For three years in a row, my mom drove relatives back to our hometown for the holidays. But every single relative who caught a ride with us ended up dead! The insurance company even sent a special investigator to see if it was murder for insurance money. They dug through our lives, past and present, but couldn’t find anything shady. This year is the fourth year, and I decided my mom and I would just squeeze onto a crowded Amtrak train. I mean, three relatives had already died. Whoever wants to ride in that car can have it! But my boss at the company, Fiona, insisted on catching a ride with us to save on train fare. I brought up the previous deaths to warn her off. But my boss just said: “What era is this? Still believing in that superstitious nonsense?” “I’m riding in it! Let’s see which Grim Reaper dares to take me!” Left with no choice, and not wanting to make things difficult for myself at work, I had to grit my teeth and let my mom drive the car onto the highway once again. The car had only been on the highway for a little while. My mom yelled at me, her voice thick with tears: “Son!! Don’t look back! Don’t look back!” I glanced in the rearview mirror and my hands and feet instantly turned ice-cold. My boss, who had just been snacking on sunflower seeds, now had her head blown open. The car hadn’t even stopped, and she was already dead. … My mom slammed on the brakes, and the car screeched to a halt on the shoulder. I pushed the door open, fell to my knees by the side of the road, and threw up violently. This is the fourth year, and the fourth person to die in the backseat of our family’s car. The sound of sirens approached. Captain Sarah Vance from the Criminal Investigation Detachment was the first to step out of her car. The insurance investigator, Chloe, followed closely behind. Before the police could even say a word, Chloe leaned in to look inside the car. Then she turned around, pointed at me and my mom, and cursed: “Well, well, you’ve gotten bolder! Even serial insurance fraudsters don’t have the psychological fortitude you two have!” Hearing this, my mom fell to her knees. “We’re innocent! Ms. Chloe, it was really her who insisted on riding in this car!” “I was going to buy train tickets this year. But Ms. Fiona used her position as boss to pressure my son. We had to take her!” Chloe let out a cold laugh and pulled a stack of documents from her briefcase. “Save it!” “The previous three times, it was your Aunt Martha, Uncle Bob, and cousin David. Every time, before the incident, huge accidental death insurance policies were purchased.” “This time, you also bought passenger liability insurance. That’s another few million coming in, isn’t it?” “We bought that as a package deal!” I rushed over to help my mom up. “Chloe, watch your mouth! Who would kill someone for that amount of money?” “That amount of money?” Chloe said coldly. “I’ve seen people kill their fathers and wives for money. Let alone an outsider?” Traffic on the highway backed up for miles. Many drivers rolled down their windows to rubberneck. “Holy crap, is that a headless corpse in the backseat?” “I heard it’s murder for insurance money. This mother and son look so innocent, but they’re ruthless.” “Stay back, don’t want to get blood on yourself.” Hearing the gossip around her, Chloe got even more fired up. She turned to Captain Vance and said: “Captain Vance, is there even a need for an interrogation? This is a high-IQ serial murder case. It must be dealt with strictly!” Sarah ignored her, waiting for the forensics report. Not long after, the medical examiner brought out the report, his face looking terrible: “Captain Vance, the preliminary results are in.” Everyone held their breath. The medical examiner pointed at my boss, Fiona’s, neck: “The characteristics are exactly the same as the previous three cases. The head exploded from the inside; it wasn’t smashed by an external force!” If it were one person, you could call it a bizarre disease. But four in a row, all in this same car? Police Captain Sarah stared at me with sharp eyes: “Mr. Miller, this is highly abnormal!” “Think carefully. Besides the fact that all four of them rode in your car, is there any other commonality? Don’t miss any detail!” My mom was just busy breaking down and crying, swearing she’d never drive again! Who had the mind to think about this! My mind was also a mess. Before, Aunt Martha just happened to be going the same way, Uncle Bob wanted to hitch a ride to transport some goods, and cousin David was just plain lazy. This year, my boss Fiona was even worse. She did it to save two hundred bucks on a train ticket. Commonalities? They were all relatives or acquaintances? Fiona was sort of from the same hometown. They were all on the highway? Well, duh, you have to take the highway to get back to our hometown. Suddenly, I remembered something. “Speak!” I pointed at the car: “None of them ever paid a dime for the ride, but… they all fought to pay for gas at the rest stops.” “Hah?!” Chloe scoffed. “Paying for gas? That’s what you call a commonality?” She spread her hands, shouting to the people around: “Listen to this, everyone! What kind of reason is this? They felt bad about taking a free ride, so they helped pay for gas, and that became the cause of death?” The onlookers started pointing and whispering too. “Yeah, that’s a bit of a stretch.” “He probably couldn’t make anything up, so he just threw out a random reason.” My face flushed red, and I argued loudly: “But that’s the only commonality! Besides that, what else was the same?” Sarah frowned, clearly unsatisfied with this answer either. She waved her hand, signaling her officers: “Check their social connections. See if this mother and son had any deep-seated grudges with the victims, especially Fiona, the one who died today.” Several officers immediately dispersed to verify. While waiting, Chloe wasn’t idle. She circled me, looking me up and down, her tone flirtatious: “Mr. Miller, I remember you’re Fiona’s secretary at the company, right?” “How does the saying go? When there’s work, the secretary does it. When there’s no work… hehe.” I clenched my fists: “Chloe, if you spout any more nonsense, I’ll rip your mouth off, believe it or not!” “Getting anxious?” Chloe curled her lip. “The little secretary wants to move up the ladder, but gets tired of being played with by the boss and wants to ditch her. So the little secretary teams up with his old mother to commit murder. This script makes perfect logical sense.” “Bullshit!” My mom lunged forward, ready to fight Chloe. “My son is innocent! And that bastard always docked his performance bonuses. My son couldn’t wait to stay away from her!” The police rushed forward and held my mom back. To prove myself, I took out my phone and pulled up the chat history with Fiona: “Captain Vance, look! This is our text history!” On the screen, Fiona had sent blocks of voice messages, and the text transcriptions read: “Hey Liam, still got an empty seat for the ride, right?” “Two hundred bucks for train fare is too expensive. Better save where we can.” “I already told your mom, so don’t be ungrateful.” And I wasn’t polite either. My replies were all: “Boss, it’s really not convenient.” “Our car is really cursed.” Captain Sarah scrolled through it, and her expression softened slightly. At this time, the officers who went to investigate also ran back. “Captain Vance, we’ve checked. The previous three victims had an average relationship with the Miller family. Even though they liked to take advantage of small things, there were no major conflicts.” Sarah said: “It seems the motive is indeed insufficient.” Chloe snorted from the side: “You can know a person’s face, but not their heart. What if this mother and son are psychopathic serial killers? Looking for a thrill?” “Shut up!” Sarah glared at her. “You need evidence to back up your words.” Since the motive was insufficient, they had to focus on physical evidence. “Search the car! Turn it upside down!” With an order, five or six forensic technicians squeezed into the murder car. The seats were removed, the floor mats were pulled up, and even the spare tire in the trunk was hauled out. Chloe also got into the car, using a flashlight to inspect. Half an hour later. A pile of miscellaneous items was laid out on the side of the road: half a bag of sunflower seeds, two empty water bottles, an old throw pillow, and a few toll receipts. There were no explosives, nor any mechanisms. The car was just an ordinary car. Chloe stood in front of that pile of things, her face ashen. “Impossible! Absolutely impossible!” Sarah was also getting a headache and could only look at my mom: “Have you offended anyone in the past?” My mom shook her head: “Officer, I’m just a small business owner. I always greet people with a smile. How could I dare offend anyone?” I nodded in agreement: “Captain Vance, I’m just a nobody at the company. I cower when I see my boss Fiona, let alone making enemies.” The clues were completely cut off. The scene reached an impasse. The insurance investigator, Chloe, suddenly stood up straight: “Fine, you can’t find anything, right? Then let’s recreate the scene!” She pointed at the car: “I don’t believe in this curse! Captain Vance, I request to ride in this car myself, and let this mother and son drive again! Right on this highway!” “I will expose their tricks on the spot! Let’s see if my head explodes too!” Sarah furrowed her brows: “Ms. Chloe, this is too risky. Setting aside the fact that this is evidence from a murder scene, what if…” “No what ifs!” Chloe interrupted. “This is the only way! I’ll sit in the victim’s seat, and I don’t believe I won’t catch them red-handed!” She turned to look at me and my mom: “Scared? If you have nothing to hide, what are you afraid of?” My mom turned pale with fear, clinging to the car door frame and refusing to let go: “I’m not going! The car eats people!” Chloe grabbed my mom by the collar and forcefully shoved her into the driver’s seat: “Cut the crap! Not cooperating means you have a guilty conscience!” “Mom!” I rushed forward to help but was stopped by two police officers. Sarah pondered for a moment and finally nodded: “Fine, this is also a good way to draw the snake out of its hole. Since Ms. Chloe insists, let’s try it.” She quickly issued orders: “SWAT vehicles will covertly escort them 500 meters ahead and behind. Install body cameras inside the car for full monitoring. If there is any abnormality, intercept them immediately!” Ten minutes later, the convoy was back on the road. My mom sat in the driver’s seat, shaking uncontrollably. I sat in the passenger seat, gripping my seatbelt. And Chloe sat swaggering in the backseat: the exact spot where Fiona had just been carried away from. “Tsk, Mrs. Miller, stop shaking your hands.” Chloe sat with her legs crossed, an obnoxiously punchable look on her face. “Is the AC broken? Why is it only blowing hot air?” My mom didn’t dare answer, not even daring to glance in the rearview mirror. Seeing no one was paying attention to her, Chloe took out her phone and started a livestream right there. “Hey guys, I’m currently in that head-exploding car! The one trending right now!” “Today I’m going to expose the truth for everyone, and see how this mother and son are faking ghosts and demons for insurance fraud!” She pointed the camera at my mom driving, and then at my pale face. “Look at how guilty they look! Folks, this is what you call refusing to shed a tear until you see the coffin!” “Send some gifts, and I’ll find the hidden mechanism in this car and show it to everyone!” Tens of thousands of people flooded into the livestream instantly, and comments flew by. [What a warrior! Actually daring to ride in this car?] [It must be insurance fraud. How could a human head explode for no reason?] [This insurance lady is kind of pretty, risking it all for justice!] [I think this mother and son’s eyes are shifty, they’re definitely hiding something!] Chloe watched the comments and laughed even more arrogantly: “Once we finish this stretch of highway, I’m going to make sure you two rot in jail!” Ten minutes, twenty minutes, fifty minutes passed. The car drove steadily on the highway, and nothing happened. No explosion, no mechanisms, not even another car cutting us off. Chloe’s vigilance slowly dropped, replaced by mockery. “You don’t dare make a move as long as I’m here, right?” “Nothing happened this whole way. What does that prove? It proves that the previous ‘accidents’ were all man-made!” Right at this moment, my mom suddenly clutched her stomach. “No, I can’t… I… I can’t hold it…” I knew my mom had this old issue. Whenever she got nervous, she got the runs. “Hold it in!” Chloe scolded. “Trying to use this as an excuse to slip away?” “I really… I really can’t! I’m going to crap my pants!” My mom squeezed her legs together, slammed on the gas, and the car turned into the rest stop 500 meters ahead. Chloe covered her nose: “Such bad luck! Dropping the ball at the crucial moment!” My mom pushed open the car door, covering her behind, and rushed frantically towards the public restroom. The cars behind us followed us in, and Captain Sarah got out with plainclothes officers. “What’s the situation?” Sarah asked me, keeping her voice low. I pointed towards the restroom: “My mom has an upset stomach.” Chloe squeezed out from the backseat. “Faking it, absolutely faking it.” She sneered: “Trying to use a bathroom break to distract us? Or trying to destroy evidence in the bathroom?” With that, she followed her toward the restroom. Sarah reached out to stop her: “Ms. Chloe, don’t go. We can just monitor the perimeter outside.” “Monitor what perimeter?” Chloe shook off Sarah’s hand. “Will you take responsibility if she runs away? I have to keep an eye on her and see what tricks she tries to pull!” Watching Chloe walk into the women’s restroom, Sarah sighed helplessly, waving her hand to signal her subordinates to guard the restroom entrance and windows. “As long as she’s still inside, she can’t fly away.” Sarah comforted me. “Mr. Miller, don’t be too nervous. The innocent have nothing to fear.” I was just about to nod when my phone suddenly vibrated. Taking it out, it was a text from an unknown number. The content was only three short words: [Pay for gas.] A chill ran through my entire body. Who sent this? Why pay for gas? We hadn’t even gotten gas! I handed the phone to Sarah: “Captain Vance, look at this…” Sarah took the phone, and the moment she saw the content, her expression changed drastically. “Something’s wrong!” She yelled into her earpiece: “Everyone rush in! Now!” Before I could even react, several SWAT officers had already kicked open the main door of the women’s restroom. However, the expected confrontation didn’t happen. A few seconds later, a voice came through the walkie-talkie: “Captain Vance, only Mrs. Miller is in the restroom… she’s currently occupying a stall.” Sarah was stunned: “Where is Chloe? Could a living, breathing person just fly away?!” She strode into the restroom, and I followed, forgetting about the whole gender-separation thing. Inside the women’s restroom, only my mom was there. Chloe had vanished into thin air. “Lock down the rest stop! Search every inch!” Sarah roared. The entire rest stop sprang into action. My mom and I stood waiting in place, watching the police turn over every corner. The green belts, the supermarket shelves, the undercarriage of the large semi-trucks parked nearby… Nothing. Absolutely nothing! Just as everyone was nearing despair, a terrified scream came from behind the gas station. “Here! Captain Vance! Over here!” Everyone swarmed over. It was the large dumpster behind the gas station. A pair of feet wearing dress shoes was sticking out, still twitching slightly. The upper half of the body was buried in the garbage pile. Two police officers rushed up to pull her out. “One, two, heave!” As the body was pulled out, my mom and I screamed! Chloe’s head had exploded! The severed stump at her neck was a bloody mess! And beside her corpse was a crumpled gas station receipt. Police Captain Sarah picked up the receipt, looked at it just once, and her pupils dilated in shock. Then she turned around, and addressed the crowd: “I know why the heads of the people who hitched a ride in your car all exploded!” Sarah pinched the oil-stained receipt, staring sharply at me and my mom. “Two hundred dollars. Chloe wanted to fill up this car with gas before she died.” My mom was shaking all over in fear, snot and tears covering her face, completely failing to understand what Sarah was saying. “Officer… so what if she pumped gas? We didn’t ask her to!” Sarah gave a cold laugh, her gaze locking onto us. “Pretending? Keep pretending.” “I also had someone check the gas records of the previous three victims for those years.” “Aunt Martha, pumped $150.” “Uncle Bob, feeling guilty about hitching a ride and transporting goods, pumped $300.” “Cousin David, pumped $200.” I still didn’t understand: “Captain Vance, what do you mean?” Sarah slapped the receipt against the hood, making a sharp sound. “Is the meaning still not obvious enough? You mother and son thought the relatives didn’t give enough for gas money!” “Especially you, the mother. Mrs. Miller is famously stingy. Did you think that with gas prices rising, this little bit of money was like paying off beggars?” “So you rigged the car!” This deduction was practically flawless—if you ignored the lack of logic. I was trembling with anger, pointing at Sarah’s nose: “Are you crazy? Who would kill someone over a few hundred dollars in gas money? Let alone serial murder?” “And on the highway? Do we have a death wish?” Sarah slapped my hand away, her eyes dark. “Of course, normal people can’t understand the logic of psychopathic killers.” “In this world, I’ve seen plenty of cases where people murder for a dollar, or because of a single look!” My mom was wailing loudly over there: “We’re innocent! I was using the toilet at the time! And Chloe went into the bathroom with me! When did she even pump gas?” “Shut up!” Sarah roared. At this moment, the officer responsible for retrieving the surveillance footage ran back, sweating profusely. “Captain Vance… the security cameras at the rest stop are completely broken.” The surroundings instantly fell dead silent. They didn’t break earlier, they didn’t break later. They had to break precisely at this critical moment. So, relying solely on deduction clearly couldn’t convict us. Sarah had us brought back to the interrogation room at the Highway Patrol station. We were locked up for a full twenty-four hours. I was interrogated non-stop, asked everything from whether I abused small animals in elementary school to whether I had recently purchased chemical reagents. My mom had it even worse. She was questioned until she almost passed out several times, just repeating those same few sentences over and over: “I didn’t kill anyone.” “I really didn’t kill anyone.” “That car is truly cursed.” By the evening of the next day, the door to the interrogation room opened. Sarah walked in, sporting two huge dark circles under her eyes, holding a report, her face looking defeated. She threw the report onto the table. The only clue was the text message sent to my phone: [Pay for gas.] The tech department traced that number. It was a disconnected number. So they could only make a decision that went against their instincts. “Mrs. Miller, Mr. Miller. Based on the current evidence, we cannot detain you.” “However, you remain prime suspects… you cannot leave our surveillance area.” Hearing that we could leave, my mom’s legs went weak, and she almost fell to her knees: “Thank you, righteous judge! Thank you, honorable judge!” I supported my mom, but my heart felt no relief whatsoever. “Captain Vance, then how do we get back to our hometown? It’s already the 28th of the lunar month.” Sarah stared at me: “How do you want to get back?” I gritted my teeth: “Take the train. Even if it’s standing room only, we’ll stand the whole way back.” “That car… we don’t want it anymore. You guys keep it.” This car has claimed four lives in a row. Who would dare drive it? Sarah, however, narrowed her eyes. It was the look she got when she saw her opponent reveal a flaw. “No. You must drive the car away.” “And…” Her tone became eerie, “I also need to head in that direction for some business.” “Since you’re too scared to drive, I will.” “I want to see if this car really specializes in eating people who don’t want to live.” I looked at her in horror: “Captain Vance, don’t mess around! That car is truly…” Sarah took the car key from her pocket and tossed it in her hand. “What? Afraid I’ll die in the car, and you won’t be able to escape involvement?” “Don’t worry, I have a tough life.” “If, under these circumstances, my head also explodes, then consider it me dying in the line of duty.” “If it’s your heads that explode…” “Then perfect, the case is solved.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394736”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

“Eight hundred bucks?” I stared at the red envelope tossed onto my desk. Inside, there was only eight hundred dollars. Over the New Year’s holiday, I hadn’t gone home. I pulled three consecutive all-nighters to fend off a massive hacker attack, single-handedly saving the company’s five billion dollars in assets. My boss, Preston Croft, had been overjoyed and promised me an eight-million-dollar year-end bonus. But just as I stepped out of his office, I overheard his true thoughts from the other side of the mahogany door. “Did that stupid girl actually believe me? Just snap a photo, send out a company-wide victory email, and stuff eight hundred bucks in an envelope later. She’ll be so grateful she’ll drop to her knees.” “Give eight million to a dirty code monkey? Please. As soon as the holidays are over, I’ll find an excuse to fire her!” I thought he was joking. But when that eight hundred dollars was actually placed on my desk, my mind went completely blank. All my colleagues were staring at me, watching the show with eager eyes. I let out a cold sneer and silently deleted the firewall code I had just spent days deploying. Then, I dialed the personal number of the CEO of our biggest competitor. “Your Chief Security Officer position? I accept.” 1 “I’ll also throw in a super backdoor to your biggest rival’s server as a bonus.” I hung up the phone. I immediately hacked into my boss’s personal computer, grabbed a few highly explicit private photos, and forwarded them directly to his wife. At the desk next to mine, Tyler, the biggest kiss-ass in the office, deliberately raised his voice to show off. “Wow! Ten thousand dollars! The boss is so generous this year!” Having said that, he turned to me, pretending to be casual. “Hazel, you’re our Technical Director. You did the company a huge service. The boss must have given you a massive envelope, right?” The office fell dead silent. Dozens of pairs of eyes turned to look at me. Preston’s right-hand woman, our HR Director Brenda, swayed her hips as she walked past my desk and dropped a comment: “Hazel, honey, young people shouldn’t care so much about money. Every opportunity the boss gives you is an investment in your growth.” I gripped that red envelope so tightly my nails almost dug into my palms. I hadn’t closed my eyes for three days and three nights. My eyes were bloodshot. I had stared dead at the code on the screen, my fingers flying across the keyboard. The company’s core data, worth five billion dollars, had hung in the balance of my cyber warfare with that hacker. It could have been lost at any second. At the very last moment, I found the enemy’s vulnerability, successfully counterattacked, and deployed a brand-new firewall. In that moment, the entire tech department was cheering. The office doors were pushed open, and Preston walked in, surrounded by a flock of executives. They all looked like they were watching a circus act, and I was the main attraction. Preston wore a fake smile, calling me out in front of everyone. “Hazel, are you satisfied with this year’s bonus?” He paused, deliberately raising his voice. “Eight hundred bucks is a lot. It’s enough for you to buy two nice outfits for the holidays.” Whoosh— The crowd erupted in roaring laughter. That sound made my stomach turn. The company’s entire technical framework, built from absolute scratch, was constructed by me, line by line of code. I used to treat those lines of code like my own children. In the early days of the startup, I used to squeeze into a tiny, hundred-square-foot apartment with his wife, Vanessa, splitting a single cup of instant ramen. She would slurp the noodles, her eyes sparkling as she promised me: “Hazel, once our company goes public, I promise to buy you a mansion with an ocean view!” Now, she was wearing an incredibly expensive designer gown, standing elegantly beside Preston. She looked at me with the exact same look you’d give a poor relative begging at your doorstep. I rushed forward, my voice trembling slightly. “Vanessa! That’s not what you told me back then!” Vanessa clung to Preston’s arm. “Hazel, a person needs to know when to be content.” “Preston verbally promised you eight million just to motivate you. How could you actually take it seriously? You’re being so immature.” Preston glanced at me, making no effort to hide his absolute contempt. “You really think a dirty code monkey is a company partner? Without us in sales running the business on the front lines, your tech department is just a pile of garbage that burns through cash!” “Given Hazel’s lack of competence and inability to fulfill the duties of Technical Director, effective immediately, she is reassigned to the server room as an administrator. Her primary duties will be equipment supervision and daily cleaning!” Everyone gasped. This was pure humiliation. He was trying to force me to quit. Server room administrator? Even the janitors looked down on that job. My heart, in that moment, turned completely to ice. I suddenly smiled. A freezing, bitter smile. In front of everyone, I crumpled those wrinkled eight hundred dollars into a ball and threw it with all my might, smashing it right into Preston’s greasy, smug face. “Keep the money. Buy yourself a coffin!” “If it’s not enough, I’ll chip in a little extra!” 2 I walked out of the CEO’s office without looking back. On the way to my desk, all my colleagues avoided eye contact, whispering among themselves. An apprentice I had personally mentored quickly lowered his head when he saw me, pretending to organize his desk, not even daring to call me “mentor” anymore. Another male colleague, whom I had saved from being fired by fixing a major live-server crash, actually rolled his eyes at me as I walked past. He muttered just loud enough for me to hear: “Serves her right. Who told her to offend the boss? Really thought she was someone special.” I wasn’t surprised. I thought of the incredibly gifted fresh grad who, during a tech review meeting, publicly pointed out that Preston’s exorbitantly expensive outsourced tech proposal “didn’t align with basic logic.” The very next day, he was sent to the admin department to fix printers. Less than a week later, that proud young kid resigned. I thought of Vanessa. I don’t know when it started, but she began loving to host these “women in the workplace” seminars. The guest speakers she invited would preach on stage: “A woman’s true success is finding a successful man and becoming his most solid backing, doing the supporting work.” At the time, Vanessa even smiled and pulled me on stage, asking me to share how I could better “support” the sales department in hitting their quotas. I thought of the male executive who got drunk at the annual gala and got handsy with me. Afterward, not only was he not disciplined, but he was actually promoted for landing a big contract. Vanessa even came to me with fake sympathy, advising: “Hazel, flies don’t bite seamless eggs. You need to watch your boundaries when interacting with male colleagues, so people don’t get the wrong idea.” Incident after incident. All the grievances I had deliberately ignored came rushing back to me now. I used to think she was just changed by love and a comfortable life. Only now did I finally understand: she was rotten. Rotten to the core. I walked to the elevator and pressed the down button. Vanessa’s voice echoed from behind me. “Hazel, go back and beg Preston right now. Apologize to him, and you might still have a chance.” I didn’t turn around. I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the basement parking garage. The elevator doors slowly slid shut, cutting off her hypocritical face. The phone in my pocket suddenly vibrated. It was an unknown number. I casually hung up. But they immediately called back. I answered the phone. “Who is this?” From the other end came a deep, male voice, calm and direct. “Hazel? This is Sterling Pierce.” The CEO of Apex Tech. Our biggest rival. “The Chief Security Officer position. The base salary is eight million a year, plus five percent equity in the group.” “The signing bonus is ten million. It can be wired to your account right now.” Before I could even process the information, he continued. Every word was exactly what I needed to hear. “Our group just fully acquired a top-tier hardware lab in Germany.” “Now, it’s under your control.” “All those ideas of yours, the ones Preston called ‘cash-burning garbage,’ now have a place to become reality.” I looked at my pale face in the elevator mirror, my eyes sharp and piercing. Suddenly, I smiled. “Deal.” “But I have a little personal business to take care of first.” 3 I went back to my workstation, preparing to format my personal PC and take my belongings. The sharp click of heels on the floor approached. Vanessa arrived with two security guards in tow. She put on her “good sister” mask again, saying with fake concern, “Hazel, don’t be so impulsive. Let’s talk this out properly. If you leave now, what will happen to the company?” I couldn’t be bothered to look at her. My fingers flew across the keyboard, pulling up the command line terminal, preparing to wipe my personal development environment and all server access keys. On the screen, dense lines of code began scrolling rapidly. Vanessa couldn’t read code, but she instinctively knew that whatever it was, it was vital to the company. Her face changed instantly. Ripping off her gentle mask, she shrieked: “Hazel! Don’t you dare touch the company computers! Are you trying to destroy evidence?!” I stopped what I was doing and looked at her coldly. “My computer. My rules.” My glare seemed to trigger her. She suddenly yelled at the surrounding office: “Security! Grab her! She’s trying to steal core company code to sell to our rivals!” She pointed at me, screaming at the two guards rushing over. “She just attacked the company servers! I saw it with my own eyes! Arrest her immediately and call the cops!” The two guards, Dave and Mike, were guys I knew. I had helped them fix their home computers and troubleshoot their phones in the past. They looked deeply conflicted, hesitating in place. Vanessa’s tone turned venomous. “What are you two standing there for? Do you want to get fired along with her? This is corporate espionage! She’s going to prison!” Under the threat of losing their jobs, they finally gritted their teeth and flanked me on both sides. Vanessa walked up to me. “Hazel, trying to fight me? You’re too green.” “I’m not just going to make you roll out of this company. I’m going to destroy your reputation. With the label of a corporate spy on your back, you’ll never work in this industry again.” She stood up straight and ordered the guards. “Lock her in the server room! The signal is completely shielded in there. Let’s see how she contacts the outside world now!” “When the police get here and catch her red-handed, we’ll deal with her!” My phone was violently snatched away. They shoved and pushed me toward the server room. With a massive bang, I was shoved hard into the freezing, humming server room, which was kept below fifty degrees year-round. The heavy metal door slammed shut and locked behind me. 4 The cold air inside the server room was biting, freezing drafts rushing down my collar from all sides. But I felt incredibly calm. I almost wanted to laugh. Locking a programmer inside a server room? How is that any different from putting a mouse in a grain silo? I curled up in a corner of the room, avoiding the security cameras. Then, I lifted my foot and pried off a fake decorative rivet from the heel of my stiletto. It was a micro-USB drive. It contained a master-level backdoor program I had written for myself. It could bypass all the company’s existing security systems and drill straight into the core root of the servers. I expertly unplugged an ethernet cable and connected my portable micro-terminal. However, before I could even begin typing, the server room door suddenly swung open. Preston walked in with a cold sneer, carrying a very expensive-looking black briefcase. “Trying to sabotage us from the inside? Hazel, are you really that naive?” He placed the briefcase on the floor and opened it, revealing a sophisticated piece of black hardware. “Meet the military-grade hard drive data cracker. That so-called encryption algorithm on your computer is a joke to me.” He wanted to defeat me technically, in the realm I was most proud of, to crush all my pride. He forcefully booted up my personal laptop and plugged the cracking device’s cable into it. “I’m giving you one last chance. Hand over the access keys to all your private code repositories within sixty seconds.” “Otherwise, I’m calling the police immediately and charging you with endangering information security. That charge is enough to keep you in a cell until the floor rots!” I feigned absolute terror. “No… please don’t call the police… I’ll give them to you, I’ll give you everything…” Just as he thought he had won and forcefully shoved the data cable into my laptop’s USB port… I pressed a pre-programmed shortcut combination on my keyboard. Pop. A soft sound. His supposed million-dollar military-grade cracking device went completely black. A faint wisp of blue smoke drifted out of it. It was completely fried. Preston’s face went from white to red, then red to a sickly green. Furious, he raised his hand, ready to slap me. “You bitch! You dare play me?!” Right at that moment, Vanessa rushed in. Seeing the fried equipment, she immediately let out a piercing shriek right on cue: “Oh my god! I knew it! You ungrateful wretch, you’re trying to destroy the lifeblood of our company!” They played off each other flawlessly, getting ready to formally convict me. Suddenly! WEE-OOO-WEE-OOO! The highest-level security alarm blared through the entire building. Emergency red lights flashed frantically. An IT guy in a plaid shirt came stumbling and rolling into the server room. “Mr. Croft! Mrs. Croft! It’s… it’s a disaster!” “All our client data, financial reports, core source code… everything… it’s all been locked!” “The hacker… they sent a ransom note! They want… they want a billion dollars in ransom!” 5 “How is that possible?!” Preston snapped back to reality, grabbing the IT guy by the collar. “What about the firewall?! Is the three-million-dollar firewall I bought just for show?!” The IT guy looked like he was about to cry. “It’s useless, sir! The attack… it seems… it seems it was launched directly from the very bottom layer of our system! Our firewall didn’t detect a single anomaly from start to finish!” Preston’s head snapped toward me, his eyes locking onto mine. The murderous intent in his gaze looked like he wanted to swallow me alive. Meanwhile, on the massive screen in the company’s main control room, the ransom note was automatically projected. A gigantic, dripping-blood skull took up the entire screen. Beneath the skull was a striking line of text: “One hour. One billion dollars. Or every dirty secret your company holds will be global headline news tomorrow.” At the very bottom, a countdown timer was dropping rapidly: … Vanessa finally broke. It wasn’t until this very moment that she finally realized something. This company she was so proud of, where she thought technology was irrelevant—its absolute lifeblood had always been in the palm of my hand. She completely abandoned her elegant facade. She threw herself at me like a madwoman, grabbing my hands desperately. “Hazel… no! Master Hazel! I beg you, please think of something! This company… this company is your life’s work too!” Preston finally bowed his head as well. “You… you restore the system.” “Eight million… no! Ten million! I will wire it to you right now! Just fix this problem!” The panic on their faces made them look like ants on a hot skillet. “Okay.” A look of ecstatic joy instantly washed over their faces. “Hurry! Hurry! Get to the control room!” Under the complex gazes of every employee in the company, I calmly walked toward the front doors. Preston and Vanessa followed behind me like two dogs, still anxiously urging me on. “Hazel! The control room is this way! You’re going the wrong way! Come back!” I didn’t turn around. I walked straight to the glass front doors and pushed them open. Outside, a black Rolls-Royce Phantom was parked quietly at the bottom of the steps. The door opened, and the tall, imposing figure of Sterling Pierce stepped out personally. He walked around the car and opened the rear passenger door for me. He gave a slight bow and gestured for me to get in. 6 Vanessa chased me to the floor-to-ceiling windows upstairs and caught sight of this exact scene. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the floor, muttering mindlessly: “Apex Tech… It’s Sterling Pierce…” Preston was still holding out in his office, frantically calling his technical lifelines in Silicon Valley. On the other end of the line, after hearing his description, the expert replied coldly: “Preston, someone who can lock your system from the root without triggering a single alarm… we can’t mess with a god like that. Get your affairs in order.” The countdown on the big screen ticked away, second by second. Time was up. The homepage of the company’s official website was instantly hijacked, replaced by a massive, dynamic graphic. Highly explicit nude photos of Preston in luxury hotels, offices, and even his own home, alongside graphic chat logs with various influencers and female subordinates, began looping like a slideshow. Immediately after, the cell phones of every CEO and executive of our core clients received a multimedia message at the exact same time. The contents were screenshots of their highly classified trade secrets stored on our servers, attached with a message: “Your company’s data security has been fully compromised. Good luck.” In an instant, the company’s customer service lines blew up. The sales department lines exploded too. Every executive’s personal phone was ringing off the hook. On the other end were furious interrogations, contract termination notices, and demands for massive compensation. Every major financial news app started frantically pushing breaking news alerts: [Following Massive Scandal, Tech Firm XXX’s Stock Plummets 90% at the Bell, Triggering Circuit Breakers!] The risk management department of our partner bank called. The voice on the other end was icy. “Mr. Croft, our bank has decided to immediately freeze all your corporate bank accounts and initiate asset preservation procedures. We demand immediate repayment of all outstanding loans.” One piece of devastating news after another completely buried Preston. Then, his personal phone—the one he hadn’t smashed yet—suddenly popped up a notification. It was the headline from the world’s largest tech news outlet: [BREAKING! Genius Programmer Hazel Officially Joins Apex Tech as Chief Security Officer & Chief Scientist of Klaus Labs!] The featured image was from a press conference. I was wearing a sharp white suit, shaking hands with Sterling Pierce, with the massive Apex Tech logo behind us. The woman in the photo was confident and powerful—completely different from the miserable girl they had humiliated just hours ago. Preston stared dead at that photo. He couldn’t catch his breath. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted, falling stiffly to the floor. Looking at her unconscious husband, Vanessa finally let out a blood-curdling scream. Meanwhile, at the welcome banquet Apex Tech was hosting for me, I elegantly raised my champagne flute and smiled slightly at Sterling Pierce beside me: “A small welcoming gift. I hope you like it, Mr. Pierce.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394735”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I dated my brother’s best friend in secret for three years, until his non-biological sister returned from abroad. I immediately decided to break up and, turning right around, agreed to the marriage arranged by my family. The engagement party didn’t invite any outsiders; it was just our own relatives. Right as I was serving tea and formally changing how I addressed my future in-laws, my brother’s phone rang. He answered and joked playfully: “You’re not even coming to Chloe’s engagement? She used to follow you around calling you ‘brother’ all the time when she was little.” The other end of the line suddenly went dead silent. It took several seconds before Arthur’s hoarse voice came through: “Whose engagement?” 1 “What’s up, did you split with your mysterious boyfriend?” My brother, Liam’s, tone was irritatingly smug, clearly enjoying the drama. No wonder. For these past three years, I had adamantly refused to make my relationship public. He had warned me long ago: “A man who doesn’t even have the guts to come home with you to meet your parents, what kind of responsibility can he have? You’ll break up sooner or later.” Back then, I wouldn’t listen to a word of it, firmly believing that true love would last forever. As a result, reality slapped me hard in the face. My tone was flat: “Yeah, we broke up.” Hearing how decisive I was, the other end of the line was quiet for a good while. “Did he bully you?” I hadn’t felt much of anything anymore, but that question suddenly made my nose sting. I took a breath and shook my head at the empty air: “No, it was an amicable split.” “Fine. If he dares to bully you, I’ll definitely teach him a lesson.” “Chloe, there aren’t many men you can rely on. If you really want to get married, it’s better to find someone from a family that matches ours. At least it’s solid.” “Okay, you set it up. I’ll come back the day after tomorrow.” Just as I hung up. Arthur pushed the door open and came in: “Who were you on the phone with?” Afraid he’d see I’d been crying, I didn’t turn around: “A classmate.” “Hmm.” He walked right past me and went into his study. Together for three years, and he’d always been this cold. I used to always think that was just his personality, that he couldn’t act affectionate with anyone. Until last night, when I came back early from a business trip. I originally wanted to sneak in and surprise him. His study door was always shut tight, but that day it was slightly ajar. Warm yellow light spilled through the crack. I leaned in, about to knock, but saw Arthur inside with a pained expression. His eyes were fixed on his phone, one hand moving beneath the desk. I froze on the spot. The person on the screen wasn’t just anyone. It was his family’s adopted sister, Lily. He was so engrossed he didn’t even hear me open the front door and leave. I sat in a hotel room all night, thinking a lot. And finally understood. Arthur’s coldness towards me these past three years wasn’t because of his personality. His refusal to make our relationship public wasn’t because he was afraid my overly protective brother would give him trouble. It was all simply because— He didn’t like me at all. He just needed a smokescreen to cover up his feelings for that “sister.” So, I, who had chased after him, was the perfect shield. That night, Lily posted a status update: “Coming back to the US tomorrow, hurry and come welcome me~” 2 After finishing the call with my brother, I took a cab back to the villa I shared with Arthur. There were still some things I needed to pack and take away. He was eating breakfast. Looking up and seeing me, he flatly told the housekeeper to make another portion. “Didn’t know you were coming back at this hour, didn’t prepare yours.” I nodded: “Okay.” It’s not that he didn’t know; he just didn’t want to know and couldn’t be bothered to ask. Arthur’s movements paused. He looked up from his phone, a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes. Yes, if it were the past, I would definitely have squeezed in next to him and snatched his breakfast. Saying, “Who told you not to prepare mine? Then I’ll just eat yours.” Or hugged him from behind, pinched his ear, and asked if he forgot me because he didn’t love me anymore. Arthur was smart; of course, he could instantly notice my change. But he didn’t say anything more, just nodded: “I’m going to the office, eat slowly.” He took the suit jacket the housekeeper handed him. Hesitated for a moment. Just as I thought he might be waiting for me to bounce over and help him put it on like usual… He put the suit jacket on himself. The sound of his footsteps and the door closing vanished together. The housekeeper asked me: “Ms. Miller, what would you like to eat?” I shook my head: “I’m not eating. Help me find a few cardboard boxes, I need them today.” I took my suitcase back to the bedroom. When the housekeeper brought the boxes, I packed up my clothes and daily necessities. Then I went to Arthur’s walk-in closet. Over the years, I had given him quite a few ties, cufflinks, clothes, watches, and things like that. But he rarely used them. Unless I forced him to wear them, those things barely saw the light of day. Just like me as a girlfriend, only meant to be hidden in the dark. I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and packed the things I gave him into the boxes one by one. It took a long time to finish packing. I sat on the edge of the bed to catch my breath. My phone received a message from Arthur: 【I had the driver go pick you up, he’ll be there in half an hour.】 Concise and to the point, couldn’t even be bothered to give context. He was so sure I would never refuse him. I smiled self-deprecatingly. Fine, it was time to tell him we were breaking up. 3 The lights flashed erratically in the club. This used to be one of my favorite places to go, too. I was spoiled growing up, with a fiery personality. My friends all joked that I was the little spitfire of our social circle. At the anniversary celebration for my brother’s university, I saw Arthur for the first time and was attracted by his icy demeanor. I beat around the bush asking my brother if he had a girlfriend. My brother rolled his eyes: “With that iceberg face of his, who would dare get close to him?” My heart leapt with joy. He was cold, I was hot. A perfect match. I started chasing him relentlessly behind my brother’s back. I even changed my college application from New York to Miami, where Arthur was. When my brother found out I changed my choices, he was so angry he yelled at me. But despite the yelling, he still cared about me and called Arthur, asking him to look out for me. I secretly rejoiced: everything was going according to my plan. Back then, I thought I was so smart, that I had calculated both Arthur and my brother. Now I know, I was pathetically stupid. The waiter led me to the door of the private room. It was lively inside. Someone was jeering and asking: “Arthur, you keep that little girlfriend of yours hidden tight, rarely bringing her out to meet the guys. Now Lily’s back, and this is your favorite sister. Gotta ask you, who’s more important, the girlfriend or the sister?” I stopped in my tracks. Held my breath, waiting for the answer. Arthur took a sip of his drink, saying nothing. Lily stomped her foot and pouted at him: “Brother!” Only then did Arthur smile. His glass clinked against the marble table. His cold, clear voice rang out: “You can always get a new girlfriend, but I only have one sister. Who do you think is more important?” “Ooh~~ so cheesy.” The group jeered. Lily stood up triumphantly, pointing at more than half the people in the room: “You, you, and you, you lost the bet, pay up.” Arthur didn’t understand: “What’s going on?” Lily explained: “They made a bet with me, betting on whether you cared more about your girlfriend or me. The losers each have to transfer me a thousand dollars.” Amidst a chorus of wails, everyone pulled out their phones to transfer the money. Arthur looked at their exaggerated reactions and chuckled: “Serves you right!” I raised my hand and knocked on the door. 4 The lively atmosphere from a moment ago suddenly stopped. Arthur looked over; there was an empty seat next to him. He hadn’t brought me to meet his friends many times. But each time, he gave me enough face. When I was chasing him to the point of almost giving up, he actually offered to take me to meet his friends. That time, his friend said to me: “Sister-in-law, besides Lily, Arthur has never brought another girl here.” At that time, I only saw Lily as his sister. Didn’t think much of it. I even foolishly thought that Arthur was just cold on the outside, but actually cared about me inside. Thinking about it now, he was probably just putting on a show, or it was purely good upbringing. To him, it was a zero-cost method to make me even more dead-set on him. Back to reality. I ignored the empty seat next to Arthur. And sat in the corner furthest from him. Arthur’s face darkened: “Chloe?” I smiled, saying nothing. Lily picked up a glass of wine and walked towards me: “You must be Chloe, right? I’m Lily, Arthur’s…” She paused, as if not knowing how to say it. Arthur filled in: “Sister.” Lily frowned, a bit impatient. She handed me the wine, saying as if out of spite: “Right, sister. I just got back to the States. Chloe, here’s a toast to you.” Without having to think much, I immediately felt Lily’s hostility towards me. That was definitely not the attitude a sister should have towards her brother’s girlfriend. So, Lily also liked Arthur. Thinking of Arthur masturbating to her photo in the study. I only felt it was absurd. I smiled faintly: “Welcome back, but I’m not feeling well, so I won’t drink.” The corners of Lily’s mouth turned down: “Chloe, aren’t you being a bit disrespectful? I came all this way back, and this is my welcome party, and you won’t even drink a toast from me?” “I said I’m not feeling well.” Lily became even more unhappy, turning back to look for Arthur: “Brother, does she not like me?” Arthur’s eyes were icy, and his tone had no warmth: “Chloe, stop making a scene, drink it.” I almost laughed coldly out loud: “You called me here just to make me drink?” He lifted his eyelids and said flatly: “Lily wanted to meet you.” So, it was just because Lily wanted to see me. Just to make both of them wake up and stop having fantasies about each other. Using me as a tool. I stood up: “Now that we’ve met, can I go?” Probably sensing that I was exceptionally uncooperative today. Arthur’s eyes darkened. I knew he was angry. But I didn’t want to coddle him anymore. “What exactly have you been making a fuss about all day?” The atmosphere in the room grew cold because of his lowered tone. I looked into his eyes, smiling meaningfully. Arthur, I know all about your little secret. I’m not playing along anymore. I turned to leave, but Lily grabbed my wrist: “Chloe, I’m the main character today. I haven’t agreed to let you leave yet.” I slapped her hand away and slapped her across the face: “No parents to teach you manners, is that why you’re so unruly?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394734”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My mom loves asking me to buy things for her. But she has “bad eyesight,” so when she transfers me the money, she always misses a zero. I never really cared and just quietly made up the difference myself every time. Until my sister started acting passive-aggressive in front of me: “Every time Mom buys something, she transfers you the money to buy it for her.” “I’ve never seen you post the actual receipts. Who knows how much you’re pocketing off the top.” My mom just smiled and didn’t explain, seemingly agreeing with my sister. My heart instantly went cold. Over the years, she’s asked me to buy all sorts of things, big and small, and every time, she underpaid me. And she’d always brush it off with: “My eyesight is bad, I hit the wrong button.” Adding it all up, I’ve subsidized her at least thirty to forty thousand dollars, only to be branded a thief. So, when my mom once again transferred me money to book a four-thousand-dollar New Year’s Eve dinner, I accepted the transfer, turned around, and booked a four-hundred-dollar dinner instead. … No one at the dining table touched their silverware, their faces showing various expressions as they looked at the food in front of them. I urged them, “Don’t just sit there, eat up.” My mom’s face was so dark it looked like it was dripping water. She was only holding back her temper because of the other people present. Suppressing her anger, she asked, “Are the rest of the dishes still coming? Go find a waiter and hurry them up.” “That’s everything,” I replied flatly, then urged the relatives again, “Hurry and eat, or the food will get cold.” Smack. My mom slammed her chopsticks down, her chest heaving heavily. “We have a huge table of over a dozen people, and you only ordered these few dishes?” A relative next to her chimed in, “Chloe, is there a mistake? It wasn’t like this in previous years.” In previous years, the table was piled high with king crab, lobster, and endless seafood. This year, there were a total of six dishes, making the table look empty. The only thing even remotely related to seafood was a plate of salt and pepper shrimp. I couldn’t blame them for finding it weird. “No mistake,” I shook my head. My mom’s eyes turned red with anger, and she demanded, “I gave you money to handle the New Year’s Eve dinner, and this is what you feed everyone?” I glanced at the food on the table and sighed. “I had no choice. Funds were limited, so this is all we could get.” My sister, Mia, slammed the table and stood up, pointing at me. “Don’t think I don’t know! Mom sent you four thousand dollars to organize this dinner.” “This whole table put together isn’t even worth five hundred bucks! Did you pocket the rest of the money?” “I know you always use the excuse of buying things for Mom so she transfers you money, just so you can skim off the top. But you’ve gone too far this time!” Hearing my sister’s words, the relatives’ looks toward me instantly changed. My mom added from the side, “Chloe, I usually don’t say much when you do this.” “But right now, the whole family is gathered for New Year’s Eve dinner. Is it appropriate for you to pull a stunt like this?” My uncle’s son started whining, “Dad, I want king crab! Didn’t you say there’d be king crab today?” My aunt scolded me, “Chloe, I always thought you were a good kid. How could you do something like this?” The others present also chimed in, criticizing me. My mom spoke up right on cue, “Alright, go find a waiter and add more dishes right now. We’ll let this slide for today.” The relatives also tried to smooth things over, telling me to quickly go find a waiter and order more food according to the usual standard. But I remained unmoved and said coldly, “I can’t.” “Why can’t you?” My mom couldn’t help but raise her voice. I turned to look at her. “Mom, did you forget?” “You only transferred me four hundred dollars. Ordering these dishes already spent all the money.” “I even put in a few bucks of my own.” A hint of panic flashed across my mom’s face. She clearly hadn’t expected me to just say it out loud. But she quickly covered it up. My mom fake-coughed a few times, constantly gesturing with her eyes. “What nonsense are you spouting? I clearly sent you four thousand.” My sister mocked me even more, “Still trying to deny it? I heard Mom on the phone with you. She said she transferred four thousand!” “Four thousand turning into four hundred. Even if you wanted to skim, you shouldn’t be so greedy.” With my sister as a witness, the relatives looked at me with even more disdain. My uncle said angrily, “Chloe, profiting off your own mother—do you have a conscience?” Seeing that they didn’t believe me, I had no choice but to pull up the transfer record from my mom. “Look, my mom only sent me four hundred dollars at the time.” My mom did call and say she was sending four thousand for the dinner. But when the money came through, it was only four hundred. This was her usual trick. If I didn’t bring it up, she’d act like she didn’t know. If I did bring it up, she’d use the excuse of bad eyesight and missing a digit. Then she’d criticize me: “So I sent you a little less, do you have to come specifically to remind me? I raised you, and you’re not even willing to spend a little money on me?” “You’re really nothing like your sister. What an ungrateful wretch!” My aunt, sitting next to me, took a look and looked up. “Sis, you really only sent four hundred.” My mom couldn’t hold her face anymore. She gave a dry laugh. “I’m getting older and my eyesight is bad. I probably missed a zero by accident.” With that, she glared at me again. “If I sent the wrong amount, why didn’t you say something earlier?” Reluctantly, she sent me the money again, her tone a bit stiff: “Alright, the money is sent. Go order according to the previous standard. Don’t delay everyone’s dinner.” I was just about to speak when Mia beat me to it. “Mom, why are you giving her money?” She gave me a cold smile, then raised her voice. “Over the years, you’ve probably made tens of thousands off Mom!” “It’s just one time she accidentally underpaid you. Can’t you make up the difference yourself?” “Because you didn’t get to pocket the change this time, you deliberately made Mom lose face in front of the relatives, didn’t you?” My mom gave her a reproachful look. “You child, how can you talk nonsense in front of the relatives.” She seemed to be scolding her, but in reality, she was tacitly agreeing with Mia’s accusation that I was skimming off the top. My hand paused, then I clicked ‘Return’ and said flatly, “In that case, I’m returning the money. You can order the food yourself, so you won’t say I’m skimming again.” My mom’s expression froze. She knew clearly that according to the previous standard, a table would cost at least a thousand bucks. My mom is very competitive in front of relatives. Her marriage wasn’t happy, so she planned to make up for it elsewhere. Every year, she used the excuse of hosting the New Year’s Eve dinner to prove to the relatives that she was doing well. Before, I silently subsidized it to give my mom face in front of the relatives, but now I didn’t want to. Mia rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Why are you acting all high and mighty now?” “Weren’t you going to return the money? Don’t just return this one time! If you’re going to return it, return all the money you’ve made off Mom!” “Since all the relatives are here today, let’s settle the accounts clearly and see exactly how much you skimmed!” Hearing this, my mom’s face changed. She pulled Mia’s hand. “What accounts are we settling on New Year’s? If there’s an issue, we’ll talk about it when we get back.” “No! I want to talk about it now!” Mia forcefully shook off my mom’s hand. With red eyes, she said sharply, “Don’t think I don’t know. You just use the excuse of having my sister buy things for you so you can legitimately send her money and subsidize her!” “We’re both your children, why are you so biased?” “Today we must settle this clearly in front of the relatives. You must transfer me every penny you’ve subsidized her over the years, without missing a cent!” Seeing my sister’s resentful expression, I understood. She wasn’t making this scene to stick up for Mom. It was just that she felt Mom was secretly subsidizing me, and she felt it was unfair. So she wanted to cause a big scene to get her share of “compensation.” My uncle spoke up for Mia. “Sis, didn’t you always claim to treat both daughters equally? How can you be biased towards Chloe?” “Mia, Uncle supports you. You have to bravely fight for your rights!” The other relatives also sided with Mia. It wasn’t that they genuinely wanted to help Mia; they were just taking the opportunity to watch our family drama. My mom’s face gradually grew paler. She forced a smile: “You adults shouldn’t follow a child in making a fuss. Who among you doesn’t know I treat both daughters the same.” “I’ll go find a waiter to order…” Saying that, she got up to leave. Mia blocked her path with outstretched arms. “Mom, are you feeling guilty and trying to run away?” My mom gave a forced laugh. “My phone broke a few days ago, and I just got a new one. All the chat history is gone. Even if I wanted to check the accounts, there’s no way.” “How about this, I’ll send you two thousand…” My sister interrupted her with a cold smile: “You think two thousand is enough to brush me off? The money you’ve subsidized Chloe over the years is definitely more than two thousand!” “Besides, what I care about isn’t the money, it’s fairness!” Her words rang loud and clear, and my aunt led the applause. “Well done, Mia.” “If you’ve suffered a grievance, speak up. We’ll all back you up.” My aunt looked excited and raised her phone, pointing it at us. She was a minor influencer with a few tens of thousands of followers on a short-video app. I instantly understood what she was trying to do. Sure enough, using my burner account, I checked my aunt’s profile and saw she was live streaming. However, there were only a handful of people watching. Dissatisfied with the viewer count, my aunt added a few more provocative comments, hyping up the relatives. Seeing the relatives on her side, Mia puffed out her chest, feeling even more confident. She said loudly, “You always say you treat us both equally, but behind my back, you favor Chloe. Did you think I couldn’t feel it?” “Today, I must demand fairness for myself!” My mom looked at me with pleading eyes, wanting me to step in and say something. I sighed inwardly. Although I was disheartened by my mom’s actions, this was ultimately our family business. It was one thing to talk about it in front of relatives, but now that my aunt had started a livestream, the nature of it changed. Because of my aunt’s instigation and the relatives’ agreement, more people were pouring into the livestream to watch the drama. I didn’t want our family business to be used as my aunt’s tool to gain traffic, nor did I want a bunch of ignorant strangers discussing it. So I interrupted Mia. “Whatever it is, we’ll talk about it when we go back. Let’s just eat properly for now.” I gave her a look, but Mia obviously didn’t get it. She scoffed. “What right does a beneficiary like you have to speak here?” “I’m the one who’s being treated unfairly. Is it wrong for me to demand an explanation now?” “If we go back, you and Mom definitely won’t admit to the favoritism, so we must clear it up now!” Mia was relentless, and my mom’s face grew uglier by the second. Suddenly, whatever she thought of, her expression calmed down. She looked up at me. “Chloe, the fact that I secretly subsidized you under the guise of buying things was indeed unfair to Mia.” I froze. Just as I was about to ask her when she had ever subsidized me, I heard my mom continue: “The chat history is gone, and besides, it’s hard to calculate all the scattered bills over so many years.” “But I estimate it adds up to around twenty thousand.” “How about this, you give your sister ten thousand, and we’ll let this matter rest.” After finishing, she ignored my reaction and turned to ask Mia for her opinion. Mia wrestled with it for a moment, then nodded reluctantly. “Fine, whatever.” So the reason she didn’t agree to the two thousand compensation my mom offered earlier was because she thought it was too little. My mom looked at me again, signaling me to hurry up and send the money. To save her own reputation, she was forcing me to admit to something that never happened, and she wanted me to give Mia money. I was absolutely infuriated and laughed. Mia rolled her eyes at me and urged, “What are you staring at? Hurry up and send me the money.” I stared intently into my mom’s eyes. “You’re saying that over the years, using the excuse of buying things for you, I’ve pocketed over twenty thousand. Then show me the proof.” My mom looked away. “I already told you the chat history is gone. Where am I supposed to get proof?” Then she whispered in my ear, “Just send the money to Mia first. Making a huge scene during the New Year will just make us a laughingstock to the relatives.” “When we get home, I’ll explain it clearly to Mia and have her give the money back.” She thought that just like when she sent the wrong amount before, a casual “I hit the wrong button” would make me compromise. But this time I was unusually firm. I wasn’t going to accept this just because of a few words from my mom. Otherwise, both the relatives and the netizens watching the stream would believe I had been skimming money off my mom all these years. When that time comes, no matter how I explained, they wouldn’t believe it, and I’d lose ten thousand dollars for nothing. I raised an eyebrow. “Without proof, on what grounds are you saying I skimmed money?” At first, the netizens didn’t understand what was happening, but my aunt typed out an explanation in the chat. Hearing the whole story, the netizens all thought I had skimmed money using the excuse of buying things for my mom. I lowered my eyes and saw that the livestream chat was now full of people cursing me. Mia slammed the table and said shrilly, “Mom already admitted it, and you’re still stubbornly denying it!” “You just see that Mom said the chat history is gone, so you’re refusing to admit it, right?” The other relatives also chimed in, urging me to fork over the money. “Chloe, you guys are blood sisters after all. Don’t make things too ugly over a little money.” I said coldly, “If there isn’t any, there isn’t any. I will not send her money.” My sister’s eyes instantly reddened. The next second, a slap landed on my face. My mom slapped my cheek so hard it went numb. My mom pointed at me, filled with righteous indignation. “You are truly too selfish! Your sister didn’t even haggle over the exact amount, and was willing to just take ten thousand and let this go.” “But you value money more than family ties!” My heart completely turned cold. “Fine, didn’t Mia say I used buying things for you as an excuse to skim money?” “Then let’s calculate it clearly. If I really did profit, I will return every single cent.” Mia scoffed disdainfully. “Sounds nice, but the chat history is gone. Where are you going to check the accounts?” I waved my phone. “It’s fine. Mom’s records are gone, but I still have mine.” Hearing this, my mom’s face turned a bit pale. But before I could even open the chat screen with her, my mom suddenly snatched my phone while my guard was down and smashed it hard on the floor. “I didn’t want to show the transfer records because I didn’t want to see you sisters fighting endlessly over a little money.” “I didn’t expect you to completely fail to realize my good intentions.” “You clearly got more benefits than your sister, yet you stubbornly refuse to take out a little money to share with her. You really disappoint me!” Looking at her expression and tone, if I hadn’t known the truth, I really would have been fooled by her. I picked up my phone. The screen was shattered, and it wouldn’t turn on at all. My mom let out a barely noticeable sigh of relief. She seemed to think that with my phone broken, there was no way to check the accounts. Unfazed, I pulled out a stack of paper from my bag. Seeing the contents, my mom’s face changed drastically. She lunged forward to snatch the papers away. But this time I was prepared and dodged to the side. My mom’s face was dark, and she gritted her teeth. “Give that to me!” Seeing the commotion, the relatives were curious about what was on the paper that made my mom react so strongly. Even my sister asked in confusion, “Mom, is there something on those papers?” My mom realized she was overreacting and gave a few dry laughs. “It’s nothing, she’s just holding a few pieces of paper and trying to be mysterious.” My sister furrowed her brows. “Didn’t she just say she has the bills there? Then why did you smash her phone?” “You don’t dare let us see the bills because there’s something fishy about them, right? The amount you subsidized her is definitely more than twenty thousand!” My mom’s refusal to let others see the bills caused suspicion. But they all thought it was because the money she subsidized me was more than the twenty thousand she claimed. That’s why she didn’t dare let anyone see the bills. My aunt was fanning the flames, loving the drama, and casually driving traffic to her livestream: “Yeah, first you said your phone chat history was gone and you couldn’t produce the bills.” “Then Chloe said she had the bills, and you smashed her phone. Isn’t it obvious you don’t dare let us see the bills?” Hearing this, my sister said angrily, “You really are biased towards my sister!” “You tried so hard to keep me from seeing the bills, just because you were afraid I’d ask for more money, right?” My mom opened her mouth, completely unsure of what to say. She indeed didn’t dare let anyone see the bills. But not because of how much she had secretly subsidized me over the years, but because every time she transferred money, it was short one digit. She cared about her face in front of the relatives. She always said she had money on hand and didn’t need her children to spend money on her, and instead subsidized us from time to time. I don’t know if she secretly subsidized my sister in private, but I hadn’t received any for all these years. Not only had I not received any, I had actually paid out twenty to thirty thousand dollars out of pocket. And as a result, I was accused by her of using this to skim money. If they saw the transfer records now, her lies in front of the relatives all these years would be exposed. She tried to explain, “I didn’t let you see the bills because I didn’t want to see you sisters calculating back and forth over a little money, and ending up hurting your relationship.” My sister sneered. “Then when you secretly subsidized my sister, why didn’t you think it would hurt our relationship?” “You’re just making excuses for your favoritism!” I waved the papers in my hand. “It’s fine, even though the phone is broken and we can’t look at the bills, I’ve already printed out the bills from all these years in advance.” “Didn’t you say I used buying things for Mom to skim money? Let’s calculate exactly how much I skimmed now.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394733”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My mom loves running all sorts of tests on me, her adult daughter. She knows I have insomnia, so she’ll bomb my phone in the middle of the night, demanding large sums of money. After scaring me half to death and I transfer the money, she’ll berate me for being stupid, saying it’s to teach me a lesson so I won’t just send money to anyone. She’ll sneak my phone out of my pocket while we’re on a family walk, making sure the entire neighborhood can hear her scolding me for being brainless. I was seriously suffocating. But my mom still wouldn’t let me go. She would tell anyone who would listen in the neighborhood, “If she doesn’t get married, I can’t even hold my head up.” I snapped. The next time she repeated this to an acquaintance in our complex, I pushed her head down like playing Whac-A-Mole and loudly announced to the person, “My mom can’t hold her head up! Because I’m not married, she’s too ashamed to show her face!” Dearest Mother, now it’s my turn to run a compliance test on you. 1 At 3 AM, I had just fallen asleep. The frantic ringing of my phone suddenly pierced the room, sounding like the Grim Reaper’s bell coming to claim my soul. It scared me so much my eyes flew open, a cold sweat breaking out on my back. Seeing it was my own phone ringing, I swallowed hard and reached for it on the nightstand with a trembling hand. The caller ID showed “Mom.” My heart lurched, and I quickly answered. “Hello?” As soon as the call connected, a barrage of roaring erupted from the speaker. “Why did it take you so long to answer? Are you trying to kill your mother!” “Cut the crap and transfer me a thousand dollars, now!” My heart skipped a beat, thinking something had happened back home. I quickly asked, “What happened? Are Dad and Mia okay?” Before I could finish, my mom started screaming like a maniac. “Transfer the money! Immediately! Right now!” “Are you trying to drive us to death? You unfilial daughter!” “You ungrateful wretch! I raised you all these years for nothing, aahhhhh—” Her shrill voice pierced my heart like a needle. With shaking hands, I transferred the thousand dollars to her. “Mom, don’t panic, the money is sent.” Upon receiving the money, my mom instantly regained her composure. She let out a scoff and began to lecture me triumphantly. “How are you still so stupid? I tell you to transfer money and you just do it? Your uncle’s dog is more obedient than you.” “Experience is the best teacher. Let this be a lesson to you, otherwise next time your stupid face will be on some true crime show.” “I’ll hold onto this money for you for now. Just consider it your contribution to household expenses.” The phone was still pressed against my ear. My brain, originally muddled from insomnia, was now throbbing with pain, and my stiff limbs felt freezing cold. My mom knew perfectly well that I’ve been suffering from insomnia recently, and that I have a crucial meeting with a major client tomorrow. Before hanging up, I could even hear my mom bragging to my dad, who was scrolling through TikTok. “I told you she’d transfer the money! She’s still so stupid!” “So what if she moved out? So what if she’s an executive? If I don’t teach her, she’ll still get scammed!” I heard my dad let out a snort of amusement, roll over, and continue playing on his phone. “Mom…” My throat was incredibly dry; I could only manage to force out one pale, powerless syllable. My mom panicked for a second, cursed at me, and then smack, hung up the phone. “You damn brat, hang up already! Are you paying the phone bill? You have too much money to burn!” Beep— 2 I stood frozen by the bed like a block of wood, holding my phone. I hadn’t even turned on the light. The darkness was like a whirlpool, threatening to swallow me whole. I can’t even remember how many times she’s pulled this kind of humiliating “test,” always under the guise of “doing it for my own good.” It was somewhat bearable before I became an adult and started working; she’d just call me stupid and say I couldn’t compare to my younger sister. But after I landed a good job and moved out, it was like she hit menopause. She started running all sorts of tests on me out of nowhere, using the beautiful excuse that she was afraid I’d get scammed out in the real world. But I am a fully functional, sound-minded adult. After this stunt from my mom, sleep was completely out of the question. I numbly moved my limbs and grabbed a bottle of ice water from the fridge. I twisted off the cap and took a gulp, temporarily freezing my throbbing head. I exhausted covered my face with my hands, feeling the soreness in my eyes and the dampness on my palms. When did my mom start escalating this behavior? It was last month, when I told the family I got promoted. I took them out to dinner and bought them gifts. During the meal, my dad happily praised me for growing up and making something of myself, saying I’d bring him pride during the holidays. My high school sister kept looking at me with adoring eyes, dropping hints that she wanted me to buy her an iPhone. My mom, however, sat there with a stinking face, radiating cold energy. When I paid the bill, she kept staring at my phone, as if it rightfully belonged to her. After dinner, my mom suggested our family of four take a walk in our apartment complex. My dad and sister didn’t object, and I actually felt pleasantly surprised. After all, they usually said my sister was still young and needed exercise, while I, burdened with studies, should stay in my room and study hard. I was overwhelmed by this unexpected favor, feeling incredibly joyful—so joyful I forgot to ask why my sister, who was currently burdened with studies, wasn’t staying in her room to study hard. Along the way, my dad’s face was wrinkled into a smile like a blooming flower, constantly bragging to passing acquaintances about how sensible and filial I was, and how I could finally help the family out. My mom squeezed me in the middle like the filling of an Oreo, staring at me like a hawk, her body pressed tightly against mine. To be honest, her glare gave me the creeps, making me feel uncomfortable all over. Right after my dad bragged to another neighbor about my success, my mom suddenly fired a question at me. “Where is your phone?” I met her gaze, which was intense and resolute, and patted my pockets, completely confused. “Isn’t it right here in my pocket?” I grabbed empty air. My heart suddenly skipped a beat. My phone contained the presentation for tomorrow’s report. I had just been promoted; I couldn’t afford any mistakes at this crucial juncture. I frantically searched my pockets inside and out, breaking out in a cold sweat, but still couldn’t find it. My dad’s previously smug expression darkened instantly, as if the person who was just praising my success never existed. My mom wore a cold smirk, watching me with disdain as I started searching the bushes. “What’s wrong with Chloe?” the neighbor, seeing my anxious face, asked kindly. “I lost my phone. I had it when we entered the complex,” I replied, my hands trembling and covered in dirt, a hint of a sob escaping my voice. Almost a split second before the neighbor could offer help, my mom launched into a barrage of sarcastic mockery. “How can you be so useless? You just excel at failing! Are you trying to anger me to death?!” “Look at you, just got promoted and you lost your phone. It has company documents on it, right? How are you going to face the bosses who trusted you!” “Such a good company, such good bosses, all gone because of your stupidity, your carelessness! Tell me, what can you actually accomplish?” “Your dad and I don’t expect you to strike it rich and buy us cars and mansions, but could you please just give us some peace of mind and be a little more reliable?” Cold sweat ran into my eyes, stinging them. My heart was in a panic. My mom’s voice flooded my ears like a torrent, turning my brain into mush. Her shrill voice attracted nearby neighbors walking around. They watched the hysterical mother, the despairing older sister, the indifferent father, and the unconcerned younger sister. People’s gazes scrutinized me like spotlights, their faces bearing intrigued expressions. I felt like I was in the deep sea, about to be crushed and suffocated. The initially kind neighbor looked horrified, being watched like a monkey in a circus. He wanted to leave but felt too embarrassed to just walk away. He carefully suggested, “Why don’t we find a security guard? Didn’t you say you were just holding it? It must have dropped somewhere in the complex.” My brain cleared, and reason returned. I stood up, my eyes determined, and spat out two words, “Call 911.” I looked around, a fighting spirit rising within me, my voice firm and resolute. “My phone was perfectly fine in my pocket. It must have been stolen by an experienced pickpocket without me noticing.” “If I let this thief go and act like nothing happened, tomorrow they’ll escalate and steal from other people with impunity.” Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd, and the kind neighbor understandingly began dialing the police. And then, my mom lost her mind. “Why call the police? You’re going to call the police over such a trivial matter? Can’t you solve your own problems?” “Calling the police in the middle of the night, do you think they’ll just agree? You think they only serve you?” I looked at my mom in confusion, unable to fathom any reason why she would forbid me, the victim, from calling the police. Questions also arose from the crowd. “Ma’am, if there’s a thief in the complex, it’s better to let the police investigate. It gives people peace of mind.” “The police are here to serve the people! Maybe catching a thief will even get them a promotion or a raise!” “Chloe’s mom, look how pale Chloe is. There must be important stuff on that phone. The priority should be getting the police to find it immediately. Why are you stopping her?” Even with people pointing fingers at her, my mom gritted her teeth and refused to relent. I frowned, acutely sensing that something was wrong, and spoke decisively to the kind neighbor. “Sir, call the police. I’ll take responsibility if anything happens.” The neighbor nodded and pressed the call button. Right at that moment, my mom started screaming and yelling like a lunatic, throwing something onto the ground as if venting her anger. “Don’t call the police! Don’t call! Your phone is right here!” We looked closely and discovered that what she threw was actually a phone. My eyes almost popped out of my head. Wasn’t this cracked phone mine?! The kind neighbor’s jaw dropped in shock, and he hastily ended the call. I picked up the phone like a slow-moving robot, my eyes full of disbelief as I looked at my mom. Before I could even ask, she pointed at me and scolded me indiscriminately. “I was just worried that you lack situational awareness when you’re out. I stole your phone to train you, is it really necessary to make such a big fuss?” “And you want to call the police? Fine, let the police arrest your mother and throw her in jail! I’ll just pretend I never gave birth to you!” I stood frozen in place, doubting if my ears were working properly, actually hearing such absurd words. The surrounding people, however, enjoyed the spectacle fully, whispering and chuckling amongst themselves. “So she’s the thief! She actually stole her own daughter’s phone.” “Her daughter was about to cry from anxiety. I bet if she hadn’t mentioned calling the police, she wouldn’t have brought the phone out.” “She’s really losing her mind, tormenting her own daughter like this!” “This is truly a case of a thief crying ‘stop thief,’ hard to guard against thieves in your own home.” Hearing these sarcastic remarks, my mom’s face turned shades of green and purple from anger. She cursed at the crowd, “What are you looking at? I’m disciplining my own daughter, mind your own business.” “She’s my daughter, I’m doing this all for her own good.” “Enough!” A violent roar erupted in the darkness, stopping my mom. My dad appeared from nowhere, his face so dark it blended into the night, glaring fiercely at my mom. “Haven’t you embarrassed us enough? Get home, now!” His forehead was creased so deeply it could crush a fly. He took the lead, heading towards home, not caring if his wife and daughters were following. My mom glared at me, then sheepishly trailed behind my dad’s retreating figure. Then came my sister. She covered her face and jogged towards our parents with quick, small steps, muttering “So embarrassing” under her breath. With the spectacle over, the crowd gradually dispersed. Leaving me standing there alone, gripping the cracked phone, feeling a bone-chilling cold, as if I would plunge into the darkness behind me the next second. 3 My thoughts drifted back to my rented apartment. I was currently enveloped in a similar darkness, agonizing over what my mom had done to me. Sleep was impossible, so I turned on the news to have some semblance of human presence around me. “Recently, a 28-year-old female teacher, pressured into marriage, tragically fell from a building on her wedding day, fading away in the prime of her life.” The news video reported on a female teacher who, after suffering 11 years of oppressive pressure to marry from her closest relatives, ultimately plummeted to her death from her bridal suite on her wedding day, using her life to pursue freedom beneath the blue sky. I stared at the anchor’s moving lips, my head spinning, feeling like I had plunged into an endless nightmare. Even in civilized society, incidents of people “eating” others still occurred! In that moment, I felt a profound empathy for this woman I had never met, who used her life to resist oppression. The torment my mom inflicted on me over these many days, my dad and sister’s apathetic disregard and exploitation of my pain—they were fundamentally no different from the actions of the female teacher’s family. Relatives, assuming a position of superiority and using “gratitude” to oppress us, were simply torturing a soul. The comments below, sharing various experiences, also spoke of the injustices faced by women. “My parents always lived in a fantasy where they had ‘the perfect son from another family’, and their ultimate mission was to marry me off.” “The year my parents drove me to depression, they were glowing with vitality. Later, I escaped that place called ‘home,’ and my depression vanished.” “My mom always says she can’t hold her head up if I don’t get married. I recommended she get a plaster cast for her neck, then she’d be able to hold it up.” “Attention all women: your body, your uterus, your soul, they all belong only to you. Anyone who tries to make decisions for these things is full of bullshit!” Hot tears fell from my eyes, and a fire ignited deep within my heart. Even if I only have a frail body and no one standing behind me, I still have to swing a massive sledgehammer and smash all the shackles that bind me to pieces. My alarm rang at that moment, like the bugle call of resistance. Morning light spilled through the window; the day had dawned. 4 Since then, I made up my mind not to give my mom any opportunity to torment me. I put her on “Do Not Disturb” on WeChat and ignored her messages. I didn’t answer her calls or just hung up. If asked, I’d say I was busy. I had never felt the world to be so peaceful. Until I received a call from my sister. She cried, saying Dad and Mom were fighting, begging her sister to come home and check on her. My damn soft heart gave in. At the time, I thought my sister was still young, her worldview hadn’t fully formed, and she shouldn’t have to bear the consequences of our parents’ mistakes. I rushed home in a taxi, burning with anxiety. When I walked in, the three of them were sitting on different sides of the room, looking exactly like a tribunal ready to judge me. My sister just gave me a fleeting glance, then held her hand out to my mom. “She’s here. You said if I got her to come, you’d give me ten bucks.” My mom gave her the money. After getting the cash, she headed straight to her room and slammed the door shut. That sound hit me right in the heart, shattering the image of the ignorant, innocent younger sister into pieces. “Chloe is back! Why are you standing there? Come over and sit!” My dad waved at me, wearing a smile like the Maitreya Buddha. I took a deep breath, warning myself: If it’s a blessing, it’s not a curse; if it’s a curse, it can’t be avoided. I sat down a bit further away from them, waiting to see what kind of trick they were playing. Since I walked in, my mom’s gaze had been scanning my face like an X-ray, investigating how I had been doing lately. Seeing the radiant glow on my face, she couldn’t help but make sarcastic remarks. “Well, look who it is! You don’t even answer your phone, do you still remember us old folks?” I poured myself some water and said lightly, “Been busy lately.” My mom wanted to say more but shut up after my dad glared at her. My dad cheerfully asked about my recent situation, and I responded with mild indifference. After asking about my food, clothing, housing, and transportation, my dad shifted the conversation and finally revealed the purpose of this setup. “You’re not getting any younger, isn’t it time to consider marriage?” “Do you remember Uncle Zhao? His son has good prospects, he’s a civil servant too.” I took a sip of water and said coldly, “I remember he’s been married once before.” My dad glanced at my mom, and my mom understood and started persuading me. “Older men know how to treat a woman better! Your Uncle Zhao’s family is close to ours; marrying his son would make our families even closer!” “Besides, your Uncle Zhao said the bride price for our family would be at least twenty thousand dollars. Don’t you want to show some filial piety and get your mom a new gold necklace or jade bracelet?” “Your sister’s grades are just average, I don’t think she’ll get into a good college. As her older sister, don’t you want to use this twenty thousand to pave a backup plan for her?” I almost laughed out loud. That Uncle Zhao, whose eyes are practically on top of his head, always coming to our house and ordering people around, and his greasy son who got divorced because of domestic violence—whoever wants to marry him can go right ahead! I pondered for a moment, pretending to agree with my mom. “I think you’re right!” My parents’ faces instantly lit up with joy, craning their necks for my next words. “Why don’t we let Mia marry Uncle Zhao’s son? That way, she’ll have a backup plan when she fails her exams.” “Marrying him will bring our families closer together; wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds?” I smiled amidst my parents’ shock, revealing my sharp canine teeth. My dad was the first to react, furiously slamming his hand on the table. “This is absolutely ridiculous!” “Your sister is still so young, how could she marry a divorced man in his thirties!” My sister’s scream also came from her room. “I don’t want to marry a divorced old man! If you make me marry him, I’d rather jump out the window right now!” My mom glared at me through gritted teeth, like a fierce mother wolf protecting her cub. “How can you be so vicious? You actually want your sister to marry a man so much older than her! Isn’t that pushing her into a pit of fire?!” I blinked innocently. “Didn’t you say it yourself, Mom? Older men know how to treat a woman better.” “Besides, that man is also ten years older than me. If I marry him, wouldn’t that be jumping into a pit of fire too?” “Or is it that you guys just have your eyes on the bride price they offered and want to sell your daughter? If that’s really the case, aren’t you afraid of drowning in other people’s spit? Where will you hide your faces in the future?!” My parents choked, opening their mouths but not knowing what to say. Seeing they had nothing to say, I slowly scrolled on my phone. After all, I wasn’t the one in a rush. From the corner of my eye, I saw my dad constantly kicking my mom under the table. I knew then that his “loving father” act was just for show. My mom couldn’t take the kicking anymore. She suddenly stood up, pointed at me, and spoke without thinking. “Let me tell you, we’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice! If you don’t listen to us, you’ll regret it one day, and don’t come crying to us then.” “You’re already so old and still not married, I can’t even hold my head up in the neighborhood.” “Tell me, if you don’t get married, people will gossip. You don’t even live here anymore, aren’t you destroying the harmony of our family of three?” Even knowing my mom’s words were vicious, my heart still felt like it had a gaping hole, constantly leaking air. A family of three. My dad, my mom, my sister. Not including me. I curled my lips in a mocking smile, deciding to fight magic with magic. I sneered, “Mom, if we’re talking about family, you’re the one with a different last name, aren’t you?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394732”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My division commander’s son, Arthur Sterling, told me that if I wanted to marry him, I had to become a regimental commander first. “Eventually, this division will be handed over to us.” So, I worked my life away for eight years. Reconnaissance company, artillery regiment, operations and training section—wherever it was toughest, I went. I earned several third-class merit citations and shed layers of skin from the sun. This spring, I thought my promotion to regimental commander was a sure thing. But suddenly, the division dispatched me to the remote Northern Wasteland for construction work. Returning a year later, I saw Lily Vance from the propaganda section leading the regiment in training. I went straight to the division commander’s office. In the hallway, two staff officers were smoking. “Commander Vance is so lucky. Her father-in-law promoted her single-handedly.” “It’s a pity for Chloe Miller. She must have frozen her butt off in the Northern Wasteland, right?” “If you ask me, the division commander should have just told her directly that Lily Vance and his son filed their marriage report ages ago. Would have saved so much trouble.” Tossing their cigarette butts, the two walked away. I stood in the empty hallway, suddenly recalling every exhausting night of those eight years. It turned out that in the eyes of others, I was just a joke. So, I went downstairs and called home: “Dad, I’m coming home tomorrow.” 1 When I pushed open the door to the division commander’s office, I saw Lily Vance sitting on Arthur Sterling’s lap. They were pressed against the desk, Arthur’s hands wrapped around her waist. Hearing the door, Arthur sprang up, and Lily hurriedly wiped the corner of her mouth. The office was silent for a few seconds. “Chloe…” Arthur stood up, the collar of his uniform slightly wrinkled. “Don’t misunderstand. Lily accidentally slipped, and I was just catching her.” Lily adjusted her brand-new field-grade officer uniform and cleared her throat: “Major Miller, why didn’t you knock before coming in?” I slammed that crumpled appointment notice onto the desk. “When did Lily Vance become a regimental commander?” Lily let out a short laugh: “It was a collective decision by the division’s party committee. Do you have an objection?” Arthur pressed his hand on the paper, not meeting my eyes: “Lily graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the military academy, has excellent political standing, and is a young cadre prioritized for development by the organization.” “Chloe, the organization sees all your contributions, but you need to consider the big picture.” I smiled. The big picture? Who ever considered me? “Comprehensive quality? She can’t even mark a tactical map properly. Where is the quality?” “Chloe Miller!” Arthur’s voice suddenly rose, slamming a folder heavily onto the desk. “You’ve been in the military for eight years. Don’t you know that obeying orders is your bounden duty?” “Don’t bring your personal emotions into work!” The way he looked at me was like looking at a troublemaking soldier. Eight years of my life, in his eyes, had become “personal emotions.” I looked into his eyes: “Then what do my past eight years count as?” He looked away, his tone softening a bit, like coaxing an ignorant child: “I know it’s been hard for you. But the military needs to develop.” Lily walked up to me, her epaulets almost brushing against my chest: “I spent five years in the headquarters writing materials. What about you? You spent a year digging drainage ditches in the Northern Wasteland. Do you even have the right to talk about tactics?” The phone rang. It was Arthur’s mother. “Mom?” “Get Chloe Miller to get her ass over here immediately! We’re hosting a dinner tonight, and she must give an explanation! A woman messing around for eight years and still not becoming a regimental commander, isn’t it embarrassing!” Arthur’s face changed. He hung up the phone, looking at me with a bit of annoyance, but quickly put on his gentle facade again: “Stop making a fuss.” He walked over, trying to take my hand: “You know how my mom is, don’t take it to heart.” “I’ll go with you tonight, we’ll explain everything properly.” Just as Arthur finished speaking, there was a knock on the office door. It was a communications orderly from division headquarters, holding a document: “Officer Sterling, Commander Vance, the political commissar requests your presence in the conference room immediately for an emergency meeting regarding next week’s on-site demonstration.” Lily immediately stood up straight, the slight flippancy on her face vanishing instantly, replaced by the demeanor of a serious military officer: “Understood. We’ll be right there.” She turned to Arthur, her tone as natural as if discussing official business: “Arthur, shall we head over first? Let’s not keep the commissar waiting.” Arthur nodded and picked up his notebook from the desk. Right before walking out, he paused, didn’t turn back, and dropped a flat sentence: “Chloe, tonight at seven, my house. Don’t be late, and don’t say things you shouldn’t.” The door closed. That evening, I walked into the Sterling family’s small courtyard alone. The house was brightly lit, filled with loud voices. This wasn’t a family dinner; it was a celebratory banquet. The star of the show was Lily Vance. She was wearing a pristine field-grade woolen uniform, epaulets gleaming, holding Arthur’s arm, laughing and chatting with people. I felt like an outsider who had wandered in by mistake. All eyes turned to me—surprise, disdain, and then undisguised mockery. “Oh, Major Miller is back?” “The sandstorms of the Northern Wasteland didn’t bury you there?” Mother Sterling walked over, looking me up and down: “What are you doing here? Our family doesn’t entertain idle people.” Lily leaned close to Arthur, feigning concern: “Auntie, don’t say that. Major Miller also made contributions in the Northern Wasteland.” An elder walked over with a wine glass, patting Lily’s shoulder: “Arthur has good taste. Lily is young and promising, just promoted to regimental commander. This is what a daughter-in-law of our military region should be like.” He turned to me, his smile cutting: “Unlike some people, messing around for so many years and still just a major, shamelessly clinging to Arthur without looking at what she’s worth!” “Exactly! Hurry up and leave!” I looked at Arthur. He just stood there, watching coldly. He didn’t even furrow his brow. His silence was more piercing than those words. 2 I set down my wine glass, turned, and walked out of the Sterling family’s courtyard. “Chloe Miller! Stop right there!” Arthur chased after me, grabbing my arm tightly under the streetlight: “Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?” I threw off his hand. “Let’s break up.” He froze for a second, his face darkening: “Just because my mom told a few truths, you can’t handle it?” “Chloe, think about it yourself! Who’s to blame that you haven’t been promoted all these years? If you had become a regimental commander earlier, who would give you a hard time?” I looked at him, feeling only absurdity. His tone softened a bit: “Alright, stop making a fuss. It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have let you go in alone to get scolded.” He sounded like he was lecturing a disobedient soldier: “Without me, where could you go? Your current position is only because my dad did an old comrade a favor.” “Besides leading troops into battle, what else can you do? Which unit would want someone like you?” Without allowing any argument, he shoved me into his Jeep. The car drove to the small cafeteria behind the military service cooperative. He dragged me into a private room. The door was slightly ajar, and inside, several young staff officers were laughing and talking: “Officer Sterling is really devoted to Commander Vance.” “For sure. This afternoon, when Commander Vance saw that Officer Sterling still had Chloe Miller’s old photos in his notebook, her face turned black.” “Officer Sterling immediately had someone call Chloe back from the Northern Wasteland. He specifically brought her here to ‘smooth things over’ for Commander Vance.” “Being played for eight years and still kept in the dark, that’s really something…” I stopped dead in my tracks. Arthur’s face stiffened, and he pushed the door open. “What’s so lively in here?” He smiled and pushed me down onto a stool: “Chloe’s stomach isn’t feeling well, so I brought her over for some soup.” The private room fell silent. The officers exchanged weird glances. There were dishes on the table, and a bottle of high-proof white liquor in the middle. Arthur grabbed my enamel mug, poured half a mug of white liquor, and pushed it towards me. “Drink it, warm your stomach.” I have severe stomach issues; the whole division knows it. He knows it best. “Are you crazy? I can’t drink that!” “Giving you face and you don’t take it?” His voice turned cold, “Given the occasion today, don’t be ungrateful.” He picked up the mug and brought it to my lips. The spicy liquid poured in, burning my throat like a knife. I clutched my stomach and bent over, cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. Arthur glanced at me: “Stop pretending. You’re ruining the mood.” At that moment, Lily, sitting in the seat of honor, suddenly picked up her own mug of liquor, Tilted her head back, and gulped it down forcefully. She drank so fast and hard that the liquor spilled from the corners of her mouth. Arthur’s face turned completely pale. He frantically lunged over to snatch the mug: “Lily! What are you doing! Stop!” Lily pushed his hand away, deliberately taking another huge gulp before wiping her mouth and glaring sideways at me: “I’m unhappy, what’s wrong with having a drink?” Arthur was so anxious his eyes turned red. He pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, his voice trembling: “Do you want to die? It’s only been a few days since your stomach bleed! Have you forgotten what the doctor said?” He turned and glared fiercely at me, as if I had forced Lily to drink: “It’s all your fault! You had to make a scene! Are you satisfied now that you’ve made her so angry?” My stomach felt like it was on fire. I suddenly remembered three years ago. I had just come back from the frontlines, and had a couple of extra drinks at the celebration banquet. He smashed his cup right there, pointed at me, and said: “I hate women who drink and mess things up the most. If you drink like this again, don’t come looking for me.” Since then, I hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol. It turned out he didn’t hate the alcohol, it depended entirely on who was drinking it. 3 I rushed into the washroom, vomiting uncontrollably. Splashing freezing water on my face barely suppressed the burning sensation in my throat and the churning in my stomach. Just as I wiped my face and turned around, I saw three or four military officers, their faces flushed from drinking, swaggering over with their arms around each other. Leading them was Old Zhao, the commander of the First Battalion. “Well, well, well, isn’t this our great talent, Chloe?” Old Zhao stumbled over and slapped my shoulder hard, “The main character of tonight, why are you hiding here?” Next to him, Deputy Battalion Commander Sun from the Third Battalion immediately let out a strange laugh: “Old Zhao, that’s not right. Staff Officer Miller is battling the elements in the Northern Wasteland. That’s called ‘tempering oneself,’ how can you call it hiding?” “Right, right, right, ‘tempering oneself’!” Old Zhao slapped his thigh, “Back in the military academy, you, Chloe Miller, were the most badass, getting excellent marks in every subject. It’s been eight years since graduation, right?” “Oh, still ‘tempering yourself’ in a major’s position? We brothers are untalented, but we’ve all managed to reach lieutenant colonel.” “Staff Officer Miller has high ambitions, she’s meant to be a regimental commander!” “Regimental commander? I’d say if she ‘tempers herself’ for another eight years, she’d be lucky just to keep that uniform!” Their grating laughter echoed in the washroom. These guys were all my peers from the military academy. Back then, we called each other brothers. I don’t know when it started, but they got transferred and promoted one by one, While I kept bouncing around different battalions and companies, even serving as their deputy for a while. People’s hearts, I guess, just turn cold like that. Back then, they sourly said I had “latched onto a high branch, saving twenty years of struggle,” And now they were taking back the face they’d lost, with interest, by humiliating me. “You guys don’t know shit!” Deputy Battalion Commander Sun winked exaggeratedly, “Chloe Miller’s boyfriend is Division Commander Sterling’s young master! That’s called experiencing life, going deep into the grassroots!” “Her? She’s not even fit to carry Officer Sterling’s bags! A girlfriend? I think she’s daydreaming, she must be crazy!” Amidst the roaring laughter, the door to the cafeteria’s private room opened. Arthur, holding Lily’s hand, walked out surrounded by a crowd, probably having heard the commotion over here. Deputy Battalion Commander Sun’s eyes lit up, and he yelled at the top of his lungs: “Officer Sterling! Commander Vance! Perfect timing to ask. Chloe Miller goes around telling everyone that she and you… have that kind of relationship. Is it true or false?” In an instant, the entire hallway fell dead silent. All eyes were pinned on me. A few young female soldiers were already covering their mouths, snickering. I looked at Arthur. He looked back at me, his face expressionless. Then, a very faint arc curved at the corner of his mouth, and he spoke clearly: “Thank you all for your concern. However, there might be some misunderstanding here.” He raised his hand, which was clasped with Lily’s. His voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough for everyone to hear clearly: “Lily and I submitted our marriage application, and the organization has approved it.” “We will hold our wedding next month. We invite everyone to come have a drink with us then.” After speaking, he didn’t look at me again. Arm in arm with Lily, he walked out of the cafeteria doors with the laughing crowd. Old Zhao and the others still wouldn’t let me go. They leaned in, their alcohol-laced breath blowing in my face. “Hear that? Wedding drinks next month!” “Chloe Miller, you not only lie to us, you even lie to yourself!” “Back then, you were the most badass in the whole squad. And now? When you see me, you have to call me ‘Deputy Regimental Commander’!” I didn’t hear what they said after that. My head was buzzing, only Arthur’s words “marriage application, already approved” remained. Eight years of sweat, eight years of brutal fighting, eight years of hoping. Like a popped soap bubble, nothing was left. I pushed past them, walking through those needle-like gazes, and out of the cafeteria. As the night wind blew, the burning pain in my stomach suddenly seemed to turn numb.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394731”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My husband is a decorated undercover cop. To take down a drug cartel and save a hostage, he was tortured by drug dealers for a whole month. After being rescued, not only was his body covered in scars, but he also suffered from severe sexual dysfunction. The doctor said it was psychological trauma and couldn’t be forced. My heart ached for him. For three years, I didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly while sleeping, terrified of disturbing his fragile nerves. I not only spent all my savings treating his illness but also paid for the schooling of the poor girl he rescued. On the day of the police commendation ceremony, an unreleased surveillance video was mistakenly broadcasted on the big screen. In the video, the man who was always so timid and subservient with me was pressing that same girl onto a desk, venting wildly. His mouth was full of filthy words, his movements as fierce as a wild beast. He hastily covered my eyes. “Don’t look! It was just an act to gain the drug lord’s trust!” “Tech team! Who played that video! Turn it off immediately!” Captain Vance’s roar exploded in the auditorium. The blinding white light vanished from the big screen, and the entire auditorium plunged into a dead, silent darkness. I sat frozen in my seat, my hands and feet ice-cold. The hand covering my eyes carried the familiar smell of tobacco. But it was this very hand that, just moments ago on the screen, was tightly grabbing another girl’s hair. “Chloe, don’t look.” Arthur’s voice was in my ear, as steady as ever, yet with an imperceptible tightness. I didn’t move, nor did I speak. My fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of my shirt, twisting the soft fabric into a hard knot. It’s a small habit of mine when I’m nervous. The lights flipped back on with a snap, stinging my eyes. The gazes of the surrounding colleagues, family members, and everyone else focused on me like spotlights. Sympathy, curiosity, disdain, schadenfreude. Arthur let go, his face a bit pale under the lights, but his eyes remained steady. He took off his crisp police uniform jacket and draped it over my shoulders, covering my slightly trembling frame. “A misunderstanding. Just a special interrogation tactic.” He explained to the people around us. His voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough for the first few rows to hear clearly. “Everyone, please continue. Don’t let this minor hiccup affect the commendation ceremony.” His tone was calm, as if the footage on the screen, which rivaled a pornographic film, was truly just an inconsequential work recording. Captain Vance quickly walked over, apologetic and concerned. “Chloe, are you okay? Those kids in the tech team messing around, I’ll deal with them later!” The way he looked at me was purely an elder’s heartache for a younger generation. For three years, the entire police force knew about Arthur’s illness. They also knew that I had quit my job to take care of him, never leaving his side. In their eyes, I was a great, forbearing, selflessly devoted police wife. But now, this greatness had become a massive joke. “I’m fine, Captain Vance.” I spoke, my voice dry. Arthur put his arm around my shoulders, his grip heavy, carrying an unquestionable dominance. “I’ll take her back to rest first.” He didn’t give anyone a chance to ask more questions. Passing through countless complex gazes, he left the auditorium. The cold wind blew down the corridor, and I shivered. He didn’t let go of me until we got into the car. The space inside the car was cramped. The scent on him, a mix of sweat and wildness, smelled incredibly disgusting to me right now. I turned my head to look out the window, my stomach churning. “It was fake.” He started the car and finally spoke. “What was fake?” “What happened in the video. It was an act for the drug dealers, to gain their trust.” His explanation was exactly what I expected: calm, rational, and flawless. “That girl, Mia. She was in too deep at the time. Without some special tactics, she wouldn’t have talked.” “I thought this kind of footage had been destroyed long ago. I didn’t expect the tech team to make a mistake.” He drove, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. “I know it’s hard for you to accept, but that’s my job.” “Chloe, you have to understand me.” Understand. Those two words again. For three years, I understood the trauma left by his failed mission, understood his sexual dysfunction, understood all his sensitivity and fragility. I took care of him like a fragile porcelain doll. But I couldn’t understand how he could, without changing his expression, engage in passionate intercourse with another woman on a desk. Yet in front of me, touching me was like torture. The car stopped downstairs. I didn’t move. Arthur unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over. His face was very close to mine. Those eyes that once made me drown were now full of exhaustion and a complex emotion I couldn’t read. “Stop throwing a tantrum, okay?” His voice was very soft, carrying a coaxing tone. “Mia is still upstairs waiting for us. She was terrified today.” That sentence was like a basin of ice water poured over my head. I snapped my head around, staring at him intently. “Why is she in our house?” 2 Arthur frowned, a flash of impatience in his eyes. “She’s scared to live alone. She just moved in a few days ago.” “I thought I told you.” He said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if this wasn’t my home, but just a hotel where he could take anyone in at will. I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. He hadn’t told me. He hadn’t said a thing. I pushed open the car door and stumbled upstairs. I inserted the key into the lock, having to turn it several times before it clicked. The moment the door opened, a waft of unfamiliar perfume hit my face. In the entryway, there was a pair of pink high heels that didn’t belong to me. On the living room sofa, a woman’s jacket was thrown casually. On the coffee table, half-eaten snacks and a fashion magazine. Everything here was declaring the presence of another mistress of the house. Mia walked out of the master bedroom, wearing my pajamas. It was a silk set I had gritted my teeth to buy for my birthday, but had never borne to wear. Now, it hung loosely on Mia’s slender frame. The neckline was open wide, revealing a large expanse of suggestive red marks. “Arthur, Chloe, you’re back?” Seeing us, she wore the panicked expression of a frightened rabbit, subconsciously pulling her collar together. “I’m sorry, Chloe, your pajamas… My clothes were all being washed, and Arthur told me to wear yours for now.” She looked at me timidly, her eyes watery, as if I were the villain who had taken over the nest. Arthur walked in and naturally took the water glass from Mia’s hand, taking a sip. “You were scared, right? It’s okay now.” He patted Mia’s head, his movements intimate and natural. That kind of gentleness I had only seen when he first returned from the mission, when his mind was at its most fragile. “I’ll go make dinner.” I dropped those words and fled into the kitchen. The cold water washed over my hands, but I couldn’t feel the chill. My body felt like ignited cotton, burning from the inside out. I could hear them talking in low voices in the living room. “Arthur, is Chloe mad? It’s all my fault.” Mia’s voice was tinged with crying. “Don’t overthink it, she just hasn’t wrapped her head around it yet.” Arthur’s voice was deep. “You had a scare today, go back to your room and rest early.” “But I’m scared. Every time I close my eyes, I see the images from the surveillance.” “Then I’ll stay with you for a while.” The door was gently closed. I turned off the faucet and leaned against the cold counter, trembling all over. So, it wasn’t that he couldn’t do it. He just couldn’t do it with me. For dinner, I made three dishes and a soup, all Arthur’s favorites. At the dining table, for the first time, I didn’t serve him food as usual. The atmosphere was terrifyingly oppressive. Mia kept her head down, taking tiny bites of rice, her eyes red. Arthur didn’t look good either; he put down his chopsticks after a few bites. “I’m full.” He stood up, pulled a stack of cash from his wallet, and put it on the table. “Living expenses for this month. Tell me if it’s not enough.” I looked at the stack of crisp, red bills and found it incredibly glaring. When did our relationship become reduced to just this? “Are Mia’s tuition and rent coming out of this too?” I asked, driven by some inexplicable impulse. Arthur paused, turned to look at me, his eyes turning cold. “She’s a girl, alone and helpless. It’s only right that I help her out.” “Chloe, I didn’t think you were this petty.” Petty? I spent all our savings to treat his so-called “illness.” I sold the jewelry my mother left me to pay for the schooling of this “poor” girl he talked about. And in the end, all I get is being called petty. My heart felt like it was gripped by an invisible hand, hurting so much I could barely breathe. “Yes, I am petty.” I looked up, meeting his gaze. “Arthur, tell her to move out.” “This is our home.” Mia’s chopsticks clattered to the floor. She shrank her shoulders in fear and burst into tears. Arthur’s face darkened completely. He didn’t look at me, but walked over to Mia and bent down to pick up the chopsticks. “Don’t be scared.” He pulled Mia up and shielded her behind him, as if facing some heinous enemy. “Chloe, have you thrown enough of a tantrum?” 3 Watching him protect another woman, I laughed out loud, but the tears fell disobediently. “Arthur, who exactly is throwing a tantrum?” “These past three years, I’ve lived like a ghost for you.” “I didn’t dare speak loudly, didn’t dare turn on the light to sleep, afraid of disturbing your fragile nerves.” “I treated you as my sky, my everything, and what about you?” “You’re out there sleeping with another woman, and then come home and tell me it was for work!” “How can you expect me to believe that? How can you expect me to understand?” My voice grew louder and louder, almost turning into a scream. Three years of accumulated grievances and pain exploded at this moment. Mia trembled even more violently behind him, crying and saying: “Chloe, don’t blame Arthur, it’s all my fault. If it wasn’t to save me, he wouldn’t have…” “Shut up!” Arthur suddenly growled, cutting Mia off. The chill in his eyes almost froze me. “Chloe, do you think I’m lying to you?” I bit my lip and didn’t speak, but the distrust in my eyes said it all. He suddenly laughed, a laugh full of self-deprecation and endless exhaustion. “Fine, since you don’t believe me, I’ll show you the proof.” He took out his phone, his fingers tapping rapidly on the screen, then threw the phone in front of me. On the screen was a hospital diagnosis report. Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, accompanied by severe physiological dysfunction. The black and white text stung my eyes. Below it were a few video clips, recordings of his hypnotherapy sessions with the psychiatrist. In the video, he was curled up in a ball on the sofa like a helpless child, covered in cold sweat, muttering things I couldn’t understand. That was the most fragile side of Arthur I had never seen. “See?” His voice was terribly hoarse. “The doctor said my trauma stems from that month of torture. I have an instinctive resistance and fear of all intimate contact.” “The reason what happened with Mia was an exception…” He paused, seeming to search for the right words. “The doctor analyzed that it might be because she and I went through the same hell. My subconscious viewed her as safe, so it lowered its defense mechanisms.” “This is a pathological reaction, not a betrayal.” His explanation sounded flawless, even carrying a scientific rigor. So, I wasn’t his exception. I was the unsafe factor being excluded. “So, I’m the cause of your illness, right?” I muttered to myself. Arthur didn’t seem to expect me to say that and froze. He came over, wanting to hug me, but I took a sharp step back. His outstretched hand froze in mid-air, his expression complex. “Chloe, it’s not what you think.” “I love you, I just want to live a good life with you.” “Give me some time, okay? I’ll cure myself.” His voice was very light, carrying a hint of pleading. I felt like I was going crazy. That night, for the first time, Arthur didn’t sleep in the study. He lay beside me, his body stiff, but our hearts were separated by an unbridgeable chasm. 4 The next morning, when I woke up, Arthur was already gone. In a daze, I packed a few clothes and stuffed them into a suitcase. I needed to get out of here and clear my head. I sent Arthur a message, telling him I was going to stay at my mom’s for a few days. He didn’t reply. Dragging my suitcase downstairs, at the entrance of our complex, I saw Arthur’s car parked not far away. He hadn’t left. An indescribable feeling flashed through my heart. Pulling my suitcase, I walked step by step towards his car. The window rolled down, but the face revealed wasn’t Arthur’s. It was Captain Vance. “Chloe, where are you going?” Captain Vance’s expression was very serious. “I… I’m going home to stay for a few days.” Captain Vance sighed and opened the car door. “Get in, let’s talk.” The car didn’t head towards my parents’ house, but drove in circles along the city’s most congested main road. “Arthur, that kid, he’s got a stubborn and foul temper.” Captain Vance said as he drove. “I know you’ve been wronged, but you also know what he went through these past three years.” “That month, it wasn’t a life fit for a human. If it were me, I might have gone crazy long ago.” I kept my head down, my fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of my shirt again. I had heard these words countless times. “I know.” “Not only do you know, but you’ve done very well.” Captain Vance glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Everyone in the squad says Arthur must have accumulated karma for eight lifetimes to marry such a good wife like you.” “But Chloe, some things can’t be solved just by being ‘good’.” My heart seized. “Captain Vance, do you know something?” Captain Vance was silent for a long time, so long I thought he wouldn’t speak again. He parked the car by the river, lit a cigarette. Took a hard drag. “About Mia… Arthur didn’t tell you the whole truth.” My stomach lurched, and a wave of nausea washed over me. This physical reaction was even faster than my brain. I didn’t expect that his next words would completely push me into the abyss. 5 “Mia isn’t just some ordinary hostage.” “She’s the god-sister of the drug cartel boss.” My brain buzzed, going completely blank. “What did you say?” “On that mission, Arthur’s objective was to take down the entire drug ring.” “Mia grew up in that environment and obeyed her brother completely. It took Arthur a long time to make her waver.” “Later, when things were exposed, her brother wanted to clean house. Arthur got captured trying to protect her.” “So, he wasn’t tortured because he was trying to save a hostage. He was protecting Mia?” I felt my voice shaking. “You could say that.” “Then, what about that video?” “It’s fake.” Captain Vance blew a smoke ring, the smoke blurring his face. “Arthur had the squad make a fake video to get the final piece of evidence.” “The squad unified the story to protect his reputation and to give Mia a chance at a fresh start.” My marriage, my love, everything I had given over the past three years, was built on a massive lie. “Why… why are you telling me this?” It took all my strength to ask that question. Captain Vance crushed his cigarette, his eyes full of struggle and pity. “Because Arthur, that kid, is in too deep.” “To him, Mia isn’t just a mission anymore.” The air in the car seemed to freeze. Better a short pain than a long one. How easy it is to say. Three years of my youth, my wholehearted devotion, the love I thought was unbreakable—it turns out it was a joke from the very beginning. I don’t even know how I got out of the car, or how I returned to that so-called home. Pushing open the door, the house was empty. Mia wasn’t there, and Arthur wasn’t there. That’s good. I needed space alone to digest the truth. I lay on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. My eyes ached with dryness, but I couldn’t shed a single tear. My phone vibrated. It was a multimedia message from an unknown number. A photo. In the photo, Arthur and Mia were sitting in a luxuriously decorated Western restaurant, making a wish in front of candles. Mia wore a birthday crown on her head, smiling brightly and sweetly. Arthur’s eyes held a gentleness and doting that I had never seen before. Below the photo was a line of text: Chloe, Arthur is celebrating my birthday, we’ll be back late. He was afraid you’d overthink it and told me not to tell you. My fingers began to tremble uncontrollably. I dialed Arthur’s number. It rang for a long time before being answered. “Hello?” His voice was a bit impatient. “Where are you?” My voice was terrifyingly calm. “In a meeting at the station, what’s wrong?” He lied without batting an eye. “Arthur, come back immediately.” “I said I’m in a meeting. Stop being unreasonable.” “I’m telling you to come back!” I finally lost control and screamed. The other end was silent for a few seconds, and then came Mia’s timid voice: “Arthur, is it Chloe… you should go back, I’m fine.” Beep beep beep… The call was hung up. I smashed my phone hard onto the floor, the screen instantly shattering into pieces. I rushed into the bedroom, pulled open the wardrobe, and threw out Mia’s eyesore clothes one by one. Dresses, underwear, stockings… The door crashed open with a bang. Arthur rushed in, saw the mess on the floor, and his face instantly darkened. “Chloe, what kind of crazy fit are you throwing now?” He grabbed my wrist with a force that almost crushed my bones. “Me? Crazy?” I shook off his hand, pointing at the clothes on the floor, yelling hysterically: “Arthur, you tell me, what are these?” “You bring her home, she sleeps in my bed, wears my pajamas, and now you lie to me saying you’re in a meeting while you run off to celebrate her birthday!” “What exactly do you take me for?” A flash of panic appeared in Arthur’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by an icy calm. “I just felt sorry for her, having her birthday alone…” “Sorry for her?” I sneered. “She’s the sister of a drug dealer. She almost got you killed, and you feel sorry for her?” “Arthur, stop lying to me! Captain Vance told me everything!” “The so-called rescue was fake, and your love for me is fake too!” Arthur’s body stiffened violently, his eyes filled with disbelief. He stared at me dead on. “He told you?” “Yes.” The air was dead silent. After a long time, he suddenly laughed. That laugh no longer held any exhaustion or pretense, only a reckless indifference. “Fine, since you know everything, I have nothing to hide.” He walked up to me, looking down at me from above. “That’s right, it was all fake.” “What I feel for Mia isn’t a mission, and it isn’t pity.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394729”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My fiancé has a female best friend. He’s liked her for ten years, drunkenly confessing: “I don’t confess because I’m afraid if I say it, we won’t even be friends anymore.” I wasn’t angry. I quietly bought rings and ordered a wedding dress. My fiancé privately complained to his friends that I was forcing him into marriage, even joking that he’d leave me stranded at the altar. Until he realized that this wedding had absolutely nothing to do with him. “I’ll take this one.” In the bridal boutique, I finally chose a dress. The saleswoman asked, “Do you need to ask your partner’s opinion?” In the entire shop, every other girl was accompanied by her boyfriend. Only I was alone. I smiled: “No need, he’ll love it.” While sitting on the sofa waiting to pay, a notification popped up on my phone. A thread I followed had been updated. The title of the thread was “Loving a Girl for Ten Years.” The original poster was a guy. Underneath, countless people were urging him: 【Just confess already.】 He replied: 【I don’t dare. I’m afraid if I confess, we won’t even be friends anymore.】 The person who posted this thread was my fiancé, Arthur Sterling. 2 When I got home, Arthur was drinking with his friends. In a group of guys, there was only one girl. She had a smoking hot body, wearing black pantyhose, yet she sat cross-legged on the sofa, completely unbothered and carefree. I knew this girl. Her name was Mia. She was Arthur’s best “bro.” “Listen up, guys. Whoever gets a girlfriend has to let your ‘daddy’ approve first, got it?” Someone immediately cheered: “The one Artie’s dating is almost ready for marriage, right?” Mia’s smile stiffened for a second. She lightly kicked Arthur with her pantyhose-clad foot: “Oh? You’ve got it going on. No wonder you haven’t been coming out to play lately. Turns out you’re getting married? Bros before hoes, man!” Arthur leaned back lazily on the sofa, half-dodging: “Nothing like that.” “Don’t be shy. If you really get married, your ‘daddy’ will definitely give you a massive red envelope.” Mia laughed and patted Arthur, but for some reason, her eyes looked a bit red. She picked up her beer bottle and took a few gulps. Arthur looked at her: “Stop drinking.” “Mind your own business!” “You’ve had too much…” “You’ve had too much, damn it. I’ll drink if I want to, it’s none of your business!” Mia said this, but acting as if the alcohol hit her hard, she gradually slumped onto Arthur. “Arthur…” she murmured, seeming like she wanted to say something. Arthur couldn’t hear clearly. He lowered his head, bringing his ear close to the girl’s lips. The atmosphere reached its peak of ambiguity at this moment. However— Bang. I opened the door. 3 The whole house went quiet for a moment. I didn’t look at a single one of them. I put down my bag, changed my shoes, and went into the study. I didn’t say a word the entire time. Slowly, voices drifted from outside. Someone said: “Artie, I think your girl is mad.” They thought I was angry and giving Arthur an attitude. Arthur probably thought so too. I just heard him speak, his voice carrying impatience: “Leave her alone.” He put on a song using the speakers, and the originally chilled atmosphere in the living room gradually livened up again. Mia fell asleep slumped over to the side. Arthur took off his jacket and covered her with it. Someone said to Arthur: “Artie, call your girl out to hang with us.” Arthur’s voice was flat: “No need, she has social anxiety.” I indeed had social anxiety, or more accurately, an anxiety disorder. Speaking in a crowd made my hands shake and gave me cold sweats. Because of this, I had almost no social life. Everything revolved around Arthur. He once kissed me gently: “Chloe, I’m so lucky to have met a girl like you who only has eyes for me.” But now, what used to be a virtue had become a flaw. “You guys don’t get it. I really wish she’d go out and socialize more, make some friends,” Arthur complained after taking a sip of his drink. Someone joked: “Your girl is so pretty. If she really started socializing, a ton of guys would be fighting for her number. Then she wouldn’t have time for you.” Arthur chuckled: “Let her go. Meet some other guys instead of clinging to me every day like she does now.” His voice was very relaxed, certain that I wouldn’t go. My anxiety required regular hospital visits for medication; I simply couldn’t participate in any social activities. The so-called “fairness” of both sides being able to make friends of the opposite sex was really just to accommodate his own freedom. But it didn’t matter. I didn’t care anymore. Taking out my iPad, I started drawing a sketch for the wedding invitation. In the top left corner, I drew the initials of the bride and groom in a flourished script: “C & J”. The bride was me, Chloe. But the groom wasn’t Arthur. Once I finished drawing this invitation, I was going to marry the person I wanted to marry when I was sixteen. 4 Arthur thought I was giving him the silent treatment. He didn’t try to coax me, and slept alone that night. I drew until midnight. During a break, I scrolled through my phone and saw a “People You May Know” suggestion. It was Mia. Her latest post was from thirty minutes ago. In the video, with a mouthful of liquor, she kissed Arthur amidst the cheers of the crowd. The caption read: 【Childhood friends, but strictly lip service.】 The location was my living room. In the warm yellow light, their silhouettes looked handsome and beautiful, full of romantic atmosphere. In the comments, many oblivious people were shouting “Perfect match.” There were also a few sparse comments saying: 【Can’t stand this. If you’re flirting, just say so. What’s this ‘friendship’ nonsense?】 【This world has gotten too weird for me to understand.】 These comments were quickly attacked by a group of people. Mia personally replied: 【Don’t be so obsessed with gender norms, OK? I kiss guys and girls like this. I kiss pretty girls even harder.】 Her edgy response attracted another wave of new replies: 【Ahhhh I volunteer.】 【Kiss me, sis.】 For some reason, I actually laughed out loud watching this. My eyes felt hot, and tears streamed down. But it wasn’t because of Mia or Arthur. It was the phrase “childhood friends” that suddenly made me think of my Julian. I hadn’t dared to think about Julian this seriously in a long time. White shirt, iced soda, the boy’s unruly and untamed features under the sunlight. I rushed up and hugged him when he sank the final buzzer-beater three-pointer. Amidst the roaring crowd, he blushed: “Hey, you can only do this kind of thing with a girlfriend.” “What, you don’t want to?” My heart sank halfway. “No, it’s just… too fast.” He pulled out his phone, frantically checking an order. “The flowers I bought are still out for delivery.” Later, when Julian bought a car, the first thing he did was put a sticker on the passenger seat—”Reserved for Chloe.” He also bought a little plush bunny. “Here, the seat saver.” He patted the bunny’s silly head. “When Chloe isn’t here, you have to save this seat for her. Don’t let anyone else sit in it.” We were together for seven years. Julian bought a new little bunny every year. He said: “Once I collect all seven to summon the dragon, I’m going to apply to be your official husband.” He didn’t lie to me. Hidden in the little apron of the seventh bunny was a very large diamond ring. That was the last gift Julian left for me. He couldn’t give it to me himself. I ended up getting it from the police. The bunny in the blue apron was mixed in with a pile of evidence from the car crash scene. Everything else was stained with dark, almost black blood. Only this bunny, its fluffy white smiling face bright and radiant, remained spotless. The police said that before he died, Julian had hidden it in his chest, protecting it very well. Right now, that little bunny was sitting on my nightstand along with the others. I walked over and gently stroked their heads. Julian. I miss you so much. How can I miss you so much. … Suddenly, my hand froze. No, it wasn’t there. That little bunny wearing the blue apron was missing. A chill suddenly engulfed me, a wave of dizziness hit, and I opened my eyes wide, only then noticing— The sheets and blankets were full of wrinkles. On the pillow, there were two long chestnut hairs. Someone had slept in my room last night. But I didn’t care about that anymore. I just wanted to find the little bunny Julian left me. I searched the house like a madwoman, finally finding it in the kitchen trash can. The little bunny was mixed in with a pile of food scraps. Its body had become very dirty, and there was a dark footprint on it. From a high heel. Blood rushed to my head. I charged to Arthur’s bedroom door and pounded heavily on it. A few seconds later, he opened it. “Here to make up?” he smiled lazily. Arthur thought I was here to ask for peace. It had always been this way in the past. When I got angry, he ignored it, and in our long cold wars, I was always the one to back down first, knocking on his door to coax him. But right now, I held up that bunny: “What is this?” Arthur’s smile vanished. He tried to close the door impatiently: “How should I know?” I suddenly exploded. Forcefully holding the door open, I stared into Arthur’s eyes: “Who did you let sleep in my room last night? Mia, wasn’t it?” Arthur’s eyes showed a brief flash of guilt. But he quickly became irritable and impatient: “Yeah, so what? She drank too much. It’s not safe for a girl to go back late at night…” A crisp smack filled the air. I slapped Arthur across the face. Arthur was stunned. Then he became enraged. “Are you crazy? There’s nothing between us! If there really was something, I would have let her sleep in the master bedroom, alright?!” I looked at his face. For a long time, I stared blankly, lowering my eyes. “Let’s break up.” Julian, it was you who told me I must live happily, that I must find someone who loves me like you did. But I understand now. No one is like you. “Say that again?” I heard Arthur’s voice. He was truly angry. “We are breaking up.” I repeated expressionlessly. Not looking at Arthur’s expression anymore, I turned my head, took the bunny into the bathroom, and scrubbed it vigorously. As I washed, tears kept falling. Arthur’s voice came from outside: “Chloe, are you fucking crazy?” “How much is a bunny worth anyway? I’ll buy you ten more, okay?” Only the sound of rushing water answered him from inside. Arthur’s patience was completely exhausted. He turned and slammed the door as he left, leaving me alone in the house. 5 It took me a long time to wash that bunny clean. Hanging it out to dry on the balcony, in the wind of the clear sky, it gradually became snow-white, fluffy, and warm again. It will get better. Then I should too, right? I found a long-term rental at a bed and breakfast online, then packed my things. Not much—a small duffel bag was enough. The only things that needed to be boxed were the row of bunnies on the nightstand. The one with the bowtie, the one in the jersey, the one with sunglasses… The only one that made me hesitate was the bunny in the spacesuit. Out of all the bunnies, only this one was bought for me by Arthur. Back then, we weren’t together yet, and Arthur put a lot of effort into pursuing me. His family was wealthy. Growing up, whenever he met a girl he liked, he only knew to throw money at her, and he usually won them over. Except me. The luxury goods he bought me, I returned unopened; the fancy restaurants he took me to, I quickly paid for the next meal. Eventually, he found out from somewhere that I loved this series of little bunnies. At that time, this spacesuit bunny was just about to be released. It was a limited edition. He flew overnight to the launch event in New York, waited in line for over ten hours in a sea of people, almost got into a fight, and finally managed to snag the very last one. When I found him, he was covered in sweat, with a scrape on his face, but he waved at me vigorously through the crowd: “Look! Chloe! What is this!” His tall figure stood out in the crowd, his smile as radiant as the sun. He looked so much like Julian. That day I couldn’t hold it back, hugging the bunny and crying my eyes out. Arthur stood next to me, awkwardly comforting me: “Don’t cry, don’t cry. This little scratch doesn’t hurt. From now on, I’ll buy every single one for you…” In that instant, my thoughts drifted back to a sunny afternoon many years ago. Julian and I were sitting on a park bench on campus, and he suddenly asked me: “If I got a terminal illness, what would you do?” “Pfft, pfft, pfft!” I jumped up to cover Julian’s mouth. He dodged everywhere: “If! I’m saying if!” “Then I’d send you off first, and then follow you in death. Satisfied?” “No.” Julian pulled me into his arms. His expression suddenly became very serious. “Chloe, listen to me.” “You have to live a good, happy life. You have to find someone who loves you like I do. “And you have to love him well, because loving someone is even happier than being loved. I want to see you happy. “Only if you’re happy will I be happy in heaven.” Julian, do you know? The second year after you left, when Arthur held up that bunny to me in the crowd, I thought that person had appeared. I was going to work hard at living, work hard at packing everything related to you safely away in my memories, and clear out space in my heart for him. Work hard at being happy. But now I understand. No one is like you. And there never will be anyone like you again. I put the bunny in the spacesuit into my bag. It bared its teeth and smiled at me, cute and mischievous. “I’m going to return you now.” I patted its head and said softly.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394728”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The day I tore up my acceptance letter to a top university, my mom cried on the bed, and my brother cried outside the door. Ten years later, my brother returned from studying abroad with a gilded resume, a $500,000 annual salary, and a wealthy, beautiful girlfriend. I was still hunched over a sewing machine in a garment factory, my hands covered in needle pricks. Our old house was demolished, yielding a compensation of $6.23 million. My mom held my hand: “It’s all yours, Chloe. Mom is so sorry for what she put you through.” I fell to my knees: “Mom, give it to Noah. He needs money to get married.” My mom slapped me and cried, “Mom isn’t senile!” My brother’s girlfriend pointed her finger at my nose: “What does a factory worker need all that money for? Let it collect dust in the bank?” My brother remained silent the entire time, his eyes darting away. My mom pulled a metal tin from under the bed, inside was a stack of yellowing papers: “This is your three years of high school tutoring fees. Your sister paid for it.” “This is your four years of college living expenses. Your sister transferred it.” “This is your first year’s tuition for studying abroad. Your sister borrowed it.” “Noah Davis, your sister put you through school for ten years, not so you could pay her back.” “It’s so you remember that your glamorous life was bought with your sister’s torn-up acceptance letter.” “Now, please get out.” My mom stood in front of me like a mother wolf protecting her pup. 1. That year, I was eighteen. Clutching my acceptance letter to Parsons School of Design, I stood in the hospital corridor. The doctor said my dad couldn’t be saved. My mom fainted from crying in the hospital room. My brother, Noah, was fifteen, curled up on a bench like an abandoned puppy. Relatives came in waves, leaving behind sighs and thin envelopes of cash. I heard them say: “Looks like Chloe won’t be going to college after all.” … Three days later, we buried my dad. My mom lay in bed, unable to get up, saying she was overwhelmed with grief. We later found out her chronic kidney disease had worsened. Noah cried so hard he couldn’t stand; I supported him the whole time. My aunt held my hand: “The garment factory is hiring. Room and board included, two thousand a month. If you want to go, I’ll introduce you.” I turned to look at Noah standing in the doorway. “Sis…” he called out, his voice impossibly hoarse. I went over and hugged him. He leaned on my shoulder, his tears soaking through my shirt. That night. I sat in front of my dad’s memorial photo and tore my acceptance letter to pieces. The red fragments fell into the brazier, quickly curling, blackening, and turning to ash. My mom was crying in the inner room, her sobs heavily suppressed. The next day, I went to the employment agency and filled out a form. The staff asked what I could do. I said I could use a sewing machine. “Garment factory hiring, room and board included, two thousand a month, overtime extra. You in?” “I’m in.” And just like that, I became a worker at the Eastside Garment Factory. I was eighteen that year, employee number 247. 2. Ten years. It’s a light word, taking only a second to say. But for me, it was torment. The first three years were the hardest. My mom got sick, her chronic kidney disease turning into renal failure. She had to do dialysis twice a week, and every time, she looked like she had died and come back. Noah was in high school. Tuition, tutoring fees, living expenses—it was a bottomless pit. My dad’s settlement money was like a pebble thrown into a river; a small splash, and then it was gone. During the day, I pedaled the sewing machine in the workshop. At night, I bussed tables at a night market food stall. I’d get home in the early hours of the morning, massage my mom’s swollen legs, and check Noah’s homework. In the fourth year, Noah got into college—a top university in San Francisco. Tuition was eight thousand a year, housing twelve hundred. I stayed up all night doing the math. In the end, I borrowed from coworkers and relatives, scrapping together enough for his first year’s tuition. The day I sent Noah to the train station. He hugged me and wouldn’t let go. “Sis, when I graduate, I’ll definitely make sure you have a good life.” I patted his back: “Just study hard, don’t think about these things.” The train pulled away. I stood on the platform, my eyes stinging. In the seventh year, Noah said he wanted to do an exchange year abroad. I asked over the phone: “How much?” Noah’s voice was low: “Tuition and living expenses, about two hundred thousand. Sis, maybe we should just forget it.” “Go. I’ll figure out the money.” I started borrowing again. Coworkers, relatives, neighbors… Eight people pitched in fifty thousand. It wasn’t enough. Finally, I found a payday loan online. The interest rate was terrifying. My hand shook as I signed, but thinking of Noah’s future, I signed it anyway. The tenth year, which is this year, I am twenty-eight. Ten years. I went from a blushing teenage girl to “Chloe,” the fastest worker in the shop. My hands were covered in calluses, my knuckles chronically cracked, and I had lumbar muscle strain that made it impossible to stand straight on rainy days. I had never dated. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I had neither the time nor the money. The older women at the factory had set me up a few times, but nothing ever came of it after the first meeting. They thought I had too much baggage—a sick mother and a brother still in school. I don’t resent him. Really. When I saw the photos Noah sent. Seeing him looking so confident speaking at an academic conference. I felt it was worth it. Sometimes, biking through the empty streets late at night after work. I would think back to that summer when I was eighteen. Think back to that red acceptance letter. Think back to my homeroom teacher saying, “Chloe, you are the pride of our school.” If I had gone to New York back then. What would my life be like now? I don’t know. And I don’t dare to imagine. 3. The news of the demolition spread this spring. The old neighborhood we lived in was slated for redevelopment. City officials went door-to-door, registering, measuring square footage, and assessing compensation. Our two-story house was originally assigned by my dad’s workplace, and we later bought the property rights. Six hundred square feet. The day the assessment value came out. The city official came to our door personally. “Mrs. Davis, congratulations! The assessment is out, $6.23 million!” My mom was prepping vegetables, and her hand shook so much she dropped them all over the floor. “H-how much?” The official grinned from ear to ear: “$6.23 million! With your square footage and this prime location, that’s the compensation amount!” I had to hold onto the doorframe to keep from collapsing. $6.23 million. At $4,200 a month, I’d have to work 140 years without eating or drinking to save that. The official left, and the house was terrifyingly quiet. My mom sat on her small stool, staring at the vegetables on the floor, not speaking for a long time. I called out softly: “Mom?” Her eyes were red: “Chloe, I’ve decided what to do with this money.” I was bewildered: “Huh?” Every word she spoke seemed to take all her strength: “It’s all yours. I’m not keeping a cent. It’s all yours.” My legs gave out, and I almost knelt on the floor. “Mom, what are you talking about! This money has to be saved for your retirement, and for Noah?” My mom suddenly raised her voice: “Noah can earn his own money! He’s in San Francisco making tens of thousands a month! And you? You make four thousand a month and still have to pay off debts!” I was stunned. So Mom knew. She knew I had debts on the outside. I felt guilty and whispered: “Those debts… are almost paid off…” My mom stood up abruptly, swaying because she moved too fast. I quickly supported her. “So what if they are? You’re twenty-eight! You’ve never dated, you’re not married, you don’t even have a decent piece of clothing! These past ten years, how much have you sacrificed for this family, for your brother? Mom knows in her heart!” She grabbed my hand: “This money, Mom insists on giving it to you! If you don’t take it, Mom will donate it! Donate it to a charity school, no one else is getting it!” My eyes welled up with tears: “Mom!” My mom cried: “Don’t try to persuade me! Chloe, Mom is so sorry. I dragged you down for ten years. Mom was useless, making you suffer so much. Now that we finally have some money, Mom just wants to compensate you. Just let Mom compensate you this once, okay?” I broke down in tears. Mother and daughter held each other, crying like two fools. That night. I called Noah. It rang for a long time before he answered. The background was loud, like a bar. “Sis? What’s up so late?” His voice was a bit slurred, probably from drinking. “Noah, about the demolition money, the assessment is out.” “Oh, that. Mom told me, over six million, right? Sis, don’t worry, when I get the money, I’ll give you a million. That’s enough for you to buy a place in the county.” My heart sank bit by bit. “Noah, Mom’s intention is to give it all to me.” The other end of the line went silent. After a few seconds. Noah laughed: “Sis, stop joking.” “I’m not joking. Mom said it in front of the city official today.” Noah’s voice rose: “Has Mom gone senile? Give it all to you? Why?” “Mom said I suffered for ten years.” Noah got agitated: “And what about me? Did I not suffer out here? Sis, do you know how much pressure I’m under in SF? Rent is eight thousand a month, food and socializing is another four or five thousand. Mia’s family has high standards; the down payment for a marital home alone is three million. My five hundred thousand salary sounds like a lot, but after taxes, what’s left? Saving two hundred thousand a year is considered good!” I gripped my phone, a sour feeling welling up in my heart. “Noah, Mom’s health is getting worse. What about medical expenses?” Noah cut me off: “I’ll pay for the medical expenses, but the demolition money must be split evenly! This is the house Dad left behind, I have a share too!” “Mom won’t agree.” Noah practically yelled: “Then persuade her! Sis, I remember how much you sacrificed for me! When I have money in the future, I will definitely compensate you! But right now, I really need this money! Whether Mia and I can get married depends on this house!” I closed my eyes and asked: “Noah, can I really not have this money?” Noah’s voice softened, filled with pleading: “Sis! I’m begging you, okay? Talk to Mom. Split it evenly, or you take a bit more and just give me three million. Mia is pregnant; I need to give her a home!!!” I snapped my eyes open: “What? Pregnant?” “Yeah, two months. I haven’t dared to tell the family yet. Sis, I really need this money, please.” The call disconnected. I sat frozen for a long, long time. Pregnant. Noah was going to have a child. I was going to be an aunt. But why? Why couldn’t I feel happy at all? 4. Noah and Mia arrived the following afternoon. Mia wore a tailored suit and carried a bag that looked very expensive. “Auntie, Sis, we’re back.” She placed a gift box on the table. “Auntie, I brought you some bird’s nest, it’s good for your health.” My mom sat in her chair, nodded, and didn’t say a word. The atmosphere was stiff. I poured tea, and the four of us sat around the dilapidated dining table. No one spoke first. Finally, Mia broke the silence: “Auntie, I heard the house is being demolished? Congratulations, your life will finally improve.” My mom just hummed in acknowledgment. Mia said carefully: “Um, about the demolition, Noah and I discussed it, and we think it’s best to split it evenly. We’re family after all, harmony brings wealth.” My mom looked straight at Mia: “Mia, you’re a good girl, but this is Davis family business. You shouldn’t interfere.” Mia’s face changed. Noah quickly chimed in: “Mom, Mia isn’t an outsider. She’s my fiancée, and she’s carrying your grandchild!” My mom froze and looked at me. I lowered my head. My mom’s voice trembled: “Pregnant?” Noah held Mia’s hand: “Yes, two months along. So Mom, I really need this money urgently. Mia’s family requires us to buy a house in SF, and the down payment is three million. My savings plus this money is just enough.” My mom asked: “So you came back for money just to buy a house?” Noah choked on his words. “Mom, that’s not what I meant…” My mom’s voice suddenly turned fierce: “Then what do you mean? Your sister suffered for ten years to put you through school and study abroad! Now that you want to get married and buy a house, you want to take the money that belongs to her? Noah Davis, where is your conscience?!” Noah’s face turned bright red: “How do I lack a conscience? I said, when I have money in the future, I will compensate her!” “In the future? When is ‘in the future’? Your sister is twenty-eight this year! She gave the best ten years of her life to this family! What ‘future’ does she have?!” My mom started coughing violently. I quickly patted her back: “Mom, don’t get worked up…” My mom grabbed my hand, tears streaming down her old face: “How can I not get worked up? Chloe, tell them right now, do you want this money or not?” Three pairs of eyes in the room stared at me. Noah’s eyes held pleading. Mia’s eyes held scrutiny. My mom’s eyes held absolute resolve. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Noah looked at me, his eyes red: “Sis, since we were kids, you loved me the most. When I got into college, you were happier than anyone. When I left for the UK, you cried like a baby at the airport. Sis, I know you sacrificed a lot for me, and I remember it all. When I’m stable, I’ll repay you properly, but right now, I really need this money.” He was crying. My brother. The brother who used to trail behind me calling “Sis” was crying. My heart ached like it was being sliced by a knife. I knelt down, kneeling in front of my mom: “Mom, give this money to Noah, he needs it.” My mom slapped me hard across the face. It wasn’t heavy, but it was loud. I froze, and Noah and Mia froze too. My mom’s voice shook: “Chloe Davis! Stand up right now!” I remained kneeling, unmoving. My mom practically roared: “Stand up!” I slowly stood up, my cheek burning. “These past ten years, how many times have you knelt for your brother? Begging the school for an extension on tuition, begging relatives to borrow money, begging the factory for an advance on your wages.” My mom was shaking as she cried. “And now, you want to kneel for him again? Chloe Davis, are your knees really worth that little?!” I cried too: “Mom, he’s my brother… he’s having a baby… he needs money…” My mom pointed at my face: “He needs money, and you don’t? Look at yourself! Twenty-eight years old, looking like you’re thirty-eight! Your hands are covered in calluses, your back hurts so much you can’t sleep at night! Can you think of yourself for once?! Just once!” I cried so hard I couldn’t speak. Noah cried too: “Mom, Sis, stop arguing. I don’t want the money anymore, I don’t want it, okay?” Mia suddenly stood up and said coldly: “Auntie, I respect you as an elder, but your words are too harsh. Noah is your son. He wants to get married and have kids, he needs money to buy a house, is that wrong? Sister sacrificed a lot, but she did it willingly, Noah didn’t force her. Using that for moral kidnapping now, is that interesting?” The room fell dead silent. My mom looked at Mia, looked at her for a long time, and then laughed. A desolate, sarcastic laugh. My mom muttered to herself: “Willingly… yes, she was willing… willing to give up college, willing to work in a factory, willing to support her brother… all willingly…” She raised her hand and pointed at the door: “Leave. I won’t give a single cent of this money. If you want to sue, go sue. If you want to make a scene, go make a scene. I only have one thing to say: this money goes entirely to Chloe, and no one else is taking it.” Noah wanted to say something else, but Mia pulled him back. Mia kept a cold face: “Auntie, I’ll remember everything you said today. I hope you don’t regret it later.” They left. The door closed, leaving only me and my mom in the room. My mom collapsed into her chair as if all her strength had been drained. I walked over, squatted in front of her, and held her hand. Her hands were very cold and shaking. “Chloe, was Mom too cruel?” I shook my head, tears falling onto the back of her hand. She touched my face: “Mom just doesn’t want you to suffer any more grievances. Did that slap hurt?” I shook my head: “It didn’t hurt.” My mom’s tears fell: “Liar. Mom’s biggest regret in this life is you. When your dad passed, he held my hand and said, ‘Susan, our Chloe has potential, you must make sure she goes to college.’ But Mom was useless, I couldn’t afford it.” “Mom, stop talking.” “Let Mom finish. These past ten years, I dream of your dad every night. He asks me, ‘Where’s Chloe? Why isn’t Chloe in college?’ Mom can’t answer. I have no face to answer.” She sobbed uncontrollably: “Now that we finally have a chance, Mom wants to compensate you, wants you to have a better life, but you won’t even give Mom this chance.” I hugged my mom, and we cried together.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394727”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My husband’s childhood friend has a contradictory personality. When chatting with friends about private topics, I blushed and mentioned that my husband has two moles on his inner thigh. She immediately jumped out to contradict me, personally pulling down his pants to prove there was only one. I angrily questioned her with red eyes, but Arthur Sterling just sneered mockingly: “Mia’s contradiction was right, otherwise I wouldn’t have known you don’t understand me at all.” For the sake of our young son, I chose to endure it. Until my son got food poisoning. I frantically tried to call 911. But Mia immediately started contradicting me again: “No, no, no, I think he should stay home and be observed for a while. It doesn’t look like poisoning.” Hearing this, Arthur furiously froze all my bank accounts. “Using the child to vie for attention, what kind of mother are you?” Watching my son foaming at the mouth in my arms, I finally compromised with Mrs. Sterling and dialed her number: “Send an ambulance right now, and from now on, I am no longer a daughter-in-law of the Sterling family.” … Mrs. Sterling didn’t even ask for a reason. She agreed immediately and sent over $500,000 as “divorce compensation.” Because ever since Mia formed the habit of contradicting me, I had long become the most unreliable person in the Sterling family. I joked that the meat inspection stamps wash off after a few washes. Mia actually stamped me with three red seals while I was sleeping to prove they wouldn’t wash off. I had a low libido after giving birth. She spread rumors everywhere that I was hooking up with three male college students in hotels, Photoshopped pictures, and uploaded them to the family group chat. I lost all face and truly couldn’t bear it anymore. To demand an explanation, I smashed our marital home to pieces. But Arthur looked at me like I was a clown, mocking me coldly: “Mia’s contradictions are well-founded. This only shows that you are flying into a rage out of humiliation!” I was left speechless but continued to endure for the sake of our child. Until I was cooking for my son and mentioned that raw green beans are toxic. To contradict me, Mia secretly fed them to him. Arthur praised her for being smart, unable to see our son’s purpling face or hear his weak breathing. This time, I gave up explaining, because I was truly tired. The ambulance arrived quickly. But before he could even be taken into the operating room, the doctor looked regretful: “He was brought in too late. The child has stopped breathing. My condolences.” Instantly, wails spilled from the corners of my mouth. Holding my son’s cold hand, my heart also chilled completely, inch by inch. The entire hospital corridor echoed with my mournful cries. Only after receiving our son’s death certificate did Arthur unfreeze my bank accounts like bestowing charity: “When you’re done making a scene, go buy the kid a few decent outfits. The day after tomorrow is Mom’s 60th birthday, don’t always…” I interrupted him hysterically: “Your son is already dead! He’s dead!” There was a pause on the other end of the line, immediately followed by Mia’s contradiction: “I don’t think so. The experts on TV said eating the wrong thing causes diarrhea at most. The little master isn’t that delicate, right? Sister Chloe should really surf the internet before lying…” With her single instigating remark, Arthur’s even more furious voice pierced my ears: “Always using our son to vie for attention, aren’t you afraid of bringing bad luck? Watch out, or I’ll give our son to Mia to raise!” With that, he hung up the phone with a snap. Clutching the certificate tightly, a dense pain spread across my chest once again. I attended my son’s cremation ceremony alone, bidding him farewell through the thick glass. Holding the light urn, I no longer had any attachments to the Sterling family. After signing the divorce agreement sent by Mrs. Sterling, I called that familiar yet strange man: “You promised you’d always save a place for me. Does that still count?” I disappeared for three days, handling my son’s funeral alone. The whole world knew he was dead, except for his father. Because the last time I was followed by a creep, I could only post on Moments to try and get more people to save me. As a result, Mia quickly posted a Moment contradicting me: “Impossible. It’s obviously just a little romantic game a spoiled wife plays to seduce her husband.” After seeing it, Arthur was very angry. He ignored me completely and completely blocked my Moments, nearly causing me to be assaulted by the creep. Now, I held no expectations whatsoever, only wanting to accompany my son one last time. Three days later, I returned home in a daze. As soon as I pushed the door open, Arthur uncharacteristically looked up at me and then handed over his phone. “How about this matching parent-child necklace?” My eyes suddenly lit up. This was the one I had circled in a magazine, but later forgot to buy because I was too busy. I didn’t expect him to care so much about me and our son. My heart was just feeling a bit moved. Unexpectedly, the next second, Mia stepped out looking pretty in my pink lace nightgown, throwing a throw pillow at the man. “Brother Arthur, you big meanie, don’t you dare try to take advantage of me!” “Trying to get me to call you ‘Daddy’ just by giving me a necklace? I won’t fall for your trick!” Arthur’s eyes were full of her playfulness, his face full of indulgence, “You little rascal, I just thought this necklace matches your nightgown.” I stood frozen to the side, seemingly like a clown intruding on their harmonious picture. I used to be at an age where I liked pink too. But Arthur always poured cold water on it: “You don’t look good in pink. Don’t wear it anymore.” So I pressed that beloved nightgown to the bottom of the wardrobe, never to see the light of day again. Now, worn on Mia, it seemed more fitting. Forcing down the pain surging in my chest, I made to turn and go upstairs, but saw a puppy walk by wagging its tail. Previously, my son had cried and fussed for three days, wanting to keep a puppy at home. I strongly supported his compassion. But it was met with Arthur’s cold words: “No. I’m allergic to dog hair. You should also consider my feelings.” Because of this, my son was depressed for several days. It turned out he wasn’t allergic to dogs; he was allergic to me and my son. Mia suddenly appeared behind me, smiling and blinking at me: “Brother Arthur and I adopted it together. He insisted I bring it over to show him. Sister doesn’t mind, right?” My heart ached heavily. I was just about to ignore her and leave. Unexpectedly, the next second, Mia suddenly grabbed the dog’s tail and tumbled down the stairs. “Ah! My puppy!” With a sprained ankle, she held the crushed puppy and cried uncontrollably: “If Sister Chloe can’t stand me, she can hit me or scold me. But the puppy is innocent…” Arthur pushed me away without a second thought. His first reaction was to check on the dog. My ankle bone struck the steps, instantly feeling as if it had shattered. The man, as if blind, roared at me hysterically: “Chloe Jones, you won’t even spare a dog? Get down here right now and apologize to Mia!” Looking at Mia’s clumsy acting, I really didn’t want to play along with them anymore. I turned around without showing any emotion. “From now on, absolutely no dogs are allowed in the house. Let’s see what you do when our son blames you!” “If you were even half as sensible as Mia, our son wouldn’t be educated by you to be so impolite, not even returning my calls!” A loud crash of something smashing came from behind. Amidst his furious roars, I didn’t stop limping upstairs. Looking at Arthur—who was allergic to dogs—personally burying it in the garden downstairs, my heart still ached fiercely. More so, I felt it was unworthy for my son, who cried for his father when he left. He couldn’t even use his life to get his father to take one more look at him. Returning to my room, I sorted my son’s belongings piece by piece and packed my luggage to leave. Just then, Arthur suddenly pushed the door open and walked in. “What are you doing packing our son’s things?” The man’s gaze fell on those toys, his nerves unconsciously tensing. “Because he…” I hesitated for a moment, then continued, “The teacher wants him to board at school for a while.” The truth on my lips was ultimately swallowed down. I didn’t want to use my son’s life to gain his sympathy. Nor did I need anyone’s pity. Besides, he wouldn’t believe it. Hearing this, Arthur breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s fine too. We have to take Mia to the old estate tomorrow. We wouldn’t fit with an extra person.” My tongue felt numb. I couldn’t say a single word. Arthur’s sports car could seat two people, but Mia could always permanently occupy one seat. My son and I could only choose one or the other. It turned out his heart never had a designated place for us, mother and son. The next day, when Arthur took me to the old estate, Mrs. Sterling looked terrible. “Didn’t you say you were leaving immediately? Why are you here being an eyesore again?” Arthur froze upon hearing this, frowning in confusion: “Where is Chloe going—” Right then, a loud bang came from not far away. I saw a pile of misshapen fireworks being ignited. Mia held a lighter and looked over with a smile. “Happy 60th Birthday, Mrs. Sterling!” The old lady was coaxed into laughing heartily, and I was completely left aside. But the next second, the familiar box by Mia’s feet fiercely pierced my eyes. That was my son’s urn, which I had buried in the cemetery! My voice instantly tore out: “Mia Lin! What are you holding in your hand! Is it my son’s ashes?!” I simply couldn’t believe it. I rushed over, snatched the firework from her hand, and choked her neck fiercely. Scalding sparks fell on my arm, instantly raising several blisters. “Ah! Sister Chloe, what’s wrong with you? I just wanted to celebrate the old lady’s birthday. Brother Arthur, hurry and save me!” In a panic, Arthur picked up the box on the ground and smashed it against my forehead. My eyes were instantly blinded by blood. “Chloe Jones, what crazy fit are you throwing? Who gave you the audacity to hit Mia in front of Mom!” The old lady clutched her heart in anger: “Mia specially prepared a firework show for my 60th birthday. What right does an outsider like you have to blame her!” I couldn’t hear their accusations. I picked up the remaining ashes from the ground bit by bit. “Someone come! Serve her with the whip!” the old lady ordered angrily. I looked up in shock. I saw bodyguards gripping whips, advancing towards me step by step. I looked at the cold man in front of me in disbelief. “Arthur Sterling, I am your wife!” I struggled desperately, but those men pinned me to the ground one after another. Arthur’s heartless voice drifted over lightly: “Since you are a daughter-in-law of the Sterling family, you must abide by the family rules. You are no exception!” The next second, the whip in the bodyguard’s hand slashed over fiercely. “Ah!” My piercing wail echoed throughout the courtyard. But Arthur shielded Mia behind him, raising his hand to cover her eyes: “Close your eyes, don’t be frightened.” The whip struck my body, each hit heavier than the last. Splattering blood foam fell before my eyes. My entire back felt the piercing pain of burning fire. Seeing me paralyzed on the ground like a broken rag doll, Arthur couldn’t help but frown. Until the bodyguard stopped and asked: “Mr. Sterling, that’s enough for 100 lashes. Should I continue?” “Enough! Send her to the hospital immediately.” Before my broken body was lifted, Arthur draped his coat over my mangled back. However, it was precisely this action that added a bit of hatred to the originally smug Mia’s eyes. Sneaking home from the hospital, I endured the pain and grabbed my luggage. Two beeps sounded outside the door; I knew he had come to pick me up and leave! I was limping outwards when suddenly a massive force kicked me viciously back into the room. Struggling to open my eyes, I found it was actually Mia. “Chloe Jones, you were served by the family rules until you look like a monster, and you still have the mood to go on a trip?” “Oh right, how come you aren’t taking your precious son with you on your trip?” Seeing my blood-red eyes, the woman became more and more smug as she spoke: “Oh I forgot, he, is, already, dead!” As she finished, I couldn’t bear it anymore. I rushed up and grabbed her hair, my eyes burning red: “You shut up! Aren’t you afraid of retribution for intentionally killing my son?!” The woman wasn’t angry but laughed. Following close behind, several servants came in and poured gasoline into every corner of the room. “I just wanted to intentionally get rid of you mother and son. This way, Brother Arthur can fulfill his childhood promise and marry me into the family.” “But you won’t have the chance to complain, because I’m going to send you down to reunite with your son right now!” As soon as her words fell, she instantly flicked a lighter and set the room on fire. The tongues of fire quickly swept over. The already stinging wounds sizzled as they were burned. When Arthur rushed over upon hearing the news, I grabbed onto him like a lifeline, desperately calling for help. “Arthur, I’m here, save me…” But I didn’t expect Mia to escape first, lock the door, and block him. “Help me, Brother Arthur!” “Sister Chloe had people set a fire to burn me to death in the house. She already escaped a long time ago. Save me quickly, boohoohoo…” Immediately after, I only heard the man’s curses from outside the door: “How did she become so vicious? Burning her to death wouldn’t be too much!” With that, he picked up Mia and left swiftly. The flaming wardrobe crashed heavily onto my back, and my last shred of hope shattered with it. When Arthur returned, he scoured the entire villa but couldn’t find a trace of me. His heart sank. He quickly called the kindergarten: “Have you seen my wife? Did she pick up our child?” “The little boy hasn’t come to class for several days,” the teacher answered, puzzled. Arthur was just about to ask further when, the next moment, a death certificate suddenly appeared on his phone… Arthur magnified the death certificate infinitely. Written starkly on it was his son’s name. “This… how is this possible? It must be a prank!” He suddenly thought of Chloe publicly setting a fire to burn Mia to death, and suspicion arose. Maybe this was another one of Chloe’s tricks to vie for attention. But he still felt uneasy and sent the certificate to his assistant. “Check this for me immediately. Is it a forgery or not?” Then, he angrily called Chloe. Just as a reprimand was about to leave his mouth, he realized he was met with a robotic female voice. 【The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later…】 He called his child again, but the result was the same. “What on earth are those two, mother and son, plotting? This is absolutely outrageous!” Putting away his phone, he intended to leave the mother and son hanging for a few days and properly compensate the burned Mia. Hearing the news, Mrs. Sterling rushed to the hospital, gnashing her teeth in anger. “I said Chloe was unreliable. I didn’t expect her to do such a heinous thing. I will absolutely not forgive her!” Lying in bed, Mia looked the picture of innocence: “It’s okay. Sister Chloe must have just been acting on impulse. I won’t blame her.” “You’re just too kind.” Arthur comforted her distractedly. Right then, he discovered a divorce agreement in the old lady’s bag. “Mom, what is this?” The old lady looked a bit uncomfortable, trying to word how to explain it to him. At this moment, the doctor rushed into the room. “Mr. Sterling, I’m sorry. The ashes Ms. Chloe Jones entrusted us to keep are missing. I can’t reach her on the phone. How do you want to handle this?” Arthur frowned deeply, extremely puzzled: “What ashes? What exactly is going on?” The doctor was bewildered and explained in more detail: “The young master was brought to the hospital a few days ago and passed away from food poisoning. Did Mr. Sterling not know this?” Hearing this, Arthur nearly slumped to the floor. It took him a long time to find his voice. “What… what did you say? My son passed away?” It turned out Chloe had never lied from beginning to end. A few days ago, when Chloe cried and tearfully complained “our son is dead,” it was also true. Arthur stood up indignantly and grabbed the doctor’s collar: “Why didn’t you call to inform me in time? And how could his ashes go missing?” Mrs. Sterling beside them was also completely dumbfounded, painfully clutching her heart: “Chloe, that useless woman. She can’t even look after a child. What else can she do?!” The old lady almost cried until she fainted. The doctor quickly explained: “The child passed away due to food poisoning. He consumed a large amount of raw green beans. But Ms. Jones already called to inform you at the time. She sounded completely devastated.” “Please accept my condolences.” With that, the doctor turned and left.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394726”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel