Chapter 1 After five years of a long-distance relationship, my boyfriend and I called each other every day to solve our physical needs. When reaching the climax, Liam would always say to me, still wanting more, “Chloe, I miss you so much I’m going crazy…” So, I booked a red-eye flight back home, secretly hiding in his closet to give him a surprise. But when the bedroom door opened, Liam carried my best friend onto our marital bed. Mia rolled over and straddled him, unbuttoning his shirt one by one while saying coquettishly, “Liam, that idiot Chloe hasn’t figured out we’re together for five years. It’s so boring.” “She’s proposed to you ninety-nine times. How about we give her a surprise at our wedding next week?” I gripped the engagement ring in my palm tightly. My mind went completely blank. I saw Liam’s hand slip under her skirt, his voice lazy. “What’s the rush? I’ve already exiled her to Northern Europe, are you still worried?” Through the wood, the obscene sounds were magnified infinitely in my ears. And I, huddled in the closet covering my mouth, felt my heart completely die. … The two on the bed were stark naked, kissing passionately. Tears smashed hard onto my phone, the screen suddenly lighting up with a text from Liam. [Chloe, let’s not just do a voice call today, how about a video call?] Mia looked at the chat box and scoffed disdainfully. “Liam, it’s one thing to let her listen when we’re doing it, but today you actually dare to do a live broadcast?” Liam, biting her bra, smiled roguishly. “Guess if she dares to answer?” Before I could react, Liam’s video call was already ringing. With trembling hands, I tapped the screen several times before finally hitting decline. One was the man who had formed a human bridge in the rubble of an earthquake, protecting me underneath him, risking his life to save me. The other was the woman who single-handedly rescued me when the school bullies wanted to slash my face. And now, they were rolling in the sheets on the bed I bought for my wedding. The visual impact was too much for me. So much so that even after they used an entire box of condoms, I still couldn’t snap out of it. Liam lit a post-coital cigarette and slowly looked towards the closet. Our eyes met. My heart felt like it was viciously squeezed by someone. The next second, Liam blew a smoke ring, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. “Chloe, do you have some kind of voyeuristic fetish? How long are you going to hide in the closet?” Mia, on the bed, turned pale and scared, diving straight under the covers. Three seconds later. I stumbled out of the closet, my voice shaking uncontrollably. “I, I originally wanted to give you a surprise…” Liam slowly sat up and deliberately blew smoke in my face. “A surprise? The text confirmation for your flight was forwarded to my phone ages ago. What surprise could there be?” He reached under Mia’s skirt and threw a wet bunny tail plug at me. “Learn a thing or two. This is what you call a surprise.” I had proposed to him ninety-nine times, trying different methods every time. Just to repay him for saving my life. But now, all my efforts had become a joke. “Why? Why are you guys doing this to me…” Seeing my confused look, Liam said indifferently, “Why? Chloe, you didn’t think you could monopolize me, did you? Don’t be so selfish.” “Besides, every time I called you, Mia would moan. Could you really not hear it?” It turned out that every moment he said he missed me, his body was in negative-distance contact with Mia. I was trembling all over, my stomach churning. Mia pulled my nightgown over herself and put it on slowly, saying with a half-smile, “Chloe, didn’t you used to say you were willing to share everything with me?” “You’re so busy with work, I kindly helped Liam solve his physical problems. Shouldn’t you thank me?” I pushed her away hard, grabbed a picture frame, and smashed it at her. “Get out! Get the hell out!” Ironically, The photo of me and Liam in the frame had actually been replaced with one of Mia in a bikini. And Liam told me every day, that when he missed me, he could only look at my photo. Turns out it was this photo he was looking at. After a gasp. Liam blocked Mia without hesitation. The picture frame hit his forehead, and blood immediately flowed down. “Chloe, stop acting crazy, okay? It’s not like I don’t want you anymore.” “It’s not my fault I’m not marrying you. Don’t you ever look in the mirror to see where you stand?” “Mia and I are just having a wedding. As long as you don’t make a fuss, our relationship will never change.” I crazily grabbed everything I could reach and threw it at them. “Relationship? What relationship? The relationship where I’m the other woman?” “Get out! You pair of cheating scumbags, get the hell out of here!” The door slammed with a deafening noise. Looking at the messy bedroom, I violently threw the engagement ring clutched in my hand out the window. Then, as if possessed, I picked up a small piece of broken glass. Just like when I was a kid, I numbly pressed it against my wrist and slashed down. Chapter 2 All the love and hate spilled out along with the blood. In my haze, I thought of that earth-shattering afternoon seven years ago. The school building collapsed, and I was trapped under concrete slabs, waiting to die in despair. But Liam frantically dug through the rubble, using his bleeding hands to pull me out bit by bit. But the aftershocks continued. When a huge boulder came crashing toward us, he threw himself on top of me without hesitation, using his back to form a human bridge for me. Debris smashed onto his head, back, and face, yet he gritted his teeth and smiled at me. “Chloe, don’t be afraid. With me here, you won’t die.” After that, he was left with a hideous scar on his back. I touched that scar with trembling fingertips, weeping uncontrollably. But he smiled like a fool. “Why are you crying? This scar is the proof of my love for you.” And in high school, when I was cornered in an alley by a few bullies. They called me a fatherless bastard and threatened to slash my foxy face with a box cutter. It was Mia who charged in single-handedly, shielded me behind her, and pointed at them fiercely. “Just try and touch her!” From that day on, Mia accompanied me to and from school. She told me with absolute seriousness, “Chloe, we’re going to be best friends for life.” Waking up in the hospital. Liam’s gaze fell on the crisscrossing scars on my wrist, and he sighed softly. “Chloe, I always thought you were a smart person.” His voice was very low, like stating a long-understood fact. “What’s wrong with staying by my side?” “You know your background; I could never accept your proposal.” “All that talk about marrying you on the ninety-ninth time… was just to humor you.” Ever since my father eloped with his mistress, my mother’s mental state has been unstable. But Liam and Mia are both from wealthy New York families. Whenever someone pointed fingers behind my back, Liam and Mia would viciously slap their faces for me. I often asked myself, what did I do to deserve such a prince and princess taking such good care of me. Liam paused for a moment, his eyes unreadable. “Chloe, what do you really want? Money? Love? Or medical resources for your mother? Or…” He leaned in close, his words as light as a blade. “Do you want me to give you a child?” Motherhood as a ticket to status is a proven method. Using all my remaining strength, I slapped him hard across the face. “I want you to get lost! Don’t ever let me see you again in this lifetime!” Liam froze for a second. He slowly touched his cheek with his long fingers, then smiled, grinding his back teeth. The hospital room door was pushed open again. Mia walked in carrying a basket of mangoes, her laughter light and deliberate. “Oh my, my good best friend, playing hard to get again?” She walked over to Liam, her eyes sliding sideways over me. “Liam got tired of that seven years ago. It’s really inappropriate to play it now.” Saying that, she started peeling a mango for me. But I’m allergic to mangoes. Mia knew this from the very first day we met. She deliberately showed off the dazzling diamond ring on her ring finger. Liam once said, he would buy his future wife the biggest, brightest diamond ring. Thinking of when I accidentally gouged a piece of flesh from my palm while personally crafting a wedding ring for Liam, a dense, fine pain flared up in my heart again. Mia handed the peeled mango to me, and I just swatted it onto the floor. The juice stained her dress. Liam’s eyes darkened instantly. “Chloe, if you have any grievances, take them out on me!” “Mia has been good enough to you! She doesn’t even mind me keeping you after we’re married! What more do you want?!” Mia looked at me aggrievedly. “Chloe, do you really need to target me like this?” I was just about to kick them out, when two trending topics popped up on my phone. The first was the joyous news of the marriage alliance between the two powerful families of Liam and Mia. But the second was the record of my relationship with Liam over the past seven years. The comment section was full of people scolding Mia for throwing her weight around and knowingly being the other woman. Liam’s usually unruly face suddenly turned dark. He squeezed a few words out through gritted teeth. “Chloe, you’re such a bitch…” Chapter 3 But I haven’t logged into any social media accounts since I woke up. Mia grabbed my wrist and roared. “Chloe! People need dignity to live, are you trying to force me to death?!” “Your life was saved by Liam, and your face was saved by me! Even your job in Northern Europe was introduced by us! Liam and I don’t ask you for anything in return, but how can you bite the hand that feeds you?!” During the struggle, the wound on my wrist split open. Drops of blood smashed onto the bedsheets. But Liam just looked at me with a disappointed gaze. I took a deep breath and spoke slowly. “It wasn’t me.” But Liam directly grabbed my phone, skillfully entering his birthday to unlock it. Then he pointed to a transfer record of ten thousand dollars and questioned me coldly. “If it’s not you, then what is this?” He didn’t know this was the medical fee I advanced for my mother’s surgery. He threw the phone at me, shielded Mia, turned around, and left. Half an hour later. Liam used his family company’s official Twitter to post his and Mia’s marriage certificate. The date was seven years ago. Which was the very day Liam and I made our relationship official. They had gone and gotten their marriage certificate. My heart ached to the point of numbness, yet I couldn’t shed a single tear. Public opinion reversed. Countless netizens cursed me for knowingly being the other woman, and even trying to sow discord between a married couple. My personal information was quickly doxxed. My work email was stuffed with abusive letters, and my social media DMs turned into a swamp of filthy insults. Even more fatally, my boss all the way in Northern Europe called to fire me directly. Liam easily crushed everything I had spent years struggling to build. And my father abandoning his wife and child back then was magnified infinitely. “Chloe’s dad didn’t want her mom, and Liam doesn’t want her either. This mother and daughter are destined to be mistresses for life!” “And she’s so smug posting chat logs, thinking that will hurt the great Miss Mia? What a clown!” “So disgusting, how do people like this still have the face to live in this world? Chloe and her mother should just go die!” My college group chat also exploded. “Wasn’t Liam’s girlfriend always Chloe? Why is the person on the marriage certificate Mia?” “You guys don’t know this, right? Actually, the person Liam has always liked is Mia. During the earthquake back then, Liam thought the person buried was Mia, that’s why he went to save her!” “So Chloe, that simp, harassed Liam for all those years? Wow, she’s been a mistress since her student days?” Seeing this message, I almost couldn’t stand up. Just as I was about to fall, Mia suddenly caught me. She looked at my deathly pale face and said with a giggling smile. “Chloe, do you know why Liam pursued you?” She lowered her voice and enunciated every word. “Because, I have a certain kink.” “Liam loves me too much, so he lowered himself to seduce you. And now, I’m bored with playing, so it’s time for you to get lost!” “Oh right, the day after tomorrow is my wedding with Liam. As my best friend, you absolutely must come.” As Mia turned to leave, she deliberately shoved a prenatal checkup report into my hand. “The crystallization of Liam and my love, four months along now.” The world crashed down around me. Liam’s past devotion, those vows that sounded better than sweet nothings. It turned out to be just a game. Liam’s call suddenly rang. But I didn’t answer. Soon he sent a text message. [Chloe, don’t believe the nonsense people in the group chat are saying. After Mia and I are married, I will give you an explanation.] I pinched my palm tightly and typed. [Every time you called me Chloe, you were actually calling out to Mia, weren’t you?] The person on the other end of the phone fell silent. The tears I had held back for so long finally fell. I don’t know how long I stood in the cold wind. I wiped my tears and dialed a long-forgotten number. “Mr. Quinn, I agree to join your Arctic project. For the three years I’m gone, please make sure to take good care of my mother.” The other party nodded crisply and responded. “No problem, I’ll send a private jet to pick up your mother right now.” As soon as the call disconnected, my mother’s caregiver called immediately. “Ms. Davis, it’s terrible, something happened to your mother!” Chapter 4 When I found my mother, she was pinned to the ground by several maids, barely clinging to life. Her back was already lacerated and bloody, yet she continued to glare fiercely at Mia. “I’m going to kill you! Kill you!” Mia had three bloody scratches on her face, clearly from my mother. She gripped the whip in her hand and said through gritted teeth, “Tomorrow is the wedding! How am I supposed to see anyone with this face?” “You old hag! There are still 99 lashes left! I’m going to beat you to death today!” Realizing what was happening, I immediately rushed forward to protect my mother. But the doctors clearly said my mother’s condition had been improving over the years. Why did she suddenly go crazy? Crack! The whip lashed fiercely across my body. I cried out in pain. Mia, however, looked down at me from above with a triumphant sneer. “Hahaha, Chloe, your mother couldn’t compete with my mother, and look now, you can’t compete with me either.” My body stiffened. “What did you say?” My gaze followed to the family portrait in her hand. My father, who had abandoned his wife and child, was lovingly holding another woman’s waist. It turned out Mia’s mother was the mistress from back then! Mia’s laughter echoed in my ears. “Serves you right. Who told your mother to call my mother a mistress back then! Now that you’ve become a real mistress, I’ve finally vented my mother’s anger!” “Let me tell you the truth, I approved the day you and Liam made your relationship official. You were willing to be a simp just because Liam treated you slightly well. Have you never been loved by anyone? Pathetic worm.” “Now, either you take these 99 lashes for this old hag, or I start a livestream right now and tell the whole world that both you and your mother are mistresses hahaha…” Every word was like a poisoned needle, piercing into my deepest wounds. Anger rushed to my head, and I charged at Mia like a madwoman. But just as my fingertips touched her sleeve, Liam’s furious voice suddenly erupted from behind. “Chloe! Don’t you dare!” He kicked me viciously aside, his eyes fixed on the sharp scissors on the ground. “Crazy! If you want to die, go die yourself! Don’t touch Mia!” Holding my bloodied mother, I wept silently. Liam paused slightly. Instinctively, he moved to help me. But Mia stumbled and threw herself into his arms, crying a river of tears. “Liam, Chloe said her mother is crazy and won’t have to pay with her life for murder!” “It doesn’t matter if something happens to me, but the baby in my belly…” The sliver of pity on Liam’s face towards me abruptly vanished. The bodyguards immediately understood, grabbed the whip from the floor, and lashed me fiercely. Agonizing pain instantly swept over my entire body. I screamed in agony. But Liam refused to spare me another glance. At that moment, my mother, who had been on her last breath, suddenly shielded me tightly in her arms. Her cloudy eyes were full of tears as she whispered in my ear, “My sweet girl, it’s Mom’s fault for being useless and letting you suffer so much. This time, let Mom protect you…” Listening to her increasingly faint breathing, I cried and begged Liam for help. “I admit my mistake, I apologize, please, I beg you, save my mom!” But no matter how much I pleaded, there was no response. My tears dried up, and the 99 lashes were finished. When my mother slipped into shock from blood loss, Liam walked out of the room. He finally deigned to give me a glance. “Taking a few lashes won’t kill you. You turning out like this is also your mother’s fault! It’s just what you mother and daughter need to learn a lesson!” I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, crying until I started laughing. “Liam, I really wish I had never met you in this life.” Liam stood up and let out a cold laugh. “Alright, don’t cause trouble at the wedding. I can buy a villa for your mother for her retirement. You’ll live with us. If you feel uncomfortable, you can live next door.” I shook my head numbly. “No, we won’t be seeing each other again.” “Heh, suit yourself.” With that, Liam scooped Mia up in his arms and headed straight for the hospital. On the day of the wedding. Liam’s wedding convoy got into a car accident. Arriving at the hospital, he suddenly saw my mother’s caregiver carrying bags of belongings and heading out. Ignoring his own injuries, Liam went up and asked. “Auntie, where are you going? Aren’t you taking care of Chloe’s mother anymore?” The caregiver looked at him like he was an idiot and grumbled. “Are you crazy? Today is Ms. Davis’s mother’s funeral. Are you telling me to go down to the underworld to take care of her?!”

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After the New Year, I unexpectedly noticed that the compact car I’d bought before marriage was being driven out every afternoon. During dinner, I casually asked my husband: “Ian, darling, who have you lent my car to? I thought you said that model was too small, only women liked it.” His chopsticks paused mid-air. He quickly pulled out a receipt from the dealership and handed it to me: “I was worried the car would deteriorate from sitting too long, so I sent it for maintenance.” He spoke, then picked up a piece of braised fish and placed it in my bowl, smiling considerately: “What’s wrong? Didn’t you say I wasn’t allowed to sell that car because it held our memories? I just wanted to surprise you.” His explanation was flawless. I lowered my head and continued eating, but an uneasy feeling grew within me. The next day, I passed by that dealership and showed them the receipt: “Hello, my husband brought the car here for maintenance; I’d like to pick it up now.” The manager nodded, about to retrieve the car for me. Just then, a girl walked in through the front door, approached the counter, and said, “I’m here to pick up Mr. Vance’s car.” But what she held in her hand was clearly my car key. 1 The moment our eyes met, a flicker of panic crossed the girl’s face. Although she quickly composed herself, she changed the subject as if she didn’t know me: “I just remembered I have something to do this afternoon. I’ll leave the key here. You can just deliver the car to garage 801 at the Oceanview Estate.” Her voice was trembling. She didn’t dare to linger for another moment after speaking, turning to leave. I watched her retreating back. The young woman was quick-witted, trying to pretend she was just an intern running an errand to lessen my suspicion about her holding my car key. But she didn’t know that Ian Vance was a germaphobe; he never let outsiders touch his belongings. Especially not this compact car, which held such significant meaning for us. I glanced at the key she’d placed on the counter, my heart sinking little by little. I lifted my foot and followed her. Sensing my presence, her steps quickened. After failing to hail a cab for a long time by the roadside, I stood beside her. She timidly looked up: “Are, are you also waiting for a cab?” I didn’t answer her. My gaze first fell on the bag she was carrying. The latest luxury brand, more expensive than her entire outfit. Just two days ago, Ian had given me an identical one. On her wrist, she wore an icy jade bangle, which, by coincidence, clearly matched the one on my wrist. I couldn’t help but recall my birthday, when Ian kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear: “Aurora, I told you I’d give you a unique gift every year. This bangle I carved myself. I’ll love you forever.” A sneer played on my lips. It seemed Mr. Vance, the acclaimed actor, was addicted to acting, no longer distinguishing between reality and a billionaire CEO drama. The girl noticed my gaze and awkwardly hid her bag behind her back: “If you’re in a hurry, I can let you go first.” Her eyes were filled with defensiveness and fear. I smiled, continuing to walk closer to her, then extended my hand: “See, I have a bangle exactly like yours, but my husband said he carved it himself. So I just wanted to ask you, where did you buy it wholesale?” “Once I find the evidence, I’ll divorce him. We’ve only been married ten years, and he’s already getting complacent with me. I’m afraid he’s… seeing someone else.” Hearing that last sentence, her face instantly went pale, and she became even more flustered: “I, I can’t remember which street vendor I bought it from.” “Never mind then. But we’re still quite fated. My name is Aurora Xu, what’s yours?” “Skylar Lynn.” Oh. Even the last initial of her name was ‘L’. Just then, a public bus arrived, and Skylar fled onto it, leaving. I, too, turned around, my face instantly hardening. I returned to the dealership, retrieved my car, and opened the door. Then I noticed something else was wrong. The good luck charm hanging in front of the car had been replaced with a plush toy. I suppressed my emotions, pulled out my phone, and called my best friend: “Can you help me find out if Ian Vance has truly been filming on set every day recently? Also, what’s his relationship with a girl named Skylar Lynn!” My best friend was an investor in his new show. Hearing this, she asked, puzzled: “Aurora, what happened?” “I suspect Ian is cheating…” Before I even got home, my best friend had sent over the information. She still seemed a bit incredulous. The data showed that while Skylar Lynn and Ian Vance had indeed acted together in one project, other than that, Ian had only visited her school for movie promotions. The two had not met privately since. One could say they were strangers. My best friend called back: “You’re overthinking it, aren’t you? Back then, Ian announced his marriage to you at the peak of his career, Aurora… you two are the entertainment industry’s model couple.” I held my phone, but smiled: “You said ‘back then.’ If it’s really that clean, why do you think Skylar Lynn had my car key?” This car was the first one we bought on installment with the money we earned when he was still an extra. Even after he became an acclaimed actor and we owned many luxury cars, this humble compact car had always quietly remained in the garage. “How about we make a bet? Let’s completely blacklist Skylar Lynn and see Ian Vance’s reaction?” After hanging up, I sat in the car, touching the dashboard. Ian, it’s been ten years. I accompanied you from living in the poorest basement all the way to where you are now. If you truly betrayed me. Don’t blame me for making you lose everything and ruining your reputation, just like the vow you made back then! 2 When I got home, I found that Ian had surprisingly returned from the set again. He was even wearing the hoodie I bought him. I recalled fan comments: “[Married, yet no hint of a husband, just pure youthful charm. Ian Vance is a divine being!]” “[Aurora Xu must have saved the world in her past life to marry Ian Vance.]” I used to think I was very lucky too. He pulled me into his arms. “Who dared to make my wife come home so late? Did Old Man Sterling torture you again, making you revise the script repeatedly? Should I go for the casting instead?” I pressed my lips together, suddenly wanting to ask him directly who Skylar Lynn was. Just to give him a chance. However, he took my hand, played with it, and continued: “I heard Old Man Sterling invested three hundred million in this show and plans to use new faces. You went to the Academy of Dance and Arts today, right? Did you find anyone suitable?” His probing words instantly choked me up, and a chill shot from my spine to the top of my head: “How did you know I went to the Academy of Dance and Arts?” Ian’s hand stiffened, but he quickly grabbed my hand again, laughing: “Aren’t newcomers always chosen from those few schools? Aurora, I just care about you.” “This script is your mother’s unfinished work before she passed away. She was suspected of unfair casting and suffered online bullying, leading to depression. I’m afraid you’ll fall into those bad things again.” He seemed genuinely worried about me, no longer pressing the issue, and carried me back to the room. But in the middle of the night, I feigned sleep. He, however, picked up his phone and messaged someone. And for the next few days, every time I finished a conversation with Old Man Sterling, he would “coincidentally” return from the set, either cooking for me or buying me gifts. Yet, each time, he would subtly probe about the new show’s casting. The smile on my face grew increasingly rare. Until a week later, Skylar Lynn’s scandal of hooking up with a sugar daddy suddenly hit the trending topics, also mixed with ambiguous videos of her bribing teachers at school. Although she wasn’t very famous, her social impact was negative. Her acting career was clearly about to be blocked. My best friend called, her voice excited: “It took me a week to find enough scandals to blacklist her, Aurora. Someone is really helping her behind the scenes.” I immediately arranged for someone to keep a close eye on Ian’s movements. Sure enough, he took leave from the set that afternoon, first went to Skylar Lynn’s school, and then met with the media company that released the video. What he didn’t know was that as soon as he left, the people there called me, their tone playful: “Aurora Xu, he said he’d exchange a dinner with you for taking down the trending topic. What do you say, should I agree to him or agree to him?” I clenched my hands, laughing bitterly with anger: “Of course, agree to him!” But as I laughed, tears couldn’t help but fall. I had thought he was cheating, but I never expected him to use me as a bargaining chip. Since that’s the case. I abruptly hung up the phone, grabbed my bag, and rushed home, originally intending to prepare to discuss divorce with Ian. Who knew that as soon as I reached the garage, I suddenly found two handprints on the window of that compact car parked in the corner. I stared intently at the fresh-looking prints, my steps faltering, leaning against the wall to barely keep myself from falling. I didn’t open the car door, only feeling a surge of nausea. He actually brought that woman home, and might even be hiding in the car with her right now. Ian Vance, you truly disgust me! 3 I stumbled upstairs in a daze that day. Ian, clever as ever, didn’t follow me back, not even a call. Sleepless all night, at dawn I asked my best friend to find me a lawyer. I sent all the evidence I had gathered to the lawyer. The lawyer said that while I could ruin Ian Vance’s reputation, without concrete evidence, I would only get half the assets. I immediately went to check the surveillance footage, but last night’s video had been silently deleted. Indeed, not a single trace left behind. Two more days passed. Then Old Man Sterling’s assistant suddenly called me: “Ms. Xu, Mr. Vance visited Old Man Sterling alone yesterday, saying you entrusted him with the casting? He wants to start casting early. Old Man Sterling asked me to confirm with you.” I paused, then sneered. It seemed Ian, seeing that my script was ready but I was unwilling to let him handle the casting, was getting anxious from that little vixen’s pestering? He knew Old Man Sterling would definitely notify me. I wanted to see how he’d explain himself. That evening, Ian called: “Darling, today I passed by Old Man Sterling’s place after a dinner party, and went up to ask him to allow me to handle the casting for you.” “You haven’t appeared in public for years, and I don’t want you to be affected by public opinion again. If anything happens… just let me bear it, alright?” Listening to his affectionate and concerned tone, my nails were almost digging into my flesh. But I still agreed with a smile. Not long after, my best friend sent me a photo. Her people had finally caught Ian meeting Skylar Lynn alone, a worthwhile expense given how much I paid several media outlets. After that, to help Skylar Lynn meet Old Man Sterling’s requirements, Ian began to expose himself frequently. First, he stole my revised script. During the day, he filmed, and in the evenings, he dined and socialized with me. Late at night, he still had to go and explain the script to Skylar Lynn. My best friend couldn’t help but exclaim in anger: “He’s truly a master of time management! And that Skylar Lynn, she’s not even that pretty, but Ian Vance insists on promoting her.” “Aurora, half the entertainment industry now knows he’s problematic… everyone’s waiting to laugh at you.” After hearing her, I just told her to collect more evidence. Even people I had feuded with came by, making veiled remarks, mocking me, saying what good was my arrogance now if I couldn’t even control my own man. The day before casting, Ian specially came home and cooked me a meal himself. The dining table was filled with all my favorite dishes: Longjing shrimp, lotus root and pork rib soup. “Darling, I heard from Old Man Sterling that you’re going directly to the set tomorrow, not the casting audition?” He asked, probing. I took a bite of shrimp; it used to taste incredibly fresh and fragrant, but now I felt a little nauseous. Lowering my head, I hid a sneer in my eyes: “Yeah, Old Man Sterling asked me to set up the venue first. Besides, don’t I have you for the casting?” I clearly saw a flicker of triumph in his eyes. Someone who once loved me so much, yet insisted on destroying something I had poured all my heart and soul into, and betrayed me. He held my hand: “Darling, don’t worry. I know how important this show is to you. After filming… I’ll go with you to visit your mother.” He still had the nerve to see my mother. I silently withdrew my hand. For the sake of the past ten years, I decided to give him one last chance, staring into his eyes and saying: “Ian Vance, do you still remember why my mother wrote this script?” “That year, my father cheated, bringing his mistress and their son to my mother’s face. My parents were childhood sweethearts. She wrote this script during her most painful time.” He seemed to suddenly remember this as well, and his expression started to change: “Of course I remember, Aurora. Have you heard anything recently?” “It’s all just gossip cooked up by the company for publicity. You know, I’d give my life for you.” Saying this, he leaned in, trying to kiss my lips, his hand beginning to wander over my body. I was already physically repulsed by him, and I pushed him away. Using the excuse of needing to pack, I returned to my room first. He didn’t know that as soon as I entered the bathroom, I brushed my teeth and rinsed my mouth over a dozen times. My phone chimed twice; it was a message from my best friend: [Aurora, you guessed it! That scumbag Ian Vance really cheated!] [Damn it, he often drove your compact car to deserted outskirts, and the two of them were in the car in the middle of the night… so disgusting.] [Now we have the evidence. Should we send the lawyer’s letter immediately?] I looked at my somewhat disheveled self in the mirror. [No, send the evidence to the lawyer first. I still want to give him a grand gift!] Ian Vance wants Skylar Lynn to step on me to climb to the top, paving her way to become an award-winning actress through me… Now that the evidence was conclusive, I tidied my hair and smiled at myself in the mirror. This time, I won’t hold back!

