After I turned 35, my body started to lose its shape. My skin grew dull, and fine lines began to appear around my eyes. Once, halfway through making love, Caleb pinched the soft flesh on my stomach and suddenly said: “Honestly, looking closely, you’re pretty average. Why did I ever fall for you?” 1 I never expected to be laid off from my job as a kept woman the year I turned 35. At that moment, I was looking up at the elaborate molding on the ceiling. I had heard it was the work of some famous European master. Very expensive. Every time Caleb came to me, I would look up at it. In the beginning, Caleb would grab me by the hair, forcing me to look him in the eye. He had a pair of beautiful, jewel-like eyes. When he was relaxed, he looked like an exotic cat. Caleb was incredibly strong, so the roots of my hair always ached. It looked like a scene full of intense passion, but my pillows were always covered with blood-stained strands of hair. Caleb’s lingering voice echoed in my ear like a demon: “Maya, why can’t you only look at me?” Later, our relationship gradually stabilized. At the very least, before we got into bed, we didn’t fight tooth and nail, turning the place upside down. Caleb also stopped demanding that I stare at him every single second. He unlocked the chains on my wrists, knowing I wouldn’t run away anymore. 2 I panted softly. My stamina couldn’t keep up with Caleb’s anymore. I withdrew my cloudy gaze from the ceiling, and Caleb’s explosively fit body filled my vision. He had gotten a tan; his bronze skin was incredibly sexy. Even past thirty, a man could still have such a roguish, captivating look. Let alone me, even young girls in their twenties would be completely swept off their feet by him. In stark contrast, my thighs were just loose, flabby fat. My silk nightgown had a hole in it, but I was too lazy to change it. Caleb threw on a bathrobe and sat on the sofa. His features were hidden in the shadows, but because they were so sharp, he looked like a chiseled sculpture. I pretended I didn’t hear what he said. “I’ll start a diet tomorrow.” Caleb laughed. He said: “Baby, that’s not what I meant.” Caleb flicked the ash from his cigarette, a casual cruelty in his tone. “What I meant is, you’re actually not all that. It was only because I loved you too much that I put a filter over you.” “Now,” Caleb made an exploding gesture with his hands, “the filter is broken.” He walked out the door without a shred of mercy, tossing out a sentence laced with disgust and relief: “Maya, you’re free.” It took me a long time to digest that sentence. My first reaction wasn’t the ecstatic joy of regaining my freedom, but an anger burning from the inside out. The man who said he loved me the most, the man who said that even in death our ashes had to be mixed together, was now actually breaking up with me. I felt very sad, and then, completely lost. I had been utterly ruined by Caleb. For ten years, I was waited on hand and foot. I had no social life, no friends. I had even forgotten how to use modern electronics. The TV in my room could only play foreign channels and automatically shut off after 8 PM. My range of movement was limited to this mansion and half the mountain behind it—this was the Vance family’s private estate. I was entirely Caleb’s property. So, I had no idea where to go. 3 I had sensed Caleb’s change of heart a long time ago. In the very beginning, he was clingy every single day, calling me his “sweet Maya.” Singing my praises, calling me his moon. From the initial agony, I slowly began to look forward to his arrival. Until he called my name, and I started responding. Caleb wrapped me in a thick blanket and applied medicine to the wounds on my wrists. Fresh blood stained his fingertips. Caleb looked down, coaxing me, his eyes full of heartache. “Maya, does it hurt? “You can hit me, but you must never hurt yourself.” Caleb was so gentle. His eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings. But later, it changed to him coming once a month. Then, every three months. Every six months. Until he kicked me out of the house. After ten years as a canary in a gilded cage, I was unemployed. 4 I actually didn’t have many things. All my clothes were bought by Caleb. He loved dressing me up. There were intricate, gorgeous Lolita dresses, and fresh, elegant little white dresses. I wore whatever Caleb bought for me. Later, when he stopped buying clothes, I just wore pajamas. Before leaving, I looked in the mirror one last time. The woman staring back at me was a bit chubby, her skin was oily, and her hair was a messy, unkempt rat’s nest. No wonder Caleb didn’t like me anymore. So, what kind of woman did he like now? 5 I left the mansion with a single suitcase. Inside was my ID, my passport, and a few professional outfits. I asked the butler, “Where should I go?” The butler sighed, “Go home.” The sunlight was gentle, but also blinding. I walked down the street looking like a mess, receiving strange looks from many people. What was supposed to be the shopping mall from my memory was now just a desolate, empty shell. Too many new skyscrapers had been erected in the city’s busiest areas; I didn’t recognize a single one. Even the roads had been widened into four lanes. I wanted to go back to the mansion. I wanted to beg Caleb to let me stay by his side. I promised to be perfectly obedient. I would never throw a tantrum again. A passerby called the police for me. The police used my ID to contact my next of kin. It was a very familiar voice. I instinctively called out his name: “Liam!” The sound of something shattering came from the other end of the line, followed closely by his urgent voice. “Maya? Is that you? Stay right there, don’t move. I’m coming to take you home right now!” Liam was my boyfriend. I was absolutely certain of it. I blinked, and tears fell. The Liam running toward me blurred into a shape through my tears. He crouched down in front of me, grabbing my hands, trembling uncontrollably. “Where have you been all these years? We all thought you died abroad.” Liam was sobbing uncontrollably. I looked up and asked him, trembling: “Where are Mom and Dad? Why didn’t they come pick me up?” Liam gripped my hands tightly, his tone heavy: “Let’s go home.” 6 This was Liam’s home. But it wasn’t my home. The hallway was cluttered with kids’ tricycles. Before I even reached the door, I could hear the noisy sounds inside. Sharp, piercing children’s voices, and a woman’s strict tone. “No, I said you can only have snacks after you finish your homework!” The two kids’ pleas rose and fell: “Please, Mommy, we just want one piece!” Liam’s eyes were full of apology. He kept his head down, avoiding my gaze. I awkwardly turned my body away too, staring only at the junk piled up in the corner. Liam lived on the top floor; they were the only unit. The small vestibule outside was basically a storage room, packed with clutter. From tricycles to soccer balls, kites, and children’s electronic keyboards—everything screamed of how happy this family was. A sour taste spread from the bottom of my heart, slowly creeping up my nasal cavity, forcing me to the brink of tears. We had promised to get married before graduation. Liam found a pair of shoe covers for me. As he opened the door, he said: “You can stay at my place for now.” The moment the door opened, twins rushed over, hugging Liam’s legs. “Daddy, Daddy! Where did you go? Mommy is still waiting for you to eat!” The woman of the house also approached with an impatient look: “Liam, you just left without saying a word after taking that call. Do you even respect me at all!” She wanted to say more, but stopped abruptly the moment she saw me. She only mumbled one word: “Maya!” I recognized her. She was Liam’s junior in college, Chloe. Chloe’s expression froze on her face. She made way, ordering the two kids back to their seats. She welcomed my arrival with the posture of the lady of the house. Chloe found a pair of slippers. “Honestly, Liam. How could you let Maya wear shoe covers?” Chloe pulled me inside by the hand. “I just finished cooking. The cola chicken wings are still hot.” The atmosphere at the dinner table was even weirder. Chloe didn’t ask where I came from. She only said: “Maya, you can stay at our place without worrying. Don’t feel anxious.” I paused mid-bite of a cola chicken wing. Chloe probably noticed it too—I had gained a lot of weight. In the past, I was very strict about my figure and rarely ate carbs. Cola chicken wings definitely had to be eaten without the skin. At college reunions, Liam was always the one who did all this for me. I comfortably enjoyed his favoritism, and even more so, the envy of everyone else. Chloe was one of those envious people. She had always admired Liam, but Liam never reciprocated. Until I went to Africa to collect samples, a local terrorist attack broke out, and I lost contact that same year. Liam took the initiative to speak up. “Chloe was the one who stayed by my side all these years, helping me walk out of that darkest period. The police couldn’t find any news of you, and everyone told me to move on. So later, Chloe and I got married.” I froze for a moment. The chicken in my mouth turned very bitter. I knew that ten years is a very long time. No one will wait in place for someone else forever. Everyone moves forward. It seemed I was the only one trapped in place. Liam asked me: “Where exactly have you been all these years?” I didn’t dare say. I was terrified of Caleb. During my captivity, there was one time I managed to use an antenna to contact Liam. Even though it was just a few busy signals, it was enough for him to track me down to the mansion. But Caleb quickly discovered everything. He bound my hands and violently shoved me into the car. Liam was handing out flyers on the street. He had absolutely no idea that the person he yearned for day and night was sitting in the Range Rover parked by the curb. Caleb pried my eyes open and said mockingly: “This is a warning.” A motorcycle sped past, knocking Liam over. He lay motionless in a pool of blood, surrounded by scattered flyers. I screamed loudly, wanting to find someone to save Liam. But Caleb held my hand in a death grip. The pitch-black tinted windows only reflected my panicked face. After that incident, I became obedient. I never contacted Liam again. Because I knew, once the secret of me being imprisoned by Caleb was leaked, he had countless ways to silence me. So I could only shake my head. “I don’t know.” Liam said softly: “It’s okay. Tell me when you’re ready.” I didn’t dare look into Liam’s eyes. I had no relationship with him anymore. I could only chew my rice mechanically. Chloe suddenly started crying loudly. I looked at her, bewildered. Large tears rolled from Chloe’s eyes as she continuously apologized to me. “Maya, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of your absence and stolen Liam. I’ll give him back to you. Can you forgive me?” Chloe gripped my hand tightly. It hurt. I didn’t know how to answer. My head was a jumbled mess. “Maya, I am truly, truly sorry!” Her tears were scalding, falling onto the scars on my wrist. Scars so blatant, yet no one had ever seen them. I remembered when I was with Liam. We went to make a sculpture together, and a machine hit my finger. It was only slightly red, but he was so heartbroken he frantically searched for ointment. But now, his eyes were only on Chloe. I knew clearly that the past was the past. “It’s not your fault. Liam and I just weren’t meant to be.” Chloe looked up, wanting to say something, but Liam pulled her away. They erupted into a fierce argument. The two kids were so scared they started bawling. This storm ended with Chloe slamming the door and storming out. Even as he chased after her, Liam didn’t forget to tell me to stay put and be good. I crouched on the floor, picking up scattered toys. The twins ran over and gave me a hard shove. “You ugly woman, you’re not allowed in our house! As soon as you came, Mommy and Daddy started fighting!” “Yeah! Go away! We don’t want to see you!” Losing my balance, I fell to the floor. The twins kept pushing me. Their tiny fists rained down on me, surprisingly heavy and painful. Seeing me unresponsive, terrified that I would refuse to leave, the two of them started crying at the top of their lungs. “Leave! Get out of our house!” “We want Mommy and Daddy! We don’t want them to fight!” Watching the twins screaming themselves hoarse, I seemed to see myself. My muddled brain also recalled some distant scenes. Actually, my relationship with Caleb was never good at all, and I was never infatuated with him. I just had no other choice. In the very beginning of my captivity, I also tried to escape, to fight back, screaming sharply at Caleb just like this. But he would slap me hard across the face, my eardrums ringing with pain, and I would retreat in terror. My body, held in Caleb’s arms, would tremble uncontrollably while he whispered apologies to me over and over again. Later, because my resistance was too fierce… My wrists and ankles continuously ulcerated and healed under the friction of the iron chains, forming thick scabs. Caleb tried to brainwash me. He said that as long as I tried to love him, I wouldn’t be in pain anymore. But a person can’t fall in love with a monster in a suit. Caleb first introduced himself to me as just a junior student. He worked incredibly hard and diligently under my supervision. Despite his noble background, he had no temper. I only looked upon him favorably because of that. I took him to do experiments. We went to the mountains together to collect samples. I even praised Caleb’s beautiful eyes. When the experiment made a breakthrough and we were interviewed by the media, under the spotlight, Caleb’s gaze was infatuated and gentle. He said: “Congratulations, Maya. You will definitely stand at the pinnacle of the scientific research world.” Caleb lowered his head, looking a bit disappointed. “Will you still remember me then?” I ruffled his fluffy hair. “Of course. Didn’t we agree to work together to research and conquer xenograft rejection?” At that time, I certainly never would have thought that one day I would fall so far. I hate that the bright moon hangs high but refuses to shine on me alone. So the moon fell into the mud. And it was no longer the moon you wanted. Caleb fed me drugs. Drugs that stabilized my emotions but made my brain sluggish. Over time, cognitive confusion and memory loss followed. I became obedient, just as he wished. 7 Ten years have changed everything. No one will wait in the same spot for someone else forever. I wouldn’t blame Liam, and naturally, I wouldn’t destroy his family. We just lacked a little bit of destiny. Just a little bit off. What a cruel sentence. How I wished everything in front of me was a dream. When I open my eyes, my parents would be sitting by my bed. They would ask me with concern what happened, if I had a nightmare. Liam would still look 26, his bright future unmarred by a car accident. I would still be my advisor’s favorite student, constantly moving forward towards my goals. But when I opened my eyes, the crying twins were still in front of me. The food had long gone cold, and everything around me was freezing and suffocating. I struggled to get up from the floor, wiped my tears, and left the apartment. Although I only remembered a few fragments, I was lucky enough to remember where my home was. I stumbled along, hoping that once I got home, everything would get better. But when I got home, it wasn’t the warm scene I imagined. I knocked on the door for a long time, but no one answered. A thick layer of dust had accumulated on the welcome mat. The motion-sensor light in the hallway flickered on and off as I kept banging on the iron door. “Mom, open the door. I’m home.” “Dad, I’m home. I didn’t bring my keys. Can you open the door for me?” I even pretended to take out my phone to send a message. Large tears dripped onto the back of my hand. “Mom, are you out shopping? Hurry back, I can’t get in.” “Dad, did you go fishing? I didn’t bring my keys, hurry back and open the door.” The loud knocking disturbed the neighbors. A woman came out and scolded me irritably. “Can you keep it down? The old couple next door passed away last year.” Looking at my appearance, the woman thought I was some crazy person from off the streets, and her tone became harsh. “Who are you? If you don’t leave, I’m calling the cops!” I finally burst into loud sobs. “I’m the daughter of this family!” I was still just a little bit off. Just a little bit, and I would have been home.

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Declan Vance lost the use of his legs. Overnight, the golden boy of high society plummeted into the mud. And I, the girl who had loved him for years, took full advantage of his downfall. He mocked himself, “You want me, but I’m a cripple now.” I stared at his legs, completely unbothered. “Your legs are paralyzed, not your reproductive organs.” That night, the usually composed and disciplined Declan pulled me onto his lap. He whispered, “I heard your riding skills are excellent?” I shook my head frantically, denying it. “No… my lower back hurts.” 01 Declan Vance lost the use of his legs. His girlfriend ran away, his best friend betrayed him, and his illegitimate half-brother usurped his position. Overnight, the untouchable heir was dragged through the mud, abandoned by everyone. Holding a bouquet of flowers, I stopped at the door of his hospital room. Declan was sitting on the hospital bed, his back to me. His lean frame shifted slightly. He reached out, trying to grab a glass of water from the bedside table. I don’t know if it was just out of reach, or if he was just careless. The glass crashed to the floor. It shattered into pieces. In the dead silence of the hospital room, the sound was piercing. Declan hung his head, his fingers curling inward. He gripped the bedsheets until his knuckles turned white. The once proud and arrogant man now radiated a suffocating aura of depression and gloom. In that stark white room, he looked like a trapped, lonely beast. It made my eyes burn. Forcing down my emotions, I knocked on the door. Declan turned his head. The moment our eyes met, his pale face and the faint redness rimming his eyes sent a sharp ache through my heart. Seeing me, a flash of surprise appeared in his eyes. Followed by a flurry of emotions I couldn’t quite decipher, disappearing in a flash. He spoke first, his voice dry and hoarse. “Why are you here?” I strode forward, clutching the flowers. I gave him a wicked, bratty smile. “To laugh at you, obviously.” “The great Declan Vance, once surrounded by sycophants, now left completely alone.” “I seem to remember two people standing in front of me years ago, swearing they had found their true loves and would never leave each other.” I chuckled softly. “Guess that was just talk.” My words were laced with pure venom. Every sentence was meant to cut deep. Hearing this, Declan didn’t get angry. He showed no emotion at all. He just listened silently to my relentless mockery. He watched as I called a nurse to sweep up the broken glass on the floor. He watched as I casually tossed the dead, rotting flowers from his vase into the trash. I washed the neglected vase, filled it with fresh water. And arranged the new flowers. I looked around the room. “You don’t even have a single person looking after you. How did you end up so pathetic?” Declan finally opened his mouth to reply, “It’s lunchtime.” The implication was that his caretaker had gone to eat. So what? A billionaire heir didn’t even have a rotating shift of caretakers. Once I was done, I pulled up a chair and sat down to face him. The redness in his eyes had faded. I stared at him, my gaze trailing from his hair all the way down to his legs. Maybe my eyes lingered on his legs for too long. Declan spoke up on his own. “They’re useless. The doctors say I’ll be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.” His voice was calm, devoid of any fluctuation. I didn’t want to know how many agonizing days and nights it took for him to accept his new reality. To be able to say it so naturally. I finally lifted my lowered gaze. I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. Silently, they fell, drop by drop. The mask of cruel indifference I had been wearing finally shattered. Declan’s gaze flickered, his tightly pressed lips parting slightly. He said softly, “What are you crying for? I’m not dead yet.” I lunged at him, wrapping my arms around him. I stopped suppressing my sobs. Declan didn’t push me away. His arms hung limply by his sides, his hands clenched into fists. Five years ago, when I was about to study abroad, he hugged me for the first time. It was a farewell, but also an act of charity. Back then, his chest was broad and warm. Now, the man I was holding was practically skin and bones. He felt fragile. And cold. 02 “Declan, let’s get married.” Coming out of the bathroom after wiping away my tears, my topic shifted drastically. Declan, who had been staring out the window, snapped his gaze back to me. I continued: “You’re an outcast to your family now.” “They can’t wait for you to stay in the mud and never climb back out.” “You must know that everyone out there is laughing at how you have nothing left.” “Laughing at your illegitimate brother taking your place as heir. Laughing at your father’s mistress moving into the estate your mother left you. Laughing at the girl you chose, who swore she didn’t care about money, running away.” “I heard Serena Blair just got engaged to Nate Thorne, the guy who used to call you his brother… It hasn’t even been a month…” “What’s wrong? Are you mad?” My words turned the coldness in Declan’s eyes to pure ice. I did it on purpose. I wanted to rip his scabs right off. “Declan, let me be your trump card.” “Marry me, forge an alliance between our families, and you can protect yourself.” I looked him dead in the eye, determined to win. He would agree. I was the absolute best and most correct choice for him right now. Declan closed his eyes, drowning the ice in them. His dark eyes became as still as a deep pool. He asked me, “What do you want?” I stared at him unabashedly until he had to look away. He knew exactly what I wanted. “You know what I want.” “I’ve always just wanted you.” Declan let out a sudden, short laugh. He mocked himself, “You want me, but I’m a cripple now.” “You’re making a bad investment.” I stared dead center at his crotch. I said bluntly, “Your legs are paralyzed, not your reproductive organs.” Declan, who was always so aloof and proper, looked absolutely shell-shocked. My outrageous comment left him speechless for a moment. A faint flush actually crept up his pale neck. Declan smoothly pulled the blanket over his lower half. Blocking my view. His reaction made me want to tease him even more. I pretended to think for a moment, then said, “How about… I inspect the merchandise?” Declan sounded slightly exasperated. “Hazel Sterling!” I smiled at him brightly. Not feeling a shred of embarrassment for my bold words. “Declan, right now, I am the only one who can help you turn this game around.” “Have you thought it through?” Declan raised his eyes and stared at me quietly. A long silence stretched between us. Two months ago, Declan was in a horrific car accident. He barely survived, but his legs were destroyed. From now on, he would be confined to a wheelchair. Who was Declan Vance? He was the legitimate, firstborn son of the wealthiest man in the city. He had the pedigree, the looks, and a brilliant mind. He was the undisputed leader of the younger generation in our elite circles. He was the untouchable Mr. Vance. His future was limitless, his brilliance blinding. But one car accident dragged this golden boy into the dirt. The news of his paralysis changed the winds instantly. His illegitimate half-brother was legitimized and took his place in the family conglomerate. His long-term girlfriend abandoned him. They broke up immediately, and within a month, she was engaged to someone else. His so-called best friends kicked him while he was down. Overnight, Declan lost everyone. Everyone was treating him like a joke. When I heard the news, I caught the first flight back from Europe. I ran to see him the second I landed. I proposed a marriage alliance. It was a transaction, but it was also entirely for my own selfish desires. With my family backing him, those opportunistic, greedy relatives and friends of his would have to think twice. It was the only way he could keep his title as the true heir. 03 After a long silence. Declan said flatly, “Even if I have no feelings for you, you still want to use marriage as a trade?” I smiled, calm and resolute. “Yes.” Feelings could be nurtured. Declan was a good man. Even if his legs were ruined, I didn’t care. Because I really, really liked him. I loved him to the point where I couldn’t extricate myself. When you meet someone who vibrates your body, mind, and soul, you realize that love is completely out of your control. My crush on Declan was an open secret in our social circle. Almost everyone knew. Declan knew it too. We were childhood friends, from equal social standings. But the childhood friend never beats the sudden newcomer. The moment he chose to accept Serena, I vanished from his world. I didn’t blame him, nor did I hate him. In the past, he always kept his distance from me, never giving me false hope. A person with unrequited love has no right to demand anything, nor the right to complain. I left for five years, thinking I could finally let him go. But the moment I saw him again, I realized I couldn’t. When you meet someone too breathtaking in your youth, it’s hard to forget them for the rest of your life. “Alright, we have a deal.” Declan held out his hand, offering a formal handshake. His hands, much like the rest of him, were beautiful. But the gesture felt too distant, too jarring. I reached out, and instead of a polite handshake, I intertwined my fingers with his. Holding on tight. I smiled at him. “Stamp of approval.” 