Right after announcing our engagement online, I was targeted by his childhood best friend once again. A bucket of chicken blood splashed down, instantly turning my pristine white wedding dress a dark, sickening liver red. Sarah Miller looked at me with brazen confidence, completely unafraid. I didn’t back down. I turned to Carter Hayes, who was standing silently to the side, and asked directly, “Are you calling the cops, or should I?” This was already the ninth time this year. Car crashes, slaps, cyberbullying. Whenever I dared to post anything about Carter, an endless stream of torment awaited me. Because of Carter’s pleas, I endured it time and time again. But this time, I pulled out my phone and dialed 911 without hesitation. The next second, Carter, who had been standing there doing nothing, snatched my phone and smashed it hard onto the floor. Amidst the flying shards of glass, his face looked terrible. “Is this really necessary?! It’s just a bucket of chicken blood!” I calmly wiped the chicken blood off my face and nodded. “Yes, it is necessary. Carter, the wedding is off.” 1 The color instantly drained from Carter’s face. But before he could speak, Sarah started screaming at me. “Who are you threatening? Don’t get married then, whatever! You green tea bitch, stealing my boyfriend and playing hard to get.” As soon as she said that, the looks from the people around us immediately changed. This wasn’t the first time Sarah had thrown dirty water on me. Carter had never even dated her, but Sarah always treated me as her imaginary enemy. She frequently harassed my relatives and went to my workplace to hurl insults at me. She even fabricated stories online, painting me as a promiscuous slut who would sleep with anyone. So much so that random men would often message and harass me. Over the past year, I constantly woke up from nightmares. My hair fell out in clumps, and I was even diagnosed with severe depression. But Carter always said the same few things. “It will get better. She just has a childish temper. You’re the kindest, don’t stoop to her level.” I endured and endured, but what I got in return was Sarah’s increasingly brazen provocations. I’ve had enough. So, I calmly pulled off my blood-stained veil and, amidst the gasps of the onlookers, walked out of the bridal boutique without looking back. A flurry of hurried footsteps sounded behind me, but before they could reach me… Sarah clutched her chest and screamed, “Carter!” Without hesitation, Carter instantly turned back. He picked her up and hurried out. As he passed me, Carter didn’t even give me a single glance. Instead, Sarah calmly opened her eyes and gave me a mocking smile. I watched apathetically. I couldn’t count how many times Sarah had pulled this fake-illness stunt. Yet every single time, she managed to fool the supposedly brilliant Carter Hayes. I used to be unwilling to accept it. Once, I grabbed his arm, refusing to let him go. Carter didn’t get angry, but he stared at me and said: “They say only kind people get depression. I don’t think so.” In that moment, I felt like all the blood had been drained from my body. I wanted nothing more than to die. In the end, he still left, and my depression flared up. I began frantically self-harming at home. While my blood pooled on the floor, Sarah posted photos on Instagram of her and Carter catching plushies at an arcade. That winding, ugly scar still crawls across my wrist today. I looked down at it and suddenly laughed. When I got home, I deleted the pinned engagement announcement. Then I walked into the bathroom and began washing the bloodstains off my body. Chapter 2 It wasn’t until the hot water hit my skin that I realized my body was covered in tiny, shallow cuts. That bucket of chicken blood had crushed glass mixed into it. I endured the stinging pain as I cleaned myself. Suddenly, a hot body pressed against me from behind. Carter’s hoarse voice sounded in my ear. “Chloe, I was wrong today. Forgive me, okay?” As he spoke, a wandering hand began to roam over my body. I grabbed his hand forcefully, pulled a towel around myself, and walked out. Carter’s face looked a bit displeased, but he still followed me out. 2 As soon as he sat down next to me, he lowered his head and started muttering. “Sarah didn’t do it on purpose. She knows she was wrong too. She was crying like a baby today, insisting on coming to apologize to you. I scolded her harshly…” He kept talking to himself, completely oblivious to the cuts all over my body. His heart and eyes were entirely filled with another girl, even though the person sitting in front of him was his fiancée. Seeing that I remained silent, Carter started getting annoyed. “It’s partly your fault too. Why provoke her? You know how she is. You even posted on social media to trigger her…” My brain buzzed. I turned my head and looked straight at him. This wasn’t the first time he had blamed the victim. I remember last year, Carter took me on a trip. He and my friends were acting very secretive. I had a feeling he was going to propose, so after dressing up carefully, I posted a picture on social media. But because I was too excited, I accidentally included the location tag. So, in the middle of a romantic proposal, Sarah suddenly appeared and slapped me to the ground. The strap of my form-fitting dress was ripped by her, exposing my chest. My friends all rushed forward to help me hold her down. But just as I was about to fight back, Carter stepped in front of her. He scolded me angrily, “Why did you post that location? What were your intentions?” I stood there stunned, blood at the corner of my mouth, my hair a mess. And on the night of my proposal, Carter abandoned me in front of everyone and dragged Sarah away. That day, I became a pathetic joke known to everyone. Only a year later, the tragedy repeated itself. But this time, I wasn’t going to be weak. Under the fluorescent lights, my face was so calm it bordered on cold. “The wedding is canceled.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Carter shot up, his face turning a livid shade of iron. I would never have said something like this before. During our five-year relationship, I was always the one chasing after him. He initiated this relationship, so he naturally assumed that if it were to end, he had to be the one to say it. But now, I had broken free from the control he thought he had. Carter’s eyes turned red, and he asked angrily: “Are you threatening me?” A threat? I thought numbly. Maybe it used to be. But facts have proven that threats only work on people who love you. And clearly, Carter didn’t love me. When forced to choose between me and Sarah, I was always the one abandoned. And now, I didn’t want him anymore. Carter was more agitated than I expected. He grabbed my wrist, looking very hurt. “Why don’t you believe me? There is really nothing going on between me and Sarah. She grew up without a father, so I just take care of her a bit more.” I was already sick of hearing the phrase “take care of her.” Chapter 3 In his eyes, Sarah was just a cute, willful child. Willful enough to hit me, curse me, and insult me. And if I so much as fought back, I was a vicious woman. But it was precisely this vicious woman who had loved Carter for five whole years. I stayed by his side when he started his business, sharing his hardships. To prevent him from drinking one too many glasses, I desperately threw myself in front of him to down the hard liquor. And Sarah would turn around and spread rumors that I was a party girl who loved to drink and play around. But Carter… I’m tired. A tear slipped from the corner of my eye, not for anyone else, but for the five years I wasted. Carter stared at me, then suddenly pulled me out the door and shoved me into his car. I knew he wanted to take me to the place where we first made our relationship official. At the peak of Mount Pine, we have our most beautiful memories. But he didn’t know that it was also the place where I had my most heartbreaking memory. It was the second year of our relationship, and we agreed to watch the sunrise on the mountain. But after waiting together until 3 AM, Sarah called and summoned him away. “Wait for me, Chloe. I’ll be right back.” With that, ignoring me as I cried my eyes out, he turned and left. An hour later, it started raining. I had no choice but to walk down the mountain alone in the dim light. Halfway down, a scruffy-looking man suddenly appeared on the mountain. He sized me up with malicious intent, then impatiently tackled me to the ground. His foul-smelling mouth kissed me all over my face. I screamed loudly, and he raised his hand to slap me. After a few slaps, I was dizzy and stopped struggling, but my hand quietly felt for a rock and smashed it down hard. Then I ran all the way down the mountain. But when I opened the door to our apartment, I saw him brewing brown sugar ginger tea for Sarah. Back then, I was too young and my pride was too strong. I was afraid he would think I was dirty, so I never told him. I swallowed the bitter pill alone for four whole years. 3 My eyes lost focus, and my whole body resisted, shrinking back. “I’m not going! I’m not going!” Carter also broke down. He hugged me tightly. His voice was filled with pain: “What exactly do you want! I won’t interact with Sarah anymore, okay?” In the darkness, his voice was tragic and desolate. As if I were the aggressive, bad person. His phone suddenly rang. It was the custom ringtone for Sarah. Carter was in the middle of a fit of anger. He answered and started cursing: “Stop fucking calling me!” But whatever the person on the other end said made Carter’s face turn deathly pale. In an instant, he forgot the promise he had just made. He gripped my shoulders, looking terrified: “Chloe, Sarah is going to commit suicide.” His fingers pressed exactly on my cuts. The blood soaked his fingers, but Carter didn’t notice at all. I was trembling from the pain, but my voice grew even calmer. “Oh. Then you should go.” He didn’t hesitate and immediately let go of me. “Chloe, I promise, this is the last time.” I calmly watched his retreating back. No sorrow, no joy, only a sense of relief. Because I knew this wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last. After going back inside, I calmly applied medicine to my cuts. A little while later, Carter called. Chapter 4 “Chloe, I saved Sarah. She’s still emotionally unstable. I’m going to the hospital to get her some sedatives. She’s graduating soon, and her mood swings are severe. Please be understanding. I can’t get away right now. Could you go order a dress for her as a graduation gift? It’ll make her happy. Her bust is 34, waist 23, weight 105 lbs…” Carter gave meticulous instructions. My brain buzzed as I slowly looked at the wedding dress hanging in the middle of the living room. He was such a detail-oriented person. He considered every aspect for Sarah. But he never noticed that I had the waist of my wedding dress taken out by three inches. It was supposed to be a surprise for him on our wedding day. I looked down at my slightly protruding belly, and the tears finally fell. After deleting his contact info, I booked an appointment for an abortion. Early the next morning, I was jolted awake by violent pounding on my door. Carter yanked me out of bed, seething with suppressed anger. “Chloe, I always thought you were a kind girl, but I can’t believe you’re this shameless!” My brain buzzed. I had no idea what he was talking about. Carter looked at me with disgust: “Stop pretending. Sarah can’t get her diploma—isn’t that your doing?” She skipped classes and failed her courses on her own. What did her not getting her diploma have to do with me? But before I could open my mouth, Carter sneered, staring at me with dark eyes. “Your stepfather is a professor at the state university. Dare to say this has nothing to do with him!” In an instant, my heart felt like it had been split in two. I slapped him hard across the face. I had cut ties with my stepfather a long time ago, and he knew it perfectly well. Five years ago, after an argument with my younger brother, my stepfather barged into my bedroom under the pretense of being drunk. He pinned me hard against the bed, his thick hands tightening around my neck. I was like a dying fish, completely powerless to resist. Just as I was despairing and resigning myself to my fate, Carter appeared. He furiously punched the old bastard to the ground. Then, like a madman, he grabbed his head and slammed it against the wall. He only slowly regained his senses when I hugged him from behind. But now, Carter actually believed I would team up with my stepfather to frame Sarah. My fingertips went numb, and my body grew terrifyingly cold. I pointed at the front door, enunciating every word: “Get out. Don’t ever show your face to me again.” 4 As soon as I finished speaking, Sarah rushed in from outside and fell to her knees in front of me. “Chloe, please let me go. Even if what I did before was wrong, aren’t you trying to kill me by doing this? If I don’t even have a diploma, how am I supposed to find a job?” She cried a river of tears, acting as if I had committed some heinous crime. Carter helped her up with a pained expression and glared at me. “Chloe, is it fun to bully people like this? You must give her an explanation for this.” With that, he yanked me outside. I struggled frantically, alarm bells ringing in my head. My voice trembled: “Where are you taking me?” “Taking you to your stepfather’s house.” My mom and stepfather divorced a long time ago, and my stepfather hates me to the core. Going there now was like pushing me into a fire pit. “I’m not going! I’d rather die than go!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394797”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The first time Arthur cheated, he knelt before me, slapping his own face in extreme remorse. The tenth time I caught him, he smiled and reassured me, “Wait until I’ve had my fun; I’ll return to our family.” The twentieth time, he irritably shook off my hand and threw the divorce agreement at my face. I tore that agreement to shreds and smashed everything in the house that night. When Arthur sent over a signed divorce agreement for the thirtieth time… To force him to come home, I threatened suicide by slitting my wrists. Blood pooled on the floor, yet no one cared. When I woke up again, his friends were sitting in a circle around me, urging me to divorce him. “Didn’t you just stick by Arthur for a few years while he built his business from nothing?” “He’s already got enough headaches dealing with your depression. He just found a little ‘sister’ on the side to blow off some steam. Do you really have to throw a tantrum and pull these suicide stunts?” Surprisingly, this time I signed the divorce agreement cleanly. The next day, keeping it a secret from everyone, I booked an appointment for an abortion. Arthur, I will no longer wait for you to turn back. … When I returned home after the surgery, a dull ache lingered in my lower abdomen, and my entire body felt like it was being gnawed by tens of thousands of ants. I stared at the thousandth “gift” Arthur’s mistress had mailed me today. Actually, the photos of them making eye contact, holding hands, kissing, and sleeping together had already piled up to fill an entire storage room. As soon as I entered, a wave of intimacy hit me from the living room. Arthur was back from his business trip. My eyes landed on the water stains left on the thirty-thousand-dollar fabric sofa from their recent pleasure, and I instinctively covered my mouth, dry-heaving. “This is the gift Mia brought for you. Why are you making such an ugly face?” I looked upstairs, and Arthur, fresh from the shower, came into view. Following his gaze, I saw a palm-sized gift box sitting on the coffee table. Beside it lay an empty condom box. I averted my eyes, endured the pain in my abdomen, and slowly squatted down to change my shoes. Arthur walked down the stairs. “I heard you were looking for me a few days ago. What was so urgent you had to say it in person?” My hand subconsciously pressed against the doctor’s prescription and the abortion medical records in my bag. I had originally thought this child could win back his heart. So I had called him, filled with joy, wanting to tell him that we finally had a child together. But when the call connected, it was Mia who answered. She smugly told me that just as Arthur was pulling down her bra strap, he passionately told her he wanted to have a child with her. Provoked by this, I suffered another episode. After hanging up, I lost control and picked up a blade, slicing my wrist. But now, I shook my head at him. “It’s nothing. Just pressed the wrong button by mistake.” The tight furrow between Arthur’s brows finally relaxed, and his tone softened: “I had Martha stew some supplements for you. Come have some.” Before I could speak, the sound of light footsteps came from upstairs. A girl in a bathrobe dashed down the stairs and threw herself into his arms. “Thank you, Arthur!” I realized belatedly that this sentence wasn’t meant for me. “Does sister not like the gift I bought? A psychologist in the US recommended it to me, saying it would help with your illness…” I didn’t want to hear her voice, so I started walking upstairs. But Arthur quickly stepped in front of me, blocking my path. He softened his tone, a rare occurrence: “At least say thank you to Mia…” I turned around. That empty condom box was still sitting right next to the gift. “I didn’t ask her to buy it.” Seeing Mia acting wronged, Arthur chased after me again: “Throwing another tantrum?” I sighed: “Not a tantrum, just a little tired.” Leaving that sentence behind, I didn’t wait for Arthur’s reaction, turned, and went into the guest bedroom. Just as I finished taking my medication, there was a knock on my door. I locked it from the inside, unwilling to waste any more energy dealing with these trivialities. I took off the diamond ring on my left hand and looked at it carefully for a long time. The diamond on this ring wasn’t big; in fact, it was completely fake. Arthur bought it at a cheap roadside boutique the first time he confessed his feelings to me. We had walked out of a small mountain village hand-in-hand. We even paid for our college tuition by working part-time jobs. After graduating and paying rent, we were so poor we only had about thirty dollars between us. But just because I took a second glance at that ring, he bought it without hesitation. Later, Arthur made a lot of money and bought me many diamond rings, but I never took this one off. But now, this ring has lost its meaning. I opened the glass door to the balcony and threw it out with all my might. With a plop, the ring fell into the flowing fountain outside in the garden. Just as I finished doing all this, the locked door was abruptly opened from the outside. Arthur burst in, a trace of panic disrupting his usually composed face. Ever since I got sick, to prevent me from doing anything foolish, he kept the keys to all the rooms in the house on him. Seeing me safe and sound, the panic on his face mostly dissipated: “Mia knocked on your door, why didn’t you open it?” Chapter 2 Perhaps my movement of throwing the ring was too forceful, and now my lower abdomen began to ache dully again. I took the opportunity to sit on the cushioned lounger on the balcony, discreetly holding the aching spot, and said flatly, “Didn’t hear it.” “From now on, without my permission, no one is allowed to enter my room.” “Including you.” I pointed at Arthur, taking in the shock hidden deep in his eyes. Because all the tables in this guest room have rounded corners, and there are no sharp objects. When I lose control of my actions due to my illness, I lock myself in this room. And he would always hold me, burying his chin in my neck, softly soothing my emotions. I used to not be able to live without him, and I was terrified of him leaving. But things have changed now. He changed, and I changed too. Lying in the hospital, listening to the beep, beep, beep of the machines, I figured a lot of things out. Arthur stared at me intently. I don’t know how long our stare-down lasted before he sneered: “Just because I didn’t answer your call?” “I told you, I was on a business trip. Mia is my secretary; what’s wrong with her answering your call for me?” Before he even finished speaking, and before I could say anything in rebuttal, a loud crash of breaking porcelain echoed from downstairs. Arthur didn’t hesitate for a second, turning and running down the stairs. I followed behind him and saw Mia sprawled delicately on the floor, a large blister forming on her wrist from a burn. “I saw that Sister Chloe didn’t look well, so I wanted to bring the supplements up to her…” Arthur shot me an angry glare. “Chloe, for the past few years, because of your illness, I haven’t even dared to slack off when I go to the office. One computer for work, one for watching the security cameras at home.” “I’m about to be driven crazy by your illness.” “I just want someone to pour me a cup of tea when I’m tired, not have to take care of your feelings on top of it!” “We’re going to the hospital.” With that, Arthur supported Mia’s slender waist, picked her up securely, and strode towards the door. I looked down at the mess on the floor and called out for Martha a few times. The estate was empty; no one answered. I sighed, bent down, and