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1 Under the live stream’s gaze. My philanthropic father and influencer mother were staging a custody battle. Mom, an influencer, was crying crocodile tears to millions of viewers. “I haven’t been able to be there for Autumn these past years. I’m willing to spend the rest of my life making it up to her.” But just ten minutes ago, backstage, she’d shoved 19 potent cold pills into my mouth. “Be a good girl, Autumn. Don’t look sickly on camera and ruin my reputation.” My eyes streamed with tears from choking, but I nestled into her arms. “Mom, you’re so thoughtful. You even calculated the exact dosage.” My father, not to be outdone, publicly announced he would set up a billion-dollar educational fund for me. “Dad will give you the best of everything in the world.” He leaned close to my ear, his voice chilling. “Be obedient, or I can’t guarantee your grandmother’s oxygen tube will stay connected.” I hunched my shoulders. “Dad, a billion is too far away. I’m quite short-sighted when it comes to money.” I held up a QR code for payments. “Five hundred thousand.” “Whoever transfers the money first, I’ll go with them.” They scrambled to send the transfers. “PayPal: Five hundred thousand dollars received.” I whispered in my mind. “System, the money is enough to pay off Grandma’s medical bills.” … “After I’m gone, will she truly live a long and healthy life?” System: “Host, the contract is complete. Countdown initiated.” I saw the live stream’s comments explode. “OMG, is this kid only seeing dollar signs?” “Her parents love her so much, and she only cares about money? Ungrateful brat!” “If I had parents like that, I’d wake up laughing every day. She’s publicly asking for money, it’s disgusting.” My mother, Joanna Reed, quick as a flash, pulled me into a hug, her tears turning into a broken smile for the camera. “See, everyone, Autumn is still closest to her mom.” She held me very tight, but her fingertips sharply pinched the soft flesh on my waist. Leaning close to my ear, her voice was sickly sweet. “Autumn, how could you publicly ask Mom for money?” The overdose of cold medicine surged through me in waves, my stomach churning violently. I didn’t answer her. I opened the hospital payment page. Five hundred thousand, transferred to the hospital account. Then, I slumped further into her embrace. “Mom, I’m so sleepy…” “Sleep if you’re sleepy.” She held me even tighter, her lips curving into a loving smile for the camera. “Mommy’s got you.” My father, Marcus Black, his face ashen, still maintained that fake, suave smile. “Since Autumn chose you, let her stay with you for a few days.” “However, she must attend the charity gala.” He walked over to adjust my collar, lowering his voice: “Don’t forget your grandmother is still in my hospital.” “Dare to say anything out of line, and I’ll have them cut off her oxygen.” When Grandma was awake, she would write in my palm, over and over, with her fingertip. “Don’t beg them.” I nodded, and she finally released my hand. I lifted my face, looking obedient. “Don’t worry, Dad.” Marcus patted my face with satisfaction, then turned and waved goodbye to the camera. As soon as the live stream ended, the loving expression on Joanna’s face vanished. She pushed me away as if I were trash. I lost my footing, my temple hitting the sharp edge of the dressing table. Warm blood trickled down my eyebrow. “Give me your phone!” She lunged to snatch my phone, her eyes red. “That was my budget for traffic, you cheap life! You think you’re worthy of five hundred thousand?” I slumped to the floor, blood blurring my left eye. “Mom,” I gasped, my voice weak. “You said in the live stream… this was to compensate me.” “Compensate your mother’s head!” She kicked me in the ribs, and I doubled over in pain. A lazy, mocking laugh echoed from the doorway. “Joanna, don’t break her.” A young man with dyed blonde hair and smelling of cigarette smoke strolled in. It was Mom’s boyfriend, Jason. He pulled out his phone and casually started a live stream on a burner account. The camera zoomed into my face. “Families, did you see clearly?” “This is Joanna’s poor daughter she brought home.” His gaze slowly slid from the blood on my forehead to my neckline. Joanna’s eyes lit up, and she immediately played along. “Families, don’t scold Autumn. She’s just been mistreated by the old woman…” Jason pushed the camera even closer. “Come on, Autumn. Say to the camera… how your grandmother mistreated you?” My brow involuntarily furrowed. As soon as I looked up, he had already squatted down, pretending to fix my bangs. His fingertip brushed my temple, pausing for half a second. “Don’t be nervous,” he whispered, laughing. “I just want to see how obedient you can be.” I lowered my head, my voice trembling faintly. “I… I don’t remember.” Jason clicked his tongue impatiently, reaching out to lift my chin. I turned my face away, letting his fingers miss. Joanna leaned close to my ear, her voice low and biting. “Just say that the old woman mistreated you, and we’ll get the traffic.” I swallowed the sour bile, timidly saying. “I… I’m afraid it will affect Dad.” Jason smiled at the live stream. “Families, how about we give her some time?” Saying that, he ended the live stream. Joanna rolled her eyes, pointing to the end of the hallway. “There’s a folding bed in the utility room.” “You can sleep there.” I nodded, accepting. Walking to the end of the hallway, I asked in my mind. “System, is the countdown still on?” The light screen lit up: “Host, 7 days, 19 hours, 59 minutes remaining.” 2 I curled up on the creaking folding bed. The side effects of the medicine made the ceiling spin. The door was kicked open with a bang. “Autumn Black, are you dead? If not, get up now!” Joanna stood at the doorway, her makeup flawless. I slowly stood straight, leaning on the wall, blood matted in my bangs on my forehead. “Mom, is this… enough to get some camera traffic?” She scanned me with disdain. “Don’t call me Mom. Only on camera.” She turned and yelled towards the living room. “Jason, get the white dress. Leave half the wound exposed, don’t cover it all.” “A little blood, and the viewers will be more willing to send gifts.” Jason walked over, carrying the white dress, grinning. “Joanna, how about I use my account? Your account handles sales, and my account handles the emotional drama.” He said, propping up his phone, the camera aimed at me, not even using a beauty filter. “Come on, Autumn, let’s practice a line first.” He held up a cue card in front of my eyes. “I never had a single full meal at Grandma’s house.” I stared at the line, my throat tightening. Joanna leisurely lit a cigarette nearby. “Read it.” Jason took a step closer, helping me adjust the microphone on my collar. His fingertip brushed lightly above my collarbone, with a deliberate pause. He chuckled softly: “Be a good girl. It’s good for you.” I took half a step back. “I… Grandma…” “Too fake.” Jason impatiently interrupted, reaching out to cup my chin. “You need to cry, your eyes need to show hatred, understand?” I turned my head to dodge, clutching the hem of my dress. “No need, I’ll do it myself.” He snorted, then gave my hand a sharp pinch before leaving. “Hurry up, don’t waste the traffic.” I walked into the live stream room. Dozens of ring lights illuminated me, making me look pale. Joanna’s lines were well-practiced. “Families, Autumn is such a poor child; her grandmother never took good care of her…” She pulled me close, pushing the wound on my forehead towards the camera. “See, she’s even unsteady on her feet.” “This is from falling yesterday. My heart just aches for her.” Gift effects instantly exploded across the screen. Jason, off-camera, held up a cue card, silently mouthing with exaggerated lips: Say it now! I saw private messages scrolling on his phone screen. Someone asked: “Did the old woman really mistreat her?” He replied with an emoji, then sent another message. “Of course, there’s more explosive stuff coming. Stay tuned.” I leaned against Joanna’s embrace, my voice weak. “Mom, don’t worry… it doesn’t hurt.” Joanna seized the moment to start selling products. “Today, bird’s nest is at a rock-bottom price. Everyone, help me raise medical funds for Autumn, okay?” She brought a spoon to my lips, smiling affectionately. “Come, darling, tell everyone, is it delicious?” I swallowed the sickeningly sweet syrup, my stomach cramping. “Delicious… Thank you, Mom. Mom is the best to me.” The second the live stream ended, Joanna slapped me across the face. “Your eyes weren’t grateful enough when you looked at the camera just now.” “Do you still think I owe you something?” I turned my head, and blood seeped from my forehead wound again. “Mom, I’m sorry.” I swallowed the bitterness on my tongue, my voice faltering. “I’ll be a better girl next time.” She wanted to hit me again. Jason hugged her from behind. “Alright, Joanna, don’t hurt her. Her face is valuable now.” Joanna snorted, taking a cigarette. “Autumn Black, get back to your room.” I returned to the utility room. The moment I closed the door, I knelt on the floor and dry-heaved violently. Only sour bile and the taste of medicine came up. My phone vibrated. The head nurse replied to me, “Received, medication renewed.” I read that line twice before I dared to swallow my tears. Grandma had lived another day. 3 Marcus Black’s mansion was a hundred times more luxurious than Joanna’s apartment. Seraphina Willow sat on the sofa, wearing a silk robe. She was Marcus’s personal assistant, and also the mistress of this house. Seeing me enter, she didn’t even lift an eyelid. “Oh, the young lady is back? Martha, go clean up the guest room.” “No need.” Marcus walked out of the study, impeccably dressed in a suit. “Autumn will stay in the room converted from the basement’s media room. It’s quiet.” I looked at my shadow on the floor, nodding obediently. “Thank you, Dad.” He pointed to the clothes on the sofa. A deep V that plunged to the navel, an almost entirely open back, and a skirt so short that every step would reveal too much. “Wear this tonight. Go try it on.” I picked up the fabric, thin as a cicada’s wing. “Dad, this dress… isn’t it too revealing?” “What? Disgusted?” He frowned. “Your grandmother’s medical bills are thousands a day. This is all I can afford.” He glanced at me again. “Besides, Mr. Davis loves this style. Who are you dressing modestly for?” Seraphina immediately stepped forward, seemingly speaking on my behalf. “Mr. Black, how about we change it? Autumn is still young, I’m afraid she won’t be comfortable.” But the next second, she added. “However… if it’s for Grandma, then Autumn should be a sensible child for once, alright?” Before I could answer, she had already taken the dress from my hand. “Come, I’ll help you.” Seraphina helped me put on the gown, her fingertip gently tugging down at the neckline. I instinctively raised my hand to cover myself. She gripped my wrist. “Don’t block it. Blocking it will make you look guilty.” “If you’re not guilty, no one will think anything.” After changing, I was called to the living room. Marcus was seated at the head, next to a balding man with an oily face. “Go, pour Mr. Lee a drink.” Marcus lifted his chin towards me. Wearing that gown that barely covered any private parts, every step I took was precarious. Mr. Lee’s sticky gaze scanned back and forth between my chest and legs. As I picked up the glass, Mr. Lee deliberately wobbled it, splashing an entire glass of whiskey onto my exposed shoulder and neck. “Oh dear, my hand is so slippery. Autumn, quickly help Uncle wipe it off.” He grabbed my hand, pressing it onto his greasy thigh. I trembled all over, looking at Marcus. He merely calmly glanced at his watch. “Be quick about it. If you can’t even serve Mr. Lee properly, how will you handle Mr. Davis tonight?” Seraphina took a bucket of ice and poured it directly down my neckline. “This will wake you up, see how cold and clear your skin looks. Men absolutely fall for this.” The ice cubes pressed against the bruises on my chest, the chill instantly piercing my bones. I knelt on the floor, picking up the fallen ice cubes one by one, smiling subserviently. Marcus found it boring and waved his hand, dismissing me. I returned to the basement, wearing the soaked gown. The giant screen in the basement silently played Marcus’s past charity records. I rummaged through my worn backpack and found a voice recorder; Grandma had given it to me. Next to the recorder was a substantial accidental death insurance policy. I carefully tucked the policy into the inner lining of my bra. Then I tucked the voice recorder into the most concealed seam of the gown’s lining. The System displayed a prompt in my mind: “Emergency mode activated. If the host’s freedom is forcibly deprived, the System will automatically send evidence to major media outlets’ inboxes.” I stared at the red text, my throat tightening, and softly said: “Thank you, System.” Seraphina’s shrill voice came from outside the door. “Autumn, Mr. Davis’s luxury car is at the door. Come out quickly.” I lifted the hem of my gown, stepped into those ill-fitting high heels, and ascended the stairs one step at a time. System: Countdown 5 days, 48 hours, 32 minutes. The door opened, and the white light outside blinded me.

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Three years into my cancer battle, I finally couldn’t hold on anymore. Before I found my release, I wanted one last look at the old apartment complex where I’d lived with my parents. I had intended to come quietly, leave silently. But unexpectedly, as soon as I reached the complex gates, I ran into my ex-husband, dressed in a sharp suit. Years had passed, and we had both changed. He had removed the woven bracelet I made for him, now wearing an expensive gold watch. I had shaved off the long hair he loved most, now wearing a hat to hide my bald head. We looked at each other for a moment before exchanging greetings. As we brushed past, Aaron Hayes suddenly called out to me. “Fiona Thorne, are you still angry with me?” I subtly curled my lips, shaking my head. There’s only anger where there’s love. And my love had long since been eroded. I didn’t look back, striding into the apartment complex. The last moments of my life, I wanted to keep for myself. For the once infinitely happy little home I had. 1 In the South, there is no autumn. Mid-October had just arrived, and the wind was already quite cold. I slowly walked to my doorstep. This was the apartment my parents were allocated before they got married. I was born and grew up here. Later, when Dad became the factory manager, we still didn’t move. Only because Aaron lived next door. I knelt down, reaching for the bottom of the flowerpot, but felt nothing. My heart jolted. The next second, strong hands lifted me, my back instantly pressed against a solid chest. Turning my head, Aaron’s face was already close to mine. “Why are your hands so cold?” I abruptly pulled my hand back, stepping away. Aaron stared at me, then pulled a pair of wool gloves from his own pocket. A leaf was embroidered near the cuff of the gloves, the stitching a familiar habit of Olivia’s needlework. I shoved my hands into my pockets, politely declining: “No trouble, I’m not cold.” “You’re usually so afraid of cold hands and chilblains…” Mid-sentence, he saw the embroidery on the gloves and paused. He silently put the gloves away, asking if I had forgotten my keys again. I nodded. Aaron offered to accompany me to the factory office to get a spare key, just like in high school. But we were no longer high school students, nor did we have any reason to go together. Aaron and I should have been strangers. Seeing an old man riding a bicycle in the same direction, I asked for a ride. The uncle readily agreed. After a few pedal strokes, he looked back. He smiled and asked: “Having a lovers’ spat?” “I often see that young man waiting by the door. Look how anxious he is when you get on the bike. Just scare him a bit, okay?” I swallowed the metallic taste of blood in my throat, pulling my coat tighter. “He’s not my boyfriend. We’ve been divorced for eight years.” “He lives there anyway. He’s not waiting for me.” The uncle chuckled awkwardly, then changed the subject. “Young lady, you used to live here too, right?” “Why choose to come back in October? It’s much warmer earlier in the year, you could’ve played by the river, it’s so refreshing then!” I looked back; Aaron had become a blurry little dot. In a blink, he was out of sight. I rubbed the hem of my coat, smiling bitterly: “I had intended to come back sooner.” “But August was for my mother’s funeral, September I was tethered to IV drips… and so it slowly dragged to October.” The uncle apologized, shutting his mouth, his face full of regret. I smiled, patting the uncle’s shoulder, “It’s alright, uncle.” “People are meant to die. I’ve come to terms with it.” After my diagnosis, many people pitied my youth, my lonely, ghost-like existence. But who cared? The day I divorced Aaron, I chewed up and swallowed the word ‘care’. The uncle listened quietly, dropping me off smoothly at my destination. As I thanked him and was about to enter the factory office, the uncle called out to me. His expression was conflicted, and he asked in a low voice. “Miss, why did you and your ex-husband divorce?” “I thought he seemed quite concerned about you. Given your current health, it would be good to have someone caring for you.” I listened calmly, then replied indifferently. “Divorce is usually for the same few reasons, isn’t it?” “I caught him in bed with my best friend.” 2 Aaron and I had known each other for seventeen years. Seventeen years. The red brick apartment complex remained, but the people were unrecognizable. I still remember that year in high school, I forgot my house keys. It was Aaron, who had just moved in that day, who accompanied me to the factory office to get them. The walk, which usually took forever, flew by in a few conversations thanks to Aaron’s company. We went to school together, came home together, spent winter breaks and summer holidays together. The day after our final exams, we held hands. We occupied the most youthful times of each other’s lives. Later, Aaron, whose parents had died young, wanted to ease his grandfather’s burden. During the summer break of his sophomore year, as he was braiding my long hair, he said he was dropping out of college to work. The thought of being separated from him made me run home, heartbroken. For the first time, I begged my father. I told him, I wanted to be with Aaron. Dad finished his tea from the thermos. He stared at me for a long time before asking. “You really can’t live without him?” Wiping my tears, I nodded emphatically. From the first time Aaron accompanied me to the factory office to get the keys. From when he stroked my long hair and said I was beautiful. I was certain that in this life, no matter what happened, I couldn’t be separated from him. Dad sighed deeply, and he and Mom discussed it for a long time. That afternoon, Dad went to the bank, came back with a bag of cash, and knocked on the neighbor’s door. Dad handed the money to Aaron and said, “Getting into college isn’t easy. Don’t worry about the money.” “Just focus on your studies. When you graduate and succeed, you’ll be able to take better care of your grandfather.” Aaron stared at the money in his arms for a long time, until tears streamed from his eyes, and he finally knelt down. He raised three fingers, swearing that he would work hard and repay this kindness by being a loyal servant in the future. Dad pressed down his swearing hand, helping him up. “I don’t need you to be a loyal servant.” “If you and Fiona are truly in love, then treat her well in the future.” Aaron nodded through his tears, promising to treat me well for all eternity. From that day on, we officially became a couple. He was diligent, passing his bar exam in his junior year and interning at the largest law firm in the country in his senior year. After graduation, he won his first difficult case, becoming famous overnight. Suddenly, he was a rising star in the legal world. He also kept his promise. Throughout our relationship, he cherished me, treating me like royalty. The day before our wedding, he looked at me, making a woven bracelet, and asked. “Could you put a strand of your hair in it?” “I want to have you with me wherever I go.” He ran his fingers through my long hair, his eyes shining as he said. “Fiona, I can’t live without you.” I smiled, my heart as sweet as honey. Everyone envied me for having a loving husband. No matter how busy he was, he would take a train from the provincial capital every week to see me. To spend more time with me, he would always buy the earliest ticket for the next day. Even if it meant getting up at four in the morning. Once, I had acute gastroenteritis. I was too weak to get out of bed, and my parents took me to the hospital. When I opened my eyes in the middle of the night, I saw Aaron, who had a court case the next day, sitting by my bedside. The moonlight spilled over him; for a moment, I thought it was a dream. Until Aaron’s crystalline tear fell, landing on the back of my hand. “Darling, I’m not going to the provincial capital. I’ll stay by your side, alright?” I didn’t know how he had managed to come back so late at night without any transportation. I reached out to him, filled with tenderness, and he hugged me tightly. In that moment, I believed wholeheartedly. We would be happy like this forever. So, I quit my job and moved to the city where he worked. But what I didn’t expect was this. My surprise would turn into heartbreak. I saw him and Olivia, naked, lying on a bed. 3 Seeing the uncle’s shocked and worried gaze. I twisted my lips, speaking calmly. “He was in a deep sleep that day; he didn’t realize I had come.” “So, there was no argument between us that day.” “However, Olivia did open her eyes and see me.” In that moment, a pain as if my chest was bursting made it almost impossible for me to breathe. Like a sand painting washed away by a wave, no matter how beautiful, it vanished instantly. That night, Olivia carried a tin box and led me to the rooftop. “In elementary school, after my parents ran a pyramid scheme, swindled money, and fled the factory town, all the other kids hated me. Only you were willing to play with me.” “I still remember everyone saying we were like sisters, like ‘Bonnie and Clyde’.” “If it weren’t for you, I might still be trapped in that abusive marriage.” Olivia turned to look at me, opening the tin box in her hands. “So, I believe you have the right to know all of this.” Inside the tin box were stacks of letters. I opened one; it was Aaron’s handwriting. “You are still my pure white moonlight. You have the right to pursue happiness; let me help you.” “It’s my honor to fight for you. I will do my utmost to give you happiness.” “Fiona can’t live without me, but I can’t live without you.” The date on the letter was the day I asked Aaron to go check on Olivia, who was hospitalized due to domestic abuse. It turned out Aaron had been writing to Olivia all these years. The date of the first letter was even the day after our high school exams ended. “If I were stronger, you wouldn’t have to go work by the coast. I truly despise my own incompetence.” So in our sophomore year, when Aaron said he was going to work far away, was it to find Olivia? Those details I overlooked, Those trivial matters I had forgotten, At this moment, they clearly resurfaced. No wonder Aaron was willing to accompany me to see Olivia every summer break. No wonder after Olivia knitted me a sweater, she used the leftover yarn to knit a scarf for Aaron. No wonder a prominent lawyer like Aaron would unhesitatingly agree to help Olivia with her divorce case. It turned out, from the very beginning, I was the one who disrupted his plan to pursue true love. The summer night wind was now even more chilling than winter. “Fiona, all these years you sent me money, helped me find work. Without you, I wouldn’t be alive.” “I truly didn’t want to hurt you, but Aaron and I are genuinely in love. Please, let us be together.” Saying this, Olivia knelt before me. Back when Olivia’s parents fled, seeing her alone, I took her to my house for meals every day. I even begged my parents to adopt her as their goddaughter. She, and he… treated me like this? In an instant, mountains crumbled, the world overturned. Before Olivia could react, I rushed downstairs like a madwoman. I burst through the bedroom door and dragged Aaron out of bed. Aaron was first shocked when he saw me, then hung his head in silence. I threw the letters at his face, hitting him and questioning him. Why, if he didn’t love me, did he accompany me to the factory office for the keys? Why, if he didn’t love me, did he let me braid my hair into a bracelet for him to wear? Why… the day after we held hands, did he write a letter to my best friend? Seeing my uncontrollable sobbing, Aaron’s eyes also reddened. He held me with trembling hands. “Fiona, I didn’t not love you.” “I just… met Olivia earlier.” Almost ten years together… All the sweetness instantly turned into bitter poison. Was I truly the clown who stole their love? I didn’t believe it, and I wouldn’t accept it! I vented hysterically. Aaron just stood silently, letting my fists rain down on him. Until Olivia tried to intervene and I pushed her down. Only then did Aaron rush to her, panicked. I missed my hit, stumbling against the wardrobe. My hands hurt, my face hurt, but my heart hurt the most. “Aaron, I really can’t go on like this anymore.” Olivia clung to Aaron, looking pitiful. She was crying too. “If you can’t let go of Fiona because of gratitude, then let me leave alone.” “Anyway, I’ve never been as lucky as Fiona. I’m used to being alone.” “Don’t worry about me anymore.” Saying this, Olivia stood up and ran out. Aaron, who had been silent, screamed, his voice breaking. This was the first time I had ever seen him so distraught. Not even during his poorest days had I witnessed it. And his distress was for Olivia. I’m so tired. Was he with me only out of gratitude then… he truly didn’t love me. I leaned against the wardrobe, speaking weakly. “Aaron Hayes, if you dare to go after her.” “Between us, it’s completely over.” Aaron looked back at me with a complex expression. He still strode out after her. Hearing this, the uncle frowned, silently lighting a cigarette. But seeing my pale face, he extinguished it without a word. His face was filled with helplessness, and he murmured: “You never truly know what’s in a person’s heart.” Yes, you never know a person’s true intentions. If the story had ended there. It would have just been the dissolution of a relationship. A wound, a pain for a while, but eventually, it would slowly pass. But the next day, fate once again showed me its cruelty.

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Working late, pulling an all-nighter for a project, a message suddenly popped up in the “Future Millionairesses Club” chat. “Girls, I snagged four tickets to a ‘Mystery Bachelor Speed Dating’ party! Let’s go!” No sooner had Scarlett sent the message than Melody and Audrey quickly responded: “Count us in! Scarlett’s picks are always top-tier – handsome, rich CEOs, lives of luxury, here we come!” The group chat erupted in cheers. I sighed, glancing at the half-finished project. “My client needs this proposal by noon tomorrow. I’m only halfway done…” The chat fell silent for a moment, then, with unspoken agreement, they changed the subject. By the time I finished the proposal, it was 3:30 AM. I grabbed a quick bite downstairs and collapsed into bed, falling into a deep sleep. My next conscious moment was being jolted awake by a banging on my door. It was the police. “Ms. Huxley, you’re suspected of murder. Please come with us.” 1 My phone vibrated incessantly. I’d set it to do not disturb, then went back to revising the proposal. A few minutes later, Scarlett messaged me privately: “Hazel, the guys at tonight’s party are all incredibly handsome, young, and loaded – absolute bachelors. This is our one shot at a life of luxury! I worked so hard to get these tickets, are you really not coming?” I looked at the proposal, then at the message my boss had sent minutes earlier: “If I don’t get a satisfactory proposal by noon tomorrow, you’re fired.” Sighing, I replied to Scarlett: “I really can’t make it. I can’t gamble my job on something so uncertain.” I finished with two pleading, sad emojis. A life of luxury sounded nice, but I didn’t think I was cut out for it. I was meant to be a diligent worker bee, pouring my sweat and blood into my job, shining for the company. Scarlett’s chat bubble showed “typing…” for a while. Three minutes later, she finally sent just one word: “Okay.” I finally finished the proposal at 3:30 AM. Their last messages in the group chat were from 2:30 AM. I scrolled up through the 99+ notifications, seeing them, clad in their party outfits, getting into taxis headed for a “private luxury yacht” at the harbor. I bought some bread and milk from the convenience store downstairs. After eating, I passed out completely. I was in a deep, dreamless sleep when a loud banging on my door roused me. “What’s going on? An earthquake?” I scrambled out of bed, my mind still foggy, when a stern voice from outside the door spoke. “Is Ms. Huxley home? This is the Elm Street Precinct. We need your cooperation with an investigation.” I slipped on my slippers, my hair a mess, and opened the door to find three or four officers standing outside my apartment. The lead officer was a lean, middle-aged man. Seeing me, he held up his badge. “Ms. Huxley, good morning. I’m from the Elm Street Precinct. My name is Detective Prescott. You are suspected of homicide. Please come with us.” Other residents in the hallway, alerted by the commotion, opened their doors and peered out. “Can you believe it? Ms. Huxley, who looks so harmless, is a murderer?” “Right? You never know! Good thing the police caught her. Living next to a killer, that’s terrifying.” “…” Listening to my neighbors, my brows furrowed deeply. My sleep, interrupted after an all-nighter, left me inexplicably irritable. “Detective Prescott, even the police need evidence to make an arrest, don’t they? Without proof, how can you say I’ve committed murder?” Hearing my words, Detective Prescott gestured to a younger officer behind him. The officer immediately pulled out his phone and displayed several photos. My lingering irritation from being woken up vanished the moment I saw those pictures. A sharp ringing erupted in my ears. The officers kept talking, but I couldn’t hear a word, my gaze fixed on the screen, my eyes welling up with tears. In the photos, Scarlett lay naked, her body covered in countless shattered mirror fragments, amidst a pool of blood. Each fragment reflected her distorted, painful, and despairing face. 2 “Hazel Huxley, please come with us.” Detective Prescott’ expression was grim as he stared at me. The officers behind him watched me warily, as if I might try to flee. But I was fixated on that photograph, tears silently streaming down my face. She was alive and well last night. Why was she a cold corpse today? At the precinct, Detective Prescott sat across from me, his face impassive. “According to our investigation, the deceased’s last phone call was to you. Her last transaction was a transfer to you. And the button clutched in her hand? We found your fingerprints on it. All the evidence at the scene points to you, Hazel Huxley. Do you have anything to explain? For instance, where were you, and what were you doing, between 3 AM and 6 AM?” This was the eighth time Detective Prescott had asked me. I placed my phone on the table, displaying my chat history in the “Future Millionairesses” group. “Detective Prescott, I’ve already told you. Last night, they invited me to a ‘Mystery Bachelor Speed Dating’ party. I declined because I had to finish a proposal at home. Look, at 3:30 AM, I even sent the proposal to my boss.” I switched my phone to my conversation with my boss. The timestamp showed I had indeed sent a version of the proposal at 3:30 AM. “As for after 3:30 AM, once I finished the proposal, I felt a bit hungry, so I went downstairs to the convenience store to grab something to eat. After eating, I was so tired I just went to sleep. I must have fallen asleep around 4 AM. If you don’t believe me, the convenience store downstairs should have surveillance footage. Failing that, you can ask the store owner to testify.” Detective Prescott glanced at my phone. “Half an hour ago, we already checked. The store owner did see you, but he can’t remember what time he saw you last night. And most importantly, the store owner’s surveillance equipment is quite old. The timestamp on his footage from last night shows November 28th, 3:31 PM, but today is only November 23rd. In other words, his equipment can’t prove anything for you.” My only alibi was useless due to incorrect timestamps. A wave of despair washed over me, and I simply gave up. “Since you’ve already decided I’m the killer, why ask so many questions? Just arrest me.” A tense silence fell over the interrogation room. Just as I expected Detective Prescott to make the arrest, he sighed. “It’s precisely because the evidence at the scene is so overwhelmingly conclusive that we don’t believe you’re the killer.” “Then why am I here…?” I didn’t finish my sentence as Detective Prescott’ phone rang urgently. He answered, and whatever he heard caused his face to change dramatically. He suddenly stood up. His chair scraped back, clattering to the floor. “What… what happened?” Seeing Detective Prescott’ uncharacteristic agitation, a premonition of dread settled in my stomach. After hanging up, Detective Prescott looked at me with a complex expression. “Hazel Huxley, I hear you publish a novel on a certain writing website? Are you the author?” “Yes,” I nodded, feeling a pang of anxiety. How could this case be connected to my novel? Just as that thought crossed my mind, Detective Prescott spoke slowly. “Scarlett Price’s autopsy report is back. She died around 4 AM on the 23rd, from massive blood loss and emotional collapse. The wounds on her body were peculiar – shattered glass fragments meticulously embedded in a radial pattern. Doesn’t that passage sound familiar?” He spoke the last sentence softly. As his words hung in the air, he placed his phone in front of me. “Countless shattered mirror fragments embedded in her skin like diamonds, transforming her into a walking kaleidoscope, a vanity dying by her own reflection.” I stared blankly at the line of text, suddenly realizing it was a sentence from my ongoing mystery novel, serialized on that website. The chapter was published at 3 AM on the 23rd. While the content was newly released, I had designed this particular scene three months ago. “Hazel Huxley, think again. Is there anything you’ve overlooked? While we believe you, all current evidence points to you as the killer.” “Right now, only you can save yourself.” 3 Anything I’d overlooked? I stared blankly at the content on Detective Prescott’ phone. I used to be so proud of such a brilliant idea… But now, a single sentence from my novel had seemingly led to the death of my best friend. Slumping in the chair, feeling utterly lost, Scarlett’s horrific death played over and over in my mind, along with her message from last night: “Hazel, the guys at this party are all incredible – handsome, rich, absolute bachelors…” She was still thinking of me, even in her last moments, and yet I had, in some way, caused her death. Guilt and self-reproach washed over me, a dull ache in my chest. I clutched my head with both hands, but nothing came to mind. After finishing work last night, I’d seen them, dressed in their party outfits, heading to the luxury yacht… Right, the luxury yacht… With that thought, I abruptly looked up at Detective Prescott. “They said last night they were going to a luxurious private yacht at the harbor. Maybe that yacht is the key. We should…” “We’ve checked all the surveillance footage around the harbor. There’s no sign of any luxury yacht, nor did we see your friends going to the harbor.” Before I could finish, Detective Prescott poured cold water on my idea. So they were tricked? If they were lured out, it must be murder, premeditated by the killer. Using my novel content was merely a tactic to find a scapegoat. If that’s the case, then… the killer must have read my novel! After I relayed my thoughts to Detective Prescott, he was silent for a moment. When he spoke again, there was a hint of resignation in his tone. “We’ve already had people investigate what you’re suggesting. As you said, your content was set to auto-publish at 3 AM, and Scarlett Price’s time of death was around 4 AM. That means the killer is hiding among the readers who purchased that chapter between 3 AM and 4 AM.” “But after our technical team checked, we didn’t find any unusual accounts.” The lead went cold again. I anxiously picked up and put down my phone several times, then carefully said, “I have a theory. Don’t you think the killer might be murdering people according to the scenarios I publish? If so, then the next two chapters…” “What are the next chapters?” Detective Prescott gave me a peculiar look, as if surprised that a young woman like me could devise such twisted scenarios. I cleared my throat, opened my author dashboard, and showed him the two unpublished chapters. The next two chapters were “The Performer Dies by the Audience” and “The Collector Dies by Their Collection.” Detective Prescott stared at them for a long time, then suddenly stepped out to make a call. Three minutes later, he returned. Detective Prescott wearily massaged his temples, staring at my novel’s content. “If that’s the case, then at 3 AM on the 24th, the killer might strike again.” I nodded. Then I heard him continue, “Since you’re the author, imagine yourself as the victim. How would you escape? Or, think about the loopholes in the scenarios you designed. Perhaps we can use those loopholes to track the killer.” Loopholes? I crossed my arms, leaned back in the chair, my brows deeply furrowed. Loopholes… When I designed this part, it was to grab readers’ attention, creating a twisted serial killer case. This serial killer specifically targeted single women, but each time before striking, he would find an excuse, saying that modern women were hypocritical, materialistic, and greedy… For example, the girl in the story, beautiful and capable, was chosen because the killer had once been rejected by a pretty girl, so he hated pretty girls. Thus, he chose “Death Kaleidoscope” as her method of death, embedding shattered glass into her body, scarring her face, leaving her to die in despair. But this design had a huge loophole. The loophole was… 4 Just as a faint idea formed in my mind, I heard urgent footsteps outside. Immediately, the young officer who followed Detective Prescott knocked on the door. “Chief, new intel.” Detective Prescott pushed the door open and stepped out. Through the door, I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but I saw the young officer’s expression was grim, and upon hearing his words, Detective Prescott’ face completely changed. A few minutes later, Detective Prescott pushed the door open and came back in, his face terrifyingly dark. “Melody Chen is dead.” “What?” I shot up from my chair, looking at Detective Prescott in disbelief. “How is that possible? My next two chapters haven’t even been published yet, how could Melody die? How did she die? Is it like the plot I designed in my novel?” Detective Prescott gravely nodded at me. “Ten minutes ago, our team detected Melody Chen’s account going online. Immediately after, she started a livestream, but by the time the camera focused on her, she had already stopped breathing.” “We dispatched officers to the scene, Melody Chen’s home, but the killer had already escaped. We investigated all surveillance footage in the surrounding area but found nothing. The killer seems intimately familiar with her home’s layout, cleverly evading all cameras.” “And there’s something else peculiar…” Here, Detective Prescott gave me a strange look. “Our team found that all the fill lights at the scene were set to maximum brightness and couldn’t be turned off. And the victim’s phone, computer, backup phone, and four other devices were simultaneously looping a compilation of her past livestream ‘disasters.’” He paused after saying that, then continued, “I recall a line in your novel, where the serial killer, after murdering an internet streamer, said something like this:” “Let the performer be killed by incessant scrutiny in the replay of their own failures.” Seven devices simultaneously playing Melody’s past livestream ‘disaster moments’ exactly matched the content of my novel – letting her die in the replay of her own failures… A chill ran down my spine. It was as if an unseen hand had been laying out this plan long before any of us realized. “Detective Prescott, speaking of loopholes, something just occurred to me…” “What is it?” “I’ve written many mystery novels and designed many killers, but they all share a common trait. All serial killers take photos as mementos of their ‘masterpieces,’ and sometimes even return to the scene. The photos of Scarlett you showed me today, are you certain all of them were taken by your team?” Detective Prescott froze at my words. The person who called 911 this morning was an elderly cleaning woman, wearing a brightly colored cap. Because it was raining, she was also wearing a thick raincoat. When the officers arrived, the cleaning woman was waiting by the entrance, and upon seeing them, she even sent them a photo of the scene: “Young man, you wouldn’t believe it, that young lady bled so much, it was horrifying, take a look…” After sending them the photo, when they tried to find the cleaning woman again, she had vanished without a trace. Now that I thought about it, the cleaning woman’s height and build didn’t seem like a woman’s at all; it was more like… a man’s! So, the person who called 911 this morning could very well be the killer themselves?! Realizing this possibility, Detective Prescott quickly found the photo sent by the “cleaning woman.” He zoomed in frame by frame, and suddenly noticed something in a shattered mirror fragment on the victim’s neck. In that mirror fragment, vaguely reflected was an eye, with a mole at the corner of it. Upon discovering the clue, Detective Prescott immediately called the young officer, but when the call connected, the other party spoke urgently: “Chief, our team found Audrey Stone! She’s alive!”

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At 11:59 PM, a new post suddenly appeared on the Instagram of Ham Mellark, the celebrated Oscar-winning actor. “Happy New Year, and ‘Hazel’ new year.” It was a seemingly ordinary New Year’s greeting. Yet, the comment section was filled with a sense of lingering heartache. “He put ‘Hazel’ in quotation marks. Even in the new year, are you still thinking of her?” “My ‘Jazel’ ship broke up two years ago. Is there still a chance for them to get back together?” “If you two can just reunite, I’ll do anything!” The post’s popularity soared, instantly hitting the trending topics. #JazelHeartbreak became the top trending hashtag. More and more shipping fans were reawakened, some even flooding my comment section with messages. “Hazel, please look back at Ham Mellark!” “Hazel, your relationship was so strong back then, you even had a joint couple’s account. I don’t believe you two are truly over!” “Can you respond to this trending topic?” I ignored them all, simply folding the advanced stage stomach cancer diagnosis report. A draft obituary, set to auto-post two months from now, sat in my account’s draft box. Let that be the response they’re looking for. 1. My young assistant clutched her phone, casting a cautious glance at me. “Ms. Miller, should we respond to this trending topic?” I let the makeup artist continue patting thick foundation onto my face. “Don’t bother.” After all, in two months, there would naturally be a response. The assistant stood her ground, unmoving. I knew she had more to say. Sure enough, after a moment’s hesitation, she spoke: “Ms. Miller, actually… I was a huge fan of you two as a couple. I still remember your wedding like it was yesterday…” Realizing she had said too much, she quickly stopped herself. “I just wanted to ask, do you truly feel nothing for Mr. Mellark anymore? Not even a tiny bit?” The makeup artist’s movements slowed slightly, as if waiting for my answer too. Scenes from the past flashed before my eyes: from our first meeting on set to the monumental wedding that shocked the entire entertainment industry. I smiled, my voice soft but firm. “No.” “Not a single bit.” The assistant looked somewhat disappointed. The makeup artist said nothing, simply exhaling a quiet sigh. My agent, Serena, pushed open the door and entered then. After a brief chat, she suddenly spoke with a complex tone: “Ham Mellark will also be at tonight’s script reading.” I hummed in acknowledgment. Serena paused, then continued: “If you need some time, I can speak with the director. We can skip tonight’s reading first…” “No need.” I cut her off, patting her hand reassuringly. “I’ll be there on time tonight.” Serena said nothing, and silence filled the room. I looked at everyone’s expressions, feeling a little helpless. Aside from the fact that I was dying, so many years had passed, and I had long moved on. Yet, everyone around me seemed more heartbroken than I was. I smiled, changing the subject. “Alright, for now, I just want to focus on this project.” After finishing my makeup, I went to the restroom and reached up to remove my wig. The woman in the mirror stared back, her head completely bald. The makeup, thick as a mask, was meant to conceal the mottled patches on my face from my illness, making me look like a ghost. But thankfully, I’d always worn heavy makeup since my debut, so no one would notice anything amiss. The only time my makeup was natural was at my wedding to Ham Mellark. Thanks to him, after that grand wedding, my long-maligned public image actually improved significantly. Back then, I thought I had finally overcome rock bottom and ushered in a new beginning. I never imagined it was merely stepping from one abyss into another. 2. At 7 PM, I arrived at the hotel precisely on time. My assistant suddenly rushed over to tell me that the supporting actress with whom I had scenes had been replaced by Iris Lane. Iris Lane, the actress I never got along with. “Wasn’t the casting decided a long time ago?” My assistant looked confused. “Serena asked, and they said… it was the investor’s decision.” She paused, then lowered her voice. “They also hinted that it might be because we’ve been ignoring Mr. Mellark on social media, making him angry…” Hearing that, I twitched the corner of my mouth. All these years, Ham Mellark hadn’t changed one bit. To make me compromise, he’d pull out all the stops, even if it meant hurting me. I took a deep breath. As I pushed the door open, everyone’s gaze instinctively turned in one direction. The man sat in the corner, thick script in his finely boned hands. The atmosphere hung heavy for a moment, then, with unspoken understanding, everyone averted their eyes. In the latter half of the script reading, I went to the balcony for some air. As I walked out, I saw Ham Mellark standing there. Seeing me, he nonchalantly put out the cigarette in his hand. I politely apologized. “Excuse me, I didn’t realize anyone was here. I’ll leave immediately.” Just as I turned, my arm was grabbed. “Been avoiding me for two years, still not enough?” Without thinking, I shook off his hand. Ham Mellark frowned, his tone chilling. “Hazel Miller, I told you, my patience is limited.” “If you keep this up, I’ll make you disappear from Hollywood for good!” I certainly believed he had that power. Hadn’t he almost succeeded back then? Endless scandals, trending topics that couldn’t be suppressed. I didn’t look at him, walking off the balcony without a backward glance. Just as I entered the restroom, a sudden metallic taste filled my throat. I vomited a large mouthful of fresh blood, my crimson lips making me look even more like a hanged ghost. A tissue was handed to me. I turned, meeting my assistant’s red-rimmed eyes. “Ms. Miller, let’s not do the reading, okay?” “Let’s go back and rest…” I was about to refuse when my assistant suddenly choked out, “I saw Mr. Mellark yelling at you. You’re already like this, and you still have to put up with this outside. Didn’t he love you the most back then? Why is he treating you like this too?” “Ms. Miller, why did you two break up back then?” I looked at her. After a long moment, I reached out and gently ruffled her hair. It wasn’t surprising she felt so heartbroken. Ham Mellark’s love for me back then had indeed been passionate and extravagant. He showered me with countless resources, elevating me from an unknown talent to a hugely popular star. Then, at the peak of my fame, he married me, openly declaring to the entire industry that he was my rock. Everyone said I was lucky, that Ham Mellark was my good fortune. If Ham Mellark hadn’t fallen for another girl, perhaps we would have been very happy. No arguments, no divorce. We might have had a beautiful baby, and my illness would still have been treatable. Alas, there are no ‘ifs.’ 3. My memory of Clara Belle isn’t very vivid anymore. I only recall first hearing her name when Ham Mellark complained, brows furrowed. He said this young actress had no talent and was stubborn, probably a troublesome signing. Gradually, he started saying Clara’s progress was slow but she was diligent enough. “Her parents passed away early; she’s been struggling on her own until now, she’s a pitiful soul.” I paused mid-bite, instinctively looking up at him. I remembered how Ham Mellark’s affection for me had begun—he pitied my struggles. He started pouring massive resources into Clara Belle. I casually asked if he was giving Clara too much attention. Ham Mellark smiled, pinching my cheek. “Hazel, I just think she’s like you in your early years, that’s why I want to help her.” The affection in his eyes was so genuine, I believed him. Until he gave a role I had worked so hard to get to Clara Belle. I confronted him, asking Ham Mellark why. He, however, looked at the papers in his hand, not even raising his head. “It’s just one role, don’t be so petty.” I wanted to say it wasn’t about being petty; this role was one I had immersed myself in over several sleepless nights. But Ham Mellark cut me off. His tone was cold, his eyes showing impatience. “You’ve already achieved so much. What’s wrong with giving some opportunities to younger people?” “Your journey wasn’t easy either. Why can’t you empathize with others?” The very empathy he once felt for my struggles now became a blade he used against me. My body trembled, fighting back tears, as I argued fiercely with Ham Mellark. Until I pulled out my phone, intending to delete the couple’s account we had managed together for five years. Ham Mellark, his face dark, stopped me. He called the director, telling him to give my original role back. After a moment of polite conversation, he suddenly changed his tone. “Isn’t the supporting role in this series still open?” “Give it to Clara Belle. She’s more suited for a resilient and strong character like that.” With that, he didn’t look at me again, turned, and stormed out of the office, slamming the door so hard it echoed. For the next week, we worked as usual, maintaining appearances. We continued to hold hands, attending various galas together. But the moment we were out of public view, Ham Mellark would immediately let go of my hand, as if I were something unclean. His schedule also became a secret from me; sometimes, I couldn’t reach him for a whole week. I updated our couple’s account every week. Fans commented below: “Why are all these photos from last month? Haven’t you taken any new ones recently?” I didn’t know how to reply. Because I hadn’t seen him in a month. That day, I went to Ham Mellark’s agent for the first time, begging him for half a day to disclose Ham Mellark’s itinerary. I immediately rushed over by car. All the way there, my heart pounded inexplicably fast. When I got out of the car, the strap of my high heel suddenly snapped, and my ankle immediately swelled up. I endured the pain, limping as I opened the door to Ham Mellark’s hotel room, where he was supposedly resting. In the dim, ambiguous light, Ham Mellark and Clara Belle were tangled on the bed, their clothes disheveled. The sounds rose and fell, crawling into my ears like insects. But in that instant, my love, my future, the fans who deeply loved the ‘Jazel’ pairing—all of this overshadowed my heartbreak and fury at being betrayed. I backed out of the door, separating myself and the paparazzi who had secretly followed me from their space of pleasure.

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I won a billion dollars in the lottery. I immediately called my boyfriend to share the news. But the first thing he did was yell at me: “I’m busy with work, I don’t have time for your nonsense! Unless it’s something big like you dying, don’t ever contact me again!” He hung up. I sighed, preparing to deliver my last food order before going to claim my winnings. As I knocked on room 301 at the hotel, carrying the food, the door opened to reveal my boyfriend, who was supposed to be away on a business trip. He had only a towel wrapped around his waist, and behind him stood my best friend, also wrapped in just a towel. 1. My boyfriend, Greg Vance, and I stared at each other, wide-eyed, for a full minute. “What are you doing here?!” “I should be asking you that! Weren’t you on a business trip out of town? You were too busy to even take my call, but you’re here… playing cards with her?” Greg yanked me into the room, then slammed the door shut. “Don’t shout outside; it’s embarrassing.” My eyes burned red with anger. “You should be embarrassed! You two were cheating on me!” My best friend, Chloe Hayes, draped herself over Greg’s shoulder. “Don’t use such harsh words. I’m Greg’s real girlfriend. We’ve been together for over seven years.” So I was the other woman. “You’re both despicable!” I raised my hand to slap Greg, but he grabbed my wrist. “Rovan Miller, that’s enough! I never even liked you. Chloe was the one who told me to be with you. Otherwise, do you think I would have stayed with you this long?!” Tears streamed down my face. I screamed at them, “Why?!” “For your money, you idiot! You didn’t even go to college; you graduated high school and started delivering food just to earn a few extra bucks to support Greg.” “You spent all your money on Greg. Greg took me out, bought me gifts, all with your money. I should actually thank you. Without you, what would Greg and I spend?” I trembled with rage. “You’re both shameless! I’ll fight you!” I grabbed Chloe by the hair, and we wrestled. “Rovan Miller, you’re pushing it! Let go of Chloe!” Greg was strong. He ripped me away, punching me in the face. I was stunned. Chloe took the opportunity to rush forward, pulling my hair and clawing at my face, cursing at me. They pinned me to the ground and beat me. Greg showed no mercy, his punches landing hard. I could only wail in pain. I thought about all those years with him; it was a colossal joke. Greg and I both came from humble backgrounds. I had no parents. His parents were farmers with poor health. We both got into college, but he convinced me to drop out and work. He said he’d marry me once he graduated and found a good job. I foolishly believed him. To earn more money and improve his living conditions, I didn’t even rest on New Year’s Eve. While everyone else was feasting and celebrating, I was out delivering orders, one after another, in the snow and sub-zero temperatures. Looking back now, my seven years were utterly ridiculous. 2. They finally stopped when they got tired. I was covered in bruises, lying on the ground, unable to get up. “Greg Vance, how can you do this to me? Aren’t you afraid your parents will turn against you?!” Three years ago, Greg’s father suffered a sudden stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed. I brought both of his elderly parents to the city and took meticulous care of them. They used to say I was like their own daughter, and if Greg ever did anything to wrong me, they would be the first to disown him. Greg scoffed. “You didn’t really think my parents genuinely treated you like a daughter, did you? They just said that to butter you up. If they didn’t say nice things, how else would you act like a maid and cater to them?” I refused to believe it. “Impossible! Your parents were genuinely good to me!” “You don’t believe me, do you? I’ll call them right now.” With that, Greg dialed his mother and put her on speakerphone. “Hey Mom, I broke up with Rovan. I don’t want to pretend anymore. I want to openly date Chloe.” “Son, your mother supports you. But if you break up with Rovan, will she still serve me and your father? Will she still give us living expenses?” “You don’t need to worry about money. I just closed a big deal. Once that contract is signed, I’ll get a two-million-dollar commission. Then I’ll hire a housekeeper for you, and she’ll definitely serve you better than Rovan.” “That’s wonderful! Rovan can finally get out! A delivery girl who didn’t even go to college—how could she be worthy of my son?!” I was utterly stunned, unable to believe what I was hearing. After hanging up, Greg kicked me again. “You heard it all, didn’t you? In my parents’ hearts, Chloe is the only daughter-in-law. And I’m about to be rich. Once those two million come in, we won’t be in the same league!” I laughed. “A mere two million.” Chloe, now wearing high heels, stomped hard on my hand. “You wouldn’t make two million delivering food for twenty years! Stop pretending!” She linked arms with Greg. “Darling, let’s go. Our nice little time together has been ruined by this lowlife, Rovan.” They walked out brazenly. I quickly called an ambulance, then the police. Thankfully, I was wearing thick winter clothes, so no bones were broken. After having my wounds treated at the hospital, I went home. But as soon as I reached my doorstep, I saw all my belongings thrown outside. My blood pressure shot through the roof. I immediately pounded on the door. Greg’s mother opened it and, seeing me, her face instantly changed. “Rovan Miller, my son has broken up with you. Grab your things and get out!” I had already planned to move out, but I hadn’t expected them to just toss my belongings. “I paid to rent this apartment. If anyone’s moving, it’s you! How dare you throw my things out?!” “Because there are three of us living here, this apartment is ours!” At that moment, her true shrewish nature was fully revealed. 3. I didn’t want to waste any more words on her and prepared to call the police, but then Greg returned with Chloe. “How are you not arrested?!” Chloe smirked triumphantly. “It was a mutual fight, and you were the one who started it!” My lungs felt like they were about to explode. My hands clenched into tight fists, fingernails digging into my flesh, but I felt no pain. Greg pushed me. “Why aren’t you gone yet? You’re not still trying to cling to me, are you? I’m telling you, there’s absolutely no chance between us anymore!” I glared fiercely at the people in front of me. “You’ll regret this. You’ll come begging on your knees!” They burst into sneering laughter, telling me I was dreaming. I only took a few items from the ground. Anyway, I had won a billion dollars in the lottery; there was nothing I couldn’t buy. After settling into a hotel, I went to the lottery office to claim my prize. The moment the billion dollars hit my account, the weight on my chest finally lifted. I couldn’t wait to see Greg and Chloe’s faces when they found out I was now a billionaire. I had just secured a beautifully renovated penthouse when I received a call from Chloe. “Rovan, our high school reunion is this weekend. You absolutely have to come; everyone from our class will be there.” “Okay, I’ll be there.” “You’re not just saying yes and then disappearing on the day, are you?” “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely be there. It’s been so many years since we saw our old classmates; I’m curious to see how they’re doing.” Chloe was undoubtedly organizing this reunion to show off Greg’s two-million-dollar earnings and take the opportunity to humiliate me. She probably never dreamed that I would be the most successful one in our class. The reunion was scheduled at a five-star hotel. I deliberately arrived a little late. Under the gaze of all my former classmates, I elegantly took my seat, dressed in a head-to-toe luxury limited edition outfit. “Excuse me, everyone, I’m late.” Chloe immediately rolled her eyes at me. “Rovan, you’re so over the top. Is that fake outfit of yours even worth a single ticket? Do you really think our classmates don’t know quality when they see it? Pfft.” My classmate, Maria, who sat next to me, kept staring at the white Hermes Birkin bag in my hand. “Rovan, can I take a look at your bag?” I generously placed the bag in her hands. “Of course.” “Maria, what’s so special about a fake bag? That bag, if real, costs over two million dollars. You could sell Rovan and she wouldn’t be worth that much.” She finished, prompting a burst of laughter from the guys nearby. “This bag is real. I work at Hermes.” “Then it must be a replica Rovan bought that even fooled you, the salesperson.” “This bag is definitely real. A replica can’t achieve this kind of craftsmanship.” Chloe immediately sneered, “Oh, Rovan, you didn’t happen to ‘borrow’ that bag from some wealthy lady while you were delivering food, did you?” “I know you’re afraid our classmates will mock you for not going to college and just delivering food, but you can’t steal other people’s things to show off! The amount for this bag is huge; it’s enough to get you years in prison.” “Considering we were classmates, we won’t report you. Just return the bag immediately and apologize publicly. Maybe the wealthy lady will take pity on you and not pursue charges.” 4. “Chloe Hayes, you need proof when you speak. If you accuse me of theft, I can sue you for defamation!” “I’m doing this for your own good, and you want to sue me? Everyone knows you’re dirt poor, why are you pretending?” Maria couldn’t help but say, “Maybe Rovan found herself a sugar daddy.” “Maria, you think too highly of her. What sugar daddy would be blind enough to want her?” Chloe walked around to my side, placing her own bag in front of me. “See this? This is real money, a hundred thousand.” She rolled her eyes at me. “A pauper, still pretending.” My classmates immediately looked at her with envy. “Chloe, it looks like you’re doing the best among us, with a hundred-thousand-dollar bag!” Chloe’s smile was triumphant. “It’s all thanks to my wonderful husband. He just closed a big deal, and the commission alone will be two million dollars. Everyone, order whatever you want today! My husband’s paying!” Everyone rushed to congratulate Greg, making him so proud he nearly burst. Greg, holding the menu, lifted his chin and told the waiter, “Bring out all your most expensive dishes. One Australian lobster for each person. And open ten bottles of your most expensive wine!” I smiled. “As far as I know, that contract of yours hasn’t been signed yet, has it?” Chloe scoffed. “So what? It’s a done deal, just needs the final signature.” “You haven’t even earned the commission yet, and you’re already buying such expensive bags and ordering such pricey dishes. What if the deal falls through, and you end up deep in debt?” “Shut your jinxing mouth! This deal is absolutely foolproof!” After the food arrived, everyone started chatting. “Did you see the trending news? A while ago, someone had amazing luck and won a billion dollars in the lottery!” “Oh my god, I’m going to cry with envy. How many lifetimes would it take to spend all that money?” “And I heard after she won, she immediately donated two hundred million, and even acquired several companies and invested in many projects. All these projects are incredibly profitable; it’s like money making money.” “That person has such good fortune, not only did she get an unexpected windfall, but everything she invests in makes money.” Seeing their heated discussion, I couldn’t help but say, “Actually, the person who won the big lottery prize… is me.” Everyone fell silent for a moment, then burst into roaring laughter. Chloe laughed so hard tears streamed down her face. “Rovan, stop dreaming! With your pathetic life, you can’t even win ten dollars, let alone a billion!” I simply smiled faintly, offering no further explanation. Chloe then announced publicly, “Classmates, Greg and I are holding our wedding in Bali! Everyone please come! We’ll cover your travel and accommodation!” “A Bali wedding must be so expensive! You two are really extravagant!” “My husband is the top salesperson! He’ll have a continuous stream of big deals and commissions in the future. The top salesperson’s wedding, of course, has to be grand!” After everyone finished eating and drinking, Greg called the waiter for the bill. He swiped three credit cards, but it still wasn’t enough to cover the meal. “How can the limit not be enough? Bring me the bill, let me see!” The waiter presented the bill. Our table had accumulated a total of five hundred thousand dollars in expenses. Greg instantly flushed red with anger. “How can it be this much? Aren’t you ripping us off?!” I scoffed from the side. “If you can’t afford it, don’t show off. You ordered such expensive things; I thought you two were loaded.” Greg, losing face, elbowed Chloe. “Lend me the fifty thousand dollars from your house sale, I’ll pay the bill first!” “No way! That’s my pre-marital asset!” “I’m not saying I won’t pay you back! I’m signing the deal tomorrow. The commission will hit my account, and I’ll pay you back immediately!” Chloe reluctantly took out her debit card and swiped for the five hundred thousand. My phone, lying on the table, suddenly rang: “PayPal deposit: five hundred thousand dollars.”

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“Honey, I’m pregnant.” My wife, Juliet Bennet, walked up to me, holding a lab report, her face beaming with excitement. But I knew this child absolutely couldn’t be mine, because I had azoospermia. 1. My name is Leo Bennet, I’m 29, and my wife, Juliet Bennet, and I were college sweethearts. After graduating, we coincidentally landed internships at the same company. Working closely together for so long, we naturally fell in love. Juliet was not only beautiful, but her figure was stunning, with curves in all the right places. When we got married, all our relatives and friends said I was incredibly lucky to marry such a wonderful woman. I truly believed it, and so after marriage, I adored and cared for Juliet even more. But one issue always bothered me. For three years of marriage, we hadn’t been able to have a child. Because of this, I secretly went to a clinic for a sperm test. The result indicated azoospermia—a very low probability of conception. This news left me devastated, but what happened next fueled my despair into a raging fury. It was the second Friday afternoon after I learned about my condition. After work, I went to Juliet’s department as usual to wait for her to finish. But I waited for a long time, over half an hour past Juliet’s quitting time, and she still hadn’t appeared. Just then, Chloe, one of Juliet’s colleagues, came out. I quickly stopped her and asked, “Chloe, is Juliet still working late inside?” “Oh, Juliet? She went out with Mr. Potter at lunchtime for something, and I haven’t seen her all afternoon. As her husband, you might want to keep an eye on her.” Chloe said, then smiled and walked away. My expression froze. Went out with the manager and didn’t come back? Actually, working at the same company as Juliet for so many years, I had heard a few rumors about her. After all, Juliet was so beautiful. We started at the company at the same time, but she was now the head of the marketing department, while I was still a low-level salesperson. Many people in the company gossiped that she had only risen to her position so quickly by sleeping with the general manager, Mr. Ethan Potter. However, I didn’t believe this rumor. After all, Juliet and I had been together for so many years, and I knew her character and integrity very well. She wouldn’t do something like that. Still, the fact that Juliet went out without telling me left me a little uneasy. I pulled out my phone and called Juliet, but it only rang once before she hung up. Then, Juliet messaged me back on her phone: “Honey, I’m busy with something. Go home and eat first; don’t wait for me.” I didn’t think much of it and headed home after work. It wasn’t until around 11 PM that I heard the sound of keys unlocking the door. Juliet walked in, looking exhausted. As soon as she entered, I smelled alcohol and some other indescribable scent on her. I frowned and said, “Honey, how much have you had to drink?” Juliet waved her hand. “I was just drinking with Mr. Potter and a big client from the company. If I didn’t drink a lot, how could I close this client?” Seeing Juliet like this, I felt a pang of pity for her. I quickly helped her with her bag and urged her to go wash up and rest. While Juliet was showering, I put her changed clothes into the washing machine. Just then, her jacket pocket vibrated. I reached in and found Juliet’s phone still inside. I pulled out the phone and saw one unread message. On a whim, I entered Juliet’s lock screen password and opened the message. Seeing the content of that message, my face went pale. It was from a contact Juliet had labeled as “Major Client Ryan Potter,” and it read: “Juliet, you really satisfied me tonight. Come accompany me again tomorrow night, and your company’s project will be settled. I’ll pick you up from your office after work tomorrow.” Could it be that Juliet spent tonight sleeping with a client for a deal?! No, it couldn’t be. I refused to believe Juliet would do such a thing. 2. I held the phone, ready to confront Juliet as soon as she finished showering. When Juliet came out of the bathroom, I immediately walked up to her with the phone, displaying the chat history. I said, “Honey, what’s going on here?” Juliet took the phone, her face turning pale, then she put on a forced smile and said, “Honey, do you really think I’m that kind of person? Don’t worry, I won’t let him take advantage of me. The client tried to make inappropriate demands tonight, but Mr. Potter helped me reject them.” We had been married for so many years, and I still trusted Juliet. So I didn’t press the issue, and seeing how tired she was, I just told her to go to sleep. I thought the matter was closed. To my surprise, the next day after work, Juliet called me, saying she was meeting a friend for dinner and I didn’t need to wait for her. I didn’t think much of it at first, but as I walked past the company parking lot on my way home, I happened to see Juliet getting into a black Mercedes sedan and driving away. I saw an unfamiliar middle-aged man in the driver’s seat of that black Mercedes. Even I, with my easygoing nature, realized this was definitely the client from Juliet’s message yesterday. She told me she was having dinner with a friend, but instead, she secretly went to meet this client! If I hadn’t seen it by chance, I would still be completely clueless! A surge of nameless anger ignited within me. I couldn’t believe I trusted Juliet so much, yet she betrayed me like this, all for the sake of a deal. Then, those rumors circulating in the company before were very likely true. Thinking this, my hands and feet went cold, and my body trembled uncontrollably. I didn’t want to believe it was true, but the facts were laid bare before me, coupled with what I saw in her message yesterday—she had cheated on me. I angrily returned home, planning to confront her face-to-face when she came back! As I sat in the room, I suddenly noticed a pink ribbon peeking out from under the mattress. Puzzled, I went over and pulled back the mattress. What I saw beneath made my face go pale. In a small storage space under the mattress, there was a collection of various sex toys. Juliet and I had been married for so many years, but we had never used any of these. The conclusion was obvious: she bought these to use with other men. The thought of her being more uninhibited with other men than with me brought on waves of heartache; tears almost streamed down my face. My wife, she really betrayed me! I continued to wait for her. This wait stretched until past 11 PM again before Juliet returned home. As soon as she entered, I asked coldly, “You’re back?” Juliet nodded and said, “Yes.” “Which friend were you having dinner with, so late?” I asked, pretending to be unaware. “Just an old high school friend. We got a little carried away talking and lost track of time,” Juliet said with a smile. My eyes widened as I said, “High school friend? I think it wasn’t a high school friend, but rather your client, wasn’t it? I bet you even talked your way into bed!” Juliet’s face went pale. “What are you saying?” “You really think I don’t know anything? I saw it all! You got into your client’s car!” I shouted. “Oh, I was afraid you’d react like this when you found out. Honey, please let me explain. I didn’t mean to deceive you.” 3. Juliet began to explain herself. She said this client was crucial for her entire marketing department’s annual KPI, which is why she met with him today. However, she insisted she hadn’t done anything to betray me and had genuinely been discussing the project with the client. She claimed she rejected all of the client’s unreasonable demands, and in the end, because the client genuinely needed to cooperate with the company, they signed the contract. I snorted, walked to the bed, pulled back the mattress, revealing the sex toys underneath. “Then how do you explain *this*? You’ve never used these with me to spice things up. Who were you using them with?” Juliet’s face immediately flushed at the sight of the sex toys. She stammered, “Honey, actually… I bought these to use with you.” It turned out Juliet had bought these sex toys, intending to use them with me to spice up our intimate life, but after buying them, she was too shy to ever bring them up. So she hid them under the mattress, where they remained until now. Juliet pointed at the sex toys. “The packaging is still on; they’re unopened. I haven’t used them once.” I went to check, and it was indeed as Juliet said. Learning that I had unfairly accused Juliet, much of my anger dissipated, and at the same time, I felt even more guilty towards her. Actually, after discovering I had azoospermia, I already felt some guilt towards Juliet. After all, she had been with me for so many years, and I hadn’t given her a child. Her position and salary at the company were also much higher than mine. I felt somewhat unworthy of her. As long as she didn’t betray me, I would indulge her in everything else, considering it a form of compensation. For a period after that, Juliet’s and my life returned to normal. Since the project had been secured, Juliet no longer needed to work late or socialize. We went to and from work together every day, and gradually, I completely forgot about the previous incidents. But then, a month later, another event struck me like a bolt of lightning. It was Saturday afternoon. Saturdays were usually our day off, but Juliet mysteriously said she had a surprise for me that morning, then left. I was puzzled. It wasn’t our wedding anniversary, or a holiday, or her birthday. What kind of surprise could she have for me? I waited for this surprise until the afternoon. Around 4 PM, Juliet finally returned, her face beaming. Her hands were behind her back as she slowly walked towards me. I looked at her and said, “Honey, you’re so mysterious. What gift have you prepared for me?” She smiled even wider. “This gift, you’ll definitely jump for joy when you see it.” She exaggerated so much that it made me even more curious about this gift. She slowly brought her hands from behind her back to her chest. In her hands was a white A4 paper. I was even more puzzled. Was this what she called a gift? “What is this? A blank paper?” I asked. Juliet placed the A4 paper in front of me. “Take a closer look.” Upon closer inspection, it turned out not to be a blank paper, but a lab report. It stated that patient Juliet Bennet had a positive blood HCG test, confirming pregnancy. Wait, confirming pregnancy? And it had my wife Juliet Bennet’s name on it. Could it be…

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I am a direct disciple of a renowned programming guru in the industry. In my previous life, my girlfriend put a large dose of sleeping pills in my milk. While I was asleep, she stole the code I had spent over a dozen all-nighters completing, then turned around and gave it to the company’s genius programmer. During the staff meeting, colleagues looked at our identical code, exchanging bewildered glances. The genius programmer sighed: “I can’t believe a junior colleague in this company would steal my work. It’s truly disheartening.” The incident spread online, causing a huge uproar. Countless fans began doxxing my address, carrying knives, wanting to avenge their genius programmer. I had no choice but to stop working and move repeatedly. But I still couldn’t escape the rabid fans. In the end, they stabbed me to death with multiple knives, dumping my body in a dark alley. In this new life, I’ve returned to two days before the code was finished. Looking at the milk my girlfriend offered me, I coldly smiled. 1. I closed my eyes, feigning sleep, my ears constantly listening to the sounds from the next room. My fists clenched tightly. In the next room, the moans of men and women mingled. “Mm… Did you manage to give him the sleeping pills?” “Don’t worry. That idiot drank it without even asking. Ah… gently… he must be sleeping like a log now!” “Good… this code… no one else in the company could write it… that kid is pretty skilled…” “Nowhere near as good as you, honey. He only makes peanuts every month, completely useless…” The woman cheating in the next room was my girlfriend, Lily Thorne. In my previous life, I loved her to the point of obsession. She didn’t have to work, didn’t have to do housework; every day was spent getting manicures and shopping. I even worked overtime, sleeping only three or four hours a day for half a month straight to write code and win a bonus. When I woke up, I still had to wash her clothes and cook for her. But no matter how hard I tried to treat her well, she was always dissatisfied with me. I never imagined she had already hooked up with Vincent Vance, the “genius programmer” at the company. Not only that, but she also stole my code and exposed my home address. In the end, she caused me to be stabbed to death by radical fans. In this life, as soon as I was reborn, I quickly swapped out the code on my computer. I pretended to drink the milk. The code I had stayed up all night to write was now on my USB drive. I just needed to go to an internet cafe tomorrow to make a few minor modifications, and it would be ready to submit on Monday. As for Vincent Vance? The code he had now was utter nonsense. Genius programmer? Heh. He could just wait to be the laughingstock at Monday’s staff meeting! 2. Three days later, the boss, hearing that Vincent Vance had finished the code, beamed like a flower. He eagerly praised him in front of us new employees: “Look at him! Truly a genius programmer! No wonder our company paid so much to get him; he’s just that good!” “And then look at you lot! Just eating away all day!” On the surface, I listened to the boss’s lecture, but inwardly, I thought viciously: *Go ahead and praise him. The harder you praise, the harder he’ll fall!* At the staff meeting, Vincent Vance arrived half an hour late. The boss, usually hot-tempered with us, showed no irritation, instead bowing slightly. Vincent Vance, in slippers, casually opened his computer, sneering, “What’s wrong with you new employees? Such simple code, and not one of you could write it. I had to step in!” He slowly clicked on a file. After seeing the content of the file, my expectant mood for the show instantly plummeted. How was this possible?! His file wasn’t the one Lily had stolen. Instead, it was exactly the same as the file I had modified at the internet cafe! In that instant, I felt dizzy. I was certain that no one had seen me when I modified the code at the internet cafe. But now, the identical code proved that he had indeed stolen my code. After Vincent Vance ran the code, a chorus of praise erupted: “Truly a master! He’s incredible!” “Oh my god, he can even do it this way! The master’s mind is just too brilliant!” The honor that should have been mine now belonged to someone else. Everyone was genuinely amazed, but my heart was dead. Vincent Vance pointed at me, his face filled with a winner’s smugness: “This young colleague, I heard you also wrote this code? Why don’t you show it to everyone for their appreciation!” I gritted my teeth. It was the same in my previous life; I presented my code and confronted him. But on one side was a genius who had written countless divine codes, and on the other, an unknown junior programmer. Who would you believe? Naturally, public opinion overwhelmingly sided with him, accusing me of plagiarism. Heaven had given me another chance; I couldn’t risk it. Everyone’s eyes were on me, whispering: “Him? How could a new employee be that good?!” “Tsk, just bragging, I guess. Didn’t expect Mr. Vance to call him out. If I were him, I’d want to crawl into a hole!” “He has nothing. Let’s see how he handles this!” The pain was like a thousand knives cutting through my heart. I forced a faint smile. “No, you’re impressive.” Hearing my words, those around me showed undisguised disdain. “Wimp!” 3. When I got home, I was seething. Lily eagerly met me at the door, her tone unusually gentle: “Honey~ How was it? I heard your company’s Vincent Vance successfully ran that incredibly difficult code!” Her face was full of pride. I sneered: “What, does whether he ran it or not have anything to do with you?!” Without waiting for her reaction, I snorted and went back to my room. Although Lily and I lived together, we always slept in separate rooms. She always said she was a traditional girl, and couldn’t be intimate before marriage. I believed her. Heh, she was certainly vocal when she was with Vincent Vance. Back in my room, I thoroughly checked my computer and USB drive. Making sure they were free of viruses. I checked the room, the computer, my clothes, even the furniture and lightbulbs. There were no hidden recording devices or cameras. I clutched my head, trying to figure out where things went wrong. Or was all of this truly just a coincidence? Impossible! Even if the code content was a coincidence, how could the comments be identical, word for word?! It had to be Lily and Vincent Vance playing tricks! Outside, Lily was banging on the door. “Adrian Miller, what do you mean?! You dare to talk to me like that?!” “Get out here and make dinner for me!” I rolled my eyes. She acted so gentle and sweet in front of Vincent Vance. With me, she couldn’t pretend at all. I opened the door, ignored her shouting, and went to an internet cafe again. But the surveillance footage showed no anomalies. I was a bit confused. I called my mentor—the industry’s most renowned senior programmer, Mr. Sterling. “Teacher, do you remember the code I asked you for help with a few days ago?” In other words, the final code, my mentor and I each had a copy. My mentor chuckled heartily when he heard about the code. “Of course I remember! You, you nearly surpassed your old teacher, how could I forget!” I tentatively said, “Teacher, at the team meeting today, someone in the company presented this code before me, and it was exactly the same as the code you and I made. His name is Vincent Vance. Do you recognize him?” If the surveillance and everything else was clear, then the only explanation was that my mentor gave this code to an acquaintance, and it eventually found its way to Vincent Vance. Otherwise, there was no other possibility. But Mr. Sterling only hesitated slightly before firmly denying it. “Impossible! You are my most gifted student; I would never casually give such code to anyone else.” The confusion in my eyes deepened. All possible paths were blocked. 4. Soon, before I could figure out what was going on, the company’s annual evaluation was approaching. The company conducted an annual evaluation, linked to the year-end bonus. If scores were too low, termination from the company was a possibility. A few years prior, an employee scored zero on the evaluation and was now flipping pancakes across the street. And Vincent Vance was always first place every year. Because of the previous incident, everyone in the company now said I was a boastful good-for-nothing. I narrowed my eyes, determined to clear my name. The questions were difficult. My brain worked rapidly, and I only finished and submitted just as the timer ran out. Although I was slow, I was certain that my answers were 100% correct. After all, by a strange twist of fate, I had recognized the esteemed Mr. Sterling as my mentor. I had studied with him for four years. He was truly a top figure in our industry, leagues ahead of Vincent Vance. Colleagues passing by were discussing: “Oh my god, these questions were too hard!” “I only managed to do one question.” “Me too, me too!” A group of people looked distressed until they saw me. They puffed up again: “Oh, Adrian, how much did you do? Don’t tell me you didn’t even manage one question!” “Hilarious, he was just bragging in front of Mr. Vance. Now he’s publicly humiliated, huh?” “Don’t you dare get a zero. Oh no, I hope I’ll still see you around the company later!” I couldn’t be bothered to respond to them, turning to walk back to my workstation. They found it boring and happened to run into Vincent Vance. “Mr. Vance, Mr. Vance, how were the questions?” Vincent Vance lowered his voice, pondering for a moment. “They were alright, not too difficult.” He glanced at me again. “Of course, for some good-for-nothing idiots who don’t know anything, it might still have been a bit challenging!” From the moment I joined the company, I felt Vincent Vance’s subtle hostility towards me. At first, he treated all new employees to bubble tea, but not me. I thought he had simply forgotten and went to get mine, but he cursed at me in front of the entire company: “Are you out of your damn mind with poverty? If you want bubble tea, buy it yourself!” Later, he always deliberately assigned me various odd jobs, which had almost nothing to do with my profession. This made everyone believe that I was a professionally unqualified waste. This evaluation, I would definitely prove myself! I looked at him coldly. “Who’s the good-for-nothing? That’s still up in the air!” 5. But when the evaluation results came out, I was completely dumbfounded. Not because my score was low. It was because Vincent Vance’s and my submitted answers were exactly the same! My breathing hitched. How could this be?! If the previous code issue was Lily’s doing, this was the company! Lily’s reach couldn’t extend here! If Vincent Vance had accessed the system after I submitted, but… he submitted his paper three minutes before I did! How was this possible?! Vincent Vance looked at me, sighing with disappointment. “Oh, you… I didn’t blame you for bragging before, but now you’re plagiarizing too!” “Are you really mentally deficient? Copying it verbatim!” “Tsk, I really don’t know how people like you get hired by this company!” The colleagues around me began to loudly mock me: “Oh, oh, oh, talking big one moment, getting slapped in the face the next!” “If I were you, I’d want to crawl into a hole!” The loud commotion quickly drew the attention of the boss. “What’s all this shouting about?!” One of the colleagues pointed at me and cursed, “Boss! He copied Mr. Vance’s answers, and didn’t change a single word!” The boss, his eyes wide and round, glared at me, his mustache bristling. “What’s wrong with you?! Have you no shame?! You even dare to plagiarize! You, pack your things and get out! Our company doesn’t need a black sheep like you!” I clenched my fists, my mind a blank mess. I couldn’t even utter a single word of defense. I hadn’t even reacted, but Vincent Vance was already anxious, blurting out without thinking: “Don’t fire him!” Noticing everyone’s reactions, Vincent Vance rubbed his nose, putting on a benevolent act. “I mean, it’s not easy for anyone. This young fellow just made a mistake in the heat of the moment. We should give him a chance!” I sneered inwardly. He’s afraid that if I leave, he’ll have no one to copy from! Since Vincent Vance had spoken, the boss reluctantly rolled his eyes at me. “Still not apologizing to Mr. Vance? He’s so magnanimous!” “Always stooping low, like a rat in a sewer!” I stared fixedly at Vincent Vance. “Who says I copied?! I clearly wrote my date of birth in the comments. Or are you saying, Mr. Vance, that you copied even that?” I emphasized “Mr. Vance,” filling it with sarcasm. Vincent Vance was astonished, clearly not expecting this move from me. And he himself had already copied everything, word for word. 6. Afraid they wouldn’t believe me, I pointed at the computer screen and said to them: “For this question about calculating birth years, I intentionally wrote my own birth year in the comments, just for fun. Or, is Mr. Vance going to claim even that from me?” The reason, of course, wasn’t just for fun. After the last incident, I was always afraid Vincent Vance would plagiarize. So I deliberately added a unique identifier in the code. But no one believed me; instead, they laughed even louder: “Hilarious! That’s just a string of ordinary numbers; you’re really using that as evidence?!” “Mr. Vance probably just typed it absentmindedly when he wrote it. Who would’ve thought he’d face such undeserved trouble!” “Damn it, can’t this arrogant guy just die off? He plagiarizes, then accuses the original author of plagiarism. You can’t even make up rumors like that!” Vincent Vance’s brief panic, hearing everyone’s words, turned into calm again. He squinted at me, full of triumph. I gritted my teeth hard, until my gums bled. I had thought they might hesitate and then choose to believe me. I had also thought they might hesitate and then choose not to believe me. But I never imagined they wouldn’t even hesitate. Each of them, as if bewitched, believed Vincent Vance. Just because he was a renowned genius programmer, did that mean we little programmers had no recourse when wronged?! The boss’s face grew even darker. He grabbed my collar and pulled me in front of Vincent Vance. “Have you made enough of a scene?! Apologize to Mr. Vance now!” “No!” I stiffened my neck, looking up at him. The head that had bowed before would not bow again! A true man, for justice, could not call a deer a horse. The boss’s face became even blacker. “If you don’t apologize, then pack your things and get out! Our company doesn’t need scum like you!” I gritted my teeth, scoffing. “Fine, I’ll leave. This lousy company isn’t good enough for me anyway!” I was telling the truth. When I was looking for a job, many big companies, believing in my talent, offered me positions. But Lily insisted this company was good, having seen it online, and forced me to come here. I wasted over half a year here, with low pay and too many trivial tasks. I had wanted to leave for a long time! 7. When I returned home, Lily was eating strawberries amidst a pile of trash. Seeing me back, she seemed quite surprised. “Why are you back?” “I quit.” Lily panicked, jumping up from the sofa. “What? How can you quit? If you quit, what about Vincent Vance?!” I narrowed my eyes, walking towards her step by step. “My quitting, what does that have to do with Vincent Vance? Or rather, what’s your relationship with Vincent Vance?!” Lily, frightened, collapsed onto the floor, her eyes darting around. “I… I mean…” Realizing I was actually interrogating her, Lily got angry. She stood up, hands on her hips. “Adrian Miller! Are you suspecting me now? Who gave you the guts?!” She thought I would pacify her as before. But from the moment she conspired with an outsider to scheme against me, I had completely given up on her. Without any love left, seeing her snorting and huffing like a pig, I felt utterly disgusted. I pointed at her, completely devoid of my former meekness. “You, leave my house now!” She froze, as if in disbelief. “You’re telling me to leave? Do you know what you’re saying?” I looked at her, speaking each word distinctly. “We’re over! You, get out now!” She glared at me for a long time, then suddenly stood up to gather her things. I followed behind her; anything she shouldn’t take, she wouldn’t. She could only take a pitifully small pile of clothes, threatening me, “Adrian Miller! Remember what you said today! Even if you beg me in the future, I won’t come back!”

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My husband, Thomas Ford, is 39 years old, 5’9” tall, and weighs 230 pounds. Since seeing my adFordd liver cancer diagnosis, he suddenly became enthusiastic about fitness and weight loss. I advised him to act within his limits, but he said lovingly, “I need to get my body in shape so I’ll have the energy to take care of you.” Everyone praised him for his loyalty and foresight, and I, too, was moved to tears. Until I inadvertently overheard his conversation with his best friend: “Maya said I have to lose 30 pounds before she’ll marry me.” Maya is his young assistant, Maya Thorne. It turned out they had already started planning their happy life after my death. And I was still fantasizing about a couple enduring hardships together. Alright, weight loss, huh? 30 pounds isn’t enough. In the next few months, he might lose 227 pounds! After all, an urn only weighs about 3 pounds, doesn’t it? 1. That day, Thomas called to say he was having dinner with a few good friends and wouldn’t be home. I repeatedly warned him not to drink, and he promised he wouldn’t. But I was still worried, so I headed to the hotel. As I reached the private dining room, just as I was about to push the door open, I heard laughter and teasing from inside. “Thomas, your weight loss efforts have been impressive lately! You’ve really shed some pounds!” “Haha, can’t help it. Gotta lose it, even if it kills me! Maya said if I don’t lose thirty pounds, she won’t marry me!” Maya is his assistant, Maya Thorne, only twenty-four, young, beautiful, and charmingly petite. Immediately, Maya’s sweet, cooing voice chimed in: “I don’t care! You absolutely have to lose thirty pounds, or else, when I wear my wedding dress and you’re wearing your suit, fat like a pig, my girlfriends will die laughing!” Thomas’s voice, slurred with drink: “Alright, alright, whatever you say. We still have a few months, don’t we, darling? Don’t rush, I promise to get it done!” “Come on, come on, let’s toast to Thomas! May he soon win the heart of his beauty!” “Thomas, congratulations! An old bull chasing fresh grass, must be amazing!” I stood frozen in place, my mind a blank! Thomas, had already hooked up with Maya Thorne?! He was counting down the days for me to die, for me to vacate my position, for him to marry his mistress? But what he didn’t know was that *he* was the one with liver cancer, and it was advanced stage! A while ago, Thomas had a poor appetite and often complained of bloating. He thought it was indigestion and bought medicine to take himself. I was worried, so I coaxed him into getting a check-up with me, and also arranged a full body scan for him. To my shock, he had liver cancer, advanced stage! The moment I received the diagnosis, it felt like a thunderbolt striking me! He was only thirty-seven, the father of my eight-year-old son, and the man I had defied my parents for, desperate to marry him! A year ago, he finally climbed to the position of company VP, with an annual salary of two million. Just as his career was soaring, he got liver cancer? In the hospital office, tears streamed down my face. The hand holding the diagnosis shook slightly; I simply couldn’t accept this cruel reality. At that moment, only one thought echoed in my mind: *No, I can’t lose him. I’ll exhaust all our finances if I have to, to get him the best treatment!* The doctor, seeing my determined gaze, sighed. “Prepare yourself mentally. In cases like this, treatment has little meaning. Life expectancy is probably within a year. If you insist on surgery, because the cancer cells have already metastasized, the success rate is very low, and you’ll need to wait three months until all his indicators are stable.” A glimmer of hope ignited in my heart. “Okay, I agree to the surgery.” “During this time, the patient’s mental state must remain stable. We recommend keeping his condition a secret for now, to avoid causing severe emotional fluctuations.” On the way home that day, I pondered how to hide this diagnosis so Thomas wouldn’t see it. Suddenly, a curious thought arose: if I were the one with cancer, how would Thomas react? He would surely be very sad, wouldn’t he? I wanted that feedback; I wanted his affection for me to be the last warm memory he gave me in his lifetime. Leaving the print shop, the diagnosis had been changed to my name. Sure enough, when Thomas saw the diagnosis, he hugged me tightly, his throat choked with emotion. “Honey, let’s get it treated quickly; you’ll definitely get better!” My heart was a mix of joy and sorrow. Joy that his reaction was exactly as I had hoped, and sorrow that such a wonderful man might be gone forever. Now, the most important thing was to get his body in prime condition for the surgery in three months. I started preparing nutritious meals for him daily, varying the dishes, and giving him his medication as prescribed. Of course, I lied and told him he only had a mild stomach ulcer that required medication. But he, from the very next day, suddenly started frequenting the gym, lifting weights to lose weight! These past few years, he had been engrossed in socializing and drinking, his body steadily expanding from 140 pounds at our wedding to a formidable 230 pounds. I had repeatedly urged him to lose weight, but he always ignored me. Now, he was actively starting to lose weight?! I thought he must have deeply realized the importance of health through my cancer diagnosis. For half a month straight, he went to the gym every day, posted check-ins on social media, showcasing his decreasing weight. He came home drenched in sweat, utterly exhausted, every single day. While the doctor had told me he needed to increase his exercise moderately for fat loss, his relentless effort seemed excessive. When he returned from the gym once more, collapsing onto the sofa in exhaustion, I advised him that weight loss should be gradual, and exercise should be within one’s limits. But he, panting and wiping sweat, looked at me with deep affection and said, “Honey, I need to get my body in shape so I can take better care of you and accompany you through your treatment!” That day, several relatives, upon hearing Thomas mention my illness, came to visit me. Hearing his words, they were greatly moved, praising his loyalty and profound foresight. I couldn’t help but wipe away my tears. *To have such a husband, what more could a woman ask for?!* 2. To think, the slap in the face came so quickly! I stood at the private dining room door, feeling weak, my hands and feet icy cold. Inside, the revelry continued, the atmosphere intensely lively. Then I heard Maya’s seductive voice again: “We’ll have to buy another apartment later. The one she lived in is bad luck! And the apartment you bought me before is too small! Also, the purse you gave me last time came out in khaki; I want another one.” Thomas’s voice, slurred with drink: “Alright, alright, whatever you say. I’ll follow your every command; how’s that?” “Hahahaha…” A burst of laughter echoed from the room again. Hahahaha, standing outside the door, the moment my heart died, I also laughed. It seems fate is not entirely unkind, letting me see Thomas Ford’s true colors. I will no longer shed tears for him, no longer suffer from losing him, and will no longer immerse myself in longing and reminiscing about him for the rest of my life. Yes, that’s good. Drinking? Drink up. Drink more. Soon, you won’t be able to drink or eat. Thomas, cherish this final countdown party. The torment of illness will soon make your life a living hell! Buying purses? Buying houses? Dream on! Maya Thorne, you just wait. I’m going to make you spit out every bit of flesh you’ve eaten, along with the bones! Leaving the hotel, the cold street wind blew, chilling my heart to the bone. Thomas’s words pierced me like a knife, but I couldn’t fall. Because I held a strong hand, like an impenetrable shield, not only deflecting blows but also swiftly throwing back more, sharper knives! The person I faced was no longer my lover, my husband, but an enemy who wished for my death. Dealing with an enemy, naturally, I couldn’t be soft-hearted! At this moment, I was no longer the fragile stay-at-home wife, but a goddess of vengeance, holding the winning hand and utterly ruthless! Thomas and I were college sweethearts. He came from a rural background, his parents old and frail, and his family was dirt poor. My parents firmly disapproved of me marrying him. But I loved him, believed in him, and resisted by going on a hunger strike. Finally, my loving parents relented, compromised, not only agreeing to the marriage but also providing the down payment for our marital home. After marriage, Thomas and I struggled together in our careers. Our salaries were meager, but deeply in love with him, I was content with love alone. From a city girl who couldn’t do anything, I transformed into a virtuous wife and loving mother, capable of handling all household chores. After our son was born, his parents, being older, didn’t adapt to city life well. My parents also had poor health, and our son was sickly from birth. I had no choice but to quit my job and return to the home, shouldering the heavy burden of housework. For the next ten years, his parents took turns falling ill, and I had to spend years running between hospitals, unable to work, until they passed away six months ago. Meanwhile, Thomas’s career flourished. He steadily climbed positions within the company, finally reaching the Vice President role last year. Friends and family praised my foresight, saying I married a man with potential, and now, finally, our hardships were over, and I could comfortably be a wealthy wife and enjoy life. Who would have thought he had already secretly hooked up with his young assistant! The deeper the love, the greater the hate! My heart trembled. Thomas, if you didn’t love me, you could have told me. We could have peacefully separated and divided our assets. Why did you deceive me? Why did you scheme against me? Even if you no longer loved me, I was your wife, sharing your bed for ten years. How could you be so heartless, wishing for my death?! These ten years of genuine affection were ultimately wasted on a dog! 3. Back home, I went into my study and opened the computer. The browser search history was full of Thomas’s queries about liver cancer. “How long can someone with advanced liver cancer live?” “How much does liver cancer surgery cost?” “How long can someone live with liver cancer without surgery?” “What is the success rate of liver cancer surgery?” “Is there a possibility of curing liver cancer?” If it were before, I would have certainly thought he was concerned about my condition and been moved by it. Now, I finally knew he was calculating days and times, and costs, anticipating when his happy life would finally begin. A heartless dog! I logged into his online banking. Over the years, I had given Thomas complete trust, never checking his whereabouts, his phone, or his bank cards. So, he felt quite secure with me and hadn’t changed his banking password. Line by line, I reviewed the transaction history, and my heart was pierced again and again. In just one year, he had transferred one hundred and thirty-seven thousand dollars! His current balance was just over fifty thousand. He only gave me a thousand dollars a month for household expenses, yet he transferred one hundred and thirty-seven thousand to his mistress! How ironic! I had told him several times that the household allowance wasn’t enough, but he always told me to be more frugal. He said his money was invested in various financial products, which would generate annual income, allowing our son to study abroad in the future, supporting his growth, and providing us with a peaceful and happy old age. I believed him. But now, those one hundred and thirty-seven thousand dollars in transfers felt like a heavy slap, disorienting me! Then, it transformed into a raging fire in my heart! Endure? Impossible! Thomas, since you treat me this way, I will no longer have any attachment to you. At 10 PM, Thomas entered, hiccuping from drink. Seeing my grim face as I sat on the living room sofa, he assumed I was upset about him drinking. He chuckled, removing his jacket. “They just dragged me along for a few drinks, just a little, heh heh.” I looked at him coldly. He grew a bit impatient, frowning. “You just worry about your own health now; you don’t need to worry about me.” I struggled to suppress my anger, staring intensely at him, speaking each word distinctly. “One hundred and thirty-seven thousand dollars. In one year, you gave Maya Thorne one hundred and thirty-seven thousand dollars!” He suddenly stiffened, abruptly looking up. “You, you, what did you say?!” My eyes blazed with fury, glaring at him. “Thomas Ford, are you even human?! One hundred and thirty-seven thousand dollars! Joint marital property! Maya Thorne, you *must* return it!” His drunkenness completely faded. He desperately tried to conceal his inner panic, shouting at me, “What hundred and thirty-seven thousand? What madness are you talking about?!” “Keep pretending. Let’s see how long you can keep it up! See for yourself!” I showed him the online screenshots on my phone. “Apartment purchase, eighty thousand! February 14th, transfer 52,000! March 8th, transfer 10,100! And 1314, 520! Thomas, twelve years of marriage, what have you ever given me?!” Tears again streamed down my face. My throat choked, and I wept uncontrollably. “I worked so hard managing our home, yet you cheated, giving your mistress one hundred and thirty-seven thousand dollars!” “Thomas Ford, I trusted you so much, but you treated me like an idiot! You’re heartless!” Thomas glanced at my phone, then flared up in anger. “Helen Fairfax! You checked my accounts! So what? You have cancer, what’s the point of worrying about all this? What you should be thinking about now is how to save your life, not me. What’s the point?” He finally dropped his façade of a good husband, revealing his true colors before me. I waved my phone. “Thomas Ford, this money *must* be returned. Otherwise, I’ll go to your company and ruin your reputation. Do you believe me?” Thomas seemed a little uneasy, but still bluffed. “If I lose my job because of your drama, then there won’t even be money to treat your illness. Won’t that just hurt you in the end?” Making a scene means no treatment? Haha, he’s the one who needs treatment, and he’s threatening me now?! I sneered. “Treatment my ass. I won’t get treatment. I demand she return that one hundred and thirty-seven thousand dollars. Otherwise, I’ll not only make a scene at your company but also file a lawsuit against her!” Seeing my uncompromising stance, Thomas softened his tone. “I, I was just playing along, wasn’t I? My heart is with this family; what are you afraid of?” “Heart? Your heart is worse than a dog’s!” “But, but she can’t come up with over a million right away.” “Then it’ll be a court judgment and forced execution.” Thomas suddenly sneered. “Then go ahead and sue. From filing to a court judgment, it will take at least several months. I’m just afraid that the money won’t be recovered, and you’ll already be… hmph.” “Is that so?” I raised an eyebrow. “Shall we see about that then?!” Thomas didn’t want to waste any more words with me. He stiffened his neck. “Fine, do whatever you want. Want to make a scene? At most, I’ll resign. With my reputation in the industry, finding another job will be easy.” I sat there, unmoving. “Very well. Then, let’s do it tomorrow. You wait.”

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