyone to know about our relationship. I silently lowered my head, fighting the sting in my nose, and deleted the photo. He handed me a debit card. “Just focus on your studies from now on. Don’t keep running back here. I don’t have time to see you.”

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It was day three of the silent treatment. In a fit of petty online shopping, I had ordered a box of ultra-thin condoms, intending to change the default address to my place as a “drop dead” gesture. I messed up. They shipped to his house instead. After agonizing over it, I decided to go get them. I did my makeup, put on my best outfit, and knocked on his door. The door opened. “Hey, Liam,” I started, trying to sound casual. “I think a package of mine was sent here by mistake…” Before I could finish, he let out a sharp, cold chuckle. “You’ve got some nerve, Maya.” His lean frame blocked the doorway, his extended arm resting against the frame, keeping me out. “Seriously? After you slapped me and told me to go to hell, this is how you show up?” He didn’t wait for my answer. He turned his head back toward the bedroom and shouted, “Babe! There’s a beautiful girl out here trying to seduce me. Come get rid of her!” 1 I figured Liam was just trying to mess with me. I rolled my eyes hard. “Please. We’ve been in a cold war for exactly seventy-two hours. You expect me to believe you have a new girl in your bedroom already? Keep dreaming, Liam.” I stepped sideways, expertly ducking under his arm, and slipped inside. I walked right over to the shoe rack, acting like I still lived there. Seeing a pair of cute, pink bunny slippers, I couldn’t help but let out a little snort of amusement. “Really, Liam? You bought me a replacement pair just like the old ones? I’ve told you a thousand times, I wanted the teal ones. Are you even listen—” “Babe,” Liam cut me off, his voice dropping to that lazy, smooth register he only used when things were getting serious. I was about to snap back at him. Why was he getting all mushy after we’d had a massive fight? I looked up. And froze. A girl was standing in the middle of the living room. She was barely wearing anything—just a tiny silk camisole and sleep shorts. She blinked, her big, watery eyes looking from me to Liam, then back again. Finally, she looked down at my feet. “Um… why are you wearing my slippers?” I stood there, paralyzed. My brain flat-out refused to process the image. Liam, usually so unbothered by everything, just shrugged and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. “Look, she just showed up,” he told her, his tone dismissing me entirely. “If I knew it was my ex-girlfriend, I wouldn’t have even opened the door.” Then, he turned his head to look at me, his expression full of righteous indignation. “Explain yourself, Chloe. Right now.” Before I could get a single word out, his face contorted in anger, and he marched over to me. He stared down at my right foot, where I had already slipped into one of the slippers. His voice was like ice. “Do you have any concept of boundaries? Seriously? You don’t just walk into someone’s house and put on another person’s shoes.” I had to lean against the wall for support, my shoe half-off, balancing like an idiot. Hearing Liam talk to me like that… I couldn’t look up. The blinding shame and the raw sense of betrayal were too much to handle. Tears started spilling down my face, completely out of my control. Silence filled the room for what felt like an hour. Finally, Liam sighed. He dropped his shoulders, seeming to give up. “Forget it,” he said, his voice flat. “Sarah has a major thing about germs. Since you wore them, she’s not going to want them anymore. Keep them.” I fought to get my breathing under control, forcing a strained, trembling smile onto my face. “My Amazon delivery… I forgot to change the address from when I lived here.” From the living room, Sarah seemed to snap out of her shock. She let out a soft laugh and patted her head, acting incredibly gracious and polite. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry! I didn’t even look closely at the label. I just assumed it was for Liam, so I opened it and put it in the cabinet. I have no idea how many you ordered. Do you want to count them to make sure they’re all there?” Before I could reach for the box, Liam shot out a hand and snatched it first. 2 The next few seconds felt like an eternity. When I heard Liam let out a soft chuckle, I felt like a prisoner who had just been handed a death sentence. “Really, Chloe?” He looked from the box to me, shaking his head. “It’s been three days. Are you really that… desperate?” He shoved the box containing the ultra-thin condoms into my arms. “There. It’s back with its rightful owner. Now, do you have any other business here? I’d hate for my girlfriend to get the wrong idea.” Standing there under the scorching gaze of both of them, I felt my face burning hot. I wanted to defend myself, to say something, anything, but I felt completely drained of energy. It was over. Deep down, I knew this was likely the last time I would ever see Liam Beckett. I didn’t say a word. I just turned on my heel and left without looking back. In the elevator, I took out my phone. I pulled up the text from my boss asking if I was willing to transfer to our San Diego branch to head up the new project. I didn’t hesitate this time. I texted back: Yes. I’ll take it. When I walked out of the building, I marched straight over to the large trash can by the curb. I tossed everything in my arms—the slippers, the box, all of it—into the garbage. Just like Liam, I didn’t want any of it anymore. 3 I was a mess when I got home. I crawled into bed and just stared at the ceiling. The crushing ache in my chest was threatening to drown me. Then, my best friend’s call broke the silence. “Chloe, oh my god,” she started, her voice a hushed, intense whisper. “You are a legend. That outfit you bought for tonight—did it work? Did he drop to his knees the second he saw you in that ‘battle armor’?” Before I could even think about how to answer, she rushed on, excited. “I knew it! I just saw Liam’s Instagram post! Girl, after all this time of you complaining that he’s too ‘cool’ for public displays of affection, and that he’d never go anywhere childish like an amusement park… He did it! He went! He’s literally on a carousel in the video, wearing Mickey ears, looking ridiculous and adorable! I guess that fight was worth it. You really know how to train them…” “Wait,” I said, swallowing hard to keep my voice from breaking. “Are you sure you’re looking at the right account?” She laughed like I’d just told the joke of the century. “Of course I am! Here, I’m sending you the link right now.” I didn’t believe her. Not for a second. But when the video loaded, I felt like my heart had physically stopped beating. 4 The fight we’d had seventy-two hours ago was… complicated. We had been together for three years. In all that time, Liam had never posted a single picture of me on any social media. He wouldn’t go to crowded public places with me on holidays or anniversaries. He was always so distant, so private, that I constantly questioned if he actually loved me at all. But every time we were alone, behind closed doors, he was a different person. Intense, passionate, uncontainable. That night, I finally snapped. At our most intimate moment, I looked into his eyes and asked the question that had been eating me alive. “Liam, do you actually love me?” He was kissing my neck, his voice muffled and impatient as he muttered, “Does that really matter right now?” I didn’t understand. Why was saying “I love you” so hard for him? I pushed him away. Hard. Liam didn’t say another word. He got dressed, slammed the door, and left. He never said the words. My best friend had seen how miserable I was these past few days, drinking myself into a stupor. She’d begged me to bridge the gap, saying he was just wired that way and I shouldn’t force him. That’s why I decided to swallowed my pride and go over there tonight to make up. But Liam already had someone else by his side. I watched the video again. There he was, on the carousel, wearing Mickey ears. Someone had used lipstick to draw half a heart on his cheek. He looked silly and happy—a side of him I had never, ever seen. Hearing my friend’s worried voice on the other end of the line, I let out a bitter, strangled laugh. “He has a new girlfriend.” 5 Apparently, other mutual friends had seen the post and started asking questions, because a few minutes later, my friend texted me again. She said Liam had deleted the first post and uploaded a new one. This time, he didn’t hide anything. The photo was a clear shot of Sarah’s pretty, delicate face. I couldn’t handle any more. I hung up the phone and forced myself to focus on the logistics of the San Diego move. I didn’t expect my phone to ring at two in the morning. It was an unknown number. When I answered and heard Liam’s voice, it was too late to hang up. His voice was raw, urgent, bordering on hysterical. “Maya… God, I know I shouldn’t be calling you at this hour. But please… can you come over? To my place?” He paused, and I could hear him choking back a sob. “I’m begging you… please? Just come.” My heart dropped through the floor. I couldn’t imagine what could have happened to break a man as calm and composed as Liam Beckett like this. A hundred terrible scenarios flashed through my mind in seconds. My body reacted before my brain could argue against it. By the time I managed to mutter “Okay,” I was already pulling on my jacket and grabbing my car keys. I was terrifyingly worried. I ran two red lights on the way over. I even tripped on the stairs going up to his apartment and scraped my knee badly. I burst through his door, out of breath and trembling. And then I saw it. It was a picture-perfect scene. Liam, impeccably dressed, was half-kneeling at Sarah’s feet in the living room. And scattered around the room on the couches and chairs, watching us, were all of our mutual friends. It was a setup. Liam looked up at me, ignoring the blood dripping down my knee. He let out a completely relaxed, easy laugh. “Maya, thank god you’re finally here.” He turned back to Sarah, taking her hands in his. “See? I told you I could prove it.” He raised one hand dramatically toward the ceiling, his voice booming through the apartment, full of righteous declaration. “I, Liam Beckett, hereby swear that I will absolutely, under no circumstances, get back together with my ex-girlfriend, Maya Sterling. There is nothing left between us. It doesn’t matter how she tries to seduce me, or how she tries to use our friends to put pressure on me—it’s not happening! As long as I am with Sarah, I am yours and yours alone. I love only you… no matter how much other women try to cling to me, my heart is steadfast.” 6 I couldn’t hear anything after that. I didn’t know if the roaring in my ears was from the pain in my knee or the sheer, devastating agony in my heart. My brain was buzzing. Then Sarah interrupted him, her tone playful and coy. “Okay, okay, that’s enough! You’re being way too mushy…” Her face was bright red. She stood on her tiptoes to put her hand over Liam’s mouth. She looked happily flustered. “Stop it… I know you didn’t mean to post the wrong video on Instagram earlier… God, Liam, when did you get so dramatic? Did you use ‘I love you’ as a comma with your ex, too?” I was being dragged back into the conversation. I tried to maintain a polite smile, but it shattered. My face went cold. Nobody cared. Nobody noticed. Liam immediately grabbed Sarah by the shoulders, eager to explain. “No way. Only with you. If you don’t believe me, ask her.” Every single eye in the room turned to me. Some looked sympathetic, some looked pitiful. But the look I was getting from Liam and Sarah was one of arrogant expectation. They wanted me to confirm their love story. “Are you guys done?” My voice was flat, devoid of emotion. The festive atmosphere in the room instantly evaporated. “You do know that a decent ex-partner is supposed to act like they’re dead, right? Are you both seriously this oblivious?” Maybe it was because I had always been so compliant with him, but when I looked at him, his face went pale. Panic flickered in Liam’s eyes for a split second. I ignored it, turned around, and walked out. I was done being a character in his sideshow. 7 Over the next few days, I got texts from friends—some confused, some furious on my behalf. They started dripping in details about what had happened after I left: [Maya, don’t be mad. Liam is just being immature. It turns out he’s had a thing for this Sarah girl since high school. It was one of those love-at-first-sight situations, but before he could ask her out, she moved to Europe. He never got over her, and now that she’s back, he’s convinced she’s ‘the one who got away’.] [You were the only woman he was with all those years, Maya. He usually can’t stand being touched, but with you… it was different. You shouldn’t let him go. This is just a rebound phase, he’ll come running back to you once the novelty wears off.] [After you walked out that night, Liam looked pretty shaken up. Like he’d lost his mind. Seriously, this Sarah girl is high-maintenance as hell. I give it two weeks. You two getting back together is inevitable.] I stared at the messages, my head pounding. Eventually, I just stopped responding to them entirely. I threw myself into the move. I was so ready to get out of this city. San Diego was close to my hometown—only a two-hour drive. I knew my parents and my older brother would be thrilled to have me closer. 8 The night before I was scheduled to fly out, I went for a run to clear my head, then came home to sleep. I didn’t expect to find my apartment tossed. When I opened the door, the living room was a mess. But it was the bedroom that stopped my breath. My closet had been ripped open. My neatly hung clothes were crumpled into balls and scattered across the floor. My vanity was a total disaster zone. Bottles of perfume and skincare had been smashed, glass and liquid covering the hardwood. I was shaking all over, about to call 911, when the elevator opened down the hall. Sarah stepped out, carrying a large shopping bag. She saw me and offered a calm, polite smile. “Oh, you’re home. Good timing. I couldn’t find the jewelry Liam gave you. Are you wearing it?” Seeing my confusion, she explained sweetly. “The other day, I was looking at Liam’s phone, and I saw his purchase history. I saw how many things he bought for you over the years, and I got a little jealous… So Liam gave me his password and told me I could come get whatever I wanted to keep.” “But some of this stuff you’ve used, and I have a major issue with germs. So, I just decided to…” Before she could finish, Liam burst through the stairwell door. He took in the absolute devastation of the apartment, then looked at me. My expression must have been terrifying. He rubbed his temples, looking incredibly anxious. “How did it get this bad?” he muttered, low. Liam looked around the wreckage, seemingly genuinely shocked by the extent of the damage. For a long moment, nobody said anything. He was clearly struggling to get control of his emotions. Finally, he turned to Sarah and ushered her out the door, his voice gentle and coaxing. “I’ll handle this, babe. Just give me five minutes, okay?” Then, seemingly afraid she might get jealous, he added, “Maya has a really nasty temper when she’s mad. I don’t want you to get hurt.” Sarah reluctantly left. Liam closed the door. He loosened his tie. He walked over to me, towering over me for a long, silent minute, before his expression softened. “I didn’t think she’d do this,” he said softly. His eyes went dark as he looked at me. The atmosphere in the wrecked apartment shifted, becoming heavy and strange. Liam swallowed hard. His voice was husky. “Maya… look, maybe we…” Just then, my phone rang loudly on the vanity. It was my parents. They knew I was driving down the next day. They were calling to remind me to come over for dinner to meet a guy they wanted to set me up with—the son of some family friend. I muttered a few standard excuses and hung up. When I looked back at Liam, his expression had turned grave. He was staring at me. “You’re going on a blind date?” he asked, sounding like he couldn’t believe his ears. I didn’t even want to dignify that with an answer. I picked up my phone to call the police. As soon as the screen lit up, Liam snatched it out of my hand. He was trembling. “You’re really going on a blind date?” he repeated. I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Before I could answer, he glanced down at my phone screen. He froze. He looked at the screen for a few seconds, then suddenly, he laughed. He tossed the phone onto the couch like it was trash, his entire demeanor changing. He looked relaxed, almost mocking. “Okay. Wow. You’re good, Maya. Playing hard to get until the very end, huh?” “The police? Seriously? These things—didn’t you beg me to buy them for you? Since I bought them, they’re mine. I have every right to dispose of my own property.” Liam raised an eyebrow, his smile twisting. “You know what? Go ahead. Pick them up, wash them off, I bet they’re still usable. I know how much you ‘treasured’ these things.” He checked a notification on his phone and straightened his jacket. He started walking toward me, reaching out a hand as if to pinch my cheek, the way he used to. My skin crawled. I slapped his hand away hard. Based on how he used to act, I expected him to start an argument or storm out in a huff. But Liam just gave me a long, strange look, a sad smile on his lips. “God, Maya. Looking at you like this actually makes me feel guilty.” He let out a heavy sigh. “Seeing you so miserable… I’m almost regretting this.” His phone rang again. He checked it and tossed out, “See you tomorrow,” before casually strolling out of my ruined apartment. I didn’t stick around to wonder what he meant by that. I packed my essentials and went to a hotel. I was done.

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On the third day of our cold war, I ordered a box of ultra-thin 001 condoms and shipped them to my boyfriend’s apartment. After getting all dolled up, I knocked on his door: “Liam, I think my package accidentally…” Before I could finish. A cold scoff came from above my head: “Really? Is this the best you can do? “Weren’t you the one who slapped me and told me to get lost?” He leaned his long arm against the doorframe. And yelled toward his bedroom: “Babe, there’s a pretty girl here trying to seduce me. Come help me kick her out!” 1 I figured Liam was just bluffing, so I rolled my eyes at him: “You mean to tell me, on the third day of our cold war— “A girl magically appeared in your bedroom? “In your dreams.” I neatly ducked under his arm. And casually opened his shoe cabinet. When I saw the cute little pink bunny slippers, I couldn’t hold back a snort of laughter: “Why did you buy me a pair like this? You know I like green…” “Babe.” Liam interrupted me, his voice lazy and drawling. I was just about to respond. Since when did he get so cheesy after a fight? I looked up. And saw a girl wearing a revealing slip dress standing right in the middle of the living room. She was blinking her big, watery eyes at me: “Why are you… wearing my slippers?” I froze on the spot. My brain short-circuited for a second. I could only watch as Liam, who usually moved at a snail’s pace, gave a helpless shrug, walked over, and pulled the girl into his arms: “She just showed up out of nowhere. “If I had known it was my ex-girlfriend, I wouldn’t have even opened the door.” After saying that. Liam turned to me, his tone full of righteous indignation: “Hurry up and explain yourself, Chloe.” Before I could even speak. His face turned ice-cold, and he marched over to me. Staring at the slipper I had already put on one foot. He spoke with a chilling edge to his voice: “Do you have any concept of boundaries? “Why are you wearing someone else’s slippers without asking?” I leaned one hand against the wall, my right foot halfway out of my own shoe. Hearing Liam’s words, I didn’t even dare to look up. It was just that the humiliation and grievance were too much to suppress. Tears fell uncontrollably. After a long moment. Liam seemed to finally notice my emotional state. His posture relaxed, sounding as if he were compromising: “Forget it. “Mia is a germaphobe. Since you’ve worn them, she definitely won’t want them anymore. “Consider them a gift.” I forced myself to calm down, struggling to maintain a smile: “I forgot to change my shipping address for a package…” Mia, recovering from her initial shock in the living room, smiled and gently tapped her head, saying with polite sweetness: “Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t look closely. “I thought it was something Liam ordered. “She smiled, her eyes crinkling: “I’ll go get it for you right now.” Taking advantage of Mia turning her back. I swiftly changed back into my own shoes. Looking at Liam, who was staring blankly at Mia’s retreating back. I raised my hand. And slapped him hard across the face. 2 A bright red handprint instantly appeared on Liam’s cheek. He poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue and let out a soft chuckle: “You blocked my number and deleted me on Snapchat… Doesn’t that mean we broke up? “You told me to get lost, so what’s wrong with me rolling right into someone else’s arms?” With a long stride, Liam pinned me into a corner. Staring at my heaving chest beneath my lace dress, he lowered his voice: “And now you show up at my place late at night dressed like this— “What? Are you here to beg for me back?” Before I could speak. Liam dropped his smirk, took a step back, and said coldly: “That slap just now cancels out the mistakes I made before.” He glanced in Mia’s direction. And carelessly curled his lip: “She was already pretty bothered by the fact that I’ve dated before. “So, it’s best if you don’t show up again.” I hadn’t even opened my mouth. When Mia walked out holding the shipping box, looking incredibly apologetic. Her voice was timid: “I didn’t know this box was yours… “I thought it was something Liam bought, so I opened it and put it in the cabinet. “I don’t know how many you bought either. Why don’t you count them to see if they’re all there?” Before I could take the box. Liam leaned over, snatching it first— 3 Those few seconds. Felt incredibly long. Hearing Liam’s light chuckle, I felt like a prisoner finally receiving her death sentence. “Well well, Chloe. It’s only been three days, and you’re already this… ” Liam trailed off, then smirked. “Lonely and desperate?” He shoved the shipping box into my arms: “Alright, returning this to its rightful owner. “Do you have any other business here? “I don’t want my girlfriend to get the wrong idea.” Under their intense scrutiny. My cheeks burned like fire. I wanted to defend myself, but realized it was pointless. Things had already reached this point. Forget it. I knew in my heart this was probably the last time I’d ever see Liam. So I didn’t say a single word and left without looking back. In the elevator. I opened the message from my manager asking to transfer me to the Seattle office. Without any hesitation, I replied that I agreed. The moment I stepped out of the building. I threw everything in my arms straight into the trash can. Just like Liam. I didn’t want any of it anymore. 4 After getting home. I curled up in bed, zoning out. A wave of sourness spread through my chest, almost drowning me. Until my best friend’s phone call broke my train of thought— Her tone was secretive, “Chloe, you really are something else. “You took down the untouchable ice king on your first try! How was it? Did he surrender the moment he saw you in your ‘battle armor’?” Before I could answer. My best friend excitedly continued: “I saw Liam’s Instagram post! Oh my god, you used to say he was so aloof and would never go to a childish place like an amusement park— “But he went, just for you! He even rode the carousel! Tsk tsk, the bizarre contrast! “Looks like the cold war paid off. You really know how to train a boyfriend…” “Are you sure you didn’t see wrong?” I took a deep breath to suppress my sobs. My best friend laughed so hard she practically exploded, as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world: “How is that possible! Let me send you the video so you can see for yourself…” I was skeptical. But the moment I opened the video. My heart felt like it stopped. 5 The reason Liam and I fought was, frankly, a bit strange. We’d been together for three years. Liam had never posted about me on any of his social media platforms. He also never went to public places with me, or celebrated any anniversaries or holidays. Looking at him, always so indifferent and detached. I often doubted whether Liam actually loved me at all. But every time, as long as we were alone together. He was like a completely different person. This time, I really couldn’t hold it in. During our most intimate moment in bed, I asked that question: “Liam, do you actually love me or not?” He kissed my neck affectionately and mumbled vaguely: “Does that really matter?” I didn’t understand. Was it that hard to just say “I love you”? I pushed him away. And until Liam slammed the door and left, he still hadn’t said he loved me. Seeing me depressed and drowning my sorrows in alcohol. My best friend advised me to cut Liam some slack. That’s just how he is, there was no need to force him. That’s why I swallowed my pride and proactively sought to make up. But there was already another girl by Liam’s side. I watched him in the video. Wearing Mickey Mouse ears, with half a heart drawn on his cheek with lip gloss. Comical yet cute. A side of him I had never seen. Listening to the concern on the other end of the phone, I smiled bitterly: “He has a new girlfriend.” 6 It seemed we had mutual friends who raised similar doubts. Not long after, my best friend told me Liam had deleted the post and uploaded a new one. This time, he explicitly showed Mia’s fair, delicate face. I didn’t want to hear anymore. After hanging up the phone. I started researching the projects I’d be taking over in Seattle. I didn’t expect that. At 2:00 AM. Liam would call me. 7 After answering the unknown number and hearing Liam’s voice, it was too late to hang up. The guy on the other end. Sounded urgent, even on the verge of tears: “Chloe… I know I shouldn’t be bothering you at this hour. “But can you come over to my place for a bit?” Liam paused. His voice was suppressed and hoarse: “Just consider it a favor… I’m begging you, okay?” My heart sank. I couldn’t imagine what could have happened to a man who was usually so calm and composed to make him sound like this. In a few seconds, a hundred possibilities flashed through my mind. My body reacted faster than my mouth. By the time I said “Okay,” I was already putting on my coat and grabbing my car keys. I was extremely anxious. I ran two red lights on the way. I even tripped and fell on the sidewalk walking up to his building. When I finally stood panting at Liam’s door. What I saw was a heartwarming scene: Liam, looking immaculate, half-kneeling at Mia’s feet. And scattered around the living room were all our mutual friends. After seeing me. Liam ignored the blood on my knees. He smiled effortlessly: “Chloe, you’re finally here.” He turned to look at Mia, “Alright, can I prove it now?” Liam pointed a finger at the ceiling and declared righteously: “I, Liam Beckett, absolutely will not have any lingering ties with my ex-girlfriend, Chloe Davis. “No matter how she tries to seduce me, or use our friends to pressure me, it won’t happen! “During my relationship with Mia, I will only be good to her, and only love her… even if other women keep pestering me, my devotion is unwavering…” 8 I couldn’t hear the rest of what he said clearly. I couldn’t tell if the pain was coming from my leg, or the ache in my heart. My brain was buzzing. Until Mia interrupted him with a coquettish whine: “Okay, okay~ That’s too cheesy…” Her face was completely red. She went on her tiptoes to cover Liam’s mouth. Saying playfully: “Stop saying that… I know you didn’t mean to choose the wrong video for your post… “Liam, how are you so cheesy~ “Were you like this with your ex-girlfriend too… using ‘I love you’ like a comma?” I was dragged into the conversation again. I couldn’t maintain my polite smile. My face turned cold. But no one seemed to care. Liam immediately grabbed Mia’s shoulders and explained: “No, I’m only like this with you. “If you don’t believe me, ask her.” Only then did all the eyes in the room turn towards me in unison. Some with sympathy, some with pity. As for Liam and Mia, their eyes held expectation— “Are you guys done playing?” My voice was cold, and the atmosphere in the room instantly plummeted. “A good ex should act like they’re dead. Don’t you know that?” Perhaps because I had always been compliant with Liam before, when my gaze swept over him. Liam’s expression betrayed a momentary panic. I pretended not to notice, turned around, and left. This farce. I wasn’t going to participate in it.

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My boss thought I wasn’t “loose” enough. So, he threw me to his nephew to play with. When the door opened, I saw a familiar figure with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. It was my high school desk mate, the guy I’d been secretly in love with for eight years. He stood there in a bathrobe, his eyes turning cold: “Didn’t you say you moved back to your hometown to get married?” 1 I was broke, so I took a job at an exclusive gentlemen’s club. I’d been working there for a month, and I hadn’t landed a single client. My boss said my “straight guy vibe” was too strong and that I needed some “polishing.” After my shift, he told me to get in his car. I walked out feeling incredibly nervous. Jay, one of the other servers, winked at me. “Where are you going?” “The boss said I need some polishing.” Jay gave me a suggestive smile: “Wow, enjoy it then. Our boss rarely does it himself.” ? What did that mean? Getting into the car, I felt even more anxious. My mind was racing with what Jay had just said. I stole a glance at my boss, Arthur Pierce. He was in his mid-thirties but still looked incredibly sharp, giving off total “refined scumbag” elite vibes. I heard from the other guys that Arthur was gay too. He just never had a steady partner. I stared at his tailored shirt and slacks; his belt perfectly accentuated his slim waist. Crap. Is he expecting me to be the top? I’d never done it before. If I didn’t perform well, would he fire me? 2 The car pulled up to a massive, modern European-style mansion. My heart was pounding as I followed him inside. Arthur patted my shoulder: “Why are you keeping your head down? Nervous? Relax, everyone has a first time. Just go with the flow.” He pushed the door open. A tall figure was standing in the living room, pouring a drink. The guy didn’t turn around. Broad shoulders and a narrow waist wrapped in a towel—his back looked incredibly familiar. I didn’t dare stare too long, keeping my eyes down, trying to figure out what to do next. The guy turned around, his tone icy. “Can you stop bringing random people to the house?” That familiar, clear voice. It froze me in my tracks. Leo Vance? My high school desk mate. The guy I’d been secretly in love with for eight years. Arthur stepped forward to greet him: “Hey, I’m just looking out for you! I heard you had an episode, so I brought someone back for you to play with, to help you relieve some stress.” “Oh?” “Just take it easy, though. He’s my employee, don’t break him.” The guy didn’t reply. Arthur nudged me forward: “This is my nephew. He’s very good at ‘teaching.’ Go take a shower, then head to his room.” I clenched my fists, staring at the floor, completely lost. If I had known I was going to run into Leo Vance today, I would have let them beat me to death before getting in the boss’s car. Arthur jingled his car keys and left. I wanted to follow him out. I’d rather be with Arthur. If he wanted me to top, I could probably figure it out if I tried hard enough. I took two steps, but a cold voice stopped me. “Where are you going? The bathroom is on the right.” Footsteps approached. Click, clack. A hand grabbed my shoulder. “Look up.” “…” I gritted my teeth and slowly raised my head. For the first time in years, I looked at that familiar, handsome face. Leo Vance looked even more composed than before. He had lost his boyishness, and there was an indescribable, brooding aura about him. He didn’t seem to recognize me. He tossed a fresh bathrobe at me. “Go shower.” 3 Leo Vance didn’t remember me. Which made sense. We were only desk mates for half a semester. I couldn’t even remember what the kid who sat in front of me looked like anymore. We all tend to forget the unimportant people as time passes. Back in high school. My family was poor. The kind of poor where you genuinely don’t know where your next meal is coming from. I couldn’t afford the school uniform, so I always wore the same faded, washed-out denim jacket. Leo Vance wasn’t supposed to be my desk mate. He missed an exam because of a high fever, got a low score, and when the seating chart was rearranged, he ended up next to me. He didn’t mock me like the other kids. Instead, he’d use the excuse that he brought too much breakfast and give half of it to me. Or, he’d hand me brand-new prep books and say he bought the wrong ones. He was like the winter sun. Warm, but distant. I knew his family was wealthy. His dad owned a corporation, and his uncle was the school principal. For my entire high school career, I just quietly watched that sun. I used to fantasize about getting a little closer to him. But my grades were terrible because I had to work part-time after school. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to pay my tuition or my mom’s medical bills. I couldn’t reach the Ivy League schools Leo was aiming for. But there was a state university with a good sports program nearby that I could try for. I cherished those prep books he gave me, doing the exercises and reviewing my mistakes over and over. But then, right before the athletic scholarship trials… Something happened. I was destined to never get close to the things I foolishly wished for. 4 I stepped out of the bathroom. Leo was waiting for me in the bedroom. I awkwardly clutched the sleeves of the bathrobe, having no idea what I was about to face. If it was Leo Vance, he probably wouldn’t want me to top or bottom. I remembered he was a major germaphobe. There were always tons of guys and girls trying to get his attention—rich ones, gorgeous ones, they were everywhere. He wouldn’t touch me. “Are you clean?” he asked. I nodded. He looked me up and down, his gaze landing below my waist. “I meant down there.” My face instantly flushed bright red, and I couldn’t help but take a step back. “That…” “Do you not know how to prep yourself?” He frowned. “You work for Arthur, and he hasn’t taught you anything?” “He’s my boss, why would he teach me something so detailed?” “Boss?” He poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue and let out a scoff. “Fine. I’ll teach you.” 5 Leo dragged me back into the bathroom. He taught me how to clean myself thoroughly, step by step. My face was burning. Whenever I tried to pull away, he threatened me. “Do you not see the rope on the table? Try hiding again.” “…” I looked at him in profound embarrassment, my voice hoarse. “I… I understand what you’re saying. Can you just… turn around?” This was my last shred of dignity. I didn’t want to leave such a terrible impression on him. Leo looked at me, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Finally, he turned around and even pulled the shower curtain for me. When I finished exactly as he instructed and walked out… He was casually wiping down a long, black leather crop. I had only ever seen something like that in anime cosplay props. Little did I know then… That thing was going to become my nightmare tonight. … 6 I was crying and struggling again. When it was finally over. Leo took off the black silk blindfold covering my eyes and chuckled. “You soaked the pillow. You really were crying.” “…” The restraints were removed. I rubbed the red marks on my wrists. I never knew Leo Vance could be so terrifying. But I also felt a twisted sense of relief. I had seen a completely different side of him. “Is the lesson over? Can I leave now?” I was just about to grab my clothes. He stopped me. “What’s your name?” My heart tightened, a sour ache spreading through my chest. He really didn’t remember who I was. He had forgotten me completely. “Noah.” That was my stage name at the club. Smack. The crop hit the back of my hand, and my clothes fell from my fingertips. “I asked for your real name.” In the game we just played, if I didn’t tell the truth or do exactly what he wanted, he would hit me with that thing. I hesitated, wondering if I should make up another name. I didn’t want him to remember. “My name is Caleb…” “Caleb Hayes. Hayes as in ‘haze.’ Am I right?” His deep voice flowed over me like a cold winter stream. My heart trembled. I stared at him in disbelief. That was how I introduced myself in high school. He still remembered. I didn’t know whether to be happy or to cry. Reuniting with the guy I liked, and it’s in such a humiliating situation. What must he think of me? He probably thinks I’m incredibly cheap. Leo reached out and brushed a tear from the corner of my reddened eye. “Stop crying. You were very good today.” He grabbed a bracelet and clasped it around my wrist. It had a small, circular aluminum charm engraved with the number “1”. “A gift. “Long time no see, Caleb Hayes.” My throat was so dry I didn’t know how to respond. I just kept my eyes down and grabbed my clothes to go to the bathroom. He suddenly asked: “By the way, didn’t you say you moved back to your hometown to get married?” “…” After graduation, he had messaged me once to ask. I didn’t want to tell him I didn’t get into college, so I lied and said I went back home to get married. I lowered my eyes, continuing the lie. “Yeah… we got divorced.” 7 Long time no see. I would rather have never seen him again. Especially not when I was at my absolute lowest. After that day, Arthur didn’t take me to that mansion again. He probably figured I had been fully “trained.” I stayed at the club for another month. Still zero clients. I didn’t understand. Was there something wrong with how I dressed? Why did clients take one look at me and actively avoid me? I looked at the other guys, changed into a crisp white dress shirt, and deliberately left the top few buttons undone. “How do I look?” I asked Jay. “Noah, your straight-guy energy is way too strong. But I’m into it. How about I book you? Come home with me tonight. I love guys built like you—big, muscular, like a bodyguard who could take down ten guys at once. You’d be amazing in bed.” Jay winked at me. I knew he was joking. He was gay, but he only hooked up with rich guys. The manager walked by and scolded us for slacking off. I was just about to walk away. The manager answered his phone, his expression turning serious. Catching me out of the corner of his eye, he grabbed my arm. “Come on, you’re up. There’s a crazy drunk guy upstairs. This is your chance.” On the way, the manager told me to keep my mouth shut and be obedient. He pushed open the VIP room door. It was full of drunks. I walked in and found the rich kid wearing diamond studs. The manager had said this guy was a big shot who got mean when he drank, and told me to just get him back to his room. In the hallway, he leaned all his weight onto my shoulder. He was so heavy. “Sir, where is your room key? I’ll take you back.” “Key?” He stared at me with drunken, glazed eyes and poked my chest. “You’re built pretty solid. Wonder if you can handle being tossed around later.” I frowned. “Sir, which floor?” The upper floors of the club were private suites. You needed a VIP card to access them. He giggled foolishly, raised a finger, and pointed downwards. “The card is down there. Find it yourself.” I was completely used to this kind of vulgar behavior. I reached into his pocket and felt around. Keys and a phone. I was about to check the other pocket. He grabbed my hand: “Don’t stop, baby~” Suddenly, the elevator doors chimed open. Leo Vance was standing there, wearing a sleek black tracksuit. He was playing with a silver lighter in his hand. In the orange glow of the flame, his face flickered in and out of the shadows. Seeing me holding onto someone, the corners of Leo’s mouth were turned up in a smile. But his voice was colder than I had ever heard it. “Aren’t you getting in? You, and your client.”

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In the third year of our online relationship, Liam thought I was too clingy, so he threw me over to his roommate. As a result, all my messages were replied to by his roommate. My birthday presents were picked out by his roommate. I was completely oblivious, eagerly looking forward to our promised three-year meetup. When we finally met in person, my “boyfriend” was tall and gorgeous. He loved holding hands and blushed easily. I couldn’t stop looking at him; I was beyond satisfied. The only thing was, he didn’t talk much, and he guarded against the men around me like they were thieves. I laughed at him for overreacting, saying I wasn’t exactly some hot commodity. Until one day, a flashy young guy blocked our path. His eyes were dark and brooding, staring intensely at the person beside me. “Nolan, where the f*** did you get a girlfriend?” 1 I realized something was different about Liam. In the past, when Liam and I chatted, even though he didn’t say much, every sentence felt alive. But over the last year, I noticed his texts had become a bit stiff. Sometimes he even typed word by word, disjointed and formal. It felt a bit… I thought about it, it felt a bit like a robot executing a command. It was a strange, unfamiliar feeling. I tentatively asked: “Do you… not like me anymore?” The reply came back very quickly, rushed and urgent. “No!” “I like you!” Before I could reply, he explained, the typing indicator flashing for a long time. “I was very busy today. Basketball game. It’s not that I didn’t want to reply.” I shook my head, smiling as I replied: “Okay, baby. I misunderstood you. My bad.” But you couldn’t really blame me for overthinking. Online relationships just lack that sense of security. I hummed a little tune, suddenly remembering something. So, I sent a few happy puppy emojis, followed by: “Do you still remember our promise? We get to meet in a few days!” The other side started typing again. Typing, typing… I waited patiently at first, but finally, my patience ran out: “What do you mean? If you want to break up, just say it. If you don’t want to meet, just block me.” Liam seemed to panic, instantly popping up with a message: “Yes, let’s meet!” I smiled triumphantly. That’s more like it. Immediately after, he transferred me a thousand dollars. I was confused: “?” “Buy.” He replied quickly, then added two more words: “Buy a plane ticket.” Speaking of which, apart from talking less, the other big change in Liam over the past year was that he loved sending me money. He used to send me money before, but it was usually on special holidays or my birthday. But over the last year, his transfers were almost relentless, day or night. Sometimes, I’d just send him a random photo I took. If there was even a single flower in it. He would spot it with his sharp eyes and transfer a few hundred bucks: “Buy flowers. Pretty.” It gave me the impression that he was so clumsy he couldn’t think of any other way to please me besides money. I didn’t accept his money. I just sent him a photo. I said happily: “I just got approved to do an exchange year at Columbia! Liam, I can come find you at your school. Are you happy?” I love looking at the ocean, so back then we agreed that our first meeting would be in a coastal city. The university I attended and Liam’s university, Columbia, were two of the top universities in the country, one on the West Coast, one on the East Coast. The two schools had a long history of academic exchange, and students with excellent GPAs could apply for an exchange program lasting from six months to a year. It took Liam a long time to reply. So long that I was almost falling asleep holding my phone. When I finally received his message, it was just one simple word. “Happy.” 2 As soon as I arrived in New York, my mom’s phone call chased me down. “I’ve set up a meeting for you. Just treat it as making a new friend. Also, remember to go visit the old lady. Don’t be rude.” I hadn’t dared to tell my mom that I was dating a guy online. Therefore, she constantly reminded me that once I got to New York, I absolutely had to go visit the family we had a verbal engagement arrangement with. I figured this was a good opportunity to clear things up face-to-face, so I didn’t refuse. Besides, I heard the other family’s last name was also Hayes. Because of Liam (whose last name was Hayes), I had a certain fondness for that name. However, I waited at the agreed-upon coffee shop from afternoon until evening, and the other party never showed up. But, I suppose this was somewhat expected. My mom told me that the Hayes family lived in our hometown when I was five, and only moved to New York later. I heard that in recent years, through some distant relatives, they had latched onto the incredibly powerful Wright family in New York, and their status was no longer what it used to be. Naturally, they would look down on people from a small town like ours. They were probably afraid we would cling to them. My mom is a hot-tempered chatterbox, and I’m a mild-tempered chatterbox. The two of us spent half an hour on the phone complaining about the guy named Hayes. My dad finally chimed in slowly from the other end: “Honey, don’t use bad words in front of the baby. You’ll teach her bad habits.” I laughed. Suddenly remembering something, I picked up my phone and took a picture of the sky. Opening the chat with Liam, I tossed the photo over and quickly typed a few words. “I’m here! Countdown to meeting: 1 day!” 3 Meanwhile, downstairs at the computer science dorm at Columbia University. A group of guys was walking back from the basketball court. Someone gasped in surprise. “Hey, isn’t that the Wright family’s car? Nolan Wright? What is he doing at school?” Liam, wearing simple grey sweatpants and a white T-shirt, holding a basketball, looked over at the sound. A low-profile, luxury black sedan was parked not far away, the car door wide open. From his angle, he could only see a distinct, pale hand gripping the car door so tightly that the veins bulged. Liam knew that was a kind of extreme fear and disgust at stepping into a crowd. Nolan… Liam frowned. He couldn’t think of any necessity for Nolan to come to school again, considering he had failed the last time. His friend, Ben, was also confused: “Isn’t he terrified of seeing people? Last year, he came to our dorm saying he wanted to overcome it. He ended up being our roommate for exactly two days before the rich boy couldn’t take it anymore.” “It’s late at night, and they drove him all the way here. Are they expecting you to play nanny for him again, Liam…?” Ben said carelessly, suddenly catching Liam’s expression. He quickly backpedaled: “Ugh! So what if he’s the only son of the richest man in the city? He can’t even speak clearly. How is he going to run the Wright Corporation in the future?” “No wonder the old lady of the Wright family values you so much, Liam. When she kicks the bucket, even that grandson of hers will probably have to rely on you.” Liam didn’t say anything. He withdrew his gaze from the car and walked away indifferently. Inside the car, Nolan pressed his lips together. His handsome, aristocratic face was pale, his jade-like skin beaded with sweat. His hand still gripped the door frame tightly. It took him a long while to ask in a low voice: “Will she… find it weird… that I’m not normal?” Mr. Cole, the grey-haired butler, heard this, and a trace of heartache flashed in his eyes. But he didn’t dare to confidently reassure him like he used to: “Our young master is handsome and smart. Who would dare find you weird?” Because when Nolan was little, he had a playmate who acted very fond of him to his face. But behind his back, the boy called Nolan a little idiot. And little Nolan had heard it while hiding outside the door. From then on, he never made friends with anyone again. Thankfully, for the past few years, Young Master Liam had been around. He didn’t know what method Young Master Liam had used, but over the last year, Nolan had become much more vibrant. He often held his phone, sometimes smiling as if no one else was around, and now he was proactively asking to come to school for classes. It was precisely because of this that the Wright family had heavily skewed their resources toward the Hayes family in recent years, elevating the Hayes family’s status as well. As for this “she,” Mr. Cole couldn’t figure out who it was, so he just assumed Nolan was talking nonsense. So, he changed the subject: “How about we go home first, and we can try again another…” Nolan looked out the window, his features striking. He shook his head, saying firmly: “Must meet.” 4 The Marxist Philosophy lecture at Columbia was always packed. By the time I rushed in holding my textbook, there were only a few scattered empty seats left. My eyes quickly swept across the room and landed on a specific spot. In the last row by the window, on the very edge, a person sat completely alone. The seats surrounding him were clearly all empty, but it was as if a quarantine line had been drawn around him. No one dared to step half a pace closer. The guy in the seat had a very straight back, his posture so proper it was almost rigid. He wore a simple white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing a stretch of pale wrist. It was very noisy all around, but he kept his head down, his eyes lowered. His long eyelashes cast a small shadow under his eyes. He was so quiet it was like someone had pressed the pause button on him. I took a deep breath, almost instantly certain. I walked toward him. A shy guy stopped me: “Classmate, you… you can sit here with me. That seat… he doesn’t let anyone sit next to him.” Probably hearing our conversation, Liam jerked his head up. The moment our eyes met, his entire body stiffened. His light brown pupils flickered with subtle anxiety. I gently shook my head and whispered, “Thank you, but I’m looking for him.” I sat down right next to him without a care in the world. The noisy classroom fell silent for a second. I didn’t care. I tilted my head to look at him, softening my voice: “Liam?” He couldn’t speak for a long time. Finally, he just gave a soft “Mhm.” His voice was very low, a bit raspy. I happily hooked my pinky finger around his and whispered, “I knew it was you. I recognized you instantly. Aren’t I super amazing?” Liam didn’t speak, but the tips of his ears turned a visible, rapid red, spreading from his earlobes all the way down his cheeks. I was stunned. Afraid he might actually explode from blushing, I quickly let go of his hand. But the next second, he looked at me in shock, his wet eyes looking like an abandoned puppy. So, I stuffed my hand back into his and asked casually, “By the way, what’s your real name?” He suddenly went completely stiff, unable to speak. I smiled: “Isn’t Liam a fake name? You said you’d tell me your real name when we met.” When chatting with Liam, neither of us used our real names. At first, it was because I was being quirky and insisted on using screen names. Later, it just became a habit. Hearing my words, he pressed his lips together, his expression suddenly very serious. “Nolan. My name is Nolan.” I shook his finger, smiling brightly: “Hello, Nolan. It’s very nice to meet you.” 5 Liam, no, I should say Nolan’s situation, was worse than I imagined. When I was matched with Liam, the system showed our compatibility was as high as 98%. His tags were “withdrawn,” “cold,” and “fearful.” When we first started chatting, I knew Nolan was sick. It was a kind of illness without an official name. Because he had suffered stress-induced trauma as a child, he was terrified of face-to-face communication and afraid of crowds. He couldn’t live normally in reality, couldn’t speak normally, couldn’t make friends normally. That’s why he hid himself on the internet. Actually, at first, I only felt a bit of sympathy for him. Like seeing a cat curled up in a corner on a rainy day, my instinct was to hold an umbrella over it. But no one expected that as I held that umbrella, we would become each other’s shelter. We clicked in unexpected ways. It was a soul-level connection. We read the same books, watched the same movies, listened to the same quiet music. He could always accurately catch every unspoken emotion of mine. My roommate, Maya, once leaned on my desk, staring at me in the mirror, completely baffled. “Do you really need to online date? With your looks, if you just stood there, you’d look like someone with eighty boyfriends.” I thought about it, but the words that came out of my mouth sounded like a total hopeless romantic: “He’s different.” Everyone in my family is good-looking, so from a young age, I’ve had an almost immune-level dullness towards physical appearance. Because of this, in my eyes, cookie-cutter good looks were far less precious than an interesting, profound soul. Nolan was smart. Exceptionally smart. During my senior year of high school, the academic pressure was too much. He practically became my half-teacher. No matter how tricky the problem, he could always strip it down to its core through the screen, using the most concise language to explain it clearly and thoroughly. I still remember back then, to help me overcome my weak subjects, he typed out tens of thousands of words of problem analysis, character by character. I looked down. Nolan was holding my hand, holding it very tightly. I smiled and signaled him to relax a bit: “Be good, I’m not going to run away.” He pressed his lips together, switched to his other hand, and held on even tighter. I hovered around Nolan, chattering away. I don’t speak like other people; I like to add a lot of vivid descriptions. Like someone stepping on my shoe when I got off the train. Someone else might just say it in one sentence, but I could talk about it for ten minutes. Having talked too much, I unconsciously swallowed to soothe my dry throat. The next second, a pale, long-fingered hand holding an open cup of water appeared in front of me. The cup was sparkling clean. My eyes lit up. I took it and drank a few big gulps. The water was neither hot nor cold, the temperature was perfect, and it even had a faint, sweet scent of licorice. “Baby, you are too thoughtful!” I looked at him teasingly: “Thanks, boyfriend?” The tips of Nolan’s ears turned red again. He said haltingly: “You… you’re welcome.” I smiled and smoothed Nolan’s black hair. It was soft like silk, feeling amazing. It didn’t matter. You just didn’t like to talk. I have a lot to say. I’ll do the talking. 6 “I heard that Nolan kid is back at school again.” “Get close to him. Keep a close eye on him. If that kid goes home and speaks even one extra word, the Wright family will credit it to you.” “Did you hear me? Liam…” Liam let out a scoff and hung up the phone. Ben walked in. Seeing Liam’s bad expression, he racked his brain for something fun. His eyes lit up: “Did you hear? The computer science department got an exchange student. Holy shit, she is stunning.” “She walked past the basketball court this afternoon. Someone took a picture and posted it on the confession wall. A lot of people are shipping you two.” “Let me check, the comments are all spamming…” “‘Help! These two clearly don’t know each other, but I’ve already imagined a 100k-word college romance novel!’” “‘Nothing else to say, just based on those two faces, I’m shipping it out of respect!’” Liam didn’t even look up, his eyes focused on the game on his computer. Ben scratched his head: “I forgot, you have that online girlfriend coming. When are you two meeting up?” Liam still didn’t look up: “Used for entertainment when I’m bored. What kind of girlfriend is she?” “Besides, with her looks…” He thought back, forgetting why he even started it in the first place. It was just that during an accidental video call, he caught a glimpse of the other person’s face. A round, chubby face, two small eyes. She definitely couldn’t be called pretty. At the time, he could have just ghosted her. But he saw Nolan. His online girlfriend and Nolan. One who wished he could send messages 24/7 to get a reply, and one who wished he didn’t have to open his mouth 24/7. He threw the annoying person to the other annoying person. A chatterbox and a mute. A faint, cold smirk curled the corners of Liam’s lips. What a perfect match. He had warned Nolan. Chatting with her was fine, but meeting her was out of the question, to save him the trouble of having to clean up the mess later. After all, she was just a fake standing in for him. Nolan wouldn’t have the guts to meet her in person. The next day, Liam and his crew were at the basketball court. A girl walked toward them. The afternoon sun fell on her, making her skin look almost glowing white. Her features were clear and stunning, her figure tall and straight. There was no one this pretty at Columbia. This must be the transfer student Ben mentioned. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he smiled silently. Ben really did understand his taste. Accustomed to being the center of attention, he was always the one being approached. For the first time in his life, he took the initiative to walk up to someone: “Hey, I’m Liam. Want to be friends?” 7 I froze for a second and looked up at him. The person in front of me was incredibly striking. Sharp brow bone, eyes tilting up at the corners, a careless arrogance in his gaze. If Nolan’s good looks were like porcelain jade—fragile and cold. Then the person in front of me was more like an unsheathed sword—flashy and arrogant. His name was Liam too? What a coincidence… Nolan probably didn’t expect that the random name he chose would end up belonging to someone else at his college. I snapped back to reality and smoothly handled the approach: “Hi, I’m Chloe. Nice to meet you, friend.” Remembering Nolan was still waiting for me, I nodded after finishing my sentence and headed toward the campus exit. Behind me, Ben and the crowd hooted and hollered: “Ooh, she’s shy! She ran away!” “Liam, I gotta say, you’ve got some charm. There’s no girl you can’t get!” Liam had his hands in his pockets, smiling as if he were used to it. Nolan still couldn’t adapt to school. He only stayed for one day before returning to the Wright family estate. I had a few classes today, and his car was waiting at the school gate early. “You didn’t have to come so early.” I got in the car, my hands couldn’t help but squish his cheeks: “Waiting outside so long must be boring.” He sat there obediently, unmoving, letting me touch him all over: “Not boring. Not seeing you is boring.” I pouted, not expecting this little dummy to be so good at sweet talk. The car drove into a residential complex not far from Columbia. Nolan pulled me into an apartment. I turned around and looked at him in confusion. “For you.” He produced a property deed from out of nowhere: “For school.” I hurriedly waved my hands: “No, no, no, I can’t take this.” This apartment had to be worth at least a few million. How could I accept it? I spoke quickly: “I’ll just live in the school dorms, it’s more convenient.” I had seen the dorms at Columbia. Standard four-person rooms, loft beds with desks underneath, not too small. “Plus, I’m only staying for half a year or a year. I’m not going to stay here permanently…” Before I could finish, Nolan’s eyes darkened. I gasped: “Anyway, who gives an apartment the first time they meet? No way. Even a boyfriend can’t do that.” “Dorms are bad.” He paused, as if searching for a reason to convince me, and continued: “The bathrooms aren’t as big as the ones at home.” …I couldn’t argue with that. Nolan didn’t push any harder. He just stood there, looking down at me with his eyes lowered. His long eyelashes hid most of his expression. He looked quiet and wronged, like an abandoned large breed dog. I was powerless against him. I pressed my index finger to my nose and pointed at him, huffing: “Then we have a deal. I’ll stay here temporarily, but you’re not allowed to shove the deed at me.” Nolan pressed his lips together, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly.

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When the new CEO arrived to take office, a group of young female employees waited in the hallway to greet him. He stopped right in front of me and murmured in a low voice: “I want to come in.” My face instantly burned. Once, on a narrow, cramped mattress, his breath had been scalding hot as he held me, whispering his hoarse pleas over and over again. And that was his favorite thing to ask. 1 Everyone’s eyes darted toward me. I froze. The tall, broad-shouldered man standing before me looked past me with a flat gaze, gesturing to the space behind my back. “Excuse me, could you step aside?” It was only then I realized I was blocking half the doorway. My face flushed, and I quickly took two steps back. Asher Vance gave me a polite nod and walked into the executive office, his expression completely unreadable. I went to the breakroom to make a cup of coffee. Did he recognize me? Or did he not? That phrase… Was it intentional? Or just a coincidence? I turned my head and looked at my reflection in the glass cabinet doors. It reflected a vague, unremarkable 33-year-old woman. A short, practical bob. Dull makeup. Thick, black-rimmed glasses. Because I had been called away while digging through dusty archive boxes, I was still wearing a ratty, oversized gray cardigan that was pilling at the sleeves. Compared to the wild, radiant girl from that crazy road trip a few years ago… I looked like a completely different person. … It was a coincidence. I finalized my conclusion. 2 When I returned to the office, two of my young subordinates were chattering excitedly about the new boss. “He is way too gorgeous! If you didn’t know better, you’d think he was an A-list actor! If we knew the new boss was this hot, we wouldn’t have fought the corporate buyout at all!” “I heard he’s only 28. He built a successful startup and then took over his family’s empire. He is literally a billionaire romance novel brought to life! Oh my god, I have to post about this!” “Stop drooling, it’s embarrassing…” “Even Claire, our strict, uptight Finance Director, was so starstruck she literally blocked the door! Why can’t I drool? Hey, why did you kick me—” I walked toward my desk, my face expressionless. “No gossiping on company time.” The two girls instantly went dead silent, practically burying their heads in their desks. The sharp click-clack of high heels approached from down the hall. Chloe Harper walked in. As always, her makeup was flawless, her designer skirt suit perfectly tailored. She slammed a stack of receipts down on one of the junior accountants’ desks. “Why were the Marketing Department’s expense reports rejected?” The recent grad shrank back, stammering out an explanation: “Ch-Chloe, these don’t comply with the new expense policy. Anything exceeding the budget by 50% needs the General Manager’s signature—” Chloe interrupted her impatiently. “We in Marketing are out there on the front lines busting our asses for this company, and you guys just sit comfortably in the office all day trying to figure out how to drag us down, is that it?” I looked up and spoke in a cold, even tone: “Chloe, the new financial reimbursement policy was issued weeks ago, and we held a dedicated training session for it. If you don’t understand it, go back and review the handbook. If you have a problem with it, take it to upper management. Do you think raising your voice in my department makes you right?” Chloe turned to look at me, blinked, and put on an exaggerated look of sudden realization. “Claire, you’re not… using your position to settle a personal vendetta, are you?” I pushed up my glasses, meeting her gaze dead-on. “What personal vendetta could we possibly have?” She let out a light, airy laugh. “I guess I’ll just have to let Mark come down and tell you himself. After all, you two used to be married.” 3 Mark Preston showed up very quickly. Chloe softly called out, “Mark,” before biting her lower lip and staring down at her shoes, playing the part of the poor, bullied victim perfectly. “There’s no need to make things so difficult for a young girl.” Mark frowned slightly, looking at me. His tone was as casual as if he were discussing the weather. Yeah, I was very familiar with this scene. Before Mark and I divorced. He had said similar things to me many times. We were married for three years. After he was promoted to Marketing Director, his relationship with his assistant, Chloe, became highly ambiguous. I asked him to transfer her. He thought I was being archaic and ridiculous. “You sit in an office all day doing nothing. In Marketing, we have to socialize and look out for each other. It’s totally normal. You don’t have to be so threatened by a young girl!” Once, he got drunk at a networking event. I drove to pick him up, and Chloe eagerly hopped into the backseat to “take care” of him. While I was driving, she let out a sudden, short gasp. When I got out to check, her short skirt was flipped halfway up her thighs, exposing a blinding amount of skin. I am a person with a very low tolerance for drama. I was too lazy to catch them in the act, and too tired to argue. I just filed for divorce. Mark had been full of sarcasm. “Claire, if you’re trying to use this little threat to keep me on a leash, you picked the wrong strategy. I don’t respond to ultimatums.” “You’re a divorced woman in her thirties, boring and completely rigid. You think you can find a man with even half my qualifications? If you do, I’ll get on my knees right in front of the office building!” We finalized the divorce papers quickly. Unfortunately, we still worked at the same company. We saw each other every single day. He and Chloe were practically attached at the hip. He often intentionally coddled her right in front of me, always stepping up to defend her. His excuse was always: “She’s in my department, of course I have to protect her.” I knew my colleagues whispered about me behind my back, marveling at how much I could tolerate. Why didn’t I just quit? If it had been the me from a few years ago, I definitely would have felt too humiliated and disgusted to stay. I would have packed my bags and left. But I was 33 now. Age had given me a certain grounded strength. I had worked my ass off to become the Director of Finance. Why should I be the one to quit? Besides, they were the ones who should be embarrassed. Not me. Right now. Mark tilted his head slightly, looking at me with that familiar, mocking smile. “Constantly dragging a young girl into our personal issues is pretty pathetic, don’t you think?” I kept my face entirely blank. “Following company policy is making things difficult for her? Did I write the company’s financial policy specifically to target her? Mark, is your brain starting to rot?” He stared at me for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed. “Fine. We’ll let the new CEO make the call at the executive meeting tomorrow. But Claire…” He lowered his voice, his tone laced with a smug, victorious delight. “Using these cheap tricks to try and get my attention and win me back… honestly, it’s a little pathetic.” 4 The next day, at the executive meeting. When Asher Vance walked into the conference room, everyone unconsciously sat up a little straighter. I studied him from behind the thick lenses of my glasses. He had a tall, commanding posture and sharp, striking features. As he took his seat, the unbuttoned edge of his suit jacket brushed the table, revealing the crisp folds of a white dress shirt tucked into his waist. The wild, broken boy I once knew had grown into a formidable, inscrutable man. He listened to Mark’s presentation for the Marketing Department. His hands rested casually on the table. He nodded occasionally, his expression completely neutral. Without any warning. He suddenly turned his head and looked right at me. I didn’t have time to look away. My heart instantly skipped a beat. But it seemed like just a casual glance, and he quickly looked away. “About this expense report from the Marketing Department.” His voice wasn’t loud, but the conference room immediately fell dead silent. “Make an exception. I’m approving it.” Chloe immediately shot me a triumphant, mocking look. After the meeting, Mark stopped me, a lukewarm smile playing on his lips. “Rules are dead, people are alive. You’ve lived to this age and you’re still so rigid and inflexible. Haven’t you suffered enough for it?” I clutched my files and looked at him. “Mark, you getting rejected by me is the standard process. The CEO making a special exception is also the standard process. You’re a department director; is that concept really so hard for you to grasp?” He scoffed. “Claire, between us…” “Director Davis.” A voice cut in from behind. Asher Vance stood in the middle of the hallway, hands in his pockets, his face devoid of any extra emotion. “Come to my office.” My chest tightened. In the CEO’s office. Asher and I were separated by a massive, imposing mahogany desk. “The Finance Department bears the brunt of the pressure when implementing new policies. Friction during the transition period is inevitable. You need to manage the boundaries well.” His tone was flat and strictly professional. It was purely a superior addressing a subordinate. He gave me a few more directives. His pace was steady, his logic flawless. He gave off an aura of mature, unapproachable distance that was completely different from the young man in my memory who always spoke to me with a hint of reckless desperation. The knot in my chest loosened. “Understood, Mr. Vance.” His secretary came in to deliver tea. He looked down, opened a drawer, took out a blue velvet box, and slid it across the desk toward me. I didn’t move. The secretary smiled and said, “Director Davis, this is the welcome gift the CEO is giving to all the department heads. It’s a luxury fountain pen. Everyone else has received theirs; you’re the last one.” Asher took a sip of his tea, his long, pale fingers tapping lightly against the top of the box. “Want it?” He murmured those two words softly. Maybe it was because he had just taken a sip of hot tea, but the words sounded almost breathless, slipping through his lips wrapped in a damp heat. A familiar shiver swept down my spine. My mouth suddenly felt very dry. 5 Want it? Stella, want it? Five years ago, on a scorching desert highway in the Mojave. My memories with Asher Vance spanned a brief, intense six months. It was a complete physical entanglement. Growing up, I was the perfect, rule-following good girl. My dad was a middle school teacher, my mom an elementary school teacher. In everyone’s eyes, I was obedient, quiet, and low-maintenance. The classic “perfect daughter.” But only I knew the truth. I was cowardly, timid, and completely lacked a backbone. I just echoed whatever other people said. I was terrified of conflict, terrified of disappointing anyone, terrified of taking a single wrong step. It was suffocating. I hated myself more and more. So, at 28, I made the most rebellious decision of my life. I quit the job that was slowly killing me. I permed my boring, straight hair into wild, voluminous waves. I ditched my thick glasses for contacts, and bought a suitcase full of floral sundresses and crop tops… I rented an RV and hit Route 66 by myself. And on that endless stretch of desert highway, I picked up Asher Vance. He was 23 at the time. He had crashed his motorcycle and was sitting alone by the side of an empty, desolate road. He looked defeated and reckless, a dark, heavy gloom clouding his eyes. Like a trapped, wounded animal. I pulled over, pulled my sunglasses down with my index finger, and yelled out with a bright smile: “Hey! Need a ride? I can give you a lift!” He gave me a silent, hard stare of rejection. He stood up, limping, and started pushing his wrecked bike down the road. I hit the gas and drove off. But not long after, I turned around and drove back. He still ignored me. I drove at a crawl right behind him, teasing and warning him: “Kid, I’m really not a bad person. Just trying to do my good deed for the day.” “It’s gonna storm soon. You wanna get soaked out here?” “I heard this stretch of the highway is haunted…” He suddenly stopped. He turned to look at me, his face deadpan. “You talk way too much.” “So are you getting in or not?” I smiled, my eyes crinkling. He got in. I knew he was going through the absolute darkest moment of his life, but I didn’t ask a single question. Who goes out into the desert alone if they aren’t running from something? I drove with the windows down, screaming into the wind with my arms wide open. I pulled him to lay side-by-side with me under a blanket of stars, talking absolute nonsense. We spent an entire day helping a local rancher look for a lost sheep. I made him undercooked campfire stew in the cramped kitchen of the RV. Under an open sky where nothing had to be defined, I naturally morphed into the exact opposite of the “Claire” persona. I was free, passionate, and fearless. I was a fun, slightly feral woman who went by the name “Stella”. My smile was always bright; my voice was always loud. I was saving him. And I was saving myself. Slowly, the light returned to Asher’s eyes. His smiles became clearer. When he looked at me, his initial cold distance morphed into a burning, intense focus. I discovered that beneath his gloomy exterior was a defiant, brave, and resilient young man. Asher was the person I wished I could be. On a night illuminated by endless stars, in the dead silence of the desert, we squeezed onto the RV’s tiny, narrow bed. It happened so naturally. Like sleeping when you’re tired, or drinking when you’re thirsty. The most primal desires melted into the raw wilderness. There was no age, no status, no past. Only scorching skin and heavy breathing. All the rules were crushed. Desire was infinitely magnified. Joy was infinitely magnified. We were addicted, completely unable to pull ourselves out. Like two kids who had tasted sugar for the very first time, we desperately consumed it, constantly begging for more. He loved using his index and middle fingers to trace a slow path up my body, stopping at specific spots, his voice impossibly hoarse. “Stella, I want to come in.” “Can I?” “Can you take one more?” “Let’s try…” On that road trip, we drove and stopped, wandering together for six months. One evening, the sun was setting, and the world was bathed in a soft, golden glow. I sat by the window with him, sharing a slightly burnt grilled cheese. “Stella, wait for me for one year. Once I handle my family’s mess, I’ll move to your city to find you. Okay?” His expression was incredibly serious. “Absolutely not,” I laughed it off. “Why not?” “I’m five years older than you. I can’t afford to wait. Plus, huge age-gap romances never end well. By the time I have gray hair, you’ll still be in your prime. I’ll turn into a paranoid, jealous housewife. I’ll pass!” I spouted absolute nonsense, just like I always did. He froze. He looked stunned. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Fine, tell me what you even like about me first.” He thought about it, then answered solemnly: “I like that you’re so wild and free. You’re fearless. You live exactly like yourself.” I looked down and took a bite of the sandwich. A few days later. In a small border town, I left a note on the counter. And I ran away. The person in his eyes. It wasn’t me. We were just two gusts of wind colliding on a journey, tangling together for a brief moment in a specific environment, at a specific temperature. Eventually, we had to blow in opposite directions. I went back to my home city. I put my glasses back on, cut off my wild curls, and zipped myself back into safe, sensible suits. I went back to being the Claire everyone expected me to be. 6 I thought about it for a long time. Trying to judge whether or not he had recognized me. Five years of zero contact. A brief six months together. On the very first day of that trip, when I decided to completely cut ties with my old self, I had used a fake name. When renting the RV, the rental guy said he had an employee discount. He told me to just pay him directly and rent it under his name. I agreed just to save time. Two years ago, I slipped on the stairs and broke my nose. I had some minor reconstructive surgery. Even my old college friends barely recognized me afterward. In short. Whether it was my appearance, my vibe, my identity, or my name… I was completely, fundamentally different from the “Stella” he knew five years ago. There was no way he recognized me. As for those vague, double-meaning phrases? If I thought about it logically in the context of a corporate office, it was totally normal dialogue. I was just projecting. … My judgment was correct. For the next stretch of time, everything was perfectly normal. I reported financials to Asher regularly. He would occasionally call me into his office to discuss operations or question a budget detail. My interactions with him… Were completely restricted to the appropriate boundaries of a CEO and a Finance Director. Professional, polite, and distant. I slowly got used to it. During meetings, I could confidently argue with him over data without any emotional baggage. When someone made a joke, I could laugh along comfortably. I told myself that that hot, fleeting road trip was just a brief exception where we both escaped our normal lives. Like a tornado. When it hits, sand flies and rocks tumble, filled with intense passion. But when it passes, it dissipates instantly, fading until it’s like it never existed at all. One day. I walked into the office and saw a young girl standing there. Long, straight black hair, a white sundress. Pure and pretty. She introduced herself politely: “Hello, Director Davis. My name is Lily Shaw. I’ll be interning at the company for a while, so I wanted to come say hi.” I nodded politely. She gave a shy smile and left. Two of my subordinates immediately rushed over to gossip. “Claire, whatever you do, do not offend her! We just asked her who referred her for the internship. She said it was the CEO’s brother! Turns out, she’s an orphan the CEO’s family adopted. She grew up with him.” “I finally get why the CEO is in the Seattle branch instead of the New York headquarters! He’s here to pave the way and protect his little sister!” “Oh my god, I am such a sucker for the adopted-sibling romance trope! And they look so good together!” “Right?! I ship them so hard…” The two girls kept whispering, their voices dropping lower. I looked down at my brand-new blazer. Somehow, a smear of red ink had gotten on the elbow. I thought about it for a second. I dug out that pair of baggy, oversized gray cardigans and slipped it on. That afternoon, Asher called me to his office. I saw Lily again. She was sitting on the sofa drinking juice, chatting softly with Asher. The sunlight from the window hit her, highlighting her youthful, vibrant beauty. Asher waved me over. After briefly introducing Lily’s background, he said, “She currently has two options. One is the Marketing Department, the other is Finance. Given that Marketing involves a lot of networking and drinking, I want her in your department.” I listened carefully. Trying to figure out if he wanted me to genuinely mentor her, or just let her coast through the internship. “What do you think?” He paused, then suddenly looked up, his eyes locking onto mine: “Can you take one more in?” I froze. That familiar, electric shiver washed over me again. His expression was totally normal, as if he were just having a standard operational discussion. I suppressed the violent pounding of my heart and answered quietly. “…I can.” “Good. Let’s try it out.” His gaze drifted away, calm and unreadable. 7 Lily started working in the Finance Department. She was pretty, generous, and, combined with her status as the CEO’s sister, she quickly became a favorite around the office. She greeted everyone wherever she went. When my subordinates asked if the CEO came to the Seattle branch just for her, she gave a bashful, girlish smile. “I don’t know. My brother is the type of person who never says anything, even when he does a lot. I had mentioned to him before that I wanted to intern here in Seattle, but I didn’t expect him to move here first.” The two juniors swooned, letting out excited squeals. It startled me. One day, I went to Asher’s office to report on operations. As soon as I walked in, I stopped dead in my tracks. He had dyed his hair platinum blonde. Throughout the meeting, he spoke with his usual calm demeanor. But I couldn’t stop my eyes from darting to his hair, wondering if I was hallucinating. When I returned to my office, the three girls were huddled together, buzzing with excitement. Lily looked particularly thrilled, her cheeks flushed. “The other day, I was having dinner with my brother, and I told him I’ve been playing this new video game, and I really, really liked the male lead who has white hair…” The two juniors dramatically gasped and looked at the ceiling. “The plot is advancing exactly as predicted!” “Honestly, the CEO dyed his hair like that, and he actually pulls it off perfectly!” I didn’t know what they were so excited about. Basically, as long as they didn’t screw up the actual work, I didn’t really restrict what they did. Work days are always long and boring. Seeing them laugh and chat so freely… to me, it felt like something from a distant lifetime. Because of a new company initiative, I had to interact with the Marketing Department a lot more. Mark and Chloe had been shameless before, but now they were blatant. They deliberately touched each other, whispered intimately, their eyes full of heavy flirtation. I reacted with complete apathy. Oddly, Mark seemed to get angry about it. I didn’t understand what his problem was. I didn’t care when we were married, why would I care now? Mark and I had originally met on a blind date. Later, we realized we actually worked for different branches of the same corporate umbrella. He proactively confessed that he had been in four serious relationships before me. He said we were all adults, and everyone had a past. He asked me how many times I had been in love. I said once. He was shocked. “You’re 30, and you look this good, and you’ve only dated once?” Actually, for the first two years of our marriage, he was very good to me. It made me think that agreeing to my parents’ pressure to go on that blind date wasn’t the worst thing in the world. He used to boldly promise that he would work hard to become the Marketing Director so he could be my shield. He said that when the time came, no one in the company would dare target me. Who would have thought that today, he became someone else’s shield. And the person he was targeting, was me. To ensure my department’s work proceeded smoothly, I started cultivating a strict, cold demeanor. I wore drab, aging clothes, lowered the pitch of my voice, and kept my tone devoid of emotion. The younger colleagues gradually started keeping their distance. I became the person they whispered about. The rigid, humorless “old finance lady.” … Bright, cheerful laughter echoed through the room. I touched my own face. Thank god Asher didn’t recognize me.

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I was trembling so hard I could barely hold my phone. [This streamer’s breathing doesn’t sound faked at all.] [What is he eating? It sounds so real.] [Wow, this is a new kind of ASMR. Those whimpers are so sweet.] [Did the streamer fall asleep? Why’d it go quiet?] When I woke up the next day, I was the biggest gossip topic in the entire school. 1 I’m a broke college student. Because I literally couldn’t afford my tuition, I had to turn to doing ASMR streams. Even though I have a nice voice. The “clean,” regular ASMR streams are way too competitive; nobody was watching. So, taking advantage of the times my dorm was empty… I started trying to transition from just ear-cleaning sounds to ear-licking sounds. At first, I was pretty embarrassed. My movements were very amateurish. But watching the viewer count tick up. My eyes lit up. Gathering my courage, I started doing mouth sounds, breathing ASMR, and kissing sounds. Only to unexpectedly get pelted by the guy in the top bunk. “You’re being loud as hell. Get out.” He only threw a pillow down, so it didn’t hurt, but it scared the crap out of me. Liam Vance is a rich kid with a terrible temper who constantly bullied me. There was this one time he grabbed me by the collar and pinned me against the door, threatening me. Just because I got our laundry mixed up and ruined one of his expensive designer shirts. I offered to buy him a new one, but he refused, complaining that my apology wasn’t sincere enough. In the end, he pressed his knee into me, grinding against me until my eyes went red. “Looking this soft, let me kiss you once and I’ll let you off.” I thought he was joking. I kept my head down and didn’t react. But Liam took that as a yes. “Mmph… stop, it hurts…” Like a feral puppy, he liked to bite. Liam looked like he hadn’t had enough. He clearly had an expression like he wanted to eat me alive, yet his words were venomous. “Tastes terrible. Stay away from me.” I was left completely flustered by his words. But I remembered I couldn’t afford to cross him, so I quietly kept my distance. 2 Watching the viewer count rise, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity. I dove under my covers and pulled them over my head. I kept my voice as low as possible so Liam wouldn’t hear me. [Is the streamer a college student? The IP address is super close to me.] I clicked on that comment. Looking at the similar location. I guessed they were probably from my university. So I gave a soft “Mhm.” It was really stuffy under the covers. My response, coupled with slightly hurried breathing, caused the viewer count to instantly double. [Is the streamer doing ASMR in a dorm room?] The space under the blanket was tiny. The audio quality for the stream was surprisingly good. I kept my voice low, carefully replying to the chat. Hearing Liam shift in the bunk above me, I swallowed nervously. [Can the streamer do more mouth sounds? They sound so good.] I replied softly, feeling a bit embarrassed. “What do you want to hear, baby? Send a small gift to request something.” This kind of script… I learned it all from those other streamers. Even though I wasn’t showing my face, I felt my cheeks burning up. My living and learning environment has always been very sheltered. I am the complete opposite of Liam’s frivolous personality. This was the first time I had ever said such an intimate term of endearment out loud. Because I was a new streamer, I barely got any gifts for requests. But this new fan was incredibly generous. They dropped a sports car gift right away. My heart raced, and I swallowed nervously. A row of emojis floated across the screen. Having only transitioned a few days ago, I was still very clumsy with my routine. Occasionally I’d bite my own tongue and let out an involuntary whimper of pain. [Sounds so good, so good.] [User xx shared the stream.] [User xx shared the stream.] I didn’t know who shared the stream link. But the viewer count multiplied instantly. In my month of doing ASMR, I had never seen this many people. I was so excited my palms were sweating. My voice got a little louder when replying to the chat. The top bunk groaned in annoyance. The whole bed frame shook. I pulled the covers even tighter around myself. When I felt like Liam had quieted down, I gathered the courage to continue. But after a few more routines, the chat started getting more and more out of hand. [Streamer, if you know how to pant, pant a few more times.] I gripped the edge of my blanket. That wasn’t on my list of routines. I didn’t even know how to intentionally make sounds that would make people misunderstand. [Can you do kissing sounds?] Kissing sounds x6 Kissing sounds were the easiest, and they weren’t loud, so they wouldn’t wake Liam. I brought the mic close, held my breath, and after making a few kissing sounds, the top donator sent a bunch more gifts. [Streamer, can you do kissing sounds plus ear licking? That would feel amazing.] My budget was extremely limited; I couldn’t afford specialized equipment. So I had always used a lollipop as a substitute. I unwrapped the candy, cleared my throat, and continued the routine. The candy I bought today was a bit too sweet. After licking it a few extra times, my throat felt coated and uncomfortable. There was no air under the blanket, and the stuffiness brought tears to my eyes. I had to breathe through my mouth to relieve the discomfort of lacking oxygen. [The streamer is so good at panting.] [What is the streamer eating? It sounds so sticky and wet.] “It’s a lollipop.” I explained briefly. When I finished the lollipop, I bit down and crunched it to make some chewing sounds. In less than half an hour, I had made enough for today’s living expenses. My family doesn’t send me any money, so I’ve been living on a very tight budget. It was finals week, so I didn’t have time to go out and work a part-time job. Plus, it had been freezing lately. I caught a bad fever and had to go to the clinic for IV drips a few times, leaving me with very little money. I’ve been eating nothing but plain bagels for a straight week. With traffic this good, I wished I could stream right through till morning. Originally, this was supposed to be a clean, mouth-sound ASMR stream, but the chat was getting more and more inappropriate. [Can the streamer call me baby a few more times?] [So sultry, sounds so good.] My face was red, but I tried my best to satisfy the requests. [Call me daddy, sports car x1] My heart skipped a beat. It was the top donator again. This request was a bit much. But… that was a sports car! It was enough to buy a warm sweater. “D… Daddy…” [Sounds so good, so good.] With that opening the floodgates, a lot of weird requests started popping up in the chat. [Can you kiss and call me daddy at the same time?] Before I could even finish all the requests. The bed curtain was violently yanked open with a loud rip. 3 [Streamer, I just managed to fall asleep and you scared the crap out of me.] People in the chat started complaining. Before I had a chance to explain, the blanket was also ripped away. I looked up in a panic and met a pair of intensely predatory eyes. It was Liam. I mouthed the words. “Wh… what are you doing?” I had no idea when he woke up. In the cramped space. He knelt with one leg on the edge of the bed. His hand, veins popping, suddenly grabbed my jaw, and without a word of explanation, he leaned down and kissed me. “Mmph… mm…” [What is the streamer eating now? Is it still a lollipop?] [What kind of prop are they using? It sounds like they’re sucking on a tongue.] My palms were sweating profusely. I tried to push Liam away with one hand. He worked out constantly; he was incredibly strong. I couldn’t budge him. I panicked and tried to press my phone screen, my hand slipping several times. Every time I tried to turn my head to look, he would force my face back and continue taking from me. [Are they actually…] [Tsk tsk, what’s with the wet sounds? Streamer, explain yourself (doge emoji)] The chat was rolling furiously. There was a mix of alcohol on his breath. Liam had actually been drinking. No wonder he was acting so weird. I couldn’t breathe properly from lack of oxygen and let out a few whimpers. I hoped this would wake Liam up and bring him to his senses. Instead, he seemed to go crazier, pressing his entire weight down on me. His eyes were hazy, but his hands were already expertly wandering. [Did I just hear a belt unbuckling?] [Roleplay?… interesting, hitting the follow button.] Watching the chat, I wanted to explain but was powerless. Liam only gave me a moment to catch my breath before burying his face in my neck, speaking through gritted teeth. “Who are you calling daddy? Doing bad things secretly under the covers, huh?” I shook my head, whimpering “Mmph, mmph.” But it only earned me worse liberties being taken. Liam was out of his mind. He had no idea I was streaming. [Is there someone else there? Is this a voice acting stream?] [Is the streamer doing two voices at once?] I pushed Liam’s head down and hurriedly checked the chat. Thank god, the chat just thought it was roleplay. Just as I opened my mouth to say I was ending the stream. I didn’t realize that Liam, who I had pushed down, seemed to have misunderstood something. His actions became even stranger. So, the moment I opened my mouth, the hums and whines changed pitch. It stimulated Liam so much his eyes turned red. “To make me serve someone, you’re the first.” “Nolan, did you ever think about the consequences of seducing me?” [What a cheesy line hahaha] [But how does the streamer switch between top and bottom so flawlessly?] [Nolan… that name sounds familiar.] My mind was a chaotic mess. I stared blankly down at Liam. Growing up, this was the first time I’d ever experienced anything like this. My sanity completely snapped. “Don’t look at me like that.” Liam’s voice tightened. “Looking so sltty, makes me want to… fck you to death.” What seduction? What was Liam even talking about? I just assumed he had the wrong person. After all, rumors said Liam had a lot of partners. He was a certified playboy. Besides going to class, I was always busy with part-time jobs trying to make money. I could count the number of times I’d spoken to him on one hand. But if he had the wrong person, why was he calling my name? Realizing things were spiraling out of control. I didn’t even want to do an outro; I just went to end the stream. But the moment I raised my phone. He grabbed my wrist again, forcefully pinning my arms to my sides, our fingers interlaced. “Mmph, mmph, mm (Psycho!)” [This streamer’s breathing doesn’t sound faked at all.] [What is he eating? It sounds so real. This time it definitely can’t be a lollipop, right?] [Why does the person above keep asking? If you’re hungry, go watch a mukbang.] [Wow, this is a new kind of ASMR. Those whimpers are so sweet.] [Isn’t the streamer afraid his roommates will murder him doing this?] My fingers trembled so much I couldn’t hold onto my phone. I could only silently beg him, mouthing the words. “Liam, let me… let me end the stream…” I don’t know if he heard me or not. His movements only grew more vicious, entirely focused on his own release. I couldn’t handle it. My vision went black, and I cried until I passed out. 4 When I woke up the next day. My first instinct was to reach for my phone. But the sensation next to me scared me half to death. Liam was actually still holding me. I didn’t know if our other roommates had come back yet. If they saw us like this, they would definitely get the wrong idea. Right, the stream! I grabbed my phone, my heart pounding. But my phone had long since died and shut off. If the stream hadn’t been ended… Then didn’t all the noise from last night get broadcasted live? I wanted to die right then and there. Ignoring my aching lower back and heavy arms, I plugged it in and turned it on, burning with anxiety. I accidentally woke Liam up. He had a terrible morning temper, and it was no small thing. He grabbed me and yanked me back into his arms, even throwing a leg over me. I had no choice but to push him. “Liam… wake up.” Liam couldn’t even open his eyes, frowning in annoyance. “Nolan, I told you not to bother me when I’m sleeping. I’ll beat the crap out of you, believe it or not!” After he said that, he finally seemed to realize something was wrong. He slowly opened his eyes and met my gaze. The air was silent for a long time. He swallowed hard. I had to speak first. “Liam, last night, you had the wrong person.” He seemed to want to verify something. His hand moved under the covers. “What are… ugh… what are you doing? It hurts.” He hadn’t been gentle with me. I was completely drained of energy, and I still had to endure his “inspection.” “Holy shit… Nolan, did I…” My face went pale, and I didn’t dare meet his eyes. Liam practically scrambled out of the bottom bunk. I was afraid things would be too awkward between us. Seeing how panicked he was, I forced a smile. “It’s fine… I know you definitely mistook me for whoever you’re dating.” “Huh? Yeah, yeah…” He nodded randomly, who knows if he even processed what I said. “Then… I… I’m sorry. I didn’t make you too uncomfortable, did I?” “No.” Liar. I just wanted to quickly turn the page and forget the memories of last night. After all, we still had to live in the same dorm. We’d see each other every day. If I held onto something like this, I’d be the only one suffering. It’s just a shame that the money I made last night would probably all go towards a hospital visit. Holding my lower back, I thought to myself that with Liam’s build, it was a waste he wasn’t a sports major. Watching the phone boot up, I shivered as I got dressed, getting ready for my morning class. I remembered my phone battery was pretty low last night. I just hoped that before those embarrassing sounds started, it had already died and ended the stream. My account had gained a massive amount of followers overnight. My DMs were blowing up. I looked at the little red notification dots suspiciously. Just as I was about to click on them. My movement was interrupted by another roommate who had just finished washing up and walked in. “Well well, Nolan. When did you and Liam get so close?” “Yeah, weren’t you two at each other’s throats before? The RA even had to talk to us to help mediate between you two.” I was a bit confused. “We’re close?” “You slept in the same bed! If that’s not close, what is?” My heart thumped wildly. But looking at the two of them, their expressions seemed normal. It seemed like they were just casually teasing. After all, this kind of joking around is pretty common in college dorms. I let out a sigh of relief. It seems when they came back, Liam was already done. “Liam… he was drunk yesterday, I…” I was trying to think of an excuse to make up. But my roommate was very understanding. “Hey, I get it. With that rich boy temper of his, he’s even worse when he’s drunk. He was probably just too lazy to climb up to his top bunk and stole your bed instead.” I nodded quickly. When I turned around, Liam’s face was completely dark. He grabbed a few textbooks and walked right past me without even a glance. But this was for the best. We could just pretend it never happened, and I wouldn’t be under so much pressure. 5 In the past, I would always save a seat for Liam for our morning classes. Today I woke up late, it hurt to walk, and I was almost late. When I walked into the classroom, the seats were mostly full. I don’t know if it was just my imagination playing tricks on me. But I felt like the whole class was giving me weird looks. I sat in the very back row. Liam arrived even later than I did. Seeing no seat next to me, he irritably sat a few rows away and put his head down on the desk to sleep. I was practically invisible in this class. No one ever paid attention to me. But today, while taking notes, I could feel malicious stares lingering on me. I tried to scoot over to the side. But suddenly, I felt a strange touch on my knee. “Hey… what… what are you doing…” I jumped, looking at the unfamiliar face next to me. I only vaguely remembered his name was Jason. He was sizing me up with amusement, making me extremely uncomfortable. “Nolan, how come I never noticed you were this pretty before?” He rested his face on his hand, his gaze moving downward, his hand getting more and more inappropriate. This feeling made me involuntarily recall what Liam did last night. My whole body trembled, and my tone turned icy. “Hey, we’re in class. Stop doing weird stuff.” Jason let out a low chuckle from his throat. “Weird? Weren’t you calling someone daddy just last night?” My eyes widened. “You… you’re…” I couldn’t get the words “top donator” out of my mouth. I didn’t know how he figured out my identity. Even though I used a sound card for my stream, and my voice was intentionally altered. He couldn’t have recognized it. Even if the location was close, with so many people in the school, how could he possibly guess it was me? Could it be… that Liam called out my name? I felt my vision go dark. “Nolan, I heard you’re broke. You really need money?” His breath was right in my face, intentionally blowing on me. “Come hang out with me. However much you want, I’ll give it to you. How about it?” “Don’t… don’t say things like that.” I was so humiliated my eyes went red. My body was stiff, my fingers clenched tight. “Stop acting.” Jason’s tone was sleazy. “You were screaming so enthusiastically yesterday. Everyone knows what you want.” “Or what, are you afraid I can’t afford you?” “Everyone…?” “Uh-huh.” Jason gave a mocking laugh. A terrible premonition rose in my chest. “Nolan, I shared your stream to the class group chat.” “You…” No wonder so many people suddenly flooded in yesterday. I panicked instantly. If it was just a normal stream. Even if my classmates found out, it wouldn’t be a big deal. But last night, when Liam was tormenting me. How much did they actually hear? My whole body went cold, my face pale as a ghost. A few classmates sitting nearby heard what he said. They kept looking over and snickering. I couldn’t stand the atmosphere anymore. Before the lecture even finished, I hurriedly rushed out of the classroom. 6 After getting my meds from the hospital. By the time I got back, I was so hungry I was dizzy. Remembering today was my birthday. I dragged my weak feet to the dining hall, wanting to eat something good. During class, after hearing what Jason said. I hadn’t dared to open my DMs. The thought of receiving so much filthy abuse made my eyes sting. But wanting to withdraw the money I earned, I had to open the account. I tried my best to calm down. While waiting in line at the dining hall, I clicked on the first DM. Inside was a blurred-out photo of a certain body part. Even though it was blurry, one look was enough to know what this person meant. I was terrified and frantically exited the app. Before I could even calm down, someone shoved past me again. At first, I thought they were just cutting in line. I didn’t want conflict, so I quietly stepped aside. But then I realized something was wrong. Groups of two or three people kept walking past me, deliberately bumping into me. One guy was pretty big; he bumped me so hard I stumbled and crashed into someone else’s chest. I looked up and heard a teasing voice. “Well well, isn’t it Nolan?” “You… you know me?” The guy looked down, intentionally getting very close to me, his fingers lightly brushing the hair by my ear. “What are you doing… it tickles.” I tried to swat his hand away, but he grabbed it firmly. “Just like your voice, soft enough to squeeze water out of.” That was the same sentence Liam had said to me. But Liam’s tone was full of mockery, meant to anger me. After all, describing a guy like that isn’t exactly a compliment. But the guy in front of me had an oily, sleazy tone that made my skin crawl. First Jason. Now this guy. What is wrong with everyone? I tried to break free, but he used the crowded dining hall as an excuse to deliberately wrap his arm around my waist. “Let go of me… creep…” “Be good. With me around, no one else will dare cut in front of you.” I struggled, but because I had starved for too long, I had no strength. “Stop moving. The more you move, the more excited I get.” His heavy breathing was right by my ear. His hand was already sliding down my jacket toward my stomach. In near panic, I struggled with all my might to break free. The people in line behind us were pushing forward. The guy glared at me in annoyance. He seemed unwilling to let go, but didn’t dare to go too far in broad daylight. He could only watch helplessly as I ran away. I went to the very back of the line again. Looking at the beef noodle soup stall that still had a long wait, I swallowed hard, then quietly walked away, heading to a quiet food stall. “A side of greens, and… two chicken legs.” If I couldn’t have beef noodle soup, chicken legs seemed pretty good too. The chicken legs here were huge; usually, one was enough. But I hadn’t eaten anything good for half a month, and I was craving meat so badly. I extravagantly ordered two. In my eyes, there was only the glistening, oily food. “And… a little extra rice, please.” “You look so skinny, young man, can you really eat all that?” The lunch lady serving the food joked with me. I felt a bit embarrassed but answered seriously. “Today is my birthday. I wanted to treat myself to some chicken legs.” When she handed me my lunch box, she added a braised egg. With a beaming smile and a thick accent, she wished me a happy birthday. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thanked her, carefully holding my lunch box. Because I didn’t know how many people had watched that stream last night. I was afraid someone else would come looking for trouble. I kept my head down the whole way, found a secluded corner, and buried my head in my food. After eating half a bowl of rice, I still couldn’t bear to touch the chicken legs. Just as I picked one up to eat, a figure forcefully squeezed into the narrow seat next to me.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “395077”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The morning after my high school reunion, before I even opened my eyes, my hand brushed against a long, hairy leg. Driven by sheer curiosity, I couldn’t help but reach out and feel it a few more times… The next second—Bang! The door burst open, and a group of guys flooded into the room. Terrified, I immediately snatched my hand back, snapped my eyes open, and hugged the blanket tight against my chest. “Dr. Carter, the Chief of Surgery is looking for you…” The group of men suddenly froze, letting out a collective gasp of shock. Me: ??? What Dr. Carter? I followed their wide-eyed stares and peeked beside me. A man was lying right next to me. He had long, straight, muscular legs completely covered in a wildly masculine amount of hair. And further up… I practically blinded myself. “We… we didn’t mean to intrude!” The group of guys immediately squeezed their eyes shut, scrambling to apologize. I didn’t know these guys, and I certainly didn’t know the man lying next to me. Just as I was panicking, completely at a loss for what to do— The man beside me reached out and gave the blanket a slight tug. He cracked his eyes open just a sliver, shot me a glance, and said in a gravelly, morning voice, “Care to share a little?” It took me a full second to process his words. Then, I released the blanket like it had caught fire. The fabric barely covered his vital areas before he closed his eyes again and drawled lazily at the doorway, “Are you guys still here?” Whoa… I was already terrified of him. I was about to scramble out of bed when he let out a heavy sigh. “I wasn’t talking to you,” he muttered helplessly. At his words, the peanut gallery at the door finally snapped out of their trance. “The Chief is waiting for you at the morning briefing! Hurry down!” one of them yelled before they practically tripped over each other running out of the hotel room. The world suddenly went dead silent. I sat there, clutching the corner of the blanket, shivering like a leaf. 2 “What are you so scared of?” My shivering must have chased away the rest of his sleep. He opened his eyes, gave me a helpless look, but couldn’t keep them open and let them fall shut again. “I… I think… it kinda hurts.” Traumatized and panicking, I started babbling nonsense. The second the words left my mouth, I wanted to slap myself. This time, his eyes snapped open and stayed that way. He stared at me for a few seconds, reached up to massage his temples, and then slung a long arm around me, effortlessly pulling my waist toward him. “It’s your first time. That’s how it is. You’ll be fine in a minute.” He was probably trying to comfort me. But I was absolutely not comforted. Instead, a cold sweat broke out all over my body. Then I looked down and saw a tiny spot of blood on the white hotel sheets… My scalp went numb. He stared at the spot of blood too. He froze for a moment, then reached out, ruffled my hair, and let out a breathless laugh. “I’m sorry. I lost control a bit.” Lost control?! Another wave of cold sweat washed over me. “Who even are you?” I asked, agonizing over my life choices. My question actually made him laugh. “You don’t even know who I am, and you still broke in here and forced yourself on me?” “I… I can’t remember…” I had never dealt with anything like this before. I was covered in goosebumps. “I won’t get pregnant from this, right?” Honestly, I applaud myself. In the midst of all that chaos, I managed to push aside every other question and hit the absolute most critical one. I’m a genius. “…” He opened his eyes and gave me a long look. He looked incredibly exhausted—so weak that if I pushed him, he might just stop breathing. Just how wild was I last night to wear a grown man out like this? I was dying of shame. “No,” he summarized simply. I had zero experience, and I couldn’t remember a single detail of last night, so I didn’t dare ask for specifics. If he said I wouldn’t get pregnant, I believed him. After all, those guys had called him a doctor. Maybe he used protection? I could only hope. “Well then. Goodbye?” To avoid the inevitable awkwardness of him fully waking up, I chose the cowards’ way out: fleeing. “…” He gave me one last look and suddenly smiled. “Alright.” 3 I honestly thought I would never see him again in my life. Yet, exactly two weeks later, I was sitting outside his department, clutching a pregnancy test in my pocket, shivering like a leaf. “Hey, Mrs. Carter!” A young guy in scrubs bounded over to me. I jumped out of my skin, nearly having a heart attack. “Are you waiting for Dr. Carter?” He was grinning, acting like we were old friends. In reality, our only interaction had been that hurried, mortifying morning in the hotel room. The morning I wanted to scrub from my brain forever. Two weeks ago, I attended my high school reunion, drank way too much, and stumbled into the wrong hotel room. I only found out later that Dr. Carter and a bunch of surgeons from the hospital were attending a medical conference at that exact hotel. Coincidentally, his room was right next to mine. He had been sick with a fever, and his colleague had forgotten to make sure the door clicked shut when leaving. And I just… stumbled right in. Then his colleagues came to get him for a meeting the next morning… And the rest is history. “Uh, yeah,” I brushed him off, my entire face burning up. “Come wait in the break room with me.” Before I could protest, he dragged me inside. As we walked past Dr. Carter in the hallway, he glanced at me with an expression that said he had absolutely no idea who I was. To be fair, I barely recognized him either. I had never seen him out of bed and fully dressed in a crisp white coat before. I waited anxiously for two hours. From the nameplate on his desk, I learned his name was Liam Carter. Attending Cardiologist. I sneakily Googled his credentials on my phone and discovered he was already… 29 years old? I silently calculated the massive generational gap between us. A while later, Liam finally came into the room to change his coat. He gave me a suspicious look. “Are you waiting for Ben?” Me: ??? “Dr. Carter, I’m waiting for you.” I stood up, gripping my purse tight, my voice as small as a mosquito’s. “You are?” Me: ??? Does he seriously not recognize people once he’s out of bed? “Two weeks ago. At the hotel. We…” I braced myself and tried to explain, losing confidence with every word. Finally, I just pulled the pregnancy test out of my purse and timidly held it out to him. “I think… I’m pregnant…” “Dr. Carter, it’s time for lunch.” Right at that moment, a beautiful female doctor pushed the door open. I panicked and tried to hide the test, but it slipped from my fingers and fell right into the trash can next to the desk. I stared at the trash can, terrified he hadn’t gotten a good look at it, debating whether I should fish it out. “…” Liam didn’t say a word. He just stared at me, a highly amused look crossing his face. “Is this a patient?” The female doctor clearly had no intention of leaving, turning her scrutinizing gaze on me. I opened my mouth, but the awkwardness was suffocating. “Just taking care of something. You guys go ahead,” he said, making zero effort to introduce me. I felt like a thief caught red-handed. The female doctor looked reluctant to leave. Before stepping out, she deliberately tugged on his sleeve, a subtle display of ownership. He has a girlfriend. I felt like I had just been struck by lightning. 4 He acted as if absolutely nothing out of the ordinary had happened. He sat down at his desk, started filling out patient charts, and casually joked, “Feeling better?” Wow. My heart started racing. “I’m fine,” I replied automatically. He shot me an airy glance and smiled again. “Want me to take responsibility?” I honestly admired him. How could he calmly write charts at a time like this, treating me like I was just here for a routine checkup? “I just don’t know what to do.” I had never expected him to take responsibility; I was just completely lost facing this result and wanted a medical opinion. I tested the waters, “I can get an abortion, right?” On the outside, I was holding it together, but my palms were dripping with sweat. He kept writing his charts, acting like I was talking about something that had nothing to do with him. What a jerk. His absolute calm was driving me insane. “It’s up to you.” He suddenly looked up, his gaze locking straight onto mine, completely devoid of emotion. “If you decide you don’t want it, then you don’t want it.” “Okay.” Could I really do it? Given the circumstances… “Scared?” His tone held a hint of teasing mockery. “Yeah.” I was at a loss for words. “Now you know how to be scared…” He gave me a look I couldn’t quite decipher, flipped to a new page in his charts, and laughed. “You certainly weren’t acting like this that night.” Me: ??? Thinking back to how half-dead he looked that morning, I really, really wanted to know what exactly I did to him that night. But his words made it sound like this was 100% my fault. I was getting annoyed. “It wasn’t entirely my fault either,” I muttered, so quietly I could barely hear myself. He stopped writing. He raised an eyebrow at me, and a sudden smile broke through his stern face. “I was running a 103-degree fever that night. Do you really think I had the energy to fight you off?” Well… He had me boxed into a corner. I thought to myself: If you didn’t have the energy to fight me off, how did you have the energy to wear me out like that? A jerk is a jerk. The fact that he could talk about something this shameful so casually proved he was way too experienced at handling these situations. I couldn’t play his game. “If you’ve thought it through…” He went quiet, finished his chart, and sighed as he looked up. “Let’s do it next week.” “Next week?” “I don’t have an opening in my schedule until next week,” he explained. “Okay.” Adults have to pay the price for their actions. I didn’t argue, but my heart was a tangled mess of anxiety. 5 A week later, I found myself sitting in his office again. My resolve to go through with the surgery had cracked. It started because my mom had invited me over for dinner that week. My stepdad, my little stepbrother, my mom—it was a loud, warm, bustling family dinner. When I returned to my tiny, empty apartment, I looked around and thought of the cozy scene I had just left. I sighed, feeling a crushing, unprecedented wave of loneliness. My parents divorced when I was very young. I lived with my mom, but since middle school, I had been sent to boarding schools. My mom had met my stepdad when I was in junior high and started a new family. She was happy. I should have been happy for her. But coming back to my empty apartment, I felt exhausted down to my bones. Suddenly, I wanted to keep this baby. I was just so lonely. I knew Liam would never agree. No guy in his right mind would. Especially since he probably had a girlfriend. So even as I sat in his office, I was agonizing over whether to go through with it. “Hey, Mrs. Carter, looking for Dr. Carter again?” It was Ben, the guy from before. “Yeah.” I sat there, stiff and uncomfortable. “Please don’t call me that!” I reminded him quietly. “Don’t be shy!” Ben leaned in close, checking to make sure the coast was clear before lowering his voice. “We used to place bets on who would eventually tame the ice-cold Dr. Carter… I never expected it would be you. We seriously bow down to you.” “Huh?” I was completely lost. I whispered back, “You’re misunderstanding… He and I aren’t…” Finally, I gave up trying to explain and just threw out, “Doesn’t he have a girlfriend? Don’t start rumors.” “Who?” Ben suddenly looked deadly serious. “How do I not know about this?” “…” I was stunned. Liam didn’t have a girlfriend? Had I misunderstood? “Are you saying Dr. Carter is sneaking around behind your back with another woman?” “?” I didn’t know how to explain that I was the “other woman.” “Do you have too much free time on your hands?” A voice floated down from above us. A tall figure appeared right in front of us. Liam! I shot up from my chair, feeling the exact same embarrassment as getting caught talking in class by a teacher. “I…” I tried to say something. Ben got so scared he immediately pretended to study a medical chart and bolted out the door. “I wasn’t talking to you.” Once Ben was gone, Liam’s tone softened. He ruffled my hair, gestured for me to sit back down, and took a seat behind his desk. I felt so awkward. Why did he always touch my hair? Didn’t he know that gesture was way too intimate and totally embarrassing? “Why are you always so scared of me?” He gave me a curious look. “Do I look that terrifying?” I sat down nervously. “No, it’s just that you’re older… you seem like…” “Like what?” He suddenly looked highly entertained. “Like an elder,” I answered honestly. “An elder?” He let out a sharp laugh of disbelief. “How old are you?” “I turn 22 next month.” His laugh made me feel totally inadequate. When a usually stern guy suddenly laughs, it’s lethal. Especially when he has a face that belongs on a billboard. “That is a little young.” He dropped the smile, lost in thought for a second. “Wait here a minute.” He stood up and went into the attached locker room to change his scrubs. Those few minutes were pure torture. I kept debating how I should bring it up. Because Ben had said Liam didn’t have a girlfriend, my resolve was shaking even more. I was almost 22. I had never been in a relationship. And Liam—whether it was his looks, the way he carried himself, his career… he checked every single box I had ever imagined for a partner. Except for the fact that he was a bit of a jerk, of course. I thought to myself: Maybe I could actually date him. Finally, I gathered my courage, stood up, walked to the locker room door, and gave it a soft knock. “Dr. Carter, I have a question for you.” I clenched my fists. I didn’t have the guts to say this to his face, so talking through the door was much easier. He didn’t answer. I hesitated, but pushed forward. “Do you have a girlfriend? If you don’t, could we maybe give this a try? I want to keep the baby.” That single sentence drained every ounce of energy in my body. I stood at the door, awaiting his final judgment. Then the door swung open. But instead of his judgment, I was greeted by the booming judgment of a cell phone on speaker… “Keep it! Of course you’re going to keep it! If you dare touch a hair on her head, I will disown you! You bring my granddaughter-in-law home to me safe and sound!” Liam leaned casually against the doorframe, handing the phone right to my face while he continued buttoning his shirt. The sheer volume of the voice on the other end was enough to prove just how furious the man was. “Who is this?” I took the blazing-hot phone, my heart about to beat out of my chest. “My grandpa.” He massaged his temples and gave a helpless smile. “Ah… Granddaughter-in-law, is that you? Don’t you worry, when that brat Liam gets home, I’ll break his legs! If he dares to bully you… you have to keep the baby…” Liam’s grandpa went on a massive tangent over the phone. I was so mortified I wanted to curl up and die. All I could do was nod continuously and say, “Yes, sir.” Meanwhile, Liam listened to the whole thing with an attitude that screamed “not my problem,” casually sitting back at his desk to write more charts. Was he even human? I was dying inside. 6 By the time the call ended, my brain was buzzing. I walked over, handed the phone back, and couldn’t even look him in the eye. “You really know how to cause trouble…” He looked at me and let out a heavy sigh. “I didn’t know you were on the phone.” I looked incredibly apologetic. “Anyway, don’t listen to him.” He stood up and gave his final conclusion. “Dr. Carter, what I asked earlier… did you hear me?” I cut straight to the chase. “My grandpa heard you, what do you think?” he countered. “Oh.” I waited for his actual answer. “Take some more time to think about it.” I took that as a flat-out rejection. I stood frozen in place, my hands and feet turning to ice. “Why?” I honestly applaud myself for having the sheer audacity to ask that question in a moment like this. “…” He paused, letting out another sigh. “You’re too young, and you’re too innocent. I’m not exactly a good guy.” He shot me another look and muttered, “Way too young.” For a second, I didn’t know if he meant my age or… something else. Regardless, my face flushed crimson. I don’t even know how I managed to walk out of that office. But the only thing repeating on a loop in my head was his final sentence— “The best way to fix a mistake is to cut your losses immediately, not use another mistake to cover up the first one.” I told him I was holding off on the surgery for today, and fled the hospital like my life depended on it. 7 Two days later. Just as I had completely given up hope on the whole situation, I was suddenly contacted by Liam’s family. And by family, I mean his grandpa, grandma, maternal grandparents, mom, dad, uncles, aunts… In a single day, I received so many phone calls I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Basically, they all had one central message: The baby must be kept, and they would handle Liam. As for how they were going to handle him? I figured no one on earth could withstand that kind of coordinated artillery fire from an entire extended family. Sure enough, the very next day, Liam showed up at the door of my apartment. “What are you doing here?” I was shocked to see him when I opened the door. He was leaning against the wall outside my apartment, a cigarette between his fingers, looking deathly pale. The floor around him was littered with cigarette butts. “Fixing your little mess.” He reached out, ruffled my hair, gently nudged me out of the way, and walked straight into my apartment. “I’m sorry. I have no idea how your grandpa got my number.” It was obvious he was incredibly annoyed by this whole ordeal. “…” He stubbed out his cigarette, ignoring my apology. He slouched down onto the corner of my sofa and offered a tired smile. “I pulled an overnight shift. I’m dead on my feet. Can I borrow this spot to sleep for two hours?” “Ah, yeah, of course.” I quickly moved the throw pillows off the couch so he’d have room to lie down. No wonder he looked so utterly exhausted. Once he laid down, I realized that compared to his height, my couch was practically miniature. He looked totally cramped sleeping like that; it couldn’t be comfortable. Yet, he fell asleep the exact second his eyes closed. He said he needed to sleep for two hours and asked me to wake him up. But when the time came, his face was still buried deep in the cushions, and he looked so drained I honestly didn’t have the heart to wake him. Even though I didn’t wake him, he snapped awake exactly on the hour. He checked the mechanical watch on his wrist. “8:30. They’re open.” With that, he sat up, suddenly looking sharp and wide awake again. “What’s open?” I asked. Truthfully, those two hours had been nerve-wracking. I had no idea what he was doing here. Since he rejected me last time, I hadn’t wanted to see him again. It was too awkward. “Do you have your birth certificate and ID?” He looked me dead in the eye. “No.” My heart skipped a beat. “They’re at my mom’s.” “…” He stared at me for a long moment, then laughed and sighed. “Looks like we’re taking a trip.”

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I was the charity case, the poor student sponsored by the wealthy Sterling family. At twenty-two, I married Carter Sterling because I was pregnant. Carter was a notoriously severe germaphobe. He used separate serving spoons at dinner and refused to kiss me on the lips in bed. He even found it repulsive to drink from a glass I had used. But at a party recently, I watched him intercept a drink for his childhood sweetheart, his “one who got away,” downing the very glass she had just sipped from to save her from drinking too much. In that moment, I knew our marriage was over. 01 Carter stumbled through the front door, leaning heavily against me. He had intercepted far too many drinks for Serena Hayes, and by now, he was barely coherent. Before we left the party, Serena had looked at me, her face the picture of innocent guilt. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Miller. It’s all my fault Carter drank so much.” “It’s just that… I got a little too drunk once and almost kissed another guy. Ever since then, Carter absolutely refuses to let me drink too much.” Her hand had continuously stroked Carter’s chest, smoothing his shirt. She even had the nerve to remind me to make him honey water when we got home. I thought to myself, if it were any other woman, she would have slapped Serena across the face right then and there. But I just calmly took Carter’s weight and said absolutely nothing. It wasn’t that I was a saint who could endure anything; it was just that I knew I had no right to act like a jealous wife. Eventually, I poured Carter a glass of plain water. Even in his drunken stupor, as he took the glass, he instinctively asked: “Whose glass is this?” “Yours.” I replied flatly. Only then did he relax and drink it down. I knew about Carter’s germaphobia from the very beginning. Shortly after we got married, he had a sudden, severe stomach ache and was looking for his medication. In my panic, I grabbed my own water glass, filled it, and handed it to him. When Carter realized what I’d done, he was furious. He threw the glass, shattering it against the wall. “Haven’t I told you I don’t use other people’s glasses?!” That was the first time I had ever seen him so angry. I was terrified, standing off to the side, not daring to make a sound. Seeing my reaction, his tone involuntarily softened: “It’s not you. I just have a habit of not sharing things. Just be careful from now on.” But in that VIP booth tonight, sharing with Serena came so naturally to him. It turned out he didn’t have a habit of not sharing things; he just only shared with Serena. That realization made the tip of my nose sting. It wasn’t that I didn’t know Serena existed. She had just been living overseas for years. And Carter never brought her up on his own. He treated everyone, including me, with polite, detached courtesy. I figured I could live the rest of my life like that. But now, I had seen what he looked like when he actually loved someone. All the grievances I had convinced myself didn’t matter suddenly crashed over me like a tidal wave. They nearly drowned me. I suddenly felt so incredibly tired. Maybe… I didn’t have to endure this anymore. Maybe leaving would be better for both of us. 02 After helping Carter to his room, I went back to my own room to wash up. We normally slept in separate bedrooms. He only came to my room on the first and fifteenth of every month. Under the guise of fulfilling his “marital duties.” But whenever he got drunk, he would throw a childish tantrum, demanding to sleep with me, wrapping his arms around me and refusing to let go. Just like he was doing right now. I have no idea how he even managed to stumble into my room. I had barely laid down when a pair of large arms suddenly clamped around me. By the time I reacted, I was already locked tightly against his chest. He let out a satisfied sigh and fell asleep. In the past, even though I hated the smell of alcohol, I would have convinced myself to just let it go and sleep like this. After all, the debt of gratitude I owed the Sterling family was too massive. But tonight, I didn’t want to endure it. I struggled and wrenched myself out of his grip. Since he liked this bed so much, I’d go sleep in another room. The Sterling mansion had plenty of them, anyway. But as soon as I stepped out, I saw Leo standing in the hallway. He was peering anxiously into the room, clearly worried about Carter. I smiled, crouching down to rub his head: “Leo, why are you still awake? Don’t you have kindergarten tomorrow? Go to bed, sweetie.” But Leo violently slapped my hand away. He glared at me with eyes identical to Carter’s, full of disgust. “Chloe, you have no right to tell me what to do.” That’s right, Chloe. Not Mom. Ever since someone at school called him a bastard child. And he found out I only got to marry into the Sterling family because I got pregnant with him, Leo had hated me. He forgot how I stayed awake night after night sitting by his bed when he was sick. He forgot how he used to curl up in my arms, whining that he loved Mommy the most. Now, his greatest wish was that I wasn’t his mother at all. Watching his small back disappear into his room, I let out a quiet sigh, stood up, and headed to the guest room down the hall. As soon as I closed the door, I called my old boss, Valerie. “Valerie, I’ve made up my mind. I want to go to Paris with you.” 03 Valerie paused for a second on the other end of the line, then her voice pitched up in surprise: “Really? That’s amazing, Chloe! Get your visa sorted this month, and once I wrap things up here, we’ll fly out.” My college major was actually fashion design. I had worked under Valerie for years. Even after getting married, I freelanced, submitting design sketches for her label. Recently, she was preparing to take her core team and jump ship to a major international fashion house. She really wanted me to go with her. At first, I hesitated. For someone who grew up as an orphan, having a family was everything. I didn’t want my child to lose his mother at such a young age. But looking at things now… Leo didn’t want a mother like me anyway. And I finally realized, the definition of family was never about the number of people. Sometimes, you can be your own family. After hanging up, I scrolled through my saved files and opened a PDF. It was the divorce agreement Carter’s mother had drafted for me four years ago. 04 The next morning, the moment I opened the guest room door, I bumped into Carter coming out of my bedroom. He looked exhausted. His eyes silently demanded to know why he had woken up in my bed. I didn’t even hesitate: “You stumbled into my room last night, grabbed me, and wouldn’t let go. I had no choice, so I just gave you the room.” Hearing this, a rare look of embarrassment washed over his face. He coughed softly: “Sorry. It won’t happen again.” I nodded, not looking at him again. I turned and walked downstairs to help the housekeeper with breakfast. Carter stood frozen. In the past, whenever we talked about things like this, my face would always flush with shyness. But today, I was completely nonchalant, even a little impatient. This sudden shift made Carter stand there, staring at my back for a long time. During breakfast, I announced I had errands to run today. I couldn’t drop Leo off at kindergarten, and I wouldn’t have time to deliver Carter’s lunch to the office. They would have to figure it out themselves. “Where are you going?” Father and son spoke almost simultaneously. Two pairs of eyes stared right at me. I was a little surprised they suddenly cared about my whereabouts. “I haven’t been back to the main estate in a while. I’m going to see your mother.” Carter’s brow relaxed, and the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch up slightly: “Wait until I get off work. I’ll go with you.” I shook my head: “No need. I can go by myself.” Carter’s eyes narrowed. He looked up at me again, but didn’t push it. Just as he was heading out the door, he suddenly stopped and said: “I hope you don’t go back there and say anything unpleasant.” I blinked, then let out a knowing smile. So he didn’t want to go with me because he cared; he was afraid I was going to tattle on him. He was really overthinking it. His scandal with Serena was practically plastered all over the tabloids. Why would I need to tattle? Leo stood at the top of the stairs for a long time, watching me. I didn’t know if I was imagining it, but I thought I saw a flicker of anger and hurt in his eyes. Finally, he let out a loud hmph and stomped off with the driver, Mr. Clark. I shook my head, amused. I really must not have slept well last night to be hallucinating. Leo couldn’t wait to get rid of me. Why would he be upset that I wasn’t dropping him off? When I arrived at the main estate and saw Carter’s mother, Eleanor, my first sentence was: “I want a divorce.” 05 I was adopted by the Sterling family from an orphanage. That year, Carter’s father and grandparents all died in a tragic accident. A psychic told Eleanor that adopting an orphan would build good karma and ward off further disaster. Otherwise, she wouldn’t even be able to keep Carter, the sole heir. So, Eleanor picked me. She paid for my living expenses and put me through college. I was always incredibly grateful to them. Until a gala a few years ago. One of Carter’s obsessive admirers managed to slip a date-rape drug into his drink. I just happened to be walking by. And just like that, we spent the night together. Afterward, everyone assumed I was the one who drugged him. They said the Sterling family had raised a backstabbing snake. Carter knew the truth, but he never said a single word in my defense. Then, I found out I was pregnant. Eleanor begged me to keep the baby. At that time, Carter had been broken up with Serena for a year and flat-out refused to get married. Everyone said it was because he couldn’t get over her. Eleanor put all her hopes on me. She promised that as long as I had the child, I could divorce him whenever I wanted. Thinking of everything the Sterling family had done for me, and seeing Eleanor’s tearful pleas… I agreed. After Leo was born, I couldn’t bear to leave him. I comforted myself by thinking that even a loveless marriage was better than freezing and starving like I did when I was a kid. I ultimately overestimated my tolerance for a marriage devoid of affection. Eleanor kept her word. She never made things difficult for me. She didn’t beg me to stay, and she didn’t insult me. She simply called her lawyer and sat down with me to go over the divorce agreement line by line. She acted less like a mother-in-law and more like a mother. I never thought I’d become a multi-millionaire just by getting a divorce. As I was leaving, Eleanor suddenly spoke: “Chloe, thank you.” My eyes welled up with tears. Honestly, Eleanor had always been good to me. Whether it was paying for my upbringing, or intentionally giving Carter and me our space after we got married… She did things most mothers-in-law would never do. 06 When I got home, I received a call from Carter’s secretary. She said Carter refused to eat lunch because I hadn’t delivered it. She was worried his stomach issues would flare up in the afternoon, and asked if I had time to whip something simple up and bring it over. My instinct was to refuse, but then I thought of Eleanor. I hesitated, then agreed. Just as I reached the door to Carter’s office, I heard him talking to a friend inside. “I hear you and Serena have been getting awfully close lately?” Carter’s pen stopped. He looked up at his friend. “Stop reading the tabloids. Keep talking garbage and I don’t mind having your old man drag you back home.” The friend brushed it off: “Oh, save it.” “You’re really keeping secrets from your best friend? If it’s fake, why haven’t you suppressed the trending articles?” “Listen to me. If you can’t get over her, just get a divorce. Marry Serena and finally get your happy ending, wouldn’t that be better?” “No.” Carter rejected the idea instantly this time. He was silent for a moment before continuing: “Serena has her own dreams. I can’t hold her back.” “Chloe… she’s taken really good care of me and Leo these past few years.” His friend laughed: “So you’re treating Chloe like a glorified nanny?” Carter didn’t answer. Hearing this, my heart still stung. So he didn’t want to divorce me just because I took good care of him. And Serena was the woman he actually loved. So he’d rather stay apart, hoping she could achieve her dreams. And what about me? What was I in his eyes? It seems if you want something, you have to fight for it yourself. If you eat scraps for long enough, people will start to think scraps are all you deserve. I didn’t go in. I handed the lunchbox to the janitor cleaning the hallway downstairs. That night at home, Carter and I barely spoke. But when it was time to go to bed, he stood outside my door and refused to leave. “What is it?” I asked him. He pressed his lips together: “Today is the fifteenth.” 07 I suddenly remembered. Today was our designated day to sleep together. On the surface, Carter seemed like a monk with no earthly desires. But in bed, he was always fierce and relentless. He wouldn’t stop until dawn. He claimed he hated kissing, but in the heat of the moment, he was always the one grabbing the back of my head and kissing me like he was starving. He would constantly demand I say his name. If I didn’t, he wouldn’t stop. Since I had already decided to divorce him, I had absolutely no desire to be intimate with him ever again. “Not tonight. It’s my time of the month.” I turned to go into my room, but he suddenly grabbed my wrist. “I remember your cycle. It isn’t now.” I didn’t expect him to be so stubborn. I wrenched my hand out of his grip, annoyed: “It came early, okay?” I didn’t care if he believed me or not. I walked quickly into my room and slammed the door shut. Carter seemed to stand outside my door for a long time before finally walking away. In the middle of the night, I suddenly felt the mattress dip behind me. The next second, a pair of large, burning hands pulled me into a tight embrace. Carter’s familiar voice whispered in my ear: “Just because it’s your time of the month doesn’t mean we can’t sleep in the same bed.” I tried to struggle, but his grip was like iron. Eventually, I was just too exhausted. I gave up and let him hold me. When I woke up the next morning, Carter was already gone. Leo had been taken to kindergarten by Mr. Clark. I decided to head out and get my visa sorted. On the way home, I was debating whether I should tell Carter and Leo about the divorce. After all, this wasn’t just my business. But the moment I walked through the door, I saw the two of them and Serena in the living room, laughing and playing like a perfect, happy family. The second Leo saw me, he threw his arms around Serena and yelled: “Dad and Ms. Hayes came to pick me up from school today! I was so happy! I wish Ms. Hayes could pick me up every day!” He shot me a smug, triumphant look. 08 Serena affectionately stroked his little head. “If you like it, I’ll pick you up whenever I have time.” Carter was sitting on the couch. Seeing me, he offered a brief explanation: “Serena said she wanted to see Leo, so I brought her over.” I nodded, not looking at Leo again, and walked straight up to Carter. “Do you have a minute? I need to speak to you privately.” Carter frowned: “Chloe, are you throwing a tantrum again?” “I know you don’t like Serena, but she is a guest here right now. She deserves your basic respect.” “Whatever you need to say can wait until tonight. Serena said she wanted to eat the sweet and sour ribs you make. Go help the chef prep dinner.” Serena immediately chimed in: “Carter, what are you saying? Ms. Miller isn’t a maid, how could you ask her to do that?” “I don’t do any cooking at my own house.” “It’s fine. She’s not like you. She does this kind of stuff all the time,” Carter said dismissively. “Really? Then I guess we’ll be bothering Ms. Miller tonight.” Serena looked at me, her eyes smiling, full of both smugness and mockery. I took a deep breath. Only now did I realize that the lunches I had painstakingly made and delivered to him… he had given them to Serena. Suddenly, I didn’t want to say anything at all. What was the point? I was truly pathetic. They didn’t care about me at all. “I’m not feeling well. If you want to eat, make it yourselves.” With that, I turned toward the stairs. Suddenly, Carter’s secretary walked in. She was holding several documents for him to sign. She looked extremely hesitant. Finally, she glanced at me and stammered: “There’s… there’s one more document.” “It’s… it’s the divorce agreement… sent over by the Chairman’s office this afternoon.” The moment she said those words, Carter and Leo’s heads snapped toward me. Even Serena’s eyes widened in shock. Scanning the contents of the agreement, the pen in Carter’s hand snapped with a loud crack. The veins on the back of his hand bulged. His tone carried a forced, terrifying calmness. “You want a divorce?”

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