04 The news of my upcoming wedding to Declan spread like wildfire. The vultures and hyenas circling him immediately backed off. I visited the hospital every day. Always bringing fresh flowers. Today, it was a bouquet of sunflowers. Declan was sitting up in bed, working on his laptop. His long fingers tapped rapidly across the black keys. His expression was calm and focused. After arranging the flowers, I just stared at him. Feeling uncomfortable under my gaze, he frowned. “Can you stop staring at me?” I gave him an innocent look. “I can’t. I can’t control myself.” “Unless you let me kiss you, then I’ll stop looking.” Declan shot me a side-eye. He saw right through my little tricks. He pressed his lips together, saying nothing. Deciding to just ignore my staring. I sighed, making no effort to hide my disappointment. The clicking of the keyboard was exceptionally clear in the quiet room. I knew he was racing against time to take back what was his. Even with ruined legs, Declan wasn’t going to be crushed so easily. He was wearing a light blue hospital gown that hung loosely on him. He had lost a lot of weight recently. It made his facial features look even sharper and more profound. His collarbone was prominent, rising and falling slightly with his breaths. The small, dark mole right between his collarbones stood out starkly against his pale skin. It drew my eyes like a magnet. Just as I was thoroughly distracted. A pair of long, elegant fingers reached up and buttoned his collar all the way to the top. I looked at him, frustrated. There was absolutely no need to guard against me like this. It wasn’t like I was going to unleash my inner beast and devour him right here in the hospital. Even though I’d been drooling over him for years. I huffed, “You won’t let me look now, but once we’re married, I’m just going to rip it right open.” Declan’s fingers paused. He looked at me, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. “Hazel, what exactly did you learn abroad these past few years?” In the past, I used to be a bit of a spoiled princess. Between my own brothers and my cousins, I had nine older brothers. I was the only girl in my generation. I was sheltered, fiercely protected, and definitely had a bit of a temper. But in front of Declan, I used to blush so easily. I was so well-behaved. Nothing like how I was acting now. “I learned a lot. I can send you my syllabus if you want,” I teased, playing with his words. He gave me a look and ignored me. Turning his attention back to his screen. I cut up some fruit and handed it to him. He took a few bites and stopped. He closed his laptop, massaging his temples in exhaustion. I volunteered eagerly, “I can massage them for you.” I reached out, but Declan grabbed my hand mid-air. He looked at me, his expression serious. “What’s wrong?” I asked. He said somewhat abruptly, “Go downstairs and buy me a drink.” “What kind?” “…Coffee.” I was a bit surprised. “Coffee?” He never liked coffee. He only drank tea. Facing my confusion, Declan confirmed, “Yes, coffee.” I didn’t think too much about it. Five years had passed; it was normal for habits to change. I got up and left the room. I took the elevator down. Just as I stepped out of the elevator, I slammed on the brakes. I forgot my phone. Sighing, I turned right back around. When I returned, I noticed the privacy curtain around Declan’s bed was drawn closed. My heart tightened. Afraid something had happened, my mind was filled with panic and worry. I rushed in frantically. And yanked the curtain open. The scene before me made me freeze completely. My pupils contracted, my mind going entirely blank. I stood there, paralyzed, unable to react. The sound of a toilet flushing echoed from the bathroom. My eyes were glued to Declan’s hands. With one hand, he was holding himself, and with the other, he was using a wet wipe to clean up. The moment I burst in, he froze. Declan closed his eyes, fighting to suppress his emotions. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he ground out, “Get out.” His tone was restrained but simmered with hidden rage. I snapped out of my daze, turning around in a blind panic and stumbling out. With my back to him, my thoughts were a chaotic mess. After a brief flash of embarrassment, my overwhelming feeling was anxiety. I worried that barging in had injured Declan’s pride. I worried I had humiliated him. I cursed myself for being so reckless. I racked my brain for something comforting to say. Something to ease the tension and lighten the mood. After agonizing over it, what blurted out of my mouth was: “Um… it’s really big.” The hospital room fell dead silent. Just as I was internally slapping myself for being an idiot. Declan’s voice drifted coldly through the curtain. “What, have you seen other guys’ to compare it to?” I was stunned for a second. Other guys? I’ve been wronged! I quickly defended myself, “I have not!” I mean, even if I hadn’t eaten pork, I’ve seen pigs run. I had some basic conceptual knowledge. I turned around and yelled at the curtain, “I’ve only ever seen yours!” Silence fell over the room again. I realized this conversation was taking a very weird turn. Why was I arguing with Declan about this? “Ms. Sterling?” The caretaker stepping out of the bathroom shattered the silence and the awkwardness. When the curtain was finally pulled back, Declan was fully dressed. He shot me a fleeting, unreadable look. I was too embarrassed to meet his eyes. I rushed over to the nightstand, snatched my phone. And dropped a hasty, “I’m going to get your coffee.” Then I practically sprinted away. 05 The day before Declan was discharged, I ran into Serena at the hospital. We brushed past each other, and it took me a few seconds to realize it was her. She didn’t seem to notice me, or maybe she just didn’t recognize me. I was instantly pulled back to five years ago. Declan was three years older than me. When I took my SATs, I wanted to apply to his university. But just three days after I excitedly shared my college list with him, Declan went public with Serena. My mood tanked the moment she appeared. Snapping back to the present, I walked into Declan’s room, pretending nothing happened. There was a new fruit basket in the room. I asked casually, “Who stopped by?” Declan replied flatly, “A former subordinate. Nobody important.” I frowned inwardly. He was lying to me. The fruit was from Serena, yet he claimed it was from a subordinate. Annoyed, I walked up to him and muttered, “Declan.” “Hmm?” He didn’t even look up, his eyes glued to his phone. “We’re getting married soon. It wouldn’t be out of line for me to kiss you, right?” “What?” The moment Declan looked up, I kissed him on the cheek. I aimed for his lips, but he dodged fast, so I only caught his cheek. His face flushed bright red. “Hazel, we are in a hospital.” I gave him a shameless grin. “No one saw. And even if they did, so what? I’m kissing my fiancé.” “Loud and proud.” … After being discharged, Declan didn’t return to the Vance family estate. Instead, he moved into a riverside mansion his late mother had left him. Before he moved in, the mansion had been heavily remodeled to accommodate his wheelchair. I visited him during the day. And went home in the evening. Even though I desperately wanted to stay and take care of him 24/7, let alone Declan disagreeing, my brothers would have absolutely forbidden it. My oldest brother, Mason, warned me, “If you aren’t home by eight, I will personally come pick you up.” I laughed nervously, “Mason, you’re a busy CEO. Don’t waste your time on me, I’ll come home.” Mason smiled warmly. “It’s fine. If I’m busy, one of the others isn’t.” I smiled sweetly to his face. “You’re the best, Mason.” But turning around, I wanted to cry. Having too many older brothers was a real burden. Declan’s mansion was a forty-five-minute drive from my house. I had already gotten my license, so I drove myself. The staff at the mansion all knew me. I came and went as I pleased. Lately, my biggest hobby was teasing and flirting with Declan. While also making sure I pushed him out to the courtyard for some fresh air every day. However, after visiting religiously every single day, I hadn’t been there for two days. Two days ago, I was at Declan’s house, video chatting with my best friend. She sounded exasperated. “Hazel, you’re so insanely lovesick!” “His legs are paralyzed and you’re still sticking by him. You’re crazy.” I laughed, “But I just really, really like Declan.” “I have money. I can easily support him and take care of him.” My best friend countered, “No, I mean you seriously want to marry him.” “How are you guys going to handle… you know, your sex life after you’re married?” My friend had zero filter and said whatever was on her mind. I replied casually, “It’s fine. It’s not a big deal.” “First of all, his physical… endowments are spectacular. I’ve seen it.” “Second of all, I’ve been great at horseback riding since I was a kid.” My best friend was absolutely floored by my bold claims. “Hazel, you don’t even blush saying stuff like this anymore.” I kept gossiping shamelessly with my best friend until my phone battery died. When I finally hung up and turned around, I froze. Declan, who was supposed to be inside, was sitting right there in the courtyard. Obviously, he had heard all my filthy, shameless bragging. Mr. Hayes, the secretary pushing his wheelchair, nervously adjusted his glasses. He looked at me, suppressing a smile. Declan’s gaze made me want to melt into the floor. My face burned violently, and I turned and bolted. 06 Today, when I arrived, I ran into Declan’s right-hand man, Mr. Hayes. He was a plain-looking but incredibly mild-mannered man. Seeing me, he smiled and said hello. I nodded and started heading upstairs. “Ms. Sterling.” Mr. Hayes called out after he had already walked a few steps away. I gave him a questioning look. He warned me quietly, “Mr. Vance is in a very bad mood today. You might want to wait a while before going up to see him.” I was stunned for a second. Then I said, “I understand.” Mr. Hayes turned and left. I looked up at the second floor, deep in thought. After hesitating for a few seconds, I walked upstairs anyway. Declan spent most of his time working in his study. I softened my footsteps and approached slowly. When I reached the door to the study, I stopped dead in my tracks. Declan was in his wheelchair, his back to me. He was facing the window. Outside, the sky was dark and overcast. The lights in the room were off, casting a gloomy, oppressive shadow. It turned his solitary silhouette into a bleak, black-and-white photograph. I felt a sudden, suffocating wave of melancholy. Just as I opened my mouth to call out to him, the words died in my throat. It felt like I was choking. It hurt. Declan placed his hands on the armrests of his wheelchair, trying to force himself to stand. His legs had no strength, and he ultimately crashed back into the seat. He tried again and again. And failed, time and time again. I watched him sit in the wheelchair, his spine curving, his head hanging low. And he started to laugh. Outside, lightning flashed, and thunder rumbled. It swallowed Declan’s bitter laughter. But it couldn’t swallow the agonizing tragedy that had befallen him. I stood at the door, tears streaming down my face. Terrified he would notice me, I covered my mouth and turned away. I leaned against the cold, white wall, stifling my sobs. 07 It wasn’t until I heard the sound of the wheelchair turning that I quickly ducked into a nearby guest room. Declan came out of the study and went into his own bedroom. Soon after, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. I cautiously stepped out of the guest room. Driven by some unseen force, I walked into Declan’s study. The study was a mess. Not only were documents scattered across the floor, but there was also a shattered glass mug. It was obvious the person in this room had been furious and devastated. My eyes swept across the room. They stopped when I spotted a jarring splash of red on the desk. It was a wedding invitation. For Serena Blair and Nate Thorne. Declan’s computer was still on, the screen open to a chat window. 【No matter how great you used to be, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re a cripple now. You don’t deserve her.】 In an instant, I understood everything. Today was Serena’s engagement party. And Nate had actually texted him to mock him, cruelly ripping open his deepest wounds.

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My boss’s girlfriend decided I was her arch-nemesis. During a company dinner, she walked right up to me in front of everyone. “I hear you’re the queen of kissing the boss’s ass,” she sneered. “Tell you what. Bark like a dog for me, right now, and I’ll give you a hundred bucks.” The room went dead silent. I just smiled, raised my glass, and addressed the table. “Here’s to Liam! May the company be prosperous, may his health be prosperous, and may his future be prosperous. Cheers to prosperity, prosperity, prosperity!” I turned back to her, my smile widening. “That’s six cheers for prosperity. Since you went with the dog theme, I’ll take that cash via Venmo.” The team burst out laughing. Even Liam had a slight smirk on his face. Only the girlfriend’s face instantly dropped. 1 “Unbelievable. A true salesperson. Always on script,” Hailey said, her smile not reaching her cold eyes as she dragged out the words. “No wonder Liam is always bragging about how many deals you close. You really know how to work a man. Not like me—I’m just too simple to think of such… creative toasts.” The atmosphere turned awkward again. Anyone with a brain could hear the venom dripping from her tone. Yet my boss, Liam Hayes, seemed completely oblivious. He just gave her nose a playful, adoring pinch. “Babe, you don’t need to worry about that corporate speak,” he cooed. “Just stay right here by my side and let me take care of you.” “But…” Hailey lowered her gaze, her voice suddenly trembling, on the verge of tears. “People online always say bosses are so easily seduced by the female employees close to them. Liam, you promoted Sarah to VP so fast… I… I just feel so insecure.” As she spoke, she actually managed to squeeze out two tears, giving me a pathetic, resentful look. “And… she was so disrespectful just now. I just wanted to do something funny with the dog thing, but she used that ‘prosperity’ joke to mock me. She completely disregarded me.” I almost laughed out loud. She publicly insulted me, asking me to bark like an animal, and somehow I was in the wrong? I knew better than to engage with a woman like this. Trying to prove my innocence would be a waste of breath. I put down my glass and looked directly at Liam. “Liam, your girlfriend has gone in a huge circle, moving from questioning my professional ability to attacking my character. Is this all just… some elaborate excuse to bail on the six hundred dollars she owes me?” “Pfft—” In the corner, a coworker couldn’t hold it in. A mouthful of wine almost sprayed out. Hailey’s face instantly turned bright red, like a cat whose tail had been stomped on. “Liam, see! She’s always targeting me! Just because I’m your girlfriend and she’s not, she’s miserable. She tries to humiliate me every chance she gets!” Liam immediately went into damage control, holding her and shushing her, then glared at me with a frown. “Sarah!” His voice was stern. “Hailey is young. She says what she thinks; she doesn’t mean any harm. You’re a veteran in this company. Couldn’t you have just spoken to her nicely? Did you have to make her look bad?” He impatiently pulled out his phone. “It’s just six hundred bucks, right? I’ll cover it for her.” He quickly processed the transfer. Hailey tried to stop him but failed, a flash of annoyance and stinginess washing over her face. My phone vibrated right on cue. The screen lit up: [Venmo: You received $600.00 from Liam Hayes.] Six hundred dollars for a single sentence to calm her down? What a deal. I raised my glass to Hailey, locking in a perfect, professional smile, my voice airy and cheerful. “Don’t worry, Hailey. I keep my business and personal life strictly separate. When I’m on the clock, I’m only looking for one thing: money. After all…” I paused, letting the smile hit my eyes. “…sleeping with the boss sounds like it would really slow down my earning potential.” A few colleagues couldn’t hold back their laughter anymore. Hailey froze in Liam’s arms, her face turning a ghastly shade of white, then red. The look she gave me said she wanted to skin me alive right then and there. 2 Hailey painting a target on my back wasn’t a new development. She was a micro-influencer with a tiny, dwindling following. Ever since she hooked up with Liam, she had acted like she owned the place. In the office, any female employee who dared to speak more than a few words to Liam received Hailey’s signature “death stare.” And I was her prime suspect. Simply because I was the Chief Revenue Officer and reported directly to Liam. And because I had been with the company since day one, building it up alongside him. That history of shared struggle was, in Hailey’s eyes, a massive thorn in her side. That’s why she pushed me to bark like a dog in front of everyone. It was the most primal, crude way to assert her dominance as his woman. I had assumed tonight’s drama ended there. I was wrong. As we broke up to leave, a single sentence from Liam put me right back in the line of fire. “Sarah, the client just emailed about the new pitch. There are a few major issues, and it’s urgent.” He glanced at his phone. “Get in. I’m heading in your direction; I’ll drop you off and we can talk on the way.” The words had barely left his mouth. Hailey, standing beside him, instantly went pale. She clutched Liam’s sleeve, her voice trembling slightly. “Liam, you… you even know where she lives? How far has this…” “Where is your head going?” Liam immediately softened his voice, frantically trying to soothe her. “We shared a car after a business meeting last time and the driver dropped her off first. That’s how I know. Hailey, this is strictly business.” Hailey bit her lip, putting on a show of a deeply wronged woman forcing herself to trust him. She nodded “forgivingly.” I felt my temples throbbing. I wanted absolutely no part of this mess. “Liam, I’ll just call an Uber. We can talk about work tomorrow at the office.” “No, the client is pushing hard. We need to get a head start tonight.” I had no choice but to follow them to the parking garage. As we reached the car, Act Two began. Hailey rushed forward like an Olympic sprinter to claim the front passenger seat, sitting down like she was occupying a throne. Then, she shot a victorious smirk at me through the window. “Sorry, Sarah,” she said, her voice dripping with fake innocence. “This is Liam’s ‘designated girlfriend seat.’ I can’t let you have it. You know how some women are… always trying to steal the front seat, thinking sitting here actually means something.” She paused, sighing dramatically to emphasize her point. “Honestly, what’s the point? Trying to squeeze into a position that isn’t yours… it’s just so desperate and sad, isn’t it?” Looking at her playing the oblivious “mean girl” act, my annoyance finally settled into cold clarity. It seemed she hadn’t learned her lesson at dinner. I pulled open the back door, my voice flat and deadpan. “You’re overthinking it, Hailey. I actually hate riding shotgun.” I sat down in the seat directly behind the driver, waiting a beat before I added: “You probably don’t know this, Hailey, but functionally, the front passenger seat is known as the ‘suicide seat’ in car accidents. It has the highest fatality rate. In a crisis, a driver’s instinct is to jerk the wheel to the left to protect themselves, exposing the passenger to the impact.” I looked up, meeting her gaze in the rearview mirror as her face instantly locked up in horror. I gave her a tiny smile. “So, I prefer this spot. The safest. Even if we crash, I have the highest survival rate. Unlike the front seat…啧. Quickest to die.” Hailey’s face went dead white. Instinctively, she fumbled frantically for her seatbelt, her movements panicked and clumsy. “Sarah!” Liam snapped, starting the car, his tone accusatory. “What is wrong with you? Hailey scares easily. Stop trying to freak her out.” He started cooing at his terrified little rabbit again. I leaned back against the seat, closing my eyes to rest. I listened to their nauseating sweet-talk until I couldn’t take it anymore. “Liam, are we talking business or not?” I asked coldly. “If you two are going to keep making out, just drop me at my place. I’ll handle it over email, assuming Hailey doesn’t decide that’s ‘evidence’ of something untoward.” That statement was like a bucket of ice water, putting an instant stop to their cuddling. Hailey was silent for a few seconds. Then, she suddenly turned around, forcing a broad, “gracious” smile. “Sarah, don’t be mad. Earlier… I was probably just too sensitive. I misunderstood you.” She pulled out her phone and held it out to me, her eyes commanding rather than requesting. “To avoid any misunderstandings in the future, we should exchange contact info. In case… you have an ‘urgent business matter’ with Liam after hours, you can just contact me first. I can pass the message along. That way, everyone is comfortable.” I almost laughed at the sheer absurdity. I have an urgent work issue, and instead of contacting my boss, I have to go through his clueless, micro-influencer girlfriend? I looked at Liam in sheer disbelief, expecting him to say something sensible. Instead, he patted Hailey’s hand approvingly, nodding with a smile. “That’s a great idea. Hailey just wants to understand my work more, to feel more secure. Sarah, just add her. I want my girlfriend and my top CRO to get along.” In that moment, a wave of cold disappointment washed over me. To appease his little girlfriend, he was willing to make a mockery of professionalism. Under his watchful eye, I suppressed my disgust and scanned Hailey’s QR code. The friend request went through. A nickname popped up on my screen: [Hailey ❤️’s Liam] Her profile picture was a shot of them passionately kissing. Before I could even process the annoyance of that, my phone vibrated with a ding. Hailey had sent her first message. [Designated Girlfriend seat: Sarah, if anything happens with Liam’s work in the future, remember to tell me first! ~ [Cute Emoji]] 3 That night, I worked on the client pitch until the early hours of the morning. Yet, at six a.m. sharp, my phone began vibrating like crazy. I slid the screen open. A long string of unread messages, all from [Hailey ❤️’s Liam]. [Sarah, are you awake?] [I hear Liam is going to see Mr. Vance today. Are you going too?] [Is Mr. Vance a man or a woman? How old are they?] [Since you claim you and Liam are strictly professional, you better tell me if you see any women trying to hit on him! I’m trusting you as a sister!] [Also, remember to remind Liam to say ‘I love you’ to me at least twenty times today! If he doesn’t hit his quota, I’m going to be very unhappy!] My head was pounding. I threw the phone to the side, reclaiming some peace. I figured not replying would be statement enough. I was wrong. Ten minutes later, my phone began ringing with a relentless call. Caller ID: [Hailey ❤️’s Liam]. I took a deep breath, eventually picking it up. I had to force the tension out of my voice. “Hailey, it is six-ten in the morning. Is there some kind of national emergency?” “You finally picked up!” Her voice was angrier than mine. “Why didn’t you reply to my messages? Do you have a guilty conscience?” “I was sleeping.” Every word I spoke felt like it was being squeezed through my teeth. “Sleeping?” She sounded like I had just told her a fairy tale. Her voice spiked. “You might be able to sleep, but I can’t! Every time Liam goes to see a client, I worry myself to death. You have to keep an eye on him for me!” “Hailey,” my voice went cold. “You are an adult. If you want to talk to your boyfriend, contact him yourself. I am not your assistant, and I am certainly not your spy.” With that, I hung up. The world was quiet again, but my sleep was gone. I got up, showered, and re-checked all the materials for the Vance meeting. At nine a.m., Liam and I arrived at Mr. Vance’s company. As we stepped into the conference room, my phone vibrated. [Hailey ❤️’s Liam: Sarah, did you see Mr. Vance yet? Snap a picture for me! ~] I glanced at it and ignored it. Messages came flooding in: [Are you ignoring me because of last night?] [I know you’re mad I doubted you, but it’s just because I love Liam so much.] [If you don’t have something to hide, you should help me.] [Think about it, if I start a fight with Liam and it affects his work, the company loses money. Can you take responsibility for that?!] I couldn’t handle the psychotic logic. I quickly typed four words: “In a meeting. busy.” I put the phone on silent and shoved it into the deepest pocket of my briefcase. 4 Mr. Vance was an industry veteran, known for being strict and efficient. Over years of working with him, I had learned exactly how he operated. Off the clock, I had put in a lot of effort with his wife and daughter, too. From limited-edition scarves to concert tickets. When the relationship is solid, the business follows naturally. So, the negotiation, while intense, was going smoothly. As expected, after discussing a few key points, Mr. Vance suggested a short break so his team could do a final internal review. That was the signal. We were about to close. I relaxed my tense shoulders, grabbed my bag, and headed for the restroom. Locking myself in a stall, I pulled out my phone to check for work messages. The moment the screen lit up, my stomach dropped. Over ninety-nine unread messages. Forty-seven missed calls. All from Hailey. Before I could even process the deluge, a video call request slammed onto the screen. Hailey. Again. I instinctively declined it. Within a second, another request popped up, carrying a frantic “I will not stop until you answer” energy. I took a deep breath and accepted the call. On the screen, Hailey’s perfectly made-up face was distorted with rage. “Sarah! You dared to decline my call! You have a guilty conscience!” She was practically screaming, her eyes scanning like radar over me and the background behind me. When she realized the background was the standard white tile of a public restroom, her eyes went wide. “You… you’re in a bathroom?!” Her voice spiked to a shriek, pure fury and disbelief radiating from the screen. “You bitch! You shameless whore! You actually seduced Liam… right there in a public bathroom…” “Are you insane?” I was bewildered. “We are at Mr. Vance’s company for a negotiation. We’re on a break. I came out to use the restroom. Liam is still in the conference room!” She ignored me. “I don’t believe you! You’re lying! Turn the camera around! Let me see!” This was absurd. I had had enough. I hung up and immediately blocked her. The face in the mirror looked exhausted. I splashed cold water on it, forcing myself to compose my expression, and walked back to the conference room. The second half of the negotiation was much more relaxed. Mr. Vance didn’t haggle much more on the profit sharing. He smiled at Liam. “Liam, to be honest, a lot of companies wanted this project, and some offered better terms. But in business, I trust people. Working with you over the last few years has been seamless. Especially with Sarah. She’s professional, reliable, and addresses any issue immediately. That kind of dedication is rare.” This was high praise in the business world. Liam beamed. Just as we were about to shake hands on the final deal and send it to the legal teams—the conference room door burst open. Mr. Vance’s secretary looked panicked. “Mr. Vance, Mr. Hayes, there is a Ms. Hailey Thorne outside claiming to be your ‘Chief Brand Officer,’ insisting she should be in this meeting. We couldn’t stop her…” Before she finished, Hailey barged in. Her eyes were red, her face streaked with tears, the picture of a profoundly wronged woman. 5 “Hailey? What are you doing here?!” Liam dropped his pen, standing up instantly. Hailey didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she scanned the room like a hostile radar—taking in the fifty-something Mr. Vance, the table full of serious documents, and the presentation slides still projected on the screen. Every sign pointed to this being exactly what I said: a serious business meeting. The manic look on her face vanished in an instant, replaced by a trembling lip and a fragile, pathetic expression. “Liam…” Her voice was a wail, full of calculated vulnerability. “I was just so worried about you… I sent Sarah so many messages asking about you. But she ignored me, and then she was mean to me, and… and she maliciously misled me, saying… saying you were with her in the bathroom…” She let the implication hang there, burying her face in her hands and sobbing dramatically. “I was worried to death, and then she拉黑 [blocked] me, so I had to come see for myself if you were okay… I didn’t mean to interrupt, I’m so sorry…” Total silence. Mr. Vance and his team went from polite smiles to expressions of shock, disgust, and “is this for real?” Liam, seeing her crying so pitifully, immediately softened. His anger at the interruption vanished, replaced by a desperate need to soothe her. “Babe, don’t cry, we really are talking business… Sarah just went to the bathroom for a minute, I was in the conference room the whole time, don’t imagine things…” He comforted his girlfriend, but as he turned to look at me, his face hardened with blame. “Sarah! What is wrong with you?” He frowned deeply, his tone harsh. “You know Hailey is sensitive. Would it have killed you to just reply to her message? Answer her call? 拉黑 [blocking] her… were you trying to provoke her?” I looked at him, feeling like I was seeing a total stranger. “Liam,” I said, my voice dead calm. “We were just about to sign a deal worth millions of dollars, and you’re telling me I should have lost my focus to manage your girlfriend’s emotions?” “A contract is important, but are Hailey’s feelings not important?” He waved his hand dismissively, irritated. “She just cares about me too much! You’re a veteran of this company, my top executive. Couldn’t you have helped me out? Calm her down so this didn’t happen?” He was actually putting the entire blame on me. Looking at him, hearing this absurd accusation, the last ounce of loyalty I had for him evaporated. I pulled out my phone and held it up for everyone to see. I unlocked it and tapped into her message thread. The screen displayed the avalanche of texts and video calls. “Liam, please tell me,” I said, my voice cutting through the room. “How, exactly, was I supposed to ‘calm down’ over a hundred harassing messages and forty-seven calls? Was I supposed to accept the video call on the negotiation table and livestream our meeting to her? Or was I supposed to give her a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of the restroom stall while I was using it, to prove my ‘innocence’?” Every word I spoke felt like a slap to his face. Liam went pale, then red, unable to find words. Hailey, seeing the tide turning, immediately clutched her chest, her voice weak and reedy. “Liam, she’s so mean… she’s targeting me on purpose, she hates seeing us happy… I’m getting so dizzy from being attacked…” She rolled her eyes back, her body going limp. “Hailey!” Liam gasped, forgetting everything else. He rushed forward, sweeping the “unconscious” Hailey into his arms. He held her, hurrying toward the exit. As he passed me, he didn’t even look at me. He just spat out a single command: “I have to take her to the hospital. Fix this with Mr. Vance.” The conference room was dead quiet. Mr. Vance’s expression had moved past amusement to genuine irritation. “Sarah,” he said quietly. “It seems your company’s ‘family drama’ is much more important than this multi-million dollar contract.” The warmth was gone from his voice, replaced by cold business calculation. “Do you even have the authority to sign this? To be honest, Sarah, if it weren’t for your professionalism in the past, today’s circus would have been enough to put your company on my blacklist.” A wave of cold exhaustion swept over me. All the blood, sweat, and tears I had put into this project, all the relationships I had nurtured, were currently in freefall. And it was all because of a stupid woman and an even stupider man. I took a deep breath. But when I exhaled, the anger and disappointment didn’t come out. Instead, they were replaced by a startling, icy clarity. I looked Mr. Vance in the eye. A professional, confident smile returned to my face. I reached out and gently pushed the near-final contract to the side of the table. The air seemed to freeze. I spoke, my voice steady and clear. “We are absolutely going to sign this, Mr. Vance.” “However… we are going to sign a slightly different version.” 6 By the time I left Mr. Vance’s office, three hours had passed. I took a cab straight back to the company. The moment I walked out of the elevator, I knew something was wrong. My team was huddled together, whispering furiously, their expressions a mix of anger and worry. Seeing me, they instantly went silent. “What’s up?” I asked. My protégée, Maya, rushed to my side. Her face was flushed with suppressed rage. She shoved her phone into my hand. “Sarah, look. Hailey just posted this. She’s talking about you, isn’t she?” I took the phone. It was Hailey’s Instagram. A new post, from an hour ago. The picture was of Liam sitting by a hospital bed, gently peeling an apple for her. The caption was a masterclass in passive-aggressive “mean girl” style: [Some people are so desperate, trying to steal my man under the guise of ‘work.’ Too bad for them, his heart only belongs to me ~ ❤️ Today, just to rush me to the hospital, he walked away from a multi-million dollar contract. What a hero! ❤️] [It’s just sad, really. Does she not have any shame? Claiming she was ‘messing around’ with my man in a public bathroom… Good thing I know how to trust my man. Look, he’s right here by my side, right where he belongs. ❤️] [I just want to give her some advice: no matter how hard you work, what’s the point? In the end, your boss still loves me. ❤️ Love you, babe! ❤️] The post already had hundreds of comments, and the engagement was skyrocketing. Hailey had manually liked every single comment calling me a “home-wrecking bitch” or a “slut.” I scrolled up and saw her post from yesterday, too. [Had to teach a lesson to a delusional employee who thought she could seduce my man today. Asked her to bark like a dog, and she did it. What can I say? I am the boss’s girlfriend, after all. Employees need to know their place and respect the hierarchy.] [Then she tried to steal a ride in the ‘designated girlfriend seat.’ So pathetic. Good thing I’m smart and sent her to the back seat where she belongs. ❤️ Shotgun is forever mine! ❤️] It seemed she had tasted the blood of viral engagement and was hooked. She was rewriting reality into a “girlfriend defeats the side piece” fantasy, and she was winning the internet. And I was the pathetic villain getting crushed. “Sarah, this is total bullshit!” Maya snap. “We all know who you are! Every woman in this office has been targeted by her. She’s the one acting like a psycho, and now she’s flipping the script!” The rest of my core team gathered around, nodding. “We’re on your side, Sarah!” “Do you want us to spam her comment section?” “This company is turning into a total joke…” I looked at their angry, supportive faces. The chill in my heart thawed slightly. “Don’t spam her comments,” I said, shaking my head. “You spam, she blocks, and it just gives her more engagement.” “Then what? We just let her drag your name through the dirt?” Maya was desperate. “Everyone一私下 [privately] hates her guts! Liam has truly… I thought he was decent, but he is totally under her spell.” One of my braver team members whispered: “Sarah… have you considered… leaving? If you go, we all go with you.” The rest of the team looked at me with expectation. My heart warmed, but I just smiled. “Don’t be silly. I have a job to do. Let’s focus on the work we have.” They exchanged looks. It seemed they read something else in my calm demeanor. Hope, perhaps. Just then, my phone rang. Caller ID: Liam Hayes. He must have finally cooed his “little rabbit” to sleep.

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I always thought that choosing him as my first love meant I’d never have any regrets, even if we eventually broke up. So, I chased after Felix Vance with everything I had. Eventually, I won him over. He agreed to date me, but with three strict rules: We only date, we never marry, and the day we graduate college, we break up. I happily agreed. We were together for three years, living out the absolute pinnacle of a college romance. But on graduation day, when I initiated the breakup… He backed out. I was shocked and horrified. “Didn’t we have a deal? We break up at graduation!” I remember clearly how that conversation ended. We crashed and burned. Felix, a man who had always kept his head held high in arrogant pride, lowered it. He gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Harper Quinn, you better pray our paths never cross again.” From that day on, I avoided him like the plague. But unfortunately, God loves a good joke. The world is too small, and eventually, people are bound to run into each other again. 01 Felix and I tacitly adhered to an unspoken rule throughout our relationship. We were strictly a campus couple. The moment we stepped off campus—like during holidays or breaks—we went our separate ways and zero contact was made. During those days of silence, he was the famous heir of the Vance empire in New York City, and I was just nobody Harper Quinn from Columbus, Ohio. We didn’t text, we didn’t call, and we didn’t ask about each other’s whereabouts. It was as if we were both entirely single. I always thought this weird, niche relationship dynamic would last right up until our graduation breakup. However, the summer after our sophomore year was unusually long—a full eighty days. Before leaving campus, Felix asked me, “Will you miss me?” I hugged him and pouted playfully. “Mhm. I’ll miss you so, so much.” He pulled me into his chest, kissed the top of my head, and didn’t say anything stupid like, “Call me if you miss me.” I always appreciated that rational, pragmatic side of Felix. He came from a powerful, elite family. His future wife would undoubtedly be chosen from the same high-society circles. We both knew perfectly well that we had no future together. The reason he dated me was probably just to experience a pure, uncomplicated college romance. And I just happened to fit his exact taste in girlfriends. On campus, Felix was my boyfriend. Off campus, when he became the untouchable Mr. Vance, he didn’t want my existence interfering with his real life. I respected his boundaries, played along perfectly, and never once crossed the line. At the time, I never expected that Felix would be the one to break his own rules. That summer break was too long. He text me saying he was heading back to campus early—a full month ahead of our agreed-upon return date. I was surprised when I got the message. I teased him, “Why are you going back so early? Did you miss me?” He didn’t reply to that message. But after that, whenever there was a long break, Felix would ask, “Want to go on a trip together?” Most of the time, I happily agreed. We visited many cities together. We watched the stars in the desert and the sunset on tropical islands. Whenever I was admiring the scenery, I was usually very focused, so I’d always get startled by Felix suddenly kissing me out of nowhere. He loved cupping my face and kissing me from a dominant, downward angle. It was a very aggressive posture. When it came to physical intimacy, Felix liked to take control; he liked me to be the one forced to endure it. However, every time we reached the critical moment, I would kill the mood and tell him to stop. Felix’s eyes would be dark with lust, his Adam’s apple bobbing with suppressed need. He wouldn’t argue. He would just raise an eyebrow and ask, “What’s wrong?” My answer was always the same: “I don’t want to.” Even when desire was clawing at him and he was covered in a thin layer of sweat, as long as I said stop, he would always control himself. He would go into the bathroom, take a freezing cold shower, come back out, hold me, and just sleep. As my rejections piled up, Felix seemed to catch on to what I was thinking. Whenever things started to get too heated, he didn’t even wait for me to say no. He would consciously get up and go take a cold shower. There was only one exception. That day, he saw a text message from a guy friend pop up on my phone. He asked, “Who is this?” I didn’t hide it from him. “He’s a friend from back home in Ohio.” He didn’t say anything else at the time. But that night, his attitude became forceful. I pushed him away. He pinned my wrists above my head against the headboard and kept going. I dodged his kisses, emphasizing, “Felix, I don’t want to!” “Why don’t you want to?” he demanded. “Is it because of that ‘friend’ from Ohio?” He was normally such a proud, composed guy, but when he got jealous, he was as unreasonable and impossible to soothe as a rabid dog. I never explicitly spelled it out, but Felix probably knew the truth. The reason I didn’t want to take that final step with him was because I knew he wouldn’t be the man standing beside me in the end. I didn’t want the bond between us to become too deep. Felix was a gentleman. He understood my boundaries and never forced me to do anything against my will. It was just that, every time we got intimately tangled up after that, it felt like he was competing with an invisible rival, dragging the tension out to agonizing lengths. 02 The spring semester of our senior year arrived. The day we had agreed to break up was rapidly approaching. The thought of ending the relationship made me feel a genuine pang of reluctance. To spare myself future pain, I started mentally preparing for the separation early, practicing detachment. For our trip that year, Felix planned a trip to the UK. On our second day in Kent, while I was still jet-lagged and half-asleep, a group of people burst into my hotel room. I was forcibly wrestled into a wedding dress, given flawless bridal makeup, and ushered out of the hotel and into a waiting horse-drawn carriage. I have no idea when Felix managed to arrange all of this. He and I held a wedding ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral, officiated personally by a priest. There were no guests. Just him and me. It was an unacknowledged, secret wedding. It wasn’t until the moment we exchanged rings that I finally understood why he had inexplicably demanded a ring from me for his birthday that year. It turned out it was only so that, in this very moment of exchanging vows, I would actually have a ring to give him. It was a legally invalid wedding. We both knew that perfectly well. But that night, as Felix, breathing heavily, started to pull away to take his customary cold shower, I grabbed him. I pulled him down onto the bed and kissed him fiercely. His entire body shuddered. His voice cracked as he gasped, “Harper Quinn.” I playfully scolded, “It’s our wedding night, Felix. Don’t be such a buzzkill.” Whatever. I thought to myself, I don’t care where his future takes him. For today, and today only, I, Harper Quinn, am Felix Vance’s bride. I allowed myself this one indulgence. Just this once. But I thought it would be just once. It ended up being many, many times. Some boundaries, once crossed, leave you with no solid ground to stand on. You just keep breaking them, retreating step by step until you surrender completely. Felix and I both lost control. The brakes completely failed. I told myself, Just treat it as a final, reckless indulgence before the countdown ends. Leave some crazy memories behind. At least I made the most of my time with Felix Vance. I wasn’t sure exactly when Felix was going to initiate the breakup. After all, our original agreement was just: date, don’t marry, break up at graduation. It didn’t specify an exact date. I lived in a state of agonizing suspense for a while, but he never brought it up. My flight back to Ohio was already booked. I couldn’t drag it out any longer. Felix and I needed a formal goodbye. I proactively asked him out to a quiet restaurant near campus and initiated the breakup. I had imagined how Felix would react. I figured he would maintain his usual style—accept it with breezy indifference, and then, like a perfect gentleman, say a polite goodbye. I never expected that he would look at me quietly and say, “No.” My brain didn’t process it fast enough. I stared at him blankly. “What do you mean, ‘no’?” He stared deeply into my eyes. “Harper Quinn, I don’t want to break up.” 03 My mind suddenly dissolved into chaos. Felix was absolutely not the type to go back on his word. He always honored his promises; his word was gold. So, I had been firmly convinced that our breakup was set in stone. I never, in my wildest dreams, expected him to back out. When did he change his mind? I hadn’t noticed a single clue. Panic started to set in. Because I had genuinely never considered continuing a future with Felix. Breaking up at graduation—to me, that agreement was a win-win scenario. Felix’s last-minute change of heart caught me completely off guard. I couldn’t speak. I could only stare at him in stunned disbelief. My reaction was probably drastically different from what he had anticipated. A rare note of urgency bled into his voice. “I know what you’re worried about.” “Harper, give me five years.” “In five years, I promise, the Vance family will never interfere with my marriage.” “When that time comes, we’ll hold a new wedding. We’ll invite all our friends and family to witness it. We’ll get the official, legally binding marriage certificate from City Hall, and we’ll proudly announce to the world that we belong only to each other.” “Harper,” he asked me, “What do you say?” Faced with his earnest, desperate plea, I felt incredibly guilty. My eyes darted around the room, avoiding his gaze. I braced myself and stammered out, “Didn’t… didn’t we have an agreement? We break up at graduation.” Felix was visibly stunned. He asked, almost unconsciously, “What?” Things had escalated to this point. If I didn’t make myself crystal clear, it would only lead to more misunderstandings. I took a deep breath and said bluntly, “I want to break up.” Felix’s gaze snapped to mine like a physical weapon, sharp enough to cause actual pain. He rested his arms casually on the dining table, staring straight at me, his entire body radiating a terrifying, suffocating aura. “Why?” That single word carried a faint trace of deadness. It felt like, rather than seeking an answer to his confusion, he wanted to hear the brutal truth straight from my mouth. I had never felt this kind of oppressive pressure from Felix before. Adopting a ‘rip the band-aid off’ mentality, I spilled every single thought I had been holding back. “Because we don’t match.” “I don’t have grand ambitions. I just want to eat well, sleep well, and live a comfortable, easy life.” “I don’t want to be bullied and scrutinized because of a massive class divide.” “And I definitely don’t want to exhaust myself trying to navigate complex, high-society family politics.” “Once I marry you, all of that is inevitable.” “So, the truth is, I never actually planned on continuing this relationship with you in the future.” By the end of my speech, my voice had dropped to a whisper. I suddenly realized that, compared to Felix, I was actually the cruel one. He had been meticulously plotting out our future, while I had been carefully calculating my own gains and losses. It was as if… on our shared battlefield, he was determined to fight to the death for us. While I had packed my bags and prepared my escape route ages ago. And I had absolutely no intention of looking back. “I’ve made myself clear,” I said, scrambling to my feet. Like a coward fleeing the scene, I hastily threw out one last sentence: “I’m leaving. Take care of yourself.” I turned around. My arm was grabbed. His grip was like iron, stubbornly refusing to let go. My heart pounding with panic, I looked back. Felix remained seated at the table, looking up at me. A man so incredibly proud, yet right now he looked like he had been left out in the freezing rain, radiating a bone-chilling cold. He asked, “If you never intended to have a future with me, why did you give yourself to me?” My breath hitched. I ripped my arm out of his grasp and faked a breezy tone. “Wow, I can’t believe you actually care about that? I really don’t care that much.” He looked like he had been stung. The light in his eyes shattered and wavered. Then, he twitched the corner of his mouth, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. He let go of me and slowly stood up from his chair. His towering frame instantly engulfed me in shadow. He stood perfectly straight, refusing to bend, only lowering his eyelids to look down at me. “Harper Quinn, you better pray our paths never cross again. Because if they do, I don’t know what I might do to you.” My face remained blank, but my palms were drenched in sweat. I felt a pang of regret. I never should have provoked him. That day, I fled the restaurant like a complete mess, running back to Ohio without ever looking back. From then on, even when traveling, I deliberately avoided New York City. I thought I would never see Felix Vance again in this lifetime. But in the end, human plans are no match for fate… 04 My cousin married into a wealthy family and invited me to her wedding. The wedding was in New York City. When I saw the location, I flat-out declined the invitation. However, when the groom’s family was vetting the guest list for the bride’s side, they circled only one name—mine—deeming me the only one “qualified” to make an appearance. In other words, the bride’s own parents weren’t even allowed to attend their daughter’s wedding. My cousin’s mother, my aunt, came to my house personally to beg me. She pleaded with me to act as the sole representative of the bride’s family, to “hold up appearances” for my cousin. I was forced to accept this absurd mission. We were put up in a luxury hotel. My cousin was to be married out of the hotel the next day. The night before the wedding, a young girl added my cousin on social media and sent her over a dozen intimate photos of herself with the groom-to-be, along with a video clip. At a mansion thirty miles outside the city, a “Final Bachelor Party” was in full swing. Men and women, scantily clad and easy on the eyes, were partying hard. In the video, the seductive young girl was sweetly making out with the groom. My cousin calmly locked her phone screen, called me and the other six bridesmaids over, and said, “Let’s go. We’re going to a party.” I never expected to see Felix again. New York City was massive, after all. I thought, What are the chances? It had been four years, and the very first time I set foot in New York, I would bump right into him? But God really loves a good joke. My cousin went there to establish dominance. Without a moment of hesitation, she slapped the young girl across the face. The girl, furious and refusing to back down, tried to look to the groom for backup. She quickly realized he was just standing there, grinning, with zero intention of stepping in. The groom’s name was Nathan Thorne. What the girl didn’t know was that my cousin and Nathan had set three ground rules before getting married. No matter how much Nathan screwed around outside, my cousin had to turn a blind eye. The only exception was if his side pieces dared to provoke her to her face. If she disciplined them, Nathan was not allowed to interfere. The girl had severely miscalculated her importance in Nathan’s heart. My cousin grabbed her by the hair and literally threw her out the door. Nathan acted like nothing had happened. He casually closed the door, happily wrapped his arm around my cousin’s waist, and told her, “Don’t cause a scene. Since you’re here, come say hi to Felix.” My cousin had just finished a brawl. Her collar was torn open, her hair a tangled mess. She calmly smoothed herself out and said, “Alright. Let me freshen up, I’ll be right there.” Nathan left her and headed over first. Over in that area sat a table of people. Handsome men and beautiful women, all incredibly polished. I couldn’t tell if they were playing a board game or just chatting. Overall, compared to the raucous noise by the pool, that area seemed quiet. My cousin glanced in that direction, then sneakily gathered the bridesmaids close, whispering conspiratorially, “See that table? Aside from the guy sitting dead center, the rest of them are pretty decent targets.” Curious, I looked over at the guy sitting in the center. With one glance, I froze. It took me a long time to pull my gaze away. I saw him. He didn’t see me. It was Felix Vance. The Felix Vance who was four years older than my memory of him. He had shed the raw youth of his college days. His features were deeper, more composed, and he radiated an aura of overwhelming, distinguished elegance. Among the bridesmaids, the most strikingly beautiful girl immediately felt a pang of indignation when her eyes landed on him. She asked my cousin, “Why not him?” My cousin tugged on the girl’s arm, her tone unusually serious and stern. “Him? We can’t reach that high. Don’t even harbor delusional fantasies, unless you want to bring disaster upon yourself.” The girl’s name was Chloe. She had a haughty personality, but hearing this, she gave a quiet “Oh,” seemingly taking the advice to heart. 05 I used my lack of social skills as an excuse to avoid going over to say hello. “Are you crazy?” My cousin grabbed me and dragged me forward. “With your looks, you need to be meeting more elite bachelors!” She acted like a thug. Terrified of making a scene, I hastily compromised. I followed behind her, trying to remain invisible as we approached the table. My cousin called Felix “Mr. Vance,” greeting him with perfect, respectful etiquette. Felix was, as always, the picture of a perfect gentleman. Though… it wasn’t exactly the same. There was a heavy sense of detachment about him now. It made people feel like he was easygoing, but in reality, incredibly unapproachable. My cousin smiled radiantly. “If I had known you were here, Mr. Vance, I would have brought my girls over to hang out much earlier.” Chloe flawlessly caught the cue. She greeted Felix with poised confidence, following my cousin’s lead. “Hello, Mr. Vance~” Felix lifted his eyes and gave her a passing glance. His smile was razor-thin. A young man sitting nearby chimed in to smooth things over. “Not many people get to call him that so casually, sweetheart. You better stick with calling him Mr. Vance like the rest of us.” Chloe playfully stuck her tongue out and gracefully apologized, “My apologies, Mr. Vance.” I silently praised her high emotional intelligence in my head. She effortlessly diffused the awkwardness, but then my cousin suddenly spoke up: “Mr. Vance, this is my cousin, Harper Quinn.” As she spoke, she stepped to the side, fully exposing me hiding behind her. The space in front of me suddenly cleared, and several pairs of eyes landed on me. The gaze shooting straight at me from the front was exceptionally sharp. Almost the instant he looked over, I felt a suffocating, aggressive pressure wash over me. Knowing I couldn’t hide, I slowly raised my eyes and looked back, meeting that familiar yet strangely foreign face. I clenched my fists, forcing a calm demeanor, and smiled. “Hello, Mr. Vance~” Felix’s lips pressed into a tight, strained line. He stared at me, not saying a single word. His entire demeanor became terrifyingly cold and severe. The atmosphere wasn’t terrible, actually. We were both just hiding it very well. No one noticed that anything was wrong between us. My cousin continued introducing her other friends. The bridesmaids were actively trying to blend into the table’s conversation. Felix’s friends were quite friendly, giving my cousin face, and the vibe remained lively. Until Felix suddenly called out, “Harper Quinn.” He called my name out of nowhere. His voice wasn’t loud. But it instantly silenced the entire area. My heart gave a violent, uncontrollable jolt, and I instinctively looked at him. He sat on the sofa, leaning his head back to look up at me. His face was devoid of any emotion. From his throat, he slowly spat out four words. He said, “Long time no see.” Then, there was a pin-drop silence. It felt like seconds ticked by before my cousin, shocked, found her voice. “Harper, you and Mr. Vance… you know each other?” The question was finally laid bare in front of me in public. I was speechless. I meticulously filtered through my thoughts before giving an answer: “We went to the same college.” Felix hadn’t taken his eyes off me. Hearing my response, his body visibly stiffened. He stood up from the sofa and walked slowly toward me, step by step. He didn’t move fast, but he carried a heavy, suffocating aura, like a dark thundercloud crackling with lightning. He stopped right in front of me and asked, his voice dripping with self-mockery: “So, I don’t even qualify as an ex-boyfriend?”