picked up the broken pieces of the porcelain bowl, throwing them into the nearby trash can. Suddenly, a flash of lightning tore through the dark night. Followed closely by a deafening clap of thunder. I was so startled I fell to the floor. In a panic, I tried to push myself up off the floor. But my entire palm pressed down on the freshly broken porcelain, instantly receiving several cuts. After calming down, I called the family doctor. By the time my wounds were treated, the thunder outside had quieted down significantly. The family doctor packed up his medical kit very slowly, looking hesitant: “You…” “I aborted it.” It’s quite funny, really. The first man to know I was pregnant wasn’t my husband, but the family doctor. I watched the drizzling rain outside the window, feeling inexplicably sad: “I’m leaving.” “Julian said I only cause trouble for Arthur.” “He said Mia and Arthur are a match made in heaven.” “So what if I accompanied Arthur as he built his business, endured hardships with him? He’s been miserable these past few years.” “Only when he’s facing Mia can he truly be himself.” “I’ve thought it over, and I think he’s right.” “This estate should have a new mistress soon.” After the family doctor left, I started packing the things I wanted to take with me. Halfway through, my phone sitting on the table suddenly rang. When I answered, Arthur’s somewhat unnatural voice came through: “Tomorrow is my dad’s death anniversary.” I let out a muffled “Mm”: “Okay, I’ll take a taxi to the cemetery tomorrow.” Uncle Sterling treated me well when he was alive, so I naturally had to fulfill this filial duty. Besides, leaving a day early or a day late didn’t matter. “I’ll come pick you up…” I quickly refused: “No need. I know you’re very busy…” After hanging up, I stuffed the last piece of clothing into the suitcase, zipped it up, and placed it in the corner. Ever since the car accident last year, I haven’t dared to drive again. It’s probably an illness too. When I arrived at the cemetery the next day, I was a full two hours later than the time we agreed upon yesterday. Arthur’s face looked terrible, and the faces of everyone standing beside him were ashen. Knowing I was in the wrong, I suppressed my trembling hands and apologized: “Sorry, I’m late because…” Julian spoke up first: “Sister-in-law, I’m not trying to lecture you, but how could you be late even for Uncle Sterling’s death anniversary?” “Yeah, Secretary Mia was here early in the morning, lighting incense, laying out offerings, sweeping… As Arthur’s wife, being this late is really unjustifiable, isn’t it?” “Exactly, it’s one thing to be late for normal events, but to be late for such an important day? This shows you clearly don’t take Arthur’s matters to heart!” Arthur stood silently to the side, but his expression said it all. Chapter 3 Mia naturally patted their shoulders to comfort them: “Oh, stop it, you guys. Maybe Sister Chloe got held up by something, which is why she’s late.” Saying that, she handed me the lit incense: “Sister Chloe, ignore them, they’re just joking.” Her attitude was so natural that one might think she was Arthur’s wife. I looked up at her, forcibly swallowing the urge to explain. Forget it. Letting the misunderstanding last forever is also a way of saying goodbye. I was just about to take the incense from her hand when Julian shielded Mia behind him: “Mia, stay away from her, lest she hurt you.” When Arthur and Mia first crossed the line, I couldn’t accept it. I used both soft and hard tactics to get Arthur and Mia to separate. Arthur coldly said it was impossible. The next day, I had someone stage a kidnapping. That night, Arthur held a knife to my neck, demanding I tell him Mia’s whereabouts. “Aren’t you depressed and always wanting to die? If you don’t tell me where Mia is, I’ll grant your wish right now.” Thinking of this, I unconsciously touched the scar left on my neck, then smiled: “I won’t. After all, the feeling of a knife against your neck—once is enough.” A flash of guilt crossed Arthur’s eyes, but it quickly vanished completely. He glanced at Julian’s group: “Stop arguing, offer the incense!” I bent down, lit the incense in my hand, knelt before Uncle Sterling’s grave, and whispered in my heart. Uncle Sterling, I didn’t mean to be late. All the cars I booked today refused the ride when they saw the destination. I overcame the fear in my heart and drove here myself, which is why I’m late. Uncle Sterling, Arthur and I are getting a divorce. I’m sorry to have disappointed you. I opened my eyes, bowed three times to the tombstone, and as I stood up to place the incense in the censer, a cool breeze blew past, and the incense ash fell onto my hand. It burned. It was as if Uncle Sterling was telling me this choice was wrong. “What happened to your hand? Why is it wrapped in gauze?” “And where is your ring?” Arthur walked over to me, reaching out to grab my hand for a closer look. I swiftly put my hands behind my back, maintaining a distant gap, and forced a smile: “Nothing, accidentally cut it slicing fruit.” “I took the ring off when I showered and forgot to put it on today.” Hearing my words, Arthur didn’t think much of it and just nodded. At this moment, the cool breeze blew again, and a fit of coughing came from behind. I followed the sound and saw Mia covering her mouth, coughing violently. It sounded like she was going to cough her lungs out. Arthur, who was just standing beside me, walked towards Mia, took off his coat, and draped it over her shoulders: “Did the burn from yesterday get infected, or did you catch a cold?” I clearly saw Mia shoot me a triumphant look. But very quickly, she lowered her head and coughed a few more times: “Maybe the wind from the typhoon recently is too strong, and I caught a little cold…” Arthur nodded and immediately took her hand, walking towards the cemetery exit, saying as they went: “It’s my fault. I knew you weren’t feeling well, but I still let you come here to catch a chill.” I walked at the very end of the group, watching everyone crowd around Mia, asking about her well-being, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. Suddenly, a crisp cracking sound came from the trunk of a nearby tree. I looked towards the sound, and before I could react, a large tree snapped in half and came crashing down directly towards me. “Watch out!” A split second before I lost consciousness, I saw Arthur’s group protecting Mia, moving away from the falling tree area without even turning their heads. When I woke up again, I looked at the pitch-black sky, disoriented for a moment, unable to distinguish reality from dream. But the stinging pain coming from my body reminded me that this was reality. Enduring the excruciating pain, I stood up and found my surroundings completely empty, save for a few security guards struggling to clear the fallen tree debris. “The rescue team all went to the city center for disaster relief. People think our place is unlucky and won’t come…” “If I were ten years younger, I could finish this job alone. Who needs them to come.” “Old Yu, it looks like there’s a person…” The next second, a strong beam of light shone on my face, stinging my eyes so much I had to reach out and cover them. The men exchanged glances, then shrieked and scrambled away, running down the mountain, even dropping their flashlights. I picked up a flashlight from the ground and shone it on my white dress. It was bloodstained, indeed a bit terrifying. Stumbling along for half an hour, I finally reached my car. After driving out of the cemetery, the image of Arthur protecting Mia as they left kept surfacing in my mind. I had reached out to them in despair, but their group didn’t even turn their heads. I suddenly felt very tired. Slowly, my hands let go of the steering wheel. Crash. The car smashed right through the roadside guardrail and plummeted rapidly. Listening to the wind whistling past my ears, I resignedly closed my eyes. Chapter 4 At the hospital, Arthur was keeping Mia company while she received an IV drip. For some reason, Arthur felt restless. Before leaving the cemetery, he told the security guards to go in and save the person, and even left his phone number. But it was already night, and his phone remained completely silent. Mia didn’t notice the anxiety in Arthur’s heart, still relishing the gentleness Arthur had shown her today. There was a knock on the door, and Julian came in. He had a smile on his lips, looking in a very good mood. When he reached Arthur, he handed him the divorce agreement. “Arthur, Chloe signed it.” Arthur took the document and began flipping through it. When he saw the signature on it, his heart subconsciously skipped a beat. He couldn’t quite believe that I would compromise like this. But now, it was right there in black and white, and he had to accept it. He closed the agreement without showing any emotion: “When did she sign it?” Julian sat on the sofa nearby, picked up a piece of fruit, and took a bite: “A couple of days ago. It’s strange, actually. She took a trip to the hospital and then just figured it out and signed. I thought she was going to go crazy and tear it up again…” Arthur’s brows furrowed tightly: “Went to the hospital? When did this happen? Why did she go to the hospital?” “It was when you were on your business trip a few days ago. Same as before, slit her wrists. The family doctor said he couldn’t reach you, so he called me.” “But it was nothing major, just blood loss. After she woke up, the boys and I advised her to get a divorce. I really didn’t expect her to sign it…” He delivered these few sentences lightly, not knowing that to Arthur, they felt like a heavy blow to the head. She had an accident. How could the family doctor not reach him… A chill ran down Mia’s spine when she heard this. Because she knew exactly what she had said when she answered my call. And when the family doctor called later, she hung up without blinking an eye and deleted all the missed calls. In just a few seconds, Arthur’s gaze landed on Mia. He didn’t say anything, just picked up his phone and tapped it a few times. Mia started to panic. She forced a smile and held Arthur’s hand, acting spoiled like she usually did: “My IV drip is almost empty…” But Arthur had no mind for her. His eyes were fixed on the screen, until Mia’s smug voice came from it. “Chloe, did you receive the new photos I sent you?” “Since you received them, why haven’t you divorced him yet?” “You have no idea. Arthur just pulled my bra strap and told me that because you’re always sick and rejecting him, he’s lost interest in you.” “He also said he wants to have a child with me. I advise you to sign the divorce agreement quickly and stop getting in the way at home…” Mia stared wide-eyed at Arthur’s phone. The screen clearly showed the security footage from the hotel they stayed at during the business trip. Mia’s body began to tremble instantly. The next second, she reached out to snatch Arthur’s phone, forgetting about the IV needle still in the back of her hand. “Ah!” The needle was ripped out by the force. She pulled her hand back in pain, but before she could recover, Arthur ruthlessly grabbed her slender white neck. His eyes were bulging: “Who allowed you to say those things to her?” “Didn’t I warn you? As long as you play along, you get the money.” “How dare you say those things to her?” No wonder I had been intentionally or unintentionally avoiding him these past two days. No wonder I had taken off the ring I never removed. For the first time, Mia felt the sensation of suffocation, of being near death. But she couldn’t do anything, only weakly prying at Arthur’s hand. Julian panicked when he saw this and hurriedly stepped forward to stop him: “Ar… Arthur, let go! You’re going to kill her!” “Maybe sister-in-law is waiting for you at home right now. Since there’s a misunderstanding, you just need to clear it up…” At the mention of me, Arthur’s reason finally returned. He applied force, violently throwing Mia to the side. He wore a mocking expression, a chill flashing in his eyes: “Like sending photos to show off? Then I suppose you’re not afraid of these photos and videos getting out, are you?” Mia was completely panicked. Ignoring the blood still gushing from the back of her hand, she crawled forward on her knees and knelt beside Arthur: “No…” Arthur ignored her, forcefully shook off her hand, picked up his coat, and strode out the door. Mia slumped to the floor, knowing the rest of her life was ruined.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394796”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

With only three days left before the tumor completely compressed my cranial nerves, my own brother gave the only miracle drug that could save my life to someone else. In front of the interview cameras, my brother spoke eloquently, tears of excitement welling in his eyes. “As a doctor, it is my honor to be able to help her.” “Especially since my patient is a twenty-year-old supermarket cashier. It truly breaks my heart.” The reporter couldn’t help but ask, “But it’s said that according to the waitlist, this miracle drug was originally supposed to be for your sister…” My brother cut her off sharply. “What do you mean ‘supposed to be’? Chloe has lived a life of privilege since childhood; she’s never experienced the hardship of working as a supermarket cashier. What’s wrong with making her wait a little?” “Furthermore, as the family member of a medical professional, she has understood since she was young the principle of sacrificing for the greater good.” In the intensive care unit, I stared expressionlessly at my brother’s exclusive interview on the TV. I watched that cashier crying and thanking my brother, watched my brother acknowledge her as his god-sister, watched their deep bond… Suddenly, I felt that dying wouldn’t be so bad. The doctor pushed the door open to remind me that before transferring to hospice care, I could make one last phone call to my family. After hesitating for a long time, I still dialed my brother’s number. But before I could even speak, his impatient voice came through. “Chloe, I’m very busy. Don’t call me unless it’s an emergency.” “As the family of a doctor, can’t you be a little more understanding?” … The call was ruthlessly disconnected. My attending physician stood next to me, unable to hide the pity in his eyes. I forced a bitter smile and took the paperwork from his hands. “Never mind. I’ll handle the paperwork for the hospice transfer myself.” The nurse’s aide standing nearby couldn’t help but turn her head away, her eyes red, muttering softly, “I’ve been taking care of patients for so many years, but this is the first time I’ve seen a family member actively hang up on someone about to enter hospice.” I didn’t say anything, just felt that letting me pass away quietly and alone would be fine. But this quiet didn’t last long before it was shattered by a commotion in the hallway. Several production crew members carrying cameras, along with a group of reporters, unexpectedly barged into my hospital room. The harsh glare of the camera lights forced me to squeeze my eyes shut. “Ms. Davis, what are your thoughts on your brother giving the miracle drug to the cashier?” “Do you feel your brother is playing favorites and ignoring whether you live or die?” “There are rumors that you aren’t actually that sick, and that you’re intentionally putting on a sob story to compete for your brother’s attention. Is this true?” A barrage of sharp questions hit me like a dense swarm of needles piercing my chest. Before I could speak, my doctor lost his temper and loudly questioned the reporters in front of him. “Not that sick? Open your eyes and take a good look at the tubes sticking out of her! Her brain tumor has almost completely compressed her cranial nerves. She currently relies on life support just to breathe and can’t even turn over on her own. You call this ‘not that sick’?” “Competing for attention? Competing for attention to the point of planning her own funeral?” The nurse’s aide couldn’t stand it either. She reached out to shield me from the intrusive lenses, cursing under her breath. I struggled to lift my head, shooting them a grateful look. A wave of sourness surged in my heart. These strangers, whom I’ve only known for two months, could empathize with my current situation, while my own brother blindly believed I was just being unreasonable. Brother, I didn’t lie to you. I’m really going to die. To end this farce as quickly as possible, I leaned against the headboard and spoke calmly. “According to hospital policy, I was next in line for the miracle drug. If you don’t believe me, go check it yourselves. I have nothing more to say.” As my voice fell, a flurry of camera shutters clicked before me, the flashes blinding me. Under the high-definition lenses, the reporters scrutinized every micro-expression, trying to find even a hint of anger on my face. But I was incredibly calm; my expression didn’t ripple in the slightest. Some reporters were getting impatient and were about to speak again when my brother’s voice came from outside the room. “Chloe, what nonsense are you spouting to the media again? Why are you so unreasonable?” Before I could understand what was going on, my brother shoved his phone directly in my face. The internet was tearing him apart. [Leaving his own sister to die to save a cashier? Is her brother trying to be some kind of saint?!] [Look, even the attending physician and the nurse’s aide couldn’t stand it! Her own brother is worse than strangers!] It turned out that the doctor and the nurse’s aide’s defense of me had been broadcasted live, sparking a public outcry online. That cashier, Mia Smith, even fell to her knees before me, crying and slapping herself. “Ms. Davis, please don’t slander your brother online. It’s all my fault! I don’t have money; I shouldn’t have used this drug. I deserve to die! Hit me, curse at me…” Facing the cameras, Mia cried her eyes out. In just a few words, she twisted a medical incident that disregarded a patient’s life into a class-warfare drama of the rich bullying the poor. The irony was, from beginning to end, I hadn’t said a single word against her. My brother finally lost his patience. He pulled Mia up, shielded her behind him, and yelled at me self-righteously. “Chloe, you truly disappoint me. The next batch of the miracle drug arrives in thirty days. You can use it then. Is that acceptable to you?” Thirty days? But I wouldn’t live to see thirty days. I looked up at him, suddenly feeling exhausted by talking to him. I didn’t want to explain anymore, didn’t want to argue, and didn’t even want to care who was right or wrong. I let out a breath: “Forget it. There’s no need.” “Suit yourself! Who do you think you’re showing that sour face to all day!” Throwing down those words, my brother didn’t spare me another glance. Even as a doctor himself, he didn’t take the initiative to ask about my condition. He just grabbed Mia and stormed off. “Mia just finished taking the miracle drug and still needs a series of rehabilitation treatments. I’m going to accompany her first.” “You’re the older sister; you need to be more understanding and yield to your younger sister. I’ll come see you in a few days.” The moment the hospital room door closed, my attending physician sighed heavily. “Ms. Davis, your brother is really too…” He didn’t finish, but I knew he was feeling indignant on my behalf. After those reporters left, the nurses passing by with medication trays couldn’t help but complain. “You haven’t bothered anyone since you were admitted. Isn’t that understanding enough? Why does he only have eyes for that god-sister…” The nurse’s aide took the tray from the nurse, her words full of sympathy for me. “A colleague at the billing department just told me that Dr. Davis booked the best rehabilitation package for that cashier sister of his. The money spent on her rehab alone is countless times higher than the cost of his own sister’s intensive care unit. He must have been kicked in the head by a donkey.” “Sigh, our poor Chloe, to encounter something like this at the very end…” My eyelashes fluttered, and an indescribable sense of being moved welled up inside me. These strangers, who had only interacted with me for two months, could empathize with my suffering, while my own brother had shown nothing but coldness from the start. I sighed. Forget it. In the final days of my life, I lacked the energy to care anymore. That afternoon, after finishing the paperwork to transfer to the hospice ward, I forced my weak body, supported by the nurse’s aide, to go to the hospital’s billing window to pay. But when I swiped my card, the screen suddenly popped up a “Transaction Restricted” prompt. The next second, my brother called. “Chloe, are you wasting money again?” He roared, his voice carrying undisguised moral condemnation. “Do you know how many patients this money could help? Do you know how many delivery orders Mia has to run to earn what you spend in a day?” “To prevent you from wasting money, I’ve canceled your card! Chloe, you disappoint me too much!” When he finished venting, I finally spoke, my voice hoarse. “Arthur, I really need to change rooms. I’m about to…” “Enough. There are so many patients in the hospital, why do you have to be special?” “I don’t care what your situation is. In short, as long as I’m here, I will not allow you to waste money!” After my brother hung