The package arrived on our seventh wedding anniversary. Inside, I found a customized USB drive from my wife, Seraphina. “Most cherished memories with my beloved,” the label read. A warm smile touched my lips. I was touched, thinking she had compiled moments from our life together. But when I plugged it into the projector, the screen filled with a horrifying scene: Seraphina tangling with her young assistant, Jax Sterling, in her office. My blood ran cold. Just then, my phone buzzed with a message from Seraphina. “Honey, I sent a business document home by mistake. Please don’t open it. I’m sending Jax to pick it up right away!” My breath hitched, and the world spun. A sliver of hope, a desperate wish that I was wrong, had clung to me. Seraphina’s text message, was a nail in the coffin, confirming the brutal reality of what I’d just witnessed on screen. I didn’t reply instantly, as I usually would. Moments later, Seraphina’s FaceTime call came through. “Hey, hubby! Your sweet wife sent you a message, why aren’t you replying?” “Spill it, are you secretly planning some anniversary surprise behind my back?” Seraphina’s voice was light, playfully teasing, and her smile was as radiant as ever. She looked completely normal, utterly unchanged. But inside me, my blood was slowly turning to ice. I had no idea how to face this woman I had loved deeply for over a decade. “Honey, you look a little pale. Have you been working too much lately?” Her tone softened, her eyes full of what looked like genuine concern. “Just relax at home today. As soon as I finish my meetings, I’ll fly home and we’ll have a sweet evening, just the two of us!” “Oh, and Jax will be by to pick up that package later. Remember to let him in.” With a few exaggerated blowing kisses to the camera, she hung up. I hadn’t uttered a single word throughout the entire call. My throat felt choked with cotton, my chest a searing agony of pain and bitterness. I couldn’t fathom it. How could Seraphina, of all people, be cheating? We were childhood sweethearts. Our families had been close for generations, and everyone always assumed we’d end up together. After sharing all our precious firsts, she would melt into my arms, her face flushed with bliss, and whisper as she kissed my lips. “Ryan, you are my true love. I want to spend forever with you.” For that single declaration of love, I was willing to give her everything. Even when Hayes Group was on the brink of bankruptcy seven years ago, I went against everyone’s advice, pulling them back from the edge. Amidst the envious gazes of countless people, I threw Seraphina a lavish, talked-about wedding, bringing her home as my esteemed wife. After we married, Seraphina worried having children would affect her health and beauty, so I agreed to a child-free lifestyle. No matter how unreasonable her demands, I would move heaven and earth to fulfill them. Everyone said I spoiled Seraphina rotten, more than any parent would spoil their own child. I’d just smile faintly, a proud glint in my eyes. “My wife deserves to be cherished, spoiled rotten. That way, she’d never look at anyone else.” Seraphina would always snuggle into my arms, telling me I was the only one who loved her unconditionally, that she would never let anyone come between us. Yet, on that projector screen, she was writhing under another man. In her passion, she even screamed his name, calling him “hubby.” When Jax Sterling first interviewed at the company, I immediately saw his fierce ambition. His eyes held a predatory glint, and he showed me no respect, just a flicker of veiled defiance. Seraphina insisted the company needed someone like him-innovative, capable of driving change. She later confessed to me, in hushed tones, that Jax had that devil-may-care charm she found attractive, reminiscent of an actor she once liked. I didn’t feel jealous or angry then. I just shook my head, chuckling, wondering when my ‘fragile’ wife would finally grow up. After more than a decade of shared history, I never once imagined Seraphina would betray me. It took the brutal truth of her infidelity, starkly displayed before me, for me to realize that I was the naive, foolish one all along. Just as my mind was reeling, a loud knock echoed through the house. “Mr. Blackwood, open up! I’m here for the package!”

Jax Sterling stood at my door, dressed in a trendy designer suit, his hair slicked back with gel, one hand casually tucked into his pocket. He looked like he’d just stepped out of a nightclub. To anyone who didn’t know, he could easily be mistaken for a sketchy club promoter. And it was this untrustworthy man who had stolen Seraphina from me. For a split second, I wanted nothing more than to smash my fist into his smug, pretty-boy face, to see him groveling at my feet. Marriage wasn’t a game, especially not ours. It involved the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people across both our families’ companies. I handed the sealed package to Jax. Just as he turned to leave, I spoke, my voice deceptively calm. “Wait.” Jax paused, a fleeting flicker of guilt in his eyes as he turned to me. “What’s up?” I vaguely pointed to his open collar, my gaze steady. “That red mark there. Mosquito bite?” Anyone with even a shred of experience in dating or relationships would know exactly what that mark, in that position, of that shape, meant. But Jax, unfazed, went along with it, a smirk playing on his lips. “Yeah, the mosquitoes at the office are real sticky, can’t shake ’em off.” My heart felt like it had been violently ripped open, a pain so sharp it made my jaw clench, almost betraying the carefully constructed calm on my face. After Jax left, I changed into an unremarkable gray hoodie and sweatpants, then got in my car and followed him. His car took several winding turns, but it didn’t head towards Seraphina’s office. Instead, it pulled into a secluded but beautiful villa community on the outskirts of the city. It wasn’t until I saw the familiar scenery that I realized with a jolt: years ago, when this development first opened, I had brought Seraphina here to look at a house, planning to buy one for our retirement. Seraphina had laughed then, calling me an old man, wondering why I was thinking about retirement in the prime of my life. She’d dragged me away after a quick tour. Jax’s car stopped in front of a rose-covered garden villa. My pupils dilated in shock. I recognized it instantly-it was the very same house I had shown Seraphina all those years ago! As I stood there, stunned, a familiar figure ran out of the house, throwing herself into Jax’s arms. No matter how much I wanted to deny it, I recognized Seraphina in an instant. She clung to Jax, demanding one long, lingering kiss after another, before finally speaking in a soft, sweet voice. “So, did he find out? I’ve been so worried!” Jax shook his head, scoffing disdainfully. “That guy’s always been too arrogant. Even if the evidence was staring him in the face, he wouldn’t believe anyone would dare to cheat on him!” He was right. It wasn’t arrogance. It was trust. My unwavering trust in Seraphina. She had spent seven years with me. Seven years where we faced everything together.

Watching them walk hand-in-hand back into the villa, I merely twitched an eyelid and made a call. “Dave, you have contacts in the Bayview Villas, right? I need a favor.” Initially, I was reluctant to say what was happening. But once Dave Miller realized I needed help to catch a cheating spouse, he immediately insisted on coming himself. “No, seriously, what the hell happened?” Dave arrived, looking disheveled from his rush. Before he got here, he’d already arranged for the villa community’s security to send me the surveillance footage. After watching it, I realized that every time Seraphina said she was “working late,” she was actually here, meeting Jax Sterling. Dave was silent after seeing the footage. After a long while, he finally spoke. “I really can’t believe Seraphina is this kind of person. If you don’t want to show your face today, I can handle it for you.” Dave sighed heavily. He had watched Seraphina and me from the moment we met until our wedding day. But I just shook my head. “No, it’s fine. I have to face it sooner or later. I’ll handle it myself.” I was now in the villa directly opposite theirs. I could see them, intertwined and sweet, in the villa garden. Seraphina’s genuine, unrestrained laughter broke something inside me. She hadn’t smiled at me like that in years. “Seraphina, when are you going to tell that idiot husband of yours?” Jax held Seraphina from behind. Seraphina hesitated for a moment, but it was just that-a moment. “No rush. I’ll tell him after his birthday.” “Hayes Group doesn’t need Blackwood Industries’ support anymore. I’m a free woman. I’ll do whatever I want, and no one can stop me from pursuing my freedom!” Seraphina revealed a rare, untamed side of herself. To outsiders, and to me, she had always been rational, sensible, never impulsive. No wonder when she hired Jax, she said the company needed someone ambitious, imaginative, and daring. Perhaps that’s when she fell for him. Immediately after, I called Seraphina. She glanced at her phone and hung up. “Baby, I’m busy. I’ll make it up to you tonight when I get home,” she quickly texted. But in reality, she was kissing Jax, doing things in the garden that would make anyone blush. I didn’t reply. Instead, I posted an update on Ins about looking at houses in the Bayview Villas. The photo accompanying it was of the very villa Seraphina was in, and the caption read: “Really wish I could see inside. Wonder who bought the house I always loved most.” Seraphina had special notifications set up for me, so she saw the post almost immediately. “Jax, let’s go back inside.” “What’s wrong, Seraphina? It’s not our first time in the garden, and the house next door is empty. What are you worried about?” Jax lifted her chin. But Seraphina’s eyes kept darting towards the garden gate. She pushed Jax away, who was getting aroused. “I have something to do. We’ll talk later.”

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The night my boyfriend proposed, I was in a car accident. Lying unconscious in the hospital bed, I overheard my boyfriend, Julian, talking to his friend. “You went too far this time. Scarlett’s legs are practically ruined. If you didn’t want to marry her, why bother with the fake proposal? You arranged for a car to hit her, and then you threw a birthday party for your assistant…” “I just don’t want to get married so early. I’ll still marry Scarlett eventually! Her broken legs are actually perfect; I can have my fun for a while, and I’ll make it up to her after we’re married.” “But you can’t arrange for a car to hit her and throw a birthday party for your assistant at the same time!” “I’m a little addicted to this assistant right now. I’m planning to have her move in! Scarlett can’t walk anyway. Just slip some sleeping pills into her milk, and once she’s deeply asleep, we can party all we want.” My heart squeezed so tight it felt like I couldn’t breathe. Seven years of love, and this is the kind of man he truly was. Fine. If you want a thrilling life, I’ll give you exactly what you wish for!

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Scarlett has a unique constitution. Large doses of sleeping pills could seriously harm her. You really need to think this through.” Julian’s friend, Marcus, looked serious as he tried to warn him, hoping he would know when to stop. “Just a little harm won’t kill her. Even if she ends up crippled or can’t have children, she’ll still be my wife, Julian’s wife. I won’t abandon her; you can rest assured about that.” Marcus stared, stunned. He never imagined Julian cared so little about my health. As long as I was alive, even if plagued by illness later, he wouldn’t mind. “Alright, just don’t regret it later.” “Don’t end up like Ryan, who’s now running all over the world searching for his wife, crying his eyes out every day, experiencing his own desperate scramble to win her back.” The hospital room was warm, but Julian’s words sent a chill straight to my bones. “If she runs off, I can just have fun with Brittany every day. I won’t marry Brittany, so I’ll just be with her while Scarlett is injured.” “Scarlett loves me so much; she won’t go crazy and run off like Ryan’s wife. I’m very sure about that.” So, he always knew how deeply I loved him, yet he betrayed my sincerity and trampled on my self-respect. He saw me as disposable, convinced I couldn’t live without him. Scarlett, you gave your heart to the wrong person. It’s time to wake up. Just then, his assistant, Brittany, pushed open the door. Marcus saw her and quickly left the VIP suite. As soon as he was gone, Brittany, with her alluring figure, melted into Julian’s arms. “Jules, how could you just leave without a word? Leaving me alone at the party… you’re so naughty.” Brittany purred, her hand exploring Julian’s chest, sparking his desire. “Honey, I threw you a birthday party; what more do you want?” He then punished her with a kiss, crushing his lips against hers. Right there, in my hospital room, they started to get intimate. I deliberately let out a soft cough, startling the two of them mid-embrace. “What are you two doing?”

Julian flinched at the sound of my voice, instinctively pushing Brittany away. He quickly straightened his collar, his eyes wide with panic as he visibly tried to rein in his raw desire. He walked toward me, putting on a worried expression. “Scarlett, you’re finally awake.” He hugged me tightly, speaking in the same loving tone he used to. “You scared me half to death, you know? I was still at the proposal ceremony when I heard about your accident. I went crazy, rushing to the hospital, tripping and stumbling several times. Brittany just came over to help me check my scratches.” Brittany also stepped forward, her voice dripping with sweetness. “Yes, Mr. Julian almost lost his own life when he heard what happened to you. Ms. Scarlett, us singles are so envious of you!” I watched as they exchanged secret glances, their faces betraying no guilt as they spun their web of lies. I had no intention of calling them out. Instead, I suggested that I wanted to recover at home, unable to stand the smell of hospital disinfectant. Julian agreed, taking me back to our shared apartment. Since I couldn’t walk, Julian carried me the entire way. “Scarlett, don’t be sad. I’ll hire the best doctors to heal your legs.” “Even if they can’t be healed, I’ll be your legs from now on. Wherever you want to go, I’ll carry you. We’ll never be apart, always together.” He finished speaking and kissed my cheek. If I hadn’t overheard the cruel truth with my own ears, I would have been foolishly happy and content right now. Looking at the man I had loved for so many years, I swallowed all the bitterness. Outside the door, Brittany’s expression turned grim as she listened to Julian’s heartfelt words. I lay down in bed, feigning exhaustion and a desire to rest, precisely because I didn’t want to drink the overdose of sleeping pills and harm my body. But Brittany still brought in the milk, handing it to Julian. “Scarlett, drink some milk before you sleep.” I looked with despair at the milk in his hand. Was he so eager to play his games with Brittany, so indifferent to my fate? You already had my legs injured; why can’t you leave my body alone? “Jules, I don’t want to drink it. Can I not?” Julian hesitated, clearly conflicted. Brittany, however, grew impatient. She smiled and said, “You two chat! It’s getting late, I need to head back!” She deliberately emphasized “head back,” a clear warning to Julian not to waste time. Julian got the message and no longer hesitated. He brought the milk to my lips, coaxing me like a child. “Come on, be a good girl.” “You sleep so poorly; only with milk can you get a good night’s rest.” I gave a cold laugh, closed my eyes, drank the milk, and pulled the covers over myself. Julian let out a sigh of relief, smiling as he kissed my forehead. “Sleep tight, goodnight!” Then he left with Brittany, closing the door behind them. Once they were gone, I sat up, grabbed my crutches, and limped to the bathroom, where I spat out the milk. Clutching my crutches, I painfully made my way upstairs. As I reached the door of our shared bedroom, I heard Julian’s sensual moans from within.

My hand trembled as I gently pushed open the slightly ajar door. What I saw—Julian and Brittany, naked, wrapped tightly around each other—stole my breath. Their passionate moans and gasps echoed in my ears, a stabbing pain. “Jules, who makes you feel better, me or Scarlett?” Julian let out a scoff. “Of course, it’s you, my little wildcat. Scarlett’s too reserved, not like you, who knows how to make a man lose himself.” “Then… why don’t you just break up with her and be with me?” Brittany leaned in, nibbling his ear, her voice a seductive whisper. “I’ve thought about it. Who wouldn’t get bored with the same flavor, the same routine, after all this time?” At that moment, my nails dug into my palms. I watched Julian, lost in a haze of lust. He, who once knelt at my family’s door, begging Evelyn to allow us to be together! What promises had he made to Evelyn then? He’d sworn he would never betray or abandon me, and if he broke that vow, he’d suffer for the rest of his life. Yet, in just a few short years, he had forgotten his vows completely. To avoid marrying me, he orchestrated a car accident to break my legs. To steal intimate moments, he slipped large doses of sleeping pills into my milk. Julian, Julian, if you no longer loved me, you could have just told me. I would have let go, never clinging to you. But you can’t use such cruel methods to punish me. This is more agonizing than killing me. Tears blurred my vision, and I stumbled away in a desperate escape. I had made excuses for him on the way here, but it was all just self-deception. Clutching my crutches, I walked like a zombie, mindlessly, until I lost my footing and fell down the stairs. The pain from my injury was so intense I nearly fainted. Perhaps the commotion was loud, as the couple upstairs stopped their activities simultaneously. I heard the hurried sounds of them getting dressed. Soon after, Julian emerged, his eyes still flushed with lust, but a worried expression quickly replaced it. Seeing me sprawled at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes flashed with guilt and alarm as he rushed down. “Scarlett, are you okay?” “You should be sleeping, why are you out here?” Faced with his frantic questions, I moved my lips, a bitter, self-deprecating smile. His neck was covered in hickeys, big and small, and he hadn’t even bothered to cover them before rushing out. Julian saw me staring at his neck without speaking. The next second, his gaze darted away, and he grabbed his robe to cover his neck. Just then, Brittany emerged from the room, fully dressed. Julian’s face stiffened, and he scrambled for excuses. “Scarlett, it’s not what you think. Brittany and I were discussing work matters. You know, as my assistant, she has to be at my beck and call at all times. And my neck… it’s because I ate peanuts today and had an allergic reaction.” “But you, why didn’t you call me when you came out?” He was really wondering why the sleeping pills hadn’t worked, why I wasn’t deeply asleep. Brittany chimed in, “Ms. Scarlett, don’t overthink it. Nothing happened between us. We were just working overtime in the same room.” As she said “working overtime,” she gave Julian a sweet, suggestive look, and they exchanged secretive glances. They were treating me like an idiot. Working overtime in a room in the middle of the night? What a ridiculous excuse. “I don’t know what happened tonight. After drinking the milk, my stomach felt very unwell, so I threw it all up. While I was looking for you, I accidentally fell.” Julian lied, so I lied back. Lies were the first cracks, shattering the foundation of our love. Hearing my words, Julian secretly let out a sigh of relief. He picked me up, feigning tenderness as he kissed my face. “It’s all my fault for not taking better care of you!” The thought of his lips having just kissed Brittany made me want to throw up. As he carried me away, he glanced back at Brittany. Back in the room, Julian changed my blood-stained bandages, then said he had more work to do and left. Once he was gone, I pulled out my phone and called Aunt Evelyn. “Evelyn, I want to go home. I don’t want Julian anymore!” “Scarlett, what’s wrong? Did Julian hurt you?” “Evelyn, I’ll tell you when I get home. My legs are injured, and I can’t walk. Please send someone to pick me up.” After exchanging a few more concerned questions with Evelyn, I hung up. Just then, Julian, who had returned, pushed open the door. “Who did you just say you were having picked up?”

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Vivian Thorne, the new coach at my gym, claimed she could offer “painless body sculpting.” Just lie down, and the weight would melt off. She blew up overnight. Countless celebrities and influencers flocked to the gym, her private sessions skyrocketing to hundreds of thousands of dollars each. But with every one of her private lessons, my own weight inexplicably ballooned. My friends mocked me. My boyfriend dumped me. Even worse, the insatiable cravings many of her clients experienced began to plague me too. I’d wake up in the middle of the night, desperate for high-calorie foods. A day without a sugary boba tea felt like torture. I stormed into the gym, demanding answers. Everyone just brushed me off, assuming I’d failed at my diet and was just lashing out at the celebrity coach. Facing my furious accusations, Vivian simply continued guiding a famous actress through some stretches. “Ma’am, please don’t interrupt my work. I’m about to take my VIP client to the Victoria’s Secret model casting. There’s no room for error.” As her team stunned the crowd at the casting, I suddenly collapsed. Overweight and suffering from heart and lung failure, I died on the spot. When I opened my eyes again, I was back. Back to Vivian Thorne’s first day at the gym.

“Cassie, look! The new coach, her body is absolutely insane!” My best friend, Chloe Miller, tugged my arm, her eyes gleaming as she stared at the entrance. I followed her gaze, and my heart plummeted. It was her! Vivian Thorne. She wore a perfectly tailored, blush-pink activewear set that hugged her flawless curves, not an ounce of fat in sight. Her high ponytail swayed gently with her movements, and a confident, approachable smile played on her lips as she chatted with Mr. Jenkins, the gym owner. She was a magnet, instantly drawing every eye in the gym. But all I saw was a demon cloaked in beauty. Of course, I remembered her. I remembered her smiling as she told me, “Obesity is simply a sign of weak willpower.” I remembered how she’d emerged from Derek Stone’s car, coolly handing me a flyer with her picture on it, just after he’d dumped me. And most vividly, I remembered seeing her on TV, basking in the spotlight of an interview, through the blurry window of the ambulance, right before I died. Now, that monster was back— No, *I* was back. I had been reborn. “Cassie, what are you staring at? Your eyes are practically bugging out.” Chloe nudged me. “I heard she’s a celebrity coach from overseas, specializing in painless body sculpting. You just lie there and get slim! I need to book a trial session, fast!” “Don’t!” I grabbed her arm, my voice trembling. “Listen to me, stay away from her. She’s not right!” Chloe paused, then yanked her hand away, a frown creasing her brow. “What’s gotten into you today? She just got here, and you’re already saying she’s ‘not right’? Are you just jealous because she’s so beautiful?” Jealous? A chill snaked up my spine. In my previous life, Chloe had been one of Vivian’s most loyal clients. Vivian had turned Chloe into her walking advertisement, while I had become her personal fat dumping ground, a sacrificial lamb. “I’m not!” I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. “Her methods are definitely flawed. They’re bad for your body!” “Bad? All I see is her perfect body and a stack of success stories!” Chloe was clearly annoyed. “If I can’t book her class, are you going to make me thin?” She didn’t believe me. Not a word. I spun around and marched toward the owner’s office. Mr. Jenkins was all smiles, pouring tea for Vivian Thorne. “Mr. Jenkins!” I burst in. “That new coach, you can’t use her! She’s a problem!” Mr. Jenkins’s smile froze. He looked at me, then at Vivian, his expression a mix of embarrassment and displeasure. “Cassie, don’t be ridiculous. Coach Thorne is my star hire, I paid a fortune for her. Her resume and expertise are top-notch.” Vivian picked up her teacup, gently blowing on it, not even glancing my way, as if I were thin air. That feeling of being utterly ignored was identical to my past life. “Her training methods aren’t scientific!” I insisted, my voice urgent. “It’s not fitness; it’s dangerous!” “Dangerous?” Mr. Jenkins scoffed as if I’d told the funniest joke. He gestured at Vivian. “Cassie, just look at Coach Thorne. She’s her own best advertisement. Are you just stressed from your diet? Have you lost your mind?” Vivian finally lifted her head, her gaze landing on me, a faint, unsettling smile playing on her lips. “Have we met before, miss? Your hostility… it seems rather sudden.” My blood ran cold. “Your good times are numbered.” I said no more, leaving that chilling remark as I turned and walked out. Behind me, I heard Mr. Jenkins’s profuse apologies and Vivian’s calm, soft laughter.

Vivian Thorne’s trial classes were fully booked. The gym’s main studio was packed. Chloe, having secured a spot in the front row, waved at me excitedly. I stood at the back of the crowd, watching everything with a cold stare. Vivian didn’t have anyone doing strenuous exercises. She simply guided them through some gentle stretches, coupled with what she called “specialized breathwork.” “Relax. Imagine all the excess, bothersome fat in your body, being expelled with every exhale.” Her voice was gentle yet hypnotic, carrying a seductive power. The clients closed their eyes, looking utterly blissful. What a ridiculous scene. If I hadn’t experienced it firsthand, I too might have fallen for her deceptive spiel. I fixated on Vivian Thorne. I could feel an unseen, viscous energy spreading from her, enveloping the entire studio. That web began to tighten, drawing something from each client. Finally, all the threads converged in my direction. It was here. That invasive, unnatural feeling, like something foreign being forced into me, returned. My body grew heavy. Breathing became difficult, as if invisible cement was being poured into my veins, weighing down my every limb. I couldn’t just stand there and let it happen. “Don’t believe her, everyone!” I burst forward, pointing at Vivian. “This isn’t fitness! She’s harming you! Your fat isn’t disappearing; it’s being transferred!” My shout startled everyone awake. They stared at me, bewildered. Chloe’s face flushed crimson. She rushed over, trying to clap her hand over my mouth. “Cassie, you’re crazy! Stop it!” Vivian Thorne’s composure cracked for the first time, but only for a fleeting second. She quickly regained her poise, walking toward me with a hurt, yet understanding, expression. “Miss, I completely understand that many traditional fitness coaches might question my new methods.” She turned to the crowd. “But the results don’t lie. Everyone, please step onto the body fat scales now.” The clients, still wary, did as she asked. The next second, gasps of astonishment erupted. “Oh my god! I lost three pounds! Just from lying here for an hour?” “My body fat percentage dropped by a full point! How is that even possible?” “This is insane! Pure magic!” Chloe also stepped onto a scale. When she saw the numbers on the screen, she shrieked with excitement. She turned back to me, her eyes filled with disappointment and anger. “Cassie! Did you see that? Is *this* the scammer you were talking about?” I felt utterly cold. Of course, they had gotten thinner. Because their fat was, at this very moment, inside my body. My hands trembling, I walked to an empty body fat scale. On the screen, the numbers spun wildly, finally settling on a figure a full five and a half pounds heavier than I had been that morning. “Everyone, look,” Vivian’s voice rang out above me, laced with a feigned pity. “This young lady’s weight… actually increased. I suppose some people are just like that. If they can’t achieve something themselves, they can’t stand to see others succeed.” “You…” I was shaking with rage. “How rude, ruining things just because she can’t stick to her own diet.” “Exactly. Look at her, she probably just overeats all the time.” “So pathetic, and yet so annoying.” The whispers and judgments stung me deeply. I looked at Chloe, hoping she would stand up for me, say something. But she just turned her head away, pulling her new ‘newly-slimmed friends’ with her, excitedly discussing where they should go to celebrate. Amidst everyone’s laughter and accusations, Vivian walked over to me. She leaned in close, whispering in my ear: “Garbage belongs in the garbage can.”

Vivian Thorne became an overnight sensation. “Painless body sculpting” was the hottest topic in the city’s elite circles. The gym’s classes were completely booked, and Mr. Jenkins was grinning from ear to ear, though he now looked at me as if I were a persistent nuisance. Vivian’s private sessions fetched a six-figure price tag, yet securing a spot was still nearly impossible. I, meanwhile, had become the sole punchline of this grand celebration. My weight began to skyrocket at an alarming rate. In just one week, I gained fifteen pounds. The reflection in the mirror was grotesquely swollen. My face was round, my beautiful collarbones long gone, replaced by a thick double chin. Even more terrifying were the desires that had appeared out of nowhere. I developed a frantic obsession with sweets and fried foods. I’d wake up starving in the middle of the night, my mind consumed by a single thought: *eat*. I couldn’t control myself. I’d open my DoorDash app and order everything at the top of the fried chicken, burger, and milkshake categories. When the food arrived, I’d ravenously stuff it into my mouth until a sharp, agonizing pain flared in my stomach, only then would I pause slightly. Afterward, came a deeper wave of self-loathing and panic. Derek chose that moment to break up with me. He asked to meet at our usual coffee shop. His gaze was cold, filled with an unsettling blend of unfamiliarity and disdain. “Cassie, we need to end this.” He just blurted it out. My fingers tightened around my water glass. My heart felt as if a giant hand had seized it. “Why?” Despite having already braced myself for it, I couldn’t help but ask. “Just look at you.” He didn’t bother to hide his contempt. “I can’t even take you out in public. My friends would laugh at me for dating someone who let herself go.” His words sliced through me like knives. I looked at him, the man I’d loved for three years. I remembered him taking such meticulous care of me when I was sick. I remembered him swearing he’d love me no matter what I became. Turns out, vows were cheap. “Derek, what if I told you someone *did* this to me? Would you believe me?” I made one last, desperate plea. He scoffed, his eyes full of the contempt one reserves for a lunatic. “Cassie, stop making excuses. Just admit it, you can’t control yourself.” Just then, a sleek, fiery red Porsche pulled up outside the coffee shop. The car door opened, and a woman, exquisitely dressed and stunningly beautiful, stepped out. It was Vivian Thorne. She strode directly to our table, casually looping her arm through Derek’s. She flashed me a triumphant smile. “Cassie, what a coincidence. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Derek’s new girlfriend.” Derek didn’t pull away. Instead, he gazed at her with a doting expression. I understood. Everything became clear. Even after a new life, some things were just destined to repeat. “Cassie,” Vivian pulled a business card from her purse, elegantly sliding it across the table toward me. “This is my card. For Derek’s sake, I can offer you a twenty percent discount. Though, given your current condition, you’ll probably need double the sessions.” It was a clear, calculated insult. I shot to my feet, knocking my coffee cup over, sending a splash of dark liquid cascading down her pristine white dress. “Ah!” Vivian shrieked. A large, ugly stain bloomed on her expensive gown. Derek immediately jumped up, frantically dabbing at the stain with a napkin, while glaring at me. “Cassie, what are you doing! Apologize to Vivian, now!” Apologize? I wanted to rip that smug, fake smile off her face. I snatched the water glass from the table and *splashed* it straight into her face. Ignoring Derek’s furious roar and Vivian’s outraged shriek, I turned and stormed out of the coffee shop. I couldn’t wait any longer. I *had* to uncover her secret, or she’d drain me dry, literally, one way or another.

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At my wedding, the officiant asked me: “Willow Vance, what’s your biggest wish after getting married?” Amidst the cheerful chatter about a long and happy life, and maybe some grandkids, I calmly replied: “Divorce.” The officiant looked stunned. Being a seasoned professional, he quickly chuckled, “Our bride has quite the sense of humor!” “I’m not joking.” Seeing my serious expression, the officiant froze. All the guests present stared in disbelief. Then, everyone’s gaze shifted to my husband, Liam Caldwell, standing beside me. A flicker of panic crossed Liam’s eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. “Willow, don’t be so dramatic.” My husband gently brushed a strand of hair from my face. “Since I chose you, you’re mine. Forever.” My father-in-law, Arthur Caldwell, who stood behind Liam, smiled. He addressed the crowd, “Outsiders might think Willow isn’t a match for my son, but I, Arthur Caldwell, am not an unreasonable man. As long as my son is happy, that’s all that matters.” Everyone immediately seemed to relax, exchanging sympathetic smiles. [Willow must be totally dizzy from this sudden stroke of luck. She hasn’t even fully woken up yet.] [Right? Ever since Vance Industries crumbled, they’ve been nothing. It’s truly unbelievable that Mr. Caldwell would marry Willow.] [So many women were chasing Liam, all prettier than Willow, and many with similar backgrounds. Who would’ve thought the Caldwells would choose Willow in the end?] [I heard Liam actually pursued her first.] “Let’s continue.” Prompted by my father-in-law, the officiant snapped out of his daze and resumed the ceremony. After the wedding, my answer to the officiant went viral. It wasn’t surprising; the Caldwell Group was the most influential powerhouse in the entire city. The Caldwell family taking in a daughter-in-law was already a hot topic; such a dramatic moment was bound to break the internet. Despite my father-in-law and husband’s explanations, and the guests’ outward understanding, online, the skepticism exploded: “This marriage is messed up,” “there’s definitely something fishy going on,” “the Caldwells are actually shady,” and so on. Rumors spread like wildfire, engulfing the whole city. The Caldwell Group’s stock price began to fluctuate.

My father-in-law panicked. He publicly clarified the situation on television. After reiterating that my words stemmed from insecurity, he added an objective reason. “My daughter-in-law was running a high fever on our wedding day, which caused her to speak incoherently. In fact, she doesn’t even remember what she said afterward.” With that, he produced a diagnostic report with my name on it, showing a fever of 103.1°F. But netizens weren’t convinced; the negative comments continued. My father-in-law called me to his study. “Willow, you started this, and you need to put an end to it.” “No problem, Arthur.” I readily agreed. In the video, I spoke earnestly. “My father-in-law asked me to post a video clarifying what I said at the wedding, claiming I was delirious from a high fever. I think I really should respond. My answer is no. While most people get married hoping to stay together for life, I’m different…” My “explanation” only made things worse; netizens immediately blew up, demanding to know what had really happened. I didn’t respond. Before I even logged off, a flood of direct messages poured in. I only replied to one independent investigative reporter. I warned him, “You should stay out of my business; it could hurt you. If you’re not afraid for your safety, then go ahead. Think carefully.” He chuckled dismissively. “Ms. Vance, what I need is a breaking news story.” Then, he earnestly asked for my opinion, “You’re the breakthrough I need for my investigation. It might cause some trouble in your personal life. Do you mind?” “I don’t mind.” Days later, the reporter posted online with the headline: — *Saying ‘Divorce’ at the Wedding: A Complex Truth Behind the Scenes.* “Chairman Arthur Caldwell risked his entire fortune to make a last-ditch effort to save Vance Industries, but ultimately failed.” “After Richard Vance and his wife tragically passed away, Arthur Caldwell was so grief-stricken he didn’t eat for three days.” “Liam Caldwell and Willow Vance had an engagement contract long ago. After the Vance family fell, Arthur Caldwell honored his promise and had his son marry Willow.”

The content might have been brief, but it was impactful. [Wow, so the Caldwells and Vances have known each other for years!] [Arthur Caldwell is a man of his word, truly admirable!] [A rare gem of a man!] Everyone now understood why I had said those words. [No wonder she felt so insecure. So that’s what happened.] [She was already prepared for divorce.] [At least she’s sensible.] The positive impact was immediate; the Caldwell Group’s stock price soared. But my father-in-law was furious when he saw the report. “Who’s investigating this? That damn fool!” “Arthur, you should be happy. After all, this is good news.” Hearing me say this, my father-in-law suddenly realized he’d lost his temper. He quickly softened his expression and said, “I’ve always disliked drawing attention to myself.” As I turned to leave, I heard my father-in-law quietly order his son, “Find out who’s behind this, and shut it down immediately.” After that, my father-in-law’s family became exceptionally kind to me, showering me with meticulous care, as if I were a precious treasure they’d brought into their home. A few days later, the reporter posted online again. “To marry Willow Vance, the Caldwell family turned down many wealthy alliances, offending numerous business peers.” “To prevent Liam’s admirers from seeking revenge on Willow for not getting Liam, Chairman Caldwell specifically arranged bodyguards for Willow.” “The bodyguards are inseparable from Willow; Chairman Caldwell is incredibly devoted to his daughter-in-law.” Netizens were once again stunned, saying I, Willow Vance, was incredibly lucky to marry into the Caldwell family. They understood my wedding day comment even more. My father-in-law’s face grew increasingly dark. He chided his son for his inefficiency, “Didn’t you already find out who it was? Why didn’t you stop them?” My husband, looking distressed, said, “That reporter is very persistent. He said he’d already gotten Willow’s permission, so he refuses to give up.” My father-in-law gave me a sum of money to offer the reporter, hoping he’d drop the investigation. When I found the reporter with the money, he smiled, “I was just short on clues, and here they come.” I pretended not to understand him. “What do you mean?” The reporter stared into my eyes and said softly, “It clearly benefits your father-in-law, yet he doesn’t want the investigation to continue. That tells me he’s afraid of something.” I secretly nodded to myself. I hadn’t chosen the wrong person. But I warned him again, “You need to think this through. It’s not too late to stop now.” “Thank you for the warning, Ms. Vance. But I have to uphold my profession. And I owe it to the public.” A few more days passed. Another post from the reporter appeared online. “The Vance family’s bankruptcy was due to Richard Vance and his wife mistakenly signing a $3 billion contract, leading to their downfall.” “The Vance family was likely set up.” “The tip of the iceberg has been revealed. I intend to uncover everything. Please, netizens, be patient; the truth will soon come to light.” It was late, and the light in the study was still on. Through the crack in the door, I saw my husband angrily tell my father-in-law, “He took the money and still didn’t stop. He’s asking for trouble.” My father-in-law’s face was distorted in a menacing grimace, his voice barely a whisper, “I’ll tell you what to do…” Days later, I didn’t see any new posts from the reporter, but I heard about his death. My best friend told me. “Willow, did you hear? That reporter investigating you died. He was hit by a car.” “They say the driver was drunk and fled the scene overnight. The police have issued a warrant.” My heart felt as if it had been brutally stabbed with a knife. “Are you sure he’s dead?” “Yes. Your father-in-law demanded that the police absolutely catch the hit-and-run driver and punish him severely. He said after reading the reporter’s posts, he realized his dear friends’ deaths might have had a hidden motive.” “Your father-in-law said he had planned to investigate with the reporter, but now the lead is suddenly cut off…”

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My best friend was using my intimate photos to catfish guys online. My body plus her face? No man could resist. For months, she bathed in the attention. Until the day she accidentally hit on her own boyfriend’s secret Ins account. Just as she was about to take things further, the message came to me instead. Tyler, her boyfriend, texted me,”Aria, your body is fucking hot!” The first time I caught my best friend using my private photos to catfish men online, she already had a boyfriend. She even laughed and told me, “You know that mole on your inner thigh? Tyler noticed it was gone. I told him I had it lasered off.” I stared at her, confused. She smiled like it was nothing. “Oh, forgot to mention. When I first met Tyler, I meant to send my photos but accidentally sent yours. You don’t mind, right?” What shattered me wasn’t just that incident, but learning she’d done this with countless men before him. I’ve never liked taking photos. Growing up, I was bullied for having curves. She convinced me I was wrong. “Beautiful things deserve to be preserved,” she told me. So I took a bunch of boudoir photos with her. I never imagined they’d become one of her tools to please men. With her face, she was always the pretty one. But she’s skinny. She once told me, “My face plus your body would be a killer combo.” That bothered me a little. I told her right away, “You should delete all my photos from your phone. What if you accidentally send the wrong ones again?” She waved it off dismissively. “Won’t need to. I’m really into Tyler. Not planning to switch guys anytime soon.” That’s when it hit me. She only used my photos when she wanted to hook someone. Meaning this wasn’t a one-time thing. And definitely not an accident. From then on, I kept my guard up around her. Until one day, I suddenly got a DM from Tyler on social media. He sent me a photo of myself in lingerie. Tyler said. This is my burner account, don’t tell Becca! I accepted the request. Then he sent over a bunch more of my private photos. I saw there was even a video of me changing clothes that had been secretly filmed. Then he wrote. “These are all you, right? Now I get why my buddies broke up with her. Total false advertising.” I asked him, “Where’d you get that video?” Tyler sent me screenshots of his chat with Becca. “You kept saying Aria has a nice body too, right? Give me 500 bucks and I’ll show you.” Tyler transferred five hundred without hesitation. Becca immediately sent him the video. Becca also said. “Pretty average, right? Plus she’s got scars all over her body, just in places you can’t see. She wouldn’t even qualify to be a hooker.”

Becca and I weren’t what you’d call fake friends. At least not from where I stood. We were neighbors. Grew up together. We both got out of our dead-end small town together. Came to the city for college together. I thought we were each other’s most trustworthy person in this world. I never imagined she’d talk about me like that behind my back. All those memories of us living side by side felt so vivid, but these screenshots had turned everything unrecognizable. Fighting back my emotions, I typed. “Who else did she send them to?” “All my buddies, man. We paid her good money. She didn’t split it with you? Are you two running this scam together or what?” This was disgusting. I’d always thought Becca was genuinely popular. From the day we started college, she’d been cycling through boyfriends. I didn’t agree with her approach to relationships, but sometimes I felt insecure watching her get all that attention. This time with Tyler, she’d even made a big deal of taking me out to dinner. She told me repeatedly how much she liked him, how she wanted to be serious with him. I’d been happy for her, thinking she’d found someone she truly cared about. I never expected the truth to be this ugly and raw. Maybe seeing I was taking a while to respond, Tyler sent another long message. “To be honest, I’ve always been obsessed with girls like you. If Becca hadn’t slid into my DMs first, I’d have never looked twice at her.” “What do you say? We’ve run into each other a few times now. What do you think of me?” “Becca told me you’re pretty strapped for cash. She must’ve mentioned my situation, right? I’m doing well financially. Not some broke college kid.” I replied with “Drop dead” and blocked him. After that, I kept hearing Becca complain about fighting with Tyler. I didn’t engage. Just listened to her vent. “Do you think Tyler’s got problems? He hasn’t asked me out in forever. This relationship is so boring.” “He sends cash gifts, but way less than before. Men are so shallow, you know? When they’re into you, they’ll give you anything. Once they cool off, it’s night and day.” While complaining, she kept texting on her phone. She even showed me her screen. “Look, this guy sends me a cash gift for every message, trying to get me to talk to him. Two hundred each. Suddenly dating seems pointless.” I asked, “Did you send him photos?” She glanced up at me and smiled. “Relax, didn’t use your photos. You don’t actually think you’re irresistible, do you? When guys say you have a nice body, they’re just being polite. Don’t take it too seriously.” Then she added, like she was comforting me, “Of course, for a regular person, you’re pretty good. I booked a boudoir shoot. Let’s go together sometime.” Looking at her face, I felt like this person had become a stranger, and it terrified me. I made an excuse to decline. To my surprise, her expression changed. “Why are you always so busy? You don’t even have time for a quick photoshoot?” I shook my head. “Working part-time. Haven’t earned next semester’s tuition yet.” She rolled her eyes. “That’s why I told you to work at that club, but you wouldn’t. Two hundred an hour. If you meet a generous guy, you’d make your tuition back in a week.” Beauty is a weapon. Once you start selling it, it becomes worthless scrap metal. She’d understand that eventually.

That day, Becca came back to the dorm all excited. She called out to me while I was doing laundry, “I’m meeting someone new. He’s picking me up downstairs for dinner. Want to come?” I asked her, “What about Tyler?” She waved dismissively. “Haven’t talked to him in forever. He’s probably dead for all I care.” Seeing my thoughtful expression, she suddenly smiled strangely. “Don’t tell me you’re into him? I’ll be honest, he’s got money, but everything else? Total disappointment. After a couple times, the novelty wore off.” She smacked her lips in summary. “Not great. Honeymoon phase too short. Plus he’s not into your type anyway.” A moment later, her phone kept buzzing with messages. She glanced at them and told me, “He’s downstairs. Let him wait. Men are always so impatient.” But this guy didn’t seem patient at all. He sent a voice message, and that familiar voice said, “Aria, what game are you playing now?” Both Becca and I froze. I reacted faster. I immediately got up and snatched her phone. “You’re catfishing with my photos again?” But she turned it around on me instantly. “You’re flirting with my boyfriend?” Right then, someone knocked on the dorm door. It was Tyler. “Aria, open up. I’m not getting played twice.” I shoved the phone back into Becca’s hands and walked over to open the door. When Tyler saw us both there, he didn’t look embarrassed. He just winked at me. “I didn’t want to make a scene like this, but you forced my hand.” I said coldly, “How did I force you?” He showed me the chat history. “You blocked me on your main account, but kept sending me sexy photos from your burner. I played along for fun. I’ve sent you five figures in cash gifts. You think I’m stupid? Your hard-to-get game is pretty pathetic.” I didn’t answer him. I turned to look at Becca without saying a word. She was gripping her phone tightly, head down, completely silent. Tyler added from the side, “Why are you looking at her? We broke up. I told her back then-if we don’t talk for three days, we’re done by default.” Finally, he picked up on the weird tension in this silent standoff. He asked Becca, “What’s going on?” Becca still didn’t speak. He turned to me. “If she won’t talk, you tell me.” I shrugged, took his phone, deleted all the photos from the chat history, and said, “No idea what’s going on. Maybe after you guys broke up, you ran into each other again while surfing the net. One of those beautiful love story coincidences.” I heard Tyler curse under his breath. Then he got angry and defensive. “Are you two running a scam together?” Maybe because falling for the same trick twice was too humiliating to keep arguing about, Tyler glared at us both before storming off. Becca finally spoke her first words. “I had no choice.”

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To boost her online presence and craft a benevolent image, that obnoxious influencer tenant of mine offered my apartment to homeless people for free, claiming she wanted to give them a warm winter. She earned millions of praises, her follower count skyrocketed, ad deals piled up, and she hit financial freedom. But my home was turned into a reeking mess by mentally unwell homeless individuals. They didn’t just relieve themselves anywhere; they smeared their filthy waste all over the place. When I found out, I was absolutely furious. I confronted the influencer tenant, only to be met with her mockery. “I rented your apartment, so it’s mine now. What right do you have to speak up?” “Everyone, look! This woman here doesn’t want you to stay. She says you’re dirty and smelly, and she wants to throw you out to freeze to death!” Driven into a frenzy, the homeless man stabbed me over twenty times. I was torn apart, bleeding out until I died. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day the influencer tenant planned to take in the mentally ill homeless individuals.

“Hey, my darlings, those homeless folks on the street are just so pitiful! It’s getting colder and colder, and I just can’t stand to see them freezing. So, I’ve decided to let them stay in one of my vacant apartments for free, to give them a warmth they’ve never felt before this winter.” “Tomorrow at 10 AM, I’ll be live-streaming the entire thing! Remember to tune in, sweethearts. Let’s all do our part to help the homeless find a home this winter and contribute to a good cause.” Watching Seraphina Stone, the influencer, giggling and filming her video across the street, my hands clenched into tight fists. Sacrificing my life and my home for her own gain – she had absolutely no boundaries. Seraphina finished her video, and her face instantly dropped. She tossed her phone to Leo, her assistant, with a disgusted look. “Just thinking about having to interact with those dirty, smelly homeless people tomorrow makes me sick. If this stunt wasn’t going to bring in massive traffic, I wouldn’t want to see these air-polluting individuals at all.” Leo handed her a hand warmer and chimed in. “Seraphina, we just gotta tough it out for the money. We can’t miss out on this insane viral buzz. It’s not like it’s *your* apartment anyway.” “I heard a few of the homeless folks around here have mental health issues; they often relieve themselves right on the street. Imagine if they do that inside the apartment! We can pretend to be all understanding, and boom, another wave of insane traffic, right?” “Easy money like this? We can’t pass it up!” So, they’d known all along what could happen. They just wanted to use me as a complete patsy. I was livid. Looking at the video recorded on my phone, a plan slowly began to brew in my mind. Seraphina was beaming. “Heh, the title of top streamer will be all mine… Oh, by the way, how are things with the rental? What time are we signing the contract? We need to make sure everything’s locked down.” Leo replied casually. “Don’t worry, that naive woman is desperate for cash to study abroad. She’ll definitely rent it out. Perfect, since she’ll be out of the country, it’ll make our plan even easier. Plus, the location’s perfect, right where a bunch of homeless folks hang out, which is great for our live stream. It’s like divine intervention!” Just two hours ago, I’d settled the terms with Leo on a social media app. We’d planned to sign the contract at 4 PM. Good thing the contract wasn’t signed yet. In the afternoon, right before the scheduled signing, I picked up my phone and sent Leo a voice message. “Hey, about the house, I actually can’t rent it out to you right now. My friend just moved to the city and plans to settle down here, so I’m going to rent the place to him instead. No need for you to come over this afternoon. Sorry about that!”

Leo’s reply came in almost immediately, but it was Seraphina texting. Her message was sharp. “What?! I was clearly first! No, you have to save it for me!” I didn’t reply. Seraphina, frantic, called me directly. I feigned reluctance. “But my friend offered me twenty grand a month, and he’s a buddy. He wouldn’t use my place for any weird stuff, so I’d feel more comfortable renting to him. Besides, we haven’t even signed a contract yet, right? Everything’s still fair game.” Seraphina hesitated for a few seconds, a hint of guilt in her voice, then clicked her tongue impatiently. “Alright, fine. I’ll give you twenty-five grand a month. Rent it to me.” I stayed silent, pretending to consider. “Well…” Seraphina raised her offer again. “Forty grand! Rent it to me!” “It’s not that I don’t want to rent it to you, but I’ve already signed the contract with my friend. I can’t rent it to you anymore.” “What?!” “My tenant’s right here, just finished signing the lease. Don’t believe me? Listen.” My “friend” immediately played along, his booming, rough voice echoing through the phone. “That’s right, the place is mine now. First one to sign gets the place, so don’t even think about causing trouble. If you keep pushing, my hand doesn’t care if you’re a man or a woman.” I’d specifically hired a professional actor from a gig website. He was 6’6″ and easily 330 pounds. He was all muscle, his face bore a nasty scar from an old fight, making him look seriously intimidating. Seraphina was enraged. “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?! What’s your problem? Trying to snatch what’s mine, are we? Do you know who I am? I’m a huge influencer, one you absolutely don’t want to cross!” Diesel spat. “I don’t care who you are. If you got a problem, come and find me.” I could faintly hear Seraphina’s team talking in the background. “Seraphina, what do we do? Pre-booked viewers for tomorrow’s live stream have already soared past eighty million! It’s never been this big! We absolutely *have* to seize this opportunity!” “Maybe we can just find any apartment for now, just to get through tomorrow’s stream?” Seraphina sounded utterly frustrated. “You make it sound so easy! A decent, run-of-the-mill house isn’t easy to just pull out of nowhere, and a dump won’t fit my image as a top influencer… Alright, fine, we’ll use one of *your* apartments for now. You can kick the homeless people out right after the live stream.” The person she’d pointed to quickly denied. “No, no way! My wife and kids are home…” “I can’t either, my parents are visiting lately…” I heard the sound of Seraphina violently smashing a cup on the other end of the phone. “This is no, that is no! I pay you guys to actually *do* something, not just sit around collecting a paycheck! You idiots!” I knew the time was right. I nodded at Diesel, signaling him to start his act. “Chloe, I’m heading back to D-City tomorrow to sort out some paperwork. My flight’s at 8 PM, so I’ll be gone for a few days. Make sure the place stays spotless, okay? You know how I am about germs.”

Seconds after Diesel started talking, the phone line instantly went quiet. I knew they were definitely listening in, so I held my phone closer to Diesel’s mouth, making sure they heard every word. “Yeah, yeah, don’t worry. Oh, right, the house code is 267893. Remember that, okay? When you get back, you can just walk right in.” As my words faded, the call disconnected. That same evening, Seraphina posted another live stream teaser video. It featured six exterior shots of the apartment complex and interior photos of my apartment. The caption read: “The ‘Homeless Haven’ charity event is about to launch! Which of my amazing fans can guess which complex this is?” I immediately recognized it as my complex. Those four interior photos were the ones I’d sent to Seraphina as rental references. It looked like Seraphina had really fallen for it! I raised an eyebrow, quickly pulling strings and contacting the B-City Public Welfare Foundation, the B-City Police Department, and every official organization I could think of. I expressed my enthusiastic support for Seraphina’s event. The next morning at 10 AM, the live stream started right on time. In less than ten minutes, the viewer count had already climbed to ten million. The chat was exploding with comments, clearly boosted by bots. “That’s my Queen! So beautiful, so kind! The first influencer to rally the whole internet for the homeless! I believe with Seraphina leading the way, society will only get better. Everyone, hit that follow and like button for our Queen!” “Compared to all those fake influencers, Seraphina is a breath of fresh air. She deserves all the success!” “My darlings, if you have gifts, send them to Seraphina! All money from this stream goes straight to the ‘Homeless Haven’ project!” Seraphina appeared on camera in a slinky gown, draped in a fur stole, with a full face of glam makeup. “Hello, hello! My amazing fans are just too enthusiastic! Thank you all for your warm response; it’s truly warmed my heart this winter.” Suddenly, Leo whispered something in Seraphina’s ear. Seraphina’s face stiffened for a second, but her professional influencer persona kicked in instantly, her smile snapped back into place as she greeted the camera with feigned delight. “Wow! I just got the news! Major official organizations have all joined the live stream! This is truly an honor! I won’t let you down!” I’d never seen someone try so hard to smile, only to make their face look utterly grotesque. “Alright, time’s almost up. Please follow my camera as we go to help these poor homeless individuals.” The camera flipped. It panned to a middle-aged man, his skin grimy, his hair long and matted, reaching his waist. At that moment, the man’s eyes were darting around, full of suspicion, as Seraphina’s live stream team surrounded him. The moment I saw him, my blood ran cold. In my past life, it was this man who’d stabbed me over twenty times. As he plunged the knife into me, he kept accusing me of deceiving him. And if Seraphina hadn’t kept the door tightly controlled from the outside, I might not have died such a gruesome death. But this time, she’d have to face the consequences herself.

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Chloe had poured her entire youth into loving Julian, only to overhear him, in German, confess that his marriage certificate with someone else was real. All her desperate efforts, all her unwavering devotion, had merely been his desperate last resort. When the truth, like an icy blade, pierced her heart, she chose to take the money and vanish. Later, he would beg for her forgiveness on global live television, but she would only whisper under the warm sun of a foreign land, “I wish you happiness.” Chloe pov Inside the private screening room, Julian’s kisses left me breathless, gasping for air. My skirt was pushed up to my waist, the intense heat of his body pressing against me, even through the fabric. Julian, however, hadn’t even loosened his tie. This feeling of being utterly dominated made my cheeks flush, and an irresistible urge to escape bubbled up. But before I could even move, he pulled me closer, lifting me to sit on his lap. He even leaned in, a wicked chuckle rumbling against my ear. “The soundproofing is military-grade. What are you scared of, hmm?” I met the churning desire in his eyes, feeling a primal urge to wrap my arms around his neck. Just as I was about to reach my peak, an abrupt FaceTime request shattered the moment. Julian frowned, annoyed at the interruption, but seeing the caller’s name, he still put on his Bluetooth earpiece. I lay on the sofa, panting, and from my angle, I could clearly see the face on his laptop screen. It was his best friend, Lucas. “Julian, have you lost your mind…?” Julian glanced at me, then retorted in German, his voice sharp. “Switch channels.” Lucas on the other end paused, immediately understanding his meaning, and switched to German as well. He thought I wouldn’t understand. But I just watched in silent horror as the AI live-translated subtitles scrolled across the bottom of the screen. Each word was like a cold, sharp knife, carving itself into my vision. “Julian, are you really insane? Is that marriage certificate real?!” “Have you forgotten that Seraphina betrayed you and left with someone else after your leg broke?” Seraphina? His first love! The woman he’d always pined for! My mind exploded, my whole body trembling uncontrollably. Julian didn’t look at me, his German reply fluent and chillingly detached. “If I didn’t help her, her family would utterly destroy her. I couldn’t just stand by.” I watched the subtitles scroll, a terrible chill settling over me. “What about Chloe? She’s been with you for years, her entire heart devoted to you. Do you think we’re all blind?” Listening to Lucas’s barely suppressed anger, Julian merely chuckled. “Chloe won’t hear a word about this.” “How can you keep something like this a secret? You know how desperately she wants to marry you, don’t you?” Julian’s patience wore thin, his words quickening. “You suppress the news. Not a single word. As for Chloe, I’ll find another arrangement for her.” With that, he abruptly ended the call. He pulled off his earpiece, tossed the laptop aside, and reached for me, eager to continue. But I, now armed with the agonizing truth, trembled uncontrollably, lying beneath him like a frozen butterfly. When it was over, as I dressed, I longed to ask him about everything I’d just heard. But before I could speak, his wristwatch emitted a short, sharp alarm. It was a special medical alert. Julian glanced at it, immediately rose, and stopped the driver. “Chloe, there’s an urgent matter at the company. You get out here and take a cab home.” I said nothing, merely nodded in silence, and opened the car door. The black Bentley swiftly disappeared into the stream of traffic. I stood on the roadside, staring blankly at the streetlights, tears streaming down my face. I had taught myself German years ago, hoping to delve deeper into his world. No one knew this about me. I understood every word of their conversation, even without the subtitles. Their words were like relentless insects, gnawing at my heart. I was just the chauffeur’s daughter, while Julian was the most powerful man in this city. That year, I first stepped into the Harrington family estate with my father and saw Julian sitting alone in a wheelchair under the moonlight. He was the most handsome man I had ever seen, even though he always looked so melancholic. I fell deeply in love with him then. I never told anyone about this humble, secret crush. Not only because our social statuses were vastly different, but also because his heart already belonged to someone else. That girl was Seraphina, the neighbor he grew up with. He never hid his love for her, cherishing her like a precious jewel. He even suffered a comminuted fracture in his right leg in a plane crash at eighteen, saving Seraphina, completely destroying his dream of becoming a pilot. But from that day on, Seraphina vanished, even quickly getting engaged to someone else. The Harrington family had many children. Julian’s parents were busy with their commercial empire and had no time for their injured son. Julian was sent to a remote estate, as if abandoned by his own family. I voluntarily asked my father to let me go to the estate and took care of him for five full years. When I was twenty-five, I used my own design patent to secure an opportunity for that world-renowned orthopedic specialist to perform surgery on Julian. That patent was originally something I was preparing to submit for an award. But now, it was all gone. Still, Julian got back on his feet. He took only a year to reclaim the pinnacle of power, becoming the family’s undisputed heir. I accompanied him through rehabilitation, and I stood by him through those long five years. We kissed, we hugged, we held each other close… I never imagined that the first thing he would do after recovering was marry Seraphina, the woman who had abandoned him! Over the years, to keep up with him, I had studied relentlessly. I was no longer the timid little girl I once was. But no matter how much I transformed, Julian’s parents always saw me as a stain, trying many times to pay me off and make me leave him. Julian always fought his family for me, and I believed he loved me, so I never thought of leaving. Until today, when I heard all of it. I didn’t want to stay anymore. I wiped away my tears, pulled out my phone, and dialed a number. My voice was calm. “Mrs. Harrington, I accept your terms. Transfer the money to my account, and I will vanish completely from his world.”

Chloe pov After I spoke, Eleanor Harrington’s voice on the other end of the line was filled with undisguised excitement. “You’ve finally come to your senses? That’s right. A chauffeur’s daughter, how could you possibly be worthy of my son, the Harrington heir? Where are you now? Come immediately to sign the agreement.” I looked at the address she quickly sent me and hailed a cab. At the café, Eleanor pulled out a pre-drafted agreement. “Black and white, no backing out once you sign. I’ll transfer half the money after you sign, and the other half once you’ve completely disappeared. You have to promise never to appear before Julian again in this lifetime.” I glanced at the astronomically high penalty clause in the agreement and smiled faintly. Of course, I wouldn’t appear again. Because in this lifetime, and the next, I never wanted to see Julian again. Without hesitation, I picked up the pen and swiftly signed my name. Eleanor put away the agreement, satisfied. “I want to see your departure record within this month, Chloe. Don’t play any tricks; you know what the Harringtons are capable of.” “I understand. Don’t worry.” I saw Eleanor off and returned home. Making Julian never find me would be simple. The Harrington family’s influence was so extensive, their core members faced unusual travel restrictions. If I immigrated, a vast distance would separate us. I researched all night, finally deciding on New Zealand. After making my decision, I picked up my phone and saw a financial news alert on SnapChat. 【SHOCKING! Harrington Heir Julian Suspected to be with Old Flame, Mysterious Girlfriend Seraphina Surfaces.】 I tapped on it, revealing nine high-resolution photos. Three were selfies of Seraphina holding blue roses, three middle ones showed wedding preparations, and the bottom three were two pairs of hands tightly clasped. I knew that if Julian wanted to hide something, these photos would never have leaked. Seraphina must have intentionally released them to the media, flaunting them in front of me. But I wasn’t angry. I simply clicked ‘like’ on the news story. As I exited, I received a message from Julian. “Chloe, I have to go to another city for a few days. I won’t be back.” I replied with a casual “Okay” and put my phone down to get ready for bed. On Monday, I woke up early to handle the immigration procedures. I printed all the necessary documents and even applied for expedited processing. After getting into the car, I scrolled through a new alert. 【EXCLUSIVE! Julian Spotted with Mysterious Girlfriend Seraphina at Cloudscape Villa Estate, Suspected to Be Living Together!】 In the accompanying photo, Julian’s profile was clearly visible. Like yesterday, I clicked ‘like’ again. Although I tried hard to appear calm, my heart still ached terribly. It’s okay, a new life is about to begin. The next day, I went to the company and handed in my resignation. When I got home, the news alerts showed Seraphina already wearing a custom-made wedding gown, a massive diamond ring sparkling on her ring finger. I continued to ‘like’ the posts, then buried myself under my duvet. The following days brought new, increasingly dramatic alerts. This time, even more exciting: cameras aimed directly at newly hung wedding photos in the marital home. I liked those as usual, then put on makeup and went out for a farewell dinner with friends. That evening, I dragged home several large boxes and purged everything related to Julian. The gifts he gave me, our couple’s trinkets, our shared photos… Nothing remained. Everything went into the community donation bin. I was just about to rest after finishing, when Julian suddenly returned. He saw the mostly empty room and was clearly displeased. “Why are so many things missing from the house?” “I got tired of them, so I threw them out.” Julian casually pulled off his tie, his gaze sweeping over the half-empty room before landing on the suitcase nearby. “Where are your things?” he asked, then noticed the airline tag on the suitcase. “Are you planning a long trip?” “You resigned?” I remained silent. Then he spotted my passport on the coffee table. “Why did you suddenly take out your passport?” “Work’s been too exhausting; I want to take a break. My passport’s just about to expire, so I’m going to renew my visa.” I quickly explained, then stuffed my passport into my bag, fearing he’d ask more questions. Julian didn’t give my explanation another thought. He simply pulled me into his arms, his voice tender. “I’ve neglected you these past few days. It’s your birthday soon. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to a charity gala, and we can pick out some jewelry you like?” I didn’t refuse.

Chloe pov At the gala, everyone was toasting. Julian and I had just taken our seats when I saw Seraphina. She walked directly over and sat in the empty seat next to Julian. All evening, Julian leaned in, whispering to Seraphina, not sparing me a single glance. When the gala ended, he pulled me up, ready to leave. I excused myself to the restroom midway. As I stepped out, I saw Seraphina cornered in the hallway by a group of sleazy men, who were harassing her. “Well, well, isn’t it Seraphina? After what you did to Julian, you have the nerve to show your face back here?” “Heard your family’s almost bankrupt, and your dad’s trying to sell you off to some old geezer? Why not come with us boys? We promise we’ll treat you better than any old man ever could…” Before they could finish, I saw a figure dash down the stairs. Julian’s face was terrifyingly grim. He landed a furious kick on the man closest to Seraphina, then pinned him to the ground, punching him relentlessly, without mercy. “Get lost! If I ever see you near her again, I’ll make sure you vanish from this city!” His terrifying warning sent the men scrambling. The hallway filled with onlookers. Julian helped Seraphina up, his gaze filled with concern. “Are you hurt?” Seraphina threw herself into his arms, crying pitifully. “My ankle feels twisted. It hurts so much.” Julian’s expression darkened. He bent down, lifted her into his arms, and swiftly left. He shielded Seraphina completely, protecting her. I stood right beside him, yet he didn’t even look at me. His heavy wristwatch even cruelly grazed my temple. The blow made me stumble, my head hitting the hard, decorative corner of the wall behind me with a sickening thud. A line of blood immediately streamed down my forehead. “Oh my God, she’s bleeding! Call an ambulance!” My vision blurred, the searing pain making cold sweat trickle down my back. I watched Julian’s retreating back, his stride unwavering, and my mouth filled with a bitter taste. Years ago, when I pricked my finger during drug trials for him, he would be anxious for half an hour. He once held my hand and said, “This place is too lonely. Once I’m powerful enough, I’ll fill it with a unique star just for you.” Now, my head was bleeding profusely, and he pretended not to see. My “star” gift, too, had been given to someone else. I was loaded into an ambulance and quickly taken to the hospital. I registered, had my wound cleaned, and stitches put in, all by myself, returning home late that night. I was in too much pain to sleep. Julian didn’t come home all night. The next morning, I dragged my exhausted body out of bed to change my dressing, only to see new socialite news. It was a short video: Julian, half-kneeling, was carefully applying medicine to Seraphina’s ankle. I had never seen such tenderness in his eyes. I watched it several times, until tears streamed down my face, then fell back asleep. When I woke again, it was dark outside. My phone vibrated incessantly. As soon as I answered, I heard Julian rattle off an address. “The Phoenix Lounge, VIP room. Get here now.” I thought about it for a moment, then chose to get up. When I arrived, pushing open the door, I saw Seraphina, her eyes red, sitting there like a startled, pitiable rabbit. Julian looked at me, his expression grim, saying nothing. “You called me here. What’s wrong?” I spoke first. Julian sat up straight, his hands clasped, a posture he used at the negotiating table. “Chloe, were those men yesterday, were they arranged by you?” I froze. I instinctively looked at Seraphina, catching a fleeting flicker of triumph in her eyes. I understood instantly. I shook my head. “It wasn’t me.” Julian’s expression didn’t soften. He lowered his gaze, his voice calm. “Stop stirring up trouble. Seraphina is a thing of the past. The person standing by my side now is you, and that will never change. Her family is down and out; anyone can kick them while they’re down, but it shouldn’t be you. You don’t need to use such methods for my sake.” When I heard those words, my heart lurched violently. Five years of my companionship, dismissed by his casual “a thing of the past.” I thought of the wedding photos one last time and couldn’t help but cry. “Yes, we’ve been together for five years. How am I only just finding out who’s truly in your heart now?” Julian froze at my words. “What do you mean?” I shook my head, a bitter laugh escaping me. “What I mean is, as a chauffeur’s daughter, where would I get the connections or the power to bully a former heiress?” Even when I spelled it out clearly, Julian still didn’t believe me. I was tired, too tired to explain anymore. “Since you don’t believe me, what do you want me to do?” Julian pressed his fingers to his temples. “Apologize.” At that moment, Seraphina, sitting beside him, suddenly spoke, her voice pitiful. “No need for an apology. If you truly feel sorry for me, then eat all these sea urchins on the table.”

Chloe pov On the table, there was a spread of golden, enticingly fresh sea urchins, already shelled. I looked at Julian, waiting for his answer. The light was dim, I couldn’t see his expression clearly. I felt a little breathless. Back when I first went to the estate, Julian, due to his injury, was irritable and refused all treatment, even starving himself. I was desperate, trying every method to persuade him. Until one day, he pointed to the table laden with premium seafood and sneered, “A chauffeur’s daughter dares to tell me what to do? Fine, you eat all these sea urchins, and I’ll cooperate with the treatment.” I wanted to tell him that I wasn’t telling him what to do; I was… heartbroken for him. So, even though I was severely allergic to seafood, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I picked up a fork and ate it. Within minutes, I went into anaphylactic shock and was rushed to the hospital. When I woke up, he was sitting by my bedside, his face grim. “You knew you were allergic. Why would you risk your life?” I only replied, “Because I didn’t want to see you give up. Master Julian, your leg will get better. Even if it doesn’t, I’ll be your legs for life, so please, stop tormenting yourself, okay?” From that day on, Julian broke all his bad habits and actively cooperated with treatment. For the next five years, sea urchins never appeared on our dinner table again. Thinking of this, I smiled, and tears fell. I didn’t explain further. I picked up a fork, scooped a lobe of sea urchin, and put it into my mouth. “Just eating them isn’t enough to show sincerity, is it?” I said, picking up a glass of wine. With the burning liquid, I swallowed a mouthful of sea urchin, glass after glass. The sweet and spicy flavors mingled in my stomach, making me numb with discomfort. It wasn’t until my seventh glass that Julian finally roared, “Enough!” I looked at the half-eaten plate of sea urchins and smiled. “Is this enough? Have I truly apologized? Is it enough to satisfy your beloved?” At that, Julian sprang to his feet, seizing my hand. His usually stern face was now so dark it looked like it could drip water. “You know perfectly well I didn’t mean it that way! Chloe, I told you, Seraphina and I are over! My family won’t accept you, and if you pull stunts like this, people will find reasons to gossip. I just don’t want you to be the subject of rumors!” Julian’s words sounded so righteous. But I just laughed. If the Harringtons wouldn’t accept me, would they accept Seraphina, who had betrayed him? But with just one word from Seraphina, didn’t he still marry her? Everything was just an excuse for not loving me enough. I didn’t want to say anything more. I shook him off and turned to leave. Just as I reached the door, my vision blurred, and I collapsed to the ground. “Chloe!” In a daze, I heard Julian’s frantic call of my name. Seraphina, however, was weeping beside him. “Julian, I feel a little dizzy.” But this time, Julian refused her. “I’ll take her to the hospital first. Get my assistant to pick you up.”

Chloe pov I dragged my unsteady steps forward, snatched my phone back, and hung up. Julian looked at me in surprise, not understanding my intense reaction. “What’s wrong?” I sighed, doing my best to make my voice sound calm. “Nothing. I just don’t want you two fighting over me anymore.” Hearing this, Julian didn’t suspect anything further and instead asked about my test results. “The doctor said there’s nothing serious, I can be discharged.” The next few days at home, Julian canceled all his engagements and stayed with me. I preferred sitting by the bed, lost in thought, unwilling to engage with him. When Julian tried to hug me, I simply got up and retreated to the bedroom. “I’m not feeling well, I want to lie down for a bit.” He thought I was still angry about the previous incident, so he had his assistant arrange a surprise. On my birthday, he hosted a grand charity gala in my name, under the guise of the Harrington Arts Foundation. Out of respect for Julian, all the city’s elite were in attendance. They were polite enough to me in his presence. But the moment he turned his back, their disdainful whispers began, undisguised. “If it weren’t for Julian, I’d never show up to a chauffeur’s daughter’s birthday party. It’s too humiliating!” “I have no idea what Julian sees in her. She reaks of poverty; it’s sickening!” “Julian is too soft-hearted. If it were me, I’d just pay her off. Actually marrying her? Now that would be a joke!” I sighed, unwilling to dwell on it. At seven o’clock sharp, a stir rippled through the ballroom entrance. All the guests turned in unison, their expressions of disdain instantly morphing into fawning smiles. Everyone in elite circles knew Julian had fought for Seraphina. Seeing her now, they rushed to curry favor. “Julian, you left earlier to personally pick up Seraphina? How sweet!” “Of course! They’re true childhood sweethearts. Only Seraphina’s elegance can truly match Julian’s stature.” Amidst the chorus of praise, I watched Seraphina enter, arm-in-arm with Julian, and frowned. She wore a magnificent custom-made gown, sparkling jewelry accentuating her noble grace. Her exquisite face radiated the proud confidence that money cultivates. After Julian’s leg healed, he once drew a sketch without facial features. When I asked him then, he said it was just practice, and I only thought the figure in the drawing was beautiful, not thinking much of it. But… the person in that drawing was clearly Seraphina! His heart, it turned out, had never truly made space for me. I turned to leave, but Seraphina called out to me. “Chloe, I hear it’s your birthday today. I came uninvited; I hope you don’t mind? I even brought you a very special gift!” With that, she gestured for a waiter to present an antique music box. “It’s called ‘Oblivion.’ A beautiful name, don’t you think?” I saw the oddly shaped music box and recoiled in shock. “Please take it away, I…”

Chloe pov Hearing my words, Seraphina’s face immediately fell. “Julian, is Chloe still mad at me? Maybe I should just leave so I don’t upset anyone.” At this, Julian quickly grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving, and frowned at me. “Seraphina means well, Chloe. Don’t you love antique collectibles? Just accept it.” I could only turn to his secretary. “Mr. Davis, my hands aren’t free. Would you mind accepting it for me?” The people around me began to snicker again, mocking me for being difficult and intentionally trying to make a scene. Julian, too, thought I was trying to humiliate Seraphina. His face darkened, and he led Seraphina further into the hall. The area quickly cleared out, leaving only me. I poured myself a glass of water, slowly trying to calm the bone-deep terror that had seized me. I used to enjoy collecting antiques. But five years ago, on a stormy, thunderous night, Julian had a high fever that wouldn’t break. When I went out to find a doctor, I got trapped in the old, decrepit elevator of the estate. In that narrow, dark, constantly leaking space, the only light came from a malfunctioning phone. It endlessly looped a corrupted audio clip—the very same strange, distorted melody from that music box. I developed severe claustrophobia from that incident and could never bear to hear that tune again. I had never told Julian about it. So he didn’t understand my pain. During the party’s celebration, everyone instinctively gathered around Seraphina, as if she were the guest of honor. Julian’s anger seemed to have subsided a little, and he finally called me over to cut the cake. I was just about to make a wish when I heard Seraphina exclaim in surprise. “Oh, what a coincidence! This music box’s creation anniversary is also today! Why don’t we let it celebrate with us?” At her words, a wave of stifled snickers rippled through the crowd. She was clearly provoking me! I took a sharp breath, my voice icy. “If that’s the case, then let ‘Oblivion’ make a wish. I won’t disturb you.” With that, I turned to leave. Julian’s temple throbbed, and he called out to me. “Chloe! This is your birthday party! What kind of behavior is that?” He grabbed my arm, leaning close to my ear to whisper, “Chloe, don’t embarrass me. My parents are right over there. Give them a reason to accept you.” Accept our relationship? But hadn’t he already married someone else…? Birthday songs echoed around me, but all I felt was annoyance. Until someone, perhaps intentionally, opened the music box and thrust it into my arms. I didn’t want this thing! I stumbled back violently, a sharp pain shooting through me as I collided with an ice bucket! The ice bucket, filled with ice and champagne, toppled over, crashing directly towards me and Seraphina. Screams erupted throughout the venue. I watched in slow motion as Julian instinctively pulled Seraphina into his arms, shielding her and moving her out of the danger zone. Then, I saw countless ice cubes and liquid crash down upon me. A long gash opened on my shoulder, carved by a sharp ice shard. I cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground. Hearing my cry, Julian turned, saw my injury, and started to come back, but Seraphina shrieked beside him. “Ah! Julian, my wrist feels like it was hit by an ice cube! Could it be fractured?!” Looking at the tiny red mark on her wrist, Julian hesitated for a moment, then only instructed his secretary, “You take Chloe to the hospital to get her wound treated.” With that, he picked up Seraphina and hurried away. The guests quickly dispersed, not forgetting to mock me as they left. “Oblivion, Chloe… Seraphina really knows how to name things! Look at her, she looks just like forgotten trash, doesn’t she?” I heard their words clearly. My nose stung, and tears finally fell. My twenty-third birthday ended in such a bleak, desolate way.

Chloe pov It wasn’t until midnight that I dragged my weary body back home. I turned on the light, and my phone buzzed. It was a picture from Seraphina. The photo showed Julian intently applying an ice pack to her wrist. The caption read: “He said my hands are for painting and shouldn’t be harmed. He also said our wedding is set for the Maldives; that starry sky is a dream we shared since childhood.” “Oh, and thank you, truly. If it weren’t for you, Julian’s leg wouldn’t have healed. Thank you for taking care of my husband for five whole years.” I looked at her arrogant taunts, too exhausted to even feel angry. I went back to my bedroom and lay down, falling into a deep sleep. Julian still didn’t return that night, only sending a message. 【Chloe, I’m tied up. Is your injury serious? If it hurts, tell me, and I’ll come back immediately.】 I replied after a long pause. 【No need.】 Julian, from now on, I no longer need you. After the bleeding from my shoulder wound stopped, I took a day off specifically to drive to the secluded estate. I didn’t go into the house but instead went to the small observatory in the backyard. That was something Julian and I built together, piece by piece, from discarded parts when his leg injury was at its worst. At the center of the observatory was a planetarium we had handcrafted and polished. I turned on the power, and the ceiling immediately projected a dazzling galaxy of stars. Among them were two of the brightest constellations, which we had each designed. I clicked on the one I designed, and the note beneath the star map, written in my own hand, appeared: “May Julian soar again, like Aquila the Eagle.” My every wish had been for him. The next second, I clicked on the constellation he had designed. A line of elegant handwriting popped up: “To Seraphina the Princess, my love, forever.” Seraphina. It was Seraphina again. It turned out that every single thing he had ever done for me, his heart had always been thinking of someone else. I deleted the star map I had designed, then removed the necklace from my neck. It was a small meteorite, a gift Julian bought me with his first earnings after rejoining the Harrington family. He once held me and said: “Chloe, they say the more powerful you become, the lonelier you get, but as long as I have you, I have the courage to reach the top. Everything I possess from now on, including myself, is yours.” I buried this star, along with everything related to our past, beneath the observatory.

Chloe pov After filling the pit, I turned to go home. But as I reached the door, I ran into Julian and Seraphina. Seeing me there, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. “Chloe, what are you doing here?” I didn’t answer, instead asking, “What about you? What are you and Seraphina doing here?” Before Julian could speak, Seraphina smiled and chimed in, “I haven’t seen Julian paint in ages. He said his old art supplies were at the estate, so we came back to get them. Chloe, you know your way around here, could you show us?” With that, she pulled me inside. The moment I pushed open the door to the art studio, I froze. The room’s furnishings were exactly as they had been when we left. A ripple of excitement, then pain, went through me. Julian, too, seemed touched, turning to look at me. “Chloe, do you remember when we…” “I don’t remember.” My voice was so soft it was barely audible. Julian paused, then pointed to an unfinished oil painting in the corner. “Didn’t we keep this painting in the study? Why was it moved here?” I didn’t look. “You weren’t well back then. Many of your memories are jumbled.” Just like I thought he loved me. But in reality, it was just dependence born of desperation. Once he recovered, my kindness became irrelevant. Julian’s expression was troubled. He wanted to ask me what was wrong, but I didn’t speak, walking over to the window. “The art supplies are on the top shelf of the cabinet. You can get them yourselves.” Listening to the rummaging sounds behind me, I slowly closed my eyes. Before long, it suddenly started to rain outside. I got up and returned to the living room, where I saw Julian had already set up his easel. Seraphina sat opposite him, striking a pose. Through the glass door, Julian picked up his paintbrush, his gaze focused and deeply affectionate. Even after five years apart, his familiarity with her was etched into his very bones. It turned out Julian loved Seraphina so much that, even after being abandoned for five years, he never forgot her. Yes, they belonged to the same world. And I was just a chauffeur’s daughter. Why should I fantasize about owning a sun that didn’t belong to me? When he finished painting, Seraphina rose and walked behind him, her hand resting on his shoulder, then sliding down. Through the glass, Seraphina leaned in and kissed his lips. “Julian, I know you still love me…” At that moment, I couldn’t take it anymore. I turned and ran out into the pouring rain.

hloe pov When I got home, I pulled out my suitcase and started packing my last few belongings. I worked until dawn, and Julian still hadn’t returned. But it didn’t matter anymore. The next day, I went to the immigration office and retrieved all my documents. On the way back, I booked a flight for that afternoon. When the car stopped at the gate, I saw his Bentley parked in the driveway; he was back. Sure enough, as soon as I entered the bedroom, I saw Julian standing by my suitcase, trying to open it. I panicked. “Weren’t you with Seraphina? Why are you back?” Julian froze. He slowly turned around, and the moment he lifted his head, his eyes flared with anger. He walked up to me, his voice filled with deep exasperation. “Chloe, what are you imagining now? I told you, Seraphina and I will never have anything to do with each other again.” Never again have anything to do with each other? But you married her for her. I smiled through my tears, but still didn’t expose him. “Then I misunderstood.” Julian breathed a sigh of relief. “There’s a family dinner at the Harringtons tonight. My parents have agreed for you to attend as my fiancée.” Hearing this, I was stunned. They agreed? Julian ruffled my hair, then handed me a black card. “Chloe, don’t worry, one day I’ll make them accept you, let you stand proudly by my side. I’m a little tired right now and want to rest for a bit. My secretary can take you to pick out some dresses, okay?” I stared at the card for a long moment, then took it. “You rest. I’ll go by myself.” I placed the newly retrieved documents into my bag. Julian lay on the bed, falling into a deep sleep. Looking at his handsome sleeping face, I was slightly lost in thought. He turned over, clutching my hand tighter, muttering in his sleep, “…Don’t leave.” I raised my hand one last time, wanting to gently touch his brow. But his next words shattered my heart completely. He murmured: Seraphina… I pulled my hand back and smiled. As expected, he was still in love with another woman. I picked up my luggage and went downstairs. On the way to the airport, I set all my social media accounts to permanent deletion. I also deleted all of Julian’s contact information. The airport was bustling. I calmly completed all the procedures and walked towards the security checkpoint with my suitcase. I stopped only after passing through the heavy glass doors, leaving the noisy departure hall completely behind me. Through the glass wall, I took one last look at the land I had lived on for so many years. I knew. From this moment on, I was free. I walked to a nearby seating area and pulled out my brand-new phone. I inserted the unused SIM card and dialed Eleanor Harrington’s number. “Mrs. Harrington, I’ve already passed security. You can proceed with the transfer.” Only Eleanor’s cold, crisp two words came from the other end: “Understood.” Then, the call was abruptly cut off. “Don’t worry,” I said softly, a slight curve to my lips as I looked out at the plane about to take off, “I’ll enjoy spending this money.” After hanging up, I didn’t throw away the phone, nor did I break the SIM card. I simply pulled the card out and tucked it into a travel book I carried with me. After all, everything behind me finally had nothing to do with me anymore. I walked towards the boarding gate. My new life was about to begin.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “303383”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #励志Inspiring

My wife, Sarah, suffered from severe postpartum depression. Every night, she had to hide in the closet to fall asleep. Once, I gently carried my sleeping wife out of the closet and put her back on the bed. She woke up and cried non-stop. The next day, her depression flared, and she ended up in the hospital. After that, I just let her sleep in the closet. Until our son’s first birthday. Sarah stretched lazily and walked out of the closet. I looked at her full, rosy face and immediately told her I wanted a divorce! Sarah’s eyes welled up with tears as she questioned me: “If it weren’t for having your baby, why would I have postpartum depression? And now, just because I sleep in the closet, you want a divorce?” “Tomorrow, 10 AM. We’re filing for divorce.” As soon as I said it, I turned my wheelchair, ready to leave the banquet, but Mark, Sarah’s older brother, grabbed me. “Luke, you better explain yourself!” He glared at me, his grip tight, almost cutting off my breath. “We’re both men, I know exactly why you’re doing this!” Mark gritted his teeth, his eyes practically spitting fire, looking like he wanted to rip me apart. “Isn’t it all about sex?” “My sister nearly died giving you a child. Have you even looked at her stomach?” “It used to be so perfect, and now it’s covered in stretch marks, like centipedes crawling all over. She gained thirty pounds having your baby, her body completely changed. And now you’re disgusted with her, aren’t you? Where were you before?” Mark’s words were too blunt. Everyone present. They all stared at me with cold, angry eyes. I knew a distant relative who divorced his wife after she lost her figure post-childbirth. That guy’s reputation was ruined in our circle; everyone talked about him like he was scum. Seeing them about to crucify me, I was about to speak. Mr. Henderson, Sarah’s father, slammed his wine glass hard on the table. “Luke, a man who truly loves his wife finds prosperity.” “Whose wife doesn’t go through this after childbirth? If you divorce my daughter for that reason, I’ll truly look down on you.” Mrs. Henderson, Sarah’s mother, snorted impatiently. “You men, your minds are always in your pants!” “My daughter gave birth over a year ago, and she’s still not fully recovered. Can’t you be more understanding?” “She’s your wife, not some ancient concubine, and certainly not just for your pleasure!” I remained silent. Sarah’s tears fell in heavy drops, her face crumpled in hurt. “Luke, you heartless man, is that really why you’re divorcing me?” “Just because I’ve slept in the closet every night for the past year, and haven’t slept with you?” “Luke, is that all you ever think about? Our son is a year old now. How many diapers have you changed? How many times a day does he drink formula? Have you even cared?” Sarah’s voice was choked with sobs, but her questions rang out loud and clear. Everyone looked at me, outraged. “He looks decent, but turns out he has no sense of responsibility. Doesn’t deserve to be a man.” “I thought he wanted a son so badly, like he had some royal lineage to continue. Turns out he can’t even bother to raise his own kid.” “Now I finally get why Sarah is depressed. If I had a husband like that, I’d want to die.” I lifted my head, expressionless, and scanned the room, then sneered: “Say whatever you want.” “Sarah, first thing tomorrow morning, we’re going to the courthouse to file for divorce.” “You admit it, don’t you?” Mark clenched his fist and swung it at me. “I’ll kill you, you animal! My sister was blind to marry a monster like you!” As his fist came flying towards my face. Sarah’s eyes widened, and she let out a horrified scream. “Mark, don’t hit him!” My wife rushed over without a second thought, shielding me. “He was just in a car accident, he can’t fight back! If you hurt him, I’ll be heartbroken!” Mark’s fist froze in mid-air. He laughed bitterly. “Luke, do you see? How much my sister loves you? She saw you about to get hit and didn’t even think, just rushed to protect you. It’s like a reflex.” “You’re in a wheelchair now, practically a cripple, and she hasn’t abandoned you. What right do you have to complain about her?” “Luke, I’ll ask you one more time— Are you absolutely sure you want to divorce her?” “Yes.” I turned to Sarah, my face blank. Her eyes were filled with tears, shaking her head at me. “Luke,” She gripped my arm, pleading softly. “I know I neglected you this past year, and I was wrong. I’ll make it up to you, slowly. I’ll change.” I sneered, disgusted, and shook her off. “Stop acting. Get away from me!” “No matter what, this divorce is happening today.” I turned my wheelchair decisively and left. Thud. Someone fell to their knees.

Sarah was sobbing, tears streaming down her face, and she plunged her hand directly into the wheel of my wheelchair. If I moved, her hand would definitely be crushed. I frowned slightly. “Let go.” Sarah cried and shook her head. “Luke, I’m kneeling here for you. Can’t we just talk things through? Please don’t get a divorce.” “In front of so many people, if you just spring a divorce on me like this, my family will be so worried…” “And aren’t you just upset that I sleep in the closet every night?” Sarah’s voice was choked with tears, and she swore to me. “If you don’t like it, I’ll never sleep there again!” “I’ll sleep in bed with you from now on, even if I can’t sleep, I don’t care…” Hearing Sarah’s compromise, everyone started pointing and cursing at me. “He’s not even a man!” “Making such a huge deal out of something so trivial, any woman married to him would be cursed!” “Sarah’s had it so tough, living like this. If it weren’t for the baby being so young, I’d say she should divorce him too!” The surrounding guests already saw me as an absolute scumbag. They looked like they wanted to tear me apart. I sneered. “Then do you dare tell everyone why you really sleep in the closet?” Sarah froze at my words. A flicker of panic flashed in her eyes, then quickly vanished. Mrs. Henderson stepped forward, scoffing: “Didn’t we tell you? Sarah has postpartum depression; only a confined space makes her feel safe and relaxed. She just needs to be alone in a small space. Do you have to pick on that too?” Mark, my brother-in-law, couldn’t hold back any longer. “Sarah has already swallowed her pride and promised she won’t sleep in the closet anymore, what more do you want?” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with them. My voice remained cold and detached: “Divorce.” Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, who had been silent for a long time, immediately scowled and were about to speak. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Three rhythmic knocks. “Anyone home?” Mark glared at me and went to open the door. It was our next-door neighbor, Alex, a tall, handsome young man, easily 6’1″. He was holding a bag of wedding candies and a bag of eggs. Noticing the strange atmosphere in the room, he walked in cautiously. “Uh, my wife just got pregnant, we bought a lot of candies and boiled eggs, thought I’d bring some over to the neighbors, you know, share some good luck…” He spoke, his gaze eventually settling on Sarah. Sarah had her head down, not speaking. I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination, but a shy blush actually flitted across her face. Too bad no one else noticed. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson’s expressions softened a bit as they accepted the candies and red eggs from him. “Oh, thank you so much. It’s rare for a neighbor to think of us.” Alex still showed no signs of leaving. He looked around, testing the waters: “Did you guys have a fight?” “They’re getting a divorce!” Mark said, cuttingly, shooting me another glare. Alex gasped, “Oh, man!” and immediately rushed over to try and calm me down. “Listen, buddy, marriage is all about understanding each other. You can’t just jump to divorce at every little thing.” “My wife’s only a few months pregnant, and she’s in so much pain at night she can’t sleep. I’m up all night massaging her back, but I know it’s what a man should do. You gotta take care of your own wife, right?” Everyone in the room cast admiring glances at Alex. “Now that’s a good man, he knows how to cherish his wife.” Mrs. Henderson scoffed. “I wish Luke was like that. Too bad he’s such a petty jerk.” Sarah’s eyes were red as she walked towards me again. “Luke, I’m not asking you to be as responsible or as thoughtful as your neighbor. I just beg you, please stop this.” “Our son is about to turn one. Do you really want him to grow up without a father at this point?” I angrily pushed her away. “Don’t touch me!” “Your son will never be without a father.” Then I couldn’t help but sneer. “After we divorce, you can take him to find his real father…” Sarah froze, completely stunned by my words. Behind her, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson and Mark were so furious they pointed at my nose and cursed. “Luke, you bastard, how dare you say such a thing?” Mark’s face turned ashen with rage. He lunged at me again, grabbing my collar and yanking me straight out of my wheelchair. “Don’t think I won’t hit you just because you broke a leg. If you keep slandering my sister like this, I swear I’ll break your other leg too!” I still looked at him, utterly expressionless. “Slander?” “Say whatever you want. I’m divorcing her anyway.” Mark reached his breaking point and threw a punch. He even grabbed a nearby stick, gritting his teeth, ready to break my leg. I mocked him: “Go ahead, kill me today.” “As long as I’m still breathing, I’m divorcing Sarah!”

Everyone thought I’d lost my mind, absolutely insane to insist on divorce. Sarah saw my face swelling, blood trickling from the corner of my mouth, and immediately rushed over, heartbroken, to shield me. “Mark, stop it!” “Luke must be going through something. Let’s give him a few days to think it over, okay?” “Maybe in a few days, he won’t want a divorce anymore…” Everyone started whispering, calling me a fool, stubborn and irrational. They said I was throwing away a good life just to get divorced, I must be possessed. I scoffed. And closed my eyes. That day, Mark filmed me and uploaded the video to social media. “Look at the venomous face of this man! His wife gave birth, he didn’t care for her, didn’t help her, drove her to postpartum depression, and now, just because she sleeps in a separate bed, he wants a divorce!” “What kind of girl would be so unlucky as to marry a man like this?! I feel so sorry for my sister!” Driven by his post, netizens launched a collective online witch hunt. They blasted me online, calling me the worst kind of scumbag, a total freeloader who ditches his wife after she gives birth, a pig who only thinks with his crotch. They even turned my face into memes. Slamming me as the ultimate jerk. I simply turned off my phone, ignored everything, and holed up in my study, dealing with work. “I saw all the stuff online. It’s pretty nasty.” My junior colleague, Maya, came to the house to drop off some files and casually mentioned it. “So, Luke, are you really going through with the divorce with Sarah?” “You’re still in a wheelchair, can’t move around easily. Without someone to help you, even getting to the courthouse would be tough, right?” I couldn’t help but sneer. “Isn’t that exactly what Sarah wants?” Two months ago, I went out to buy breakfast for Sarah and was hit by a drunk driver. I didn’t die. But I broke a leg. Since then, I’ve been in a wheelchair, unable to move freely. Sarah had to take care of the baby and me, which was too much for her, so we hired a nanny. But I later found out. That car accident, caused by the drunk driver, was orchestrated by Sarah. At first, I couldn’t believe it. After all, to everyone who saw us, Sarah and I had been in love for eight years, known in our circle as a model couple. We were high school sweethearts, inseparable from our school days right up to our wedding. Our wedding photo was still displayed on the “Outstanding Alumni” board at the university. But the video evidence sent to me by the private investigator explained everything. Two months after my leg was broken. I finally understood her true intentions. Stuck in a wheelchair, I couldn’t move freely and had to confine myself to my study. I needed the nanny for everything. But what I called “care,” was actually her monitoring me. Sarah herself would hide in the closet all night. Every time I woke up, my side of the bed was cold. After that disastrous party, Sarah and I fell into a complete cold war. Several times she tried to talk to me, but I refused to engage. Yet, every few days, she’d try to smooth things over. Coming to me, playing the victim. One day, she came over, holding our son. “Luke, I just had the nanny bathe our son. Will you hold him, please?” “Since he was born a year ago, you’ve been so busy with work, have you really even looked at your son?” Sarah’s eyes welled up again as she spoke. “I know I was wrong before, I neglected and overlooked you. We finally built our little family, so from now on, if we have any problems, let’s talk it through and live a good life, okay?” I didn’t even glance at them, coldly and impatiently stating: “Take your son and get lost.” Sarah was deeply hurt by my words. She looked at me, incredulous, her eyes red. “Luke, he’s your son too.” “Honestly, ask yourself, our son is almost a year old, how many diapers have you changed? How many times have you made him formula?” “It’s true, for the first six months after he was born, you were so involved. But after that, you completely changed. For days, you wouldn’t even hold him…” “Look, can’t you see the hopeful look in his eyes? How much he wants his daddy to hold him? You two look so much alike…” Hearing her words, I seemed to be touched. I slowly turned my head to look at the baby in Sarah’s arms. Sarah’s eyes immediately lit up, and she perfectly timed it, gently pushing the baby into my embrace. “Luke, I knew you weren’t that heartless.” “Whatever happened, it will pass. Even for our son’s sake, we can’t just get divorced!” That day, I remained silent, watching her son smile at me. If it were before. My heart would have melted. But now, it was hard as iron. I printed out several divorce papers, but Sarah tore every single one to shreds. Sarah refused to sign, no matter what. She was such a proud person, yet she humbled herself for me time and again, constantly trying to make amends. If I truly wanted a divorce, I’d have to find another way. After three days of my silence. My chance came.

“Luke?” In the darkness, Sarah tiptoed back into the room, calling out to me tentatively. I didn’t respond, my breathing even. Sarah sighed in relief. She then turned and left. For the past few days, since the divorce discussions started, Sarah and I had been sleeping in separate rooms. After she had the baby, most of her time was spent caring for him, but evenings were an exception. The doctor said she had postpartum depression and needed plenty of rest. So we hired a confinement nurse and two nannies. As soon as the lights went out, she would retreat into the closet, curling up inside to get a good night’s sleep. That night, I had just closed my eyes. I heard three rhythmic knocks in the dark. It felt like a trick of the mind. But I knew it wasn’t. After waiting three minutes, I sat up. And called the police. “Hello, is this 911?!” “My wife has been murdered!” “Yes, the address is…” After hanging up, I called friends and family, one by one, telling them to come over immediately. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson and Mark rushed over first. Hearing that something had happened to Sarah, their eyes were red with anxiety, looking like they wanted to tear me limb from limb. “Luke, where is my sister? Where have you hidden her?” Mrs. Henderson was frantic, running around, her coat half on, searching the house with red eyes. “You bastard!” “Where’s my daughter? Where did Sarah go? She’s barely left the house since having the baby, how could she suddenly disappear in the middle of the night?” Mr. Henderson also glared at me, his face grim. “Luke! If anything happens to my daughter, I swear you’ll pay with your life!” I alone remained silent, expressionless. “Don’t worry yet.” Everyone was confused, frantically wondering what I was playing at. Someone even tried to call Sarah. But her phone rang on the bedside table. Sarah was gone. But her phone remained. I glanced down at my watch. “Not everyone’s here yet.” Finally, the friends and family I had notified started arriving, one by one. Although they didn’t want to be bothered in the middle of the night. As soon as they heard there was drama, each one was more excited than the last. When they heard my wife had disappeared. They immediately started whispering and speculating. Some said I was crying wolf. Others even accused me of murdering my wife for insurance. They said I’d just been pushing for divorce a few days ago, and now Sarah was gone. I must have kidnapped and hidden her. Seeing the atmosphere sufficiently built up, I sneered: “Sarah isn’t dead, and she hasn’t disappeared.” “The reason I said that was to make sure every single one of you came.” I stood up from my wheelchair, slowly speaking: “As for where Sarah actually went, next, I’ll let you all see the truth with your own eyes—” With that, I pressed the remote control and opened the closet door.

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My husband Alex claimed the color red sent him into a violent, blind rage. So in our entire marriage, I dared to wear red only twice. The first time landed me in the ER with thirteen stitches. The second time, he beat me so badly I lost our three-month-old baby. After that, I never wore red again. I even dressed head-to-toe in white, from skin out, terrified of triggering him. The day I was discharged after my miscarriage,I saw him. My husband should have been working late, but instead, he was feeding a young woman. I recognized her. She was his student. His eyes were filled with such tender love, and they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. They melted into an intimate dance. Just then, my phone rang. It was the doctor, his voice buzzing with excitement. “Mrs. Thorne, we’ve developed a new treatment specifically for Mr. Thorne’s condition….” I watched the girl’s fiery red dress swirl as they danced, a bitter, hollow laugh escaping my lips. “Don’t bother,” I whispered. “The problem has already been solved.”

“What? How is that possible? We’ve been researching for so long, never understanding the root cause of Mr. Thorne’s issues!” “It was only after countless discussions among a panel of experts that we finally devised a plan…” the doctor babbled excitedly on the other end. I just slowly lifted my gaze. Upstairs, the girl was waltzing, clumsily stepping on Alex’s feet. A sudden, freeing laugh bubbled up from deep inside me, mixed with tears. Maybe the real problem was-I never should become Mrs. Thorne. I didn’t wait for their dance to end. I just got up and went home. I opened my closet, staring blankly at the row of red dresses hanging there. Before I got married, red was my favorite color. But because Alex couldn’t stand to see me in it, all those beautiful dresses were banished to the back of my closet, gathering dust. This time, I wasn’t going to play his game anymore. I was done being the punchline. When he returned, the first thing he saw was me, sitting calmly, sipping coffee, in a vibrant red dress. He instantly lunged at me, his fingers closing around my throat like a vice. “Didn’t I tell you? You are never to wear this color!” His fist drew back, ready to strike, but then it froze. His face twisted in a mask of pure agony. I remembered the last time he’d told me he loved me. He’d claimed he was fighting with every fiber of his being to control his “instincts,” to not hurt me. “Alex.”A faint, mocking smile touched my lips as I looked at him. “Didn’t you say you loved me? I want to see if you can control yourself for my sake.” Alex clenched his jaw, the veins on his hands bulging, stark against his skin as he struggled for control. Finally, with a roar of frustration, he smashed a glass bottle, cutting his hand, then spun on his heel and stormed out. I watched his retreating back, my eyes turning cold. “See? You can control yourself.” Last time, I’d accidentally worn red, and he’d beaten me until I miscarried. When he saw me lying in the hospital bed, his brow furrowed with annoyance. “Didn’t I tell you to only wear white from now on? No red!” “You know I have a violent reaction to red! You always have!” I was pale and weak, and I started to cry, hurt and bewildered. Alex pulled me into a tight embrace, a flicker of what looked like remorse in his eyes. “Shh, my sweet. It’s because of my psychological issues. I’m sorry I put you through this.” “Just promise me you won’t wear red anymore, and everything will be fine.” I choked down my hurt, nodding my agreement. But then Chloe appeared, and I realized I’d been played for a fool. Our private doctor was outside, tending to Alex’s hand, while I packed my suitcase in the bedroom. Perhaps the sounds of my packing alerted Alex. “Why are you going away on another business trip?” He pushed the door open and walked in, embracing me from behind. A flurry of kisses rained down on my neck. My body stiffened, but I didn’t push him away. I let him perform his tenderness. His fake tenderness. “I still have some loose ends to tie up. My presence is required.” There was no real need for a business trip. I just couldn’t stand to see Alex for a while. Alex began to unbutton my shirt. “Evie.” His voice was hoarse. “Hold me tight.” He wanted me. He roughly pinned my hands above my head. I remained silent, but my stiff hands pulled away from his grasp. Noticing my unusual behavior, he opened his eyes. “Evie, are you still angry?” I still didn’t say anything. Alex dropped to one knee, looking utterly devout. He pulled a gift box from behind his back. “I bought you some new clothes. See if you like them.” Inside was a pure white dress. I recoiled, a wave of nausea washing over me. I pushed the gift box aside. “Alex, let’s get a divorce.”

Just then, his phone buzzed with several new messages. Alex instinctively glanced down, his eyes softening with tenderness and affection. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. The girl, saved as “Chloe” in his contacts, was cheerfully sharing updates from her day. It felt like an eternity before Alex finally looked up from his phone. “Hmm? What did you just say?” My words felt like punching a feather pillow. His lock screen flashed, displaying Chloe. Dressed in red, dancing. Every time he saw it, his eyes softened with that tender, doting look. He had never looked at me like that. So, when that girl, Chloe, stood before me, holding a pregnancy test report, I didn’t hesitate. I slapped her across the face. Chloe hadn’t expected me to strike her. She shrieked, clawing at me. “Evelyn Blackwood, you crazy bitch!” “How dare you hit me? Alex will make you pay for this!” Alex rushed in when he heard the commotion, his face a thundercloud, dark with fury. He immediately saw me, grabbing Chloe’s hair, pinning her terrified body against the wall. “Evelyn!” Alex shouted, enraged, trying to stop me. Far from being upset, I just smiled and looked at him. “Honey, this girl is trying to scam us! She claims she’s pregnant with your child. How is that even possible? Considering I helped her out once, I’m just teaching her a lesson.” With that, I pulled back my fist, aiming for her belly. But my wrist was caught mid-air. “Evelyn, stop it.” Alex rubbed his temples in frustration. “You’re stopping me?” Alex was always so obsessed with appearances, especially with me. He loved playing the doting husband in public. This was the first time he’d openly stopped me, ignoring the stares and whispers around us. “Alex, what is this? Is what she’s saying true?” I said, a sneer twisting my lips. “Could that baby in her belly actually be yours?” I expected him to twist himself into knots, denying everything, but this time, he was surprisingly candid. “Yes.” He stared into my eyes. “The baby is mine.” The next second, I slapped him across the face with all my strength. Alex’s head snapped to the side. He didn’t dodge, and he didn’t turn back for a long moment. “Evie, that night was just a mistake.” “I mistook Chloe for you.” “But the doctor said she can’t have an abortion, or she’ll never be able to get pregnant again. I can’t ruin her life.” Alex shielded Chloe firmly behind him, his actions making his stance clear. I remembered the first time I’d been suspicious, and Alex’s explanation. “Chloe is just one of my students. She recently graduated and is looking for a job, so she came to me for advice.” Besides being a CEO, Alex also held a position as a visiting lecturer at the university. Normally, a student seeking advice from a professor would be nothing. But I’d seen the resume he’d hidden under his desk. He’d already hired Chloe for his company. If it was just a purely professional mentor-mentee relationship, it would have been fine. But then I saw Alex, holding Chloe, who was wearing a red dress, dancing and kissing. In that moment, I wanted to tear something apart. “Evie, I thought you were on a business trip?” Alex frowned, trying to smooth things over. “Whatever it is, let’s go home and talk.” I coldly shook him off. My gaze fell on Chloe’s bright red dress. “Don’t you go into a rage when you see red? Are you blind? Can’t you see her in that bright red dress?” “Alex, do you remember your reaction the last time I wore a red dress?” “I had just found out I was pregnant and simply wanted to celebrate. You just lashed out, beat me, and sent me to the hospital for a miscarriage. Have you forgotten?” Alex looked at me, his eyes filled with exhaustion and helplessness. “I already said I was sorry.” “Evelyn, must you always dwell on this? How long are you going to keep this up?” Keep this up? I savored the words and laughed, a hollow sound. “That was a living, breathing life, Alex! Do you think I shouldn’t keep this up?” “Alex, today, either you send this woman to the hospital for an abortion.” “Or, you pay with your own life.” Chloe, hiding behind him, burst into tears, tugging at his sleeve for help. “Alex, I don’t want to lose this baby!” Alex squeezed her hand, comforting her. “I’m here. Don’t be afraid.” Alex’s stance remained firm; no one was going to touch Chloe. “I told you, she can’t have an abortion.” Alex dropped to one knee before me. “Take my life instead.” “I’ll do anything you want, okay, Evie?” There he was again, with that pathetic, manipulative act, always putting on a show for others. But I swallowed my disgust and smiled brightly. “Alright.” I picked up the nearby vase. Amid Chloe’s terrified screams, I hurled it at Alex. “Don’t hurt Alex!” Chloe lunged forward, taking the hit on her back. Alex’s face drained of all color. “Chloe…” He scooped her up in a panic. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll get a doctor right away!” He looked back at me, his eyes filled with infinite hatred. And then I knew. Alex wouldn’t let me go. But I had already arranged for a reporter to secretly record everything in advance. His camera had captured it all. If I wasn’t mistaken, tonight, Alex would be treated to a spectacular exclusive news report. Alex Thorne, who are you to take whatever you want and discard me when you’re done? I wasn’t some object. This time, I would make sure he understood the price of his actions. Sure enough, two hours later. #AlexThorneCheatingScandal exploded across the headlines. At the same time. Alex’s furious call came through. “Evelyn, you set up that trending topic! Delete it now!”

I didn’t say a word, just hung up without a second’s hesitation. Then I blocked Alex. His messages bombarded my phone, one after another. “Evelyn, what are you doing? Do you have any idea how much negative impact this will have on the company? The stock is plummeting!” “Evie, I know you’re angry, but can’t we just talk this through? Please come home.” “If you need me to, I can apologize…” I expressionlessly turned off my phone, placing it face down on the table, and looked up at the lawyer across from me. “Let’s continue.” I handed the lawyer a document I’d kept hidden away. “Please tell me, is this divorce agreement still valid?” Before we got married, Alex himself had signed a blank divorce agreement. We hadn’t been in love then. He had coldly told me: “If you ever want to leave, just sign this. You can walk away anytime.” “It’s your guarantee of freedom.” Later, our relationship seemed to grow stronger. A CEO like him would cook me three meals a day. He’d always consider everything, making sure I was never too hot or too cold. He’d moved me, and I’d believed this life would last forever. That document was tucked away, forgotten. Before I discovered Chloe, I had never once considered divorce. Aside from his aversion to red, Alex had been good to me in other ways. Even after losing our baby, I thought I could forgive him, endure it. I could be hurt. But I couldn’t stand being played for a fool, made into a joke. The lawyer carefully reviewed the document and nodded. “Ms. Blackwood, this agreement is still valid. All you need to do is sign it for it to take effect.” I signed it on the spot and handed the agreement to the lawyer. “I want a divorce. As quickly as possible.” As I stepped out of the coffee shop, a light rain began to fall. A black car honked at me. Alex’s car was parked right outside. “Get in.” The window rolled down, revealing Alex’s stern face. I didn’t stop, just walked straight past him. “Evelyn!” Alex chased after me, grabbing my arm. “Are you still going to cause trouble?” I slapped him. “Don’t touch me. You’re disgusting.” Alex stood frozen, watching me with a cold stare. His gaze fell on my fiery red dress. His brow furrowed deeply. “Why do you always have to go against me?” “Evie, our relationship used to be so good, didn’t it? Can’t we go back to how things were?” “Chloe only suffered minor bruises, and the baby is fine. Otherwise…” “Otherwise, what?” I cut him off. “You would kill me, wouldn’t you?” “Evelyn! What has happened to you? Why are you like this?” Alex looked at me, his eyes filled with weariness and disgust. “Is it me who changed, or you?” “Alex, don’t forget, you’re the one who betrayed me first.” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with him anymore and turned to leave. Alex wouldn’t let it go. “That reporter, you arranged for her, didn’t you? Contact her, get it deleted!” So this was his real reason for coming. “Chloe was so distraught by that news story, she threatened to jump. It took me ages to calm her down.” “Evelyn, can’t you stop being so selfish?” “Don’t drag others into this just for your own sake.” Oh, what a kind and considerate man. I turned around and sneered. “Selfish?” “I’m not just going to be selfish, Alex. I’m going for the kill.”

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At our wedding, the woman who held Damon’s heart killed herself. For thirty years, we lived as enemies in a hollow marriage, until the day he poisoned my tea. I stabbed him before I died, determined to drag him down to hell with me. But with his final breath, he gasped an order to his subordinate. “Give her the antidote I found. After I’m gone, you must find out who’s been poisoning her all this time.” Tears streamed down my face. So, it wasn’t him after all. When I opened my eyes again, I knew exactly what to do. I’d go to Europe. Leaving Damon to his first love. The next time I opened my eyes, I was leaning against a warm chest. I whipped my head up, meeting Damon’s bloodshot eyes, staring back at me. For a moment, we both froze. This was the morning after I’d spent an entire night drenched in a storm, all to force him to marry me. Damon clearly hadn’t slept a wink, a faint shadow of stubble on his jaw. “You have a cold. Take this.” As soon as I woke, the worry in his eyes vanished, replaced by that familiar, brittle tension we’d shared in my previous life, as he pushed me away. “Damon…” My voice was hoarse. “Just hold me again.” He stood to leave. But the next second, I wrapped my arms around him from behind. The tautness of his muscles was unmistakable against my palms. “Scarlett.” He tightly clasped my hands. “You can’t force something that isn’t meant to be.” “I know.” I pressed myself against his back, feeling his warmth one last time. “I’ll let you go.” He scoffed. “That’s what you always say.” He forcefully pried my hands away, then left without a backward glance. That slamming door, that retreating back, felt eerily like the last time I’d seen him in my previous life. I looked down at my palms. His warmth lingered there. But he didn’t know. This time, I was truly letting go. I was just the girl he grew up with, the daughter of his late benefactors, the annoying kid next door who constantly drove him crazy. But I was never meant to be his wife… I closed my eyes. I understood now. I would let go. My phone buzzed. It was my assistant calling. “Ms. Scarlett, we’ve scouted the beachfront estate you liked. Haven’t you always wanted to get married there? Should we move the wedding venue?” “Go ask Chloe. She loves the ocean too. If she agrees, then switch it.” “Ms. Scarlett?” My assistant sounded like he’d misheard. “But you’re the bride, aren’t you?” “Not anymore, starting today.” I hung up and called my PhD advisor.

“Are you sure? Not getting married? You’re coming abroad for the project with me?” My advisor, Professor Davis, double-checked. I nodded vigorously. “I’m sure. No regrets.” Professor Davis breathed a sigh of relief, quickly signing the documents as if afraid I’d change my mind. “Even though you’re graduating, they’ve always wanted to keep you on for this project. Many people apply, but no one can replace you. It’s good you’ve finally decided. Marriage can wait a few years; it’s no rush.” I felt a pang of guilt. They had specifically asked for me for this project. But I’d been so obsessed with Damon, I’d stubbornly refused Professor Davis’s offer. My advisor, frustrated, had sought other candidates. But no one met the criteria, ultimately delaying the entire project. I finished the last of my paperwork in the office and was about to leave when a familiar sobbing reached my ears from outside the door. “I tried so hard, but I didn’t expect Scarlett to suddenly take the spot. All my efforts this month are wasted, boo hoo hoo…” It was Chloe. My grip tightened on the doorknob- Damon’s first love. The woman who made it impossible for us to ever find peace in our thirty-year marriage. I opened the door, and her familiar face appeared. Damon stood over me, radiating an intimidating aura I’d never felt from him before. “Scarlett, give that spot back.” Seeing Damon’s expression, and Chloe behind him, sobbing uncontrollably and gasping for breath, I shook my head. “No way.” “Scarlett…” Damon’s face twisted into an expression of utter disbelief I’d never seen before. “You already forced me to agree to marry you! Do you think I don’t know you’ve already arranged a wedding venue? You never intended to go! You just wanted to make things hard for Chloe!” Chloe, her eyes red, stepped forward too. “Scarlett, I worked so hard for this spot. If I leave, I won’t bother you two anymore, and you can finally have peace of mind…” “You know whether you really worked hard. You wouldn’t get this project anyway.” Chloe stiffened, her eyes growing even redder. Before applying, she’d wanted Damon to go with her, knowing I couldn’t stop them then. But because I’d repeatedly put myself in harm’s way, Damon, remembering my parents’ past generosity to his family, had grudgingly agreed to marry me instead. Chloe, in a fit of pique, had decided to go alone. But in the past few months, it had mostly been out of spite, and she hadn’t properly prepared. In my previous life, she hadn’t gotten in either. Damon, however, frowned. “You didn’t even give her a chance. How can you say she wouldn’t get in?” I waved the document in my hand. “Because Professor Davis has already signed off on my application.” “Scarlett…” Damon clenched his fists, disappointment etched on his face like never before. “I thought you were just a bit willful, but I never imagined you could be so malicious. You don’t need this opportunity at all, but Chloe has worked so hard to get where she is! I never thought you’d be so malicious, monopolizing Professor Davis’s spot just to spite her!” His breathing grew ragged as he spoke, and he glared at me coldly. “Listen, even though you used my family’s past debt to force me into marrying you, this one act makes it clear: I will never, ever consider you my wife.” “I know.” I nodded calmly. I’d already experienced that in my previous life. Damon turned to leave, gently putting his arm around Chloe’s shoulders to comfort her. “It’s okay. I’ll fund you to find other opportunities. Don’t be sad.” That gentle look, I’d dreamed of it countless times in my past life. But I hadn’t gotten it then, and I wouldn’t get it now. I really had to go, Damon.

I thought Damon wouldn’t see me again before the wedding. But when I returned to the apartment I’d rented, opening the door, our eyes met. Before I could speak, he brushed past me and strode out. My body hadn’t fully recovered yet. On the dining table sat a bowl of ginger tea, perfectly warm. For a moment, a mix of emotions swirled within me. I vaguely recalled how, in my past life, he’d always taken care of me even while complaining. Only because my parents, before they died, had asked him to look after me. So, even when we fought fiercely, if I was injured and hospitalized, he’d donate 600cc of blood without hesitation. Even if we’d just vowed never to speak again, the next second, if a car was about to hit me, he’d throw himself in front of it to push me out of the way. He was only trying to repay a debt with his life. But I always wanted more-I wanted his heart too. Sipping what might be my last cup of ginger tea, I suddenly remembered something. I quickly checked the date, my heart seizing, and put the bowl down. Grabbing my shoes, I called my assistant. “Quick! Go to the alley behind 13th Street!” It was still pouring rain. I rushed out without even grabbing an umbrella. Following my memory, I arrived at the alley where Chloe was assaulted in my past life. Sure enough, there, a dozen tall men surrounded a girl. “Don’t think just because your parents are dead, you don’t have to pay! I’ve given you extensions until today. No money? Then you’ll pay with your body!” “Stop it!” I smashed a beer bottle over the leader’s head, grabbed Chloe’s hand, and pulled her, running. “Ah!” The rain-slicked ground made her slip, and Chloe fell hard. I pulled several times, unable to get her up, while the dozen men were already closing in. Helpless, I shielded her with my body. “Run! I’ll hold them off!” “I… I…” Chloe seemed terrified, huddling and trembling. “Run!” I struggled to fend off the attackers, but even ten years of Taekwondo training wouldn’t let me hold off a dozen men for long. “I can’t last much longer! Go find the police!” “I… I’m so scared… I can’t move…” Chloe’s voice was an uncontrollable tremor. Gritting my teeth, I kicked a man away, buying us a precious second. I turned, trying to pull her up with all my might, but she suddenly shrieked and shoved me hard. The blade pierced my body. My breath hitched. “Bl… blood?” The leader hadn’t expected me to fall onto the knife. He clearly hadn’t intended to kill anyone, and his hand on the hilt was now shaking. I stared wide-eyed at Chloe. She huddled, trembling, looking at me. “I… I’m sorry… I was just so scared…” Biting my lip, I yanked the knife out and spun, lunging at the men. They hadn’t wanted to kill anyone, and seeing me go berserk, they scattered in terror. I stumbled, almost losing my balance. Rain blurred my vision. Through the haze, I seemed to hear footsteps rapidly approaching. I instinctively reached out for support, but a powerful shove sent me crashing against the wall. Damon held the trembling Chloe in his arms, his teeth clenched as he glared at me. “I already agreed to marry you, so why do you keep trying to destroy her?!” The wound tore, a searing pain. I clutched my chest, swallowing a mouthful of blood with difficulty. “Damon, I’m not…” “Shut up!” Damon lifted Chloe. “I will never believe another word you say.” “Damon… I… I…” Chloe trembled, leaning against him. Damon immediately looked down, his eyes filled with tenderness. “Don’t be scared. I’m taking you to the hospital now.” “Damon…” I tried to say something else, but I collapsed heavily to the ground. Blood pooled in thick rivulets. Dizzily, I only saw Damon’s back. He carried Chloe into the car and drove away, never looking back at me. The icy rain pierced me, making me shiver uncontrollably. My outstretched hand crashed into the bloody puddle. Before I closed my eyes, I thought I saw my assistant’s car, and the flashing police lights.

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