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On the final day to submit college applications, my childhood sweetheart suddenly changed his top choice to the same university as the prom queen. His friends teased him: “What about your little shadow?” “Didn’t you two promise six years ago to go to MIT together?” My childhood sweetheart seemed to just remember this. He paused, then answered carelessly: “Oh, Maya? It’s fine. She has my account login.” “When she realizes I changed my application, she’ll just change hers to follow me. It’s not like she can live without me anyway.” I stood in silence for a long time. Then I quietly walked away, pretending I hadn’t heard a thing. That day, I never logged back into the application portal to check, and I didn’t change my top choice to follow him. What he didn’t know was… He could cross mountains and seas for the prom queen, but I also had a sky I wanted to fly towards. Even that dream I had desperately tried to achieve through countless days and nights—it was never just for him. 01 Liam’s words froze me in place, making me almost forget to breathe. Working hard together to get into MIT—that was a promise we made back in seventh grade. During the two days the application portal was open, our families even sat down together and spent a long time discussing it before solemnly finalizing our choices. But now, he had suddenly changed his. And he didn’t even say a word to me about it. Inside the private room of the restaurant, his friend asked curiously: “How do you know Maya will log back into your account to check?” “What if she doesn’t even notice…” Liam acted like he had just heard a joke, casually scoffing: “More than just check. I know her too well.” “She’d log in eight hundred times a day to double-check if she could, terrified of putting in the wrong info and ending up in a different major than me.” He sounded a bit exasperated as he said this. “You wouldn’t understand. If you had a little shadow clinging to you every day since childhood that you couldn’t shake off, you’d get it.” A wave of laughter erupted around him. His friends seemed to understand, but one still argued: “Even if she finds out, are you that sure Maya will change her application at the last minute just to follow you?” Liam looked up from the game on his phone, letting out a short, derisive laugh. “Get out of here.” “Maya hasn’t been apart from me for more than a week since the day she was born. If she doesn’t go to college with me, who else is she going to go with?” Another friend couldn’t help but interject: “Liam, not gonna lie, what you did was a bit messed up.” “Couldn’t you have just told her directly that you changed your application?” Liam’s finger paused on his screen, a look of annoyance crossing his face: “I honestly forgot. It’s annoying, and I couldn’t be bothered to explain everything to her.” “If she knew I changed it for Chloe, she’d throw another fit.” “And it’s not like I changed it for no reason. Chloe said she was scared to go to college down South all by herself, and that having a familiar friend there would make her feel safer.” The friends all paused, then sighed in unspoken agreement: “True. Chloe is so gorgeous, and with her family situation… it really makes you want to protect her.” “Unlike your little lapdog, Maya. Always looking like a mess, only caring about studying. Compared to the prom queen, she’s definitely lacking.” “Tsk, tsk. To think you’d give up the aerospace engineering major you loved so much just to play the white knight for her, Liam.” … The joking and gaming sounds continued inside. Outside the door, I felt like I had plunged into an icy cavern. I clenched my fists tight. I wanted so badly to burst through that door, grab Liam, and scream at him. But my feet felt like lead; I couldn’t take a single step. I stood there in silence for who knows how long. In the end, I couldn’t muster the courage. I just turned around wordlessly. And walked away from the restaurant in a daze. 02 It was only when I locked myself in my room that the tears I had been holding back finally broke the dam. In my mind, Liam’s words echoed, word for word. I still couldn’t understand it. How could he change the aerospace major he had loved since he was a kid at the very last minute? We had clearly promised to work hard together for so many years, and we had finally gotten the scores we needed for our dream program. Even a second before I walked toward that private room, I was still foolishly happy that we were going to achieve our dreams together. But I never would have imagined… That the future for the two of us, which I had fought tooth and nail for… He would casually throw it away just because of one sentence from someone else. But even if he was going to change it, why couldn’t he even manage to tell me? Was he really that afraid I would cling to him? If he was so afraid of me clinging to him, then under the starry sky on his eighteenth birthday… That proactive yet careful kiss from him, that heart-pounding moment for both of us—what was that? Was it just a spur-of-the-moment thing when he was tipsy, which I foolishly misinterpreted as something serious? A string in my heart seemed to suddenly snap. Actually, I didn’t have to follow him. Since kindergarten, I had attended the same elementary, middle, and high schools as Liam. Everyone, even Liam himself, assumed I would always be with him and that we would never separate. But no one knew that, aside from relying on him, I had another reason for wanting to go to that university. And it had nothing to do with Liam. Even if he didn’t go, I would go by myself. I closed the laptop I had unconsciously opened earlier. I didn’t want to look at that application portal for another second. And I had absolutely no desire to change my own application for him. He could cross mountains and seas for the prom queen, but I also had a sky I wanted to fly towards. Since we had different paths ahead, there was no need to dwell on the past. 03 Once I thought it through, everything suddenly felt clear. It wasn’t a big deal. My mom was right; people always have to learn to grow up on their own. As for that kiss… I’ll just pretend I got bitten by a stray dog on the street. Just as I splashed cold water on my face and calmed down, Liam sent me a FaceTime request. My brain was still hesitating, but my finger reflexively hit accept. “Maya, why aren’t you here yet? “Everyone is here, we’re just waiting for you to start eating. Why are you getting slower and slower, princess?” After high school graduation, Liam and his close group of friends agreed to take turns hosting a dinner every day to relax. Today it was Liam’s turn to treat. But I didn’t want to go anymore. “I’m not going, you guys eat without…” Before I could finish, I heard a deliberately lowered, whiny voice coming from next to Liam. “Liam, Maya won’t come. Is she unhappy that I came to your little friend group’s dinner?” Before Liam could reply, several male voices nearby rushed to reassure her. “No way! We’re thrilled the prom queen graced us with her presence.” “Maya is just a bit petty. She throws a fit whenever any girl gets too close to Liam. We’re used to it.” A small portion of Chloe’s profile casually appeared in Liam’s camera frame, leaning extremely close to him. She used a breathy voice to explain to him, playing the understanding victim: “Liam, maybe I should just go. I don’t want to make things difficult for you…” Liam’s expression changed instantly. He turned and reached out to grab her: “Chloe, you don’t need to go. “I don’t know what’s wrong with Maya today. If she doesn’t want to come, then she shouldn’t. “We’re not waiting for her anymore. Let’s eat.” After snapping at me coldly, Liam ended the FaceTime call before I could respond. My anger flared, and I immediately blocked Liam’s number. From childhood until now, this was the first time we had fought and I had blocked him. And it was over Chloe again. 04 Ever since Chloe transferred to our school in junior year. I’ve lost count of how many times Liam broke his own rules for her. Maybe boys just like pure, pretty girls like that. During the days when I looked my worst, burying my head in my studies… Chloe seemed to never settle for less. She always woke up early to do her perfect “no-makeup” makeup, always looking so exquisite and beautiful. Because of Chloe, we fought countless times and had countless cold wars. I even thought he liked Chloe and decided to give up on him, intentionally distancing myself from him a few times in silence. But every time, Liam would find me and repeatedly assure me. “What are you imagining? Chloe and I are just normal classmates. I don’t have any other intentions, don’t overthink it. “I just think she has it rough and want to help her out. Her family situation is complicated. The other students praise her looks to her face, but behind her back, they judge her.” I believed Liam’s words. Chloe did have a complicated family, so I didn’t make too much of a fuss about her getting closer and closer to him. Besides, growing up, Liam had never lied to me. He personally said he didn’t like her, so I believed him. But later, without me realizing it, Liam gradually started doing many, many things with her that I didn’t know about. And now. He had even casually changed his college application for Chloe. It made me look even more ridiculous. I thought about a lot of messy things until my thoughts were gathered by a text notification. [Maya, you’ve got some nerve, blocking me? You better be waiting for me when I get home.] (Angry Emoji) Liam used his friend’s phone to text me. I immediately blocked his friend’s number too. I checked the time, quickly got ready, and headed to school. It was the last day for college applications, and our homeroom teacher had called us in for one final meeting with some instructions. Traffic was a bit heavy. By the time I arrived, Liam and Chloe were already in the classroom. Chloe was sitting firmly in the seat next to Liam—my seat. Seeing me approach, she made no move to get up and let me in, her eyes full of smugness. Liam acted like he didn’t notice. His expression was cold, and he deliberately turned his head away to avoid looking at me. He seemed to be waiting for me to lower my head and beg. But I wouldn’t. Perfect. I didn’t want to sit next to Liam anymore anyway. I looked around and sat in an empty seat next to my best friend, Lily. Far, far away from them. “Class, there’s only half a day left for the college applications. Please be cautious and double-check everything carefully. “For those who still haven’t finalized their choices, you can come to me individually for advice.” The teacher gave a few brief instructions and let us have free time. I was listening to Lily share some celebrity gossip when I felt a tap on the top of my head. “Maya, come outside for a second.” I turned my head and met Liam’s eyes. I looked away, not wanting to engage with him. I turned back to continue chatting with Lily. Liam grabbed my shoulders and forcibly turned me to face him. “Maya, what are you throwing a fit about this time? “I’m really tired of this. Every time we fight and give each other the silent treatment like this. We’re about to go to college, isn’t this childish?” Forced to look at him, I snapped back in annoyance: “It is childish, and it’s boring. So stop coming to me and begging.” After staring each other down for a moment, Liam lost his patience. “Whatever, I’m too lazy to argue with someone so petty. “Keep acting if you want, just don’t cry about it alone in your room tonight.” I kept my face cold and refused to look at him. A moment later, I thought he had left. But Liam grabbed my face with both hands again, looked me straight in the eyes, and said seriously: “Today is the last day for applications. Check it over carefully again, don’t make any mistakes…” He wanted to say more, but Chloe suddenly appeared in front of him, holding a laptop. “Liam, I have a little problem with my application here. Could you help me look at it?” Liam nodded. Before leaving, he pinched my cheek like he always used to, and gave me one last reminder. “Why didn’t you bring your laptop? Remember to go to the school computer lab later and check your application one last time. “You can’t be careless with something this important.” 05 I sneered internally. Liam probably thought that since he reminded me, I would definitely go check, and once I found the discrepancy, I would immediately change my choice to NYU to follow him. But he was being awkward about it, refusing to just tell me clearly and directly. And yeah, if he told me directly that he changed his application, he’d have to spend a lot of effort explaining it to a “difficult” person like me. That would be too exhausting. It’s a good thing I had already made up my mind and would never turn back. Glancing at Liam, who was busy helping Chloe with her application, I pulled Lily out of the classroom. I was about to order an Uber home, but Lily saw I was unhappy and insisted on dragging me to a birthday party for one of her sorority sisters. Unable to say no, I had to tag along. After dinner, they dragged me to a newly opened club. It was only when we got there that I realized Liam’s group was having their party here tonight too. Since there were a lot of people who knew each other between the two groups, we naturally ended up hanging out in the same large VIP booth. Liam looked a bit awkward when he saw me. But he didn’t say anything, and he didn’t greet me. I treated him like he was invisible too. When I was heading to the restroom, I overheard Liam and his friend talking around the corner. The friend was advising him. “You should just be straight with her. It’s pretty tough for a young girl like her to go all the way to Boston [MIT] alone.” Liam still didn’t seem to care. “Don’t worry, I specifically reminded her multiple times. “She definitely already changed it. She’s probably just mad at me right now because I didn’t discuss it with her beforehand.” While I was spacing out, the two of them stepped out from around the corner. Seeing me, Liam signaled his friend to go ahead with his eyes, then turned around and cornered me in the hallway. “Maya, we need to talk.” I rolled my eyes at him and turned to leave. I barely took a step before he pulled me back, trapping me in the corner against the wall. The smell of alcohol, slightly tipsy, hit my face. I couldn’t help but turn my head away. After staring at me for a moment, Liam couldn’t hold it in and laughed softly first: “Still mad? I originally wanted to text you to come to the club together this afternoon. But you blocked me, so the message didn’t go through. “And then I was so mad at you in the classroom that I forgot to tell you. “Alright, be good. Stop being mad. I don’t even know what you’re so angry about today. “By the way, you checked your application, right?” I remained expressionless and didn’t want to talk to him. I kept my head down without saying a word. While we were in this standoff and he was about to say something else, Chloe’s voice suddenly echoed behind him. “Liam, Brad is looking for you to do a shot. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, are you guys…” Sometimes I wonder if Chloe installed a tracking device on him. Every time Liam and I talk, she immediately appears. But I didn’t want to chat with them. Taking advantage of Liam turning his head, I ducked out from under his arm. But as I passed Chloe, she grabbed me tight. 06 “I’m really sorry, Maya. I didn’t mean to interrupt you guys. Liam has been in a bad mood all day because you’ve been giving him the cold shoulder. “Can I apologize to you? Please don’t fight over me anymore.” Chloe said, posturing to stand in front of me and bow. I didn’t want to deal with her. Her grip on my hand hurt, so I forcefully shook it off. Chloe stumbled, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes. “Liam, is Maya still mad that I went to your little friend group’s dinner? “I can apologize to her. Please don’t be awkward with each other because of me anymore.” Liam instantly got angry and immediately turned around to block Chloe. “It’s her own princess temper. Why are you apologizing to her? “Maya, why did you push her? You should apologize to Chloe. “We’re all going to be at the same university in the future, we need to look out for each other.” “Since you love taking care of people so much, you guys can take care of each other.” I threw that sentence at them and stormed off. I didn’t care about Liam’s dissatisfied warning from behind. “Maya, you’re crossing the line.” It was a good while before Liam and Chloe came back. Liam’s face was stiff, but Chloe seemed fine, looking all shy and blushing. Except for Lily, everyone else started teasing them about being gone so long and definitely having a secret, using Truth or Dare to deliberately create romantic moments for them. Even Liam’s closest friends joined in on the teasing, not caring at all if I would feel embarrassed or bothered. Makes sense. In their eyes, I was just Liam’s pathetic lapdog. Chloe ended up drawing a dare to do a sexy dance with a guy in the room, and she immediately locked pleading eyes on Liam. Liam subtly glanced at me, as if provoking me, and gladly agreed to cooperate with her. If it had been in the past, I would definitely have jumped out in anger and stopped it. But now, I had no reaction. Chloe had joined the hip-hop dance club at school, and she had a really hot body, so she was great to watch. I quietly downed a can of beer. I calmly watched Chloe, accompanied by a sexy K-pop track, grinding and dancing closely around Liam. Liam had a faint smile playing on his lips. At first, he kept glancing over at me, seemingly waiting for me to call it off at any moment. As Chloe got closer and more intimate, he stopped caring about his surroundings. He sat up straight, his gaze entirely focused on Chloe’s figure. Sparks were practically flying between the two of them. As the song ended, Chloe ‘accidentally’ fell into Liam’s lap. She was wearing a tight pencil skirt tonight, and she fell face-first into Liam’s lap. They hugged tightly, their seating position undeniably intimate. The crowd’s cheers were deafening, almost blowing the roof off. Chloe’s face instantly turned bright red, looking like she wanted to find a place to hide. Liam cursed at everyone, telling them not to take the joke too far. But his hand firmly pressed Chloe’s face into his chest, shielding her from the crowd’s gaze. That kind of natural intimacy and familiarity used to be exclusive to me. Even though I had already decided to give up, actually seeing it still made my heart ache uncontrollably. I couldn’t watch it anymore. I finished the last sip of my drink and silently left the booth. Lily couldn’t take it either. She followed me out and accompanied me as I cursed him out on the sidewalk for a long time. She had held it in all night, almost snapping at them right then and there several times, but I had stopped her. Why ruin the mood? From now on, we were just strangers anyway. I didn’t know how things ended up inside; I just felt exhausted and didn’t care about anything anymore. When I got home, it was exactly 11:55 PM. There were only five minutes left until the college application deadline. I was completely drained. I closed my eyes and lay on my bed. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t disappointed in my heart. Over a decade of feelings, you can’t just let them go. While I was feeling sad, my phone suddenly rang. Unknown number. When I answered, it was a drunk Liam. His tone carried a rare, coaxing quality: “Maya, stop being stubborn, be good. Remember to change your application. “NYU is pretty great too. We can go to the Hamptons on the weekends, I’ll take photos of you by the ocean.” 07 Maybe it was the alcohol, but Liam’s attitude was unusually gentle. In the past, when I threw tantrums, even when he was the first to apologize, it was always with a half-threatening tone— “Maya, stop it. If you keep this up, don’t expect me to take you to Disneyland.” And then I would obediently take the out and forgive him. When you truly like someone, how can you bear to really fall out with them? But this time. The more out of character he was, the worse I felt inside. “Say something, Maya… Maya papaya… how about it? “Haven’t you always been whining about wanting to go on a beach vacation… I heard the new campus is right by the water, you’ll definitely love it. “Honestly, Boston is a bit too far, and the winters are so freezing. You hate the cold so much, you’d definitely cry… Or if you really want to go, I can take you to ski in Vermont during winter break, okay…” Liam rambled on and on, as if trying to convince himself, or maybe trying to convince me. As if changing to go to NYU was all for my sake. I listened in silence for a while, and finally couldn’t help but ask him: “Liam, isn’t there something you need to tell me?” My tone carried a sob that even I hadn’t noticed. I thought, if he could just be honest about his own issues right now, then maybe in the future… we could still be normal friends. If he still chose not to address it clearly now, then really, there was no need to stay in touch anymore. He paused for a few seconds on the other end, then mumbled evasively: “…You already know, what’s there to ask. “You’ve been mad at me all day over this, you’re such a petty princess. “Alright, alright, they’re both good schools anyway. You chose the major you liked, as long as we’re together, it’s the same no matter what college we go to…” Liam went on and on about a lot of things, but he just wouldn’t address the core issue. I couldn’t be bothered to listen anymore. The last chance. Was gone. I didn’t wait for him to finish; I just hung up and turned off my phone. I glanced at the clock. The second hand had just crossed midnight. There was no room for regret anymore. That’s fine. I chose this path myself. We both got what we wanted. I turned off the light, lay flat, and forced myself to sleep. But when I closed my eyes, my mind was full of Liam. Happy, sad, funny, angry—all the different versions of Liam. We grew up together from kids to adults, keeping each other company. Every memory I had held his shadow. I never thought it would end like this. People are always especially fragile late at night. Even though I told myself to be strong during the day, my tears unknowingly soaked my pillowcase. In my haze, I didn’t know when I finally fell asleep. When I woke up, it was already noon the next day. I turned on my phone and found a bunch of missed calls and messages from an unknown number. All from Liam. I ignored them. WeChat was also blowing up. In a group chat with my close girlfriends that Lily had added me to, people were constantly tagging everyone to “spill the tea.”

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For as long as I can remember, my dad was the undisputed Hide-and-Seek Champion of our neighborhood. He always found the most impossible spots. He’d vanish completely, only to pop out grinning the second I finally yelled, “I surrender!” I got used to not being able to find him. I knew the rules. As long as I gave up, he’d appear. Then came that day. The day patrol cars lined the streets, and sirens wailed through the night. It felt like the whole city was looking for him. Everyone’s face was set in grim exhaustion. Everyone except me. I was buzzing with excitement. I remember proudly thinking, Daddy’s too good at this. Even the cops can’t find him. But when a detective in a suit handed my mom his badge and ID, she collapsed onto the floor. She screamed, a raw, soul-shattering sound that echoed through the house. I pulled on her sleeve, confusing gnawing at my stomach. “Mommy, is the game over? Did Daddy win?” She grabbed me, sobbing into my shoulder, barely able to choke out the words. “Maya, Daddy’s not coming back. Not ever.” I squeezed the old, marked-up map in my pocket and shook my head. You’re wrong, I thought. He told me. Only I can find the final treasure. But nobody believed me. They said I was just trauma-stricken, that I missed him too much to accept the truth. Later, Mom started throwing Dad’s things away. She told me I had to forget. They all gave up. But I didn’t. Dad is still waiting for me, and I’m going to find him. 1 “Maya, say hello to Mr. Miller.” I looked up, staring at the man in front of me. He had a tight smile that crinkled the skin around his eyes. His name was Robert Miller. He was my mom’s new boyfriend. “I got you the new Barbie, the dreamhouse edition,” he said, pushing a beautifully wrapped box toward me. His smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Do you like it?” I didn’t look at the box. My gaze shifted to the boy hiding behind Robert’s leg. He was half a head shorter than me, gripping Robert’s jacket. He shot me a look of pure provocation. I lowered my head, my fingers tracing the edges of the old map in my pocket. It was the last thing Dad gave me. The only clue to where he was hiding. My mom’s face went stiff. “Maya, Robert is talking to you.” Robert quickly waved it off. “It’s fine, Liz. Kids take time to adjust.” He squatted down, trying to meet my eye level. “Maya, I know you miss your dad. But we have to move forward, sweetheart.” “Liz and I, and Leo here—we’re all going to be here for you, okay? Like a family.” I snapped my head up, glaring at him with icy intensity. “My dad is just playing a game,” I said, my voice shaking but firm. “He’s coming back.” Robert’s fake smile froze. Mom sighed, pulling me aside. “Maya, stop this. Dad is—” “He’s not dead!” I screamed, cutting her off. “He’s waiting for me to find him!” Robert’s son, Leo, suddenly pointed at me and bust out laughing. “Stupid! Your dad’s dead and buried! My dad is your dad now!” Something inside me snapped. I was like a wild animal pushed into a corner. I lunged at him. The living room dissolved into chaos. Screaming, crying, and the sounds of breaking glass. It ended with Mom locking me in my room. Through the door, I could hear Leo sobbing, Mom trying to soothe him, and Robert playing the peacemaker. “She’s just a kid, Liz. Don’t be too hard on her.” “I shouldn’t have let Leo say that. It’s my fault for not teaching him better.” “We’re going to be a family soon. We have to learn to get along.” I leaned against the door, slowly sliding down to the floor. I pulled out the map and unfolded it. Dad, they all say you’re dead. They’ve all given up. But I know the truth. This is just the biggest, hardest game of hide-and-seek we’ve ever played. You’re waiting for me. And I’m coming to find you. Soon. 2 Robert and Leo. They were like two nails, hammered forcefully into the life Mom and I had built. Dad’s old home office was gutted and turned into Leo’s playroom. The picture of Dad in his dress blues on the wall was taken down, replaced by a “family portrait” of the four of us. In the photo, Mom and Robert were leaning into each other, smiling widely. Leo was next to me, flashing a peace sign, looking utterly smug. And there I was, stone-faced, staring at the camera like a total outsider. “Look, Maya,” Mom said, her voice hopeful. “Now it actually looks like a real home.” I said nothing. I just turned and went back to my room. I was becoming a ghost in my own house. All I did was study Dad’s map. It was a map of the old downtown area, covered in strange symbols he’d drawn over the years. Stars, crescent moons, random strings of numbers and letters. They were our secret code. “Maya, dinner! Stop wasting your time in there with that garbage!” Mom’s voice banged against the door, tight with exasperation. I hid the map under my mattress and walked out. At the table, Robert kept piling food onto Mom’s plate. Leo was buzzing around, bragging about his new school certificate like a fly that wouldn’t go away. “Mom, Liz, the teacher said I have the best imagination in class!” Leo slammed a drawing down on the table, looking proud. It was a crayon drawing of a police officer getting crushed under the foot of a giant monster. The officer’s face had been aggressively crossed out with a thick red marker. My stomach dropped. My vision blurred. “Leo!” Mom’s voice actually cracked with severity. Leo jumped, but immediately pouted. “What? It’s true. He’s just a useless, dead cop.” “Shut up!” I grabbed my glass of milk and threw it directly in his face. Leo froze for two full seconds, stunned by the cold liquid, before exploding into ear-piercing shrieks. “You ruined my drawing! I’m gonna tear up your stupid map!” He screamed, scrambling off his chair and sprinting toward my room like a maniac. My heart nearly stopped. I tried to run after him, but Robert caught me by the arm, his grip bruising. “Maya, how could you do that to your brother!” Through the apartment, I heard the sickening sound of paper tearing. I ripped my arm away from Robert and ran to my room. My map. It was torn in half. I stared at the pieces on the floor. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. “Maya Anne Quinn! Look at what you’ve done! Apologize to Leo right now!” Mom’s angry roar came from behind me. I slowly lifted my head, looking at the three of them standing in the doorway. They looked like a family. And I was just an intruder. “Get out.” “Get the hell out of my room.” 3 After that night, I effectively became the “Invisible Girl” of the house. I used clear tape to carefully piece the map back together, inch by inch. Every symbol felt like Dad was whispering clues directly to me. I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to activate the “treasure map.” The first marker was a star, drawn over the downtown public library. Dad used to take me there every weekend. He told me knowledge was the brightest star in the night sky. I lied to Mom, saying I was going to a friend’s house, and slipped away to the library. I followed his handwritten code: “A13-7.” I found the section, then the aisle. Row 13, shelf 7. It was an old, beaten-up copy of The Complete Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Our absolute favorite. My heart was banging against my ribs. I opened the book, flipping through the pages, careful not to attract attention. On page 137, I found it. Scrawled in the margin in extremely faint pencil, was a locker number and a combination code. I swallowed a gasp of pure joy. I broke into a run, heading straight for the Greyhound bus terminal in the city center. I stood in front of the locker. I took a deep breath, my hands shaking as I dialed in the code. Click. The metal door swung open. There was no Barbie doll. No secret stash of my favorite candy. Just a small, black metal box. I clutched the box to my chest and ran all the way back to the old apartment. We hadn’t sold it yet, and I still had my key. It was the only safe place I could think of. I locked myself in. The box had a tiny combination lock. The combination was Dad’s badge number. I dialed it in, easy. The lock opened. Inside was a key and a small USB drive. Underneath the drive, there was a sticky note. It was Dad’s handwriting. Fast, messy, energetic. To my little detective: Congratulations on passing Level One. The real game starts now. Remember, Game Rule #1: Trust no one. I clutched the sticky note, and the tears finally came. Dad. I knew it. I knew you were playing a game. I wiped my face and plugged the USB drive into my laptop. It held a single, encrypted file. The password prompt was: “My favorite song.” I didn’t even have to think about it. I typed in “The Downeaster ‘Alexa’” by Billy Joel. It was the song he always sang in the car, full volume. He said being a cop was like being a fisherman on a stormy sea—you had to be brave, or the waves would swallow you whole. The file decrypted. It was an audio file. I put on headphones and clicked play. It wasn’t Dad’s voice. It was a raspy, unfamiliar voice. “…The shipment is in. We do the deal at the old spot.” “Is the situation with Detective Quinn handled?” “Don’t worry. It’s tight. Internal Affairs is ruling it accidental line-of-duty. Nobody is looking closer.” “What about the kid?” “She’s a brat, fifteen. She’s not going to make waves. That map, though… we need to find it before she realizes what it is.” Everything went white. It felt like a bomb had gone off in my head. This wasn’t a game. 4 “Maya, what are you doing in there? Come out and eat dinner!” Mom’s voice banged against the door of the old apartment. I jumped violently, my heart leaping into my throat. I yanked the USB drive out of the port. I ran to the mirror, staring at the ghost staring back at me. My face was completely drained of color. Calm down. Maya Quinn, you have to be calm. Dad always said, The more dangerous the situation, the calmer you have to be. I took a shaky breath, forced my face into a neutral expression, and opened the door. “Coming, Mom.” At the dinner table back at the new house, Robert was playing the loving stepfather, loading food onto my plate. “Maya, honey, you need to eat more. You’re getting too thin.” He gave me that crinkled-eye smile. The same face that, just moments ago on the audio file, had sounded like a raw-throated monster. The raspy voice on the recording… it was distorted, but that unique, patronizing rhythm… it was Robert. It was definitely Robert. “Thanks, Robert.” I lowered my head, staring at the pasta on my plate, pretending to eat. “So, Maya,” Robert said, his voice casual, almost bored. “Your dad used to be into puzzles, right? I heard rumors he might have left you some kind of crazy scavenger hunt or something?” My hand jerked. My fork fell onto the floor, the metal clattering loudly in the sudden silence. Mom frowned, her mouth tight. ” Scavenger hunt? What are you talking about, Robert? It was just a stupid marked-up downtown map that she scribbles on. I told her to throw it away weeks ago.” “Threw it away? Oh, that’s a shame. I love a good puzzle.” I bent down to pick up my fork, my mind racing. He knows. He’s looking for the map. Later that night, I lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. The key I found in the metal box… what did it open? The “old spot” mentioned on the audio… where was that? Dad’s note said: Game Rule #1: Trust no one. But what was Rule #2? I sat up, pushing the covers off. I sat at my desk, turned on the small lamp, and unfolded the taped-up map. I stared at it, symbol by symbol. I couldn’t miss a single detail. In the bottom right corner, there was a tiny moon drawn in two different colors. Half was blue, half was red. I’d always assumed Dad had just grabbed the wrong marker when he drew it. But now… I remembered something. I opened my school bag and pulled out my student ID. The school logo on the back was a red and blue half-moon crescent shape. It represented “The moon reflecting on the bay.” Dad had hidden the next clue at my high school! My whole body started to shake with adrenaline. But the high school was massive. Where would I even begin to look? I stared at the map again, my brain working overtime. Next to the moon symbol, there was a string of numbers: “20100901.” September 1st, 2010. That was my birthday. Dad was using my birthday as a code. Birthday… The day the school was built? No. I suddenly remembered a huge assembly we had. Dad had been honored as a distinguished alumnus and had donated a massive collection of books to the school library. They even held a dedication ceremony. Right on the wall of the Alumni Hall of Fame. Under Dad’s photo, there was a small brass plaque. The dedication date carved into the brass was September 1st, 2010! Dad deliberately chose my birthday for the dedication date! The clue was in the Hall of Fame! 5 The next day, I lied again, saying I was going to an after-school study group. I knew the school’s blind spots. I avoided the cameras and slipped into the Hall of Fame. It didn’t take long to find Dad’s photo. He was in his dress blues, looking powerful and resolute. Dad. I’m here. I said it silently to myself. I carefully checked the brass plaque below the photo. It was held by security screws. It looked perfectly normal. I tapped on it with my knuckle. A solid thud. The clue wasn’t on the plaque. Then where? My gaze shifted back to the photo itself. Dad was holding his right hand over his chest. His index and middle fingers were positioned strangely, forming a shape. It wasn’t a peace sign. It looked more like… a number “7.” Seven? What does that mean? I backed up, looking around the entire hall. There were displays of school history everywhere. Trophies, old uniforms, original textbooks… My eyes finally landed on a row of display cases along the side wall. The seventh case. Inside, there were items from ” distinguished past students.” Models, artwork, old newspaper clippings… In the far corner of that case, I saw a small drawing. The signature in the corner: A. Quinn. My dad’s initials! Anthony Quinn. The drawing was of a night sky, but the symbols—stars, moons—they were the exact same style as on my map. In the bottom right corner of the drawing, there was a barely visible comet streaking across the paper. The comet’s tail pointed straight toward the edge of the frame. My heart hammered. I carefully lifted the glass edge of the display—it wasn’t locked. Nobody ever touched this stuff. I picked up the drawing and turned it over. On the back of the cheap frame, someone had used a blade to carve a tiny, deep groove. And inside that groove was a folded-up sticky note. I opened it, my hands trembling. There was just one line of text: Safe deposit box at State St. Bank. The key in your hand is the key to the treasure. The key from the metal box! I quickly put the drawing back and closed the display case. Just as I turned to leave, the heavy doors of the Hall of Fame pushed open. My soul nearly left my body. I dove behind a massive display board. It was Robert. He looked hurried. He walked directly up to Dad’s photo. He mimicked my actions from earlier—he knocked on the plaque, looked at the photo, his brows furrowed in intense confusion. He obviously didn’t understand Dad’s finger signal. He paced around irritably, then pulled out his phone and made a call. “…I haven’t found it yet.” “Yeah, the brat came to school today. I followed her here.” “She’s definitely smart, she knows something.” Whatever the person on the other end said made Robert’s expression turn ugly. “Don’t worry, I’ll get it out of her.” “She’s just a fifteen-year-old kid. You think she can outsmart me?” He hung up, cursed under his breath, and marched out. I leaned back against the display board, cold sweat running down my back. He really was tracking me. This wasn’t a game. It was a race against a murderer. And I had to get to that safe deposit box before he found me. I gripped the key tightly in my pocket. Dad, I got this. I’m not going to let them win. This game… we’re going to be the Hide-and-Seek Champions, together. 6 I couldn’t go home. Not to that house. It wasn’t my home anymore. It was just a prison guarded by a monster. I needed help. Dad’s note in the library had said, “A-13-7,” pointing to page 137 of Sherlock Holmes. I suddenly remembered—there was more scrawled in faint pencil in the margin of that page. Below the locker combo, it had said: “IA. Detective Davies.” Davies. I recognized that name. The night Dad was “killed,” Detective Davies had been the one who handed Mom Dad’s badge. He had patted my head and said, “Maya, your father was a hero. Be strong, okay?” IA. Internal Affairs. Dad was trying to tell me who I could trust. But I didn’t have his number. And I couldn’t use my phone—Robert was definitely tracking it. My only hope was the USB drive. Wait. What if the USB drive was a trap? What if Robert left it for me to find, to lead me to the police, where I’d be forced to hand it over? Game Rule #1: Trust no one. That was the first rule of the game. Could I even trust Detective Davies? I sat on a park bench, the sun setting, casting long shadows across the grass. I was hungry, my stomach growling, but I didn’t have any money. I had to figure this out. I couldn’t make a single mistake. The park lights hummed to life. A city maintenance worker pushed a trash cart past me. She had an old radio clipped to her belt, and a news bulletin was playing. “…Police are issuing an Amber Alert for Maya Quinn, age 15. She was last seen leaving high school yesterday afternoon. Her mother, Liz Miller, is begging for her return…” Mom had called the cops. Or rather, Robert had. It was a tactic to flush me out. I pulled my baseball cap lower and got up to leave. Suddenly, another news story on the radio made me stop dead in my tracks. “…City Police Captain David Rodriguez is holding a press conference today on the ‘Community Policing Initiative’ at the Central Police Station downtown…” Rodriguez! I remembered. IA, and Rodriguez… they worked on the same floor. If I could get to Central Station and find Davies, maybe I could get to Rodriguez too! I didn’t have a car, I didn’t have money for a cab, so I ran. I ran until my lungs burned. Halfway there, a terrifying thought hit me. Even if I meet Detective Davies, how do I prove any of this is real? Robert has contacts in Internal Affairs—that was on the audio! If Davies isn’t who Dad thinks he is, he’ll just hand me right over to Robert… I stopped running, leaning against a lamp post, gasping for air. No. I can’t be reckless. Davies might not believe me. I need something that will make him believe me instantly, something that shows him how dangerous this really is. My eyes fell on the old map in my pocket. Dad always said, The map is the heart of the mystery. On the map, besides the stars and moons, there was one symbol that was different from all the others. A shield. Dad told me a shield represented protection and trust. That symbol was drawn over an old, abandoned warehouse down by the docks. The audio recording had mentioned “the spot.” What if that shield symbol was the key to proving everything? A dangerous plan started to take shape in my mind. I was going to that warehouse. And I was going to find the real evidence.

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My husband and I are in an arranged marriage. He’s incredibly busy, leaving him almost no time for me and our daughter. To keep myself occupied and stop my mind from wandering, I got a boyfriend. I told my boyfriend my daughter was my little sister. But just now, my daughter got hold of my phone and added both my boyfriend and my husband to a group chat. She even sent a voice message asking: “Which one of you is free to take me bike riding tomorrow?” 1 I stepped out of the shower just in time to see question marks pop up from both my husband and my boyfriend. I felt the blood drain from my face! My husband was an arranged match. We’ve been married for four years, have a three-year-old daughter, and rarely see each other. But he’s devastatingly handsome, incredibly successful, and makes a ton of money. Otherwise, I never would have agreed to marry him. After all, there’s a whole forest of options waiting for me out there. 2 Being with him, I thought, was pretty great. He’s mature, steady, and commands respect. He’s stoic and reserved, but in bed, he’s intensely dominant. The contrast is intoxicating; I can’t get enough of him. Basically, whenever he’s home, all I want to do is drag him to bed. You could definitely call it a physical attraction. But human greed knows no bounds. Not long after we got married, I got pregnant, had our baby, and devoted myself to taking care of her. Meanwhile, he remained as swamped with work as ever. 3 And me? Having been raised since childhood with the mindset that “important men shouldn’t be bothered while working,” I could only silently swallow my negative emotions. I didn’t even dare show them, for fear of annoying him. I had to be the “understanding” wife. Once my daughter started preschool, I suddenly had a lot of free time. So, I started playing video games. While gaming, I met a total pro. His skills were god-tier, and he carried me through matches. Not only did he make me feel like a badass in the game, but he also chatted with me constantly, and eventually, we got “married” in-game. I figured, sure, his voice sounded amazing, but in real life, he was probably some short, broke, ugly guy. I didn’t take it seriously; it was just a game, just for fun. 4 But the truth was, I really needed the company. So, I kept pretending he was my husband. We called each other “hubby” and “wifey” in the game. I don’t know what possessed me, but I even gave my avatar a pregnant belly. Then I told him we were having a baby together. He bought me a ton of in-game gear. 5 Initially, I didn’t add him on any social media because I was afraid of the hassle, and I was also worried my husband would find out I was gaming so much and think less of me. We kept all our chatting within the game. And, for some reason, even though my husband seemed so mature and normal, I caught him checking my phone on several occasions. It was like he was checking to see if I was cheating on him while he was away. It made me feel really uncomfortable at the time. What did he take me for? Only later did I realize he actually had great foresight. When a guy is constantly traveling for business, isn’t it highly likely his wife might stray? 6 Back to my boyfriend. After playing together for a few months, we became a very close “online couple.” He was gentle and considerate, and his voice was so deep and attractive it could make a girl swoon. I started relying on him a lot. Then, he asked to meet offline. He even sent me a picture of himself. 7 He was gorgeous. And not just regular gorgeous, but that rare, untamed, rebellious kind of gorgeous! Just to see if he was catfishing me, I agreed on the spot. At that time, I was also feeling incredibly empty. My husband was traveling more than ever. I felt like a machine. I desperately needed human emotional nourishment. When we met, I realized he was genuinely that handsome! Unlike my husband’s mature, steady, and stoic demeanor. My boyfriend radiated youth, rebellion, and a wild, untamed energy. Yet, this wild guy would lower his head, softly coax me, and ask why I was unhappy. He would cup my face and kiss me with intense focus. And then he would compliment me: “You smell like sweet milk.” 8 I loved both my boyfriend and my husband. Honestly, human beings are capable of loving two people at the same time. Love isn’t exclusively singular. Meeting my boyfriend offline filled the void left by my husband’s business trips and brought so much more joy into my life. He was still a college student. When we first met offline, he was a junior. Two years passed, and he was about to graduate. He had started his own business and was very successful. Now, the gifts he gave me were luxury cars and houses. Yes, we had a love nest. He even got a dog and said it was the “baby” we had in the game. 9 When you love someone, you desperately want to share your life with them, especially everything you cherish. I couldn’t share my husband with my boyfriend, so I could only share my daughter. But to rationalize my daughter’s existence. I told him a tragic backstory. Divorced parents, an irresponsible father who only knew how to cheat and have kids outside the marriage. I claimed my daughter was one of my father’s illegitimate children. No one took care of her, so I had to. I told him she was my little sister. My daughter is very sharp. She didn’t call me “Sister”; she called me by my name. 10 Recently, my husband hasn’t been traveling as much. He even makes time to play with our daughter. But he’s still very busy with work. So, I shuttle my daughter between the two of them. This way, someone is always keeping her company, the best of both worlds. But my daughter is only three. She doesn’t yet understand that her “Uncle” and her “Daddy” cannot know about each other’s existence. She only knows that if Daddy is busy, I take her to play with Uncle. And if Uncle is busy, it’s not as fun. She said she wanted to go bike riding tomorrow. My husband hadn’t come home yet, and tomorrow was the weekend. So I said: “Let’s wait for JJ to come home and see if he has time to take us? If JJ is busy, we’ll ask Cole.” (Translator’s Note: I’m replacing “Jin Jin” with “JJ” and “Jia Yan” with “Cole” for smoother reading in English.) 10 (continued) “JJ” is James, my husband, her father. “Cole” is Cole Evans, my boyfriend, her “uncle.” I never let her use titles; I just had her use their names. That way, I could avoid slipping up. In front of my husband, she would say: “Today Cole took us to the amusement park to ride the carousel and eat ice cream.” My husband was confused at first, but I told him Cole was my best friend. He assumed a “best friend” was definitely a woman. In front of my boyfriend, my daughter would say: “This morning JJ washed my face and put lotion on me.” My boyfriend was confused. I explained that JJ was our maid. Then I said we both have a lisp and trouble pronouncing certain sounds. The maid’s name is actually “Jane,” but it sounds like “JJ” when we say it. He knew my family was wealthy, just lacking love, so hiring a maid made sense. In front of my boyfriend, my daughter also called me: “Maya, hug me.” “Maya, wipe my hands.” 11 But I never anticipated that my daughter was so impatient. And that she knew how to use my phone. She sent a sweet, baby-voiced voice memo to the group chat: “Which one of you is free to take me bike riding tomorrow?” My boyfriend and my husband both instantly replied with a question mark. My daughter asked: “JJ, do you have to work overtime tomorrow?” Then I saw the replies that made my vision go black. My husband replied via voice memo: “Baby, you have to call me Daddy, not by my name.” “Daddy isn’t working overtime tomorrow; I can take you bike riding.” My boyfriend’s voice memo followed immediately: “Isn’t he your maid? Why is he saying he’s Calf’s dad?” (“Calf” was my daughter’s nickname.) Then they each sent another question mark. My daughter recognized my expression and cheered: “Maya, I asked! JJ has time tomorrow!” I instantly deleted the group chat. 12 By this time, my phone was already vibrating again. A direct message from my boyfriend arrived: “Your maid Jane is a guy? Why did he say he’s Calf’s dad?” I panicked and quickly explained: “He IS our dad. In my heart, he doesn’t deserve to be a father to me or my sister! He’s just a tool in the house. A total stud horse!” (I referred to my daughter as my sister. I couldn’t forget that to my boyfriend, my daughter was my sister!) A major screw-up was not an option. Once I got my story straight, I continued: “But my sister lacks love and still craves a father figure. Ugh, I don’t even want to talk about it.” I added: “I deleted the group. I don’t want my dad to know I’m dating. He’d definitely try to break us up; he’s counting on marrying me off for money.” My boyfriend sent a few hugging emojis, then said: “Baby, you’ve suffered so much.” I replied: “I have, but meeting you makes it all worth it.” 13 Having pacified my boyfriend, my heart was still in my throat. Why hadn’t my husband texted to ask me about it? I had already formulated an excuse in my head. A moment later, I heard the iron gate downstairs open, and my husband’s car drove in. My daughter was already asleep. I hurried to the master bathroom to run his bathwater. When I came out, he was already in the bedroom. His suit was immaculate. His stoic, handsome face was still as heart-stopping as ever. Every movement exuded a mature, steady aura. And the commanding presence of someone accustomed to being in charge. 14 I put on a bright smile: “Hubby, you’re home! The bath is ready. Have you eaten? Should I go make you something?” But he doesn’t eat after 8 PM. I was just being polite. Sure enough, his cool, textured voice replied: “I ate at the office. I’m going to shower.” I said: “I’ll get your pajamas.” He took off his watch, placed it on the coffee table, and asked casually: “Calf is asleep?” I nodded: “She’s asleep. She was so happy when you said you’d spend time with her tomorrow.” I felt anxious, waiting for him to ask me about the WeChat group, watching his expression closely. But he didn’t ask anything. His expression was the same as always, unreadable. Before stepping into the bathroom, he invited me: “Want to shower together?” I looked at his hard, handsome face, his broad shoulders and narrow waist, and his long legs wrapped in suit pants. Thinking of his stamina, I couldn’t help but swallow secretly, drawn to follow him into the bathroom… 15 The moment I stepped into the bathroom, he roughly pinned me against the door. His turbulent kisses engulfed me like a tidal wave… Just as I thought he didn’t care about the WeChat thing, this bastard decided to interrogate me at the most critical moment… Me: … “Who is he?” I said between gasps: “He, he’s my b-best friend Cole! D-didn’t you k-know?” He pinched my chin, forcing me to look at him. His eyes were full of intimidation. I felt a little scared, hugged him, and whined: “Hubby, why don’t you believe me?” “I thought your best friend was a woman.” He said coldly: “So, you frequently take Calf to see a man?” 16 This animal. If he was going to ask, he should just ask. Why use physical force? I gritted my teeth and explained: “He likes guys.” My husband let out a short laugh. He didn’t say anything else, just continued to torment me. His laugh gave me the creeps. When I woke up the next day, it was almost noon. I was startled. My daughter hadn’t come to pester me to take her out to play. I rolled over to get up, but the movement was too big, and the soreness in my body made me wince. I picked up my phone to check my messages. 17 My husband had sent a video of my daughter riding her bike. My boyfriend had sent a message asking me out to dinner. Ever since I added my boyfriend on WeChat, I changed my phone password. My husband could no longer easily unlock my phone. I still remember the day I came out of the shower and saw him holding my phone, staring blankly at it. I actually felt guilty. I almost forgot how controlling he could be. At the time, he asked: “What’s your passcode?” I immediately deployed my prepared speech, saying married couples need privacy too, that I never check his phone, and asking him to respect me as well. I was almost loved to death that night. But I held my ground and refused to give him the passcode. 18 I told my boyfriend my dad was back and I couldn’t go out. I crafted a tragic narrative where my dad was forcing me into an arranged marriage for money. I couldn’t let my dad know I was dating. After handling my boyfriend and deleting the chat history, I went downstairs. Just in time to run into my daughter happily pulling my husband inside. Seeing me, my daughter ran over joyfully: “Maya Maya Maya Maya! JJ, Daddy, and I went bike riding. I rode so fast! Daddy couldn’t catch up!” JJ? Daddy? I felt a surge of guilt. Terrified my daughter would spill the beans to my husband. But I usually took her to play with my boyfriend, and my boyfriend and I never did anything intimate in front of her. She probably just thought he was an uncle. It should be fine, right??? I looked up at my husband and realized he was also looking at me, his gaze dark and penetrating. I felt a chill run down my spine. My husband then said seriously to my daughter: “Maya Jr., how did Daddy teach you to address people?” My daughter looked at my husband and happily raised her hand: “Calf should call JJ ‘Daddy’, and call Maya ‘Mommy’!” After saying that, she yelled at me: “Mommy Mommy Mommy Mommy!” Me: … 19 While eating lunch, my husband seemingly casually said to me: “By the way, Cole often helps take care of Calf. We should treat him to dinner.” After he finished, he just looked at me. My scalp went numb. My daughter cheered beside us: “Yay! Calf and Cole are good friends, and Cole and JJ… Daddy are good friends. Cole and Daddy can be good friends too! Right, Maya… Mommy?” I looked at her innocent face, thinking, Look how smart my daughter is! Her communication skills are so strong! I thought sadly, Did her little mouth just sell me out? I said naturally: “He’s out of town on a business trip recently. When he gets back, I’ll ask him.” My husband gave a short laugh.

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The guys in my class mocked my chest, calling me “Double-D Dave.” Even my best friend didn’t hesitate to distance herself from me. She blinked her innocent, doe-like eyes: “But a lot of girls with big chests aren’t decent, you know? “And you dressing like that… you’re doing it on purpose to seduce guys, aren’t you?” But, during my most vengeful year, I actually ended up seducing the school’s top student, the guy she had a massive crush on. 01 Right before P.E. class. I slumped over my desk, looking dead inside as I spoke to the P.E. rep: “Stomach cramps… write me a pass.” I waited until everyone had left the classroom before dropping my hand from my stomach and sitting up straight, my face expressionless. I hate P.E. I hate the sticky wind, the gross sweat, and most of all, the lingering, predatory stares. In our last P.E. class, we were doing 50-meter sprints. After I crossed the finish line, a few guys by the track were staring right at me. The ringleader, Chad, nudged the guy next to him with his elbow: “Did you see Double-D Dave bouncing when she ran? “What do you call that, the jiggle physics?” He didn’t bother lowering his voice; he spoke just loud enough for me to hear. Almost instinctively, I hunched my shoulders and slouched. I was a late bloomer. When puberty finally hit, it hit fast and hard. After I developed, I lost my actual name. “Double-D Dave” became my new alias. During every passing period, Chad and his crew would huddle together. They’d look me up and down while cracking crude jokes. They’d say breasts only get that big from being touched, that girls with big chests are all sluts… These words rushed into my heart like a howling wind, telling me that having a large chest meant being promiscuous, dirty, and indecent. I hated these two massive lumps of flesh on my chest, and I hated that piece of trash, Chad, even more. I wanted so badly to march over and confront him loudly, but the topic inherently carried a deep sense of shame, making it impossible for me to speak up. I could only look toward the group of girls sitting by the track, desperate to fit in. But they silently averted their eyes. To them, I was the sacrificial lamb thrown out of the flock. As long as I was drawing the fire, the rest of the sheep were temporarily safe. I wasn’t ready to give up. I waved at a girl with pigtails in the group: “Chloe! Do you want to partner up with me for sit-ups later?” Seeing this, a guy mocked: “Hanging out with Double-D Dave? Be careful, you might catch the Double-Ds too.” Chad answered: “It’s possible. Birds of a feather flock together, and big boobs gather together, right?” They burst into a roar of laughter. Hearing this, Chloe looked embarrassed and quickly said: “No way! Maya and I are not best friends! “I’m never going to turn out like her!” Chloe had transferred here six months ago. Because her voice naturally had a high, breathy pitch that sounded a bit fake, she didn’t fit in at first. When she was being excluded, I was the one who took the initiative to befriend her, went to the cafeteria with her, and helped her integrate into the group. We used to pass notes while the teacher was writing on the board, share teenage secrets, and exchange knowing smiles. Back then, her eyes sparkled as she told me: “You’re my best friend.” But now, she didn’t hesitate to draw a line between us. I was completely isolated. I lowered my eyelashes, turned around, and went to the equipment room to get a dumbbell plate to hold down my feet for sit-ups. As I bent over, I heard a collective gasp from behind me. Someone said regretfully: “It sucks we can’t bring phones to P.E. Otherwise I’d have Chad snap a pic, that would be totally hot…” “Cut the crap,” Chad interrupted him. “Let’s go do pull-ups.” 02 Walking through the empty classroom, I stopped in front of Chad’s desk. Chad was the AP Physics representative. On the surface, he was upbeat, got good grades, and was well-liked by the teachers. But behind closed doors, he was an absolute piece of trash. I dug out a piece of scratch paper from his desk cubby. Written on it was: “Junior Year Class 3 Big Boob Ranking.” The very first line glared at me: “Maya Lin, D+.” I fought the urge to rip that paper to shreds, pulled out my phone, and took a picture to save as evidence. Then, I pulled Chad’s phone out of his cubby. The screen lit up, revealing his lock screen photo. The photo was a side profile of a girl standing in front of a bookshelf in the library. The angle of the photo was weird, giving off a subtle, unsettling vibe—like someone was hiding behind a bookcase, shooting upwards from a low angle… In the frame, a girl in her school uniform skirt was on her tiptoes, reaching for a book on a high shelf. From that low-angle perspective, the hem of her uniform top rode up, exposing a sliver of snow-white waist and the bottom edge of a light purple bra. It was an upskirt photo. I wasn’t hearing things—that piece of trash Chad really was taking creepshots! I gritted my teeth, my chest heaving violently. When was this photo taken? Who had seen it? Were there more explicit photos besides this one? Anger, disgust, shame, terror… a torrential flood of intense emotions washed over my nerves. It was so disgusting! Trash! Trash! Chad was a disgusting, perverted creep! Fighting down the urge to vomit, I took a picture of the lock screen and then tried to unlock the phone. I knew that to completely ruin Chad’s reputation, this evidence alone wasn’t enough. Over the past few days, I had been paying attention to his unlock pattern; I should be able to figure it out. However, I tried many times, and the screen only displayed two words: “Incorrect Password.” Did Chad change his passcode? Frustrated, I shoved his phone into my pocket. I pulled out Chad’s textbooks and workbooks and, on the cover of each one, used a red Sharpie to fiercely scrawl the words: “Go to hell, pervert.” 03 P.E. was the last period of the day. The dismissal bell rang. I shoved Chad’s books back into his desk, shouldered my backpack, and prepared to head home. At the turn of the stairs, I bumped into someone—Chloe. She had just come from P.E., yet she had already put on her jacket and was sweating profusely from the heat. When she saw me, her innocent, doe-like eyes flickered, as if she wanted to say something. But I didn’t give her the chance to speak. I kept my face completely blank and walked straight past her. From the moment she drew a line between us, she became a traitor. While I despised trash like Chad, Chloe’s betrayal hurt even more. I was only plotting revenge against Chad; not seeking revenge against Chloe was the greatest mercy I could offer to our past friendship. … I live in a low-income neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. After my parents died in an accident, my grandmother and I scraped by on the insurance payout, living very frugally. Although the neighborhood is run-down and dirty, the rent is cheap and it’s close to the school. I turned my key in the lock: “Grandma?” I didn’t find my grandmother. Instead, I saw a greasy, overweight, middle-aged man walking out of the kitchen. The landlord, who had let himself in uninvited, had half a cigarette dangling from his mouth. He jingled a large ring of keys in his hand: “I told your grandma I was coming to check the gas meter today.” After checking the meter, the landlord swaggered toward the door. Before stepping out, his gaze swept over my chest: “In the blink of an eye, the little girl has grown up. “Girls really do blossom when they hit eighteen.” That kind of gaze was sickeningly familiar. It felt like a brazen tongue licking my skin, giving me goosebumps all over. I immediately and warily pulled my jacket tight across my chest. I had seen the landlord affectionately hug his young son; I had seen him look at his wife with eyes full of love. Did his wife and son know he would look at a young girl with such unbridled lust? A second ago, he was a good husband and a good father. Why, when facing me, did he reveal such a disgusting expression? After the landlord left, I leaned against the security door, hating this post-pubescent body for the millionth time. 04 The next morning. I slammed the snooze button on my alarm clock and forced my eyes open with sheer willpower. Yesterday, I took Chad’s phone. I stayed up half the night trying to guess the passcode, but I never managed to unlock it. Furious, I simply went into the class group chat’s photo album, found an ugly picture of Chad, and created a fake profile on Instagram pretending to be his parent. I posted his ugly picture and asked if he could be a child model. Right now, I opened Instagram. Seeing the comment section filled with mockery and insults, I finally felt satisfied enough to get out of bed. There was a hard-boiled egg on the dining table, and oatmeal was still warm on the stove. My grandmother had already left. Even at her age, she couldn’t sit still. She liked collecting cans and bottles to sell for recycling. I yawned and walked onto the familiar path. Passing by a narrow alley, I stopped. There was a stray calico cat in this alley that I called Mimi. I held a sausage, making clicking noises as I walked into the alley. Unlike before, there was an extra cardboard box in the alley. A hole had been cut into the box, and some old school uniform jackets were lining the inside—had some kind soul made a bed for Mimi? “Meow—” A faint meow came from the box. I leaned in, and my eyes widened—inside the box was a litter of tiny, colorful kittens. … I hummed a song, feeling a rare surge of joy as I walked into the classroom. Ever since I was singled out and isolated by Chad, I had become a warrior fueled entirely by hatred during an age supposed to be about innocent romance. I hated school, I hated morning assemblies, I hated P.E. class, and I hated my own body… But I will always love kittens. Kittens wouldn’t look at me with weird eyes because in their eyes, there was only sausage. I was just pondering how to get some extra nutrition for Mimi, who had just given birth, when I suddenly realized the classroom was exceptionally quiet. I looked up in confusion and saw many of my classmates staring at me with bizarre expressions. Someone said: “Maya, the homeroom teacher wants to see you in his office.” 05 I pushed open the door to the teacher’s office. Our middle-aged, balding homeroom teacher, Mr. Harris, was rubbing his receding hairline, looking deeply troubled. Chad was standing opposite him. Seeing me enter, Chad immediately pointed at me: “Mr. Harris, yesterday Maya was the only one who didn’t go to the last period, which was P.E. “She definitely stole it!” Knowing I held evidence of his creepshots, Chad actually had the audacity to complain? Looking at Chad’s face full of resentment, I put on a sweet smile: “Oh? Why don’t you tell me, what exactly did I steal? “Chad, what kind of shady things were you hiding?” Since I dared to take Chad’s phone and scribble all over his books, I wasn’t afraid of him making a scene. If he didn’t make a scene, he’d have to swallow a bitter pill and explain to the teachers why he couldn’t hand in his assignments. If he really dared to bring it up to the teacher and accuse me of stealing his phone, then I would confront him and force him to unlock his phone right there. Chad stared at me, a smile I couldn’t decipher on his lips: “Earlier, the physics teacher had me collect $500 for the new AP prep books. “The envelope with the money was in my desk cubby. “Now the money is gone, and you definitely stole it.” I was stunned. Prep book money? When I rummaged through his cubby yesterday, I didn’t see any envelope with money. I denied it loudly: “You’re lying. I didn’t steal any money!” Mr. Harris looked at me hesitantly: “The security camera system happens to be undergoing maintenance recently… “But besides Chad, there’s a witness who can prove you were the only one in the classroom yesterday afternoon.” Following his gaze, I saw Chloe sitting in the corner. Right now, Chloe was nervously wringing the hem of her shirt. Seeing everyone looking at her, she swallowed hard and said quietly: “I was the first one back to the classroom yesterday. “At that time… I ran into Maya as she was getting ready to leave. “Her expression was very unnatural, and she definitely had something stuffed in her pocket…” My brain went “BZZZZZZ—” 06 Chad and I went back and forth, almost getting into a physical fight right there in the office. He absolutely refused to mention his missing phone, sticking to his story that he only lost the $500 for the prep books. Mr. Harris couldn’t determine who was lying and decided to put the matter on hold for now. He said: “I’ll cover the cost of the prep books this time. But I will continue to investigate.” He looked at the two of us, his expression serious: “$500 is enough to get the police involved. “Within a month, if the student who took the money thinks it through, they can come to me privately and admit their mistake. “Don’t go down the wrong path.” Chad and Chloe left one after another. I was the only one left standing there. Mr. Harris asked: “Maya, is there anything else you need?” My heart was pounding like a drum. Should I tell this middle-aged man, who is supposed to be a role model, the truth about the whole thing? Last time, I pretended to casually mention to Mr. Harris that Chad was always staring at me and making nasty jokes. And what did Mr. Harris do? He laughed heartily and said teenage boys just like to attract girls’ attention like that. He said Chad was a bright, sunny kid with no bad intentions and told me not to take it to heart. He even said my weakness was Physics, and since Chad happened to excel at it, he told me to ask him for help more often. If I told Mr. Harris now that I suspected Chad took indecent photos of me, and that I stole his phone to preserve the evidence, would Mr. Harris really take my side? The landlord’s lecherous gaze flashed before my eyes, and the crude jokes of the guys echoed in my ears. I didn’t dare risk it. I lowered my head and heard my own voice: “No, I’m fine, Mr. Harris.” … The entire day, I was completely distracted. Chloe passed me a few notes, but I crumpled them up and threw them straight out the window. After school, the sky was covered in dark clouds, and it had already started pouring. I didn’t have an umbrella. Seeing my classmates leaving together under umbrellas, or having parents come pick them up, I could only continuously curse this world. The whole school was a piece of shit, everyone was garbage, and the dark clouds were just giant clumps of moldy cotton. “Maya!” Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind. 07 I turned my head and looked coldly at Chloe. She was holding a foldable umbrella, her round, doll-like face deliberately set in a serious expression. Back when Chloe first transferred here, she didn’t have an umbrella on a rainy day, and I was the one who took the initiative to share mine with her. This damn traitor. She really owed me a lot. I stared at the umbrella in Chloe’s hand, calculating the odds of snatching it and running. Chloe leaned in close and asked quietly: “Why did you throw away my notes?” I scoffed: “Because you’re a disgusting traitor. “You’d rather believe that piece of trash Chad than believe me. “I hate you guys to death.” Chloe’s eyes went wide: “You!” She stared at me, gritting her teeth: “Maya, you are truly beyond saving. “I saw you didn’t have an umbrella and wanted to walk you home. “Chad and the others were right! You used to deliberately wear a tight uniform to seduce guys, and now you’re actually stealing money!” As she spoke, Chloe’s eyes reddened: “Why can’t you have just a little bit of self-respect?” She was highly emotional, her voice becoming shrill. Classmates all around cast probing glances, making me feel like I had needles in my back. Chloe really was something—now, besides “Double-D Dave,” I had a new title: “Thief.” Hatred continued to breed in my heart. I wanted nothing more than to rip apart her babbling mouth. Traitor! Damn traitor! I was so angry I yelled: “Chloe, you’re full of shit!” Before she could react, I shoved Chloe hard. Caught off guard, she fell to the ground. The umbrella slipped from her grasp and rolled to the side. I took a large step forward, picked up her umbrella, chucked it right into the trash can, and then turned and bolted straight into the torrential rain. … The rain fell harder and harder. All I could hear was the sound of the rain and my own chaotic heartbeat. Passing by the alleyway, I stopped, hesitated for a moment, and still turned into it. In the downpour, the cardboard box holding the kittens had long been washed away. The box had practically been reduced to a mushy pulp by the water, leaving only a filthy mess on the ground. Where were the kittens? Where did that litter of kittens go? With rain this heavy, could newborn kittens survive? It was only then that my eyes finally started to sting with unshed tears. This damn world—trash guys slandering me, friends betraying me, teachers doubting me… Fate took my parents in a car crash on a rainy night, and now it wants to take the kittens too? I crouched in the pouring rain, hugging my knees, curling into a ball, and began trembling uncontrollably. Suddenly, the rain seemed to stop. A shadow fell over me. I looked up and saw a tall silhouette standing against the light. The person stood beside me, holding an umbrella. He asked gently: “Are you looking for the cats?”

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Three years after my death, Julian finally started going on blind dates. But he brought our kid to every single one, and he couldn’t go three sentences without talking about baby purees. I was so annoyed. I decided to make some noise to give him a good scare. Instead, my daughter pointed a chubby finger at me and blinked. “Daddy, over there, there’s a…” Before she could finish, Julian peeled a shrimp, popped it into her mouth, and stared straight ahead. “There’s nothing over there.” 01 Huh? Was there something around me? I looked left and right, but there was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. Forget it. I slowly drifted closer to them. Just in time to see Julian take off the wedding band from his left ring finger and slip it into his pocket. Good. He finally remembered he was here for a blind date. After all, no one likes a guy who’s still hung up on his dead ex-wife. I floated around our daughter, Mia, and made a bunch of ugly faces at Julian, but neither of them reacted. Looks like they really couldn’t see me. So, I just plopped down in the empty seat right next to the woman sitting across from him. She seemed pretty satisfied with Julian, a polite smile playing on her lips. “I can accept the child. But in return, I’ll need some… compensations outlined in the prenuptial agreement.” Honestly, aside from having a kid, Julian was a massive catch. The sole heir to the combined Vance and Sterling corporate empires. Six-foot-two, broad shoulders, narrow waist—handsome in a dark, slightly arrogant, intellectual kind of way. When we were kids, I used to pull my punches when we fought just because of that face, leaving only a few bruises on his back instead of giving him a black eye. Julian finished peeling the last shrimp and dropped it into Mia’s bowl. Then, he slowly and methodically wiped his hands with a napkin, his tone completely indifferent. “No problem.” “But I sleep hugging my late wife’s urn every night, and I spend three hours every Sunday purifying myself to honor her memory. Oh, right, and you can’t wear white. It’s bad luck.” The woman fell dead silent. Her eyes drifted down to the crisp white dress shirt Julian was wearing under his suit jacket. She gritted her teeth. “So, what color is your shirt? A kaleidoscopic white?” She had too much class. If it were me, I would have already started throwing sarcastic daggers. Julian looked mildly surprised. “Oh, this is white? My apologies. I’m colorblind.” Ha. What a load of crap. Finally, the woman reached her limit, grabbed her designer bag, and stormed out. Mia hopped down from her chair and waved her little hand like a pro. “Bye-bye, lady! Grandma says Daddy’s head doesn’t work right.” 02 The date was a bust. Julian drove Mia home. In the car, Mia was full from dinner and dozing off in the backseat. I hovered over her, pretending to hold her in my arms. She was already five. She looked more and more like Julian every day, except for the shallow dimples at the corners of her mouth—she got those from me. It’s such a shame. I only got to be with her for two years. The space where my heart used to be felt incredibly empty. Ghosts can’t cry. It’s really annoying. I looked up and caught Julian’s gaze in the rearview mirror. He glanced at me, then quickly looked away, staring straight at the road. I drifted into the passenger seat up front, stretching lazily like I used to when I was alive. “You know, you’re getting up there in years. If you don’t find someone soon, by the time you’re old, nobody’s going to want you. Might as well use what little good looks you have left to marry yourself off.” Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the wedding band was back on the ring finger of his left hand. “Hah.” I leaned in for a closer look. “When we got those rings custom-made, you said this one was just ‘average.’ Why are you treating it like a precious treasure now?” “Heh, I guess as you get older, the only thing that stays tough is that stubborn mouth of yours.” As expected, no response. I was just talking to myself. Boring. When I was alive, bickering with Julian every day turned me into someone who loved a good argument. Now that I’m a ghost, being stuck in the living world by myself is incredibly dull. I gave up and just stared out the window at the passing scenery. Suddenly, I heard a very soft murmur from Julian: “You think I’m old?” I didn’t quite catch it, so I leaned in closer, curious. “What are you mumbling about? You sound like a buzzing mosquito.” Julian didn’t say another word, but the corners of his mouth twitched up into a fleeting smile. Weirdo. Just as it got quiet, Julian’s phone rang. It was a group voice call from a chat called “The Mia Protection Squad.” I came up with that name. When he answered, there were already four people on the line—my parents and his parents. “Julian, honey, how did the meeting go today?” The one asking was my mom. 03 The Vance and Sterling families were old friends, and our houses were close. So Julian and I grew up together. We were childhood sweethearts, technically. But we were the chaotic, fighting kind. If I climbed a tree, he’d kick the trunk. If he went swimming, I’d hide his towel. Basically, we grew up treating each other like sworn enemies. When we grew up and took over our respective family businesses, we constantly sabotaged each other in the corporate world, just to prove who was better. But somehow, our parents decided we needed to get married. Since we didn’t actively hate each other, we just went along with it. A year after we got married, Mia was born. Three years after we got married, I died. After I died, the weight of both the Vance and Sterling empires fell entirely onto Julian’s shoulders. He had four aging parents to care for, and a child to raise. He did a pretty damn good job. He didn’t use the opportunity to swallow up the Sterling Group, and he treated my parents and Mia incredibly well. So, he’s spent three years mourning me. That’s more than enough. My parents couldn’t bear to see him alone for the rest of his life. Plus, I had dropped a few hints in their dreams, so they recently started setting him up on blind dates. Sigh. People have to move forward. Even ghosts do. Julian let out a soft laugh, his tone gentle. “Mom, these things take time. I’m driving Mia home right now, so I’ve gotta go.” My mom sighed over the speaker. “You kids… alright, alright. Remember to bring Mia over for dinner next weekend.” Julian agreed and said nothing else. The parents chatted for a bit longer, and the call only ended when the car pulled into our gated community. Julian reached into the back seat, scooped Mia up, and rested her against his chest. As we walked, he patted her back gently, his voice softer than a summer breeze. “Little baby, we’re home. Let’s take a bath and go to sleep, okay?” I drifted behind him, watching Mia slowly peel her eyelids open. She’d had a great temperament since she was a baby. No crankiness when waking up. Maybe because both her parents were like sticks of dynamite, having a kid turned out to be like having a tiny fire extinguisher. “Daddy, Mommy is here.” Mia rubbed her eyes, trying her hardest to keep them open, but they drooped half-shut again. Julian didn’t break his stride. “Mm-hmm. Mommy is always here.” 04 The house looked exactly the same as it did three years ago. Nothing had changed. My favorite knick-knacks and plushies were exactly where I left them. My clothes still hung in the closet. Even the bedding in the master bedroom was a set I had picked out. Julian… was surprisingly sentimental. I floated nearby, listening to Julian read Mia a bedtime story. He was a lot better at it than he was three years ago. It didn’t take long for Mia to fall fast asleep. When she fell asleep, she was still clutching the cherry-print pajamas I bought her. My heart ached looking at her. I hopped onto the bed, lying down next to her, pretending to pull her into my arms. Why couldn’t I touch her? Being a ghost is so frustrating. I needed to ask Hades if there was any way, any spell, that would let me touch her just once. If it was a matter of money, that was no problem. Over the last few years, Julian and both sets of parents had burned a mountain of “hell money” for me. I used that cash to team up with some other rich ghost-girlfriends and started a real estate empire in the Underworld. I was practically the richest ghost down there now. The fact that I could come up to the living world and stay for a few days this time was only because I’d accumulated three years of good karma and spent an astronomical amount of spirit money for the privilege. It was just so I could see them one last time before I reincarnated. I didn’t stay by Mia’s side for too long. Ghosts carry a heavy aura of negative energy. It’s bad for the living, especially kids. So, I sneakily—well, openly, since no one could see me—drifted into the bathroom. Julian was taking a shower. Through the steamy mist, the water traced every sculpted line of muscle on his body, flushing his skin a faint pink. Three years hadn’t changed a thing. That body was still incredibly distracting. I audibly gulped. I looked at him from behind, from the side, and finally just floated right in front of him for a full frontal view. Julian leaned one hand against the wet tile, running the other through his dripping, dark hair. “Scarlett, you died way too early. We didn’t even get to finish trying everything in your 100 Ways to Spice Up the Shower manual.” He was smiling, staring dead-on in my direction, as if he were actually talking to me. My ghost-face turned burning hot. I instantly started cursing him out. “You shameless dog! I’ve been dead for three years! Can’t you leave me a shred of dignity? I’m asking you, can you?” After my rant, I floated right out of the bathroom. I definitely couldn’t keep watching that. Thinking back to when Julian and I were in bed together… Neither of us ever wanted to submit to the other. He would pin me down and demand I call him “Daddy.” I would bite his shoulder and demand he call me “Mistress.” To win the war of dominance, I specifically looked up that 100 Ways to Spice Up the Shower manual, determined to conquer him. I never expected it. That was the first time that bastard ever yielded to me. He praised my research skills to the high heavens. He even suggested I find manuals for the bedroom, the living room, the kitchen… Ugh, absolutely insufferable. 05 After Julian finished his shower, he half-lay in bed, reading a book called The Encyclopedia of Parenting. He rarely wore his glasses. But wearing them gave him a very “sophisticated villain” look. I floated next to him, staring at his face. He was still handsome, but it seemed like he had a few fine lines around the corners of his eyes now. “There’s actually a perk to being a ghost. Your appearance freezes at the age you died. So, I still look very young.” Saying this, I floated down and sat right on top of him, gazing down at his face. “Heh heh, which means you look a lot older than me now. You’re out of my league! How about that? I finally won!” Julian suddenly closed his book and took off his glasses. Then he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Scarlett, how could you be so cruel? In three years, you’ve only visited my dreams exactly once.” His voice sounded exhausted, like he was genuinely blaming me. He wasn’t wrong, though. I had only visited his dreams once. And that was to strictly lay down the law: he had to mourn me, properly, for at least three years. He had looked thoughtful, then smiled with red-rimmed eyes. “And if I moved on immediately, would you get so mad you’d come back to life?” Without a second thought, I beat the absolute crap out of him in that dream. I never visited his dreams again after that. Thinking about it, I muttered to myself. “Wasn’t it because I was afraid my charm was too overpowering? If I visited your dreams too often, you’d never be able to move on.” “After all, I, Scarlett Sterling, might not be the most beautiful woman in the world, but I’m definitely top-tier in the state. Back then, the line of guys wanting to marry me could wrap around the earth three times. I only picked you because I thought you’d be easy to bully.” As I spoke, I leaned close to his face, making a pinching motion at his cheek. “Get it?” He suddenly opened his eyes, looking directly at where I was hovering. He let out a soft, low chuckle. “Oh? You really think you’re that irresistible?” 06 My heart gave two violent thumps—if I still had a beating heart, that is. Could Julian actually see me? But if the Day Patroller gods found out a mortal could see me, they’d deport me back to the Underworld immediately. All this effort would have been for nothing. But the next second, Julian said, “Are you tired of hanging on the wall for three years? Want me to swap you out for someone else?” It was only then I realized he was talking to the massive wedding portrait hanging on the wall behind me. In the photo, I was forcing a fake smile, while Julian had a faint, genuine smirk. Instantly, I was furious. “Oh, I see how it is! You’ve wanted to find a new wife this whole time, huh? It’s just that none of your blind dates were good enough for you!” But as soon as the words left my mouth, I felt like a crazy person. I was the one who asked our parents to set him up. I was the one who wanted him to find a new partner. Yet, hearing him say it still made my chest ache. I was conflicted enough when I was alive; why was my ghost-brain still fighting with itself? So annoying. I was so annoyed I made a series of grotesque ghost faces at Julian. I even morphed my face to mimic the gruesome state I was in when I died, trying to scare him. Julian suddenly stopped looking at the wedding portrait and buried his face back in his book. Perfect timing—his phone rang. I glanced at the screen. It was Liam calling. He was a friend we grew up with. He had a gentle personality. When we were kids, he’d always try to break up Julian and my fights, and somehow, he always ended up catching the most stray punches. Julian answered, and Liam’s familiar, warm voice came through. “Jules, a friend recommended a highly respected psychiatrist. You should bring your meds and—” He was cut off before he could finish. “Busy. Hanging up.” Julian ended the call abruptly. I floated there, stunned for a moment, a single question circling my mind: Why does Julian need to see a psychiatrist? After spinning in circles for a while, I decided to go into Liam’s dreams and ask him. Knowing Julian’s personality, even if I visited his dreams and asked him directly, he would absolutely lie just to save face. 07 Liam told me that Julian had developed severe PTSD and clinical depression. He had to take massive doses of medication every night just to fall asleep. I was shocked. But thinking back on the details, it made tragic sense. After all, Julian had witnessed a brutal murder. He watched me die right in front of him. Any normal person would have psychological trauma from that. But he had always acted so casual, so flippant. He hid it so well that everyone just ignored the possibility. Liam also mentioned that Julian was planning to kill himself as soon as Mia grew up and became independent. I fell completely silent. That was absolutely not going to happen. So, I made a quick trip back to the Underworld and begged Hades to let me borrow something. 08 I was determined to find a reliable partner for Julian. So, after returning to the living world, I spent days observing Julian. And Maya. Maya was my secretary when I was alive. She had just been hired full-time when she and I were attacked together. Then, I, the boss, died, and Julian took over the company. Right now, she was in the executive lounge, playing with a toy BBQ set with Mia. “Your daddy’s meeting is almost over. Just wait a little longer, okay?” Saying this, she pulled a small box from her pocket. She opened it to reveal a beautiful jade pendant. It looked expensive. It probably cost her several months’ salary. Maya slipped the pendant around Mia’s neck and tucked it under her shirt. “Wishing little Mia a lifetime of peace and safety.” Even though Mia didn’t understand the value of the jade, she politely said, “Thank you, Ms. Maya.” Then she asked quietly, “Ms. Maya, can I hug you?” Maya froze for a second, then slightly opened her arms. Mia immediately threw herself into Maya’s arms, pressing her ear against her chest. “It’s beating so fast!” Maya’s eyes suddenly filled with tears. At that exact moment, the lounge door opened, and Julian walked in. “Sorry for the trouble.” “I heard Apex Corp is trying to poach you? If the position and salary are right, you should consider it. I told you a long time ago, you don’t need to stay at Vance Enterprises out of gratitude or guilt.” …How could this guy speak so coldly? Maya stood up, ramrod straight, and replied: “Understood, Mr. Vance. I know.” Julian nodded and started packing up Mia’s things. Maya watched his back, muttering softly, “Actually, it’s not entirely because of that…” She liked Julian, but for complex reasons, she didn’t dare say it. I could see it clearly. I had been observing her from every angle these past few days. Not only was she still excellent at her job, but she also knew Julian’s personal preferences. She knew he only took half a spoonful of sugar in his coffee, she knew he preferred dark-colored ties… Most importantly, she was incredibly sweet to Mia, and it came from a genuine place. Furthermore, she had my heart beating inside her chest. And Julian really needed to let go of his feelings for me and live a good life. Sigh. Looks like I have to handle this myself. I slowly pulled out a red string. This was the Red Thread of Fate. Once tied, Julian would forget his romantic feelings for me and fall in love with Maya. 09 I tied one end of the red string around Maya’s wrist. Then I floated over to Julian, ready to tie the other end. But my hands hesitated. I hovered there for a long time. Just as I finally steeled myself and was about to loop the string around his wrist, I heard him ask Maya: “How are the preparations for our wedding venue coming along?” Their wedding venue? What did that mean? Did this mean they didn’t need the red string? They were already engaged? Startled, the red string slipped from my ethereal fingers. I didn’t manage to tie it. Maya immediately replied: “We’re currently at 100% completion. It matches the traditional style you requested perfectly. The 3D renderings and the promotional rollout plan are already on your desk…” … Oh. They were talking about a corporate project. I rolled my invisible eyes and prepared to try tying the string on Julian again. But he happened to turn around, scooped Mia up, and walked out of the lounge. So I grabbed a handful of empty air. And because the two of them were no longer in the same room, I couldn’t successfully tie the knot. I chased after Julian furiously, yelling at him: “Ahhh! I was so close! You were this close to forgetting me, you jerk!” His footsteps inexplicably faltered for a second, but then he kept walking. I was just about to keep yelling when my ears were assaulted by an ear-piercing ringtone. “Hades wants your soul! Hades wants your soul!” Yes, we have Wi-Fi in the Underworld, and ghosts have smartphones. I nervously pulled my phone out of thin air. As soon as I answered, the roar from the other end nearly blew my eardrums out. “Are you done with your living-world business yet?! I went through hell to steal this Red Thread from Cupid’s pocket! Use it quickly before he notices!” “Your three-year death anniversary is in a few days! If you pass the three-year mark, not only can you not reincarnate, your soul will completely dissipate! Stop stalling! Also! You have a mandatory medical checkup the day after tomorrow. You must come back!” I held the phone away from my ear, nodding furiously. “Yes, yes, I’m almost done! I promise! I guarantee I’ll be back the day after tomorrow!” After finally hanging up, I sighed. “How am I supposed to leave without worrying?” I floated anxious circles around Julian and Mia. Finally, I muttered to myself: “No way. I have to visit his dreams tonight and give him a serious talking-to.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “395050”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In my sophomore year of high school, during the second year of my massive crush on Liam, I transferred schools. That year, I hadn’t even managed to tell him my name. Years later, he became a household name, a massive pop star. And supposedly, he was still sweetly in love with his high school girlfriend, the former prom queen. When we crossed paths again, I lowered my head in disappointment, but he called out to me. “Maya Lin.” “Long time no see.” 01 The year Liam started high school, our school’s anonymous confession page basically became the “Liam Era.” As one of the behind-the-scenes admins for the page, my workload increased by two-thirds every single day. These confession posts ranged from gentle to obsessive, from short and sweet to full-blown essays… Without exception, the main character was always one person: Liam. Some even included blurry, secretly taken photos. The guy in the pictures was the only one who didn’t look like a total dork in his uniform. He had striking features and a straight back, completely out of place among the usual awkward high school boys. I played with my phone screen, scoffing at it all. What’s the point of liking a guy like this? Even a nine-grid photo collage wouldn’t be enough to fit all my rivals. Men, especially the handsome ones, are like the wind. What I needed to do wasn’t to try and catch the wind. But to be like a bird, flying against the wind, soaring toward freedom. So, sandwiched between the nine-grid confession posts, I published a post for my own missing MP3 player. “Looking for a white MP3 player, e-ink screen, paint chipped on the bottom right corner. Lost it after P.E.” “If anyone finds it, please text 555-0198. I would be incredibly grateful!” A minute later, a friend request popped up on my phone. Liam has requested to add you as a friend. “Hey, I found an MP3 player on the track that looks a lot like your description.” 02 Who actually uses their real name on Snapchat? I thought this guy’s handle being “Liam” was just a coincidence, but I still bought a box of granola and yogurt as a thank-you gift. Hardly anyone was at the ping-pong tables in the afternoon. The sun was bright today, so a lot of people had strung up lines to air out their blankets. I wove my way through the scent of laundry detergent from blanket after blanket. A figure in a P.E. uniform stood perfectly straight amidst a pile of white sheets. Tall, long legs, a clean and cool aura. The sunlight spilled onto his side profile, highlighting a high-bridged nose and mesmerizing eyes. Just from that one glance, my breathing slowed down. “Hey, is this the MP3 player you lost?” Even his voice was pleasant. Damn it, those blurry sneak shots submitted to the page didn’t capture even a tenth of his beauty! In that moment, I wasn’t some bird yearning for freedom. I was just a pure, unadulterated simp for a pretty face. A shallow creature whose morals were entirely dictated by aesthetics. “Hello?” “Hey?” Long, pale fingers waved in front of my face. I snapped out of the mesmerizing vortex of his good looks, my words tumbling out incoherently. “Huh? Oh, oh, oh, right, let me see.” Liam handed over a small velvet pouch. I took it, opened it, and there was my familiar MP3 player, resting safely inside. “It’s yours, right?” I turned my face away and nodded, suddenly too afraid to look him in the eye. My heartbeat was deafening; I was terrified that if I looked up, I’d give myself away. The more you feel something, the more you fear it. The more you fear something, the more you try to hide it. I pretended to be cool, my voice also turning cold: “The pouch, here you go. And this is for you. Thanks.” Those long fingers took the yogurt, but pushed the small velvet pouch back. Through the fabric, his fingers brushed against mine. I instantly looked over. “You’re welcome. You can keep the pouch.” “Also, when I found it, I accidentally saw the song playing on your screen.” “Great taste.” “I have to get back to practice. Good luck with your studies.” I stood there holding the velvet pouch, my fingers still burning from the brief touch. A back as straight as a pine tree, yet a presence that felt so wild and untamed. A few days later, he stood on the stage at the freshman orientation showcase. Holding a bass guitar, he was as wild and dazzling as a shooting star. The first song he played was the one that had been on the home screen of my MP3 player. “Why does the summer night wind blow, passing like a dream that cannot be chased.” 03 Liam stayed on my friends list. His profile picture was of him hugging a small Corgi. After the orientation showcase, he returned to a normal student life. No longer flashy, no longer fiery. He went from an ice-cold sparkling water to a warm, gentle glass of plain water. People would tease him about the spectacle on the confession page. He would just smile and dive back into his sea of textbooks. It was as if him on that stage that day had just been a dream. During the first midterms of the new semester, I stood in front of the bulletin board looking at the school-wide rankings. Two pieces of printer paper hung side-by-side: one for freshmen, one for sophomores. Freshman year, school-wide rank #1: Liam. Sophomore year, school-wide rank #1: Maya Lin. That afternoon during track practice, I intentionally followed him after we were dismissed. Pretending to have a super coincidental run-in. “Hey underclassman, congratulations, number one in the grade.” I didn’t think he would remember me. But I couldn’t find any other excuse to talk to him. Liam paused, and after clearly seeing my face, he smiled. “Oh, it’s you. Thanks.” “That yogurt last time was really good.” The early autumn wind rustled the leaves. Rustle, rustle. It plucked at my heartstrings. He remembered me. I was so happy that day I blew through ten math practice tests in a row. “Mr. Harris! Do you have any new practice tests?!” I raised my hand, my eyes burning with determination. A chorus of groans erupted around me. “Have mercy, brainiac! We haven’t even finished the first one yet.” “Mr. Harris, please don’t assign any more, I’m literally going to die!” The teacher looked at me apologetically: “Sorry, Maya, the math department hasn’t finished printing the new batch yet.” I rushed over to the physics department instead. After the midterms, the “Liam Era” got even crazier. I pushed my glasses up my nose and processed twenty-eight posts in a row. They were all from my rivals. The twenty-ninth post was from the prom queen, Chloe Snow, a senior in Class 1. A confession using her real name. Bright and brave. Jealousy spewed venom from my heart, trying to control my brain and my hands. That was the first time I wanted to abuse my power as an admin and delete a post. But I couldn’t do it. I had studied for so many years; my internal moral compass ruthlessly crushed my unwillingness. After that day, people started seeing her and Liam walking home together. A handsome boy and a beautiful girl, they were truly a sight for sore eyes. 04 More and more people spotted Liam and Chloe together. Including me. The girl had bright eyes and white teeth. When she smiled, she had a small mole inside her dimple. A few days later, I received a new submission. About Chloe. The girl in the photo only showed the lower half of her face, featuring the exact same mole in the dimple. Her bare shoulders were exposed as she sank deep into the bedding of a hotel room. Just from the corner shown in the photo, it left endless room for imagination. My heart skipped a beat. The person submitting it was using a brand-new burner account. The caption was just one sentence. “If a girl does something like this, how can she be a good person?” This sentence was leading. Given the current level of intimacy between Liam and Chloe… It was very easy for people to blame Liam. If this post was published, it would kill two birds with one stone. I immediately deleted the submission info and blocked the submitter. The next day, however, that post was still hanging on the confession page. The boring school atmosphere was instantly ignited. By the time I lifted my head from my sea of books, the thread already had over a hundred comments. There were three admins behind the confession page. A freshman guy, me (a sophomore), and a senior girl who had mostly stepped back. I quickly deleted the post and messaged the freshman. “Unverified information cannot be posted.” The freshman replied with a waving hand emoji: “Wasn’t me.” I vaguely felt something was wrong and checked the account login history. It only showed my device. If someone didn’t have a guilty conscience, why would they delete their own login history? I opened the chat interface, and the chat history with the submitter was also gone. The investigation hit a dead end. If I didn’t like Liam, I could have just walked away at this point. Who dates who, who flirts with who. None of that should be the concern of a good student like me. But, the more books I read, the more I favored the beautiful things in the world. Like the moonlight, like the starry sky. Like Liam. My rule-abiding youth was destined to be chaotic because of him. Although the post was deleted, the hurricane of public opinion spun harder and harder. Some sighed in relief, glad they only had a crush and never actually pursued him. Some cursed angrily, saying boys are really all the same, no good ones out there. Some mocked, saying they always knew he was just a poser. Those glaring red words gave me an unreal sense of detachment. It was as if the overwhelming love I had seen in the posts before was all fake. For the first time, I lied in class. Clutching my stomach, I said weakly: “Mr. Harris, I… I don’t feel well.” I’m a stubborn person who sticks to my own logic. I don’t easily believe what others want me to see. Whether Liam is a good person or not, I will find out for myself. Passing by the faculty office, I saw Liam’s mother. Most of Liam’s features were inherited from her. At that moment, those gentle eyes were full of hot tears, and she was kneeling in front of Chloe. That kneel almost suffocated Liam. I walked faster—classrooms, water fountains, the track field… The wind howled in my ears, a metallic taste tickling my throat. A walk home that normally took over ten minutes, I ran in five. Without stopping to catch my breath, I plugged in my laptop. The screen lit up, the bottom right corner showing 99+ notifications. I was still logged into the confession page account on my computer. Even if the history on the mobile app was deleted, the computer would still save it on the C drive. 05 I gathered the evidence and returned to school. When the senior admin walked out of her classroom, she spoke with surprise. “Maya, they said someone was looking for me earlier, I really didn’t expect it to be you.” “Senior, there’s something I want to talk to you about.” It had been cloudy all day, and as we walked on the track, it was starting to drizzle. I cut straight to the chase and showed her the screen recording. “Did you think that because you could delete the chat history, you didn’t even need to bother disguising yourself?” The second person to leak the info to the confession page was an account the senior admin managed. Even though she was careful enough to change it to a default avatar when sending the message. She quickly deleted the chat history after taking a screenshot. And deleted her login history before logging out. But I still found it. The senior admin’s face instantly went pale: “You… how could you?” I put away my phone: “How could I have the chat history, right?” “Because you told me before, you have to be diligent.” The boomerang of the past was now hitting her right between the eyes. The senior admin opened her mouth, wanting to argue, but couldn’t utter a single word. I pressed harder: “After I deleted the burner account’s post, wasn’t it too risky to use your main account directly?” “Or did you think that by deleting the history, everything would be fine, so you let your guard down?” The malice in her heart had been sliced open alive. The senior admin covered her face, crouched down, and tears slipped through her fingers. I remembered the girl in my memory—sunny, intellectual, warm-hearted. Although I couldn’t bear it, I still understood that you reap what you sow. If you make a mistake, you should admit it and apologize. Even a kindergartener understands this principle. “I’ll give you two choices.” “First, voluntarily post an apology. You can still use a screen name.” “Second, I submit the chat history to the school, and you’ll have to use your real name.” Ten minutes later, a new post was pinned to the top of the confession page. It was an apology post from the senior admin. The photo was AI-generated, a one-click undress edit. The root of everything she did was jealousy. Jealousy that Chloe had money, looks, and even got Liam. After the post went live, the discussion grew even more intense. The senior admin’s face was ashen. As she was leaving, she called out to me. “You did all this because you like Liam too, right.” “Don’t you understand why I did it?” I met her gaze frankly: “I understand, I’m jealous of Chloe too.” “I also have very ugly thoughts, but thoughts remain just thoughts.” “I didn’t act on them, not because I was scared.” “But because the essence of jealousy is looking up at someone. In truth, I just wanted to become a better version of myself.” “So, I wouldn’t torture myself by doing the wrong thing.” 06 On the way back to the classroom building, I turned on my MP3 player. At the last freshman orientation showcase, I recorded a lot of songs Liam sang. The rain started coming down harder. The stairwell during class time was exceptionally quiet. Chloe’s sobbing was distinct in that silence. Anyone would cry encountering such a messed-up situation at eighteen. But since she was a rival, I wasn’t magnanimous enough to go comfort her. Passing through the stairwell, I left a piece of candy from my pocket and walked away. In my earphones, Liam was still singing. “Save me, save me, grant me a lifetime of honor.” I smiled, looked up, and went upstairs. The next year, before spring even arrived, my mom asked for a divorce. Years of being a stay-at-home mom had worn away her beauty. When she left, I patted my dad on the shoulder. “Don’t cry, I’ll take good care of Mom.” Time seemed to hit the fast-forward button during my junior year. In the blink of an eye, the seventh year of liking Liam was approaching. He was still a dazzling star, exploding in popularity during my senior year with an original song. Then he got into a music conservatory, participated in music variety shows, started his own studio, and held his own concerts. More and more people liked him. Meanwhile, I kept following the rules: college entrance exams, grad school, enjoying my ordinary campus life. Sometimes I would think, if only I had been a little braver back then, just a little braver. I wouldn’t ask to be his friend. At the very least. Every time we bumped into each other, I could have calmly and firmly said one sentence: “Hello, Liam, my name is Maya Lin.” Unfortunately, there are no “what ifs.” Heaven and earth, we were destined to be two different kinds of people. I opened and closed his chat interface. The profile picture of Liam hugging the Corgi was almost burned into my retinas from looking at it so much. It’s no exaggeration to say that even if you gave me a hundred Corgis right now, I could spot which one was Liam’s at a glance. The year I started grad school, I worked hard to get into a university in the city where Liam lived. Going from an average state school directly to a top-tier Ivy League university. My mom happily hugged me and kissed me several times: “Baby, you’re amazing.” I smiled and didn’t say anything. Liam, look. In all these years you didn’t know about. To chase after you, I kept running forward, step by step, and I also became a better version of myself. 07 Life as a first-year grad student was still pretty busy. When I got back to the dorm from the lab, I was exhausted. My roommate, Lily, was also a fan of Liam’s. When she saw me come back, she excitedly rushed over. “Ahhhh, Maya! Did you see the school’s official TikTok account?!” I was confused: “No, what’s wrong?” My other two roommates, Mia and Tina, were also smiling mysteriously. I laughed along, not understanding why: “What’s wrong with you guys?” The next second, Lily pulled out a light stick. I recognized it; it was from Liam’s last concert. “You’ll never guess! The school’s freshman welcome gala this year is going to be a dedicated Liam concert!” The campus Wi-Fi has always been slow. When I opened TikTok, it kept loading and wouldn’t show anything. In just a few seconds, I closed and reopened it over a dozen times. Lily couldn’t stand watching anymore: “Don’t rush, Maya. The official WeChat account has it too. Go check WeChat first.” “Oh, okay.” I was just pretending to be calm. Actually, my hands were shaking. When the WeChat article finally opened, apart from the gala program list, there was a recruitment notice at the very bottom. [Recruitment: Part-time Spotlight Operator for the 2025 Freshman Welcome Gala] Being a spotlight operator is a highly demanding job, both physically and mentally. You have to control heavy machinery while constantly adjusting to the stage effects. Therefore, society generally assumes that women are not suited for it. When I appeared at the interview venue, the faculty member directly rejected my application. I argued my case, but through their biased lens, it was only seen as me being unreasonable. “Miss, if you underestimate the job and mess up our stage effects because of it, can you take responsibility?” But, did I have to be denied my capability without even being given the chance to interview? I wasn’t willing to accept that. “If you don’t let me try, how do you know I’m not capable?” “Why are you so stubborn, child? When I say no, it means no!” The teacher impatiently shoved me, trying to chase me out of the office. I was pushed so hard I stumbled, stumbling backward and bumping into someone. The person naturally pushed me back into the office. The familiar voice made my heart tremble. “Professor, I actually think this student could give it a try.” 08 The teacher immediately put on a smiling face. Liam took off his sunglasses and mask. He was wearing a white shirt and black pants, looking as clean as a breeze. “As the number one ranked university in the country, I would think your cultivation of talent must be unique and unconventional.” “Of course, of course. Come, sit down quickly, Liam.” The teacher pointed to the sofa, then frowned at me, signaling me to leave. The intense conversation from just a moment ago was still ringing in my ears. I really didn’t want Liam to see me looking so undignified. I lowered my head, tightly gripping the application form in my hand, turned around, and was about to leave. Liam was still standing behind me. As I passed him, he gently grabbed my arm. “Since you’re already being unconventional…” He paused for a moment, then continued: “Then having a female spotlight operator definitely wouldn’t be a strange thing either.” I instantly looked up. Liam was still smiling gently, but his tone held a firmness that left no room for refusal. The teacher sighed, and finally accepted my application form. I immediately bowed to thank him, unable to suppress the joy in my heart: “Thank you, Professor!” “Don’t thank me, thank Liam.” I quickly nodded in Liam’s direction to express my gratitude. I didn’t dare make eye contact. This crush was too obvious. I was afraid that one more glance would expose me. “Goodbye, Professor.” I walked briskly, almost jogging out of the office.

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