I was the Boss Lady everyone admired. The day I caught my husband in bed with my best friend, I didn’t cry, or make a scene. “He’s trash,” I stated coldly. “Keep him.” My friends cheered my independence, praising how I’d never cling to a man. Meanwhile, my ex and my best friend rushed into marriage. Twins came the next year. His business boomed. They built a perfect, enviable life. And I? I fell apart. Depression hit me hard after the divorce. My career tanked. My relationships crumbled. I lost everything. Lost in thought, I stepped into traffic. Before I died, my best friend appeared at my bedside, her eyes gleaming with triumph. “I knew you prided yourself on being a ‘boss girl’,” she said. “That’s why I staged that scene for you to find.” I died, choking on regret and resentment. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the scene of their betrayal. I lay in the emergency room, barely clinging to life. Just moments ago, the doctor had gravely informed me that my injuries were too severe; there was nothing more they could do. As I vaguely thought, “Well, if I’m going to die, I’ll die,” I heard the soft click of high heels, and Serena walked in. She was elegantly dressed, her skin glowing and full, looking even younger than she had eight years ago when I caught her in bed with Derek. She gazed at me with a mix of sorrow and pity. “Cassidy, I never imagined you’d end up like this.” “Fate is truly amazing, isn’t it? After all these twists and turns, it’s me who’s sending you off on your final journey… Since it’s come to this, let’s just consider this a confession session between us.” I had no idea why she was here. I wanted to turn my head away, too tired to look at her. But I couldn’t. Because I was dying. Serena sat by my bed, sighed softly, and began speaking, seemingly to herself. “I fell in love with Derek the moment I saw him.” “But for all those years, I could only watch you two date, then marry, watching you live a better life than me, buying a bracelet that cost my entire month’s salary without a second thought. I couldn’t understand it. We had similar backgrounds, similar education, similar looks. Why, just because you arrived at that coffee shop ten minutes before me, did Derek fall in love with you and not me?” “So, I decided to personally ‘adjust’ our fates.” “I managed to get into bed with Derek, but when he woke up, he was full of remorse and despair. He even offered me money to keep it from you. Later, even though he couldn’t resist and we did it a second and third time, he regretted it every single time.” She chuckled softly, “Well, that simply wouldn’t do, would it?” “I knew you always prided yourself on being the ‘boss girl,’ the one who always said if her husband cheated, she’d never cry or throw a fit like other women, but would get an immediate divorce and never look back. So, I begged Derek to be with me one last time, and… I deliberately made sure you’d catch us in the act.” I stared at her, stunned, unable to believe it. After the divorce, I quickly realized that the cool, nonchalant air of a strong independent woman was only temporary. Soon, I was overwhelmed by an emotional backlash, tormented daily by the betrayal from my most intimate confidante and the sheer social humiliation. Later, as I watched them marry, have children, and succeed in their startup, thriving in every way, I, having lost all faith in love, couldn’t continue my work as a wedding designer. I also didn’t dare start a new relationship, and my life only got worse. The contrast felt like a cruel torture, plunging me into anxiety, self-doubt, and a complete breakdown of faith. Every day felt like my heart was on fire, leaving me sleepless and consumed. I thought I was just unlucky, or weak and useless, even despising myself for not being able to bounce back. But it never once occurred to me that it was all a carefully laid trap. “Thank you, Cassidy! You certainly didn’t disappoint me. Your pride and dignity also left us with our dignity intact, which is why Derek and I were able to recover so quickly.” “Of course, I should thank myself the most. After all, I did so many things, including mimicking your tone and actions in front of Derek, paying to get you repeatedly fired, and even-” She suddenly smiled. “Going to a sperm bank abroad beforehand, picking someone who looked similar to Derek, and getting pregnant with twins…” My weak body had no strength left. But at that moment. Her words made my eyes snap wide open. After I got a swift divorce, Derek still wouldn’t let go, kneeling before me, confessing his heart only loved me, begging for another chance, and vowing on his life never to see Serena again. Until Serena said she was pregnant with his child… “Anyway, in the last few years, especially after having two adorable babies, Derek has been getting better and better to me. He really did fall in love with me, little by little!” “Cassidy, I finally got to live your life. I personally changed my own destiny, but it always felt a little regrettable that no one knew. Thank heavens, you gave me this chance to confess everything before you died. Cassidy, given how honest I’ve been with you, I hope you won’t blame me after you pass. Rest in peace.” She said, rising gracefully, her face beaming with smug satisfaction. “Oh, right, are you wondering how I ended up here?” “My favorite shortbread shop closes at nine, and my driver was worried I wouldn’t get there in time and would be disappointed, so he drove a bit fast. I hope you don’t blame him either; it was an accident. He might even develop psychological trauma because of you. Of course, I’ll compensate you fairly and legally. After all, no matter how much I pay, ha, it’s just the cost of one of my handbags.” “But…” She suddenly tilted her head, looking troubled. “You’re all alone now, with no family. Who should I pay the compensation to?” She laughed and shook her head, walking out gracefully in her high heels. I closed my eyes amidst the screaming of my soul. … When I woke up again, I found myself standing at the door of a second-floor room. Laughter and chatter from friends drifted up from downstairs. Inside the room. Two naked bodies were passionately entangled, their gasps filling the air. I froze for two seconds, then raised a hand and slapped myself. It hurt! Good, it hurt! The next second, I screamed with all my might. “You shameless Cheaters!”

Two flushed faces simultaneously turned, panting. The moment Derek saw me, his pupils constricted, his body stiffened, and in a panic, he completed his final movements. Serena let out a soft gasp for a moment, then pulled the covers over both their bodies, speaking in a hoarse whisper. “Cassidy, don’t be impulsive!” “It’s all my fault. I seduced Derek. Please don’t blame him. Hit me, curse me, just direct your fury at me alone!” I’d heard this script in my previous life. Back then, I was a wedding designer with a thriving career and a happy family. I believed that love and marriage should be flawless. A man who could be stolen was, by definition, unworthy of my energy. So I did what any self-respecting ‘boss girl’ would do. I looked down at them, my face a mask of icy disdain, and said. “He’s yours.” I didn’t even step into the room, turning and walking downstairs to leave. Now, Serena watched me, her eyes flickering, clearly anticipating my reaction. But I charged in. First, I grabbed the kettle from the table and hurled it at Derek’s face. After a “thud,” hot water cascaded over him, and he screamed, clutching his face. At the same time, nimble as a cat, I darted around to Serena’s side. My left foot swept all the clothes on the floor under the bed in one swift motion, and my right foot braced against the bed frame. With both hands, I grabbed Serena’s long hair and yanked her forcefully outwards. It was her meticulously cared-for, pride-and-joy long hair. Thick and long, perfect for a good grip and some serious tugging. This scheme was her doing. So, the retribution should start with her! I yanked a section of her hair, wrapping it around my fist, and struck her flushed face-smack, smack, smack-ten times without pause. When my hand ached, I switched and delivered ten more. The rhythm was brutal, precise, as if this violence was a native language my body had always known. Serena’s upper body dangled over the side of the bed, her seductive act vanishing. She stared at me in terror, making a desperate and deflating sound:”Pfft-pfft-pfft-pfft-pfft!” On so many bitter nights, I’d been haunted by regret.  Why did I play the noble boss lady and just walk away? Why didn’t I make them pay then and there! Why didn’t I expose their sordid affair to the world! After rehearsing it many times in my imagination, I realized nothing was as satisfying as slapping and hair-pulling to vent my rage. In short, when the people downstairs, drawn by my screams, rushed up, this is what they saw. I was tugging Serena’s long hair with all my might, like a game of tug-of-war; Serena, completely naked, clutched the blanket tightly, refusing to let go; Derek, one hand covering his face, the other instinctively pulling the other end of the blanket to cover his naked body. The three of us formed a bizarre, frozen tableau. Everyone at the doorway stared, mouths agape. Today, a group of friends had planned a weekend getaway at this Airbnb. I originally had work and intended to arrive tomorrow, but Serena called me, saying Derek had too much to drink tonight, so I changed my mind and rushed over. At this moment, Serena, dangling precariously, her face swollen like a pig’s head, let out a muffled plea. “Help me, please help me!” No one helped her. Everyone wore expressions of disgust and contempt. But last time, it hadn’t been like this. They hadn’t seen the cheating firsthand, only learned the details from our expressions and snippets of conversation. Seeing it and not seeing it were completely different. The visual impact was different. The level of disgust was different. In fact, years later, when Derek’s startup succeeded and Serena transformed into a glamorous socialite, they even exclaimed in admiration. “You two proved that true love can overcome all hardships!”

“Cassidy, please, just calm down.” Derek’s voice trembled. His head above the neck was bright red, his once handsome face covered in glistening blisters from the hot water, and his hair was still steaming slightly. He looked like a boiled lobster. Years ago, Serena and I had arranged to meet at a coffee shop. She was late. I opened my laptop, working on my senior project while I waited. Derek, sitting at the next table, smiled and asked me. “Hey, are you a design student too?” That day, Serena was ten minutes late, and Derek and I chatted so much that we only had eyes for each other. So much so that when Serena arrived, I completely missed the sparkling look in her eyes as she glanced at him. Derek was an art gallery designer. In everyone’s eyes, he was a gentle, kind, talented, and also sensitive and easily swayed person. He even remembered to carry a small bag of cat food for the stray cats on the street. But his kindness was a weakness. In my previous life, he had knelt before me, crying and confessing. He said Serena had confessed her feelings to him one night when she was drunk, crying that she had secretly loved him for years and had even remained chaste for him. She cried, saying she didn’t ask to be with him forever, only to have him once. He had refused her many times until he discovered she was trying to take her own life. Only then, out of a moment of weakness, did he agree. I was utterly disgusted at the time, wanting nothing more than to be as far away from those two wretched people as possible. Within a month, I swiftly settled the property and divorced. Now, I only hated that I had just two hands, unable to rush over and claw at his face, tearing open each blister on it. But I couldn’t be hasty. Serena only had this one chance. If she got away, there might not be another. And Derek… he had to come home with me… “How can I calm down?” I gritted my teeth, glaring at him. His face was crimson, his eyelashes fluttering, and he spoke, full of shame. “Cassidy, please let go of her first, let us both get dressed, please…” I sneered, “You want to play the hero? Fine. Serena and I swore that if either of us ever did anything to wrong the other, the wronged one could slap the other thirty times. I’ve slapped her twenty times, and now I’m tired. You can deliver the remaining ten, and then I’ll let her go.” Derek shook his head frantically, “Cassidy, I’m not trying to be a hero-” “Just do it.” Serena suddenly cried out. “It was me who seduced Derek, I drugged him, I’m the despicable and shameless one, I’m Serena, the disgraceful mistress. It has nothing to do with him. Just hit me, quickly, my stomach… my back can’t take this anymore!” Her voice was miserable and helpless. On one hand, she was playing the victim in front of Derek; on the other, she genuinely couldn’t hold on much longer. After all, she was pregnant with twins at this moment. My friends were all crowded at the doorway. They occasionally offered platitudes like, “Don’t be impulsive,” or “Let’s talk this out calmly.” But no one moved, their eyes glued to the unfolding drama. I thought Derek would hesitate. After all, he was a kind and soft-hearted man. But to my surprise, before Serena’s words had even faded, he wrapped the blanket around himself and scooted over to her side. Then, crisp sounds echoed through the room. One of the slaps was a bit light. I raised an eyebrow slightly, and Derek immediately increased the force. Serena, her nose bleeding, showed a flicker of surprise and hurt on her face. But she had planned this for a long time, her goal clear. She had gotten what she wanted. After the ten slaps were delivered, her pig-like swollen face actually managed a smile at the panting Derek. “I don’t blame you.” She spoke incoherently, looking at Derek with the eyes of a suffering couple oppressed by evil. But Derek averted his gaze. Two seconds later, he looked at me, his eyes trembling. “Cassidy, is that enough?” I was expressionless. “Of course not. You put such a disgusting cuckold’s hat on me. If I only hit the mistress and not you, people would look down on me, say I’m ‘man-loving,’ and only pick on other women.” Derek immediately nodded, closing his eyes and lifting his face, speaking in a tone of agonizing pain. “Cassidy, do it. I just want you to get this out of your system. We can talk everything else over when we get home.” I looked at the increasingly glistening blisters on his face, as if unknown fluids would splatter out with a touch. I changed my mind on the spot, lowering my gaze to Serena. “You do it.” She looked shocked, then shook her head sadly. “No, no!” Derek suddenly roared, “Just do it! Hurry! Anything is better than this!” So, Serena, in an awkward position, began to slap him mournfully. “Are you two flirting?” I asked. Derek gritted his teeth. “Harder!” When Serena pulled her hand back, I caught a glimpse of sticky residue on her palm. Finally, this ugly spectacle ended with Derek wrapped in the blanket and Serena in a bed sheet, both crawling on the floor to retrieve their clothes from under the bed. It was a small taste of vengeance, and it was sweet.

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The day Spencer and I got engaged, His childhood friend threw a huge scene at our party. She even slashed her wrists. The engagement ceremony was cancelled. And I was just… done. 0Outside the emergency room, everyone was frantic, Spencer included. Only my expression remained cold, utterly drained. “They’re coming out, they’re coming out…” The ER lights went off, the doors swung open, and a doctor in a white coat emerged. “She’s fine, we saved her.” I saw everyone sigh in relief, myself included. I took off my veil, holding it in my hand, and dragged my long dress toward a visibly relieved Spencer. He saw me approaching, took my hand, a weary smile on his face. “Thank god she’s okay.” Yeah, thank god she’s okay. If anything had really happened, not only would Spencer have been crushed, but so would I. I’m not the kind of person who would let my love push someone else to their death, am I? Spencer, at his parents’ insistence, went with Willow to her hospital room. I slumped onto a chair in the hospital corridor, leaning against the wall. Soon, four people stood before me. Willow’s mother’s eyes were red-rimmed. “Brooke, I know you’re a good girl, but you’ve seen how much Willow loves Spencer. If you two stay together, who knows? One of these times, she might not make it.” Willow’s father looked at me with hostility. “Willow and Spencer grew up together; we always assumed they’d end up together. Spencer choosing you now is just youthful folly. Once he matures, he’ll realize he belongs with Willow.” Spencer’s mother looked at me pleadingly. “I know this sounds unfair to you, but could you please do Spencer and Willow this favor? I know my son. He might seem indifferent, but deep down, he’s heartbroken. They share such a long history.” Spencer’s father was fuming, giving me a disgusted look. “I never agreed to them being together in the first place. You kept saying, ‘they’re young, they have their own choices.’ This is all your fault for spoiling him; otherwise, none of this would’ve happened today.” Their goal was unanimous: to force Spencer and me to break up. Spencer and I had been together for three years. Every time we got a little intimate, Willow would fall into a deep depression. She’d taken sleeping pills at least ten times, Gone to the rooftop seven times, and slashed her wrists five times. Each time, Spencer was consumed by guilt and self-reproach. Our relationship felt like a secret affair. Like we were working undercover. I felt like his dirty little secret. We finally managed to get engaged on the sly. And then she just showed up out of nowhere and cut her wrist. He’s not some rare gem, you know. Good guys are everywhere. But she just had to choose to try and end her life. She must be completely out of her mind. Honestly, they didn’t even need to pressure me. After today’s stunt, I was already terrified. I was afraid Willow would actually die. I’d carry that guilt forever. I was also afraid that Willow had serious mental issues. And what if Spencer, her childhood sweetheart, caught whatever she had? I couldn’t risk it. I valued my life too much. 0

But a breakup needed to happen face-to-face. “Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, you don’t need to convince me. I’ve already decided to break up with Spencer.” I pushed myself up from the floor. “Since Willow’s stable, I’m heading back. I’m truly exhausted.” Under the stunned gazes of the four adults, I calmly walked toward the exit. Back at the apartment Spencer and I shared, I went to bed without a second thought. My words today were enough to ensure those adults would pull out all the stops to keep Spencer by Willow’s side. Sure enough, Spencer didn’t come home all night, and there wasn’t a single call. We were breaking up anyway; I didn’t care if he came back or not. In college, Spencer pursued me for four whole years. He said I was his first love. After graduation, he followed me to my city. I saw how persistent he was, which is why I reluctantly agreed to be with him. If I’d known he had a childhood friend who threatened to end her life every other day, I wouldn’t have agreed to be with him even if you’d killed me. Three days later, Spencer finally returned. His face was etched with exhaustion. Seeing me, his eyes filled with a pained vulnerability. “Brooke, I’m so tired.” Seeing his weariness and longing, I felt a pang of pity. But if I stayed with him, I’d live in constant fear. A sense of utter powerlessness washed over me. Hesitation only leads to trouble. I slipped off the ring on my finger and held it out to him. “Spencer, we’re not right for each other. Let’s just end it.” The fatigue on Spencer’s face instantly froze, replaced by a bewildered disbelief, like he’d just been doused with ice water. He grabbed my hand. “Brooke? What are you saying? End what? Is it because I haven’t been back for a few days? Let me explain, Willow, she…” I yanked my hand back, the ring almost falling to the floor. “Stop. Don’t even mention Willow. Just hearing her name makes me sick to my stomach, and it makes me sick to look at you too.” I walked around him, heading straight for the walk-in closet, pulling out my largest suitcase. “This has nothing to do with your childhood friend. It’s purely because I feel like being with you is shortening my life.” He blocked the closet doorway, his tall frame casting a shadow, his eyes red-rimmed. “Shortening your life? Brooke! We were together four years in college, three years working. You’re throwing all that away just because I’ve been taking care of Willow?” He pleaded, “Don’t you know how I feel about you? I love you.” I scoffed, shoving clothes haphazardly into the suitcase. “Spencer, your love is too heavy. It comes with a ‘childhood friend’ who might bleed out any minute.” I snapped, “Your love means I have to live every day under the shadow of ‘what if she really dies and we’re the culprits?’” I shook my head, “Sorry, but I value my life. I can’t play these heart-stopping games.” I forcefully snapped the suitcase shut, the zipper grating loudly. “Here’s your ring. Let’s part on good terms. As for this apartment, live in it if you want, or sell it. Just send half the money to my account.” “I don’t agree!” he roared, grabbing the suitcase handle. “Why do you get to decide we’re over? What did I do wrong? Just because I’ve been taking care of her for the past few days? Brooke, it was a matter of life and death! Can’t you be less cold-blooded?” I almost laughed, enraged. I tried to pull the suitcase back, but he wouldn’t budge. “Fine, I’ll tell you exactly why I’m ending it. Because I’m sick of it.” I paused, staring him down. “I’m sick of your childhood friend who tries to hurt herself at the drop of a hat.” “I’m sick of you rushing off like a firefighter every time she stirs.” “I’m sick of both your families giving me those looks, treating me like I’m the other woman.” “And most of all, I’m sick of this constant dread, terrified that one day I’ll open my phone and see news of her successful suicide, and then everyone, including you, will look at me with ‘it’s all your fault’ eyes.” My voice was raw with frustration. “Spencer, your love is honey-laced poison. I’m afraid to die. I’m not taking another bite, okay?” I gave up on the suitcase, turning to grab another bag for my valuables. “Let go. Don’t make me call the cops and accuse you of unlawful detainment.” He seemed pinned to the spot by my words, his hand on the handle loosening then tightening, his gaze tormented and confused. “It’s not like that… Brooke, I love you… Willow, she’s just… she’s sick, she needs help…” “She needs a psychiatrist, not your endless indulgence and your entire family’s spineless pandering.” I grabbed my bag and laptop. “Move. I waited this long just to make things clear. I’m leaving tonight. Don’t make me say uglier things.” He finally, wearily, moved aside, like his backbone had been removed. He leaned against the doorframe, watching me drag my suitcase, walking toward the main door without a backward glance. The moment the door clicked shut, I heard a stifled, animalistic growl from inside. 0

I moved into a hotel, but the world didn’t become quiet. Spencer’s calls, SnapChats, and texts were a relentless bombardment. From initial pleas and apologies, they escalated to accusations and blame, finally transforming into a kind of obsessive persistence. He demanded an answer. “Why, Brooke? Tell me why?” His voice on the phone was hoarse and agitated. “Willow has pulled stunts before; you never cared then. I love you so much, and you love me too. What did I do wrong? Just tell me!” I leaned against the cold hotel window, watching the endless stream of car lights below. A profound weariness seeped from my bones. I cut short his frantic questioning. “Spencer, I made it very clear that day.” I stated firmly, “Love isn’t a magic shield. Your love won’t solve Willow’s problems, nor will it erase the fear her constant threats of suicide bring me. I’m tired. I don’t want to live like this anymore, always on edge. We…” Before I could finish, his other phone—the one he’d assigned Willow’s special ringtone to—suddenly blared an ear-splitting alarm. My heart sank. Sure enough, the next second, his hurried voice came through: “Brooke, wait. Willow… her mom called, she’s not doing well again, I have to go…” The call was abruptly cut, leaving only a dial tone. I held my phone, listening to the monotonous “beep-beep,” and a cold sense of absurdity washed over me. See? This was the answer. There would always be something more important, more urgent than me. There would always be a “not doing well” Willow, potentially harming herself, ready to sever his connection with me without a moment’s hesitation. Even as he was desperately asking why I didn’t love him. My heart was exhausted. More exhausted than it had ever been. A wild thought took root: Leave this city. Escape far away, let all these horrible people and things go to hell. But my finger scrolled across my phone screen, seeing the urgent project updates in my WhatsApp group chat. The impulse was immediately stifled. Give up years of hard-earned career stability for a man? Not worth it. 0

I had broken up with Spencer, and I thought I’d finally be free of them. But Spencer kept showing up at my office, trying to ambush me. Each time, I ignored him, making my resolve to end things abundantly clear. I managed to avoid Spencer, but I couldn’t avoid Willow. She showed up directly downstairs from my office, dressed in a plain white dress. “Brooke, please, will you give Spencer back to me? I really can’t live without him… Last time I cut my wrist, I truly wanted to die. I really wanted to set you two free.” Tears welled in her eyes. “But Spencer didn’t want me to die; he still loves me. So if you just give Spencer back, I can live. Please, save my life.” She grabbed my arm, her fingers icy cold and trembling nervously. A wave of intense irritation surged through me. I violently shook off her hand, stepping back to create distance. “Willow, listen carefully: First, Spencer and I are over. Completely over.” I held up a finger, “Second, he’s not an object; there’s no such thing as ‘giving him back.’ And third, your life is yours. Whether you can live or not has nothing to do with me or Spencer. If you’re sick, go see a doctor. Don’t bother me.” My coldness seemed to provoke her. She suddenly looked up, tears still clinging to her lashes, but her eyes now held a frantic glint. “You’re lying! You haven’t broken up at all. You’re definitely still seducing him, otherwise why would he keep looking for you? Why won’t he come back to me? It’s all because of you, because you’re in this city!” She stepped closer, her voice turning shrill. “Leave! You leave here! As soon as you’re gone, Spencer will give up on you and come back to me. Just go!” I almost burst out laughing, completely incredulous. “Are you out of your mind? Whether I break up or leave is my freedom. It’s not for you to dictate! I’ll say it one last time: Stay away from me.” “You won’t leave, will you?” The vulnerability on her face instantly morphed into a desperate, ruthless determination. “Fine! Fine! If you won’t leave, I’ll die right here in front of you, right outside your office! I’ll make sure everyone sees that you stole my boyfriend and then drove me to my death!” Another death threat. I annoyedly turned my face away, just wanting to get away from this crazy woman. “If you’re going to die, do it somewhere far away. Don’t contaminate my sight.” With that, I turned to walk away, dismissing her as mere theatrics. However, I underestimated her impulsiveness, or rather, her sheer madness. “Screech… Screech—” A deafening shriek and the sharp screech of tires echoed behind me. I spun around, my heart stopping cold—Willow had actually run into traffic. A black sedan skidded to a halt, almost grazing her body. The shaken driver stuck his head out, yelling obscenities. “You freaking suicidal maniac! Go off and die quietly somewhere; don’t try to frame me!” Willow was sprawled in the middle of the road, barely half a meter from the car’s bumper, her face ashen, trembling uncontrollably.

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My terminally ill boyfriend was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family in Starhaven City. And I was just a food truck vendor, selling grilled skewers on the street. Damon Blackwood was sickly and weak. When I was taking care of him, I always gave him the best of everything. But when twelve sleek black Escalades from the Blackwood family pulled up to my doorstep to take him home. He left me, taking my roommate with him instead. During an interview, a reporter pointed at me and asked him, “Who is this lady to you?” Damon replied, “Just the nanny who looked after me during this time!” Later, he became the billionaire everyone in Starhaven City looked up to, and I turned around and married his sworn rival. On our wedding night, Damon Blackwood sent people to take me away. He asked me: “Why did you marry an ugly freak?” I said, “Because he never treated me like a nanny!” The day the Blackwood family came for Damon, twelve Escalades lined up, blocking the alley I always took home. Reporters, cameras on their shoulders, swarmed the building, making it impossible to pass. My grill cart, packed up after closing, couldn’t get through, so I had to walk. My neighbor, Chloe Davis, saw me and enthusiastically linked arms with me: “Jade, you hit the jackpot! Your boyfriend is a Blackwood heir!” While I stood there, stunned, Damon Blackwood descended from the building, surrounded by a large entourage. I had never seen Damon like this. He wore a perfectly tailored dark suit, his posture straight, his aura refined and distinguished. Beside him was Serena Thorne, my roommate. When Damon looked at me, his gaze was different from before, filled with the disdain of a high-status individual. A sharp-eyed reporter asked him, “Mr. Blackwood, what’s your relationship with the lady in front of you?” Damon’s eyes shifted from me, and he replied coldly: “Just the nanny who looked after me during this time!” The neighbors gasped. They often saw me buying things for Damon, accompanying him to appointments. Everyone knew he was my boyfriend. In an instant, all sorts of gazes—sympathetic, mocking—fell upon me. I froze. I looked down at my $10 T-shirt, my $20 canvas shoes, and the exhaustion that clung to me. I did look a lot like a nanny. But I had cared for Damon for five years. Even if he’d just said I was his neighbor, I wouldn’t have felt this pathetic! I walked to the front of the lead car. Damon had just opened the door for Serena to get in when he suddenly remembered something. He turned and asked me: “You’ve taken care of me for so long. Is there anything you wish for? I can grant it, within reason!” Chloe immediately urged me, “Quick, quick, this is your chance! Make him take you with him!” But I didn’t budge. I just numbly shook the bag of medications in my hand: “Since you don’t have a terminal illness, how about you settle up the money I spent on your medicine these past few years? Oh, and living expenses!” “It all adds up to… one hundred thousand dollars!” I pulled out my phone and quickly calculated, announcing the figure. Those around me snickered, mocking my shortsightedness. Damon frowned, looking at me with a complex expression. But then he told his assistant to hand me a check. I glanced at it. It was for one hundred and two thousand dollars. He’d given me an extra two thousand! Serena, clinging to his arm, looked at me: “Jade, Damon is really generous to you. You asked for it, and he paid up. But from now on, you two are from different worlds. I hope you won’t say anything bad about Damon to anyone!” Damon also looked at me, pressing his lips together: “I don’t want anyone to know you and I were ever involved!” I understood. He was ashamed of me, afraid I’d tell the media he was my boyfriend. Don’t worry, I won’t. After all, having such a heartless jerk for a boyfriend isn’t exactly something to brag about. Damon left, and the curious crowd dispersed. Only Chloe, who was usually closest to me, seethed with indignation: “Jade, are you crazy? What can you do with $102,000? You can’t even buy a decent apartment!” I looked at her, my face pale: “But that’s all he owes me…” Loving him was my choice. Caring for him was too! I just loved the wrong person, and I’ll accept that. Chloe sighed, poking my head with her finger, calling me foolish. Back home. All of Damon’s things had been cleared out. Serena’s too. I’d worked the grill all night and then stopped by the hospital early that morning to pick up Damon’s medication. Now, I was so tired I just collapsed on the couch, not wanting to move. “Meow…” My little cat, Pumpkin, sat in front of me, tilting her head and meowing. I’d found her as a stray on the street. I dragged myself up to feed her and tidy up the house. In the evening, I went to my food truck as usual. Without Damon, my expenses were actually quite low. $102,000, at my spending level, would last me twenty years. But I wanted to buy a house, to have a place of my own. My grill cart was the busiest on the food truck street outside the university campus. Young college students loved to frequent my business. One day, a man in a sharp suit suddenly appeared in front of my stand: “Vendor, I’ll take five lamb skewers, ten lamb kidneys…”

Accustomed to serving energetic college students, this was my first time waiting on a successful businessman who clearly oozed wealth. I couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances at him. He was tall, about six feet three, with a physique like an ancient Greek statue. A silver Porsche Cayenne was parked at the end of the alley, its lights on, with a driver inside, presumably waiting for him. Having watched too many rom-coms, my mind immediately concocted a cheesy plotline: an overbearing CEO buying grilled skewers for his college-student wife. I asked him, “To go or eating here?” I guessed ‘to go,’ so I already had the takeout boxes ready. But he said, “Eating here!” Then, ignoring my surprised expression, he found a seat and sat down. He ordered about three hundred dollars worth of food. I grilled and served him skewer by skewer. By the time I finished grilling everything, dripping with sweat, he had eaten it all. “Your grilling is excellent. How are your other cooking skills?” I paused, pointing at myself: “Are you asking me?” “I’m a decent cook. I even studied culinary arts before I started this food truck!” The CEO’s eyes lit up. He immediately pulled a business card from his suit pocket and handed it to me: “Interested in becoming my private chef?” I took the card. HD Group CEO, Caleb Thorne. My expression grew strange: “Mr. Thorne, you…” “$20,000 a month!” At that salary, I didn’t hesitate. I accepted immediately. To buy a house in Starhaven City, where real estate costs a fortune, my food truck income would barely be enough even if I worked until I died! The next day, I went to the Thorne family mansion for the interview, clutching the business card. Caleb himself opened the door. The young man, dressed in a gray tracksuit, had just returned from a run. Seeing me standing at the ornate iron gate, he personally unlocked it and led me inside. The Thorne estate was huge. It took seven or eight minutes to walk from the gate to the living room. As I walked, I cautiously observed my surroundings, wary that he might have ulterior motives… Then, boom, I walked right into his broad back, hitting it so hard I saw stars. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Thorne! I… I didn’t mean to!” I apologized, clutching my throbbing nose. Caleb, exasperated, turned around and looked at me: “Do you seriously think I’d try something with you?” I looked disappointed: “You wouldn’t?” Caleb let out a sarcastic laugh. He raised a hand as if to hit me, but stopped himself, only saying: “Stop calling me ‘Mr. Thorne.’ Take a good look, who do you think I am?” I leaned in, shook my head: “Don’t recognize you!” “Tsk…” “Seriously, I don’t. I’m just a grill girl; how would I know a big shot like you? Maybe you’ve got the wrong person!” I knew it. Why would such a high-paying job just fall into my lap? Turns out the CEO was just mistaken, seeing me as someone else! Caleb gritted his teeth, a sinister smile on his face: “Jade, if you dare say you don’t know me again!” When the CEO got angry, a chill radiated from him. I instinctively hunched my shoulders, my gaze fixed on the man’s deep, handsome face. A scarred face, ravaged by fire, flashed through my mind. If those scars were removed from that face… I was startled, almost immediately recalling his identity, and then I took off running.

The next moment, my wrist was seized, yanked backward with force. My back slammed against the wall, Caleb’s face magnified before my eyes. He pinned my wrists above my head, looking down at me: “Jade, go ahead and run if you dare!” I couldn’t run. The disparity in strength between a man and a woman was too great! I was no match for him at all. Actually, before Damon, I had another boyfriend. In the summer when I was seventeen, a transfer student joined our class. His name was Caleb, and a large portion of his face was covered in scars from a fire. The other students were afraid of him, ostracizing him at every turn. No one even dared to sit with him at lunch in the cafeteria. Behind his back, everyone called him the ‘ugly freak.’ His desk partner demanded a new seat, claiming that looking at his face would give her nightmares. Our teacher, helpless, asked if anyone was willing to sit with him. His long fingers picked at the edge of the desk, betraying his inner tension. Just as everyone remained silent, not wanting to be his desk partner, I timidly raised my hand. At that moment, the class erupted in laughter: “Let Jade sit with him!” “The trash girl and the monster—they’re a perfect match!” Back then, my grandmother, who adopted me, was still alive. She raised me by collecting recyclables. And to help ease her burden, I would also collect scrap after school to sell. My classmates looked down on me, saying I smelled bad. Since freshman year, I had always sat alone at a separate desk. Our teacher knew my situation and sternly scolded the students not to mock me like that. But while a bottle can be stoppered, human hearts are not so easily sealed. Behind my back, they still called me ‘the trash girl.’ Now, ignoring their jeers, I clutched the hem of my shirt and nervously asked Caleb: “Caleb, would you mind if I was your desk partner?” I was afraid he’d also be repulsed by my smell. But Caleb nodded emphatically: “As long as you’re not scared, I’d be glad to!” Later, our interactions grew more frequent. I discovered Caleb was incredibly smart; his test scores were always the best in our grade. He tutored me. When I didn’t have money for food, he’d share half of his allowance with me. In our senior year, he suddenly confessed his feelings and asked me to apply to the same top-tier university as him. I accepted his confession and put down an Ivy League school as my first choice. But on the night the application deadline closed, I was working at a five-star hotel. I ran into Caleb and his family eating there. There was also a very beautiful girl sitting with Caleb. When both sets of parents went to the restroom, they discussed having the girl accompany Caleb abroad for treatment over the summer. And then, when they returned, they would announce their engagement. I admit I felt insecure. When I went back, I changed my university application and sent Caleb a message saying I had fallen in love with someone else and wanted to break up. Then I blocked all his contact information. No one knew which university I went to. And I never heard anything from Caleb again. “If Damon hadn’t gone home that day, and reporters hadn’t caught you on camera, I might never have known you were back in Starhaven City!” Caleb’s voice was laced with fury. “You broke up with me because of Damon?”

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I’m getting married, and my boyfriend of eight years has no clue. That’s because he recently hired a new secretary, and those two are practically inseparable, burning bright. For her birthday, Julian ordered a ten-tier cream cake. At the party, they smeared cake everywhere, utterly forgetting that I’m severely allergic to cream. After the ambulance rushed me to the ER, the moment I opened my eyes, I agreed to the marriage my family had arranged. Mom’s efficiency was truly something. Back from the hospital, I was just about to use my smart lock to enter our house when she flooded my SnapChat with a dozen wedding plans for me to choose from. “The wedding is set for three days from now. Take your time packing your things, no rush.” “Mom, you decide. I love all these designs.” Julian appeared behind me out of nowhere. Hearing the word “wedding,” he blurted out, “Wedding? What wedding?” He reached out, trying to peek at my phone screen, but I quickly pulled it away. He was about to grab it when his phone suddenly rang. I heard Chloe’s trembling voice on the other end: “Julian, I just went downstairs to grab something, and I think someone’s following me! What do I do? I’m so scared, I circled the apartment complex, but I can’t shake him!” Julian’s face instantly changed, his eyes filled with panic. “Chloe, don’t be scared! Find a well-lit area, the security office should have someone on duty. Go there and wait; I’ll be right there!” He hung up, the wedding completely forgotten. Once again, he didn’t hesitate to abandon me, turning and rushing out into the night. My expression remained utterly blank, devoid of any emotion, the entire time. After he left, I started packing, preparing to move out. It hit me then—I’d lived here for eight years. Before turning off my phone to rest, I decided I’d be out of here within three days. The next day, I planned to visit Aunt Linda before leaving. I never expected to run into Julian downstairs.

Chloe’s fragile figure trailed close behind him, both carrying groceries they’d just bought. They looked exactly like a young couple moving in together. Aunt Linda was coming down to meet me, and when she saw them, she started to open her mouth to question them, but I cut her off. “Mom’s delivery for you arrived. Remember to check the expiration dates, don’t let anything go bad.” I didn’t spare Julian a glance, but this time, he surprisingly took the initiative to explain: “Don’t get the wrong idea, it’s just that her previous apartment complex wasn’t safe, so I found her a new place. I didn’t realize Aunt Linda lived here too. Why did you buy so much stuff?” I waved my hand, directing the driver to carry my packages upstairs, while vaguely replying: “You don’t need to tell me about your work. My mom bought it; who knows when I’ll be back next, so she bought a lot.” Seeing that I hadn’t misunderstood them, Julian visibly relaxed. “No problem, Northwood isn’t far. Just let me know whenever you want to visit.” He still didn’t know I was moving back home, and I had no intention of telling him. Linda had been about to speak, but seeing Julian’s protective gestures towards Chloe, her face darkened. The four of us stood there in a tense silence for a while, until Chloe finally complained she was tired. Julian immediately spoke up, telling the driver to pause moving my things. He said his stuff was light, so he could use the elevator first. Looking at the several full bags of groceries in his hands, I stepped aside for him. A flicker of surprise crossed Julian’s eyes, and he hurried into the elevator. The moment the elevator doors closed, I thought I saw a reflection of my old self in Chloe. Back then, when Linda had just moved, he was just as eager to run errands for me, bustling around, doing everything. He moved all my belongings into his place, smiling as he declared he was welcoming the future lady of the house. Linda beside me sighed with a hint of regret: “Are you really not going to let me ask? You’ve known each other for so long, it would be such a waste if you broke up over a misunderstanding.” I shook my head. “No need. There are no misunderstandings between us. He never lets a misunderstanding linger; if there’s no explanation, that’s the answer.” Actually, Julian and Chloe hadn’t bought much; they could have moved it all in one trip. But even after I had delivered Linda’s things and said goodbye, I still didn’t see him downstairs. Out of politeness for an old friend, I pulled out my phone and messaged him, asking when he’d be back. The moment I sent it, he replied with a voice message. But when I opened it, it was Chloe’s sweet voice. “Ruby, Julian is helping me fix the wiring at my place. This apartment hasn’t been lived in, there’s so much to sort out. You should probably head back, so we don’t waste your time!” I was about to close my phone and call a cab when another message popped up from her. “Ruby, please don’t overthink it. Julian is just helping me out; he just feels sorry for me, living alone in this big city…” Thinking of my own parents, separated for years, I swallowed the words in my throat and closed the chat. After getting in the car, I was staring out the window, lost in thought, when Julian called. “Why were you so harsh with Chloe? She’s my subordinate, what’s wrong with me finding her a place to stay? The company doesn’t provide housing yet, isn’t it my duty to help out?” “Ruby, when did you become like this? At the birthday party, you were cold the whole time, saying you felt unwell and wanted to leave. I haven’t even had a chance to confront you about that, and now what are you throwing a fit about today?” Chloe’s aggrieved sobs echoed in the receiver. Her performance in front of me was a stark contrast to the innocent, naive intern Julian described. I took a deep breath, finally understanding her little game. But I was too tired to defend myself. “Yeah, no worries. My bad. I was just asking. You go back to your business. I’m already home; I didn’t wait for you.”

His unspoken accusations were choked back by my indifferent words. I hung up, and the car arrived at my apartment complex. As I got out, Julian’s company whatsapp group started blowing up with messages. When I tapped it open, the unread count was already 99+. At the very top, Chloe had posted pictures of Julian fixing her wiring and plumbing. “What kind of boss is this amazing?! I’d work my butt off for this company my whole life! I’d sign a contract for forever!” Below, all the other employees’ envious and jealous comments poured in. “I’ve never seen the boss like this. Didn’t the cleaning lady say he was a neat freak? Doesn’t look like it!” “OMG, he looks so hot without his suit! I’m totally stanning Mr. Sterling now! No one can stop me!” “That picture was posted by the future Mrs. Sterling, wake up! Work is your only way out.” Before Julian hired a secretary, I was the one helping out for free. Then he hired Chloe, and she took over my work. But I’d forgotten to leave this group chat. After reading all the replies, I deleted the history and left the group. I’d already decided to leave; seeing a preview of their life together didn’t hurt as much anymore. In a haze, I remembered back when I first joined the company after graduation, he used to post about my daily work routine in the group every day. The candid photos showed me either making coffee or writing out his schedule. Everyone in the company knew he was crazy about me. With love fueling me, even going to work became sweet. The dry work group chat buzzed with life because of his overflowing affection. But all that changed the moment Chloe appeared. She took over all my tasks. Julian started prohibiting any messages about me in the group. He openly and subtly favored his newly hired secretary. A colleague, who used to be close to me, merely commented that Chloe wasn’t as good at her job as I was, and Julian immediately docked her an entire year’s bonus. I ended up secretly transferring her $5,000 later, just so she wouldn’t impulsively quit out of anger. Back in the apartment that had been my home for eight years but still didn’t feel like mine, I quickly packed the essentials. My gaze fell upon a thick photo album, filled with pictures from the past ten years. I hugged it tightly, sitting on the edge of the bed, and flipped through it. Each photo represented a gift Julian had given me. Eight years ago, he’d promised that after giving me 9,999 surprises, we’d walk down the aisle together. He swore he’d bribe me with his sincerity, bit by bit, until I willingly became his wife. This specially customized album, meant for 9,999 pictures, now only had one blank page left. It seemed all his efforts were in vain. I carried the album downstairs to an empty spot and lit it with a lighter. I watched as the photos burned, slowly turning into ashes. And with them, my eight years of youth were incinerated. Julian returned to this scene, his face draining of color in shock. He rushed over, pushing me to the ground, trying to reach in and salvage it. But the scorching heat made it impossible to get close; his hands were red in seconds. Frustrated, he stomped on the album several times. Watching the flames rapidly devour each photo, He roared at me: “What are you burning it for? What the hell is wrong with you? Everything we saved for so long, you just ruined it all!”

I awkwardly scrambled to my feet, brushing the thick dust off my pajamas. The flames cast a warm glow on my face, but my voice was ice cold. “Nothing. I just opened it and saw some bugs crawling inside, maybe cockroaches. So I burned it.” Seeing my actions, he finally realized he’d gone too far. He took a deep breath before speaking: “Are you okay? I’m sorry, I was just too rushed. We’ve been collecting this album for ten years. Didn’t we say we’d show it at our wedding? Why did you suddenly burn it?” “If there were bugs, you could have waited for me to come home, or sent me a message. I would have figured something out.” I didn’t even want to look at him anymore. This man standing before me was no longer the boy who’d promised to protect me forever. “You haven’t been home in a while; you must be busy with work. I wouldn’t want to bother you with such a small matter.” He stood beside me, his gaze fixed on the burning pile, filled with regret and sorrow. The scene was nothing short of ironic. He was the one who destroyed our ten years of connection for another woman, and now he was playing the role of a heartbroken lover? I turned to go back inside. But he must have thought I was just being dramatic. He reached out, grabbing my arm, pulling me into his embrace. The sickeningly sweet scent of Black Opium perfume made me sneeze repeatedly. He still didn’t let go, instead growing concerned: “Are you catching a cold? I’m sorry, I admit I’ve been too busy lately and neglected your feelings. Once I’m done with work in a couple of days, how about I take you to retake all those photos? We’ll replace all the burned ones, twice as many!” If I had heard those words before, I might have forgiven him in a moment of weakness. But after being rushed to the hospital, I never wanted anything to do with him again. He could forget my life-threatening allergy for another woman; I couldn’t keep lying to myself about a relationship like that. Once he calmed down, I firmly pried his arms away. “You don’t need to apologize to me. If you really feel bad, how about you make up for it with a birthday party for me?” Because of my cream allergy, my birthday parties always lacked the main character and were never perfect. But I was leaving the day after tomorrow. I wanted to experience one last birthday celebration with him. Hearing my request was so simple, his eyes darted around anxiously. A subtle uneasiness crept into his expression. After nodding in agreement, he was about to ask something when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and hastily explained: “Something came up at work, I need to deal with it. Don’t wait up for me tonight. I promise I’ll do what I said. Don’t overthink it.” He spoke quickly, his steps already backing away impatiently. By the time he finished his sentence, he was already dozens of feet away. I knew that was Chloe’s special ringtone. But I didn’t expose his lie to his face. The next morning, the party decorators arrived at the house. And so did Chloe. She claimed she designed the plan, so she was there to supervise. But after a full day of decorating, I realized the setup was just a simplified version of her own birthday party. In the evening, after the staff left, she walked up to me, her face full of provocation. “Ruby, everyone worked hard all day, what do you think? Is it good enough for you?” I stared at the necklace around her neck—the one I’d lost—and my voice turned icy: “Secondhand goods are all you deserve. Keep it.” The moment the words left my mouth, she glanced to the side, then suddenly picked up a crystal ornament from the cabinet and smashed it to the ground. Shards cut her foot, and she cried out in pain, a picture of false distress. Before I could react, Julian’s hand had already struck my face. “Have you caused enough trouble yet? Chloe took time off to help you decorate the party, what the hell is wrong with you?” “If you’re not satisfied, then you can decorate it yourself!” He didn’t give me a chance to explain, and after his outburst, he scooped up Chloe and rushed out. I sat alone on the sofa, watching the lively yet desolate living room, all night. When morning came, no one showed up for the party. Of course. For ten years, Julian was practically my only friend. When the birthday cake arrived, I unwrapped it and cut a small slice for myself. I lit the smallest candle, closed my eyes, and made a wish. I wished I’d never see him again for the rest of my life. Because of my allergy, I still didn’t eat the cake. When the countdown ended and my phone started buzzing wildly, I dragged my suitcase and left the place without a backward glance. On the way to the airport, I sent Julian one last message. “Let’s just end this. No need to contact each other again.” It wasn’t even a breakup, really. Just “an end,” and ten years of my youth were over. The moment I turned off my phone before boarding, he started bombing my phone with calls, like a maniac.

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I was blind. For three years, I never knew the boyfriend by my side was my worst enemy. But now, my sight is back. During my three unexpected years in darkness, I spent countless nights trying to picture the face of the man I loved. Now I know. He looks exactly like Blake, the guy who hated my guts. Blake, Serena, and I used to be best friends. That day, Serena asked me for a birthday gift idea for Blake. I suggested the trendy sneakers all the guys were raving about. Serena went to buy them. But as she stepped out of the store, box in hand, a car veered out of control and slammed into her. At the hospital, Blake’s fingers dug into my throat, his eyes blazing red as he slammed me against the operating room door. He roared, “Why did you tell Serena to buy those shoes? If it wasn’t for you, she wouldn’t have been hurt!” “You owe her your life!” Later, Serena went abroad for treatment. I never saw Blake again. All I knew was that at his command, I was forced to drop out of school. Blake’s enraged face was burned into my memory. And today, I looked up, only to meet his smiling, warm gaze. Blake set dishes on the table and called out, “Cassidy, what are you thinking about? Dinner’s ready.” I stood up, startled. My knee accidentally bumped the padded coffee table. Blake gasped, rushing toward me, his face filled with worry. “Why are you in such a hurry? What if you hurt yourself? Why didn’t you wait for me to help you?” His gentle voice and the hoarse roar that had demanded I die were like two completely different people. His warmth spread through my hand, but it felt scalding, making me snatch my hand back. Seven years ago, Blake had forced me to my knees in front of that operating room, demanding an apology from me to Serena. He’d slapped me, hard, three times, telling me to never appear before him and Serena again. Why was he now here, telling me he was Ash, telling me he loved me? Was it to play a trick on me, to deceive me, or just to see my pathetic blind state with his own eyes? I couldn’t figure it out. I just managed a stiff smile. “I forgot.” After dinner, Blake put his arm around me on the sofa. Taking advantage of my blindness, he openly chatted with his friend. “Blake, come out and hang! What’s so fun about taking care of a blind girl?” “You don’t get it,” Blake chuckled softly, “Watching her stumble around…” Blake smiled slightly. “It’s pretty fun.” My heart, which had been in my throat, dropped like a stone. My eyes felt dry and painful, making me close them involuntarily. “What’s wrong?” Ash’s-no, Blake’s-anxious voice filled my ears. “Are your eyes bothering you again?” As usual, he reached out to touch my eyes. But this time, I flinched back, dodging his hand. Blake withdrew his hand from mid-air, his eyes turning dark. A moment later, he typed on his phone. “Lucas, you’re right. Blind girls are pretty boring.” “I’ll be there in half an hour.” Then, Blake squatted in front of me, taking my hand and guiding it to trace his face. “Company dinner came up unexpectedly, I have to go. You be a good girl and go to sleep, don’t wait up for me.” I looked at my hand on his face, not resisting. This was our ritual. Every time Blake went out, he’d take my hand and make me trace his features. He said it was so I’d remember his face, so I wouldn’t mistake him for another boyfriend. But as happy as it was then, it was just as ridiculous now. I pulled my hand away. “Go on, don’t be late.” Late that night, Blake returned, smelling of alcohol. He held me tightly, murmuring softly. I leaned closer, just catching the name he whispered. “Serena.” My blood ran cold. How much longer would Blake play this game of being my loving boyfriend? I didn’t want to play anymore. The next morning, I picked up my phone and calmly said, “Ash, can you find Blake’s contact information for me, please?”

My words wiped the expression from Blake’s face. “Why?” he cut in, his voice strained, “Why would you need to contact Blake?” “I have something…” Before I could finish, Blake waved his hand in front of my eyes. Seeing my usual vacant stare, he let out a sigh of relief. His tone lightened. “I won’t help you with that. Your boyfriend’s right here, and you’re thinking about another guy? I might get jealous.” Even knowing it was all his sweet talk, my nose still stung. I forced myself to keep pushing. “I want to get Serena’s contact info from him. I want to apologize to her in person.” Only when Serena was mentioned would Blake back down. He took my phone, quickly adding his own social media account. His voice held poorly concealed delight. “Cassidy, you’ve finally come around to apologizing to Serena.” “Now that you can’t see, you understand how hard things were for Serena back then, don’t you…” Seeing Blake practically glowing with happiness, a bitter feeling twisted in my gut. I couldn’t help but interrupt him. “Ash, why are you so happy?” Blake froze, his eyes narrowing slightly as he calmed himself. He gave a perfunctory explanation. “Well, Serena was hurt because of you. You owe her.” I owe her? Three years ago, I received a hate letter. It cursed me, “Cassidy, you caused Serena’s car accident, you deserve to die, you deserve to suffer all of this instead!” Holding that letter, I felt so wronged. I’d warned Serena not to rush. But she was worried Blake’s favorite hero character merchandise would sell out, so she dragged me along right after class. Yet everyone blamed me. Serena’s family resented me for hurting their precious daughter, and my family scolded me for offending Serena’s family. Blake forced me to stand at the accident site, clutching those blood-stained sneakers, repeating over and over, “The one who should have been hit by the car was Cassidy.” That day, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I poured out everything to Ash. With tears in my eyes, I asked Ash, “Was it really my fault?” I only heard his low voice, filled with accusation, “Of course. Did you apologize to Serena?” Looking back, I should have known something was wrong then. Blake was still babbling. “Just stop talking, okay?!” I shot to my feet, unable to listen anymore. But I tripped on a lifted rug, falling forward, my forehead slamming against the coffee table. Three years of dependence made me instinctively glance back. I saw Blake frozen, not moving an inch, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. As blood trickled from my forehead, he mouthed silently: “Karma.” We lay in bed, still silent. Blake leaned against the headboard, his gaze on me. His expression was utterly flat. And sometimes, that blankness hurts more than any anger. I couldn’t help but probe again: “Ash, are you really Ash?” The air thickened with silence. Blake froze, scrutinizing me with suspicion. Finding nothing amiss, he slowly said, “Cassidy, what are you talking about? Of course I’m Ash.” “Your Ash, who loves you more than anything.” I looked him straight in the eyes, serious. “If I ever find out you’re lying to me, I won’t forgive you.” A flicker of unnatural light crossed Blake’s eyes, then he gave a confident smile. “Alright, why would I ever lie to you?” “Don’t worry, that day will never come.” He said, then rolled over me, his lips finding my forehead, then moving slowly down. I closed my eyes. A single tear slipped onto the pillow. In Blake’s eyes, searching for a response, I offered a faint smile. “I love you, Ash.” But I only loved Ash. The next day, Blake disappeared. Later, I saw a post on Ins that Serena was back in the country. In a grid of nine photos, Blake was pushing her luggage, looking over at her with a gentle, adoring smile. That evening, Blake came back with the new pastries from ‘The Sweet Spot,’ apologizing, “Cassidy, I was so busy today, I didn’t get to call you.” As he spoke, he reached out to cup my face. “I’m sorry…” I took a step back, cutting him off. “Ash, Serena’s back in town. She invited me to a party. Should I go?”

“If Serena wants you to go, then of course you should go.” Blake didn’t hesitate. I stared at him, a bitter feeling twisting in my gut, unable to hide my hurt. “But I don’t want to.” After Serena’s injury, I became an outcast among all our mutual friends. To get back at me, they forced me to apologize, pressured teachers to revoke my scholarship. They even scrawled the word ‘killer’ in blood on my desk. I didn’t want to go. But Blake’s face hardened. “Will you come with me, please?” I tugged on his sleeve, testing him. Blake, who used to hover over me, afraid I’d trip on a pebble, snatched his hand back. His eyes were dark. “Go by yourself.” I wasn’t ready to give up. “But…” “Tsk.” Blake suddenly frowned, annoyed. “Why do I have to go with you? Are you really that helpless without me? Do you think Serena would actually harm a blind girl?” My heart plummeted, shattering into a thousand pieces. A deafening hum filled my ears, making me gasp for breath. I suddenly remembered something from before. People on the street used to whisper about me. “Look, she’s blind.” “Who cares how pretty she is, she’s still blind.” Blake hated that word more than I did. He’d always clench his fists, his voice filled with barely suppressed fury. “What the hell did you just say?!” “She’s not blind! I am her eyes!” “If I ever hear those words again, I’ll kill you!” But Blake probably never imagined. That one day, he would say those very words to my face. I stared at Blake, tears streaming down my face, no longer able to control them. Blake realized his mistake. His eyes darted around in panic, trying to backtrack. “Cassidy, I mean… you, you’re so sweet, Serena wouldn’t dare hurt you.” I wiped away my tears. I had to admit – the three years I thought were so happy, were nothing but a joke. Blake pulled me into his arms, his thumb brushing beneath my eyes, his voice gentle. “There, there, sweetheart, don’t cry and hurt your eyes more.” A warm touch fell on my eyelids. But my heart felt like a broken window, letting all the warmth drain away. Time passed both quickly and slowly. It was only on the day of the party that I understood why Blake didn’t want to come with me. His fake identity as Ash? He wanted to shed it even more than I did. Blake, with his arm around Serena’s waist, finally strolled in, fashionably late. Like air, I was ignored by everyone. All I heard was them teasing and cheering for the two of them. It wasn’t until dinner began that Serena suddenly called my name. “Cassidy, why aren’t you getting any food?” she asked, too innocently. Her hand, however, brushed against my white cane. The metal cane clanged against the marble floor, a sharp, piercing sound. The private room went silent for a second. The next moment, the room erupted in laughter. My former class president’s voice was mocking. “Serena, you don’t know? Our genius student Cassidy is blind now.” “Yeah, yeah, she caused your accident, so now she’s getting her karma!” Facing everyone’s accusations, I said nothing. I just pretended to grope the floor, picking up my cane. Perhaps finding me a buzzkill, the class president suddenly snorted. “I wonder which hero was playing vigilante justice. I heard someone knocked Cassidy out cold with a stick and left her blind.” Someone slapped their thigh, laughing, “Maybe it was someone secretly crushing on Serena, standing up for her!” “Right, it must have been someone avenging Serena!” “Enough!” Blake slammed his forks down. He slowly twisted the ring on his index finger. His voice was quiet, but it cut through the noise. “If you’re not eating, get out.” Serena’s curled eyebrows straightened, the smile vanishing from her lips. Everyone thought Blake was standing up for me. But only I saw through the act. The way he kept twisting his ring was his sign of guilt.

A piece of my favorite ribs landed in my bowl. Blake’s hand clamped around mine, guiding the meat to my lips. Yet the succulent pork turned into a dry, painful lump in my throat, refusing to go down. When no one was looking, I sent a message to the private investigator. “Please re-investigate the truth behind my injury three years ago.” “Focus your investigation on Blake.” Out of the corner of my eye, Blake was laughing and joking with someone, holding a wine glass. His body unconsciously leaned towards Serena. I watched him, watching his happy expression, and decided to set him free. I opened his pinned chat, staring at the blue fish emoji next to his name, ‘Ash,’ for a very long time. Finally, I sent: “Let’s break up.” Let him go, and let myself go. Buzz! Blake’s phone screen lit up. He reached for it. “Blake!” Serena suddenly called him, pouting and demanding, “Blake, I want ribs too.” Her smile was filled with pure, pampered glee. “Alright.” Blake pulled his hand back to get her food, his voice soft with indulgence. “What else do you want? I’ll get it all for you.” Serena smiled, chewing on a rib, and turned her head to look at me. She made no effort to hide the triumph in her eyes. I pretended not to see, my gaze unfocused. Realizing I was blind, her eyes flickered, and she picked up a wine glass, walking towards me. Amidst the noise, she leaned down to my ear and asked. “Cassidy, how does it feel to be blind?” “Back then, just because your grades were better than mine, everyone said you and Blake were a perfect match. Do you know how much I hated you?” Serena gritted her teeth, then suddenly burst out laughing. “Too bad, huh? The genius girl is blind now. You’re not even worthy of tying my shoes anymore.” I dug my nails into my palms, forcing a smile onto my lips. “What’s it to you?” Serena chuckled. “Still so defiant.” Before I could react, she let out a low shriek, “Ah! Cassidy, what are you doing?” A glass of red wine was poured over her, staining her white dress. It was a classic move, and effective as hell. Blake’s brow furrowed, and he rushed over, taking two steps at a time, asking worriedly, “What happened?” He checked Serena from head to toe as he spoke. Serena’s eyes were red-rimmed. “It’s all my fault. I said something that upset Cassidy earlier, and she knocked over my wine glass.” Blake immediately turned to me, his eyes cold and sharp. He snapped. “If you can’t see, then stop moving around so recklessly!” “What if you hurt Serena? Can you afford to compensate her?” I stared blankly into space, offering no defense. Of course, I couldn’t afford it. I’d already lost my eyes; what else did Blake expect me to pay with? Perhaps my expression was too calm. Blake shot me a glance, then stormed out of the private room with Serena. I waited a few seconds, then followed them. Blake was too consumed with worry for Serena to notice me. I stood silently outside the door, peering through the crack, watching their interaction. Serena’s clothes were strategically disheveled as she pulled Blake to “talk things over.” Tugging at his tie, Serena pouted, complaining, “Why did you get Cassidy food just now? Do you feel sorry for her?” Blake quickly denied it. “Of course not! She’s just blind. How can that compare to what you went through? If I feel sorry for anyone, it’s you.” My fingers dug into the doorframe, white-knuckled, my ears ringing with a deafening hum. I was convinced I was numb, empty. Then, the truth hit me, a crushing wave I couldn’t escape. In my distress, my clothes brushed against the door, making a soft thump. “Who’s there?” Blake turned sharply. Our eyes locked.

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At a class reunion, my husband got drunk. He slumped into my best friend’s arms and called her his wife. “Jade, remember to come early tomorrow night. I bought you some new lace underwear, still your favorite red…” The private room went dead silent. Jade looked horrified, shaking her head at me. “Stella, this is a misunderstanding. Marcus is just drunk, he doesn’t know what he’s saying.” But the next second, Marcus yanked the scarf from her neck. “I’m not drunk! See? Those hickeys on your neck? I put them there. We’ve been going at it for days. And these bite marks on my arm? You did that…” My mind went blank. I had only just returned home today after a three-month business trip. Were the marks of passion on my best friend’s neck left by my husband? The humiliation burned my face, fueling my rage. I stood up and yanked Marcus away from Jade’s lap. “Marcus, what did you just say? Try saying that again?” They say alcohol loosens the tongue and reveals the truth. So a thoroughly drunk Marcus stared at me, his eyes cold and troubled. “I know you’re Stella. If you want to hear it, I’ll say it again: your measurements aren’t as good as Jade’s. You can’t satisfy me, and you’re always too busy making money to spend time with me.” Hah. Hearing that, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. If I just stayed home doing nothing, what would my family eat? How would we survive? By relying on my body to charm a man? Before I could speak, Marcus staggered back over and sat on Jade’s lap again. Jade, startled and flustered, quickly urged Marcus, “Get a grip! Stop it, get up! Stella is your wife!” But Marcus didn’t just stay put; he leaned in, bit Jade’s lips, then reached his hand into her shirt with a smirk. “See? I told you Stella’s aren’t as big as yours.” Gasps filled the air. Everyone held their breath, daring not to speak. My face burned, as if I’d been publicly slapped. The humiliation was absolute, and a sickening green washed over me as the truth hit. Everyone in the room was savvy enough to know. My beloved husband had cheated on me with my best friend. In that moment, both love and friendship had betrayed me. Jade tried to push Marcus away, but he seemed to anticipate her move. He quickly wrapped his legs around her waist, clinging to her tightly. “Marcus, get off me! Stop it, everyone’s watching us!” “But you used to be so gentle with me, Marcus. You even said Stella was a loser. What good is making money if her husband still ends up in my bed?” “Stop moving! You were always on top before. This time, I want to be on top!” I couldn’t take it anymore. I rushed forward and punched Marcus, knocking him to the floor. Jade, still entangled around his waist, fell with him. I could have bet good money that if there were no onlookers, they’d be tearing off each other’s clothes and going at it right there. “So this is how you ‘take care’ of my husband, Jade? By taking him straight to bed? Bravo, truly.” I was trembling with anger. My husband could cheat, but not with Jade. We’d grown up together. Her family was poor, but I never looked down on her. I gave her everything I had. When someone bullied her, I’d fight for her without a second thought, even getting two ribs broken once because of it. After graduation, she struggled to find work, hitting dead ends everywhere. I pulled strings to get her an opportunity at my company. And my dear husband, Marcus? I pampered him, treated him like a king. If he didn’t want to work, I let him stay home. I gave him anything he desired. And yet, after all my selfless devotion, I was repaid with their betrayal.

I pulled Marcus to his feet and splashed a glass of water onto his well-maintained face. “Are you sober now? If you want to make a complete ass of yourself, go home and do it there.” Everyone, fearing I might lose control and attack them both, rushed over to restrain me. “Stella, calm down.” “Maybe Marcus was just drunk and didn’t know what he was saying…” Hah. They thought too much of me. I never hit people. I just wanted to stop him from humiliating me further. “You’ve all been drunk. You know how people act when they’re hammered, right?” They froze, then exchanged knowing glances, falling silent. Their gazes turned to Jade. “You’re really something, too. Calling you an ungrateful snake is an understatement. You know what Stella has done for you. Why would you seduce her husband? Have you no shame, Jade? What happened to your heart?” “Exactly! If it weren’t for Stella, you’d still be looking for a job right now.” “Jade, I despise you. You’re not a good person.” Faced with universal condemnation, the panic on Jade’s face vanished, replaced by a surge of bitter resentment. This resentment seemed to have festered for years. She stood up and kicked the table over, her face contorted. “Shut the hell up, all of you! Stop feeding me that garbage about how ‘good’ Stella was to me! I’m sick of it!” “Ever since we were kids, she always outshone me in everything – academics, grades, even family background. She always had the upper hand. I don’t need anyone’s pity. Her ‘help’ only made me feel more useless, like she was rubbing my face in my own incompetence.” “What makes you so special, Stella? You’re just lucky you were born into a better family. If we’d swapped places, if I’d had your background, you’d know true suffering.” At her words, our other friends immediately burst out in anger. “Bullshit! You think everyone’s as sick and twisted as you are?” “Stella helped us too, but we never felt that way! We were grateful!” “Exactly! Because we have consciences, unlike you, you animal!” The shouting was loud. Combined with the water splashed on his face, Marcus sobered up considerably. But as soon as he cleared his head, he saw everyone taking my side, tearing Jade apart. Marcus exploded. He stood up straight, shielding Jade. “Shut up, all of you! This is between my wife, Jade, and me. It’s none of your business to lecture us outsiders!” “I was just drunk! I made a mistake, I thought Jade was…” I didn’t give Marcus a chance to waffle. I threw my phone at him. “Look at this! A video clip I just pulled from the security footage.” When Marcus saw the video of himself and Jade naked and intertwined, he didn’t show shame. Instead, he angrily smashed the phone to the floor. “Enough! Do you want to scream to the world that you, Stella Brooks, are a cuckold? Can’t we just talk about this at home?” “I wanted to interrogate you two at home! But you were the one acting like a horny dog, clinging to Jade and spilling all your dirty secrets!” I had never felt such pain and fury. My chest ached as if someone were tearing it open. Every breath was agony. I couldn’t stay there another second. I grabbed my jacket and fled like a coward. I ended up at a bar, walking down the quiet, cold street, tears brimming in my eyes. I knew our marriage was over. My best friend and my husband – I wanted neither of them anymore. It was late when I finally returned to the home that once felt so happy and warm. But seeing our wedding photo, faded memories, sharp as daggers, ambushed me, leaving me no escape. I took the wedding photo down and smashed it myself. The noise was loud. Marcus, wearing a flimsy, sheer nightshirt, rushed out. “Stella, that’s enough!”

“Now that things have come to this, you only blame me for betraying you. But what about you? Have you ever thought about your own shortcomings?!” “Where were you when I was lonely and desperate? Where were you when I was scared?” Marcus was a master at clearing his name. Even when he was clearly in the wrong, he always found a way to walk away unscathed. But not this time. My eyes were bloodshot, a sign of extreme fury. “Hah. So you wore this to have Jade beneath you, to let her pleasure you, right?” When he was drunk earlier, and in the security video, he was wearing this same disgusting, sheer outfit to satisfy himself and pleasure Jade. I was so angry my nails dug deep into my flesh, but Marcus seemed oblivious to my rage. “Oh, so you’re jealous of that, huh?” “Come on!” “I’ll make it up to you, let you have some fun too.” He shamelessly lay on the sofa, spreading his legs, looking utterly perverse, as if he wanted me to defile him. I felt an unprecedented insult. Before I could even react in anger, he yelled at me impatiently. “Go on! I’m offering myself to you now, hurry up!” To emphasize his supposed helplessness, he even reached up to tear away the flimsy fabric that barely covered him, revealing his supposedly flawless skin. But it was covered in hickeys and marks left by another woman. Far from feeling desire, I felt sick to my stomach. “Ugh!” I rushed to the bathroom and threw up into the toilet for a long time. My body trembled uncontrollably from the anger. Only then did I realize how shameless and unrestrained a pampered man could truly be. When I came out, Marcus had changed his clothes and was carrying a suitcase. “Stella, I don’t want to fight with you. Let’s separate for a while and cool down.” He didn’t wait for me to speak, just opened the door and walked out, slamming it shut behind him – a clean, swift exit. I pulled out a cigarette and stepped onto the balcony. As I lit it, I saw Marcus downstairs, sprinting towards Jade. They were locked in an embrace, clinging to each other as if they wanted to melt into one. So his idea of “cooling down” was just an excuse to spend the night at Jade’s place. By then, my heart no longer ached for him. Instead, it was terrifyingly calm. Close to dawn, Jade sent me a video clip. I tapped it open and immediately heard the foul gasps and moans of a man and a woman. Then came the sight I would forever despise: Jade had completely thrown away any pretense of friendship, openly turning against me. “See that, Stella?” “You won against me so many times, but this time, I won.” “Your beloved man is beneath me right now. How pathetic and disgusting.” “Hahaha, aren’t you furious? But what can you do? The angrier you get, the happier I am.” But my heart was as calm as still water. Where was the anger from last night? I curled my lips in a sneer. “Jade, I don’t want that man anymore. He’s yours to play with.” “And also, you don’t need to come to work tomorrow. I’m officially firing you. You’re so eager to wear my sloppy seconds, so go ahead and wear him out! A kept man like Marcus isn’t worth my love anymore.” As I was about to put down my phone, Marcus’s angry voice boomed through. “Stella, how dare you talk about me like that?! Fine, I won’t hold back either. You want a divorce, right? I’ll make sure you lose everything!”

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At my wedding, the grand screen meant for our love story video suddenly switched to a private video of me and a stranger. I called my fiancé, who hadn’t arrived yet, for help. But I heard him say coldly from the other end: “Do you like this wedding gift?” “This is payback for you killing Willow!” He then walked down the aisle with my stepsister, holding what he called the wedding of the century. Pushed to the brink, I leaped from a cliff into the ocean. But when he heard the news, he went absolutely insane with regret. To create the wedding of the century for me, Julian Thorne had invited every reporter in the city. Everyone was thrilled to witness the union of the city’s two most prominent families. The emcee excitedly shouted: “Let’s all witness the purest form of love!” The moment he finished speaking, the LED screen flickered twice. The pre-wedding video, which was supposed to play, suddenly turned into a dimly lit clip. In the video, a woman’s face was unnaturally flushed, her gasps tempting. My face instantly went ashen. Because the woman in the video was me. But the man in the video… He wasn’t my fiancé, Julian, at all. And I had absolutely no memory of this video! “Who’s that guy? I always heard Elara was promiscuous; turns out it’s true!” Scandals like this were prime fodder for headlines. Reporters swarmed forward, cameras flashing frantically. “Ms. Vance, are you proud to show a video like this at such a time?” “Ms. Vance, some say you used illicit means to get close to Mr. Thorne. Is that true?” “I didn’t…” I instinctively recoiled. The emcee’s face was chalk-white: “Uh… this might be a technical glitch…” But the reporters had no intention of letting me go. “Ms. Vance, we heard you’re a wedding planner. Was this scandal intentionally planned by you?” “Who’s the man in the video? Is he your new sugar daddy? Does Mr. Thorne know he’s marrying damaged goods?” The venue devolved into chaos, countless cameras aimed at me. They wouldn’t leave me alone. I stumbled backward, accidentally stepping on the long train of my gown. My high heel slipped, and I fell backward. With a crash, the decorative wall behind me shattered. Shards of glass sliced cruelly across my back, and a warm wetness seeped through. The crowd shrieked, but no one reached out. The cameras kept rolling, focusing on my utterly disheveled state. The emcee was terrified, trembling as he pleaded with everyone: “Uh… please maintain order… paramedics…” There were too many people surrounding me. It took a great deal of effort for the paramedics to push through. They finally managed to carry me away from the wedding venue, but blood had already stained my pristine white wedding dress a dark crimson. I sat shivering in the dressing room, bewildered. Before I could even process what had just happened, hurried footsteps burst in from outside. “You’ve completely disgraced the Hayes family!” My father slapped me across the face. “From now on, I disown you! The Hayes family no longer has a daughter like you!” “No, I don’t know…” My father shoved me away brutally. I fell hard to the ground, and more blood gushed from my wounds, making my vision swim. “I wish I had never given birth to an animal like you!” “If any of you dare to help her, you’re going against the Hayes family!” With that, my father slammed the door shut and left. After his words, no one dared to send me to the hospital. They just sighed, shook their heads, and left. Wrapped in my blood-stained wedding gown, I huddled in the corner of the dressing room. My hands still trembled; I could barely hold my phone. I dialed Julian Thorne’s number. “Julian, help…”

Before I could finish, a low chuckle came from the other end. “Help you?” Julian said softly. “Elara, do you still think all of this today is an accident?” I froze, disbelief washing over me. His laughter was deep and chilling, carrying a bone-deep coldness. “Elara, this is the price for you killing my sister.” “And this—” “Is just the beginning.” With a cruel laugh, he coldly hung up the phone. “Julian!!” I screamed his name as reporters rushed back in. Someone deliberately tore off my wedding dress. But they didn’t plan to let me go. After all, a scandal this big would surely get them front-page headlines. I even forgot how I managed to escape. But they weren’t done with me yet. Someone recognized one of the men in the private video as a rising male celebrity. In an instant, his fans erupted in fury. They felt I had tarnished their idol. So they spontaneously joined the reporters in tracking me down. After finding me, they broadcast my location far and wide. When the fans found me, they attacked me, pulling my hair and slapping my face. “You slut! You’re the one who ruined our idol’s career, aren’t you?!” I desperately protected my head, cowering in a corner, trying to find a single glimmer of hope. Amidst the chaos, a bottle of sulfuric acid was flung, burning my exposed skin with a sickening sizzle. I let out a piercing scream, but they showed no sign of stopping. Just then, the police slowly pushed the crowd back, allowing paramedics to lift me onto a stretcher. I grabbed a nearby officer’s uniform, pleading: “I want to report a crime. I didn’t do anything, I’m innocent…” The officer scoffed, saying flatly: “We advise you to keep a low profile on something like this. You’re causing too much of a stir right now, and we don’t want to draw fire ourselves.” As I was led away from the crowd, I finally got the only moment of respite I’d had in two days. I was covered in injuries, but when I called for an ambulance, the paramedics on the phone suddenly received a call. The nurse, who had been trying her best to save me, suddenly stopped and looked at me awkwardly: “Ms. Vance, we have no choice. These are Mr. Thorne’s orders, and we dare not cross him.” Hearing them mention Julian, I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. In the dark alley, I was left all alone. I dialed Julian’s number. But he roared into the phone: “Elara, the moment you killed my sister, our love died! Why wasn’t it you who died in that fire?!” “I told you! That fire wasn’t me…” But the call was already disconnected. Julian had no intention of listening to my explanation. I collapsed to the ground in despair. The fire he mentioned, the one that claimed his sister’s life… That was three years ago.

Julian’s sister, Willow, and I grew up together; we were best friends, envied by everyone. Julian had a reserved and cold personality, but Willow was different; she was always smiling. One time at a party, she secretly snuck out. It was then that the villa caught fire. In the midst of the chaos, Julian searched frantically. “Willow! Where are you?!” Just then, a sharp-eyed guest suddenly pointed at the fire and screamed: “Someone’s in the fire!” In an instant, Julian’s eyes turned red, and he roared hoarsely: “It’s Willow! Willow is still inside!” When I found out, I immediately rushed in. A faint cough came from a corner. I pushed desperately towards it, finally seeing her trapped under a fallen beam. Willow’s face was streaked with ash, her eyes full of tears. She saw me and cried out: “Elara, I can’t get out!” “I came because of the note you left! Why did you try to harm me?!” “I didn’t…” Before I could explain, another burning beam crashed down. I was too slow to dodge and was hit, falling hard. Before I passed out, I thought I saw Julian rushing in… When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital bed. The doctor told me Julian had saved me. And Willow… was dead. After that day, Julian became even colder. My father, to apologize to the Thorne family, decided to have me marry Julian, as an atonement from the Hayes family to the Thorne family. Julian didn’t refuse. On the day of our engagement, I held Julian’s hand and earnestly told him: “Julian, I will find out the truth about that villa fire and get justice for Willow.” I didn’t know then that he had always misunderstood me.

I woke up in a warehouse, hearing a clamor of voices: “I heard that woman is nearby! Don’t let her get away!” “Search quickly! One photo of her is an exclusive!” I shivered with fear. Just then, my phone rang. “Ms. Vance, the video from your wedding has caused public outrage. The board has decided to terminate all partnerships with you. Please return the advance payment for the wedding dress design…” “But that video is fake… I was framed, I can clear my name…” I tried to explain. “Ms. Vance.” The other party cut me off. “We don’t care about the truth; we only care about profit. Also, please pay the penalty for breach of contract.” “Penalty?” “Yes, fifty million.” This amount was astronomical for me right now. Before I could even catch my breath, the fans and reporters, alerted by my phone ringing, gasped: “She’s there!” I ran for my life! “Don’t let her get away! That bitch needs to pay!” “Mr. Thorne said! Get her on the front page, and today’s bonus triples!” They chased me like mad. Stumbling, I fled, not even knowing where I was going. Not far ahead, a couple strolling turned around. It was Julian! And the woman beside him was my stepsister— Seraphina Hayes. Julian… how could you be with the person I hated most…

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The morning after accepting my crush’s confession, I woke up to find myself ten years in the future, lying in a stranger’s bed. The first thing I saw was a little boy with wide, innocent eyes timidly calling me “Mommy.” Then I found wedding photos in a dusty storage room. This couldn’t be real. The groom in the picture wasn’t my crush. It was him. I woke up, ten years in the future, lying in an unfamiliar bed. Just as I was totally lost and confused, a tiny figure suddenly darted in through the door. I instantly froze, pretending to still be asleep. Footsteps slowly drew closer, then a soft little hand rested on my forehead. His tiny voice babbled softly about what he’d eaten and played with recently. Just as I was trying to figure out my relationship with this child, his next words totally scared me awake. He said, “Mommy, you’ve been sick for days, why aren’t you waking up? You don’t like Leo, but Leo really misses you. Mommy, please wake up.” Mommy? This kid called me Mommy! I snapped my eyes open. Right by the bed, a cute kid with big eyes and a small mouth was staring at me in terror. Before I could even say anything, the little boy scampered off. Oh my gosh! I had just gotten together with my crush last night, and now I had a son this big? After the boy ran off, I immediately grabbed my phone to call my childhood bestie, Chloe. I had no idea what I’d been through these past ten years. My phone barely had any messages. My old friends had vanished from my contacts without a trace. The phone rang several times before Chloe finally picked up. “What do you want?” Her voice was colder than I’d ever heard it. I scratched my cheek; her icy tone caught me off guard. When I didn’t speak, Chloe on the other end grew impatient. “Ava, are you going to say something? Didn’t you say you’d never contact me again?” Seriously, what the hell did I do over the past ten years? I thought for a moment and said, “Chloe, I know you’re usually cool and distant, but let’s skip that for now. I just want to ask you, who’s my husband?” That was my most pressing concern. Chloe paused. “Ava, are you off your meds today?” Huh? Ten years later, Chloe’s learned to insult people in a roundabout way. “I’m serious! Are you? Ugh, fine, just wait at home. I’m in line for a PCR test right now; I’ll be over in a bit!” Chloe’s tone was really serious. Was I not time-traveling, but just… sick? And what’s a PCR test? And why do I have to wait in line for it?

Just as I hung up the phone, a housekeeper, Mrs. Davidson, knocked on the door, cautiously asking if I was feeling better and if I wanted something to eat. Looks like my never-before-seen husband was quite wealthy. I nodded, and soon a spread of exquisite dishes was laid out before me. I never imagined that ten years from now, I’d be living the life I’d always dreamed of. I tentatively tried to pry for information about my “husband.” Mrs. Davidson looked a little surprised, only saying that my husband was away on a business trip and wouldn’t be back until next month. That was good news. By the time he returned, I’d probably have adapted to the situation. I immediately grabbed my forks and devoured everything. And I gotta say, it was all my favorite food. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the little boy peeking in from outside the door. Realizing this might be my son, my eyes lit up. I waved him over. “Hey kid, come here.” He flinched, then timidly walked to the side of the bed. Why did this kid seem a little scared of me? Had I become some rich guy’s stepmom, perhaps? I scratched my head, trying my best to sound friendly. “Hi sweetie, what’s your name? How old are you?” His chubby little face crumpled in a pout, looking utterly heartbroken that his own mom wouldn’t remember his name. “I’m Leo Evans! But everybody calls me Leo. And I’m four and a HALF!” Evans? So I guess my ‘male god’ and I never made it to the altar after all. I continued to ask, “Leo, let me quiz you. What’s your daddy’s name?” “My daddy’s name is…” “Leo! There you are. Time to go downstairs for your lessons. Don’t disturb madam’s rest.” Suddenly, Mrs. Davidson appeared at the door, cutting off Leo’s answer. “Madam, I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching Leo closely enough. I’ll take him downstairs now.” Mrs. Davidson nervously came over and led Leo away. I was a bit confused by the situation and could only nod. Ever since I woke up, Mrs. Davidson’s attitude had been strange, as if I were some kind of monster. Since I couldn’t get my husband’s name, I decided to look for clues myself. The bedroom was luxuriously decorated, but there were no wedding photos, nor any signs of another person living there. Was this one of those phantom husbands who only sends money and never shows up?

When I stepped out of the room, I realized this was a charming two-story house. Downstairs, Leo was quietly playing with a puzzle by the floor-to-ceiling window. Sunshine streamed in, illuminating his long eyelashes. He looked like such a sweet, obedient kid, it instantly melted my heart. I zipped over to him, startling him. “Hey son, what are you playing? Mommy will play with you!” Little Leo’s eyes widened. He immediately stood up straight, like he was standing at attention, and mumbled softly, “Mommy.” I pulled him closer and gave him a big smooch on his soft cheek. He touched his face, looking a bit surprised and happy. Seeing his reactions, I could guess that the “me” from ten years ago probably wasn’t very fond of this child. Good thing Leo was young and didn’t hold grudges. I played with him for a while, and soon he was happily sharing his puzzle with me. “Son! Do you only have puzzles to play with?” Kids his age should have tons of toys. Leo looked at me cautiously and said, “Mommy used to get mad when other toys were too noisy.” Oh no, the Ava from ten years ago was seriously messed up. Just then, the doorbell rang. It was Chloe. When Chloe walked in, I almost didn’t recognize her. Was this still my tomboy bestie? She had grown out her hair, styled it in soft waves, and her makeup was flawlessly done. I widened my eyes exaggeratedly and said, “Whoa, beautiful, who are you?” Chloe rolled her eyes at me. Leo, however, seemed very familiar with her. He ran up and hugged her, calling out, “Auntie Chloe.” Chloe ruffled Leo’s hair and said to me, “Come on, let’s talk upstairs.” I quickly led her back to the bedroom. Before she could speak, I quickly told her the whole story. After listening, Chloe frowned and studied me, then she hit me with a question that made me pause: “How do you know you time-traveled and aren’t just suffering from amnesia?” Uh… good point. “I remember the last meal before I time-traveled was beef stew with tomatoes at the school cafeteria-it smelled amazing!” “I remember taking a test two days before time-traveling, and I even remember the questions. If I really had amnesia, I wouldn’t remember details like that for ten years, right?” Chloe raised an eyebrow but still didn’t say anything. She knew me as well as she knew herself. I awkwardly pursed my lips and said, “Okay, fine. The day before, I’d just accepted Blake Thompson’s confession.” Chloe’s mouth instantly drooped, and she let out a cold laugh. Then she rattled off everything that had happened in the past ten years.

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I had to wear Julian down until he finally agreed to be my boyfriend. He was this untouchable, revered genius, and I, a regular girl, had managed to snag him. I wanted to put him on a pedestal. He never met my parents, looked down on my friends, and for the most part, simply dismissed everything about me. My best friend, Harper, exasperated, chewed me out, “How can you act like you never get sad, never feel wronged?” I just smiled foolishly. “I love him, you know?” “Besides, he’s amazing, a golden boy. I’m the one who lucked out.” I genuinely thought Julian was just naturally aloof. That was until the fourth day of our silent treatment, when he announced his new girlfriend online. Later, when we unexpectedly ran into each other, I greeted him politely. But as I was leaving, he suddenly asked, “How did you do it? Just stopped loving me, just like that?” I didn’t answer his question. Instead, I simply said, “Excuse me, my boyfriend’s waiting for me.” …… Julian was wrong. No one just ‘stops loving’ overnight. It’s a slow burn of disappointments, a quiet accumulation of heartbreak until there’s nothing left but to walk away. The reason Julian and I started our silent treatment, in hindsight, was almost laughable. I was out with friends, and I ended up having a bit too much to drink. They started chanting, “It’s so late, and it’s not safe. Have your boyfriend come pick you up.” I hesitantly called Julian. The phone rang several times, but no one answered. He was always busy, and the time he had for me was minimal. Once, when I kept sending him messages, he’d coldly chastised me, “I have experiments to do. Don’t distract me.” My friends were gradually picked up by their boyfriends, walking hand in hand into the night. A few patted me on the back before they left, looking like they wanted to say something but held back. Soon, only Harper and I were left, both single. Just as I was about to give up, Julian’s low, distant voice came through. I asked if he could come get me. There was a moment of wordless silence. I thought the signal was bad, so I pulled the phone away to check, only to realize Julian had already hung up. I couldn’t even get into our apartment. Julian had changed the code. From behind the closed door, his voice was chillingly scornful. “You reek.” “Come back when you’ve cleaned yourself up. Only then will you be allowed into my place.” Rarely, I felt my temper flare. I stubbornly held out for three days, refusing to contact Julian. This was our first real silent treatment. Usually, when he was angry, I’d immediately backtrack and apologize, no matter the reason. I always made the first move to make up, and then I’d comfort myself. But if I didn’t contact him, he never bothered to reach out. Suddenly, I felt so weary. Still, I didn’t last past the fourth day. I found myself standing at our doorstep, thinking that we were close to getting married anyway, why let such a minor thing cause unpleasantness? Besides, one more apology wouldn’t hurt. Harper smacked her forehead, groaning. I weakly argued, “Well, after drinking, I really don’t smell good, you know.” But after I said that, she suddenly went quiet, staring at me intently for a long moment. It took her a while before she said, her voice trembling, “You’re so incredibly stupid.” Julian leaned against the doorframe, tilting his head as he looked at me. “What are you doing here?” “Julian, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come home so late that day, and I definitely shouldn’t have had so much to drink.” I admitted my ‘mistake’ out of habit. Julian seemed to just recall the matter. “Oh, we broke up. You don’t need to apologize to me.” “What…?” “Didn’t you say it yourself when you were chasing me? Unless we broke up, you’d cling to me every single moment.” “You gave me a few days of peace, so I just assumed we were over.” A beautiful girl walked out of the room. Julian put his arm around her waist. “Let me introduce you. This is my new girlfriend, Chloe.” All the blood drained from my face. “I thought we were just having a fight.” I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

The crisp click of the door closing jolted me awake. Harper had just brought me back, and now she was rushing to take me away again. “She experienced a major shock, so she’s temporarily lost her voice,” the doctor explained. I sat on the side, picking at my fingers, only able to make faint wheezing sounds. My phone was flooded with messages, all asking about the nine-picture collage Julian had posted on Ins with another girl. The last time I’d seen Julian smile so brightly was when I proposed to him. “You always say you’re busy.” “You can spare five minutes for a proposal, right, Julian? Will you marry me?” His scolding words about me delaying his experiment came to an abrupt halt, his stern face melting away like ice. I smiled with him then, truly believing he loved me too. Julian’s call came through at that moment. “Stella, there’s still a lot of your stuff here. Come pick it up tomorrow.” Five years we’d been together, and he was always like this. “Stella, be quiet.” “Stella, stop hanging out with your friends. You’re becoming so common.” “Stella, my time isn’t meant to be wasted on these pointless anniversaries.” But Julian, the perpetually busy man, was actually home on a weekday, wearing casual clothes and making coffee for his new girlfriend at the kitchen counter. When I had a fever, Julian only poured me a glass of water before telling me, “Something came up at the lab. I have to go.” A switch flipped off inside my chest, leaving me utterly numb to the world since yesterday. I just robotically picked up items and placed them into boxes. Julian reached out to help me with a box, but I instinctively flinched away, and the contents spilled all over the floor. His expression instantly darkened. “Breaking up wasn’t your choice? Who are you trying to play dumb for?” He didn’t know I literally couldn’t speak right now. Julian was handsome, came from a good family, and was a rising star in the biology field. His enrollment had caused quite a stir. Even though he himself was an impassive iceberg, it didn’t stop others from relentlessly pursuing him. I fell for him at first sight, chasing him all the way through college graduation. At graduation, I was heartbroken, thinking I’d never cross paths with him again. “I won’t bother you anymore.” But when some gossipy people raised their cameras towards us, Julian suddenly took my hand. “Let’s try being together.” “Don’t look at me, look at the camera.” I still remember the thrill that vibrated through me at that moment. When I first got Julian to be my boyfriend, I felt like I’d hit the jackpot. I even thought, “Well, at least he’s so cold, I’ll never have to worry about him cheating.” It turned out to be nothing but empty words. I first saw Chloe’s name when I accidentally picked up Julian’s phone by mistake. His phone was filled with countless chat messages between him and Chloe. They talked about everything from lab progress to everyday gossip. I saw Chloe ask Julian, “Julian, how come you never post about your girlfriend on Ins?” Julian replied, “Nothing worth posting.” It still stung deeply. Julian’s eyes turned cold. “Are you going through my phone?” “Who is Chloe?” He seemed a little impatient. “A new junior in the lab.” “You never told me, and do you two really have so much to talk about?” Julian seemed to just realize I was jealous, and his expression softened slightly. “It’s just a new lab member joining, what’s there to talk about?” “Besides, Chloe and I only talk about lab stuff. If I told you, you wouldn’t understand.” “You could still share with me,” I said, feeling a little wronged. He still had that poker face. “I already told you, you wouldn’t understand. It’s like how I’m not interested in all those plants and flowers you keep.” I owned a flower shop. I remembered how excited I was when I made my first big sale, rushing to show Julian. He just turned away dismissively. “Childish. What’s the point?” His career was noble, my dreams were insignificant. After that day, Julian’s phone, which had always been unlocked, now had a password. Harper’s voice pulled me back. “Stella, don’t be a fool. For him to be with someone else so quickly, it only proves he’d already moved on.” But four days later was the pre-wedding dinner arranged by both families, where they planned to discuss Julian and my wedding arrangements.

By the time I arrived, the scene was already in chaos. Grandma Helen was struggling to catch her breath, visibly furious, while Julian knelt directly in front of her. “Grandma, Stella and I have already broken up.” “This wedding, it’s not happening.” As soon as she saw me, Chloe also dropped to her knees, her eyes red-rimmed. “Miss Davis, I know you and Julian have been together for a long time, but love doesn’t follow a timeline.” “And I heard, Miss Davis, that ever since you graduated, all you do is hang out with friends or run your little flower shop. You can’t offer Julian any help with his career or family!” “We new people in the lab have never even seen you. Other seniors’ partners have visited the lab occasionally, but you? You actually expect Julian to drop his important project to pick you up from a bar?” “Miss Davis, please, I beg you, let Julian go.” She listed off item after item, defending Julian so passionately that the eyes of some relatives, who weren’t closely involved with either family, also changed as they looked at me. My heart, shattered by Julian’s silence, ached. I forced myself to speak through the pain. “The engagement gifts, I’ll send them back tomorrow.” My throat, unused to speaking for days, was hoarse, making my words sound like a choked sob. But my answer didn’t satisfy them. Chloe pressed on, aggressive. “Then write a guarantee letter and send it to everyone.” “Julian’s college roommate told us, everyone in our lab knows, that he only agreed to be with you back then because you relentlessly chased him, and he took pity on you.” “Don’t try the same tricks again!” “I forbid it!” Grandma Helen cried, her finger trembling as she pointed at Julian. “You scoundrel! Stella is the granddaughter-in-law I chose!” But Julian’s face was full of sneering contempt. “Grandma, I know you’re grateful because Stella saved you back then.” “But at that time, she was just following me! She knew you were my grandma, so she ‘accidentally’ found you collapsing and took you to the hospital. It wasn’t because she’s as innocent and kind as you think!” “She had ulterior motives, all to get closer to me.” I stared blankly at Julian. I was just waiting for him on that street; I wasn’t following him. When I helped the old lady, I had no idea she was Julian’s grandmother. No wonder when Julian rushed to the hospital, he only frowned, said “thank you,” and then warned me with annoyance. “Don’t use such methods again next time.” Something in my heart completely crumbled away. I gave a small, sad laugh. “So that’s what you truly believed.” I stared at Chloe, enunciating each word. “I never came to the lab because Julian didn’t want me there.” “You said I never did anything for him? He got a stomach ulcer from irregular meals during his experiments. I found a nutritionist, repeatedly adjusted his gut-friendly meal plans, and made him portable, easy-to-digest meals.” “I loved him for nine years. Can you even count how much I did for him?” All those things, one by one, if the person involved didn’t care, what was the point of repeating them? For these nine years, I played my hand and lost. “Forget it.” “This is where it ends.” Tears, uncontrollable, welled up in my eyes. “Julian, we are officially over.” Julian’s eyebrows twitched, a half-smile on his face. “Stella, you’d better mean that.” “Yes, you don’t have to worry about me bothering you anymore.” But he seemed unconvinced. “Last time we fought, you used a dozen different fake accounts to add me. I’m deleting them all today. Don’t try any other tricks.” I nodded, my posture earnest. “Don’t worry.” “Never again.”

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For our honeymoon, Liam planned a road trip in his brand-new Maybach. The day before we were set to leave, his ex-girlfriend, Ashley, suddenly showed up at our house, sobbing that her husband had been abusive and she was too scared to go home. Liam, utterly heartbroken, immediately decided to bring her along on our trip. Our romantic two-person getaway suddenly became a trio, and with Liam’s childhood sweetheart, no less. I was furious and confronted him, but he lashed out, calling me inconsiderate. He even said, “Why are you making things so hard for another woman? You know she’s been abused, how could you be so heartless as to leave her alone? Are you even human?!” Even my usually kind mother-in-law, Evelyn, glared at me. “Ashley is like a daughter I watched grow up. If she hadn’t stepped aside, you wouldn’t even be my daughter-in-law!” I quietly watched them, then turned to pack my bags. They thought I was giving in, willing to take Ashley with us. They had no idea I was packing to go home. And I was taking the Maybach keys with me. Because I bought that car!

Liam closed the door, trying to reason with me in a low voice: “Ashley married someone far away, and now she’s been wronged and has nowhere to go. We should help her however we can. What’s there to be so upset about?” I stared at Liam, utterly incredulous. “Do you even know what a honeymoon is supposed to be? Who takes their ex-girlfriend on their honeymoon with their wife? Doesn’t that sound absolutely insane to you?!” Ashley married far away, but didn’t I too? Liam frowned, clearly annoyed. “Chloe, why are you acting like everyone else? Ashley and I are ancient history. If her husband hadn’t been abusive, if she wasn’t completely desperate, I wouldn’t even let her stay here. Why are you being so harsh?” Ashley was Liam’s childhood sweetheart. They dated for about six months three years ago, then broke up for some unknown reason. After their breakup, Ashley quickly married a wealthy businessman from out of town in a whirlwind ceremony. Everyone expected Liam to be devastated, but surprisingly, he seemed completely unaffected. In fact, he dove even deeper into his studies and work. I found Liam handsome and incredibly driven, and I was drawn to him. But I was too shy to make the first move. It was Liam who added me on SnapChat and actively pursued me. I once asked him if he had anyone he couldn’t forget. He told me I was his future. But now, Liam was willing to have a massive fight with me just to bring Ashley along. I took a deep breath, asking one last time, “So, you’re dead set on bringing Ashley?” Liam hesitated for a moment, then said, “It’s not that I’m dead set on bringing Ashley; it’s that she can’t be left alone right now. Can’t you see she’s terrified of being with any man? Only I can make her feel safe.” As he spoke, a flash of pity crossed Liam’s eyes. “She’s in such a state, how can I possibly leave her here alone? Besides, there’s plenty of room in the car, and Ashley even offered to pay for all the expenses for the trip. What else do you have to complain about?” The highest form of love is empathy. And Liam was clearly brimming with empathy for Ashley right now, completely oblivious to how I, his wife, was supposed to feel. I looked at Liam, disappointed, as if I was seeing him clearly for the first time. Seeing my silence, Liam’s tone grew impatient. “I’ve said everything there is to say, both good and bad. What exactly do you want?” I tried to find a trace of apology or guilt on his face, but his eyes held only impatience and disgust, as if I were some wicked witch stopping him from reaching his princess. The stubborn hope in my heart suddenly faded. I looked at him coldly. “Fine, take her then.” Liam froze for a second, then his face lit up in surprise. He hugged me tight. “I knew you wouldn’t be so petty! I’ll go tell Ashley right away!” I pushed Liam away. “Have a great time. I’m not going.” Liam frowned, grabbing my wrist. “What do you mean?” “Exactly what it sounds like.” Just as Liam was about to speak, the door burst open. Evelyn stood there, her face disapproving. “It’s your wedding honeymoon, you two! What kind of sense does it make for you not to go? What will people say about our family? You have to go!”

I sneered at Evelyn. “So, what exactly are you suggesting?” Evelyn said, as if it were obvious, “Of course, all three of you should go! My son is up for that huge promotion, you know. Don’t cause any trouble!” Ah, so that’s why she suddenly butted in. She was afraid that if I didn’t go, rumors about Liam and Ashley would spread. I smiled, radiating fake innocence. “I understand, Evelyn. You’re worried people will talk about Liam, right?” Evelyn shot me a sideways glance. “You know that, yet you’re still causing a scene! Hurry up and pack your bags. My son hasn’t been on a vacation in ages. As his wife, you should be more considerate!” Liam stood beside his mother, nodding in agreement. Birds of a feather, indeed. Their united front was truly unwavering. I put down the clothes I was holding. “If you’re so worried about rumors, then don’t bring Ashley! You’re home, Evelyn, you can keep her company.” Ashley was scared of men, and Liam’s mother wasn’t a man. What could possibly happen with two women together? It was clearly the best arrangement, but Liam immediately objected: “I told you, Ashley only feels safe with me! We’ll all go together. Are you really worried something will happen between her and me?” “If I wanted something to happen with Ashley, would I have married you?!” It felt like a blade had pierced my chest. My eyes burned, threatening to spill tears. I looked up at the ceiling, my heart turning to stone. “If you want to take her, go ahead. I’m not going.” Evelyn glared at me, complaining, “Why are you so ungrateful? Ashley gave me her gold bracelet the moment she arrived yesterday, and she promised to pay for all the honeymoon expenses. What more could you possibly be dissatisfied with?” Evelyn was wearing a leather jacket I had bought her – an expensive Hermès winter piece. She’d mentioned once that she’d never owned anything nice and got cold easily, so I’d spent eight thousand dollars on that jacket for her. I told her it was only two hundred, and she scolded me for wasting money, for not thinking about our little family. When I said I bought it with my own savings, she just laughed and said: “It’s better to save that money for renovations. Your marital home still needs a lot of furniture!” The living room had a ten-thousand-dollar sofa set, hundreds of thousands in renovation costs, and Liam’s daily high-end suits and shirts – which of those didn’t I pay for? But in Evelyn’s eyes, all of it was simply her son’s due. Ashley’s one, possibly fake, gold bracelet had completely swayed her, making me feel pathetic and laughable. Looking at Liam and Evelyn’s hostile faces, I didn’t get angry. Instead, I laughed. “You’re right, I’m ungrateful. If Ashley wants to go, then let her. Whatever I say, you won’t listen anyway.” They wanted a threesome, but I definitely didn’t. Whoever wanted to deal with this weird family could have them. This kind of trash? Not for me. Liam, thinking I was giving in, lowered his voice. “We’re not ignoring your wishes, we’re discussing it with you.” I looked at Liam with derision. Discussing? Had they ever given me a chance to say no? The moment I even thought of saying no, they, mother and son, would immediately condescendingly accuse me of being unreasonable and overly jealous. They called that discussing? Liam sighed. “Okay, my tone was a bit harsh earlier, but aren’t you also to blame? If you weren’t so jealous, we wouldn’t be fighting.” “Let’s let this one slide. But don’t do it again.” He was the one making the outrageous demand, yet somehow, it was all my fault now. Before, whenever we fought, Liam would yell and scream, then eventually back down, magnanimously admitting he had issues, only to then flip it around and say I had issues too. The old me was so naive, always thinking that in any argument, both sides bore responsibility, and I’d always blame myself and reflect. Looking back now, my brain must have been completely fried. Liam was clearly the problem. I wasn’t wrong at all!

The next morning, Ashley got up early and cooked a huge breakfast spread. All kinds of dishes, everything imaginable. Evelyn’s eyes lit up, and she praised non-stop: “Ashley is truly a woman who knows how to keep a home, unlike Chloe, who can’t even cook rice without turning it into mush.” Ashley cast a shy glance at Liam. “My dream used to be cooking for the man I loved, so I often researched how to make meals.” I sat down expressionlessly, picked up my forks, and started eating. If some people loved to cook, then let them. After all, not everyone was destined for a life of leisure. Some people were just born to work their fingers to the bone. Liam saw my sour face and immediately got annoyed. “Chloe, Ashley got up so early to cook, you could at least thank her!” Seeing him so eager to defend Ashley, I let out a snort. “She’s staying at my place and hasn’t paid rent. Why should I thank her? Go online and check how much a night at a luxury hotel in downtown Manhattan costs.” Ashley’s eyes immediately welled up. “It’s my bad luck to have married a jerk. I know I’m a guest here, but Chloe, isn’t what you’re saying a little too much?” I rolled my eyes at her. “Too much? Did I force you to come to my house? Or did I force you to cook?” Evelyn slammed her forks down. “What’s all this fuss about?!” The atmosphere instantly grew tense. The three of them sat on one side, making me feel like an outsider. When Liam spoke, she didn’t care. When Ashley spoke, she didn’t care. But the moment I opened my mouth, she slammed her forks. Before I got married, Evelyn had promised me repeatedly that she would treat me like her own daughter. Was this what she meant by treating me like her own daughter? Anyone who didn’t know better would think Ashley was her daughter-in-law! I put down my bowl and forks, ready to go back to my room, when Ashley suddenly grabbed my arm: “Chloe, it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been abused by my husband, I wouldn’t have had to hide at your house. Please, you and Liam, don’t fight because of me.” “I’ll just leave now, no matter if that man beats me to death, I will never break up your marriage!” Ashley said she would leave, but her eyes never left Liam. Liam, true to form, didn’t disappoint. He pulled her into his embrace, full of concern. “Chloe! Why are you being so aggressive? Ashley isn’t staying here forever. Can’t you even tolerate her for a little while?” “Her husband’s company went bankrupt, and he took it out on Ashley. Now you’re upset and taking it out on her too. What makes you any different from that abuser?” Ashley snuggled further into Liam’s arms, weeping tearfully as if she’d won. I chuckled. Who was being aggressive here, really? Evelyn also chimed in, “Always fighting, fighting, fighting! You’re going to chase all the good luck out of this house!” Looking at the trio across from me, I suddenly wondered if they’d be so loving and united without me. I nodded. “You’re right. I’m not generous enough. You two go and have fun. I won’t be going. I hope you have a wonderful time.”

A flicker of triumph crossed Ashley’s eyes, but she still feigned concern. “How can that be? You’re Liam’s wife, don’t say things you don’t mean.” Liam stared at me, displeased. “What nonsense are you talking about? Go pack your stuff! Don’t say hurtful things.” I turned and walked back to my room. As I left, Ashley was still cautiously asking: “What if Chloe really won’t go out of spite? You two have always wanted to go to the beach, haven’t you?” Liam snorted. “Impossible. She’s been looking forward to a trip with me for ages. Even if we drive off first, she’ll find a way to follow us.” A cold laugh echoed in my heart. He knew this was my long-awaited honeymoon, huh? The man who, when he was chasing me, would panic and lose his appetite for an entire day if I even frowned. Now, knowing I was furious, he was still stubbornly determined to bring another woman on our honeymoon. This was intentional, and it was a challenge. If I agreed, next thing you know, I’d probably end up changing diapers for her baby! This kind of compliance test wouldn’t work on me. So, when Ashley and Liam sat in the car, ready to leave, I remained in my room, not moving a muscle. Liam pounded on the door. “Chloe? Are you ready yet! Come out now! If you don’t come out, we’re leaving without you. You can figure out how to get to Hawaii yourself!” Ashley said softly, “Chloe, stop being difficult. If we leave any later, we’ll hit traffic.” I completely ignored them, silently opening my phone to play Candy Crush. Liam tried to open the door, only to find it locked from the inside. He tried coaxing me softly for a few moments, but I still didn’t respond. He then shouted, “Chloe, don’t you dare regret this! If you’re not coming, we’ll go by ourselves!” I scoffed. Just a few minutes later, they were back. This time, Liam’s tone was much softer: “Chloe, do you have the Maybach keys?” After finishing a game, I glanced at the car keys I’d tossed on my bedside table, and quietly sent a message to my best friend, Sarah, who was a divorce lawyer: [I want a divorce. Help me draft an agreement.] Sarah replied instantly. I still didn’t acknowledge Liam, which made him pound on the door even harder in frustration. Perhaps due to his male pride, Liam suddenly kicked the door, shouting, “Chloe, what’s gotten into you? You’re not coming yourself, and you’re stopping us from going? How can you be so vicious?!” I had paid a fortune for this door; it didn’t even budge. Evelyn also cursed and knocked. “You’re not going, and you’re delaying my son’s trip! How can you be so heartless, woman?!” Ashley sounded equally annoyed. “Chloe, Liam worked hard to buy this car. Why are you holding onto the keys?!” Hearing that, I was genuinely stunned. My parents gave me this car before we got married. When did it become Liam’s? Did she really think Liam had become successful on his own, and now she wanted to reel him back in? The thought suddenly made the situation much more interesting. I got up and opened the door, looking at Liam. “Are you absolutely set on bringing Ashley?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “303768”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #励志Inspiring #校园School