up, I dialed back a few times, but it only rang busy. The nurse’s aide heard everything clearly and was trembling with anger. “This is too much! This is really too much bullying!! You wait here; I’m going straight to Dr. Davis’s office to confront him face-to-face!” “Forget it. Don’t bother.” I didn’t need to change rooms anymore, and I didn’t want this brother anymore either. My condition had deteriorated to the point where the general ward couldn’t take me, but I couldn’t check into the hospice ward either. As night slowly fell, I could only find a secluded corner in the hospital corridor and slowly lay out my bedding. Leaning against the cold wall, I instinctively curled my body up. I only had one day left until my death. On the last morning of my life, I was awakened by the freezing cold. Shivering, I had just struggled to stand up using the wall when a familiar voice echoed down the corridor. “Chloe!” It was my brother’s voice. I looked up blankly, only to see his eyes were bloodshot. His face carried obvious exhaustion, a stark contrast to his previous cold demeanor. He walked quickly to me, reaching out to touch my arm, but I instinctively dodged him. My brother’s hand froze in mid-air, the apology in his eyes deepening. “Chloe, I’m sorry. It was Arthur’s fault.” “I mobilized all my resources, contacted an overseas lab overnight, and expedited a dose of the miracle drug for you.” “Chloe, come back with me for treatment, okay?” Actually, I hadn’t failed to notice the reporters with cameras following behind him. I also hadn’t failed to suspect that my brother was intentionally helping the production crew generate buzz. But when he said the words “miracle drug,” I still noticeably hesitated. My brother grabbed my wrist, his eyes pleading. “This drug can really cure your brain tumor, Chloe.” “I can’t fail you. Trust me one more time, okay?” I quietly looked at his bloodshot eyes and, as if possessed, nodded. Who would eagerly seek death when there is a chance to live? In the end, I chose to trust him one more time. “That’s great!” My brother clearly sighed in relief, pulling me towards the operating room. “The doctors are all ready. We’ll go in right now.” The cameras followed us, and the live stream comments were flying. [Dr. Davis finally found his conscience!] [As long as the siblings have reconciled. Hope Ms. Davis recovers soon!] Pulled by my brother, I stumbled toward the operating room. But when we reached the doors, I didn’t see the medical team prepared to receive me. There were only a few medical staff gathered around discussing, looking anxious. “How’s the situation? Mia’s side effects are getting worse; we must administer the drug immediately!” “But that new drug hasn’t undergone clinical trials yet; the risk is too high…” “Dr. Davis said to have someone stand in first. When his sister Chloe arrives, have her test the drug!” Mia? Test the drug? The blood in my entire body instantly froze. I violently shook off my brother’s hand, looking at him in disbelief. “You lied to me?” My brother’s expression changed slightly, but he quickly recovered his calm. He deliberately avoided the cameras, his tone carrying a hint of taking it for granted. “Chloe, Mia experienced side effects after taking the drug and urgently needs this new medication. Just consider it doing me a favor; endure it and it will pass.” I was trembling with anger, my voice shaking. “Doing you a favor means using me as a guinea pig?” My brother frowned. “What guinea pig? Don’t make it sound so awful.” “Can’t you have a little compassion and empathy? Mia is still so young; nothing can happen to her. You are my biological sister; you need to look at the bigger picture.” Looking at his cold eyes and listening to his high-sounding words, I only felt it was ridiculous and pathetic. “And what if something happens to me?” My brother smiled instead, reaching out to pat my shoulder, smiling nonchalantly. “Don’t worry. I’m a doctor; how could I watch you die?” As soon as he finished speaking, two medical staff stepped forward and grabbed my arms. “Let go of me!” “You can’t do this! This is murder!” I struggled desperately, but the weakness of my body made my resistance seem exceptionally feeble. Under my brother’s instruction, I was forcibly pushed into the operating room. The heavy doors closed, shutting out the light from outside, and shutting out the truth. Outside the door, the reporters’ discussions could be clearly heard. “Isn’t Chloe being too unreasonable? Her brother found the miracle drug for her, and she’s throwing a tantrum?” “Exactly. If it were me, I’d be eternally grateful. She actually struggled and resisted. She’s too ungrateful.” “Dr. Davis has done everything humanly possible. Having a sister like this is a real headache.” They knew nothing, yet based solely on my brother’s one-sided story, they casually judged my right and wrong. I leaned against the cold operating table, gasping for breath, my heart already completely cold. Just then, the operating room door was pushed open a crack, and Mia stood trembling at the doorway. She was pale, and tears fell as soon as she saw me. “Sister, please, help me.” She knelt down towards me, her voice choking with sobs. “I know this isn’t fair to you, but I really don’t want to die. Your brother is a good person; be a good person just this once and save me, okay?” Separated by the thick glass doors, the reporters couldn’t hear Mia’s words, but they focused their lenses on her frail figure. She cried so hard she couldn’t catch her breath. This posture of a weak victim blurred the truth and directly locked the shackles of morality firmly onto me. The live stream comments had been completely led astray. [Is Chloe refusing treatment? This is so unreasonable!] [Mia is so pitiful. It’s already hard enough for her, and now she has to accommodate the emotions of this spoiled princess.] [The contrast between the two sisters is too obvious. One is kind and fragile, the other is selfish and cold!] Looking at this absurd scene before me, I suddenly laughed, laughing so hard tears almost fell. My brother walked in wearing his white coat, completely ignoring my resistance. He took the syringe filled with the new drug from the nurse and walked towards me step by step. “Get away!” I desperately twisted my body, but the medical staff pinned me down, making it impossible to move. He didn’t hesitate at all, personally inserting the needle into my vein and slowly pushing the plunger. Only when he saw me gradually quiet down did my brother let out a long sigh of relief. But he didn’t stay in the operating room. Instead, he turned and walked out the door, speaking eloquently to the cameras. “As a medical professional, healing the wounded and rescuing the dying is my bounden duty. Whether it’s my sister or Mia, I will do everything in my power to help them.” His words were deeply moving, winning a chorus of praise. In the operating room, my body gradually became cold. Half an hour later, my brother was still talking animatedly to the cameras. Suddenly, his assistant ran out of the operating room in a panic, his face ghastly pale. “Dr. Davis… bad news! The patient died; there’s no heart rate!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394795”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My sister was dating a young heir from a wealthy family, but they were cruelly broken up by his older brother. His snobbish older brother looked down on people, calling my sister a gold-digging green tea bitch. I was so furious I created a burner account, intending to let him taste what it’s like to love someone he can’t have. We dated online for half a year. The old-fashioned prude, calling me “baby” left and right, proposed we meet in person. I gave a cold laugh, blocked him, and ran. I thought our paths would never cross again in this lifetime. But after all the twists and turns, my sister and the young heir actually got married. At the wedding banquet, upon hearing a familiar voice, I didn’t even dare to raise my head. Yet I saw my sister and brother-in-law go over and call that man “Uncle.” Uncle? I was so shocked I dropped my chopsticks. 1 As I bent down to pick up my chopsticks, the tablecloth hid my shocked expression. How could it be the uncle? This voice clearly belonged to Arthur Sterling, the older brother of my brother-in-law, Liam Sterling—the one I had been online dating for half a year. Half a year ago, my sister and Liam were dating and went to meet the parents, only to be cruelly broken up by Arthur. This obsessive older brother insisted my sister wasn’t good enough for Liam. He even called her a gold-digging green tea bitch, saying she was only with Liam for his money. My sister came back crying her eyes out and broke up with Liam. When I found out, I was furious. I felt this couldn’t just slide. Arthur Sterling, right? You obsessive bro-con, how dare you insult my sister and make her cry? Just watch how I deal with you. I registered a burner account pretending to sell tea, added Arthur’s contact info, and checked in on him warmly every day, stringing him along until he was totally hooked. Arthur seemed like a pure, old-fashioned prude. He was extremely hard to flirt with at first, but eventually, he fell for me, calling me “baby” with every other breath. Until recently, when he proposed we meet up. Acting very insecure, I said my circumstances were poor and I wasn’t good enough for him. Arthur said he didn’t care about any of that; he just liked me for me. Wow, typical Arthur Sterling. When it comes to himself, “just liking her” is enough, but when it came to Liam, he insisted my sister had to be a perfect social match. If this isn’t a double standard, what is? He was clearly targeting my sister. I was so angry I humiliated him thoroughly, blocked him, and disappeared. I thought that after toying with Arthur and making him suffer, the matter would be settled. Who knew that after all the twists and turns, Liam and my sister would still get married. I came to attend the wedding banquet, sitting at the main table for the bride’s family. Right next to us was the Sterling family’s table. From the moment I sat down, I didn’t dare raise my head or even sneak a glance. I also used a sore throat from a cold as an excuse to play mute the whole time. I had sent Arthur photos, but they were heavily Photoshopped—smaller face, bigger eyes, higher nose bridge. As long as I didn’t speak, comparing me to that heavily edited photo that even my sister wouldn’t recognize, he absolutely wouldn’t be able to tell it was me. Trembling with fear, the wedding proceeded to the second half, and the newlyweds came to toast each table. “Wishing you a hundred years of happiness.” Hearing that familiar voice, I practically buried my head in my bowl. But my sister and Liam both called him Uncle! No, no, something must be wrong. Maybe I misheard? After sitting back down, I sneaked a glance next to me, only seeing the man’s back. He was in a suit, his attire exceptionally luxurious, his back broad and straight. It was just that a dense aura of low pressure surrounded him. After the newlyweds toasted and left, an elder at the table teased him. “Your little nephew is married. When do you, as an uncle, plan to get married?” “Don’t mention it, Second Brother.” A young man next to him, who seemed to be his friend, said sympathetically: “Old White was finally blooming, but it turned out the other party was a female scammer selling tea. She blocked him and ran. He’s still fuming about it even now…” “Harrison.” The owner of the voice was somewhat displeased, seemingly reminding him to stop. What White? I quickly turned my head, breaking into a cold sweat. This person… really doesn’t seem to be Arthur. In the evening was the family dinner with the Sterling family. My sister introduced the Sterling family members to me beforehand using photos. My inner despair finally reached its peak. I’m doomed. I really flirted with the wrong guy! 2 During our half year of online dating, “Arthur” sent me countless spicy photos and left countless voice messages with me. In the later stages, he became super clingy, wanting to be on a voice call even while sleeping. I would recognize that voice even if I were a ghost. Seeing the time was ripe, I told him I had a change of heart and had a new boyfriend who was much better than him. I called him old, saying he probably smelled like an old man. I called him ugly, which is why he didn’t show his full face. I also said his body looked like it was pumped full of protein powder. And! I even said he was small… Only after a refreshing round of insults did I block him and run. The more I thought about it, the paler my face became. I am completely doomed. Not only did I fail to get revenge, but I also brought massive trouble upon myself and my sister. My sister had said the Sterling family is a powerful dynasty. The old patriarch has three children, and the most favored one is undoubtedly his youngest son, Julian Sterling. He is the current CEO of the Sterling family enterprise, Sterling Corp, and holds a pivotal position in the entire Sterling family. If he found out I toyed with him like this, my sister’s life in the Sterling family would definitely become difficult! I paced around anxiously but couldn’t tell my sister. I had done this behind her back. Besides, it wouldn’t help even if she knew; she might even give the game away. After our parents died, my sister and I relied on each other in the orphanage. It wasn’t that there weren’t families wanting to adopt us separately, but my sister and I refused to be parted, so we both stayed behind. My sister had always been very good to me. Now that she had become a university lecturer and married into such a good family, there absolutely couldn’t be any problems because of me. Julian Sterling absolutely must not discover that I am that person. At the family dinner, I finally saw Julian’s full appearance. One word: handsome. Two words: incredibly handsome. I actually played with such a handsome man and even turned us into enemies. I just hoped he wouldn’t recognize me. I played the role of a good, quiet, mute girl. Julian’s cold gaze swept over me for a second and then withdrew. He didn’t recognize me. I breathed a sigh of relief, sat down safely, and didn’t dare look up again. Because I was the only relative from the bride’s side, Liam’s family was quite attentive to me. Learning I was still a senior in college, Liam’s mother asked: “Have you found an internship company yet? How about coming to our Sterling Corp?” Sterling Corp? Isn’t that the company where Julian is the CEO? No, no! But Liam’s mother was looking at me with such burning intensity, it was hard to signal my sister with my eyes. I opened my mouth, almost forgetting my “lost voice” persona. “That sounds great.” My sister agreed readily, smiling brightly: “Thank you, Mom.” NO! How is this any different from delivering myself right to his doorstep! At the table, Sterling Corp CEO Julian just watched and tacitly agreed. As the family dinner dispersed, I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead, resolving to visit the Sterling family as little as possible, whether I had a reason to or not. Before leaving, my sister pulled me aside seriously. “You’ve been acting weird today. What exactly is going on?” I continued playing mute, waving my hands and typing that I was just sick and feeling unwell. My sister sighed in relief and told me to hurry back and rest. I finally managed to bluff my way through and return to my dorm. But the tricky part was that my sister had actually gotten me an internship spot at Sterling Corp. Sterling Corp is an industry leader; having an internship there would undoubtedly add a brilliant stroke to my resume. If it weren’t for the Julian situation, I would have definitely gone without hesitation. But what if Julian recognized me… I agonized for several days before making up my mind. It’s just a three-month internship. Sterling Corp is so huge. How could a lowly intern possibly run into the CEO? I just need to survive for three months and then quietly slip away. 3 Having connections in high places makes things easy; I quickly blended in. At first, I was on edge for a few days. But later, exactly as I had thought, a lowly intern only had to complete the tasks assigned by their mentor. The highest-ranking superior I usually saw was just a department manager. Let alone the CEO, I couldn’t even see the General Manager. I felt relieved. However, surviving in an industry-leading company wasn’t that easy. Within a few days of joining, the workload was outrageously heavy. Proposals submitted were constantly sent back, the department head got scolded, and consequently, the working atmosphere was extremely tense. While eating in the cafeteria, my lunch buddy gossiped with me in a low voice. “Do you know why things have been so tough these past few days?” He was an intern from the same batch as me. “Why?” I was very curious. “Because…” My lunch buddy glanced around and lowered his voice to the absolute minimum. “The CEO went through a breakup.” My spoon dropped onto my plate. I gave an awkward chuckle: “Really?” “I heard it was an online romance too, and he ran into a scammer.” I lowered my head to sip my soup, hiding my expression. “Where did you hear that from?” “The CEO asked his special assistant to investigate an account. Word spreads fast, from one to ten, ten to a hundred. Everyone knows now.” My lunch buddy was thoroughly puzzled: “With his net worth, what kind of woman couldn’t he get? To think he’d actually date online. Online dating is one thing, but getting scammed… If the other party knew who he was, they’d probably regret it until their intestines turned green.” They’d definitely regret it until their intestines turned green! It’s all because I wasn’t careful when asking for contact info. Instead of finding Arthur, I actually hooked such a big fish. I asked carefully: “Did the special assistant say what the CEO plans to do if he finds the person?” “Call the police, for sure! That tea-selling woman must have fleeced a lot of money from the CEO. Add up the total amount, and it’s probably enough for a severe sentence.” Total nonsense! When I initially approached Julian, my motives were indeed impure. I put on the guise of selling tea, harassing him every day asking if he wanted to buy some. It just so happened a friend’s family sold tea. Who knew he would actually buy it, and at ten times the price, insisting I accept the money. Other than that, any other money he gave me, I returned when we broke up. I told him I found a new boyfriend who was super possessive and wouldn’t let me spend other men’s money. Even though the Sterling family is rich, I was really afraid Arthur might get cheap and sue me to return the money, causing unnecessary trouble. Anyway, as long as the goal of breaking his heart was achieved, that was enough. Thankfully, that account is deleted now. Julian shouldn’t be able to trace it. As long as I survive these three months… “Chloe, go deliver this document to the CEO’s office.” I took the document from the senior colleague in my department, wanting to cry but having no tears. Why is there another hurdle! Riding the elevator up to the top floor, I secretly hyped myself up. It’s just delivering a document, how hard can it be? I’ll just keep playing mute. I fearfully went up to the top floor, only to find the office empty. Julian wasn’t there. A secretary from the CEO’s office asked me which department I was from. Since he wasn’t there, there was no need for me to play mute. I answered obediently, the other party noted it down, and it was fine. After a few times like this, I relaxed. Once again taking a document up to the top floor, I had just greeted the people in the secretary’s office when a familiar voice came from the inner office. “Let her come in.” Me: “…” My heart leaped to my throat again. Looking death in the eye, I walked into the office and handed the document onto the desk. Julian reached out a hand with prominent knuckles to take it, then lowered his eyes and began to flip through it, saying nothing for a long while. As time ticked by, I calmed down a bit and boldy looked up, only to meet Julian’s raised, phoenix-like eyes. I quickly lowered my head again. After a suffocating silence, Julian spoke, asking me: “How have you been doing in the company lately?” I had just spoken to the people in the secretary’s office outside, so I couldn’t play mute anymore! Squeezing my voice, I replied softly: “Pretty good.” I glanced up at him and added a title: “Mr. Sterling.” “Good?” Julian seemed not to hear anything unusual and gave a cold laugh: “They send you to deliver documents, clearly knowing the relationship between you and me, and you call this good?” What relationship? Don’t spout nonsense! I was so anxious I even forgot to squeeze my voice: “What relationship do we have…” Before I finished, looking at his inexplicable expression, I realized he was talking about his relationship with my sister. “Hehe.” I caught on, “I didn’t tell them anything…” It’s rare for me to be someone with “connections,” yet I feel so guilty about it. I wish no one knew. But it turns out they had me deliver documents because they knew I had connections and was here to act as a shield against getting scolded. Julian frowned slightly, sizing me up for a long while, and said: “Call your manager up.” I felt like I had received a royal pardon and fled at top speed. I don’t know what Julian said to the manager, but no one ever asked me to go up and deliver documents again. Another hurdle passed! 4 On my last shift before the holiday, I was mentally planning what to eat for dinner as I pressed the elevator button. With a ding, the elevator arrived. I looked up and ran straight into Julian, dressed in a suit. Wait, what?? Why isn’t he taking the executive elevator? What is he doing taking the employee elevator? Julian, inside the elevator, stared at me intently and asked, “Are you coming in?” I braced myself and stepped inside. The elevator doors slowly closed and continued downwards. The person beside me was tall, making the already cramped space feel even smaller. A pleasant, fresh scent filled my nose; it seemed to be his natural scent. Those scandalous photos he had sent me in the past were awakened from the depths of my memory. At first, it was just hands and arms. Later, it was pecs and abs draped with various accessories. And then later… Recalling the scenery I saw then, and his words: “Satisfied with what you see?” My face grew redder the more I thought about it, and I felt like there wouldn’t be enough oxygen in this narrow space. Why is this elevator so slow? I looked up at the flashing red numbers. “Chloe.” “Hmm?” I instinctively responded, turning my head to meet Julian’s inquiring gaze. He half-narrowed his eyes. “You seem… very afraid of me?” 5 “I…” I tried hard to stay calm: “You are the boss, and an elder. I… respect you.” Beside me, Julian said flatly: “Then don’t look like you’ve done something to feel guilty about.” “We haven’t met before this, right?” Hearing these words, my back heated up, and I felt like my hairs were standing on end. “No, no we haven’t.” “Oh.” Julian responded casually, his expression normal, as if it were just an offhand question. With a ding, the elevator stopped at a certain floor, and a huge crowd of people flooded in. Good news: I finally didn’t have to face Julian alone. Bad news: I was squeezed into the furthest corner, forced to stand right against Julian. Heavens above, why must you torture me like this? Once again, I cursed the person who gave me the wrong contact information countless times. After a long torment, the elevator finally reached the first floor. “Goodbye, Mr. Sterling.” The people in front cleared out, and I was preparing to slip away. I had only taken two steps when a stinging pain in my scalp pulled me back. I came back to my senses and realized my hair had actually gotten tangled in Julian’s suit button! Just destroy me! My face was stiff. I felt like nothing could possibly hit me harder now. Outwardly calm, I stepped forward to rescue my hair from his button. Fortunately, it was just an accidental snag, not severely tangled. A gaze that couldn’t be ignored swept over me. Feeling it, I looked up. Julian’s eyes were slightly lowered, his cold gaze resting quietly on my collarbone. During my movements just now, my collar had become slightly disheveled, revealing a bit of my collarbone. There, rested a tiny red mole. The one from the photos I had sent him.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394794”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The day I died, the only sound in the hospital room was the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor. Stage four stomach cancer. I was down to 74 pounds. The nurse checked my emergency contacts three times. One number. Ethan. Relationship: Brother. The call went through. It rang eight times. “Sis, I’m in a meeting. Make it quick.” I opened my mouth, but my throat felt like it was clogged with rust. “Ethan, sis… I don’t think I’m going to make it.” There was a two-second silence on the other end. “Which hospital? I’ll have my assistant check on it.” I’ll have my assistant check on it. I raised him for 18 years. From the time I was 16 until I was 34. Paid for his college, paid for his grad school, paid for his tailored suits, his nice car, his wedding to his boss’s daughter. He’ll have his assistant check on it. The sound of the monitor grew fainter. The last thought in my head before I closed my eyes was— If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t give him a single cent. 01 The beeping of the heart monitor turned into the chirping of cicadas. Piercing, dense chirping. My eyes snapped open. The ceiling was pasted with yellowing newspaper. There was a long crack in the corner of the wall. Outside the window, the July sun was so bright it hurt my eyes. I recognized this ceiling. This was the Hayes family’s old house. Southcreek County, Riverside Town. The dirt-brick house I lived in for 16 years. I looked down at my hands. Slender, pale, knuckles distinct. Not the rough, cracked, deformed hands of a 34-year-old. On the nightstand sat a flip phone with a pink case, rhinestones glued around the edge, several of them already missing. I bought this when I was 16 with two months’ worth of saved allowance. The screen lit up with a text message: [Chloe, your dad had an accident at the construction site. Get to the county hospital right now.] Sent: July 14, 2006, 10:07 AM. I stared at the date for a solid three minutes. 2006. I was back. In my past life, after receiving this text, I jumped out of bed, ran two miles to the main road in my flip-flops, and hitched a ride on a tractor to the county town. By the time I got to the hospital, my dad was already gone. A crane cable snapped at the site, and a steel pipe fell. He died instantly. I remember clearly what happened next. On the third day after the funeral, my mom called me into the living room. She said, “Chloe, Ethan is only 8. With your dad gone, we have to rely on you.” She said, “You’re the older sister.” She said, “It’s useless for a girl to get so much education. It’s better to start making money early.” That year, I ranked 11th in the whole county for the high school entrance exams. County High had sent me an acceptance letter. I folded the letter into quarters and shoved it under my pillow. I never took it out again. This life. I looked at the text message and took a deep breath. I stood up, changed my clothes, and headed out. I still had to go to the hospital. Some things couldn’t be changed. But some things could. When I arrived at the hospital, there was a crowd of people kneeling in the hallway. My mom, Mary Hayes, was leaning against the wall. Her eyes were swollen red, her lips pale. Next to her stood my Aunt Brenda and my Uncle Frank. As soon as Aunt Brenda saw me, she grabbed my arm. “Chloe, your dad is gone. You have to be strong.” I didn’t cry. It wasn’t that I wasn’t sad. It’s just that I had already lived through this funeral once. The tears I was meant to cry had all dried up in my past life. The funeral took three days. On the morning of the fourth day, my mom told me to sit on the long bench in the living room. Aunt Brenda was there, Uncle Frank was there, and Aunt Susan from next door was there too. My brother, Ethan, was sitting on the doorstep eating a popsicle. Eight years old, a chubby little guy, not really understanding what had happened. My mom started to speak. The exact same script as my past life. “Chloe, your dad is gone. It’s just the three of us now.” “You know my health. My back is bad; I can’t do heavy labor.” “Ethan is only in second grade. He still has middle school, high school, and college ahead of him.” “You’re the older sister.” She looked at me, waiting for my response. In my past life, I said, “Mom, I understand.” In this life, I said, “And then what?” My mom was stunned for a moment. Aunt Brenda took over. “What your mom means is, you should forget about that County High. Go work at your cousin’s factory first. You’ll make over a thousand a month.” “Ethan’s tuition, the household expenses, we’re all counting on you.” Aunt Susan chimed in from the side. “That’s right. A girl gets all that education, but she’s just going to marry someone else anyway.” I looked at them one by one. “I’m not dropping out.” Four words. The living room went quiet. My mom’s face slowly darkened. Aunt Brenda frowned. “Chloe, what kind of attitude is that? Your mom just lost her husband—” “Aunt Brenda,” I cut her off. “Who paid for my dad’s funeral?” Aunt Brenda opened her mouth. “The construction site paid compensation, right?” I looked at my mom. “How much did they pay?” In my past life, I never asked this question. My mom kept the compensation money a tight secret. I thought the family truly didn’t have a single penny, so I willingly dropped out of school. It wasn’t until I was 32 and got stomach problems and checked the bank statements that I discovered the truth. This life, I wasn’t going to wait 16 years. My mom’s eyes shifted for a second. Very fast, just a fleeting moment. But I saw it. “They paid a little,” she said. “Not even enough to cover the funeral.” I didn’t say anything, just stood up and went back to my room. The moment the door closed, I heard Aunt Brenda outside saying: “This girl is getting too big for her britches.” 02 I didn’t press her about the compensation money right away. Living 34 years in my past life taught me one crucial lesson— Don’t rush; let the bullets fly for a bit. Early the next morning, while my mom was out in the vegetable garden, I went through her room. The metal lockbox under the bed. The combination was still Ethan’s birthday: 0215. Inside were the family registry, her marriage certificate, the land deed, and a bank book. From the rural credit union. Balance: 0. But the last transaction in the withdrawal history— July 16, 2006. Withdrawal: $60,000. My dad passed away on July 14th. Two days later, someone withdrew sixty thousand. Where did that money go? I put the bank book back and locked the box. Three days later, my mom talked to me for the second time. This time, she didn’t call Aunt Brenda and Uncle Frank. It was just the two of us, and Ethan. She had Ethan sit across from me. “Ethan, tell your sister, do you want to go to school?” Ethan had a piece of candy in his mouth. He mumbled, “Yes.” My mom looked at me. “You heard him.” “Mom,” I said, “I want to go to school too.” “If you go to school, what about Ethan?” “Ethan is eight. He goes to the village elementary school. Tuition is 120 bucks a semester. Why wouldn’t he be able to go?” “What about later? Middle school? High school? College? Your dad’s not here. Who’s going to pay?” “We’ll worry about later when later comes. I’m 16 right now. The acceptance letter from County High is already here. School starts September 1st. I’m going.” The corners of my mom’s mouth turned down. I knew that expression. It was the expression she made right before she was about to cry. “Your dad has only been gone seven days, and you’re already disobeying me.” The tears started falling. Ethan was startled and burst into tears. “Sister is mean! Sister made Mommy cry!” In my past life, this trick worked every time. My mom cried, Ethan threw a tantrum, and my heart softened. This life, I sat on the stool and didn’t move an inch. I waited for them to finish crying. Five minutes. When Ethan’s wailing turned into sniffles, and my mom’s tears slowed down, I finally spoke. “Mom, crying doesn’t solve problems.” “I’m going to County High. Tuition is 950 a semester. I’ll work in town during the summer to earn some of it, and I’ll apply for financial aid for the rest.” “For you and Ethan’s living expenses, Dad’s compensation money is enough.” I said the last sentence very softly. But it hit like a bomb. My mom’s tears stopped instantly. “What compensation money?” “From the construction site.” “The site didn’t pay a damn thing!” She suddenly raised her voice. “Your dad was a temp. He didn’t sign a contract. The boss ran away. We didn’t get a single cent!” She said it with absolute certainty. I looked into her eyes. In my past life, I believed her. In this life, I knew there was a $60,000 withdrawal record in that bank book. I didn’t expose her on the spot. It wasn’t enough. Sixty thousand was just the tip of the iceberg. The number I found out when I was 32 in my past life was 480,000. “Okay,” I said. “Then I’ll figure it out myself.” I stood up. As I walked to the door, I looked back at Ethan. He was shrinking into my mom’s arms, tears still hanging on his cheeks. Eight years old. In my past life, I gave up everything for that face. In this life, I will treat him well. But I won’t trade my life for his future. 03 There were forty days left of summer vacation. I went to the only small diner in town and told the owner I could wait tables, wash dishes, chop vegetables—do anything. The owner looked me up and down. “How old are you?” “Sixteen.” “Twenty bucks a day, lunch included. You in?” “I’m in.” Up at 5:30 AM, bike 40 minutes to town, work until 3:00 PM, head home. When I got home, I still had to cook, do laundry, and feed the chickens. My mom’s “bad back” deteriorated rapidly after I started working. It turned into her lying in bed all day, not even cooking. Ethan’s three meals a day also fell on my shoulders. I didn’t complain. I did these chores for 18 years in my past life. I knew them like the back of my hand. But one thing was different. In my past life, I gave every cent I earned to my mom, keeping nothing for myself. In this life, I opened an account at the town credit union. Out of the 20 bucks a day, I deposited 15 and kept 5 for bus fare and groceries. In twenty-eight days, I saved 420 dollars. One night in mid-August, my mom suddenly appeared at my bedroom door. “Chloe, how much money did you make working?” “Not much.” “How much?” “About four hundred.” “Give it here. Ethan’s backpack is broken; he needs a new one. Plus, there are school fees, notebooks, and pens for the new semester.” “Aren’t Ethan’s school fees only 120?” “With the backpack, school supplies, and uniform, it’s close to five hundred.” I checked my ledger. “Ethan’s uniform was bought last year. He hasn’t even worn it a full year; it still fits. He has a ton of school supplies left over from last semester; I checked. The backpack can be stitched up and reused. All in all, 130 is enough.” My mom was stunned. She probably didn’t expect me to actually do the math. The me from my past life wouldn’t have. The me from my past life would just say, “Okay, Mom. Here.” “130.” I counted it out from my tin box and placed it on the desk. “I’m keeping the rest for my tuition.” My mom stared at the 130 bucks. Her expression was complicated. She didn’t take it. She just turned and left. The next day, Ethan came home with a new backpack. Blue, with Spider-Man on it. It didn’t look cheap. “Who bought it?” I asked. “Aunt Brenda!” Ethan held it up to show me. “Aunt Brenda said I was a good boy, so she rewarded me.” Aunt Brenda. My dad’s older sister. She married a guy in the county town who worked at the tobacco company. They had a pretty good life. In my past life, Aunt Brenda was always incredibly good to Ethan. Red envelopes for every holiday and festival. For me, not a single cent, ever. I thought it was because Ethan was cute and lovable. Later, I realized Aunt Brenda had her own calculations— Ethan was the only male heir of the Hayes family. If she raised him right, he would be the one to take care of her in her old age. As a daughter who would eventually marry out, I was a losing investment in her eyes. “It looks nice.” I patted Ethan’s backpack. “Study hard.” Ethan nodded and ran out to play. That night, I went through my mom’s metal lockbox again. The bank book was still there. The balance was still 0. But I noticed a detail I hadn’t paid attention to before. The account holder’s name— It wasn’t my dad, Richard Hayes. It was my mom, Mary Hayes. That sixty thousand wasn’t withdrawn from my dad’s account. It was my mom’s own account. When did my mom, a rural stay-at-home housewife, ever have sixty thousand dollars in savings? Unless that money was transferred from somewhere else to begin with. I put the bank book back. The puzzle was still missing a few pieces. No rush. 04 On September 1st, I stepped through the gates of County High. In my past life, I had only walked through these gates in my dreams. County High was on the east side of the county town, over 20 miles from home. I had to board. Boarding was 200 a semester. Tuition was 950. Estimating food at the bare minimum of 150 a month, half a year was 900. Total: 2050. I saved 420 from working, and I worked a few extra days at the diner at the end of summer, bringing it to 500. I was still short 1550. I found Director Vance at the administration office. “Financial hardship?” Director Vance flipped through my file. “Father passed away from a work accident, mother is a farmer, and you have an eight-year-old brother?” “Yes.” “Ranked 11th in the county for the entrance exams?” “Yes.” He looked up at me. “Do you have a proof of poverty certificate?” “Yes.” I handed over the certificate stamped by the village committee. Director Vance signed it. “Tuition fully waived. Boarding fee halved. Talk to your homeroom teacher about a stipend; you can get 750 a semester.” 750. Plus the 500 I had. 1250. It was enough. I stood outside the administration office and took a deep breath. The sunlight was bright, reflecting off the brand-new school building. In my past life, I stood on a factory assembly line for 18 years. I never saw sunlight like this for a single day. During the first week of school, my mom called three times. The first: “Ethan says he misses you. When are you coming back?” The second: “We’re almost out of rice. Send some money back.” The third: “Your Aunt Brenda says it costs too much for you to board in town. It’s better if you come back and find a job in the village.” Three calls, three different tactics. The family card, the financial card, the authority card. In my past life, any one of them would have been enough to make me give up. In this life, I replied with five words. “I am in class.” And hung up. My homeroom teacher, Ms. Miller, was a woman in her early thirties, very efficient. During the second week, she called me in for a chat. “Chloe, I understand your situation. The school offers work-study positions. Organizing books in the library, 80 bucks a month, two hours each on Saturday and Sunday. Would you like to do it?” “Yes, please.” “Also, helping out in the cafeteria. 5:30 AM to 6:30 AM. They provide breakfast and an extra 30 bucks.” “I’d like to do that too.” Ms. Miller looked at me. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but she ended up just saying one sentence: “Study hard.” I nodded. My days started running like clockwork. 5:30 AM: Cafeteria helper. 6:30 AM: Eat breakfast, go to class. Classes during the day, study hall until 10 PM. Weekends: Organizing shelves in the library. When I was done, I’d sit down and read. In my past life, my education stopped at middle school. But 18 years of real-world experience gave me one thing— I knew what was truly important. It wasn’t what Aunt Brenda called “a girl’s duty.” It wasn’t what my mom called “you’re the older sister.” It was myself. Mid-October. The first midterms. Out of 48 students in the class, I ranked 3rd. Out of 820 students in the grade, I ranked 17th. Ms. Miller circled my rank in red on the report card. I looked at that ranking, not feeling anything special. The Chloe Hayes of my past life ranked 11th in the county. She was never lacking in brains. What she lacked was opportunity. The weekend the midterm results came out, my mom came to the school. She stood at the school gate, wearing a faded floral shirt, holding a plastic bag containing a few boiled eggs and a bag of peanuts. “Chloe, Mom brought you some food.” I took the bag. She sat next to me on the steps by the school gate, silent for a while. “Fixing the roof at home is going to cost two thousand.” Here it comes. “It leaks when it rains. Ethan’s room got all wet. The whole wall is covered in mold.” She didn’t ask for money directly; she brought up Ethan. It was always Ethan. “Mom, I make 110 bucks a month working. I barely have enough for food. I don’t have two thousand.” “Can you borrow some from your classmates?” “No.” My mom’s expression changed. “You’re out here getting too big for your britches, you don’t even care about the family anymore, do you?” “I care. But I can’t give you money I don’t have. If the roof leaks, apply for a dilapidated housing subsidy from the village committee. I’ll help you fill out the form.” She opened her mouth but didn’t say anything. Finally, she left carrying that empty plastic bag. After she left, I sat on the steps for a long time. The October wind blew past. It was a little chilly. I didn’t feel sorry for her. I felt sorry for 18 years in my past life, until I felt so sorry for myself that I died from it. That was enough.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394793”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

During the year my social anxiety was at its worst, I decided to keep a rugged construction worker. Every time I asked him to stay the night, I was a nervous wreck. “E-excuse me, are you free tonight to… do that?” He leaned down and took a bite of my burning red cheek. “That? That’ll cost extra.” “N-no problem.” I nodded eagerly. Until I unexpectedly went bankrupt and decided to let him go with a heavy heart. The rugged man, smoking his post-coital cigarette, listened to me, then casually handed me a Centurion Black Card. “Take it. Keep paying for me.” “Who said you could let me go?” 1 I had been watching the handsome, rugged guy on the construction site across from my coffee shop for a long time. He arrived a week ago. His name was Arthur. The older workers seemed to think he was young and kept bullying him. They always ignored him, didn’t give him work to earn money, and marginalized him in every way. Arthur didn’t look too happy every day. I held back and held back, but finally couldn’t anymore. On his eighth day at the site, I summoned my courage and walked out of my coffee shop. Braving the roar of machines, the flying dust, and the curious stares of other workers, I walked up to Arthur, who was leaning in a corner, lost in thought. The man was tall, his profile sharply defined, exuding testosterone. My face was flushed, and I hesitated to speak. The man snapped out of it, paused for a moment when he saw me, and then grumbled: “Hey, coming onto a construction site without a hard hat, do you have a death wish?” He had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, making his voice a bit muffled. Then, he took the hard hat off his own head and plopped it onto mine. I nervously adjusted the hard hat. “Hello, I-I have something to ask you.” “Me?” I nodded. Under the man’s indifferent gaze, I carefully said: “C-can I keep you as my sugar baby?” Arthur paused. “What did you say?” I was so nervous I kept swallowing, my eyes darting around, completely unable to meet his gaze. “I-I want to keep you.” “Um, my name is Chloe. I-I opened the coffee shop right across from the site. I’m not a bad person.” “Don’t worry, I’ll treat you well. I absolutely won’t insult you.” “And I’ll give you money every month. Three thousand dollars. That way you won’t have to suffer at the construction site, and you won’t be bullied by the older workers.” “Is that okay?” ……. Arthur didn’t say a word; he just slowly exhaled a puff of smoke. Through the swirling smoke, I acutely sensed him looking me up and down. His gaze swept frankly over my face, my neck… Just when I thought I was going to be rejected, he raised an eyebrow. “Sure.” 2 When the coffee shop closed for the night, Arthur also finished his shift. He stood behind me, watching me lock the door, and then followed me to a nearby hotel. I have social anxiety. Severe social anxiety. For a moment, I didn’t know what to say to this towering “kept man,” so I just kept my head down and walked. The more I walked, the more awkward I felt. The more awkward I felt, the less I knew how to walk. It was a vicious cycle of clumsy movements. Arthur didn’t seem to notice my awkward gait. As we passed a convenience store, he suddenly asked lazily: “Don’t we need to buy some tools for the crime, sugar mama?” My ears burned. “Um… the hotel nightstands should have them, right?” “I’m worried about the size not fitting.” “…Then please go buy some. I’ll transfer you the money.” My voice was as small as a mosquito’s. Arthur didn’t move, looking at me somewhat wickedly. “It’s only fun if we buy this kind of stuff together, right?” “!” My face felt like it was going to catch fire instantly. I hurriedly waved my hands. “N-no, I’ll wait for you up ahead.” After saying that, without waiting for him to speak, I kept my head down and scuttled away, arms and legs swinging awkwardly in tandem. Leaving behind only Arthur’s barely audible chuckle. Fortunately, I only waited a short while before he caught up with me, carrying a bag. We entered the hotel, got a room, and went upstairs. Because this was the most rebellious thing I had ever done in my life. It went without saying what would happen today. So my heart was racing like a trapped rabbit. Pounding wildly. It’s not that I hadn’t thought about bringing him home, but the soundproofing there was terrible. If the neighbors heard anything, it would be social death; I’d never be able to show my face again. So a hotel was the safest and most suitable place for our relationship. I secretly told myself to stay calm, but when I swiped the keycard to open the door, my hand shook a little, and it wouldn’t open. At that moment, a tall, solid body pressed up behind me. Arthur encircled me, wrapped his hand over mine, and swiped the card again. Beep. It opened. He asked in my ear: “You’re the sugar mama, what are you so nervous about?” 3 Arthur had a great body. An eight-pack and a V-taper. His muscles were knotted but not unappealing. Just standing there, the sexual tension was off the charts. Even the most naturally aloof woman would unconsciously look at him. I yield. This was the conclusion I had reached after secretly observing him from the coffee shop for a week. I just didn’t expect it to be this good. When he pressed against me, my entire spine almost melted. After Arthur gently pushed me into the room, my whole brain was buzzing. Whatever he told me to do, I did. Shower. Lie down. Very obedient. Arthur, who had showered right after me, stood by my bed and suddenly reached out, lightly poking my cheek. “Chloe, I’ll ask you one last time. Are you sure you want to keep me?” “Hold on. You do know what keeping me means, right?” I slowly pulled out my phone. And transferred three thousand dollars to him on the spot. My voice trembled slightly. “I know, and I’m sure.” “……” Arthur stared at me expressionlessly for a few seconds, then reached out and grabbed the convenience store shopping bag. He pulled out… A pile of snacks. Not a single NSFW item. ? ?? What about the promised fun?! Just as I was about to anxiously ask, a strawberry-flavored lollipop was suddenly stuffed into my mouth. It was sickly sweet. Arthur grumbled: “What do you know. Let’s just eat some snacks and watch a movie today.” 4 Arthur lay down next to me and actually started picking a paid movie on the TV. This bland turn of events really disappointed me a bit. I sucked on the lollipop, staring at him eagerly. “Arthur, you’re already kept by me, and you took the money. You can’t back out.” The man clicked the remote control loudly. “I didn’t say I was backing out.” I didn’t understand, and asked softly: “Then why aren’t you doing that with me? You know, that.” “Too fast. I’m afraid I’ll scare you.” “I’m not scared.” Arthur shot me a mocking glance. “Then why have you been shaking all night, not even daring to lift your head, scared like a rabbit?” “…….” Being seen through made me very embarrassed. “Not really.” “Really not? How come I feel like you’re very afraid of making eye contact with people? Is this what the internet calls social anxiety?” “Mm…” “You really have social anxiety. Then how do you run a shop?” “Customers order online themselves, then I make it behind the counter, and they pick it up themselves. As little communication as possible.” “What if a customer insists on getting close to talk to you? Like this.” Saying that, Arthur deliberately leaned in close to tease me. Only… Being so close, our eyes naturally met. Suddenly, no one spoke. I licked my lollipop. My social anxiety instinctively made me want to look away to avoid awkwardness. Suddenly, Arthur’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he said: “Hey, we can’t do that, but we can do other things. Wanna try first?” ……. I noticed his gaze landing on my mouth. Mustering my courage, I tilted my chin up at him. “Y-yes.” Then, the lollipop was pulled from my mouth. The candy hit my front teeth. Just as I was about to make a sound of pain, a shadow covered my vision. The sound of pain was blocked back down. 5 At first, Arthur’s kissing technique was surprisingly inexperienced. Of course, I didn’t notice. Because I was even more inexperienced. But Arthur quickly grasped the essentials. He supported the back of my head with one hand, our lips and teeth grinding together. We both used the hotel’s body wash, so we smelled exactly the same. Baked by his overly high body temperature. It was simply dizzying. After the lollipop was stuffed back into my mouth, I was still a bit dazed. Arthur didn’t bother me. His large hand roughly wiped the saliva from my mouth, and he continued looking for a suitable movie. After I came back to my senses, I gently tugged the hem of his shirt. “Arthur, I want to kiss some more.” “…….” The man, who was already trying hard to pretend to be calm, instantly lost his composure. He cursed under his breath. Threw the remote control aside and turned back. His gaze was intense. Like it was mixed with fire. So that night, we didn’t end up watching the movie. I still don’t know if my lollipop was thrown in the trash can or some random corner. No one cared at all. I only remember Arthur muttering hoarsely as he wiped the moisture from the corner of my mouth one last time. “Strawberry flavor really is sweet.” Although we ended up just chatting purely under the covers in the end, this development made me very satisfied and shy. Sitting in my coffee shop, I touched my still slightly swollen lips, happily looking at the construction site across the street. Dust filled the air. I couldn’t see Arthur. I didn’t care either. I just sat there fantasizing about the shape of Arthur’s muscles bulging when he worked. Suddenly, my phone, which was always on silent, showed an incoming call. Seeing the caller ID, my mood instantly plummeted. I stared at the phone in panic until the other party lost patience and hung up. I don’t know how long passed. Thump thump. The glass of the coffee shop was casually knocked on a few times. I looked up and met the eyes of my rugged “kept man.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394792”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Chapter 1 After my parents passed away and our family went bankrupt, my brother and I were left with a million-dollar debt. To pay it off, he worked as a haunted house tester, and I worked as a corpse extra on movie sets. For five grueling years, we didn’t dare take a single day off, but the debt still wasn’t cleared. At the end of the year, seeing that we were only thirteen thousand dollars short, I gritted my teeth and signed up as a clinical trial subject. When it was over, I happily dragged the thirteen thousand dollars in cash to find my brother. Only to walk in on him on the phone: “Mom, Dad, Chloe has been doing really well. Enjoy your time abroad.” “She doesn’t like spending money anymore. The punishment can end next year.” It turned out my parents weren’t dead, and our family hadn’t gone bankrupt. The hardships and suffering of these past five years were all a punishment because I loved to spend money. My smile froze on my face. My stomach churned violently, and I coughed up a mouthful of blood. … “Think carefully. Once you sign the contract, we are not responsible for any issues that arise.” This is what the pharmaceutical company staff reminded me during the clinical trial. She repeatedly stated that the contract we signed was legally binding. After taking the medication, I had to be observed for five hours. If there were no issues, even if I died afterward, I couldn’t hold them responsible. At the time, my mind was solely focused on having a good New Year with my brother, so I signed without hesitation. But now… Looking at the cash in my hand, I suddenly felt a wave of irony. I raised my hand and wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth with my sleeve. I pushed the door open and went inside. My brother hastily hung up the phone. Turning around, his eyes immediately fell on the blood on my clothes. “What happened here?” His face changed, and he closed the distance between us in a few strides. Pressing my shoulders, he checked to see where I was injured. I brushed his hands away, my tone casual: “Fake blood from the set.” “That’s good. I thought you were hurt.” He breathed a sigh of relief. Then he noticed the money in my hand, his eyes narrowing: “Where did this come from?” “Chloe, you didn’t steal it, did you?” My heart sank, suddenly feeling like I didn’t know him at all. Stealing. Is this how he thinks of me? I clenched my fingers, waiting a long time before saying softly: “It’s a bonus from the director. For the New Year.” He frowned, still suspicious: “A bonus given directly in cash?” “Just tell me if you want it or not?” I gave him an irritated look: “Didn’t you say we only had thirteen thousand left on the debt? This is exactly enough.” “If you don’t want it, I can return it.” He was silent for a moment, then finally took the money. “I’ll go pay it off tomorrow.” Saying that, he changed the subject: “What do you want to eat today? I’ll make it.” I looked around. A three-hundred-square-foot studio apartment, you could see from one end to the other at a glance. A wardrobe, bunk beds, and a bathroom. There was no kitchen; cooking meant chopping vegetables on the coffee table. The fifty-dollar electric skillet had been used for five years. During that time, the cord had burned out twice and was wrapped in black electrical tape by my brother. I suddenly asked: “Ethan, aren’t you tired?” He turned back with a smile: “Not tired. My job is actually pretty easy, I just have to lie there.” “It’s mainly you. These past few years, you must be exhausted, right?” Actually, what I wanted to ask was: aren’t you tired of pretending like this? With billions in family assets, you could clearly be living a carefree life. But just to punish me with a life like this, aren’t you tired? Unfortunately, he didn’t catch my meaning. Then I guess I have to be more direct. I looked at him seriously: “Ethan, do you think I love spending money?” I still didn’t understand how exactly I loved spending money. Even though our family was rich, I didn’t really care about luxury goods. No matter what it was, nothing cost more than a few thousand dollars. In the circle of wealthy kids in Seattle, I was already considered an oddity. Ethan’s face stiffened. “Why would you ask that? You’re much better now.” “What do you mean ‘now’? What about before?” I pressed relentlessly. He frowned: “When Mom and Dad were still around, you really didn’t know how to save.” “They built everything from scratch, they used to be farmers. Everyone, including me, had to think carefully before spending money.” “But for your birthday, you would pester them to buy you gifts worth tens of thousands of dollars. What do you think?” I stepped forward, emotionally agitated: “Our family is so rich, can’t we even buy a ten-thousand-dollar phone?” “Then what’s the point of making money?” His face darkened: “Listen to yourself. It’s just a phone, what kind can’t you use?” “You’re just vain, always comparing yourself to those rich kids, which is why you demanded this and that.” “These past five years with nothing, haven’t you lived perfectly fine?” I stared at him in disbelief, my blood running cold. In his eyes, have I lived perfectly fine these past five years? I went to play a corpse every day, begging the director to let me on set more often just to earn an extra two hundred bucks. Sometimes in the mud, sometimes in stinking ditches. Lying there for over ten hours at a time. Resulting in a chronic condition of chills and severe menstrual cramps. My former rival, Mia, seeing my downfall, always found opportunities to mess with me. And I didn’t even have the room to fight back. Just because I wanted to have a good New Year with my brother, I went to be a clinical trial subject, and to this day, I don’t even know what’s going on with my body. Does this kind of life really count as fine? My stomach twisted in pain again, and I vaguely recalled Mia’s words: “Idiot, you brought this on yourself.” “I’m just going to follow you. Whichever set you’re on, I’ll be on. My family has money anyway; a casual investment is enough to get me in.” “For the next five years, you’ll just suffer in my hands!” I suddenly shuddered, the hairs on my body standing on end. Five years, why exactly five years? Could it be that Mia also knew something? My intuition told me there were definitely more things my brother and the others were hiding from me. So I clenched my fists, suppressing the urge to interrogate him, and said: “Okay, I’ll change.” Ethan set down the vegetables in his hands and patted my shoulder approvingly: “That’s right. Eat by yourself later, I have to go to work.” I nodded. After eating, my brother left for work. I tied up my hair, put on a mask and a hat, and quietly followed him. After leaving our run-down neighborhood, he made a phone call by the side of the road. Within five minutes, a black Maybach pulled up in front of him. I watched him get in the car. I quickly hailed a cab to follow. Half an hour later, he walked into a high-end steakhouse. I went in five minutes later, sitting in the booth behind him. Because I was nervous, I kept my head down and didn’t see who was sitting across from him. But upon hearing that person’s voice, I suddenly froze. “Ethan, I’ve been messing with Chloe just like you told me to, and she’s been behaving really well lately!” It was Mia! “Good. Only by suffering on the outside will Chloe know that money isn’t that easy to make.” My brother’s tone was flat, as if discussing the most normal thing in the world. “As a reward, I’ll make sure to look after your family’s business.” “Chloe can’t know about this right now. After the New Year, when my parents come back, I’ll talk to them.” My breath hitched, and my heart nearly stopped. When the waiter came to ask for my order, I didn’t dare make a sound. With trembling hands, I just pointed randomly at the menu. I motioned for him to leave quickly, afraid of drawing my brother’s attention. Mia’s voice sounded incredibly considerate: “Ethan, you told Chloe you were testing haunted houses, but you still have to take a detour home every day. Isn’t that tiring?” “Why didn’t you just go abroad with your parents back then?” My heart was hit by another massive wave. So my brother telling me he was testing haunted houses was also a lie. When I didn’t know, he was going home. So for five years, was I the only one suffering? My brother sighed: “Chloe is my biological sister. I couldn’t bear to leave her alone in the States.” “Besides, even though the company relocated overseas, it will have to move back sooner or later.” He sighed slightly: “The five-year punishment we agreed upon passed in the blink of an eye. Time flies.” Fast? I laughed bitterly in my heart. These past five years, every single day has been torture for me. Playing a corpse isn’t that easy. Under Mia’s instructions, I was always placed in the most exhausting and dirtiest spots. Whether it was windy or raining, I couldn’t move an inch. Over time, I developed chronic chills, and back and leg pain became the norm. And in their eyes, all of this was just a punishment. How ridiculous… “Mia, thank you for your hard work these past five years. Please accept this as a gift.” The conversation across from me continued. My brother handed Mia an exquisite gift box. Mia opened it and let out a gasp: “What a delicate bracelet!” My heart plummeted into hell. That was the one I had asked my parents to buy for me five years ago. At the time, they didn’t buy it, saying it was too expensive. It wasn’t like I absolutely had to have it, so I just forgot about it. Thinking about it now, perhaps this single bracelet was the spark that ignited my five-year punishment. But, on what grounds? Our family is so rich, why should I be punished for five years just because I wanted a bracelet? Why is it that Mia, whose family is not as wealthy as mine, can easily get what she wants? Was I unreasonable? Disobedient? Growing up, I had always been well-behaved and never went against them. Why did I have to suffer like this! My emotions broke the dam, and I couldn’t hold it in any longer. With a bang, I slammed my hand on the table and stood up abruptly. Everyone in the restaurant turned to look at me. My brother looked back, his face instantly turning pale. “Chloe, why are you here?” “Is it fun? Was it fun lying to me for five years?” I ripped off my hat and scarf, rushed over, and grabbed his sleeve: “How exactly do I love spending money? Why did you have to torture me like this!” Panic flashed in my brother’s eyes. He glanced around and grabbed me, his face looking awful: “There are too many people here. Let’s go outside and talk.” “You’re the one who has things to hide!” With red eyes, I shook off his hand and screamed hysterically: “You and Mom and Dad teamed up to lie to me. Lied that the family went bankrupt, that we owed money. Lied that you went to test haunted houses.” “But what’s the reality? They’re traveling abroad, you go home every day, and from beginning to end, I’m the only one suffering!” My emotions were spiraling out of control, tears streaming down my face: “Ethan, why exactly? Can you tell me?” “Please tell me, what does it matter if someone with billions in assets spends ten thousand on a phone?” My brother’s face darkened: “No wonder you asked me that this afternoon. You overheard my phone call with Mom and Dad.” Saying that, he grabbed my wrist again. This time he used a lot of force, trying to drag me out of the restaurant. A waiter suddenly ran over and stopped me: “Miss, you haven’t paid your bill yet. It’s five thousand dollars in total!” My brother froze, furrowed his brows, and said to me: “Why did you order such an expensive meal? Do you still not know how hard it is to make money?” All sorts of gazes fell on me. My brother intentionally stalled for a bit. It wasn’t until I was so embarrassed my face turned pale that he finally swiped his card to pay. Outside, Mia added fuel to the fire from behind: “Chloe, your parents and your brother meant well. It was to educate you. Don’t be ungrateful!” “What does it have to do with you!” A nameless fire scorched my heart. I forcefully broke free from my brother’s grip and slapped Mia across the face. She screamed and covered her face. Smack! The next second, my brother’s slap landed on my face. “Chloe, is this really necessary? If you weren’t so vain and greedy, would Mom and Dad and I have done this?” “You think you had a hard time these past five years, do you think we had it easy?” “You still dare to hit people? I see the punishment wasn’t enough!” I stood frozen in place. Hearing his cold voice, I felt my heart completely die. After a long moment, I raised my eyelids and spoke mockingly: “Is this still not enough?” “Then how about I pay you back with my life, is that enough?” “You’re still talking nonsense even now!” Displeasure flashed in my brother’s eyes. He called his driver and shoved me into the car. I asked with a smile: “Are we going home? Which home?” He didn’t even look at me, pulling out his phone to call our parents. “You guys come back. Yeah, Chloe already knows.” “I didn’t tell her, she overheard it herself!” Bang! My brother irritably threw his phone down. When he looked at me, his eyes were full of impatience: “You still have the nerve to cry?” “I’ve suffered a lot accompanying you these past five years, and in the end, I’m the one getting scolded.” “What exactly is there for you to cry about? Stop acting like you’re the one who suffered so much grievance!” I couldn’t speak, letting him scold me all the way to our old mansion. I hadn’t been back to this house in five years. Being pushed inside again, I only felt a sense of unfamiliarity. The piercing pain in my stomach started churning again. I couldn’t hold it back, lowered my head, and coughed up a mouthful of black blood. As I frantically tried to wipe it away, my brother saw it, but only sneered: “You’ve got your props all ready. Trying to make me feel guilty?” “You better save the act for when Mom and Dad get back. These little tricks don’t work on me.” My parents returned very quickly, arriving home early the next morning. My brother was unhappy about being scolded by them and forced me to sit on the sofa and wait all night. Having not slept all night, plus the stomach pain, I was covered in cold sweat and lethargic. But when my parents came back, I still shot up from the sofa. In my mind, they had died five years ago. Seeing them appear in the house perfectly intact now, I suddenly felt like I was dreaming. “Chloe, do you know what you did wrong?” My mom’s cold sentence yanked me back to reality. I stood frozen, my voice hoarse: “What did I do wrong?” My mom’s face darkened slightly: “Is it possible that after five years, you still don’t know how hard it is to make money?” “When we faked our deaths and went abroad, it was to make you understand that there will come a day when you can’t make money anymore, and there will come a day when the money runs out.” “It’s good that you know now, saving us from having a home we couldn’t return to.” My heart went completely cold, and my words started carrying emotion again: “So in the end, I’m still the one who burdened you?” “I really don’t understand. Our family has more money than we could spend in several lifetimes, and I never squandered it recklessly. Why did I have to suffer a punishment like this?” “Do you know how wronged I felt? These past five years I…” “Chloe, just admit you were wrong!” My dad suddenly came over and pressed my shoulders. His face was covered in tears: “To educate you, Dad hasn’t returned to the States to visit your grandmother’s grave in five years.” “It wasn’t easy for you, and it wasn’t easy for us either. Stop being stubborn!” “As long as you admit you were wrong, the punishment ends now, and our family…” “I’m not wrong!” I roared and threw off his hand: “What’s wrong is you guys, it’s your mindset! I did absolutely nothing wrong!” Smack! As soon as my words fell, my brother delivered a fierce slap to my face. “Is this the attitude you use to speak to Mom and Dad?” “Chloe, where is this grievance coming from? Where is this temper coming from?” “Did you think I had it easy these past five years? If I wasn’t worried about you, I would have gone abroad with Mom and Dad a long time ago!” My mind went completely blank, my ears ringing. I couldn’t really hear what he was saying anymore. Standing there for a long time, I nodded resignedly. “Give me back the thirteen thousand you took from me.” That was money I earned with my life. He shot me a disdainful look and made a phone call. Not long after, someone came in carrying my bag of money. I wiped away my tears, picked up the money, and prepared to leave. My dad looked at my back and was about to speak, but my mom stopped him. “Let her go. Let’s see where she can possibly go!” I closed the door, carrying the money back to the run-down neighborhood. I took out my keys and was just about to unlock the door when someone grabbed my wrist. “Little girl, this apartment has already been sold. You can’t go in.” “Was it sold to a guy named Hayes?” I didn’t even look up. The person said: “Yes, how did you know?” I gave a self-deprecating laugh, took my money, and left. I hadn’t walked two steps before that piercing pain in my stomach struck again. I went to a nearby hospital. While waiting for the results, I went to pay the bill. But not long after I handed over the money, I was pinned down by security on the spot. My mind was in chaos, and I didn’t even have the strength to struggle. In my shock, I only heard them saying something about “counterfeit money” and “calling the cops.” A little while later, the police arrived. The lead officer frowned and asked me: “Little girl, this money is all counterfeit. Where did you get it?” I couldn’t believe it. I frantically pulled the contract from my pocket and handed it over: “I don’t know! I earned it by working as a clinical trial subject!” “This has nothing to do with me!” She looked at the contract, her frown deepening: “You must have been scammed. This company is a criminal syndicate.” “Did they draw your blood?” My pupils contracted, and I nodded mechanically. The police officer sighed: “Their medication is fine, but the needles…” She couldn’t bear to finish her sentence. A sense of foreboding rose in my heart. Just then, the test results came out. The doctor handed them to the police officer: “It’s a stage three blood disease. Those scammers are too rampant!” “Ugh—” I finally couldn’t hold on any longer, coughed up a mouthful of black blood, and fell heavily, passing out. Before closing my eyes, I heard the police officer shout: “Contact her family quickly, hurry!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394791”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When I returned to the US to handle the real estate my father left behind, I found that all the door locks had been changed. I called the property management, only to be told: “This house has been sold. The owner’s daughter came in person to handle it.” I stood there stunned: “I just got off the plane. I haven’t been back in the country for five years.” My dad only has one child, me. How is that possible? But the man was absolutely certain: “I processed the paperwork myself. There’s no mistake.” He pulled out his phone: “Here, I even have a picture of her.” I took the phone. In the photo, a girl was looking down, a smile on her face. And that face looked 90% like mine. 1 Who is this? I stared at the photo, my whole body turning cold. “I don’t know this person. She’s not part of our family.” My voice was tight. The property manager gave a short, dismissive laugh: “Young lady, you can’t just make things up.” “We verified all the documents at the time: proof of the father-daughter relationship, the death certificate, the cremation certificate—everything was there, all with official seals.” He looked me up and down suspiciously: “Besides, just because you say she isn’t, doesn’t mean she isn’t.” “What if she’s a child your dad had outside of his marriage?” “Impossible.” I blurted out. “My parents always had a great relationship. After my mom passed away, he never remarried. He couldn’t possibly have an illegitimate daughter.” My father built his business from the ground up and was entirely devoted to my mother. After my mother died of illness, he threw himself entirely into work and taking care of me. Later, when his health failed, I brought him abroad for treatment. Aside from the regular housekeeper and security guards, no other woman had ever appeared in our home. Every week I flew back to keep him company, and it was always just me by his side. It was absolutely impossible for him to have an illegitimate daughter. “I personally saw my father off. The cremation certificate is right here with me; I never gave it to anyone.” I tried to make him understand the truth of the situation. But the property manager impatiently waved his hand: “We only look at the documents. If the documents are complete and the official seals are real, the procedure is legal.” “And besides, she even got the property deed. If she wasn’t his biological daughter, would your dad have given her the property deed?” The property deed? My heart sank heavily. No, the property deed for this house should clearly be in my father’s safe abroad; I put it there with my own hands. How could this be? Seeing my hesitation, a staff member nearby also laughed: “So, you see, rather than considering whether we got the wrong person, you’d be better off thinking about your own family issues.” “I’ve seen plenty of drama with rich families like yours.” “On the surface, everything looks calm and peaceful, but underneath, there’s always some dirty laundry. They just keep it tightly hidden from you kids.” “Maybe,” he paused, a hint of mockery in his eyes, “you, the one who stays abroad all year round, are the one who isn’t recognized?” “Now that the real deal has come back to take what’s hers, you’re the one left in the dark.” These words stabbed into my heart like a knife. I trembled with anger, the blood rushing straight to my head. “You’re spouting nonsense!” I instinctively took a few steps forward. I absolutely will not allow anyone to speak of my father this way. “What are you doing?” Seeing me close in, he finally got scared. “Hit a nerve, did I? You’re so angry and humiliated you want to get physical?” Several property staff around us looked over, pointing and whispering. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. Anger won’t solve the problem. The priority is to figure out what’s going on. “That girl,” I suppressed the choke in my throat, trying to ask as calmly as possible, “What is her name?” The property manager flipped through the registration records without looking up: “I think it’s… Chloe Sterling.” I froze in place, as if struck by lightning. Chloe Sterling. That is my name. “You said her name is… Chloe Sterling?” I couldn’t believe my ears. “Yeah, Chloe Sterling. That’s the name registered, and the social security number matches too…” He finally looked up at me as he spoke, seemingly startled by my reaction. “What’s wrong?” What’s wrong? Someone stole my name, my identity, and after my father passed away, stole his house. A chill shot from the soles of my feet straight to the top of my head. I immediately pulled out my ID card and slammed it on the desk in front of him. “Look closely! I am Chloe Sterling! My ID card, my passport, they’re all right here!” The manager picked up my ID card, comparing it against the records in the system, and his face slowly changed. “This… this is impossible…” he muttered to himself, his eyes darting back and forth between me and the photo on his phone. “The ID she provided at the time… the information was exactly the same as yours!” Exactly the same? She even duplicated my ID information? It seems this isn’t just simple identity theft anymore; this is a meticulously planned fraud. 2 I instinctively pulled out my phone to call the police. My finger was already on the ‘9’, but I suddenly stopped. No. Right now is the most sensitive time for the transfer of equity in our family’s company. The slightest breeze could shake the stock price. If news broke out now that “the identity of the sole heiress to the Sterling family was stolen and her property defrauded,” who knows what kind of drama those covetous shareholders and competitors would fabricate. I took a deep breath and shoved the phone back into my pocket. I have to investigate this myself first. I turned to the property manager, trying to keep my tone even: “Could you please give me the contact information for that Chloe Sterling?” I need a face-to-face confrontation. Upon hearing this, the last bit of residual embarrassment on the manager’s face vanished instantly, replaced by a bureaucratic expression: “Ms. Sterling, that’s against the rules.” “The personal information of our homeowners is strictly confidential. How can I just give it to you?” “She’s impersonating me!” “You say she’s impersonating you, so she is?” The manager smiled without his eyes reaching his smile. “Where’s the proof? Just your word?” “What if you’re the imposter? How would we explain that to the real owner?” His twisting of the truth made my chest tight with anger. Looking at my livid face, he suddenly lowered his voice, leaned in closer, with a look that suggested he was enjoying the show: “Unless… you can prove that the documents she provided are fake.” “Otherwise, with nothing but empty words, it’s very difficult for us.” Documents— Right, the property deed. The original property deed is in my dad’s safe abroad; there’s no way that imposter has it. As long as I produce the original, won’t everything be clear? “You wait here!” I immediately took out my phone, found Aunt Mary’s number, and dialed. Aunt Mary was the caregiver who had looked after my dad for several years. She’s very reliable and has been helping to manage his affairs and sort out his residence abroad. The call connected quickly. “Aunt Mary, it’s me, Chloe.” I tried to make my voice sound less frantic. “I need a favor. Could you please go to my dad’s study right now and open the black safe? The passcode is my birthday.” “Inside, there’s a brown property deed for the apartment in the complex back home. Once you find it, take a picture and send it to me immediately. It’s extremely urgent.” There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, followed by Aunt Mary’s hesitant and confused voice: “Chloe… that property deed… isn’t it long gone?” My heart sank heavily: “Gone? What do you mean?” “About… about two months ago, Mr. Sterling, your father, he asked me to take that brown booklet out of the safe. He said it was needed.” “Later… later I never saw it put back. His mind wasn’t very clear at the time, and I specifically asked about it. He said he had disposed of it… I thought you knew about this…” Disposed of it? My dad disposed of the original property deed? I stood frozen, holding the phone, my ears buzzing. Two months ago was exactly when my dad’s condition rapidly deteriorated and his consciousness was slipping in and out. How could… The property manager nearby had clearly heard the conversation. The last bit of uncertainty on his face disappeared, replaced by a mocking “I knew it” expression. “Heh,” he chuckled lightly. “Ms. Sterling, the situation is very clear now. Regardless of whether she impersonated you or not, the property deed was absolutely handed to her personally by your father.” “It seems you, the heiress who stays abroad all year round, are the one truly left in the dark.” “Shut up!” I snapped my head toward him, my voice trembling from the effort of suppressing my anger. “It’s not what you say!” “Whether it is or isn’t, this is how it looks right now.” The manager threw his hands up, looking as if he couldn’t be bothered to argue further. “Her paperwork is complete, her IDs are real, and even you, the legitimate daughter, can’t produce the original document to refute it. I’d say, just accept it. If you make a big deal out of it, who knows who will end up losing face.” Accept it? Why should I? During the final days my dad lay in his hospital bed, holding my hand, he repeatedly told me to take good care of this family. How could he possibly get rid of something so important and give it to someone I don’t even know? And using my information, no less. An icy rage flared up from the bottom of my heart, instantly engulfing my entire body. Aunt Mary was still on the phone: “Hello? Chloe? Are you still there?” I hung up the phone directly. 3 No time to waste on him. “Move.” I stared at the door of what was supposed to be my home and said to the property manager. “What are you trying to do? I’m warning you, don’t do anything crazy!” He spread his arms to block me. I couldn’t be bothered with him and kicked the door right next to the lock. With a loud clang, the massive sound echoed through the hallway. “You’re crazy!” The manager shrieked, pulling out his phone. “I’m calling the police!” “Call them.” I looked back at him, my tone threatening. “It’ll be perfect for the police to see how your property management assisted an unidentified person in completing a property transfer while the owner’s death certificate and cremation certificate are highly questionable.” I took a step forward, closing in on him: “My name is Chloe Sterling. My ID is right here.” “If you call the police, the first thing they’ll verify is my identity.” “If it’s proven that I am the real one, do you think the accusation that your property management’s negligence caused massive losses to the owner won’t stick to you?” His finger paused on the keypad. “I’ll give you three choices right now.” I enunciated every word. “One, you immediately, right this second, contact that imposter and tell her to come here so we can confront each other face-to-face.” “Two, you call the police, and then wait for my legal team to sue your property management company for dereliction of duty and defamation.” “Three, let me keep kicking the door.” “Choose.” These words definitely served as a deterrent. His face changed colors several times, his eyes darting evasively. Finally, the man gritted his teeth, put his phone away, and scrolled through his contacts. “Fine, fine, I’ll call! You deal with this yourselves!” He stepped aside to make the call, keeping his voice very low. I stood there, my palms sweating slightly from kicking the door and the tense standoff. My heart was drumming in my chest. Not long after, the elevator chimed. A girl wearing a beige trench coat and carrying an exquisite handbag walked out. Seeing the scuff marks on the door and me standing in front of it, a fleeting look of surprise crossed her face, but she quickly regained her composure. It was the person from the photo. Up close, her face looked even more like mine, except there was a shrewdness and calculation between her brows that I would never possess. The property manager greeted her like a savior: “Ms. Sterling, look at this…” The girl raised a hand to cut him off, her gaze falling on me. She looked me up and down, a half-smile playing on her lips: “So you’re the one… impersonating me?” The blood rushed to my head. “I’m impersonating you?” I took a step forward, staring her down. Wow, quite the gaslighter. “You’re clearly the one impersonating me!” “I am the real Chloe Sterling! Who the hell are you?” As if she’d heard a funny joke, she let out a soft laugh, turned to the property manager, and spoke with a tone of helplessness and grievance: “Manager Zhang, look at this. Are scammers all this self-righteous nowadays?” “My father, David Sterling, only has me as his daughter. He left this house to me, perfectly legal and compliant.” “This person inexplicably comes here to damage my property and slander my identity. Shouldn’t you ask her to leave?” “Bullshit!” I was so angry I cursed. “My dad only has one daughter! I just got back from overseas!” “Oh? Is that so?” She raised an eyebrow, unhurriedly taking her phone out of her handbag and swiping the screen open. “Talk is cheap. You say you’re Chloe Sterling, where’s the proof?” I immediately pulled out my wallet, took out my ID card and my passport, and slammed them onto the nearby fire hydrant: “Look closely!” She merely glanced at them, her expression completely unbothered. Instead, she took out her own ID card and placed it next to my documents. “What a coincidence, my name is also Chloe Sterling. And,” she paused, looking at me meaningfully, “my ID is real and can be verified in the system.” I looked at that ID card. The name, the number, the address… it was exactly the same as my information! She even duplicated this? “Documents can be forged!” I forced down my shock, took out my phone, and pulled up photos of my father and me from recent years, especially the ones of me staying by his bedside during his treatments abroad. “These, these prove our father-daughter relationship. Look closely.” She leaned in to look. Instead of panic, a “just as I thought” expression appeared on her face. Then she opened her own phone’s photo album, which startlingly revealed even more, highly casual photos— Photos of her and my father walking in the neighborhood from behind, scenes of them eating in the living room at home, and even pictures of her linking arms with him while shopping at the supermarket downstairs. “You prepared quite well,” she sneered, her tone pitying. “Good Photoshop skills.” “Too bad fake can’t become real.” As our argument escalated, more and more people gathered around. Yet she didn’t panic at all. Instead, she smiled at a few neighbors: “Uncles and Aunts, you’ve seen me around. I’m the one who always comes and goes with my dad, right?” “Have you ever seen this person who just popped out of nowhere?” An auntie carrying a grocery basket immediately chimed in: “Yes, yes, we see old David’s daughter all the time, it’s this girl right here!” Another older gentleman nodded: “That’s right, little Chloe is very filial, always coming back to keep old David company.” I felt like I had plunged into an ice cavern, my whole body turning cold. They actually all know her? She actually lived in this neighborhood under the identity of Chloe Sterling for this long? And I, being abroad, knew absolutely nothing. How long has this conspiracy been planned? “Did you hear that?” The fake Chloe’s voice carried the smugness of a victor. “The masses have sharp eyes.” “I am David Sterling’s only daughter, Chloe Sterling.” With her few words, the neighbors grew indignant. They all demanded that I be kicked out. But right at that moment, a crucial piece of evidence flashed in my mind. The company. Yes, exactly! Like clutching at straws, I said: “Since you stole my identity, you should know that my dad is the founder of Sterling Corp.” “If you have the guts, come with me to the company.” “We’ll soon find out what’s true and what’s fake.” I thought she would panic. But she just looked at me quietly for a few seconds, and then a strange, almost cruel smile appeared on her face. “The company?” She slowly pulled out a card from the inner pocket of her trench coat and waved it in front of my eyes— It was an executive access card for the Sterling Group, bearing her photo and the name: Chloe Sterling. “You mean Sterling Corp,” she put the card away, crossed her arms, and looked at me with an air of absolute composure, her eyes full of provocation. “Perfect, let’s go together then.” “Let everyone in the company see whether they recognize you—” She paused, her smile widening. “Or me.” 4 I drove straight to the Sterling Group, founded by my father. The fake Chloe drove her flashy red sports car, following unhurriedly behind me. All the way there, my knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so tightly. The company was my final stronghold. There were uncles and “uncles” who had watched me grow up, veterans who had fought alongside my father to build the empire. They would never mistake someone else for me. As soon as we entered the company lobby, the receptionist saw me, paused for a moment, and then flashed a professional smile: “Hello, who are you looking for?” She actually didn’t recognize me immediately. Well, I went abroad in high school, and over the years, when I occasionally came back, I went straight to the top-floor office, rarely lingering downstairs. Before I could speak, the fake Chloe had already walked over with a composed posture, smiling warmly at the receptionist: “Morning, Chen.” “Good morning, Ms. Sterling!” The receptionist immediately responded respectfully. What is going on! How is she so familiar with this place too!? Could it be!? An ominous feeling rose in me. No time to think. The fake Chloe turned to me, her voice not loud, but enough for the employees nearby with perked ears to hear clearly: “Didn’t you want to come up for a confrontation? Let’s go.” We walked straight to the executive elevator. As the elevator doors opened, we ran right into a department manager coming out with a cup of coffee. Seeing the two of us, he clearly froze, almost spilling his coffee. “Uncle Wang,” I immediately called out to him. He was my dad’s driver in the early days of the startup, later moved to administration. You could say he watched me grow up. Uncle Wang looked at me, then at the one beside me, opened his mouth, his face full of confusion: “Chloe? What are you guys…” “Good morning, Uncle Wang,” the fake Chloe beat me to it, smiling incredibly naturally. “It’s nothing, just ran into someone with… a little misunderstanding.” As she spoke, she even shook her head helplessly at me. Uncle Wang looked at her, then at me, his brows tightly furrowed. Finally, he just mumbled vaguely: “Oh, oh, okay, you… you go about your business.” Then he hurried away with his coffee. My heart sank halfway. Even Uncle Wang didn’t dare to recognize me immediately? Next, we ran into Director Lee from the finance department, one of the company veterans. “Uncle Lee!” Hope reignited within me. Uncle Lee pushed up his glasses, his gaze sweeping back and forth between me and the fake Chloe. After a long while, he hesitantly asked: “Are you… Chloe?” “Uncle Lee, it’s me.” I quickly took a step forward. The fake Chloe also spoke up at the same time, her tone carrying an intimate complaint: “Uncle Lee, what’s wrong with your memory? We just had a meeting together last week.” A flash of embarrassment crossed Director Lee’s face. He looked at her and then at me, finally sighing: “Getting old, my eyesight is bad. The two of you are… just too alike. But…” he looked at the fake Chloe, “It was indeed you at the meeting last week, I remember.” A few employees gradually gathered around, their whispers growing louder. “Why are there two Ms. Sterlings?” “Yeah, they look too much alike!” “The one in the back looks like she just came back from overseas?” “But the one in front comes to the company often. She used to come all the time when Mr. Sterling was around…” Facing the scrutiny of the crowd, the fake Chloe didn’t show the slightest stage fright. Instead, she smiled and greeted a few familiar middle-management staff, calling them “Brother Zhang” and “Sister Liu,” sounding incredibly familiar. Those whose names she called instinctively nodded in response, while the looks they directed at me were full of scrutiny and suspicion. I stood isolated and unsupported in the center of the crowd, feeling like a clown who had accidentally wandered onto someone else’s turf. Just then, a stern voice rang out: “What are you all gathering here for? Don’t you have work to do?” The crowd immediately parted to make a path. It was my uncle, Michael Sterling, the Vice President of the company, my father’s biological younger brother. He’s here! I instantly saw a savior. My nose stung, and I almost burst into tears. This is my dad’s biological younger brother. During the later stages of my dad’s treatment abroad, it was basically my uncle handling all the major and minor affairs of the company. He also single-handedly managed my father’s funeral and saw with his own eyes how heartbroken I was. He could never make a mistake! “Uncle!” I called him, choking back a sob, and was about to step forward. The fake Chloe also spoke up at the same time, her voice carrying a perfectly measured trace of grievance: “Uncle, you’re here.” Michael Sterling’s gaze swept over the two of us, his brows tightly furrowed, his face terrifyingly gloomy. He first looked at me, with scrutiny and… a hint of imperceptible coldness? My heart skipped a beat; a bad premonition arose. Then, he turned to the fake Chloe, his tone softening a bit, carrying reassurance: “Chloe, what’s going on? Making all this noise, what does it look like.” He called her Chloe?! He walked towards the fake Chloe! I stiffened instantly, my blood seemingly freezing in my veins. “Uncle! I am the real Chloe! Look closely!” I couldn’t hold it back any longer and yelled at him. Michael Sterling finally rested his gaze formally on me. There was not a shred of familiarity or intimacy in those eyes, only complete strangeness and annoyance. He spoke in a deep voice to the employees who had rushed over upon hearing the news: “Everyone, Chloe is away all year round, and there will always be people with ulterior motives trying to exploit loopholes and pass themselves off as her.” He raised his hand, pointing at me mercilessly, his voice absolutely resolute: “Who exactly are you?” The faces of those veteran shareholders turned pale. They exchanged glances, and when they looked back at me, their gazes had instantly changed from hesitation to sharp accusation and anger. “Actually trying to run a scam inside the company!” “Where is security?! Throw her out!” “The audacity, daring to impersonate Mr. Sterling’s daughter!” The fake Chloe stood beside my uncle, her head slightly lowered, but at an angle unseen by the crowd, the corners of her mouth curled into a cold, victorious sneer. I stared blankly at my uncle, looking at his familiar yet foreign face, looking at his firm stance in defending that imposter. The whole world seemed to be spinning, collapsing. How could… this happen?

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394790”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Five years after my death, my parents scoured the world, searching for me like madmen. On national television, they tearfully recounted how I had supposedly eloped with a man. They proclaimed that they had forgiven me and pleaded for me to come home immediately. Three days after their public plea, there was still no word from me. Unable to find me, my parents showed up at my ex-boyfriend’s house instead. “Where is Chloe? Tell her to get out here!” “Mia is her biological sister! Donating one kidney isn’t too much to ask, is it?!” So, it was for my sister again… But Mom, Dad. I died five years ago, on the very night you kicked me out. … I floated behind my parents, watching them brazenly smash their way into my ex-boyfriend’s house. Upon entering, my dad plopped himself onto the sofa like he owned the place. He started yelling into the empty air: “Chloe, don’t think we don’t know you’re hiding here.” “You ungrateful daughter. Your mother and I have been looking for you for so long, and you haven’t made a single sound.” “Your sister Mia is sick. You give your sister a kidney, and we’ll let the past go.” Seeing that I didn’t obediently appear, my mom turned to the reporters they had brought along and said: “This older daughter of mine has been disobedient since she was little. She’s incredibly selfish.” “She ran off with a man when she was twenty and never came back. She completely humiliated me and my husband.” Listening to their words, my heart felt like it was being sliced by knives. Only at this moment did I realize that even after you die, you can still feel heartbreak. My sister and I are twins. But because my sister was smaller and weaker when we were born, my parents favored her in everything. Since I was little, my mom would tell me: “You stole your sister’s nutrients in the womb, so you have to yield to her for the rest of your life.” And yield I did, for my entire life. At eighteen, I scored a near-perfect 1550 on my SATs. I received an acceptance letter from the top university in the country, Harvard. But a single tear from my sister softened my parents’ hearts. They took my acceptance letter. My dad said: “Your sister’s health is poor; she can’t do heavy physical labor in the future. Let her go to college in your place.” “Your mother and I have discussed it. Tomorrow, you’ll go to the factory with your mom to work.” I refused. But the consequence of my refusal was my parents teaming up to lock me in the basement. For those few days, I screamed for help in the basement, but no one answered. No matter how much I begged, they remained unmoved. It wasn’t until the university semester started and my sister had registered in my place that my mom finally let me out. She said coldly: “This is what you owe Mia.” Five years ago, I was twenty. My mom heard that the factory owner was looking for a wife for his son. The matchmaker offered a three-thousand-dollar finder’s fee and a twenty-eight-thousand-dollar dowry. The two of them calculated the sum and were tempted. They tricked me into attending an engagement party. It was only when I arrived that I realized the person getting engaged was me. The owner’s son was thirty-eight at the time and had Down syndrome. Countless matchmakers had failed. But my parents had the cruelty to force me to marry a man with severe cognitive disabilities. I made a huge scene on the spot. The result of my rebellion was my dad slapping me across the face in front of everyone. Seeing this, the factory owner took his son and left. Seeing their scheme fall through, my parents were furious. “You useless thing! Marrying into the Smith family means a life of luxury for you.” “If you won’t marry him, then get out! Stop freeloading in this house!” That day, there was a torrential downpour, and I was locked out by my so-called family. Their family of three was cozy and harmonious inside. While I was locked outside, drenched by the rain until I couldn’t even open my eyes. No matter how much I begged them, they remained unmoved. My phone was ruined by the rain, and my only pocket change had long been taken by my mom to buy my sister the newest iPhone. I wandered away in the rain, lost and despondent. Only to be hit and sent flying by a speeding truck less than a few blocks from home. I died on the spot. The police contacted my family that day, but my parents thought I was just playing another trick. They hung up less than two seconds after the call connected. My mom said: “Serves her right if she dies. I don’t have a daughter like her.” In the end, it was my boyfriend, Ethan, who handled my funeral arrangements. I looked at Ethan. For a moment, I felt a bit dazed. I actually hadn’t seen him in a long time. Right now, he was clearly infuriated by my parents. He pointed at them and said: “You are trespassing! I’m calling the cops!” My dad lunged forward and snatched Ethan’s phone right out of his hand. He grabbed Ethan by the collar and demanded: “Where is Chloe? Where are you hiding her?” Ethan lost his temper too. He shoved my dad away and said angrily: “Chloe isn’t here. Get the hell out.” My parents exchanged a glance. My dad immediately pretended to be pushed over by Ethan, falling to the floor. My mom started wailing at the top of her lungs: “Oh, George, to think you’d be bullied at your age!” “What kind of monster did I give birth to? An ungrateful daughter ordering her man to bully her parents!” Ethan had never seen such a spectacle and was instantly at a loss for what to do. My mom looked up, glaring viciously at Ethan, and said: “If you don’t find Chloe for me today, I’ll go make a scene at your workplace tomorrow.” “If you’re not afraid of losing your job and being too ashamed to show your face, go ahead and keep helping that ungrateful daughter.” Ethan sighed helplessly, finally telling the truth: “Chloe is dead. She died five years ago.” Chapter 2 I floated in front of my mom, staring intently into her eyes. I was terrified of missing even the slightest change in her expression. I wanted to know if they would feel even a sliver of guilt upon learning of my death. Hearing Ethan’s words, my mom’s movements paused for a second. But immediately after, her attention was drawn to a notification on her phone. “Mom, did you find my sister? Is she still resenting me? Does she not want to save me?” This single message cast all her hesitation to the wind. She was absolutely certain that I had colluded with Ethan to trick them. “Mia, don’t worry. No matter what, Mom will bring your sister to the hospital today.” “Don’t overthink things. Just rest well.” I watched her rapidly type out a reply to my sister. Then, using an impatient tone, she said: “Chloe, she’s really getting too big for her britches. Now she’s even learned to play dead.” “Did she find out Mia is sick and intentionally hid because she doesn’t want to donate her kidney?” “Tell her to come out right now. We don’t have the time to play games with her.” I smiled self-deprecatingly. What was I still hoping for? A flash of astonishment crossed Ethan’s eyes. “You think I’m lying to you?” My mom sneered: “I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice, kid. Do you think I don’t see through your little tricks?” “Chloe told you to do this, didn’t she? That worthless brat has been full of schemes since she was little.” Ethan said in disbelief: “Why would I lie about something like this? Chloe was in a car accident five years ago…” My dad slammed his hand on the table, cutting Ethan off. “Shut up!” His face was livid, his eyes as cold as knives. “Chloe, that selfish, ungrateful daughter. She didn’t listen to us back then and eloped with a man at such a young age.” “Now her sister is sick, and not only is she refusing to save her, but she’s also getting people to put on an act. This is sheer rebellion.” “I gave her life! I need her kidney, what right does she have to refuse!” My dad paced back and forth in the living room, fuming. Suddenly, as if he spotted something, he charged toward the bedroom. Ethan tried to stop him but was held back tightly by the others. Seeing the vanity table in the bedroom, my dad flew into a rage. “And you still say Chloe is dead? Aren’t these Chloe’s things?” He kicked the vanity table viciously, sending the cosmetics crashing to the floor in a clatter. “Ah!” Just then, a woman’s scream came from inside the room. Chapter 3 Hearing the woman’s voice, my mom smiled smugly. She sneered at Ethan: “Did you and Chloe really think your little tricks could fool us?” With that, she swaggered grandly toward the bedroom. I stared blankly in the direction of the room. Seeing this, Ethan panicked. He fought desperately to break free from the hold, grabbed a broom from the floor, and charged over. “If you lay another hand on her, don’t blame me for what happens next.” He gripped the broom tightly, shielding the woman behind him. My mom’s face instantly darkened, her gaze as sharp as a blade. “Chloe, you’ve gotten bold. You won’t even listen to me and your dad anymore.” “We just want you to donate a kidney, and you act like we’re asking for your life.” “Hurry up and come with us to the hospital. If you delay and something happens to your sister, I’ll skin you alive.” The woman shrieked in terror: “Who are you?! Who is Chloe?” “You want a kidney? Help! Organ traffickers are trying to steal my kidney!” In a panic, she grabbed things from the nightstand and threw them wildly. “You animal, how dare you hit me!” Furious, my mom was about to strike back. But the moment she saw the woman’s face, she froze. “Who are you?” The woman slammed her hand on the table, her breath practically shooting sparks. She cursed angrily: “You break into my house, smash my things, beat me, and then ask me who I am?!” “You lunatics, are you tired of living and want to go to jail?!” My gaze rested on the woman. I knew who she was. Her name was Jessica, Ethan’s girlfriend. In the third year after my death, Ethan met her. I watched with my own eyes as Ethan slowly fell for her. My heart was a jumble of emotions. I should be happy for him because he had stepped out from the shadow of my death. But beneath the happiness, there was an unspeakable sense of loss. I knew it was time for me to leave. After that, I became a wandering, homeless ghost. At this moment, Ethan was awkwardly explaining my parents’ identities to Jessica. After listening, Jessica let out a cold scoff: “Oh, I was wondering what kind of classless people these were. Turns out they’re the scum who drove their own biological daughter to her death.” My mom looked back and forth between Jessica and Ethan, full of doubt and uncertainty. Just then, another voice message from my sister came through her phone. “Mom, I’m so scared all by myself. When are you coming back?” “Is my sister unwilling to donate her kidney to me? Am I going to die?” My sister’s crying completely washed away my mom’s reason. She grabbed Jessica by the hair, her face contorted fiercely. “Fine, Chloe must have hired this woman, thinking we’d believe this act.” “Let me tell you, if Chloe doesn’t come out today, neither you nor this woman will have a good end.” Seeing Jessica being hit, Ethan quickly stepped in to help. Hearing my mom’s shouts, the others all joined the fray. “Stop hitting! Stop fighting!” I hurriedly stood between Ethan and Jessica. But the fists passed right through me and landed on them. Ethan and Jessica were pinned to the floor by the group. My mom stood in front of Ethan, looking down at him imperiously. “How much did Chloe promise you to put on this show?” “Are you still going to be stubborn now?” Her tone was full of contempt and mockery. The next second, her voice became suddenly stern: “Speak! Where is Chloe?” Ethan looked at the people in front of him and suddenly laughed. “Fine. I’ll take you to find Chloe.” Chapter 4 Hearing this, my mom was finally satisfied. “If you had just said that earlier, things would have been so much easier.” She signaled for the others to release Ethan and Jessica. Ethan rushed to Jessica’s side, holding her and asking nervously: “Are you okay?” Jessica shook her head. “I’m fine.” My mom looked at them with disdain: “Tsk tsk, so you two really do have something going on.” “Chloe, that idiot. She gave up the good marriage her father and I found for her just for you. She must be regretting it now.” “What a useless thing, can’t even keep her own man.” I stood numbly in place, listening to her cold mockery. “Hurry up and move. The car is right downstairs.” My dad pushed Ethan out the door. Jessica stared at their retreating backs and spat a mouthful of bloody saliva. “Ptoey! If I don’t sue you for every penny you have, my name isn’t Jessica!” Following Ethan’s directions, my dad drove the car incredibly fast. I floated behind their car, almost failing to keep up. Watching the increasingly familiar road, a wave of doubt rose in my dad’s heart. “You’re not tricking me, are you, kid? This isn’t the road to my house.” A mocking smile appeared on Ethan’s lips: “Don’t worry, Chloe is right there waiting for you.” The car finally parked at the foot of a hill not far from my house. Ethan pointed toward the top of the hill and said: “Chloe is right up there.” My mom’s vision went dark as she looked at the hill. “That damn girl, what is she doing running off to this godforsaken place for no reason?” “She’s doing this on purpose just to torment me and her dad.” “When I see her, just wait, I’m going to beat her to a pulp.” That might not go as you wish. I floated behind her, a mocking smirk curving my lips. Led by Ethan, the group quickly climbed to the top of the hill. My dad looked around the empty summit, grabbed Ethan by the collar, and demanded: “Where is she? Where is Chloe?” Ethan didn’t speak. His gaze fell straight onto the tombstone behind my dad. My dad followed his gaze. Seeing the words on the tombstone, my dad’s legs gave out, and he nearly collapsed. He stumbled over. With a trembling hand, he wiped the photo on the tombstone clean. The familiar face in the photo froze him to the spot. “George, what’s wrong?” Seeing that something was wrong with my dad, my mom also walked over. The moment her eyes fell on the tombstone, her eyes widened in shock. Chapter 5 The five words on the tombstone, “Tomb of Chloe Hayes,” pierced straight into my parents’ eyes. My mom froze instantly; her previous arrogance and domineering attitude vanished without a trace. Her legs went weak, and she slumped heavily in front of the cold tombstone. “Fake! This must be fake!” She screamed, her voice shrill. “Chloe, you ungrateful daughter! You intentionally made a fake tombstone to trick us, didn’t you?!” “Come out right now! Your sister is still waiting for your kidney to save her life!” My dad stood in place, the blood in his body seemingly drained in an instant. He stumbled a step forward, staring at my smiling face in the photo. It was a photo Ethan had secretly kept, taken on my eighteenth birthday, my eyes still carrying hopes for the future. He muttered to himself. “Impossible… How could she… She’s just angry with us and hiding…” Ethan stood to the side, his face devoid of any sympathy. He pulled out a stack of documents from his backpack. And threw them forcefully onto the ground in front of my parents. The papers scattered, the death certificate with its official seal on top glaringly obvious. “Fake?” He sneered. “Five years ago, on that stormy night, you locked her out and cursed that she deserved to die. Have you forgotten all of that?” He bent down and picked up a photo. It was the scene of the car accident, washed by the rain. Though blurry, the truck that hit me and the bloodstains on the ground were clearly visible. “She was kicked out by you, and before she even walked a mile, she was hit by a truck and died on the spot.” “This is the death certificate, this is the cremation certificate, and here are the police dispatch records. See for yourselves!” My mom glanced at the documents, her eyes darting away, afraid to look closely. Then she abruptly scrambled up from the ground, lunged at Ethan, and grabbed his collar tightly with both hands. “It’s all your fault! You caused her death! If you hadn’t seduced her back then, why would she have run away from the wedding?!” My dad stood to the side, still mechanically repeating the same words. “Impossible… Chloe wouldn’t die… She hasn’t given Mia her kidney yet…” Just then, my mom’s phone suddenly rang. The name “Mia” flashed on the screen. Like grasping at a lifeline, she instantly switched her demeanor, the ferocity fading from her face. “Mia, don’t cry, don’t cry, Mom found your sister!” As she spoke, she glared at Ethan, her eyes full of threats. “She just couldn’t think straight and hid for a bit. Mom is taking her to the hospital right now. Just wait a little longer, you’ll be having the surgery soon!” Hanging up the phone, her facade was instantly torn away, reverting to her selfish and mean self. She took a few steps, rushed in front of Ethan, pointed at his nose, and scolded. “Where did you bury Chloe’s ashes? Dig them up! Dig them up right now!” Ethan furrowed his brows tightly, his eyes full of disgust. “Are you crazy?” “I’m not crazy!” My mom screamed, a hysterical madness in her voice. “You say she’s dead, show me the proof! Dig her up and let me see!” “Otherwise, who knows if you colluded with her, intentionally trying to prevent her from donating a kidney to Mia!” I floated beside the tombstone, looking at her ugly face. My chest was filled with five years of accumulated resentment and grievance. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew up without warning. It whipped up the documents and fallen leaves from the ground, smashing them hard against my parents. They instinctively raised their arms to shield themselves, their hair blown into a mess. My mom’s screams were drowned out by the sound of the wind. I reached out my hand, wanting to touch them, wanting to ask them if they had felt even a shred of guilt all these years. But my hand passed right through their bodies, grasping nothing. I could only watch them helplessly. Watch my mom still throwing a tantrum, watch my dad still immersed in his own world, refusing to accept reality. Watch how, even now, they only cared about my sister’s kidney, having never truly cared whether I, their daughter, lived or died.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394789”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I was the unloved eldest daughter in my family. Ever since I was little, every sip of water, every bite of food I had at home was specifically recorded in a notebook by a servant. That notebook tallied how much I owed my billionaire parents. Over eighteen years, it totaled exactly $36,221.06. At our eighteenth birthday party, our parents smiled affectionately at me and my twin sister. “Here are two birthday gifts, one for each of you. It’s completely fair.” My sister opened her envelope to find countless company shares, luxury cars, a mansion… I calmly took the envelope in front of me. Opening it, I found exactly what I expected: a DNA test proving we had no blood relation, and a legal document severing all ties. My mom smiled coldly. “Chloe, don’t blame us for being heartless. Since you aren’t our biological daughter, you have to pay us back the cost of raising you for these seventeen years.” My dad gave a cold snort. “Starting today, you are a maid in this house. We’ll count your wages as $500 a month to pay off your debt. Room and board are not included.” I didn’t question them about how my sister and I were twins, sharing even the exact same birthmark on our hips, making it impossible for us not to be biologically related. Instead, I calmly nodded. Because last night, I overheard them at the door: My sister, holding our parents’ hands, acted spoiled. “Mommy, Daddy, my birthday wish is to be the only daughter of the Sterling family, to enjoy your exclusive love. Let my sister be a maid for a year, please?” My dad looked at her with absolute doting. “Alright, whatever you want.” My mom chimed in with a smile, “For this year, Mommy and Daddy belong only to our precious Mia.” … My sister, Mia, covered her mouth and gasped in feigned shock. “Sister, no wonder you’re so ugly. You look neither like Daddy nor Mommy. It turns out you really are a fake.” She yelled loudly and melodramatically. As if she completely forgot we were twins, bearing an eighty percent resemblance. “Oh no, you’re not my sister at all. You’re just some wild stray from who knows where.” The expression on my mom’s face was distant and cold. “Chloe, now that the truth is out and you’re not a Sterling, this birthday banquet is prepared solely for our precious daughter Mia. You have no right to be here.” I raised my eyes and looked at the triumphant Mia. Dressed in a custom princess gown, wearing a tiara worth the price of a mansion. Then I looked at myself, in a washed-out, faded shirt and jeans, the cuffs frayed. I smiled bitterly. The right. I never possessed it since I was a child. So how could I lose it? My dad raised his voice. “Starting today, move into the maid’s quarters. For the sake of our past relationship, until you find your biological parents, you’ll work here as a maid. I’ll count it as $500 a month, no room or board included, to pay us back for the cost of raising you these seventeen years.” The crowd whispered among themselves. Like a pathetic clown, amidst a sea of mocking and derisive stares, I bent down and picked up my backpack. Mia rushed over with incredible speed and yanked my backpack hard. The broken zipper, held together only by a safety pin, burst open immediately, its contents spilling all over the floor. Mia yelled, “Aha! I knew it. You actually stole things from our house.” Among the scattered books lay a single pink sanitary pad. My mom looked a bit uncomfortable. “Mia, forget it, it’s just a sanitary pad.” Mia immediately refused. “Mom, I’m the only daughter of the Sterling family now. What is she? She’s freeloaded off our family for so many years and even stole from us. If I say she doesn’t deserve it, she doesn’t deserve it.” Seeing her angry, my mom immediately coaxed her softly. “Alright, alright, don’t be angry, my precious. Whatever you say is right. You are Mommy’s only sweetheart now; you can do whatever you want.” Mia smugly stomped on it, grinding and twisting her foot. “Fine, I don’t want it now. It’s yours.” I stared at the sanitary pad covered in footprints, my throat feeling as if it were stuffed with wet cotton—heavy and suffocating. Chapter 2 In the end, I bent down and only picked up my books. After the banquet, I was led into the storage room by the nanny, Mrs. Zhang. It was a space of about fifty square feet, containing only a wooden plank bed piled with junk and a rusted iron window. Mrs. Zhang stood at the door, hesitating to speak. “Miss… Chloe, the Master and Madam remember your goodness. Once they think things through, you’ll still be the eldest miss of the Sterling family…” Before she finished, two cockroaches scuttled out from a corner and scurried away quickly. I pretended not to see the awkwardness on her face. “Thank you, I understand.” Mrs. Zhang shook her head and left. Muttering softly under her breath, “Looking so much alike, how could it not be… sigh…” I sat on the wooden plank bed, staring blankly into the pitch-black night outside the window. It’s okay. Just wait one more year, and I can leave forever. That night, my lower abdomen cramped terribly. Without a sanitary pad, I had to use wadded-up toilet paper. Coming out of the bathroom, I heard my parents talking in hushed tones. “Honey, do you think if we treat Chloe like this, she’ll hate us? She is our biological daughter after all.” My dad snorted coldly. “Who told her to always bully Mia? As the older sister, she doesn’t know how to yield to her younger sister at all. Making her suffer is for her own good.” “After a year, when Mia has had her fun, we’ll just make an excuse and say the DNA test was a mistake. When she regains her status as the eldest miss of the Sterling family, she’ll be too happy to complain.” My fingertips went cold. It felt absurd and ridiculous. What makes them think that after trampling me to pieces, I’ll still be obediently standing right where they left me, waiting for them? The next day, I went out to buy sanitary pads. At the checkout, I was told my balance was insufficient. But I clearly had two hundred dollars saved on my card. Returning to the villa and pushing open the door, the three people at the dining table were laughing and talking. There was a gift bag on the table. My mom was fondly stroking a silk scarf in her hands. “Our Mia is truly Mommy’s sweet little angel. She even knows how to give Mommy gifts now. Mommy is so happy.” My dad turned a plastic water bottle in his hands, unable to stop smiling. “Daddy loves his too. Truly my precious daughter.” Mia pouted, leaning against my mom’s shoulder. “But these two gifts only cost two hundred dollars. Mommy and Daddy won’t blame me for buying something so cheap, will you?” My mom shook her head immediately. “Of course not. As long as it’s from my precious, even a two-dollar gift is Mommy’s treasure.” My dad didn’t forget to demean me to comfort her. “Exactly. Unlike your sister, who only knows how to spend the family’s money and has never bought us a gift. She’s just an ungrateful wretch; how could she compare to my Mia…” Noticing my return, they immediately stopped talking. Mia tilted her head to look at me, smiling maliciously. That two hundred dollars. It was the living expenses I had saved up for two months. It was all the money I had. I felt a chill all over. Something in my brain suddenly exploded. By the time I reacted, I had already grabbed Mia and raised my hand. But before the slap could land, I was kicked away by my dad. My spine crashed into the sharp corner of the coffee table. The pain made my vision go black. Mia held up her arm, which had a small red mark. Crying as if the sky had fallen, “Mommy, Daddy, it hurts so much! Is my arm broken?” My mom yelled frantically, “Quick, call an ambulance!” My dad said hurriedly, “No time for an ambulance, I’ll drive Mia to the hospital myself.” Mia pointed at me lying on the floor. “I don’t want to take the car. This wild stray hurt me, so I want her to carry me to the hospital on her back.” Chapter 3 The nearest hospital to the villa was over twelve miles away. My mom looked at me with cold eyes. “You fatherless, motherless thing. We fed you and clothed you well for over ten years, and you dare to lay a hand on my biological daughter. We’ll do exactly as Mia says.” Seeing that I couldn’t get up for a long time, my dad grabbed me and hauled me up. “Stop faking it. It was just a light bump. Hurry up and carry Mia to the hospital. If you delay my daughter’s treatment, believe it or not, I’ll throw you out of the Sterling family right now.” I believed it. But I couldn’t leave just yet. I had no choice but to carry Mia on my back, stumbling on foot towards the hospital. My dad drove slowly, keeping pace right behind me. He kept yelling, “Chloe, you better carry her properly. If you dare drop my precious daughter, I’ll skin you alive.” My mom frowned and complained, “Walk faster, didn’t you eat? Don’t delay my baby’s treatment.” Mia, resting on my back, smiled triumphantly. “See that? In this family, no one loves you at all! You’re just an unwanted, mangy dog.” Such words, in the past, would have easily stung me. But now, perhaps having accumulated too much pain, I had become numb to it. Seeing I had no reaction, Mia stopped talking too. But just as we were nearing the hospital, the safety pin she had hidden in her pocket stabbed deeply into my back. I stumbled in pain, falling flat onto the ground. My parents immediately pulled the car over, ran over quickly, picked up Mia who was pressing down on me, and rushed towards the hospital. Following behind, my mom glanced back at my deathly pale face. She impatiently tossed out, “You’re already at the hospital, go find a doctor yourself. We don’t have time to deal with you.” In the end, I didn’t enter the hospital either. Because I had no money. Without the strength to walk back, I sat on the hospital steps until night fell before returning to the villa. They were already back. Standing in the villa was also a cowering, filthy middle-aged couple. “You’re back just in time.” My dad pointed at the man and woman. “These are your biological parents. Go with them right now.” The air was dead silent. My mom walked over and took my hand, but her eyes avoided mine. “Chloe, we were mother and daughter after all, and I’m very sad too. Since your biological parents have been found, there’s no reason for you to leech off the Sterling family anymore.” I originally thought I wouldn’t cry anymore. But tears still uncontrollably soaked my face. These were the parents I had kept in my heart for over a decade, viewing them as heavily as life itself. Yet they wouldn’t even allow me to stay in this house, even if it were just in a tiny corner. My mom felt guilty seeing my tears. She reached out to wipe them away, but Mia linked arms with her. “Sister, congratulations! You’re finally not a fatherless, motherless stray anymore.” Seeing this, the middle-aged woman standing to the side hurriedly grabbed my hand. Her dirt-encrusted fingernails dug into my flesh as she wailed melodramatically. “My daughter! Mom has finally found you! Come home with Mom quickly.” The man claiming to be my biological father dragged me towards the door. “Yes, yes, yes. Let’s go home quickly. We’ve troubled Mr. and Mrs. Sterling for so many years already, we absolutely cannot overstay our welcome.” “Wait.” Mia rolled her eyes, smiling brightly. “Sister, finding your biological parents is such a big deal. It wouldn’t make sense not to kneel down, kowtow, and acknowledge them, right? Or is it that you despise your parents for being poor and look down on them from the bottom of your heart?” I froze, turning to look at my mom and dad. “Do you also think I should kowtow and acknowledge them?” Chapter 4 They instinctively avoided my gaze. Mia kept urging, “Hurry up and kneel, we’re all watching.” I smiled. Something inside me shattered completely at this moment. I knelt down, but I kowtowed heavily towards my mom and dad. “The bond of parent and child ends here. From now on, I have absolutely no relationship with the Sterling family.” My parents exchanged a glance, both seeing a trace of unease in each other’s eyes. But I had already stood up and left with my “biological parents.” My mom chased after us, shouting with false bravado, “We’re not even unless… unless you return all the money spent on you over these past dozen years.” I stopped walking but didn’t look back. I replied softly, “Okay.” They thought they had spent a lot of money on me over the years. But they forgot. The daughter who was favored, the one who was raised in luxury with lots and lots of money, was Mia. And I only had an allowance of three hundred dollars a month. And I even had to be exploited by Mia, who got thirty thousand a month. If I didn’t give it to her, she would go home and cry. Saying that I banded together with classmates at school to isolate and bully her. I was locked in solitary confinement and starved countless times. Even on a night of torrential rain, because Mia said I was driving her to the point where she couldn’t live anymore. I stood in the rain all night. With a high fever of 104 degrees, no one cared. From childhood to adulthood, it was always like this. One sentence from Mia could decide my right or wrong, my happiness, my life, and even my dignity. My defense, my tears, my grievances. In this family, they were worthless. Just like me as a person. Very cheap. That night, I moved into my “biological parents’” rental apartment in the slums. Because there was no spare room or blankets, I could only curl up in the single bathroom for the night. The windows, patched with newspaper, were dilapidated and constantly let in the cold wind. The next day, I was groggy with a high fever. In my hazy consciousness, I heard the woman’s anxious voice on the phone. “Mr. Sterling, Mrs. Sterling, the l-little… the young miss has a high fever, it’s already 104 degrees.” “Then what are you waiting for? Hurry and take her to the hospital!” The phone on the other end was on speaker, and Mia’s voice came through clearly. “Mommy, Daddy. Sister only left last night, and today she has a high fever. There’s no such coincidence. It must be a trick to test you guys. You’ll only fall for it if you believe her.” After a long silence, my dad’s cold voice sounded, “Leave her be. She said it herself, she has nothing to do with us anymore. Let this ungrateful wretch learn her lesson well.” My mom was full of impatience, “She’s your daughter now. Don’t call us if it’s nothing important. We still have to take our precious daughter on a trip around the world. Hanging up.” No one cared about me anymore. I was abandoned in that neglected rental apartment. Desperately prying open the front door and crawling out into the hallway, I couldn’t hold on any longer and passed out. When I opened my eyes again, there was only a nurse by the bed. “Little girl, you’re finally awake. 107 degrees. If a kind passerby hadn’t brought you to the hospital, you would have been in danger if you were ten minutes later.” “Alright, hurry up and contact your family to come over, and pay the bill while you’re at it.” I was silent for a long time, my voice very soft. “I don’t have any money, and I don’t have any family.” The nurse was stunned. I stared at the IV tube on the back of my hand and pursed my dry lips, “But, I have blood.” After school started, I became a high school senior. I started running errands for classmates: getting food, delivering packages. One dollar per run. I could save over twenty dollars a day.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394788”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel