At the gala, Xavier ‌Gibson publicly announced we were getting married. The entire hall erupted in applause. But what I didn’t expect was that before the event even ended, I’d find myself standing outside the lounge door, staring at the projection screen on the wall. On the screen was a massive Excel spreadsheet. Behind dozens of candidate names were densely packed rating categories: housekeeping ability, bedroom endurance… In the baseline column, my name was written prominently: Jade Monroe. “Relationships are like companies,” he said, casually swirling his wine. “You have to cut the underperformers.” So seven years of companionship meant nothing more to him than an asset with terrible returns. I didn’t burst through the door to confront him. Instead, I turned and walked to the end of the hallway, pulled out my phone, and sent a text to a number at the bottom of my contacts. “I’m ready to honor the terms from ten years ago.” Three seconds later, came the reply. “Finally giving up on that scumbag? Let’s register our marriage tomorrow then.”

Jade Monroe’s POV Xavier had just publicly announced our engagement on stage, with everyone applauding and offering congratulations. But what I didn’t expect was that before the gala even ended, I’d overhear him at the lounge door, discussing how to dump me. The door wasn’t fully closed. I’d come to bring him tea, only to catch sight of the projection screen on the wall. Displayed on it was a massive Excel spreadsheet. “Xavier, is this really how you choose a wife?” The voice of his business partner, Mr. Davis, drifted out with a hint of mockery. “You’ve literally turned wife selection into a competitive hiring process.” I stopped in my tracks and peered through the gap in the door. A complex Excel spreadsheet was projected on the wall. The spreadsheet listed dozens of names, each followed by densely packed rating categories: housekeeping ability, social etiquette, and even a brazenly explicit “bedroom endurance level.” Mr. Davis held a cigarette between his fingers, pointing at the data analysis on screen. “Look at this Candidate No.19, Amber Thomson, right? Her scores in emotional support provision and bedroom compatibility completely crush the baseline.” In the baseline column, my name was written clearly: Jade Monroe. Mr. Davis exhaled a smoke ring, his tone becoming hesitant. “But Jade’s been with you since the startup days. If you just fire her and promote someone new, won’t that damage the company’s image? After all, people are watching.” Two seconds of silence inside the room. Xavier sat in the main seat on the sofa, swirling half a glass of red wine, his face showing not a trace of intoxication. He glanced up at the data on screen, his eyes cold. “Relationships are like companies-both need to eliminate underperformers to maintain vitality.” He tilted his head back and took a sip of wine. “Jade’s cost-efficiency ratio is too low now.” “This feels like you fed Amber the test questions, doesn’t it? Her scores just barely beat Jade’s across the board. That’s pretty cruel to Jade.” In the VIP lounge, the partner’s voice carried a hint of hesitation. Xavier’s tone was casual. “There’s still two months left in the probationary period. If Jade can accept a pay cut and demotion, she can stay. She’s a veteran employee after all. But that depends on whether she can tolerate Amber’s presence. Otherwise, she’ll have to go.” Standing outside the door, the hot tea spilled from my hands. I didn’t feel the pain, only felt like a complete joke. Seven years of companionship, selling my house to help fund his startup-in his eyes, I was just an employee with poor returns. Since I was being liquidated as a bad asset, I might as well proactively file for bankruptcy reorganization. I didn’t push the door open to confront him. I walked to the trash can at the end of the hallway and poured out the tea. Then I pulled out my phone and scrolled to a number at the bottom of my contacts. My finger hovered over the screen without any hesitation as I typed a message. “I’m ready to honor the terms from ten years ago.” Send. I reapplied my lipstick using the hallway mirror. A few minutes later, Xavier emerged from the lounge. He casually put his arm around my waist and led me toward the center of the ballroom. As the spotlight hit us, he wore a smile and whispered a warning in my ear. “Smile. Don’t make a scene. The stock price just went up today.” When his fingers touched my waist, I stiffened reflexively. I could smell it on him. Amber’s scent. I avoided his touch and pulled my lips into a standard social smile. Until now, I’d never doubted Xavier. Not until that girl named Amber showed up at my door with an expense report. The next morning, I was processing files at my studio. The receptionist called through the internal line. “Jade, there’s an intern sent by Xavier who insists on seeing you.”

Jade Monroe’s POV I looked out through the blinds. The girl wasn’t wearing an employee badge, but she was carrying a limited edition Hermès bag. The same one Xavier had claimed he’d accidentally lost at the airport last week. Not only was she replacing me as a person, she was inheriting my accessories too. “Let her in.” I put down the phone. Amber pushed the door open. Nineteen years old, young, with tight skin, wearing a business suit obviously imitating my style, but with cheap tailoring and exposed thread ends. Her eyes were full of eager ambition. She walked up to my desk and handed over a crumpled receipt. “Ms. Monroe, Mr. Gibson accidentally spilled red wine on my dress in the car last night. He said it counts as business entertainment and told me to ask you to reimburse the dry cleaning fee.” I glanced at the receipt amount: $180. Then I glanced at the dress she was wearing. A bestseller from online shopping sites, not even worth dry cleaning. I didn’t take the receipt. Instead, I pulled out my phone, opened my payment QR code, and transferred $200. “Keep the change.” I didn’t look up, continuing to review the design drawings in my hand. “Use the rest to buy some mouthwash. A dirty mouth makes it hard to pass your probationary period.” Amber froze, clearly not expecting this reaction. She grabbed the receipt from the desk, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it hard at me. “Who do you think you are! Mr. Gibson said you’re just an aging woman who can only draw pictures! He said just looking at you makes him sick!” I raised my hand and slapped her across the face. Amber covered her face, staring at me in shock. “Let me teach you something as your senior.” I pulled out a wet wipe and meticulously cleaned the hand I’d just used to slap her. “Challenging your supervisor before you’ve even been confirmed is a major workplace taboo.” Amber’s eyes instantly reddened. She pulled out her phone, took a photo of me, and sent a voice message with a sobbing tone. “Xavier, that old woman hit me… She’s so mean, I’m scared.” After sending the voice message, she glared at me viciously, covered her face, and ran out. “Mr. Gibson says you’re just a maid.” That sentence echoed in the office. I threw the used wet wipe into the trash. Seven years ago when Xavier had a high fever, I stayed by his bedside all night changing cold towels. Back then he’d said: “You’re my angel.” Now angels had inflated and depreciated into maids. Only youth remained the sole hard currency. I watched as that wet wipe slowly soaked into the ink at the bottom of the trash can. That slap was just the interest payment.

Jade Monroe’s POV By the time I got home, it was already dark. There was a pair of pink slippers by the entrance, like a territorial marker. Xavier sat on the sofa holding a tablet, looking at reports. Hearing the door open, he didn’t look up. His first words were reproachful. “Why are you making trouble with an intern at the company? Amber sent me photos-her face is swollen. Can’t you be more magnanimous?” I ignored him and walked straight to the bedroom, dragging out my suitcase. Xavier followed me in, leaning against the doorframe with furrowed brows. “I’m talking to you! Jade, are you going through early menopause or something? Amber’s family is poor, she’s trying to work hard and get ahead. I’m just giving her an opportunity. You’re engaging in workplace bullying.” I opened the closet and took down the clothes hanging inside one by one, throwing them into the suitcase. “I don’t have time to listen to your nonsense.” I swept my skincare products into my makeup bag. Xavier finally sensed something was wrong and stepped forward to hold down my suitcase. “What are you doing? Running away from home again? I told you it’s just a work relationship. Can you stop being so unreasonable?” I backhanded him with a slap. This slap was harder than the one I’d given Amber earlier. Xavier’s head snapped to the side, and five finger marks quickly appeared on his face. He covered his face, looking at me in disbelief. “This slap is part of the resignation handover process.” I said. Xavier took a deep breath, his eyes turning cold. “Fine, Jade, you’ve grown bold. Since you want to make a scene, let’s settle accounts. Everything you eat, wear, and live in-which of it wasn’t paid for with my money? You can leave if you want, but don’t expect me to beg you to come back. And I’m freezing your supplementary card as punishment for hitting someone today.” “Do whatever you want.” I closed the suitcase. “I don’t want that mess anymore.” “Don’t regret this!” Xavier pointed at me. “Once you walk out that door, don’t ever expect me to spend another cent on you!” With that, feeling he’d lost face, he stormed out and slammed the door. The force knocked a framed photo off the wall. I surveyed this mansion filled with seven years of memories. I pulled out a stack of yellow sticky notes and placed labels on all the furniture, appliances, and decorative paintings I’d purchased myself. After finishing this task, I took one last look at the house with my suitcase, then turned and left. As I drove away from the villa district, my phone vibrated. It was a message from the security guard. “Did you just leave? A young woman just claimed to be your relative and asked me to let her in.” Sure enough, the replacement was eager to move in the moment I left. I replied. “I don’t know this person. If she’s a solicitor, I suggest calling the police.” An hour later, I arrived at the small apartment I’d purchased before the relationship. I immediately opened my computer and connected with Sebastian White. The screen lit up, showing Sebastian’s background as an overseas conference room. A group of executives sat solemnly, but he raised his hand to pause the meeting and focused on the camera. “Did I interrupt your acquisition?” I asked. Sebastian stared at me. “The acquisition isn’t as important as you. Are you sure you want to activate the agreement? Once you sign, I won’t let you go.” “I’m sure.” I looked at him. “I want to get married. To you.” Sebastian couldn’t suppress the smile at the corners of his mouth and immediately turned to instruct his assistant to book flights. “I’m not waiting two months. I’m flying back tomorrow to get married. Put the wedding on the schedule.” “Alright, I’ll wait for you.” The video call ended. I sat alone on the carpet. Ten years ago he’d said if Xavier ever let me down, he’d be there. I thought it was a joke then. Now it was a lifeline. Xavier’s love was a consumable good. Sebastian’s love was a fixed asset.

Jade Monroe’s POV Early the next morning, I went to the downstairs supermarket to buy necessities. At checkout, I handed over the black card I usually used. A few seconds later, the cashier awkwardly returned it. “The transaction was declined.” The customers in line behind me cast strange looks. I took back the card, and my phone immediately showed a message from Xavier. “Supplementary card suspended. If you want to spend money, come home and apologize.” I switched to my own salary card for payment and carried my shopping bags out of the supermarket. As soon as I got home, my phone vibrated. A bank text: $200,000 has been forcibly redeemed and transferred from your joint investment account ending in 8899. The note read: Family operational cost deduction. That was an account we’d opened years ago to save money together. Most of the money in it came from my early design copyright fees. Xavier was openly robbing me. The phone call came immediately after. “Jade, did you see the deduction notice?” Xavier’s voice was self-righteous. “This is a fine for your emotional outburst. That two hundred thousand is Amber’s compensation for emotional distress and medical expenses. Don’t feel wronged-you have to pay the price for doing wrong.” In the background of the call, I could hear Amber’s voice. “Xavier, how do you turn on the seat heater? Does only your girlfriend’s seat have one?” Xavier hastily brushed me off. “Reflect on yourself. When you’re ready to apologize, I’ll transfer the money back.” With that, he hung up. I screenshotted that deduction text and sent it along with the transfer records to my lawyer. And sent Xavier a message. “This constitutes illegal misappropriation of jointly owned property. If you don’t return it within 24 hours, see you in court.” After returning to my apartment, I opened my computer and pulled up the household expense ledger. Thanks to Xavier’s habits-for his so-called enterprise-level family management, he required every large expenditure to be documented. This had left me with perfect evidence. Late at night, a social media notification popped up about someone I might know. The profile picture was Amber. The photo was taken in what used to be my bedroom. She wore my pajamas, taking a selfie in the mirror. Caption: “The previous owner had decent taste, but now it all belongs to me.” Moments later, a direct message appeared. “I used up all your skincare products for you. Wouldn’t want them to go to waste, right? He’s sleeping so soundly next to me right now.” I calmly typed a reply. “I wore those pajamas when I had a skin condition and never washed them. The skincare products expired three months ago. Hope you enjoy them.” The other side immediately showed “typing…” for a long time, but in the end, sent nothing. At 3 AM, I couldn’t sleep. I got up and took a melatonin tablet, then sent my lawyer an email asking him to prepare a lawsuit authorization form for recovering gifts given to a third party. In my dream, Xavier used his first earnings to buy me a ring, swearing to treat me well for a lifetime. When I woke up, there was a bank deduction notice on my phone. That “lifetime” turned out to be only seven years. You want to talk money? Then let’s discuss it as commercial fraud.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “368740”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #擦边Steamy #校园School #狼人Werewolf

I married Tristan three years ago. We’ve slept in separate rooms for one thousand and ninety-five days. Everyone says Tristan is cold and ascetic, like some untouchable deity. I used to think so too, until tonight, when I pushed open his study door to finally settle that long-delayed divorce agreement. I witnessed a scene that made my face flush and my heart race. Cassidy’s POV The main light in the study was off. Only the blue glow from the computer screen barely outlined the silhouette of the man behind the desk. The usually immaculate Tristan was now leaning back in his leather chair. His shirt collar hung wide open, exposing a large expanse of flushed chest. His tie dangled loosely around his neck, pulled askew. His entire body was trembling violently. And the instant I pushed the door open, a heavy, nasal groan drilled clearly into my ears. “…Mm.” I froze in the doorway, my palm gripping the door handle instantly slick with sweat. What was he doing? In the middle of the night, hiding in his study-what was he doing? My gaze involuntarily traveled past his shoulder toward the lit computer screen. The screen seemed to show a video window, but I only caught a glimpse of a blurred, flesh-colored blur. “Who let you in?!” An furious roar exploded through the room. Tristan’s reaction was startlingly fast. Almost the instant my eyes landed on the screen, he slammed the laptop shut. He spun around, his phoenix eyes alarmingly red. He sat there in the darkness, chest heaving violently, staring at me with deadly intensity. “Get out!” He ground his teeth, voice hoarse. “Who gave you permission to barge in without knocking? Get the hell out!” His savage expression scared me into taking a step back, the divorce papers in my hand nearly slipping to the floor. A massive wave of shame and fury surged through me. Three years of marriage, and he wouldn’t even touch me once. I’d even suspected at one point that he had some kind of dysfunction down there, and felt guilty enough to buy him six months’ worth of vitamins and supplements. And the result? He wasn’t impotent. He just wasn’t interested in me! He’d rather hide in his study watching God-knows-what filth on his computer, rather handle things himself, than fulfill his duties as a husband! “Tristan, you disgust me.” I took a deep breath, forcing back the sting in my eyes, and hurled the papers at him. “Since you’re so in love with your computer, let’s just get divorced! I don’t want this ‘Mrs. Bennett’ anymore!” White pages fluttered through the air. One sharp edge sliced across his cheek, leaving a thin line of blood. Tristan didn’t even seem to feel the pain. He just sat there rigidly, hands gripping the desk edge so hard his knuckles were white, nails nearly embedding into the wood. His Adam’s apple bobbed as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, only one word squeezed from his throat. “Leave.” I let out a cold laugh, turned, and slammed the door behind me. Back in my bedroom, the more I thought about it, the angrier I got. My hands were shaking. What had these three years been? A decoration? A joke? Not only did I have to endure a sexless marriage, I had to endure this kind of mental humiliation too! I dragged out my suitcase and started throwing clothes into it haphazardly. I couldn’t do this anymore. Not for one more minute! Just as I zipped up the suitcase and prepared to leave, a massive crash of shattering glass echoed from downstairs. Then came the housekeeper, John’s panicked scream. “Mr. Bennett! Mr. Bennett, are you ok?! Someone help! Mr. Bennett collapsed!” I froze mid-motion. Collapsed? I wanted to just walk away, but my feet seemed rooted to the spot. A few seconds later, cursing my own soft heart, I dropped the suitcase and rushed out of the room. Downstairs in the living room, Tristan lay collapsed beside the sofa, his laptop thrown to one side. His eyes were shut tight, his face deathly pale, but his body was burning hot. Even unconscious, his body continued to convulse uncontrollably, incoherent murmurs spilling from his lips. I ran over and tried to lift him. The moment my hand touched his skin, I was scalded by the shocking temperature. “Tristan? Tristan!” I leaned close to his lips, trying to hear what he was saying. Amid the chaotic, ragged breathing, I finally made out those two syllables. He was calling. “…Cassidy.” I froze. He was calling my name? Just then, the laptop on the floor suddenly flickered to life. On the screen, that video window popped up again. I instinctively glanced over. This time, I saw it clearly. It wasn’t some explicit video. It wasn’t some cam girl stream. It was surveillance footage. And the background was my room. The woman sleeping on the bed, clutching a pillow, was clearly me from last night!

Cassidy’s POV I stared at that glowing screen, blood seeming to flow backward through my veins. What was this? A chill ran down my spine. I thought he was just cold and indifferent. I didn’t realize he was a voyeur? “Mrs. Bennett! Stop standing there! Call an ambulance!” The housekeeper’s tearful, frantic shouting pulled me back to reality. I snapped out of it, looking down at the deathly pale man in my arms. Even unconscious, his hand still gripped my wrist in a death grip. His body temperature was abnormally high, his scorching breath fanning against the hollow of my neck, making my skin tingle. “Don’t call an ambulance.” I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. “Call Dr. Morgan. This kind of thing… can’t get out.” If the outside world found out that Tristan Bennett, billionaire CEO, collapsed from watching surveillance footage of his own wife late at night, the company’s stock would probably crash by morning. Half an hour later, Dr. Morgan, our private physician, arrived in a rush. After a thorough examination and an IV drip, it was well past midnight before Tristan’s condition stabilized. “How is he?” I stood by the bed, looking at that face that remained sharp even in sleep, my emotions tangled. Dr. Morgan removed his stethoscope and sighed. “This is acute stress-induced hyperthermic convulsion. And there’s a large residue of sedatives in his system. He’s been taking them long-term.” He gave me a meaningful look. “He has a strong constitution, but even he can’t take this kind of abuse. Some things can’t be cured with medicine. You’ll need to be patient.” Long-term sedative use? I was stunned. Was that pill bottle in the study earlier really filled with sedatives? After seeing Dr. Morgan out, I didn’t leave. I sat in the chair beside the bed, watching the sleeping Tristan. The room was very quiet, only the soft drip of the IV breaking the silence. My gaze fell again on that laptop. The screen had gone black. But that surveillance footage stuck in my mind like a thorn. If he was spying on me, why hadn’t he touched me once in three years? Unless… He was some kind of psychological deviant who only liked to watch, not act? Or maybe he saw me as some kind of observation subject? “…Don’t go.” Just as I was lost in wild speculation, the man on the bed suddenly moved. Tristan’s voice was hoarse, carrying the incoherence of someone not fully awake. I instinctively tried to pull my hand back, only to find my wrist still clamped in his grip. He opened his eyes. Those eyes, usually cold as ice, now looked somewhat unfocused and moist from the fever and medication. He stared at me fixedly, as if unable to distinguish dream from reality. “Cassidy?” He called my name, his voice impossibly soft. “You’re awake?” I kept my face cold, trying to shake off his hand. “If you’re awake, let go.” Hearing my cold tone, clarity returned to Tristan’s eyes for a moment. He released my hand and tried to sit up, but collapsed back down from weakness. His gaze shifted and landed on the laptop on the nightstand. His pupils constricted sharply. He raised his head, staring at me hard, and asked, “You saw it?” I didn’t avoid the question, meeting his eyes directly. “I saw it. So Tristan, care to explain? Installing surveillance in the master bedroom-am I a criminal under interrogation, or a pet you’re raising?” Tristan pressed his thin lips into a tight line, his jawline tense. He didn’t explain. Silence spread through the air. After a long while, he finally spoke, voice hoarse, tone full of mockery. “Since you saw it, I’ll give you what you want.” “I’m a pervert.” He looked at me, the corner of his mouth curling into a self-deprecating arc. “I’m a pervert who spies on you. Is that reason enough for you to divorce me?”

Cassidy’s POV Of course it was enough. It was the perfect reason for divorce. But seeing him like that, the fire inside me inexplicably died down by half. If he really hated me, why would he call my name in his dreams? “Tristan, that reverse psychology trick is pathetic.” I crossed my arms. “You want to scare me away by playing the pervert card? So your pathetic ego can stay intact?” Tristan’s expression froze for a moment. I leaned down, bringing my face close to his. I could even see his fine lashes trembling. “You think I’ll be scared?” I smiled. “Tristan, let’s make a deal.” “What?” His brows knitted together, clearly not following my train of thought. “I’m not getting divorced.” I straightened up, speaking deliberately. “Since you like watching surveillance footage, I’ll let you watch to your heart’s content. But what’s the fun in just watching?” “Starting today, I’m moving back into the master bedroom.” I stared into his eyes, enunciating each word. “I’ll change clothes in front of you every day. I won’t lock the bathroom door. I’ll wear those lace nightgowns you hate most and parade around in front of you. Since you like torturing yourself, I’ll just see how long you can hold out!” Tristan’s face instantly turned ashen. “Cassidy, you wouldn’t dare!” He ground his teeth, looking like he wanted to strangle me right there. “Why wouldn’t I dare?” I shrugged, turning to leave. “I’m Mrs. Bennett, legally. If you can’t stand it, you can move out of the villa right now.” I glanced back at him and winked. “Or you could beg me. Beg me to sleep with you.” “Get out!” Behind me came the dull thud of a pillow hitting the door. Since he wanted to hide, I’d just peel away his shell layer by layer. I’d see what kind of heart was hidden beneath that cold exterior. … Tristan and I fell into a cold war. Though he didn’t move out, he avoided running into me as much as possible. He left early and came home late every day, diving straight into his study the moment he returned. And I kept my word. I replaced all the sleepwear in the master bedroom with nothing but slip dresses. Every night, I deliberately left the bedroom door cracked open, letting the hallway light spill inside. I knew he was watching. Even if he didn’t come into the room, I knew those eyes were staring at me from behind some screen somewhere. That feeling of being watched was both chilling and carried an indescribable thrill. The fourth night. I’d just gotten out of the shower and was about to blow-dry my hair when my phone rang. It was my friend Mia calling. “Cassidy! Help! My clingy ex showed up at my door. Can you come get me out of here? Please!” I sighed helplessly. “Fine. Send me the address.” After hanging up, I casually threw on a trench coat over the low-cut silk nightgown I was still wearing, grabbed my car keys, and headed out. I didn’t notice that from the second-floor study window, a pair of eyes was staring fixedly at my car as it drove away from the villa. Half an hour later, as my friend and I walked out of the bar entrance, a black car screeched to a halt right in front of us. The window rolled down. Revealing Tristan’s dark, stormy face. His gaze landed on my open collar, his eyes murderous. “Get in.” He coldly spat out those words. I hesitated for a moment, then released my friend’s hand, gave her an apologetic smile, and opened the car door to get in. The door had barely closed, and I hadn’t even buckled my seatbelt yet, when Tristan suddenly leaned over. His overwhelming presence instantly engulfed me. He gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him, his voice dangerous. “Cassidy, my patience has limits.” I was forced to tilt my head back, looking at him so close I could see every detail. This was the closest we’d been in three years of marriage. I could even see myself reflected in his pupils. “What?” I challenged him. “You can spy on me, but I can’t have friends?” “Spy?” Tristan suddenly laughed. The smile carried a touch of pathological obsession. “Since you know I’m a pervert, you should know…” His fingers traced my lips, his fingertips scorching hot. “Prey marked by a pervert isn’t allowed to be touched by anyone else.” The next second, without any warning, he lowered his head and kissed me fiercely.

Cassidy’s POV Tristan kissed me aggressively, with no technique at all. I was pinned against the passenger seat backrest, nearly suffocating. Just when I thought he was going to have sex with me right there in the car, he suddenly stopped. Tristan abruptly released me and collapsed heavily back into the driver’s seat. He was gasping for air, chest heaving violently, veins bulging on the back of his hands, as if desperately restraining some out-of-control impulse. His body was shaking, worse than that time in the study. “Buckle up.” After a long moment, he forced those words from his throat. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, looking at him. “Tristan, what’s wrong with you?” “Don’t ask.” He didn’t look at me, slamming his foot on the gas pedal. The car shot forward like an arrow released from a bow. On the way back to the villa, he drove terrifyingly fast. Tristan kept his face tense the entire time, not saying a word. The moment we arrived home, before the car had fully stopped, he pushed the door open and got out. His steps were somewhat unsteady, but he walked quickly, heading straight for the second floor. I unbuckled my seatbelt and chased after him. “Tristan!” He completely ignored me, taking the stairs two at a time, rushing into the study and slamming the door. I stood outside the door, hearing the sound of rummaging inside. I raised my hand and pounded on the door. “Tristan, open the door! You can’t take those pills randomly! Dr. Morgan said those are powerful sedatives. Taking too many will cause problems!” “Get lost!” A suppressed roar came from inside, accompanied by the sound of a glass breaking. “Don’t worry about me, Cassidy. Stay away from me!” The voice was laced with pained groans. My hand froze mid-air. Just from one kiss, he had such a reaction? Had he really reached this pathological state? But why?

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “368739”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #擦边Steamy #校园School #狼人Werewolf

In the sixth year of our marriage, I calmly said to my husband: “If you still won’t let me join your family for New Year’s Eve dinner this year, let’s just get a divorce.” Liam froze for a moment, frowning: “You want a divorce just over a New Year’s Eve dinner?” I rubbed the wedding ring on my finger. It was sterling silver, unbranded, and barely worth anything. Unlike the one he gave his ex-wife—a designer diamond ring worth over ten thousand dollars, which she still wore to this day. In our six years of marriage, my mother-in-law had never once allowed me to attend their New Year’s Eve dinner. Simply because she felt sorry for her former daughter-in-law being all alone in the city, and worried my presence would make her feel awkward. But they seemed to have forgotten that my own hometown was a thousand miles away in the Midwest. I get lonely eating New Year’s Eve dinner by myself, too. I looked up and nodded slightly: “Yes, just over this.” The next second, his phone screen lit up. Right in front of me, Liam “liked” a post his ex-wife had just uploaded, showing a happy family reunion. “How long are you going to drag this out this time?” “You know Leo’s condition, he can’t be left alone.” A thousand miles from home, estranged from my parents. He was certain I had nowhere to go, And even more certain I couldn’t bear to leave the little family I had painstakingly built over six years. I suddenly remembered the year I decided to marry Liam and move far away. My parents were so furious they publicly disowned me. “He’s a divorced man with an autistic son! Marrying him means becoming a free nanny!” I was dead set on it back then, diving headfirst into this highly disapproved marriage. Over the next six years, I stayed by his side as he went from a nobody to a top lawyer worth millions. I taught that stepson, who was entirely trapped in his own world, how to acknowledge people, bit by bit. He learned to call for his grandpa, grandma, dad, and his biological mother. I was the only one who remained a nameless entity without a title. I smiled bitterly, looking down to book a flight back to my hometown. This time, my mind was truly made up. 1. Liam glanced up at the clock. “Twelve minutes left until Leo wakes up.” “We have to go to my mom’s place to pay our New Year’s respects later. Even if the sky falls, it has to wait.” His tone showed he didn’t take my mention of divorce seriously at all. It wasn’t until I placed the pre-prepared divorce agreement in front of him, That Liam finally deigned to look at me. He scanned the clauses and said coldly: “Taking half my assets? Chloe, you have quite an appetite.” “You should know I’m the only one bringing in money for this family!” No explanation, no asking me to stay. Only icy interrogation. I felt an inexplicable urge to cry. For the unworthiness of my past six years. “Liam, these past years I’ve managed the household and taken care of the child.” “I gave you all my youth. Is that not even worth half a million to you?” He irritably tore the divorce agreement to pieces. “Did I force you to marry me?” “Besides, we’re an old married couple now. What exactly are you throwing a tantrum about?” I opened my mouth, but my throat felt blocked by wet cotton. Just last night, in Mia’s social media posts, The stepson, Leo, whom I had raised for six years but who still only called me “Auntie,” Was affectionately calling her “Mom,” over and over again in her video. People around them chimed in, asking what I was, then. Leo paused for a moment and simply said I was just the nanny who cooked. The room erupted in laughter, yet no one spoke a word in my defense. Even my husband didn’t offer a half-sentence of rebuttal. Just as Liam said, no one forced me to marry him. But it was clearly him who promised me, amidst a heavy snowfall, that for the rest of his life, there would only be me. When we first met, I was a newly minted psychology intern at the hospital. Seeing him bring his child in alone for autism treatment always stirred extra sympathy in me. As we got to know each other, I learned that his ex-wife had chosen to divorce him precisely because she couldn’t handle the child’s illness. My heart ached for this father and son from the city, and I took extra care of them. Eventually, my heart landed entirely on Liam. While we were dating, he would remember my period every month, prepare pads in advance, and personally make me brown sugar ginger tea. He would also thoughtfully renew my various app subscriptions. So when he proposed, I agreed without hesitation. Even if it meant marrying far away from home, even if it meant being his second wife, even if it meant becoming a stepmother, I accepted it all. But just as my mother said, dating and marriage are two different things. After moving to the city, because I had to take care of autistic Leo, I chose to become a stay-at-home mom. From then on, my life was consumed by daily chores. When Liam excitedly talked about his latest won case, I was busy apologizing to the parents of a child Leo had hurt. When he wanted to take me out for a romantic candlelight dinner, I chose to refuse because Leo was terrified of strangers. Every time this happened, Liam would hold my hand, visibly moved. “Chloe, thank goodness you are in this family.” For six years, I poured all my energy into a child who shared no blood with me. I hoped he would one day call me “Mom,” Hoped he could live like a normal person. In the end, all I got in return was an “Auntie.” Even my husband tacitly accepted that I was just the family’s nanny. Since that was the case, I wasn’t staying in this family anymore. 2. The flight was booked for tomorrow. It was the first day of the Lunar New Year, and I didn’t want to ruin the mood. After Leo woke up, the whole family headed to my in-laws’ place together. Mia, wearing a red woolen coat, was standing at the door. Seeing her, Liam immediately got out of the car. “Your health isn’t good, and it’s freezing outside. You could have just waited inside.” The woman shot him a flirtatious, scolding look. “I just wanted to see you sooner…” She deliberately paused, mischievously watching Liam’s earlobes turn bright red. Mia added: “I hadn’t finished. I did it all to see Leo.” Liam’s disappointment was visible to the naked eye. With just a few words, she sent the usually composed man on an emotional rollercoaster. Liam was always cool and collected around me. Even on our wedding day, his expression only softened slightly. It turned out all his joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, Had long been reserved for Mia. A sudden, indescribable feeling surged in my heart. Funny enough, this was my very first time meeting Mia in person. Before this, I had only ever peeked at her life through social media. Just as depicted in her posts, Even in her thirties, she remained vibrantly and fiercely beautiful. Just like her irreplaceable position in Liam’s heart. And what about me? I turned to look at my reflection in the car window. No makeup, eyes swollen like walnuts. The wrinkles around my eyes looking exceptionally haggard. Leo, who had been silent, immediately let go of my hand and threw himself into Mia’s arms. Those repeated cries of “Mom” cut into my heart like a knife. Mia kissed his cheek, leaving a lipstick mark. Leo didn’t show a hint of disgust, his eyes full of adoration. A few years ago, I had merely sprayed a little perfume on myself. Leo, sensitive to the smell, covered his nose and started sneezing non-stop. Noticing this, Liam specifically told me to be more mindful. He told me not to wear makeup or dress up anymore, saying it was all for the child’s good. But when it came to Mia, Leo showed absolutely no signs of an allergic reaction. Even Liam looked at me with disdain. “It’s the New Year, why didn’t you dress up a bit? You look so plain.” Mia covered her mouth, hiding a smirk. “I remember when you got married, you showed me her ID photo.” “It’s only been a few years, I thought you had married some middle-aged woman just to gross me out.” Having said that, she feigned guilt and covered her mouth. “I have a habit of speaking my mind. Your current wife won’t be angry, will she?” Liam tickled my palm. “Don’t mind her, that’s just how she is.” “Before we divorced, she used to always call me a stubborn mule.” His tone seemed like a complaint, but it was actually full of nostalgia. I pulled my hand back and walked into the house ahead of them. I could still hear their laughter behind me. “Uh-oh, the wife is mad. Looks like someone’s sleeping in the study tonight.” “Mia, can’t you say something nice for once!” I pretended not to hear, but couldn’t help quickening my pace. As soon as I entered, I saw my mother-in-law getting up enthusiastically from the sofa. But when she realized it was me, her face instantly turned cold. Since we got married, she had never given me a single pleasant look. My mother-in-law felt that because I came from a small town, Marrying Liam, who already had a child, was nothing more than a ploy to get a city residency. For the first time, I didn’t try to warm up to her coldness. I sat on the sofa and started cracking sunflower seeds. In the past, to please this mother-in-law, Even though I wasn’t allowed to attend the New Year’s Eve dinner, I would still show up on New Year’s Day with all sorts of expensive supplements. Clearly, I bought them with my own private savings, But from her mouth, it became me recklessly spending her son’s money. 3. Lunch was exceptionally lavish. Amidst the uniform array of sweet dishes, there were surprisingly a few spicy ones. Mia winked playfully at my mother-in-law. “Mom really loves me the most, knowing I like spicy food.” Liam, however, frowned. “You just said yesterday your stomach was hurting. Eat less of that.” He smoothly passed over a peeled shrimp. Realizing I was still there, Liam smiled awkwardly. “I remembered you’re allergic to seafood, so I didn’t peel any for you.” To placate me, he put a piece of braised pork in my bowl. I forced a smile, feeling incredibly bitter. I had never liked sweet food. Liam used to joke that I didn’t even like the sweet and sour pork from my own hometown. But now, he had completely forgotten my preferences. Or rather, he no longer kept them in mind. After the meal, the table was a mess. My mother-in-law instructively commanded me, as usual. “Hey, you, remember to wash these by hand.” “Don’t use the dishwasher, it wastes water.” I looked up at her. The mother-in-law I always used to find intimidating, Was really just a mean, nitpicking little old lady. She always used that condescending tone, calling me “hey, you.” She refused to call me by my name, refused to acknowledge my position. Yet I still wanted to please her. Simply because I wanted to be a good wife to Liam, a good daughter-in-law to the Vance family. But now. I didn’t even want Liam anymore. And I certainly wouldn’t back down anymore. I stood up, “Mom, this is the last time I’ll call you that.” “Your son and I are getting a divorce.” Without waiting for my mother-in-law’s reaction, I turned and left. Walking past the living room, I happened to see the two of them on the balcony. They seemed to be arguing. Mia bit her lip, staying silent, then simply stood on her tiptoes and kissed Liam. The man’s hands, resting on her shoulders and meant to push her away, gradually slid down. Finally, he gripped the woman’s waist tightly. I stood frozen, feeling like I had swallowed a fishbone. My throat was slashed raw, even my breathing carried the metallic taste of blood. Liam once told me he hated his heartless ex-wife. Hated her for being so selfish that she abandoned her husband and child for her so-called freedom. He got dead drunk, crying as he recounted that failed marriage. But I forgot, where there is no love, how can there be hate? My mother-in-law, standing behind me, suddenly said coldly: “I never welcomed you marrying into this family in the first place.” “My son and Mia merely got divorced, it’s not like they can’t remarry.” “As for you, you’d better find someone else while you’re still young.” She paused, looking at me with pity. “Though you aren’t that young anymore, almost thirty, right?” While we were talking, Liam had walked over to me. He grabbed my hand and headed straight for the front door. Mia’s sorrowful voice trailed behind us. “Liam, what happened back then was my fault.” “But it’s been six years, can’t you forgive me?” I turned to look at the man beside me. And caught a glimpse of a smear of red on his lips. Bitten by Mia. It wasn’t until we were back in the car that Liam regained his composure. “Don’t listen to her nonsense. I’m not going to divorce you.” “As for that kiss, I was forced.” But I witnessed the whole thing. Saw the love and reluctance in Liam’s eyes. “Do you really not love her anymore?” The car fell into silence. Mia caught up to us right at that moment. Seeing me sitting in the back, a look of realization dawned in her eyes. “Liam, is this what you mean by not having me in your heart?” “Yet your passenger seat has always been reserved for me.” I looked at the man who didn’t dare turn around, and asked softly: “Didn’t you tell me someone in your family had a car accident while sitting in the passenger seat, And out of concern for my safety, you didn’t let me sit there?” Mia’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “Silly sister, you actually believed that?” “After we got married, I got jealous that he gave a female colleague a ride home and let her sit in the passenger seat.” “Later, I taught him to make up an excuse, and that’s how the passenger seat became my exclusive spot.” Liam slammed on the gas, gradually leaving Mia behind. Only when the woman’s figure completely vanished from the rearview mirror, Did he finally speak to promise me. “I’ll keep my distance from her from now on.” “I’ve never thought about remarrying her, really.” As soon as the words left his mouth, his phone rang. 4. Liam didn’t answer, putting the phone on silent. If he really wanted to cut contact. He could have just blocked her. The flashing screen was like vines that couldn’t be shaken off. Binding both Liam and me. Finally, I spoke, “You should answer it.” To show his determination, Liam put the call on speaker. “If you dare leave today, I’ll jump off a building right now.” Liam’s hand trembled, almost dropping the phone. He turned to look at me, his eyes full of anxiety. “Chloe, I swear, this is the last time.” Before I even nodded, the car doors automatically unlocked. On New Year’s Day, I was kicked out of the car by my husband. In the dead of winter, without even giving me time to put on my coat. During peak holiday traffic, I couldn’t get a cab. I walked back for two hours braving the freezing wind. After tossing a few cold pills into my mouth, I fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up again, it was already 3 AM. A strange pain started in my lower abdomen. I thought my period was coming, so I drank some hot water and started packing my bags. There wasn’t really much to pack. Not many of my things were in the house. Instead, books on treating autistic children filled the entire bookshelf. And the various legal statutes and case files Liam needed. After packing my important documents, I was completely awake. I simply started scrolling through my social media feed. The newest post was a photo of Mia at an amusement park. The caption read: [The real family of three reunited again~] The man who, just this morning, promised me it was the last time, Was accompanying his ex-wife and taking his autistic child to the most crowded amusement park. The in-laws who were always active in the family group chat were liking the post. The comments section was full of people asking when they were getting remarried. Some relatives, finding it inappropriate, told Mia, the ex-wife, to know her boundaries. Before she could reply, Liam’s uncle commented directly. “Even if they are divorced, she is still the child’s biological mother. That can’t be changed.” “Besides, just because they can’t be husband and wife, doesn’t mean they can’t be friends, right?” I didn’t dare scroll down any further. Afraid those words would turn into blades, stabbing into my organs one by one. But my fingers seemed to have a mind of their own. And left one final, fresh reply: [No need to be friends, you can go back to being husband and wife.] I curled up in my blankets, waiting until dawn before I felt a hint of sleepiness. A loud bang on the door scared my heart into a frantic rhythm. Liam walked into the bedroom, his face dark. He angrily yanked me up from the bed. I instinctively tried to struggle, but he furiously slapped me. “Do you know that comment you left made Mia cry all night long!” “Will you only be satisfied when you’ve torn this entire family apart?” “Go apologize to Mia right now!” My crumbling emotions could no longer be suppressed. “Why should I apologize to a woman who destroyed my family?” Liam raised his hand, but eventually lowered it mid-air. He said through gritted teeth, “If we’re talking about who came first, aren’t you the other woman?” I looked up in shock. The burning pain on my left cheek turned into a sharp sting. Even my heart began to ache. I started crying uncontrollably, even breathing became difficult. Liam’s face turned deathly pale, and he explained in frustration. “That’s not what I meant, I just…” Before he could finish, the phone in his pocket started vibrating. It was Mia again. “Liam, I’m pregnant.” “It’s probably from that time you came to see me in River City last month.” “If I don’t see you in an hour, I’m going to the hospital to get an abortion.” Last time she threatened to jump off a building, this time she added a new life. Liam gripped his phone tightly, his fingertips turning white. After a long time, he spoke with difficulty. “I drank too much that time, but the child is innocent.” Without waiting for my answer, Liam grabbed his car keys and left. Right then, a sharp pain struck my lower abdomen. Pulling back the covers, I realized the bedsheets were already stained red. I called Liam’s name in a panic. But only heard the sound of the door slamming shut. My irregular periods had kept me from ever suspecting I was pregnant. And as for now? I no longer had to agonize over whether to keep the child. My phone lit up, reminding me I had two hours until boarding. Six years ago, clutching a plane ticket, I accompanied him to the unfamiliar city of Shanghai; Six years later, all alone, it was time for me to go home too. Three days later, a physically and mentally exhausted Liam pushed open the bedroom door. The scene before him, however, made his entire body tremble. 5 The important documents I needed to take were already packed. I changed my clothes, left the signed divorce agreement on the nightstand, and took a cab to leave. But when the plane landed at Harbin Airport, looking at the vast expanse of white outside the window, I suddenly felt like I was running away. But where else could I run to? In love, I lost so completely that I didn’t even leave myself a way out. Carrying my luggage, I eventually returned to the familiar alley. When my mom saw me, she was startled at first, then glanced behind me, “Where is he? It’s the dead of winter, why didn’t he come back with you?” Without waiting for my answer, she took my suitcase. As soon as I stepped inside, the heat hit my face. Dad handed me a cup of hot tea. I bit my lip awkwardly, “Mom, I…” I couldn’t get the rest of the words out. Mom snorted coldly, “Did you guys have a fight?” “I told you not to insist on marrying so far away!” “Now you’ve been wronged, and you have nowhere to go to reason with anyone.” Mom scolded me while turning back to the kitchen. In no time, seven or eight dishes were ready. “Is the Vance family so poor? They can’t even give you a full meal?” “Look how thin you are! People would think you’re a refugee.” She naturally put a chicken drumstick in my bowl. Dad cleared his throat and looked at me: “Your mom has been hoping you’d come back.” “A few years ago, when she couldn’t reach you by phone and you didn’t reply to her messages,” “She even went to Shanghai herself. Seeing that you were doing okay, she finally felt relieved.” “Every year on the second day of the New Year, she buys groceries in advance, just waiting for you to come back.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394627”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

On her eighteenth birthday, my sister received company shares, a luxury car, a villa… And I received a paternity test proving we shared no blood relation. My mom smiled coldly. “Chloe, since you aren’t our biological daughter, you’ll have to pay us back for the cost of raising you these past seventeen years.” My dad sneered. “Starting today, you’re the maid in this house. We’ll credit you a hundred bucks a month to pay off your debt. Room and board are not included.” I didn’t ask them how it was possible that my twin sister—who looked practically identical to me—could be their daughter while I wasn’t. Instead, I calmly nodded. Because last night, standing outside their door, I heard: My sister, holding our parents’ hands, whined, “Mom, Dad, my birthday wish is to be the only child of the Jenkins family. I want to enjoy your exclusive love. Let my sister be a maid for a year, please?” My dad’s face was full of doting affection. “Alright, whatever you want.” My mom agreed with a smile. “For this year, Mom and Dad will belong only to our precious Mia.” After everyone had dispersed, I looked at the leftover cake on the table, stuck a candle in it, and made a wish: I want to leave the Jenkins family. Not for a year, but for a lifetime. … My sister, Mia, covered her mouth and gasped. “Sister, no wonder you’re so ugly! You don’t look like Dad or Mom. Turns out you really are a fake.” Her shout was loud and exaggerated. As if she had completely forgotten we were twins and looked at least seventy percent alike. “Oh no, you’re not my sister at all. You’re just a wild bird from who knows where.” My mom’s expression was distant and cold. “Chloe, since the truth is out and you aren’t a child of the Jenkins family, this birthday banquet is solely for our precious daughter, Mia. You have no right to attend.” I looked up at Mia, whose face was full of smug satisfaction. She wore a custom-made princess gown and a tiara that cost as much as a house. Then I looked down at myself, wearing a faded, washed-out shirt and jeans, the cuffs frayed. I smiled bitterly. Right. I never possessed that right since I was a child. So how could I lose it? My dad raised his voice. “Starting today, you will move into the maid’s quarters. For the sake of our past relationship, until you find your biological parents, you’ll work as a maid here. I’ll credit you a hundred bucks a month—no room and board—to pay back the seventeen years of child-rearing costs we spent on you.” Whispers rippled through the crowd. Like a pathetic clown, amidst the mocking and derisive gazes, I bent down and picked up my backpack. Mia rushed over with blinding speed and yanked my backpack hard. The broken zipper, held together only by safety pins, burst open instantly, spilling my belongings all over the floor. Mia shrieked. “Aha! I knew it! You actually stole things from our house!” Among the scattered books on the floor lay a single, pink sanitary pad. My mom looked a bit uncomfortable. “Mia, forget it. It’s just a pad.” Mia immediately refused to let it go. “Mom, I am the only daughter of the Jenkins family now. What is she? She’s freeloaded off our family for years, and now she’s stealing our stuff! If I say she doesn’t deserve it, she doesn’t deserve it.” Seeing her angry, my mom immediately began coaxing her softly. “Okay, okay, don’t be mad, sweetie. You’re right. You are Mom’s one and only darling now. You can do whatever you want.” Satisfied, Mia stomped on the pad, grinding her heel into it. “Alright, I don’t want it anymore. It’s yours.” I stared at the sanitary pad, covered in footprints. My throat felt like it was stuffed with wet cotton—heavy and suffocating. Chapter 2 In the end, I bent down and only picked up my books. After the banquet ended, I was led to the storage room by the nanny, Martha. It was a space of about fifty square feet, containing only a wooden plank bed piled with junk and a rusted iron window. Martha stood at the door, hesitating before speaking. “Young Miss… Chloe. The Master and Madam remember your good deeds. When they come to their senses, you’ll still be the eldest daughter of the Jenkins family…” Before she could finish, two cockroaches scurried out from a corner and disappeared quickly. I pretended not to see the embarrassment on her face. “Thank you. I know.” Martha shook her head and left. I heard her mutter softly, “Looking so much alike, how could she not be… sigh…” I sat on the plank bed, staring blankly into the pitch-black night outside the window. It’s okay. Just wait one more year, and I can leave forever. That night, my stomach cramped terribly. Without any pads, I had to use wadded-up toilet paper. Coming out of the bathroom, I heard my parents talking in hushed tones. “Honey, do you think treating Chloe like this will make her hate us? She is our biological daughter after all.” My dad scoffed coldly. “It’s her own fault for always bullying Mia. As the older sister, she never knows how to yield. Making her suffer a bit is for her own good.” “In a year, when Mia has had her fun, we’ll just find an excuse and say the paternity test was a mistake. When she regains her status as the eldest daughter of the Jenkins family, she’ll be too happy to complain.” My fingertips went cold. It felt absurd and laughable. What makes them think that after trampling me into the dirt, I would just obediently stand there and wait for them? The next day, I went out to buy sanitary pads. At checkout, I was told my balance was insufficient. But I clearly had forty dollars saved up on my card. Returning to the villa, I pushed open the door. The three of them were laughing and chatting at the dining table. A gift bag sat on the table. My mom fondly stroked a silk scarf in her hands. “Our Mia is such a sweet, caring girl. She even bought Mom a gift. Mom is so happy.” My dad spun a plastic water bottle in his hands, unable to stop smiling. “Dad loves his too. That’s my precious daughter.” Mia pouted and leaned her head on Mom’s shoulder. “But these two gifts only cost forty dollars. You won’t blame me for buying something so cheap, will you?” My mom immediately shook her head. “Of course not! As long as my darling bought it for me, even if it cost two cents, it’s a treasure to Mom.” My dad didn’t forget to put me down while comforting her. “Exactly. Not like your sister, who only knows how to spend the family’s money. She’s never bought us a single gift. Just an ungrateful wretch. How could she compare to my Mia…” Noticing my return, they immediately stopped talking. Mia tilted her head to look at me. Her smile was full of malice. That forty dollars. Was the living expenses I had saved up over two months. It was all the money I had. My entire body went cold. Something in my brain exploded with a massive bang. By the time I realized what was happening, I had already grabbed Mia and raised my hand to slap her. But before the slap could land. My dad kicked me hard. My spine slammed into the sharp corner of the coffee table. The pain was so intense my vision went black. Mia held up an arm with a tiny red mark. Crying as if the sky was falling. “Mom! Dad! It hurts so much! Is my arm broken?” My mom yelled anxiously, “Quick, call an ambulance!” My dad hastily replied, “Forget the ambulance, there’s no time. I’ll drive Mia to the hospital.” Mia pointed at me, sprawled on the floor. “I don’t want to ride in the car. This bastard hurt me. I want her to carry me all the way to the hospital on her back.” Chapter 3 The nearest hospital from the villa was over twelve miles away. My mom looked at me with icy eyes. “You fatherless, motherless thing. We gave you the best food and a good life for over a decade, and you dare lay a hand on my biological daughter? Do as Mia says.” Seeing that I couldn’t get up for a long time, my dad simply grabbed me and yanked me up. “Stop faking it. You just bumped into it lightly. Hurry up and carry Mia to the hospital. If you delay my daughter’s treatment, I’ll throw you out of the Jenkins house.” I believed him. But I couldn’t leave just yet. I had no choice but to carry Mia on my back, stumbling my way toward the hospital on foot. My dad drove slowly, trailing right behind me. He kept yelling out the window, “Chloe, you better hold her tight. If you drop my precious daughter, I’ll skin you alive.” My mom complained from the passenger seat, “Walk faster, haven’t you eaten? Don’t delay my darling’s treatment.” Mia lay on my back, smiling smugly. “See? Nobody in this house loves you! You’re just an unwanted, mangy dog.” Words like that used to easily sting me. But now, perhaps because so much pain had accumulated, I was completely numb. Seeing I didn’t react, Mia stopped talking too. But just as we were nearing the hospital. She pulled a safety pin from her pocket and stabbed it deeply into my back. I stumbled in pain and pitched forward, crashing onto the ground. My parents immediately pulled the car over, ran over frantically, picked up Mia, who had fallen on top of me, and ran toward the hospital. My mom, following behind my dad, turned back to look at my deathly pale face. She threw down an impatient remark: “We’re already at the hospital. Go find a doctor yourself. We don’t have time to deal with you.” I never ended up going into the hospital. Because I didn’t have any money. Having no strength left to walk back. I sat on the hospital steps until dark before finally returning to the villa. They had already returned. Standing in the living room were a middle-aged man and woman, looking cowering and disheveled. “You’re back just in time.” My dad pointed at the couple. “These are your biological parents. Go with them now.” The air was dead silent. My mom walked over and took my hand, though she didn’t dare meet my eyes. “Chloe, we were mother and daughter for a time, and I’m very sad too. But since your biological parents have been found, there’s no reason for you to hang around the Jenkins family anymore.” I had thought I wouldn’t cry anymore. But tears still uncontrollably soaked my face. These were the parents I had placed above everything else in my heart for over a decade. Yet they weren’t willing to let me stay in this house, even if just in a tiny corner. My mom felt guilty looking at my tears. She reached out to wipe them away, but Mia grabbed her arm. “Sister, congratulations! You’re finally not a bastard without parents anymore.” The middle-aged woman standing nearby immediately grabbed my hand upon seeing this. Her dirt-encrusted fingernails dug into my flesh as she began to wail dramatically. “Oh, my daughter! Mommy finally found you! Come home with Mommy!” The man claiming to be my biological father dragged me toward the door. “Yes, yes, let’s hurry home. You’ve troubled Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins for so many years. You absolutely can’t be shameless and refuse to leave.” “Wait.” Mia rolled her eyes, smiling mischievously. “Sister, finding your real parents is a huge event. It doesn’t make sense not to kneel and kowtow to acknowledge them. Or are you disgusted because they’re poor? Do you look down on them?” I froze and turned to look at my parents. “Do you also think I should kneel and kowtow to acknowledge them?” Chapter 4 They instinctively avoided my gaze. Mia kept urging, “Hurry up and kneel. We’re all watching.” I laughed. Something inside me, in that moment, shattered completely. I knelt down, but I kowtowed deeply toward my parents. “Our relationship as parents and child ends here. From this moment on, the Jenkins family and I have no further connection.” My parents exchanged a look, both catching a glimpse of unease in the other’s eyes. But I had already stood up and left with my ‘biological parents’. My mom chased after us, shouting with false bravado, “It’s not settled! Unless… unless you pay back all the money we spent on you over the past decade!” I stopped walking but didn’t turn around. I replied softly, “Okay.” They thought they had spent a lot of money on me over the years. But they forgot. The daughter who was favored, the one who had lots and lots of money spent on her to be raised in luxury, was Mia. And me? I had an allowance of sixty dollars a month. And I was constantly extorted by Mia, who received six thousand a month. If I didn’t give it to her. She would go home and cry. Saying I rallied classmates at school to isolate and bully her. I was locked in solitary confinement countless times and forbidden from eating. Once, on a night with torrential rain. Because Mia said I was pushing her to the point where she couldn’t go on living. I stood in the freezing rain all night. I ran a fever of 104 degrees, and no one cared. Since I was little. It had always been like this. A single word from Mia could determine my right and wrong, my happiness, my life, Even my dignity. My explanations, my tears, my grievances, Were utterly worthless in this house. Just like me as a person. Very cheap. That night, I moved into my ‘biological parents” rented room in the slums. Because there were no extra rooms or blankets. I had to curl up in the only bathroom for the night. The windows, patched with newspaper, were falling apart, constantly letting in cold drafts. The next day, I fell into a groggy, high fever. In my delirium, I heard the woman talking anxiously on the phone. “Mr. Jenkins, Mrs. Jenkins, the… the young miss has a high fever. It’s already 104 degrees.” “Then what are you waiting for? Get her to a hospital!” The phone was on speaker, and Mia’s voice came through clearly. “Mom, Dad. My sister just left last night and she has a high fever today? There’s no such coincidence. It must be a trick to test you. If you believe it, you’re falling for it.” After a long silence, my dad’s cold voice rang out. “Don’t bother with her. She said it herself: she has no further connection with us. Let this ungrateful wretch learn her lesson.” My mom was full of impatience. “She’s your daughter now. Don’t call us if there’s no real issue. We still have to take our precious daughter on a trip around the world. Hanging up.” No one cared about me anymore. I was left in that forgotten, rented room. Fighting with my last breath to pry open the front door and crawl into the stairwell, I couldn’t hold on any longer and passed out. When I opened my eyes again, there was only a nurse by the bed. “Little girl, you’re finally awake. 107.6 degrees. If a kind passerby hadn’t brought you to the hospital, ten minutes later, and you’d be in critical condition.” “Alright, hurry up and contact your family to come over. And settle the medical bills while you’re at it.” I was silent for a long time. My voice was very faint. “I don’t have any money. And I don’t have any family.” The nurse was stunned. I stared at the IV tube in the back of my hand and pursed my dry lips. “But, I have blood to sell.” After the new semester started, I entered my senior year of high school. I started running errands for my classmates—buying their meals, delivering their packages. One run, twenty cents. I could save up four dollars a day. Chapter 5 One day, I had just gotten my food and was walking out of the cafeteria when I bumped into Mia halfway. She just crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. Her little followers snatched my lunchbox and smashed it. The food mixed with muddy water, scattering everywhere. “Sister, seeing how pathetic you are, this meal is on me.” They pressed my head down, trying to force me to eat the food they had stepped on. My homeroom teacher, Ms. Summers, happened to pass by and harshly scolded them. She pulled me up and wiped my face clean. She had heard bits and pieces about what happened at the birthday party and knew I was short on money. She didn’t ask any questions and found me a tutoring job. But the condition was only half a day on weekends, and it absolutely couldn’t affect my grades. I thanked her profusely. But I never expected that just because of one act of kindness from Ms. Summers. She would be reported and fired under the accusation of accepting bribes from a student’s parent. And I was put up on the school bulletin board. Because of a photo of the parent of the student I was tutoring picking me up and dropping me off. I was labeled as having a sugar daddy. My ‘biological mother’, Brenda, rushed to the school. Without a word, she slapped me twice across the face. She viciously grabbed my hair, twisting and pinching it. “You little slut, you’re barely of age and you’re already spreading your legs for men? You might not have any shame, but I do!” My face was smacked to the side. In my peripheral vision, I happened to lock eyes with my parents, who were standing with the school administrators, looking at me like I was trash. And behind them, Mia, whose face was practically splitting from smiling so hard. My hair fell loose, blocking my vision, and also blocking the tears I couldn’t hold back in time. I lowered my head and said calmly, “I’m sorry. I know I was wrong.” That night, just after I took a shower at home, I was violently dragged into a room by a pair of large hands. My ‘biological father’, Dave, shirtless and with bloodshot eyes, lunged at me. “Instead of giving it away to some man outside for cheap, you might as well give it to me.” The utility knife hidden in my sleeve slashed fiercely across his face. He was forced back two steps, panting heavily like a starving animal. “I’m still a student, and I don’t want to spend my life in prison, so get out!” Living in the slums, I couldn’t possibly be unprepared. Dave spat, wiped the blood from his face, bared his yellow teeth, and smiled. “You fucking wait. Your parents sold you to me. Sooner or later, I’ll get what I want.” The door closed. I slumped to the floor, drained of energy, trembling uncontrollably. Tears poured out. I bit down hard on the back of my hand to keep my sobs from escaping. My phone dinged. A message popped up in the family group chat. Mom: “Chloe, you willingly degraded yourself at such a young age. Just thinking about having been mother and daughter with someone as dirty and lacking in self-respect as you makes me sick.” The next second, I was removed from the group chat by my dad. My mom stared at the group that now only had three people. A sudden sense of unease rose in her chest. “Honey, did we go too far? Didn’t we investigate and find out Chloe was just tutoring?” My dad said angrily, “If she hadn’t forced Mia to eat food off the floor, Mia wouldn’t have cried until her eyes were swollen. Her only request was to kick her out of the group chat; that’s letting her off easy.” Thinking about it, his tone softened. “It’s just for a year anyway. I’ve already transferred enough money to Dave. Chloe won’t be mistreated. Once the time is up, we’ll go pick her up immediately.” One year later. On Mia and my birthday. My parents left the house early. My dad drove very fast. “You brought the real paternity test, right?” My mom nodded repeatedly. “I brought it. We haven’t seen Chloe for a whole year. When she comes back, we must compensate her properly.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394626”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In the fifth year of my marriage to Liam Hayes, his unattainable first love, Mia Sullivan, returned. Cracks slowly began to appear in our marriage. Liam started standing me up from time to time. The first time was the day I won a design award. Liam said he wanted to celebrate with me. But Mia had just returned, and one phone call from her pulled him away. The second time was my birthday. The candles were lit, but before I could make a wish, Mia called and pulled him away again. The third time was Valentine’s Day evening. I sat in a reserved private room and waited for Liam for four hours. He never showed up. Later, I saw a post on Mia’s social media. Liam was accompanying Mia, looking at the stars on a bridge. The fourth time was our wedding anniversary. This time, my humiliation was earth-shattering; everyone in River City knew about it. That night, sitting alone in a nursing home, I received a message from Mia. After reading that message, I walked into the operating room without hesitation and aborted our child. And took back the heart that loved Liam Hayes. Liam, because I love you, you can hurt me without restraint. If I don’t love you, you are nothing. 1 The painless abortion didn’t cause me the slightest physical suffering. After lying on the operating table and receiving the anesthesia, I fell into a brief slumber. Before losing consciousness, I heard the doctor performing the surgery sigh. “She looks so glamorous on the surface, but she’s actually so pitiful!” The nurse sneered, “What’s there to pity? The unloved one in a marriage is the true mistress. Chloe stole Mia’s love; she brought this upon herself.” Brought this upon myself? Perhaps. After all, following last night’s spectacle, Everyone knows that I, Chloe, am a woman unloved by my husband. Everyone knows that I am the stumbling block in the love story of Mia and Liam. Last night, Liam slapped me hard in public in the most ruthless way possible! Last night was our fifth wedding anniversary, and also the ninetieth day of my pregnancy. Liam had someone prepare the venue in advance for a grand celebration. In our five years of marriage, this was the first time he had thrown such a lavish party for me. Many prominent figures in River City were invited to the banquet. I appeared at the banquet arm-in-arm with the dashing Liam, wearing a custom-made dress. A custom ten-tier cake was wheeled in, and champagne glasses were filled. Just as we were about to cut the cake, Mia appeared. Mia is my cousin. Her past with my husband, Liam, was common knowledge five years ago. Back then, Liam and Mia were the university’s “it couple”—the campus king and queen. They were high-profile, always together, and their romance was public knowledge. Liam had done many sensational things for Mia: a light show confession on River City’s tallest building, a drone firework display for her birthday, and he even caught a thousand fireflies by hand just to make her smile… In short, Liam and Mia’s romance was passionate and earth-shattering. Everyone thought Liam would marry his beloved Mia. But the outcome shocked everyone. They broke up without any warning five years ago. Then Mia went abroad, and Liam married me, the ugly duckling. The moment I saw Mia appear, I knew tonight’s banquet was doomed. 2 Mia, wearing eight-inch stilettos and a dress identical to mine, walked gracefully toward Liam and me. Holding a glass of wine, a smile played on her exceptionally beautiful face: “Wishing Mr. Hayes and Chloe a happy fifth wedding anniversary! And congratulations on expecting a child!” As she offered her blessings, Liam’s grip on my arm noticeably tightened. Mia smiled charmingly and raised her glass. As the rim was about to touch her lips, My husband, Liam, let go of my hand and reached out to stop her. “Mia! You’re not in good health, you can’t drink!” Liam forcefully took the wine glass from Mia’s hand. Taking advantage of the momentum, Mia lost her balance and fell into Liam’s arms. Like a bystander, I stood next to the ten-tier cake, watching their blatant display of affection. The eyes of all the banquet guests were on us. In front of everyone, Liam doted on Mia, coaxing her in a low voice. Mia pouted and whispered intimately with Liam. After exchanging some words, Liam released her and walked towards me. “Chloe, I’m taking Mia home! I’ll be right back!” I smiled silently. Refusing or agreeing no longer mattered. The intimacy between Mia and Liam had already dealt me a resounding public slap. Tonight’s banquet was over. Liam supported Mia as they walked towards the exit. At the door, she suddenly stopped, turned around, and walked back towards me. “Chloe! I’m so sorry for interrupting your banquet! I’m sorry!” When apologizing, her expression was sincere, and her voice was loud. Everyone around heard her clearly. But the next second, She stumbled, leaned close to me, and said venomously in a voice only I could hear: “I’m pregnant too! Chloe, you know Liam’s feelings for me. There’s only one end for the child in your belly, and that’s death without an intact corpse!” As Mia’s words fell, I raised my hand and slapped her across the face. 3 Smack! The slap was crisp. I didn’t hold back; I hit her with all my might. I knew Mia came to provoke me deliberately to make me lose my temper. I knew she was definitely planning something. But none of it mattered anymore! No mother can tolerate someone cursing her child so viciously! Mia’s fragile body fell backward after taking my slap. Liam rushed over quickly, but he was still a step too late. Mia fell to the ground. Her expression was agonized. She reached out to hold her stomach, crying out shrilly: “It hurts! My baby!” Liam, his face contorted, roared at me: “Chloe, are you crazy? If anything happens to the child in her belly, I won’t let you off!” He publicly acknowledged Mia’s pregnancy, and his fierce defense of her left no doubt that it was his child. Under the shocked gazes of everyone, Liam picked up the groaning Mia from the ground. His eyes were full of anxiety and heartache, making no secret of his concern at that moment. Mia leaned weakly into his arms, her hand resting on his neck, and gave me a provocative smile. As Liam turned with Mia in his arms, her foot kicked the cake placed in front of me. The ten-tier cake collapsed with a crash. I was standing right under it, and the cake fell, covering me completely. It didn’t hurt, but the frosting all over my face and body left me in an extremely pathetic state. I wiped a handful of frosting from my face and saw Liam rushing out of the hall with Mia in his arms. The banquet naturally ended because of this incident. I left the club covered in a mess. I didn’t go home. I told the taxi driver to take me to the nursing home. The doctor at the nursing home was surprised by my late-night visit: “I was planning to call you tomorrow. Your father’s condition is not very good.” 4 My dad has been lying unconscious in the nursing home for ten years. If it weren’t for the massive expenses, I wouldn’t have become a pawn of the Sullivan family, nor would I have married Liam so humiliatingly. I looked calmly at my dad’s aged and emaciated face: “I can accept it, just tell me the outcome straight.” “His organs are failing, and no medicine can reverse it. It might be within these few days, you need to be prepared.” After the doctor left, I sat by my dad’s bed and reached out to hold his skin-and-bones hand. Maintained by IV fluids for ten years, my dad was essentially the walking dead. But I was unwilling to accept it. I always believed he would wake up, always believed he would open his eyes and call me Chloe. I think if my dad were conscious, he wouldn’t want to live like this, but I selfishly wanted to keep him. After all, he is my only relative in this world! I was born with weak family ties. My mom died during a difficult childbirth, and my dad had an accident when I was sixteen. In this world, my dad is my only relative. I stroked my belly. Now there’s another person related to me by blood in there. I’m not alone! Even if Liam doesn’t love me, I still have my child. But the next second, everything shattered my illusion. Mia sent me a photo. She was lying in a hospital bed, and Liam was gently peeling an apple for her. “Chloe, doesn’t seeing this make you sad? You followed him without complaint or regret for five years. Has he ever done a single thing to please you? No, right?” Indeed, he hasn’t. A tearing pain ripped through my heart. I clutched my chest, gasping for air. Seeing I didn’t respond, Mia sent another message: “My baby and your baby were conceived on the same day. Actually, my baby was conceived two hours earlier than yours.” The malice in her message was no longer disguised. My child was conceived on Valentine’s Day. Liam disappeared that night to watch the stars with Mia, returning only in the early hours of the morning. He reeked of Mia’s perfume. I was already asleep, but he roughly woke me up. He tossed and turned with me all night like he had lost his mind, and then I got pregnant. Mia’s meaning now was clear: Liam came off her bed and then got together with me again. The truth made me sick to the core; I wanted to vomit! 5 I stayed quietly with my dad in the nursing home until dawn. When morning came, I got up and left the hospital, having made a decision in my heart. My dad is leaving! I have no more attachments. I don’t want Liam anymore! I don’t want his child either! The surgery was quick. Just an anesthesia injection and a short nap, and the child I had longed for over five years was gone. After all, having loved Liam for so many years, and having longed for this child for so many years, to say my heart didn’t ache would be deceiving myself. But compared to being heartbroken day and night, being mocked and abandoned, I felt this was better for both the child and me. When I woke up, my phone was flooded with news about my public humiliation. A husband leaving a wedding anniversary banquet with his beloved woman in his arms. Leaving behind photos of me, covered in cake and looking pathetic, which went viral across major websites. Simultaneously, news about the love triangle between me, Liam, and Mia was brewing. Mia is a goddess, while I, Chloe, am the ugly duckling. The news that Liam and Mia, the campus king and queen, had loved each other for so many years, only to break up because I, the ugly duckling, intervened, was everywhere. Everyone was laughing at me, speaking up for Mia. I, Liam’s lawful wife, had become the mistress who stole another’s love. But I’m not a mistress, am I? Mia and Liam’s breakup had absolutely nothing to do with me. From five years ago to now, from beginning to end, I have been Liam’s designated fiancée. Mia is the true mistress. 6 Knowing full well that Liam and I were engaged, she spared no effort in using her beauty to seduce him. In the end, facing strong opposition from both the Sullivan and Hayes families, she had no choice but to leave in despair. Five years ago, I didn’t bother explaining, and five years later, I have even less desire to explain. I just didn’t expect Liam to let it go unchecked. As the CEO of Hayes Corporation, a man who could make all of River City tremble with a stomp of his foot, he actually ignored these fake news stories slandering his own wife. Allowing the fake news to spread, allowing me to be cursed and lose all face. I think Liam is thoroughly disappointed in me. After all, the dignified CEO’s wife acting crazy at a banquet filled with VIPs really made him lose face. Crucially, the target of my crazy outburst was his unattainable first love, Mia. How could Liam bear to let me slap Mia in public? I know they were deeply in love back then. But I didn’t force him to marry me; he could have chosen to leave with Mia. But in the end, he chose power, chose the alliance between the Hayes and Sullivan families. In the end, he could only choose me. For the past five years, we’ve maintained a harmonious facade in public. I dutifully performed the roles a wife should, and Liam also fulfilled his obligations as a husband. Except for not loving me, he was impeccable for five years. And from the day I learned Liam was my fiancé, I was infatuated with him, loved him dead set. Even when he cheated on me with Mia so sensationally behind my back. Even though he always had Mia in his heart, I tolerated it because I loved him. I thought that with utmost sincerity, even a heart of stone could be moved. No matter what, Liam would eventually have some feelings for me. But I was completely wrong. Some people’s hearts are made of iron and stone. Even if you use all your strength to warm it, it will quickly turn cold again. Five years of marriage, over ten years of love, I am thoroughly dead to Liam! My heart will no longer reserve a place for him; he doesn’t deserve it! 7 After the surgery, I lay alone in the hospital for five hours. During this time, Liam didn’t contact me. Of course, he wouldn’t. In these five years of marriage, I’ve always been the proactive one. Proactively making soup for him, proactively caring about his health. Beside Liam, I am less like a wife and more like a servant or assistant. In a marriage, the one who loves more always has to give more. Liam is already used to my solicitude, used to my fawning. I know that if I don’t call, he will never call me. And this time, I will never be so pathetic again! Later, it was Auntie Wang, the housekeeper, who called. She asked carefully: “Madam, are you alright?” Even Auntie Wang saw the news. It’s clear how much face I lost this time. I replied calmly: “I’m fine, I’ll be back shortly. Auntie Wang, please stew some chicken soup.” Liam came back while I was drinking the chicken soup. He looked exhausted. I lifted my eyelids, glanced at him, and quickly lowered my head to continue drinking. Footsteps approached. Liam sat across from me, looking at me quietly. We didn’t speak until I finished a bowl of chicken soup, pushed the bowl and chopsticks away, and stood up. Liam finally spoke: “Chloe, you went too far this time! Do you know Mia almost had an accident? How could you disappoint me like this?” I stared intently at Liam’s haggard face. Mia almost had an accident, so he stayed at the hospital until now. While his heart was full of Mia and the child in her belly, my child with him was gone. From beginning to end, Liam didn’t ask a single question about the child. It’s evident he never actually looked forward to this child. Knowing the truth is like this, my heart still aches terribly. Five years of living together day and night, even a heart of stone should be warmed. How can Liam be so cold-blooded? Is it really just because he doesn’t love me? I withdrew my gaze and apologized calmly: “I’m very sorry about last night! It was all my fault. Do you want me to go apologize to Mia?” 8 I didn’t defend myself, and my submissive offer to apologize to Mia clearly took Liam aback. He knows I don’t have such a good temper. Since Mia came back, Liam and I have had several arguments. The first time was when I won the design award, and Liam said he wanted to celebrate with me. The second time was my birthday; the candles were lit, and I hadn’t made a wish yet. I sat in the reserved private room waiting for him for four hours. He never showed up, and I saw Mia’s social media post. The first three times I was stood up, I swallowed the bitter pill alone, sad and upset. Each time I was angry and ignored him for days. Proactively offering to apologize this time is uncharacteristic of me. After all, being neglected and stood up the first three times was only known to Mia, Liam, and me. But last night was different. Being abandoned and humiliated in front of so many people, and then facing cyberbullying. I shouldn’t be this good-tempered. Liam looked at me for a good while but ultimately saw no clues. He frowned: “If you truly know you’re wrong, don’t go looking for trouble with Mia again.” “Okay!” I nodded. “I promise I won’t go looking for trouble with Mia again. Do you have any other requests?” My obedience left Liam with no grounds to lash out. He finally remembered I was pregnant. He reached out to touch my belly: “No morning sickness today?” I avoided his hand: “No! Can I go upstairs to rest? I’m very tired!” “I’ll help you!” He reached out again, and I avoided it again: “I’m not that fragile.” I’ve never rejected his touch; this was the first time. Liam rubbed his forehead again: “Last night… Chloe… I’m sorry! I’ll make it up to you next time.” I said “Oh” and went upstairs without looking back. He has said the same thing to me four times. I will never believe him again!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394625”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

After graduating from college, my fiancé suddenly said he wanted to stay and work at the university. I instantly guessed it: Liam had fallen for his academic advisor. So, I had a frank and open conversation with him. Either call off the engagement, or get his advisor transferred elsewhere. He disappeared for an entire night. When he showed up the next day, with dark circles under his eyes, he only said one thing: “The engagement proceeds as planned.” On the day of our engagement party, right at the moment Liam was about to slip the ring onto my finger… Someone suddenly pushed open the banquet hall doors, holding a baby. “Liam, do you really not want me and the baby anymore?” He instinctively curled his fingers inward. I violently grabbed his wrist, warning him in a low voice. “If you dare leave right now, this isn’t over.” He stared at the ring. Just as he was about to put it on me… The baby in the woman’s arms started wailing loudly, as if sensing something. He muttered an apology and left without looking back. … “Chloe, you decide what you want to do about this.” “Whatever happens, your family will always support you.” Saying this, my mom shot a death glare at Liam’s parents. “You really can’t judge a book by its cover. Human hearts are truly unpredictable. I was wondering why Liam practically disappeared for half a year. Turns out he was off having a baby with another woman!” “So this is the Hayes family’s upbringing. If I had a son like that, I’d beat him to death.” I froze for a moment. Liam’s dream was to become a superstar singer. So, the moment he told me he wanted to stay and work at the university… I knew he had fallen in love with his advisor. My best friend laughed at me for being too sensitive. “Staying at the university is perfectly normal, right? The job is stable, plus he gets summer and winter breaks.” I sneered internally. That was because our classmates didn’t know Liam’s and my family backgrounds. Liam’s coming-of-age gift was a ten percent dividend share in his family’s corporation. With his resources, he could do whatever he wanted. The only thing he wouldn’t do was become a nine-to-five university counselor. Our differing plans for the future were the only point of contention between Liam and me. I had to inherit my family’s business, so after graduation, I had to go abroad for further studies. He, on the other hand, had no real ambitions; he just wanted to treat life like a game. This wasn’t a big deal originally. Since he didn’t want to study abroad, I wasn’t going to force him. I still remember the day I decided to study abroad. He hugged me and gently coaxed me. “I don’t want to live a life where I can see the end from the very beginning. What if I actually become a pop star? Then you’ll be a celebrity’s wife.” “I’ll fly overseas to see you. Wouldn’t that be more of a surprise?” I was convinced. So, I went abroad. He stayed behind for his so-called “freedom and ideals.” Our families suggested we get engaged first. But I single-handedly resisted the pressure from both sides. My thought process was simple back then. Let him go achieve his dreams. Don’t let marriage become a burden. But I never expected his “freedom” would extend to having a baby with another woman. I thought he didn’t have time to visit me abroad because of his performances. It turned out it was because he was busy taking care of a pregnant Elena. Actually, it’s not like there weren’t any clues. I just chose to intentionally ignore them. But this is perfect. The truth is out, and we finally don’t have to second-guess each other anymore. My best friend looked at me with immense sympathy. “Girl, the next one will be better.” Her expression made me laugh. But the next second, tears slid down my eyelashes and smashed onto the back of my hand. I tilted my head back and covered my eyes with the back of my hand. A deep sigh echoed in my ear. My parents saw the guests out. In the massive banquet hall, fewer than ten people remained. Only then did Liam’s parents come over and grab my hands. “Chloe, you’re a good girl. What happened today is entirely Liam’s fault.” “It’s also our fault for not disciplining our son properly.” “To think he’d do something like this with his college professor… Don’t worry, Auntie will handle them—” I cut Liam’s mother off. “Auntie, there’s no need.” “That is, after all, your biological grandchild. This is your family’s business; it’s not appropriate for the Davis family to interfere.” “It’s been a chaotic day, so I won’t walk you out.” My obvious gesture of showing them the door made the Hayes parents’ faces look extremely ugly. But they couldn’t utter a single word of protest. Before leaving, Liam’s father asked, refusing to give up: “Chloe, I’ll give you thirty percent of our shares in exchange for you giving the child legitimacy.” “From now on, you can just treat the child as adopted. Our two families can join forces to suppress this scandal…” I smiled. “Uncle Hayes, why should the Davis family sacrifice its reputation for your family’s scandal?” His face changed, filled with the embarrassment of being completely exposed. Seeing my resolute attitude, the two of them had no choice but to leave in disgrace. I never expected the next time I saw them… Would be at our college reunion. Liam and Elena stood openly in the middle of the private room. Accepting the flattery and congratulations of our classmates. “I can’t believe Liam is the second young master of the Hayes family! You hid it so well. You were just experiencing normal life, but the professor dragged you back down to earth?” “Professor, you really should have told us! You already have a kid, but you didn’t even invite us for a wedding drink.” Elena smiled gently and nodded. “You all know Liam’s identity is special. Drink whatever you want tonight; it’s our treat.” Chapter 2 Everyone cheered. Liam stood next to Elena the whole time without saying a word. But his right hand constantly rested on the baby, gently patting it. His face was filled with the soft glow of a new father. I clenched my fists, a relentless coldness seeping into my heart. Them so brazenly accepting congratulations was no different from slapping me in the face. For a moment, I found the scene before me incredibly comical. The man who almost became my fiancé yesterday. Was today receiving our classmates’ blessings with another woman and their child. My best friend, standing beside me, was even angrier than I was. So, she grabbed a glass of wine and walked over. Her tone was pure mockery. “I wonder when Professor Elena and Liam got married and had a kid?” She bit down hard on the words “married and had a kid.” Elena’s face changed, and everyone else’s gaze fixed on my best friend. She then dropped a bombshell. “Did you know Liam has always been engaged? Tell me, as a teacher, does it feel good to knowingly be the ‘other woman’?” Like thunder exploding in everyone’s ears. Everyone stared at Elena. The people who had just been congratulating her silently took a step back. Openly grouping together to whisper and gossip. Liam suddenly stepped in front of Elena, blocking those probing gazes. “Since you don’t know the truth, I advise you to keep your mouth shut and avoid causing trouble for yourself.” My best friend wasn’t intimidated by Liam’s warning in the slightest. Liam shot a vicious glare in my direction. Then he spoke. “Since it’s rare for everyone to gather, we might as well be transparent. I do have an engagement with Chloe Davis, but that was arranged by our elders. It doesn’t represent my personal wishes.” “As an independent person, I believe I have the right to pursue love.” “Unlike some people. The feudal era is over, yet they’re still playing the arranged marriage game. I will absolutely never let anyone bury my life in a forced marriage.” Liam slightly tilted his chin up. Exuding an arrogance built on wealth. A few of the female classmates looked ready to applaud and cheer for him. I didn’t expect that to divert attention, he would throw me to the wolves. He thought I was still that accommodating, yielding fiancée. I let out a cold laugh. And took a step forward. “Listening to you, it seems you completely reject the engagement. Why didn’t you refuse it earlier?” “Do I need to list out all the benefits the Hayes family extracted from the Davis family because of this engagement? That kid of yours is pretty big; it wasn’t born in a day, was it? Before the engagement party yesterday, you had countless opportunities to come clean, but you didn’t.” “Stop acting so noble and pure, Liam. You make me sick.” Liam stayed silent, his face looking awful. Elena, however, got anxious. “Chloe, things aren’t what you think. Liam wanted to tell you a long time ago, but you were preparing to go abroad. He was afraid it would affect your performance, so he planned to wait until you got back.” “But he was afraid you would blame him. He wasn’t completely without feelings for you back then.” “Keeping it from you was for your own good.” Hearing such high-sounding, hypocritical words coming from her mouth… Made me feel even more that these two were meant for each other. Equally nauseating. My best friend couldn’t hold back and unleashed her venomous tongue again. “Oh, so according to Professor Elena, Chloe should get on her knees and thank you two cheating scumbags?” “Shut up!” Liam was angry. “Elena and I did absolutely nothing while I was a student!” My best friend sneered. “So what? You can never change the fact that you were her student for the rest of your life!” Liam instinctively looked at me, opening his mouth as if trying to explain something. But ultimately, he could only grab Elena and leave. Chapter 3 Actually, Elena was originally my academic advisor. Later, during our sophomore year, Liam said he wanted to major in the same subject as me and transferred into our class. Then I noticed he frequently went to Elena’s office. Realizing something was off, I asked him about it once. He smiled and wrapped his arms around my waist. “My little jealous pot! I transferred to your class just so we could spend more time together.” “I have to catch up on the classes I missed, right? I can’t believe you doubt me!” I frowned. “Liam, I’m a woman too. The way Elena looks at you isn’t exactly innocent.” “You’re too possessive. Just because we’re together, does that mean no one else can even look at me?” “Chloe, your way of thinking is very dangerous.” At the time, I couldn’t tell if it was just my possessiveness acting up or something else. I didn’t dwell on it. But looking back now, Elena probably had her eyes on him from the very beginning. It was just that her position prevented her from making the first move. To be able to seduce Liam into risking having a child with her while he was engaged… that takes some skill. That very night, I packed up everything related to Liam. I thought about the expensive gifts for a moment. I packed them up and arranged for someone to return them to him the next day. But I didn’t expect that after receiving the items, Liam’s father would show up at my door again. “Chloe, look at these things. Liam really put a lot of thought into them back then.” “Which one of these doesn’t prove his feelings? It’s normal for young people to have a moment of confusion.” “Isn’t it normal to date a few people before getting married nowadays? For the sake of our families’ relationship, please reconsider? What Uncle said yesterday still stands. What do you think?” I pulled my lips into a mock smile. “Uncle Hayes, why don’t you ask Auntie? If you had a child with someone else before you got married, would she still have married you?” “Dating before marriage is normal now. But from the day our engagement was set, I haven’t had contact with any other guys, because in my eyes, I don’t want to hurt two people at the same time.” I didn’t expect Mr. Hayes to actually bring Liam along too. As soon as I finished speaking, he strode in from behind the door. “But you never asked me what happened back then! You never asked me why I had to do it!” “Chloe Davis, if I say I had my reasons, would you believe me?” “By taking this ‘cut the Gordian knot’ attitude now, aren’t you just hurting me in a different way?” I listened to everything he had to say. Maintaining my composure. “Liam, this is the last shred of dignity I’m giving you, and myself.” Liam completely broke down. Screaming without any regard for his image. “But I don’t want dignity! I want a wife who loves me deeply!” “I want to marry a living, breathing person, not a high-society heir who acts like a precision machine!” My heart suddenly clenched. So that was it. True, romance wasn’t the entirety of my life, but I had already given him everything I possibly could. I didn’t speak for a long time, the air seemingly frozen. Everyone thought I was indifferent. Only my mom saw my trembling back. She rushed down from the second floor and slapped Liam hard across the face. “How did the Hayes family raise such a heartless thing like you!” Liam instinctively shoved my mom. “I’ve never been hit by anyone my entire life. What gives you the right?!” “Let alone the fact that I’m not your Davis family’s son-in-law today—even if I were, try touching me again!” I stepped forward to support my mom, looking at Liam in shock. My mom’s raised hand was still trembling. But Liam was like a snapped bowstring. His voice hoarse. “If you hadn’t bound Chloe with all your rules, turning her into this rigid, inflexible person, how could we have missed our chance?” “This is all your fault!” Chapter 4 “Shut up!” “Liam, you have no right to point fingers at my mother.” “Get out of my house.” After Liam left, exhaustion seeped into every corner of my body. My mom hadn’t yet recovered from the shock. She just looked at me blankly. She wanted to say something, but ultimately kept her head down and went upstairs. I didn’t know how to comfort her. After Liam showed his hand, his affection for Elena and their child became increasingly undisguised. Not only did he register the child under the Hayes family name. He also got Elena a much more prestigious job. On her birthday, he even booked the hardest-to-get restaurant in the city and posted a photo of the two of them. Making sure everyone in our circle knew. Some friends who were close to me sent screenshots of his social media posts. 【Chloe, are you just going to let this go? You can tolerate this?】 I didn’t reply. I just silently clicked on the post. I noticed many people commenting underneath. Filled with mockery and sarcasm. 【Liam, you’re the man. Can’t believe you actually bagged your own professor.】 【If you didn’t want to marry Chloe, you should have said so earlier! You just wasted her time. Chloe is my ultimate crush.】 【A woman like this is just for playing around with. You actually brought her to the main table? Aren’t you embarrassed?】 Just as I was scrolling through the comments. A pinned comment suddenly appeared. 【Background doesn’t dictate ability. And Elena is my lover. Disrespecting her means disrespecting me.】 Then, those mocking comments disappeared. My gaze grew even colder. Liam was establishing dominance for Elena. And publicly slapping me in the face. What I never expected was that this wasn’t even the worst thing Liam would do. Because she was triggered by Liam last time, my mom hadn’t slept well for days. Today, she couldn’t even get out of bed. Terrified, I immediately contacted the hospital. And the best hospital for treating this kind of illness was owned by the Hayes family. Fighting back my trembling, I called Liam. I wanted him to arrange a doctor. But he hung up on me three times in a row. With no other choice, I had to take my mom to the emergency room first. But we couldn’t even get in. A young nurse looked at me nervously, apologizing profusely. “Ms. Davis, we really don’t have any beds available. The doctors are all busy. If you delay this any longer, I’m afraid it’ll be dangerous.” Of course I knew that, but right now, I had no better options. I could only try to negotiate with the nurse again. “I have—” I was about to say I had shares in the Hayes family hospital. But before I could get the words out, Liam loudly interrupted me. “No matter who comes today, the hospital’s rules cannot be bypassed.” “Chloe, didn’t you cut ties with the Hayes family a long time ago? Does it matter who you are anymore?” “I can let bygones be bygones and arrange a room and a doctor, but she must apologize!” Liam pointed at my mother in my arms. His eyes filled with resentment. Because of that slap last time, he held a grudge against the person who had cared for him for over a decade. My heart turned completely to ice. A stroke is no minor issue. I didn’t dare delay. I could only take a step back. “Liam, I’ll apologize to you, okay? For the sake of how my mom treated you all these years—” “No. She hit me and humiliated Elena. The fact that I’m not making her kneel is already me showing mercy.” Liam blocked the hallway, ignoring the stares of the people around us. Insisting my mom apologize. More and more people gathered to watch the drama. Just as everyone thought my mom would apologize. The sound of an ambulance suddenly rang out outside. Five or six doctors wearing uniforms from the best private hospital in North City bowed to me. And efficiently arranged everything. Before getting into the ambulance, I looked at Liam, who was frozen in place. I made a phone call right in front of his face. “Pull all cooperative projects with the Hayes Group.” “Within a month, I don’t want to see a single Hayes-affiliated company still turning a profit.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394624”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I knew Liam was going to confess his love to the new transfer student. Everyone was waiting for me to break down and make a huge scene. But I simply didn’t show up. At that moment, I was sitting on a bed wearing his roommate’s hoodie, Blinking innocently and asking: “I got your bed wet, what should we do?” Ethan looked away and tossed me a towel. “Go dry your hair first. I’ll change the sheets before you lie down again.” … Liam was planning to confess his love to the beautiful new transfer student. He had given everyone a heads-up beforehand, asking them to keep it a secret from me. But little did he know, those gossips couldn’t hold it in and had already leaked the news to me. The whole school knew how I felt about Liam; I practically wanted to marry him on the spot. This time, Liam had truly fallen for the transfer student. Everyone was waiting to see how I would hysterically crash the event. This kind of emotional drama always attracted the most attention. They all expected me to lose control and turn the scene into a chaotic mess. However, even after Liam successfully finished his confession, I never appeared. The dense crowd of onlookers gradually lost interest. Even Liam’s face didn’t show much joy. With his arm around his newly-won girlfriend, he pulled out his phone to check. The screen was empty, devoid of any calls or messages. Liam frowned slightly. Then he called out to the crowd: “Drinks are on me tonight! Everyone here is invited!” The gathered students immediately cheered in excitement. Only then did I slowly step out from the shadows of the bushes where I had been hiding. Someone sharp-eyed immediately shouted: “Chloe! Chloe is here!” “I knew it, how could Chloe possibly stay away?” Liam jerked his head up. The moment he saw me, the corner of his mouth ticked up almost imperceptibly. I ignored the people waiting to watch a joke and walked straight toward Liam. “Chloe.” Liam pulled his new girlfriend closer. He looked at me, his tone flat: “You can’t force feelings.” “We’ve known each other for so many years. I don’t want to say anything too harsh and ruin our past friendship.” “From now on, I’ll still treat you like a little sister.” “If you need help, you can still come to me.” With that, he lowered his voice: “There are so many people watching. Don’t throw a tantrum, just go back.” “Liam.” I interrupted him, taking a slow step forward. He frowned again: “Chloe, be reasonable.” I smiled faintly and handed him the bracelet I had just taken off my wrist. “I just came to give this back to you.” Seeing the bracelet, Liam’s face instantly darkened: “Chloe, what kind of trick are you playing now?” “Take the bracelet back, and from now on, I won’t bother you anymore.” Liam stared at me, his voice growing icy: “I don’t care about this little bit of money.” “If you don’t want it, just throw it away.” As soon as he finished speaking, I turned and tossed the bracelet into a nearby trash can. “You should throw away all the things I gave you before, too.” With those words, I left without looking back. Liam stood frozen in place until my figure completely disappeared. His expression remained incredibly ugly. A friend beside him quickly tried to smooth things over: “Hey, Chloe’s just trying to save face, putting up a front.” “Just wait and see, Liam. She’ll regret it tonight.” “Who knows, maybe right after we leave, she’ll come crying back to dig through the trash.” Hearing this, Liam sneered: “Let her make a fool of herself.” “If it weren’t for our families’ connections, who would want to deal with her.” “Alright, alright, don’t be mad. Tonight is for celebrating, don’t let her ruin the mood.” Liam glanced at his beautiful new girlfriend beside him. And completely pushed Chloe’s annoying face out of his mind. Anyway, by tomorrow, Chloe would be back to her usual self. Waiting for him downstairs at his dorm, pestering him to go to class together. He had seen this routine far too many times over the years. By the time I reached the riverbank, it was pouring rain. I stood in the rain holding an umbrella, recalling the dreams that had been repeating over the past few days. In my dreams, because of Liam confessing to Mia. I cried and made a scene. To force him to break up, I jumped into the river right here that very night. But what was the result? I nearly lost my life. Liam stayed with me at the hospital for only five minutes before leaving resolutely. The Hastings family, who had adopted me, felt my suicidal behavior was too embarrassing. And because of Liam’s cold attitude, they decided I was no longer useful to them. They forced me to drop out of school and sent me back to my biological parents, who were involved in every vice imaginable: drinking, gambling, and worse. In the end, my life spiraled downward, and I died in a strange place. After my death, the person who collected my broken remains was surprisingly the one I had always kept at a distance out of fear. Meanwhile, Liam, immersed in the sweetness of his new marriage, never appeared from beginning to end. These past few days, the events from my dreams have come true one by one. If it weren’t for those dreams, right now I would probably be frantically calling Liam’s phone. Then, threatening suicide, preparing to jump. I am so grateful for this dream, which felt like a rebirth. Allowing me to rewrite my destined tragic fate step by step. On the third attempt dialing that number, he finally answered. I gripped the phone tightly, pressing it gently to my ear. The name Ethan hovered on my lips for a long time before I slowly spoke it. The torrential rain drowned out all the noise of the world. Only Ethan’s voice, tinged with a bit of laziness, sounded deep and low: “Chloe?” “Ethan, it’s raining really hard.” “I’m stuck by the river and can’t get back. Can you come pick me up?” There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. I gripped the umbrella handle nervously, my palms sweaty. In my dream, when Ethan collected my remains, he seemed to have cried. His tears fell drop by drop onto my decaying body and stark white bones. I could feel that burning heat even in the dream. Later, he carried a small vial of my ashes with him for the rest of his life. And lived a lonely life. I couldn’t help but shed tears, my voice choking with emotion. “Why are you crying.” Ethan’s voice suddenly came through. Still that same cold tone, even carrying a hint of impatience. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t come get you.” “Then when can you get here?” “Wait there. Twenty minutes.” “Okay, then I’ll wait for you, Ethan.” He didn’t say anything more and hung up. Fifteen minutes later, I gave my umbrella to a mother and son taking shelter from the rain. So when Ethan arrived, I was already soaked to the bone. When he got out of the car, his thin lips were tightly pursed, his face as cold as a layer of frost. I pushed aside my wet bangs, looked up at him, and smiled brightly: “Ethan, you’re so punctual.” “Chloe, you might as well just die of stupidity.” With a cold face, he grabbed my arm and stuffed me into the car. Then he threw a soft blanket at me. “Dry yourself off. Don’t get my car dirty.” He glanced at me through the rearview mirror, then neatly turned the car around. “Okay.” I obediently wrapped myself in the blanket. And couldn’t resist sneaking peeks at him while he focused on driving. When he was expressionless, he always seemed aloof and unapproachable. There were quite a few girls in school who liked him, but none dared to confess. He and Liam were roommates. I used to go to Liam’s dorm often, and every time I did, Ethan seemed very annoyed with me. Just like now. Even though he came to pick me up, his attitude was still icy. When he shoved me into the car just now, his grip was incredibly strong. My wrist was still throbbing, marked by a red ring. No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t see that he had secretly liked me all along. I slowly lowered my head, my eyelashes fluttering slightly. The events from the dream hadn’t missed a beat. But now, so many things were different from before. Would Ethan… still care about me? If he didn’t actually like me, and I was clinging to him like this, was I making things difficult for him again? “Going back to your dorm?” Ethan suddenly turned his head and glanced at me. My heart gave a thump. My brain short-circuited, and I blurted out: “No, let’s go to your place.” He gripped the steering wheel, letting out a light chuckle: “Liam isn’t coming back tonight.” “I know.” I clutched the edge of the blanket, my fingers twisting it until my knuckles turned white. “I’m not going there to see him.” The car braked abruptly, pulling over to the side of the road. He turned and stared at me, his eyes as cold as ice, sending a chill down my spine. “Chloe, don’t use me as a prop for your little games.” “I didn’t mean it like that…” He didn’t speak, just stared at me for a few seconds before pulling out his phone. “I’ll call you a car, you go back yourself.” “Ethan…” I bit my lower lip, my hands acting faster than my brain. With a whoosh, I snatched his phone away. “Chloe.” He looked at me, his face showing neither anger nor disgust. Just a very deep look, like a pool of dark water, swirling with emotions I couldn’t decipher. My nose suddenly stung, and my eyes grew hot. “Ethan, I don’t want to go back to the dorm… they always laugh at me.” “And home… I don’t dare go back there either.” “Can I… just stay at your place for one night…” I hid the phone behind my back, my voice growing softer and softer. “Of course, if you really find me annoying and don’t want to see me… then never mind.” As the last word fell, tears slid down my cheeks. One after another, so quietly that not even the sound of breathing could be heard. Ethan didn’t say another word. But he restarted the engine and stepped on the gas. The car drove all the way back to campus, finally parking steadily under his dorm building. I followed him into the building. He opened his closet, pulled out a clean hoodie, and handed it to me: “Bathroom’s over there.” He was tall; the hoodie dragged down to my knees when I put it on, like a dress. After showering, I just slipped on the hoodie and walked out bare-legged. Ethan glanced at me and immediately looked away. I walked past Liam’s bed and sat on the edge of Ethan’s bed. My wet hair was still dripping, and soon dark patches seeped into the bedsheets. I smelled completely of the shampoo and body wash Ethan used. In the small room, the scents slowly mingled. Like an invisible, warm breath quietly slipping into the air. Ethan pulled out a pack of cigarettes and cleared his throat: “I’m going outside for a smoke.” He went to the balcony. I curiously observed his bed— Light pink sheets and quilt, neatly arranged. A laptop and a few books on the desk, spotless. Just as I was leaning in to look at the small trinkets on the desk, My phone suddenly vibrated with a buzz. Two words danced on the screen: Liam. I didn’t answer. He immediately called again, over and over, endlessly. I simply muted it and shoved the phone into my bag. “Ethan!” I called out toward the balcony. He immediately turned, put out his cigarette, and walked back in: “What’s wrong?” I was sitting on his bed and had to look up to see him. He met my gaze for two seconds, then quickly looked away. But I caught a glimpse of his ears quietly turning red. “I got your bedsheets wet… where are you going to sleep tonight?” He looked at me, then looked down at the water stains on the sheets. His Adam’s apple bobbed. He turned, grabbed a towel, and handed it to me: “You dry your hair first. I’ll change the sheets before you lie down again.” With that, he went to the cabinet to find fresh sheets. I gripped the towel, thinking of how red his ears had been just now, and couldn’t help but curve the corners of my mouth. By the time I came out after drying my hair, he had already changed the sheets. “You should sleep.” “What about you?” He pulled out his chair and sat down, not looking up: “I’ll play some games for a bit.” “Oh.” I flopped listlessly onto his bed. Just as he pulled out his headphones, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, looked up at me, and then answered the call. “Liam, what’s up?” My heart gave a sharp tug, and I didn’t even dare to breathe. “Yeah, I’m in the dorm.” “Who saw Chloe come to our building?” He looked at me again, his lips parting slightly, just about to speak— I suddenly stood up, straddled his lap, and wrapped my arms around his neck. Just as he was about to push me away, I leaned close to his ear and whispered: “Ethan, just say I’m not here.” My fingertips touched the skin on the back of his neck; it was terrifyingly hot. I clearly saw the veins on the side of his neck bulge, his Adam’s apple sliding up and down violently. The sound of his heartbeat pounded against my chest through our clothes. I looked up at him, and he looked down at me. His eyes slowly changed, growing dark and heated. “No, I’ve been here the whole time.” “She didn’t come here. Yeah, ask someone else.” With that, he hung up the phone directly. Tossing the phone aside, one hand slipped past the fabric of the hoodie and firmly grasped my waist. With a forceful press, he pulled me securely into his embrace. My entire body went numb, a boom sounding in my ears. My first instinct was to run. But Ethan held me tighter, his voice incredibly hoarse: “Chloe.” He called my name, his voice low and deep, like sandpaper scraping against my eardrums. I froze completely in his arms. The hand on my waist was scorching hot like a branding iron, transmitting continuous heat through the thin fabric of the hoodie. I could feel the rise and fall of his chest, and that heartbeat thumping like a drum. Thump, thump, making my heart race. “Chloe, do you know what you’re doing?” I couldn’t tell the emotion in his voice; it was just very heavy, pressing down on me so I could barely breathe. I looked up, crashing into his unfathomable eyes. Too many emotions I couldn’t understand were churning in them, looking as if they wanted to suck me in. I didn’t make a sound, just stubbornly looked back at him. “Playing me?” The grip on my waist tightened, almost crushing me. It hurt. But I didn’t pull away. “No.” I finally found my voice, a little shaky. “Ethan, I’m not playing you.” He let out a scoff, a laugh full of mockery. “Then what are you doing? Liam doesn’t want you, so you find a random stand-in?” “Liam’s roommate, close at hand, very convenient, right?” His words were like knives, stabbing into my heart one by one. In my dream, he was like this too. He always felt that I approached him for Liam’s sake. So he always suppressed his feelings, not daring to show the slightest bit. My nose stung, and tears almost fell again. “That’s not it.” My arms around his neck tightened, and I buried my face in the crook of his neck, my voice muffled. “I’m tired, Ethan.” “Chasing after someone who doesn’t love me is really tiring.” “I don’t want to live that kind of life anymore.” His body noticeably stiffened. The grip on my waist also loosened a bit. I could smell the faint scent of tobacco on him, mixed with the same body wash fragrance as mine. A very strange combination, yet it made me feel inexplicably at peace. “And then?” he asked. “And then, I want to switch to someone else.” I looked up, meeting his gaze directly, speaking every word with utmost sincerity. “Ethan, I want to switch to you. Can I?” The air was frighteningly quiet. I could even hear the rustling of the wind blowing through the leaves outside the window. He didn’t speak, just stared at me. That look was too complex—there was scrutiny, doubt, and a trace of something I didn’t dare confirm… anticipation. I was so nervous my palms were sweating, my heart about to jump out of my throat. If he refused… If he pushed me away… I didn’t know if I’d have the courage to try again. Just when I couldn’t hold on much longer, he suddenly lowered his head. Something warm pressed against my lips. My mind went blank, completely stunned. His kiss wasn’t gentle at all. With a somewhat punishing force, he bit at my lips. I let out a pained “Mm” and tried to pull back. He used the momentum to deepen the kiss, his other hand cupping the back of my head, not letting me retreat. The tip of his tongue pried open my teeth, aggressive and undeniable, conquering my defenses. I was dizzy from his kiss, my whole body going soft. I could only cling to his shoulders to barely maintain my balance. I don’t know how long it took before he finally let me go. I gasped for air, my lips numb and aching. His forehead rested against mine, his breathing also a bit unsteady. “Chloe, have you thought this through?” “Yes.” I nodded, my voice terribly hoarse. “No regrets?” “No regrets.” He stared at me steadily for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled. That was the first time I saw him smile. Not a cold smile, nor a mocking one. A genuine, heartfelt smile. Though faint, warmth colored the corners of his eyes and brows. “Okay.” He only said one word. But it was like a grand fireworks display going off in my heart. I couldn’t help but smile too, reaching out to touch his flushed earlobe. “Your ear is so hot.” His body paused. He grabbed my hand, his eyes growing deep again. “Don’t move.” I obediently said “Oh,” not daring to act up again. He lifted me off his lap and stood up. “You sleep in the bed.” “What about you?” I followed behind him like a little tail. He pulled a blanket from his closet and tossed it onto Liam’s empty bed. “I’ll sleep here.” “Oh.” I climbed into his bed and ducked under the covers. The blanket was full of his pleasant scent, making me feel very secure. He lay on the bed opposite, turning on his side to look at me. Only a dim desk lamp was on in the dorm, the lighting very low. We just looked at each other quietly from a short distance away. “Ethan.” “Hmm?” “When… when did you start liking me?” He was silent for a while. “Don’t remember.” “Liar.” “Go to sleep.” He rolled over, his back to me. I pouted and lay down too. Although he didn’t say it, I knew it must have been a long time. So long that even he had forgotten when his heart first fluttered. Just as I was groggily falling asleep, my phone buzzed again. I picked it up to look; it was a WeChat message from Liam. [Chloe, what the hell are you throwing a tantrum about?] [Is this fun?] [Call me back immediately.] Looking at those few lines, I only found it ridiculous. Before, any casual sentence from him could tug at all my emotions. Now, only annoyance remained. I was just about to block him when Ethan suddenly sat up on the opposite bed. He walked over to my bed and held out his hand to me. “Give me your phone.” I froze for a moment, then obediently handed him the phone. He took the phone, his fingers swiping across the screen a few times. Then, right in front of me, he blocked and deleted Liam’s WeChat, phone number, and all other contact information. After doing all this, he handed the phone back to me. “From now on, don’t cry over him again.” Looking at him, a soft spot in my heart melted. “Okay.” He ruffled my hair, turned, and went back to his own bed. “Go to sleep, we have classes tomorrow.” “Goodnight, Ethan.” “Goodnight.” That night, I slept exceptionally peacefully. No nightmares, no waking up with a start. The next morning, I was woken up by a commotion. “Ethan! Open the door! I know you’re in there!” It was Liam’s voice. Liam’s exasperated yelling came from outside the door, each shout louder than the last. I instinctively grabbed the blanket tightly, my heart pounding. Ethan had already sat up, his face expressionless, but his brows were furrowed, clearly annoyed by the noise. He casually grabbed a T-shirt from his chair, pulled it on, and got out of bed. “Don’t open the door…” I whispered, a little panicked. With Liam’s temper, if he saw me here, who knows what kind of scene he’d make. Ethan looked back at me, his eyes calm, and that sense of security inexplicably calmed me down. He didn’t speak, just walked straight over and pulled the door open. As soon as the door opened, Liam rushed in like a gust of wind. “Ethan, let me tell you, Chloe she…” His words came to an abrupt halt when he clearly saw the situation in the dorm. When he saw me huddled under Ethan’s covers, with only my head showing, he completely froze. The air seemed to solidify. A few seconds later, Liam’s face turned from white to pale blue, then from pale blue to black, as colorful as a painter’s palette. He pointed at me, his fingers trembling, unable to speak for a long time. Finally, he whipped around to face Ethan, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists. “Ethan, what the fuck is the meaning of this?” Ethan leaned against the doorframe, his expression impassive. “Exactly what you see.” Liam’s eyes instantly turned red, like an enraged bull. “You don’t mess with a friend’s girl. Don’t you know the rules? She’s mine!” “She’s not.” Ethan’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear. “Hasn’t been since yesterday.” “You!” Liam was furious to the point of incoherence. He shoved Ethan aside and rushed to the bed in a few strides. “Chloe! Get the hell out here! To spite me, you’d really do anything!” He reached out to grab my arm. Before his hand could touch me, it was intercepted by another, stronger hand. Ethan gripped his wrist, the force so strong that Liam’s face contorted. “Liam, don’t touch her.” Ethan’s voice was freezing cold. I threw off the covers and got out of bed. I was still wearing Ethan’s oversized hoodie. The sleeves were so long they covered my hands, and the hem just barely covered my thighs. I walked over to Ethan and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. “Liam, are you misunderstanding something?” I looked at him calmly. “We have nothing to do with each other anymore.” “Nothing to do with each other?” Liam looked like he had heard a huge joke. “Chloe, don’t play this game with me! You think finding a random guy will make me jealous? Does degrading yourself feel good?” His words were ugly, every syllable laced with poison. In the past, I would probably have broken down crying. But now, my heart was completely peaceful, I even wanted to laugh a little. “I was pretty stupid before.” I looked at him, enunciating each word clearly, “But I’m not blind.” “You…” Liam’s face flushed a deep purplish-red. “Who I’m with is my own business.” I pulled at the overly long sleeves, hiding my hands. “It has nothing to do with you anymore.” “Chloe!” Liam threw off Ethan’s hand and roared, “Do you have to do this? Our relationship of so many years, you’re just cutting it off like that?” “Your relationship was given to someone else in front of the whole school yesterday.” Ethan took a step forward, blocking me behind him. He was half a head taller than Liam, looking down at him with cold eyes. “Now, get out.” “Ethan, you’ve got some nerve.” Liam pointed at him, then pointed at me, laughing in anger. “You two just wait.” He dropped this harsh threat and slammed the door as he left. The massive sound of the door closing echoed in the dorm, making my ears ring.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394623”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When Arthur Sterling pushed off getting married yet again, I decided to move back to my village. Before leaving, we had a “breakup hookup.” At the height of our passion, his voice was hoarse. “You don’t need to use a breakup to force me. I told you, when the time is right, I will marry you.” Later, I hopped on a little motorized rickshaw back to my village and completely vanished. But he went crazy looking for me. My phone was bombarded with text messages. 【Don’t let me find you, or I’ll kill you.】 【Send me your location. Let’s talk this out calmly.】 【Baby, I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please don’t leave me…】 1 My mom started pressuring me to get married again. I sat in front of Arthur Sterling’s desk and asked him. “When exactly are you going to marry me?” He lifted his eyelids and glared at me. “It’s working hours right now. Let’s not discuss personal matters.” “Redo this proposal. It’s too cliché, no originality.” I suspected he was subtly insulting me. Suppressing my emotions, I walked out of the office. My colleagues crowded around. “Did the Grim Reaper chew you out?” I kept my head down and said nothing, silently confirming it. I’ve been with Arthur for three years, and we’ve kept it an absolute secret. By day, he’s the aloof, ruthless Grim Reaper. By night, he’s an insatiable, devoted wolf dog. Besides me, no one has ever seen this contrast. He treats me very well. He gives me whatever I want, except for marriage. But my mom says that if a man loves you, he should marry you. Not drag things out like this. My mom also mentioned that a lot of high-quality young men are returning to the countryside to support agricultural development. So, I decided to move back to my village. The big city is too cold and ruthless. It’s better to be comforted by the simple, earthy vibe of the countryside. That night, I went back to Arthur’s massive villa. As soon as I walked in, he pinned me against the door. Kissing me urgently. I tilted my head back and responded. Between breaths, I said it again. “If we’re not getting married, let’s just break up.” Arthur’s eyes were hazy with lust. He crushed my words with his actions. At the height of our passion. His voice was intoxicating: “You don’t need to use a breakup to force me. I told you, when the time is right, I will marry you.” “And you don’t need to constantly test me. My patience is limited.” His body arched into mine. I took that as his tacit agreement to break up. I bought a ticket back to my village for a month later. Before going home, I needed to sell all the luxury goods and real estate Arthur had given me. Combined with my salary from the past few years, my secret stash was very impressive. I’d have enough to build a nice house in the village, raise some pigs, chickens, and cows. It was enough for me to live comfortably for the rest of my life. When I submitted my resignation letter. Arthur still thought I was throwing a tantrum. He called me into his office. His face was dark as he pulled down the blinds. “Chloe, it’s one thing to act up usually, but now you dare threaten me with resignation?” “Are you going to throw away years of hard work for a man?” Who else but me knew that the “man” he was talking about was himself. I sat politely in front of him. “Mr. Sterling, it’s working hours right now. Let’s not mix in personal feelings.” “I have other career plans. I hope you will approve my resignation, Mr. Sterling.” A long silence followed. Arthur let out a soft scoff. “Chloe, I have to remind you. A woman needs her career. Worrying about personal gains and losses will only push your partner further away. With your current abilities, working at Sterling Corp is your absolute ceiling.” He was right. With my educational background, I wouldn’t even be able to get an interview at other major companies. If it weren’t for Arthur, I wouldn’t have a place at Sterling Corp. But for a woman like me, who isn’t incredibly career-driven. What did that matter? I was planning to go back to the village anyway. The deception and scheming of the big city had exhausted me. I repeated myself. “I hope you will approve my resignation, Mr. Sterling.” Arthur’s aura turned dark and hostile, and he finally dropped one sentence. “You’d better not regret this.” He probably didn’t know. I never do things I’ll regret. 2 With Arthur’s authorization. The handover period was shortened from a month to a week. I had plenty of time to pack my things. While Arthur was at work. I called an appraiser and sold all my jewelry. After a mid-eight-figure sum hit my account. I felt my future looking brighter by the second. I asked my mom to start lining up blind dates for me in advance. I wanted my schedule packed as soon as I got home. So I wouldn’t even have time to experience any so-called “withdrawal.” After I quit, Arthur started coming home later and later. Once, I even found an opened box of ultra-thin condoms in his suit pocket. I didn’t expose him; I just quietly put it away for him. He was more concerned about his personal health than I was. I wasn’t worried about catching any diseases. But he seemed unhappy. The usually calm and collected Arthur would throw fits for no reason. Complaining that I was brushing him off. Complaining that I was too cold towards him. I could only coax him. I catered to his every whim, wanting to leave a good impression before I went back to the village. I stopped mentioning breaking up and stopped getting jealous over nothing. Until one time, he got drunk and pinned me to the bed. He asked me softly. “Chloe, do you not love me anymore?” My heart trembled. Love? I loved him quite a bit. But I only had a few years of my youth. I couldn’t afford to waste them. He made it sound like I was the bad guy. I raised my hand and stroked his brow. “Then why won’t you marry me?” Arthur’s voice was hoarse. “I never said I wouldn’t marry you, it’s just right now…” I kissed him, cutting him off. I didn’t want to hear the word “just.” Once that word comes out. The result no longer matters. Reluctant probing only turns you into a joke. In the villa, I had a lot of stuff. So much that my traces were in every corner. But in the end, I only packed a small suitcase. I figured, once I was gone. Arthur would definitely have the housekeeper thoroughly throw away all my things. Whether it was people or things, he was always cold-blooded and ruthless. A week before heading back to the village. I attended my best friend’s wedding. Seeing her in her wedding dress, I was so moved I cried like a baby. When she handed her bouquet directly to me. The first person that popped into my head was Arthur. But he didn’t want to marry me. Probably because I was from a rural background and we weren’t a good match socially. I heard people like them all had to enter arranged marriages. The wedding banquet ended. Arthur, in a rare move, came to pick me up. Opening the car door, he immediately spotted the bouquet in my hand. I quickly explained. “I don’t mean anything by this, don’t misunderstand.” “It’s just a simple blessing; my best friend shoved it into my hands.” The light in Arthur’s eyes dimmed. The drive was silent. I accidentally spotted a lipstick on the floorboard. It wasn’t mine. I picked it up and put it in the center console. Screech— Arthur slammed on the brakes, his voice a low growl. “Chloe! Is that yours? You’re not even asking anymore?” I was a bit stunned by his yelling. I was being so understanding. What was he throwing a tantrum about? My tone held a hint of displeasure, but I went along with his words and asked. “Then whose is it?” Arthur gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white. “My mom’s.” “Oh, your mom’s.” “You…” The engine restarted. Arthur’s face was incredibly dark. As soon as we got home, he locked himself in his study. I was confused. I sent a message to my mom. 【Mom, the blind date has to have a good temper.】 After sending it, I added another sentence. 【And he needs to have abs.】 He didn’t come back to the bedroom that night. I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Feeling an empty void in my heart. 3 I met Arthur right after I graduated. At the time, I was going to Sterling Corp for an interview, and he pressed the elevator button for me. My strong Southern accent left a deep impression on him. Because of that, Sterling Corp made an exception and hired me. Everyone said Arthur was a living Grim Reaper who shouldn’t be messed with. But I was bolder than the sky and completely mesmerized by his looks. After a business dinner, I voluntarily got into his car. And confessed my feelings to him. Arthur was stunned for a good while. Then he told me. “Office romances are strictly forbidden. You’ll be fired.” I didn’t care. “Just don’t let anyone know. You’re the boss, no one dares fire you.” And so, we got together. One bold move traded for a few years of living like a wealthy socialite. Thanks to Arthur. My work abilities skyrocketed over the past few years. And I gained a lot of worldly experience. He was a major benefactor in my life. But not “the one.” Seeing my peers in the village already having kids. My mom started pressuring me too. I tentatively asked Arthur about it. He always said the time wasn’t right. I didn’t know when his “right time” would ever come. But people around me were settling down one by one. And I started having thoughts of marriage too. After being rejected time and time again when I wanted an official title. He got annoyed, and I got tired. While aimlessly scrolling through short videos. I saw videos of idyllic, pastoral life and suddenly yearned for it. The seed of returning to the village was planted right then. 4 The day before I was scheduled to leave. I personally cooked a table full of food. Hoping to give him a proper goodbye. I texted Arthur in advance, asking him to come home early. My message went unanswered. My calls went to voicemail. I waited until 9 PM. He still hadn’t come home. I took a cab to his company. My colleagues said Arthur had left in the afternoon. I felt displeased. Seriously, after I quit. I didn’t even know his whereabouts anymore. I waited all night. The food on the table went cold. I felt miserable. I didn’t expect that his “stay safe” yesterday morning would be his last words to me. A wave of sourness washed over my heart. I grabbed my small suitcase. Took one last look at the villa. And got into the car heading to the airport. Before boarding. I was still hoping Arthur would reply to my message. But he didn’t. I scrolled through short videos to distract myself. And stumbled upon a video posted locally. No one’s face was shown in the video. But I recognized those hands perfectly. I bought the plain platinum ring on his ring finger. The creator of the video was a woman. So Arthur didn’t come home because he was eating French food with another woman. Thinking about how I spent the whole afternoon cooking sweet and sour pork, braised eggplant, and stew for him yesterday… My heart ached. Clutching my chest, tears fell silently. Before boarding. I messaged my mom. 【Mom, I’ll be home tomorrow. Can you set up a blind date for tomorrow night?】 After sending it, I turned off my phone, swapped in a new SIM card. And blocked all of Arthur’s contact information while I was at it. The plane took off and landed. After getting off the plane, I had to take a coach bus to the county town. Then transfer from the county town to a motorized rickshaw to get to my village. I was drowsy the whole trip. My mind was full of Arthur. Deeply affectionate, coldly distant, intoxicatingly passionate. I couldn’t shake him off no matter how hard I tried. Arriving at the village entrance. Smelling the earthy scent hitting my face, mixed with a bit of chicken manure. It was a familiar smell. My heart slowly settled down. Every time I come home, it feels like my soul is being cleansed. The villagers are simple. There’s no scheming or backstabbing. And families don’t have so many rigid rules. My mom was right. A large group of high-quality young men had indeed flooded into the village to support agriculture. Youthful, energetic, sunny, and thoughtful. With plenty of time on my hands. I drafted blueprints, planning to build a two-story house. I bought a dog, chickens, cows, and sheep. My days were fulfilling. But when night fell. I would think of Arthur. Thinking of him made my heart ache. Like something was physically squeezing it. I also met a few blind dates. Wasn’t satisfied with any of them. Once you’ve had top-tier, ordinary just doesn’t cut it anymore. The only one who was somewhat decent turned out to like men. And so, three months passed. Under my day-and-night supervision, the two-story house was built. It was also at this time. An unknown number called. I swiped to answer. And spoke politely. “Hello.” As soon as I spoke, a roar nearly shattered my eardrum. “Chloe! It really is you!” Scared, I hung up immediately. He called again. I hung up again. And blocked the number. The other side used a different number and called again. I just turned off my phone entirely. I hadn’t heard Arthur’s voice in so long. My heart was pounding out of my chest. Damn it. Why did he have to mess with me right when I was living my best life? I thought about it over and over. I didn’t seem to owe him anything. I had informed him when we broke up. I wanted a farewell dinner, but he was the one who didn’t come home. I had nothing to feel guilty about. I turned my phone back on. A flood of text messages popped up. 【Chloe, don’t let me find you, or I’ll kill you.】 【You fucking leave without a word. Couldn’t you just talk to me?】 【Turning off your phone, huh! I’ll dig three feet underground to drag you out!】 【……】 There were too many messages. It was hard for me to imagine what state the usually cold and aloof Arthur was in to type such manic messages. When I was with him. Besides seeing him lose his temper at work, he was actually very good to me in private. I involuntarily shivered. Winter wasn’t even here yet, but I felt a chill in the air.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394622”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I had a dream. In it, the year I turned twenty, I became the “fake” daughter. I was kicked out of the Vance family with nothing but the clothes on my back. The real daughter quickly took my place, effortlessly winning everyone’s affection. I became the designated foil—the trainwreck. No matter what I tried, I failed. Meanwhile, she just got brighter and brighter. Eventually, I hit rock bottom. I became the mistress of a balding, old rich guy just to survive. I didn’t know he was abusive. He eventually started passing me around to other men to seal his business deals. Then I caught something disgusting. The old man refused to pay for treatment. I withered away in pain and rot. While I was dying, the real daughter married the man I had worshipped from afar—the ultimate titan of industry, Silas Thorne. Hearing that news was the last thing I did before I took my final breath. My life ended like a piece of rough, scribbled-out scrap paper. It was so ludicrous I woke up laughing. Wiping tears from the corners of my eyes, I reached out and took a stack of documents handed to me. “I’ll sign. I’m cutting all ties with the Vance family.” Chapter 1 “I’ll sign.” Saying those words felt like a physical weight lifting off me. Like I had just broken free from some invisible, suffocating shackle. “Harper, I am so disappointed in you. If you keep making this difficult, I’m just going to despise you more…” Mrs. Vance’s cold, elegant voice cut off abruptly. “What did you say?” I looked at that beautiful face, one that had once looked at me with unconditional adoration, and swallowed the bitter lump in my throat. I swallowed the word “Mom” right along with it. I didn’t repeat myself. I just picked up the pen, found the signature lines in the thick stack of paperwork, and wrote my name, stroke by stroke: Harper. Just as they wanted, I no longer carried the Vance name. “Here.” I handed the stacked documents back to her. By then, her cold expression had been replaced by stark astonishment. She looked like she couldn’t believe it had gone this smoothly. She had actually brought bodyguards just in case I refused. “Do you even know what these are?” I said softly, “Mostly transfers of stock options and property deeds, and a total severance of my relationship with the Vances.” Grace Vance opened her mouth, then paused. “Since you aren’t biologically mine, we have to correct this. We need to put everything back on the right track. I hope you can understand.” I looked at the bodyguards standing behind her and suddenly felt drained. “I understand.” Whether I understood or not was irrelevant. Even if I hadn’t agreed, someone would have forced my hand eventually. I really thought I had just had a ridiculous, vivid nightmare. Until my twentieth birthday, when a girl who looked exactly like Grace Vance showed up at our front door, claiming she was the real Vance daughter. Everything that happened after that matched the dream point for point. Compared to the real heiress, I—who had been raised on purely curated resources—had nothing to offer but a pretty face. The real heiress, having returned from the slums, was sharp, beautiful, resilient, and capable. She was accepted immediately. When she pointed a finger at me, her eyes filled with an endless, burning resentment, she had sobbed, “I want her gone.” “Every time I look at her, I remember that she stole twenty years of my life. I just…” She broke down before she could finish. Eleazar and Grace Vance were so full of guilt and pity for her that they agreed on the spot. Even my younger brother, whom I had practically raised, stood by her side. “Don’t cry. You’re my only real sister now.” They looked at me like I was a thief. “Harper, you need to leave.” The me in the dream couldn’t believe that the family I had lived with for twenty years, who had supposedly loved me so much, could discard me just like that. I had cried hysterically, but no one cared. To stay in the house, I deliberately took a freezing cold bath, hoping to get sick so they couldn’t kick me out. A common cold was cured too quickly, so I tried a hunger strike next. None of it earned me a single ounce of mercy. It only made them more determined to cut ties. The real daughter had kicked open my bedroom door, jealousy flashing in her eyes for a second before she satisfied herself looking at my things. “Harper, you should be grateful you got to steal twenty years of my luxury. Now, Mom and Dad aren’t just kicking you out; they’re taking back everything they ever gave you. It’s time you learned what life is like at the bottom.” “No, Mom and Dad wouldn’t do that to me,” I had denied, unable to accept it. I had been pampered and arrogant for twenty years. Forcing me into poverty was worse than killing me. The Vance family was a massive empire; what was one more daughter to them? I was beautiful. Many wealthy men liked me. I could at least be useful for a strategic marriage alliance. Yes, that’s what I thought. I needed to go tell them I was still useful. “Stop right there.” The real daughter grabbed me. “Don’t flatter yourself. You fawned over Silas Thorne for years, and he never even gave you a second glance, did he?” “I, on the other hand, have only been back a few days, and Silas has already asked me to dinner.” Looking at me, she sneered, “A fake is always a fake.” In the dream, hearing that Silas treated her differently made me snap. I raised my hand and slapped her across the face. She immediately grabbed my hair, and we got into a vicious hair-pulling fight, tumbling right down the grand staircase together. When I woke up, I knew those weren’t just dreams. It was a life I had already lived. Chapter 2 Grace Vance took the documents back, still looking a bit dazed. “Mrs. Vance, may I leave now?” Her head snapped up, staring at me. “What did you just call me?” I lowered my head, avoiding her eyes, and gave her a slight bow. “Thank you for taking care of me all these years, Grace.” Her voice trembled, a mix of anger and disappointment. “My daughter was right. Blood tells. You really are an ungrateful brat.” I raised my head, wanting to argue. Aren’t you the ones discarding me? But then I saw something that wasn’t in the dream. Grace’s eyes were red. There was none of the disgust or utter resoluteness that had heartbroken me every time I remembered the dream. Instead, I saw a familiar warmth and reluctance to let go. What was going on? I cooperate perfectly, and now she feels sad? I didn’t let myself get sucked back in by her sudden sentimentality. As long as the “real” daughter was in the Vance family, there would never be a place for me. “I’m sorry,” I said softly. Grace stood up, shaking off her momentary loss of composure, returning to her usual elegant, icy demeanor. “Go. Pack your things. You can take your essentials.” Different again. In the dream, on the day I was kicked out, they hadn’t let me take anything but the clothes on my back. I wasn’t going to be proud and stupid. “Thank you.” I packed a few favorite outfits, a bag I used daily, and my toiletries. It filled one large suitcase. When I struggled to drag the suitcase downstairs, the real daughter, Bridget, insisted on inspecting it. She wanted to make sure I hadn’t stolen anything I shouldn’t have. In her eyes, I was a thief. I stole her life, and now I was stealing the Vance wealth. When she saw the suitcase contained nothing but simple daily items, Grace finally frowned and snapped, “Enough!” It was the first time Bridget had been scolded since her return. Her eyes went red, and she bit her lip, letting silent tears flow. “This family has been too good to her already.” Grace sighed, ultimately siding with her biological child. She turned to me, offering a final warning. “Harper, since you’ve signed the severance agreement, we are strangers if we meet again. You are absolutely forbidden from using the Vance name or reputation out there.” Even knowing Grace was cutting me off, hearing it said like that made my heart feel like it was being stuck by needles. “Understood.” I was right not to take any jewelry or valuables. Once I was a good distance away from the Vance estate, I couldn’t pretend to be strong anymore. I let go of the suitcase handle and squatted down on the sidewalk. Actually, when I fell down the stairs with Bridget in the dream, I had broken a rib. Every word I had spoken to Grace just now had been through absolute agony. I knew that even if I showed pain, they would have just thought I was faking it—another tactic to manipulate my way back into the Vance house. I wasn’t going to be that greedy, pathetic clown from the dream again. This time, I was leaving with my dignity intact. And I was going to survive. Chapter 3 Trembling, I pulled out my phone. My instinct was to call my close friends. No. Stop. My hand shook, and the phone slid out of my grasp, clattering onto the concrete. I remembered segments from the dream. After being kicked out by the Vances. I swallowed my pride and begged my former friends to let me crash with them for a few days. Every single one refused. They even blocked my number. When I was truly backed into a corner, I ran into someone who used to constantly hit on me. I thought I had found a savior. Instead, he dragged me into a VIP booth at a club and humiliated me for his friends. “Harper Vance, didn’t you used to love making people bark like dogs for your amusement? Why don’t you get down on your knees and bark three times right now, and maybe we’ll help you.” “Oh, wait, make her finish this whole bottle of tequila first, then make her bark.” A crony, whose name I couldn’t even recall, had looked at me with disgusting lust. “Our little princess is homeless. How tragic. Why don’t you come live with me? I’ll give you $500 a week. How about it?” Those vile words felt like they were being whispered in my ear right now. I covered my ears, shaking my head violently. That night in the dream, they had forced so much alcohol down my throat. Someone took the chance to get revenge and violently squeezed my injured rib, causing internal bleeding that put me in the hospital. It had hurt so much. Just breathing was agony. The physical pain, mixed with the utter terror of abandonment, finally made me break down. I sobbed on the sidewalk, unable to control myself. Was I still doomed to the same ending? It wasn’t my fault I was switched at birth. Why do I have to bear all this suffering? Bridget was so accomplished; it was obvious my biological mother hadn’t abused her. Why did she hate me so violently? She got to go back to being the wealthy socialite, while I was hit with the triple blow of being homeless, having an unknown father, and a deceased mother. I sat on the ground for a long time until the horizon swallowed the last sliver of sunlight and night fell. If I didn’t find a place soon, I’d be sleeping on the streets tonight. Where was I supposed to go? I picked up my phone and checked my digital wallet. I only had a few hundred bucks, mostly from digital red envelopes. Every credit card under my name was frozen. If I had only known sooner… I shook my head. Knowing wouldn’t have changed anything. My brain, which hadn’t used even ten percent of its capacity in twenty years, started spinning rapidly. There’s a massive wholesale produce market on the south side of town. Every day, they throw away tons of veggies that are slightly damaged or just don’t look good enough for retail. I could go forage there. It’s free. Rice doesn’t cost that much. Then I just need to find a part-time job. My eyes lit up. Everything would be okay. Right now, the most important thing was finding a place to stay. My face fell again. That was the hardest part. I didn’t dare contact a single old friend. Who was left that could help me? Suddenly, a name popped into my head. Julian Reed. The toyboy I was sponsoring. Because Silas Thorne had rejected me, I had gone out and “sponsored” a struggling college student who happened to have a side profile very similar to Silas’s. It was a classic rebound trope. I had paid $200,000 for a one-year contract, up-front. There were still six months left on that contract. My breathing turned shallow and fast. I found the name in my contacts and dialed. The first time, he didn’t pick up. I dialed a second time. “What is it?” Julian’s icy voice came through the receiver. I shivered. Recalling how I used to treat him, I knew I deserved this tone. To force him to be my rebound, I had destroyed the tech startup lab he had founded with his classmates. I wasn’t kind to Julian either. Every time Silas ignored me, I took my rage out on him. I was terrified. If he knew I had been kicked out, would he come back and take his revenge on me now? Chapter 4 I was having serious second thoughts. Considering my history with him, would he just retaliate? While I was panicking silently, Julian’s voice got even colder. “Speak.” “Say something, or I’m hanging up.” “Don’t!” I said quickly. “I’m coming over tonight.” After saying that, I waited nervously for his response. Julian was a rebellious “partner,” to put it mildly. He refused me all the time. Usually, if it wasn’t urgent, I let it go. But if I was in a rage and he refused me, I used to have plenty of leverage and dirty methods to force him over. I used to be arrogant and stubborn myself; I had liked his unbroken spirit. Because the prouder he was, the more satisfying it felt to crush him into the dirt. My god, I really was a psycho. I really deserved to die, I thought miserably. But I couldn’t worry about that now. He was the only life raft I could reach. There was a long silence on the other end. He didn’t refuse, and he didn’t hang up. Just as I was about to lose hope, Julian spoke. He said, “Fine.” I bit the bullet and called a Uber to take me to the University District. It cost over $50. My heart hurt even more than my ribs. Originally, to make visiting Julian convenient, I had rented a high-end apartment near the university campus with excellent privacy. I had signed a one-year lease. I never imagined this place would become my last refuge. I knew Julian hated that apartment. Unless I demanded it, he almost never went there. I could live here alone. But right now, standing in front of the door, I wanted to die of regret. Why hadn’t I taken the spare key from the main house? If I had, I could have just moved in silently and hidden out until the lease expired. Now, I had to wait for my rebellious rebound. I was terrified of what would happen next. I didn’t know when he would show up, so I sat on my suitcase, resting my head against the doorframe to soothe my exhaustion and pain. I don’t know how long passed. “Why aren’t you inside?” The voice was sharp, coated in frost. I opened my eyes and saw Julian’s towering silhouette, his sharply defined features illuminated by the hallway light. He was looking down at me. It felt like a lifetime since I had seen him. I almost cried with relief. Being careful not to pull on my injury, I didn’t stand up. I just whispered, “You’re here.” Julian, long time no see! Julian froze. He had never seen me quiet and compliant before. When he saw the suitcase, his brow furrowed tightly. “You?” I looked up at him. “Can we go inside first? I’m cold.” Julian unlocked the door. I swayed on my feet as I made my way to the sofa, collapsing onto it and gasping for air. Safe. At that perfectly wrong moment, my stomach let out a thunderous growl. I couldn’t help it. I hadn’t eaten, and I was starving. I shot an embarrassed look at Julian. If I asked him for food… Before my brain could even process the thought, my mouth was already speaking: “Julian, I’m hungry.” Julian’s face looked even worse now. “Chloe Harrington, what kind of sick game are you playing this time?” Chapter 5 I lowered my eyes, tired. “No games. Just… things have changed.” I corrected him softly. “And it’s just Chloe now. Just call me Chloe.” Julian’s whole body stiffened. The look he gave me was indescribable. I turned my face away. I realized my voice had been too soft just now, almost sounding like I was acting cute or flirting. But that wasn’t my intention. Speaking with too much force just hurt too much. After a long silence, Julian said, “I have instant ramen. You want some?” I nodded frantically. “Yes, please.” Twenty minutes later, I had downed the last of the broth. I was mentally preparing how to bring up terminating our contract with Julian. Ideally, I wanted to ask for $100,000 back. Before today, $100,000 was just pocket change for a few outfits or a bag. But now, that $100,000 was my life. I kept sneaking glances at Julian. He was dressed entirely in black today—a black button-down shirt. I wasn’t sure what the fabric was, but it had a nice sheen and drape. His thick hair was parted slightly, the ends slightly curled. He had that mixture of aloofness and youthful vigor. Honestly, looking like that, the $200,000 had been worth it. How should I phrase this? I smack my lips, immediately regretting the gesture. As the saying goes: Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. I was so consumed by my internal debate that I completely missed the fact that the man was watching all my little movements. A flash of disgust crossed his eyes. “Alright, let’s get this over with. How do you want to play today?” “Huh?” My eyes went wide. “Let’s make this quick!” Julian started walking toward me, unbuttoning his shirt as he came. Before I realized what was happening, I caught a faint scent of lemon, and Julian had already unbuttoned his entire shirt, exposing his chest. He got down on one knee right at my feet, lowering his head, presenting his profile to me. From my perspective, that profile was almost an exact carbon copy of Silas Thorne. It was the angle I used to love. He was heart-wrenchingly practiced at this. “Mistress, punish me…” You couldn’t see the humiliation in his eyes from this angle. I was terrified. “No! Get away!” Julian let out a cold snort. “Not that one today?” With that, he stood up and started undoing his belt. The click of the buckle sounded like a switch, flooding me with horrible memories. I looked at him in stark terror, quickly scrambling back into the corner of the sofa until I couldn’t go back any further. I curled up tightly, unable to stop my whole body from shaking. “Don’t come near me! Please, don’t come near me…” In the dream, someone else had done this exact thing, pulling his belt off while walking toward me. He used that belt to tie me up, to beat me. I couldn’t run, I couldn’t hide… “Let me go, let me go…” I mumbled unconsciously. “Chloe Harrington.” “Chloe.” He called my name twice, but I was so submerged in terror that I didn’t hear him clearly. Julian finally realized something was very wrong. “Chloe.” That nice lemon scent drifted back into my nose, and I snapped out of it. I looked up and saw Julian’s cold, intense eyes right in front of me. “Don’t come near me… don’t touch me…” I was hyperventilating, and the heavy, ragged breathing was pulling on my broken rib. Pain. It let me know this was real, not a dream. Julian sat down on the coffee table opposite me, furrowing his brows, keeping me company in the silence.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394621”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In the fifth year of my relationship with Julian, we had another explosive argument. He grabbed his keys and stormed out the door, choosing the silent treatment once again. I sat quietly on the sofa. After holding it in for a while, I started scrolling through TikTok, giggling at the videos. At 2 AM, I was woken up by a phone call. Julian’s voice on the other end was cold enough to freeze water: “I’ve been outside until now, and you haven’t called me once?” Only then did I awkwardly remember he was still wandering around in the freezing snow. I said, embarrassed, “Uh, how about… you just don’t come back, and we call it quits?” 1 After I said that, the other end of the line fell into a brief silence. Then, with a click, the call disconnected. I was so sleepy I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I rolled over and comfortably fell back asleep in my warm bed. When I woke up the next day, I heard rustling noises in the living room. I went out and saw Julian packing his bags. He acted as if he didn’t see me, just keeping his head down and shoving everything into his suitcase. I stood there frowning, watching him for a while, terrified he might accidentally pack my things. When he finally finished packing and zipped up the suitcase, he said flatly: “You should calm down for a bit. Let’s not contact each other for a while.” That sentence sounded familiar. It seemed like this happened last year too. We had a huge fight, and he grabbed his keys to leave. I broke down, pulling on him: “Why are you doing this again? Why do you always leave me alone? Can’t we just talk things out face-to-face? Why are you always running away?!” He really didn’t leave that time. He turned around and locked himself in the bedroom. But when my emotions had slightly calmed down, I saw him come out carrying a suitcase. His voice was detached and calm, completely unlike my hysteria. “Take a few days to calm down. We’ll talk later.” For over half a month after that, he really didn’t contact me. All the messages I sent and the calls I made sank like stones in the ocean, receiving no response. I was completely overwhelmed back then, crying so much every day I couldn’t sleep. In the end, I actually swallowed my pride and sent a message begging for forgiveness. Once it happens once, it happens again. Julian realized the silent treatment worked exceptionally well. I would get over it without him needing to coax me, so he started engaging in frequent cold wars with me. From my initial desperate craving for a response, I gradually learned to digest it all on my own. The process in between… only I know how I endured it. Right now, he was standing in front of me with his suitcase, just like last year. His expression was flat, seemingly devoid of any emotion, and he even generously advised me: “Don’t overthink things. Eat well, work hard. It’s not like you have nothing else to do besides clinging to me.” I rubbed my sleep-filled eyes and agreed casually: “Mhm. Be careful on the road.” Julian’s originally detached expression stiffened slightly. He clearly hadn’t expected me to not offer a single word asking him to stay. I took two steps toward the bathroom, remembered something, and turned back to remind him: “You packed your summer clothes too, right? If you can carry them, take them all today so you don’t have to make another trip.” His face looked awful. Without a word, he slammed the door and left. My heart instantly relaxed. It was great. All of this was finally over. 2 Today is Saturday. In the past, I would always pester Julian to spend the weekend with me. Later, Julian found the perfect strategy to deal with me. As soon as we argued, he would pack his bags and leave. And he would be gone for at least half a month. I was forced to get used to spending holiday after holiday alone. From initially sending paragraph after paragraph of hysterical text messages, to gradually becoming numb and detached, and finally returning to my single self—happily spending my days off with friends. That entire process took just one year. I cooked myself a steaming bowl of pork and century egg congee. After eating, I curled up on the sofa, petting my cat and watching a horror movie. The weather outside was gloomy, with a cold winter rain drizzling down. I had the heater on, enjoying a cozy, solitary moment. After the movie ended, I made a hot drink and casually scrolled through Instagram. I didn’t expect the very first post to be from Julian. 【On a business trip with Ms. Hayes.】 The attached photo was a selfie of him and Elena at the airport, their arms around each other’s shoulders. Elena was his college classmate and business partner. They had a very close relationship. Every time Julian and I had a cold war, the two of them would go on a long business trip alone together. The first time I found out, I agonized over it for a long time. I didn’t know if they were just colleagues, or if there was really something going on. Until the second cold war, and the third… Julian invariably dragged Elena along on out-of-town business trips, leaving me alone at home. I started frantically messaging and calling Julian, demanding to know what he was playing at, why he went on a business trip every time we fought, and why he brought Elena every single time. He usually brought his assistant on business trips, so why, when he traveled with Elena, did he not even bring an assistant? Three days later, Julian finally replied with a few detached words: 【Think whatever you want.】 Then he went radio silent again, not replying with a single word. I knew right then there was no point in continuing the relationship. Wiping my tears, with trembling hands, I typed a few words: 【Then let’s break up.】 I then turned off my phone, forbidding myself from acting crazy or making a fool of myself, and threw myself into work to distract myself. A few minutes later, my phone buzzed. I couldn’t even last three minutes before picking it up to check. It was messages from work group chats. It was ad notifications from various apps. It was a text from the bank wishing me a happy birthday. It wasn’t until 9 PM that a message with Julian’s name finally popped up. Two short, cold words. 【Suit yourself.】 I completely broke down, burying myself in my bed and sobbing loudly. While crying, I sent messages accusing him of never loving me, detailing every disappointment and instance of neglect I had felt from him, trying to awaken a shred of guilt in him, trying to make him realize he failed in this relationship. But everything sank like a stone in the ocean, as usual. It was as if there was no one on the other end. Or rather, he couldn’t even be bothered to read a single sentence. Scrolling through his Instagram, I saw a photo of him and Elena having dinner with clients. The atmosphere was joyful, and everyone was smiling happily. It was like a bucket of cold water poured over my head. I clearly saw myself as a clown, jumping around desperately but only making a fool of myself. My rationality clearly told me he was not a good man. I finally stopped sending messages. But my life became a blur. I tried hard to act like everyone else, but everything became mechanical and numb. Only when I dragged my exhausted body home and looked at the empty apartment could I not help but squat down and cry. I knew there was a high probability he was a piece of trash. But I missed him terribly. I knew I was incompetent and fragile, but pretending to be normal had exhausted all my strength. In the dark of the night, I allowed myself to agonizingly miss him. I didn’t know when the end would come. It wasn’t until thirty-six days later that he finally contacted me again. 【Have you calmed down?】 【Are we still breaking up?】 I stared numbly at that message. A message that arrived far too late could no longer spark my anticipation or excitement. I slowly typed two words: 【Whatever.】 He sent a voice memo. “I got you a birthday present. I’m heading back now.” His voice was light and carried a smile. There seemed to be another woman’s laughter beside him. That laugh was very distinct; it was Elena’s voice. Even through the phone screen, I could imagine the two of them getting off the plane, travel-worn but in high spirits. Unlike me. I was like a filthy, trapped beast locked in a cage. All my agonizing internal struggles hadn’t affected Julian in the slightest. Everything I felt in this relationship seemed to be just my own paranoid, self-directed drama. While Julian was magnanimous and stable; he tolerated me. 3 My thoughts returned to the Instagram post in front of me. There were already several comments underneath. A: 【A match made in heaven, Mr. Julian.】 B: 【Nonsense, our Elena clearly has both brains and beauty!】 Julian: 【Good eye.】 C: 【A one-month business trip? Leaving the sister-in-law alone at home again, is that okay? #doge】 Julian: 【We’re all adults, does she need me to accompany her all day long?】 C: 【True, you can’t spoil women too much.】 Amidst all the random comments, a glaring one suddenly appeared. Chloe: 【No need to accompany the girlfriend, but the female partner must accompany you on business trips~】 The “~” was dripping with sarcasm. This was the girlfriend of another male partner at Julian’s firm, Mark. I heard they were originally planning to get married this year, but it’s already the end of the year and there’s still no news. Her boyfriend, Mark, went on solo business trips with Elena just as often as Julian did. I heard that last time Chloe’s mother was hospitalized and she was incredibly busy at the hospital alone, Elena posted a cheek-to-cheek selfie with Mark under the Eiffel Tower. They said it was a business trip, but anyone who didn’t know better would think they were on their honeymoon. Chloe had a huge fight with Mark over this. Although they made up, their relationship wasn’t the same as before, and they haven’t mentioned marriage since. After her comment, the originally lively post seemed to be put on pause. There were no new comments for a while. Just as I was about to scroll away, a new comment popped up. Elena: 【Little girl, don’t be so dramatic. What’s more important, business or your petty romantic squabbles?】 Elena: 【If you want to marry a rich guy and reap the rewards without doing any work, then just obediently be a trophy wife. Don’t ruin your own chances.】 Chloe replied quickly. 【Compared to someone who can’t even take an assistant on a business trip and insists a male partner accompany her every time, I’m much more independent in my work. Who’s the trophy wife here?】 After a ten-minute pause, Elena finally replied with a few words. 【You don’t know what you’re talking about.】 Ever since Chloe found out Mark was always going on solo business trips with Elena, they hadn’t gotten along. They would argue anywhere they could. I was used to it. I closed Instagram. Just as I was about to start making dinner, my landlord called: “Hey Sarah, your lease is up next month. You’re renewing, right?” I looked around the apartment. A spacious, brightly lit penthouse. Outside the window was the most bustling night view of the city. Back then, Julian constantly asked me to move into his place. But I always worried that living in someone else’s house came with the risk of being kicked out, so I stubbornly insisted on living alone. He was very clingy back then, showing up at my door the next day with his suitcase, looking pitiful. I had just started working and didn’t have much money. I was living tightly in a 300-square-foot apartment, far from the city center. I knew Julian was used to the good life, and I always felt it was unfair to make him live in such a small place with me. So, as soon as I became a full-time employee and got a raise, I bit the bullet and moved here. It ate up almost half my monthly salary. “No,” I told the landlord. “I plan to move to the East Side.” It was closer to where I worked. I wouldn’t have to leave the house at 6 AM every day to catch the subway. The landlord was a bit surprised: “What’s wrong? Didn’t you say before that this place was convenient because it was close to your boyfriend’s company?” “Yeah,” I replied softly, kicking my slippers while looking down. I smiled. “We broke up.” The landlord sighed heavily. After comforting me for a bit, she kindly recommended a moving company before hanging up. 4 My company was planning a livestream event at a mall recently. I took the new junior colleagues to the mall to handle the coordination. The junior colleagues were two recently graduated male college students, bursting with energy and enthusiasm, which even brought some life back to us seasoned corporate veterans. After we finished coordinating that day, the two of them insisted on dragging me out for barbecue, saying we needed to relax after working so hard for so many days. At a street-side barbecue stall, under the dim yellow lights, I took a picture of the table piled high with food. The two college boys tilted their heads into the frame, smiling cleanly and brightly. I snapped the photo and posted it on Instagram with a smile: 【Coordination complete! Tomorrow I can finally enjoy the weekend!】 When I got home, it was past midnight. A message from Julian unexpectedly popped up on my phone. He sent a picture of himself having dinner with clients, seemingly reporting his whereabouts to me: 【I’ll be back in another week.】 【I brought you a gift.】 I pretended not to see it, sanitized my phone, plugged it in to charge, and placed it on my nightstand. In the past, when he first started giving me the silent treatment, I panicked and frantically sent him messages, begging for even the slightest response. Later, I forced myself to try getting used to the single life after every time he left. Gradually, I stopped messaging him. He, in turn, softened his cold war strategy and became less indifferent. From sending me a message once a month, to calling me every half month, to a week, to three days. What a blessing. Whoever wants this kind of blessing can have it. After showering and getting into bed, I saw Julian had sent a few more messages. 【What did you do today?】 【Was work tiring?】 【Are you asleep?】 I muted his notifications. I didn’t delete him, I didn’t block him, and I didn’t respond. I learned that perfectly from him. 5 There were still over twenty days left until my lease expired. I started packing my things early. Packing a little bit every day actually made it quite easy. When Julian’s mother came over, she saw my apartment filled with cardboard boxes of various sizes. When I opened the door, I thought it was food delivery, so I had my guard down and she barged right in. She was carrying a thermal lunchbox, her pointed leather shoes kicking the cardboard boxes I had stacked in the hallway. Her voice was as affectionately overbearing as ever. “Sweetie, Julian is out of town on a business trip right now. What’s the matter with you two that you can’t just let go? He’s so distracted at work now, so he asked me to come check on you.” As she spoke, she walked straight into the apartment, sat down on the sofa, crossed her legs, and acted like she owned the place: “Julian even specifically asked me to bring you food. I told him he’s being ridiculous. You’re twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, not a three or four-year-old child. Do I really need to watch you eat?” I took a deep breath, turned around, and was just about to speak when she suddenly looked around the room and frowned: “I hear Julian praise you every day for being so clean, but look at yourself. How can a girl make her house look like this?” “Even though our Julian has some money and won’t be unable to afford a maid or nanny in the future, you can’t be this sloppy, right?” My face darkened. Julian was a local of this city. The exclusivity of this city’s locals is well-known. Julian’s mother was a very typical local older woman. She always assumed that girls from out of town all had ulterior motives towards her son, wanting to use marriage to steal his property and residency status. “Auntie, Julian and I have already broken up,” I said, trying to keep my voice as calm as possible. She acted as if she didn’t hear me, even letting out a light scoff. But she quickly put on a smiling face again, looking up at me: “You just have too much of a temper. I always tell our Julian, he might not be able to handle the temper of an out-of-town girl, but he just won’t listen. Young people, they don’t know pain until they hit a brick wall themselves.” Seeing my face getting uglier, she laughed: “Don’t overthink it, I’m not talking about you. Come, come, come, eat your food first.” She opened the thermal lunchbox, laid out the dishes one by one on the table, then took pictures from every angle and sent them to Julian. “I have to report back to him, tell him I delivered your food.” “Auntie isn’t trying to lecture you, but you’re not a child anymore. There needs to be a limit to your tantrums. Julian is a businessman. If you keep affecting his mood like this, isn’t that affecting his career? What good does that do you?” “You should also settle down. You two are getting married next year. It’s best if you have a baby before the end of the year. That job of yours doesn’t make much money anyway; you should quit sooner rather than later.” I laughed out of sheer annoyance: “Auntie, didn’t you hear me? Julian and I have broken up. I’m not marrying him.” She curled her lip: “Alright, alright, I don’t want to hear you talk like this. You’ve just watched too many TikToks and rotted your brain. Thinking about remaining single and childless all day, talking about female independence. All this talk about independence, but aren’t you still spending my son’s money?” This wasn’t the first time she had said this. But every time she said it, Julian never contradicted her, nor did he ever say a word in my defense. He would only calmly advise me afterward: “My mom is getting old, her thinking is just like that. Don’t take it to heart.” Thinking about it now, perhaps he fundamentally agreed with those words. He was just using his mother’s mouth to let her play the villain, subtly keeping me in line. I repacked the lunchbox she had laid out on the table, shoved it back into her hands, and directly pushed her out the door. Julian’s mother looked shocked, cursing as she went: “What is wrong with you, little girl?! How can you treat an elder like this?! With behavior like yours, you still want to marry my son…” SLAM! With the door violently shut, the apartment finally returned to peace.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394620”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel