Heading home for the holidays, my uncle’s family insisted on catching a ride in my car, yet refused to split the gas money. Out of the goodness of my heart, I took them along, but my uncle said: “Talking about money hurts family feelings!” “Your car is too small, it’s squishing my grandson, drive steadier!” Along the way, they ate oranges and threw the peels everywhere, and even smoked in the car. I gave a mild warning, but my aunt rolled her eyes: “Why are you so uptight at your age?” “Will smoking one cigarette choke you to death?” “You’re the younger generation, serving your elders is what you should do. Don’t be disrespectful.” When we reached a deserted rest stop, taking advantage of them getting out to use the restroom. I didn’t coddle them. I slammed on the gas and drove right off. Since you say there’s no need to be polite among family, then I won’t be polite either. We’re two hundred miles from the nearest town, and there’s no cell service here. Have a nice, long walk. 1 I parked the car at the gate of the yard, turned off the engine, and let out a long sigh of relief. The aroma of stewed meat drifted through the yard; that was my mom’s signature dish. “My son is back!” Hearing the noise, my mom ran out without even taking off her apron, still holding a stalk of green onion. My dad followed behind her, holding a freshly steamed bowl of pork, his face beaming with a smile. “Dad, Mom, I’m back,” I called out with a smile as I got out of the car. My dad put down the meat and circled my car twice, his eyes full of wonder: “Is this the car your boss let you drive back? It looks really grand, much better than our town mayor’s Passat.” “Dad, just look at it from a distance, don’t touch it randomly, it’s expensive.” I shoved the car keys into my pocket. This wasn’t an ordinary car. To reward me for my performance this year, my boss specially lent me his limited-edition Maybach to drive home and show off. It cost over a million dollars; I couldn’t afford to pay for even a chipped piece of paint. “I know, I know, I’m just looking.” My dad chuckled. Although he didn’t know much about cars, he could sense that this car had a different aura. Our family had just sat down and prepared to eat when my mom suddenly looked toward the door: “Hey, where are your uncle and his family? Didn’t they say they were taking your car and coming back together?” I picked up a piece of meat and put it in my mouth without even looking up: “Oh, they’re having fun on the road. Said they wanted to take a slow walk.” “A slow walk?” My dad paused. “It’s freezing cold, and they aren’t even home yet. What are they playing at?” I remained noncommittal and didn’t reply. Playing at what? Playing wilderness survival, I guess. Who told them to throw orange peels all over my car and try to smoke inside? I was nice enough to give them a ride, and they actually treated me like a chauffeur? It was late at night, and the occasional dog bark could be heard in the village. Just as our family was getting ready for bed, the front gate was suddenly banged on thunderously. Bang bang bang! “Richard Davis! You bastard, open the door!” “Open the door! I know you’re in there!” That voice—I knew immediately it was my uncle. Startled, my dad threw on a coat and hurried to open the door. As soon as the door opened, a foul stench hit us. I saw my uncle’s family of five covered in slop and grass clippings. My uncle’s hair was a mess, his face smeared with black soot. My aunt’s down jacket was stained with unknown yellow spots. My cousin and his wife were huddled together, and their precious grandson’s face was a mess of snot and tears. “Brother, what happened to you all?” my dad asked in shock. My uncle completely ignored my dad, shoved him aside, and stormed into the house angrily. I also threw on a coat and walked out, looking coldly at this family. It turned out they waited at that cell-service-dead rest stop for three hours before flagging down a large truck transporting live pigs. The driver kindly gave them a ride, but the smell was indeed overpowering. Seeing the uncleared leftovers on the table, my uncle didn’t say a word, rushed up, and violently flipped the table over. Crash! Plates and bowls shattered all over the floor, greasy soup splashing everywhere. “Eat! Eat my ass!” My uncle pointed at my dad’s nose and cursed, “You black-hearted bastards, actually leaving us halfway on the road, you’re trying to murder us!” My aunt plopped down on the floor, slapping her thighs and wailing: “Where is the justice! A nephew trying to kill his own uncle! How did our Davis family produce such an animal!” That scream startled the neighbor’s dog into barking. The pipe in my dad’s hand shook, and he instinctively shrank back: “Wh-what is going on here? Leo, didn’t you say they were having fun on the road?” I sneered and took a step forward: “Having fun? Uncle, eating oranges and throwing peels all over my car, wanting to smoke, and when I say one word, you talk back ten. Since you said family doesn’t need to be polite, is there anything wrong with me letting you out of the car to get some fresh air?” “Is that fresh air?” My cousin charged forward, wanting to grab my collar, but was stopped by my glare. “That was the middle of nowhere! It was freezing! If we hadn’t run into that pig truck, our whole family would have frozen to death there!” “Exactly!” That five-year-old brat suddenly rushed over, spat a thick wad of phlegm on my dad’s winter pants, and cursed: “Old geezer! Bad guy!” My dad froze, looking down at the phlegm, his face flushing red. My anger instantly flared up: “Control your grandson!” My uncle shielded his grandson, stiffened his neck, and roared at me: “What does a kid know? Is he wrong? You guys are just bad! Leo Davis, I’m telling you, this isn’t over today! Either you pay us five thousand dollars for emotional distress and medical bills, or you won’t have a peaceful New Year!” Five thousand? Hearing this number, I couldn’t hold back, a cold smile curling at the corner of my mouth. Hitching a free ride and extorting five thousand dollars—what a shrewd piece of business. 2 Early the next morning, before the sky was even fully light, my aunt started her grand performance at the yard gate. She brought a small stool, sat at the main gate, crying and complaining: “Folks, come and judge! A nephew leaving his own uncle’s family in the snow to die! He wants to wipe out our family line!” This is the bad thing about the countryside; a tiny incident can spread for ten miles. In no time, a crowd of villagers gathered at my door to watch the drama. Everyone was pointing fingers at me. “This Leo Davis looks polite and educated, how could he be so ruthless?” “I heard he made money in the big city and now looks down on his poor relatives.” “All that education went to the dogs, doesn’t even respect his elders.” Seeing the crowd grow, my uncle became even more energized. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing a few red, swollen chilblains on the back of his hand, crying bitterly: “Look, everyone! This is the proof! Last night we walked two miles in the snow before we could climb onto a truck. We almost didn’t live to see today’s sun!” My parents stood in the yard, so ashamed they couldn’t lift their heads. My dad wanted to explain, but being clumsy with words and unable to get a word in, he stamped his feet in anxiety. At this moment, the crowd parted, and an old man leaning on a cane walked in. It was Great-uncle, the most senior elder in the village. “What’s all this noise! It’s the New Year, have you no shame!” Great-uncle struck the ground heavily with his cane. As soon as my aunt saw Great-uncle, she immediately lunged over and hugged his leg: “Great-uncle, you have to stand up for us! This little animal Leo Davis tried to kill our whole family!” Great-uncle frowned and looked at me: “Leo, you left them halfway on the road?” I stepped forward, neither humble nor arrogant, took out my phone, pulled up a photo, and handed it to Great-uncle to see. “Great-uncle, look at this first. This is the inside of the car after they got out.” In the photo, the expensive leather seats were covered in orange peels, sunflower seed shells, and even a few black burn marks from cigarette butts. “This car isn’t mine; my boss lent it to me to drive back. They threw trash everywhere in the car and insisted on smoking. When I said a word of warning, my aunt called me uptight and said as the younger generation, I should serve them. Tell me, who could stand that?” I explained. The surrounding villagers leaned in to take a look, and the murmurs died down a bit. “Oh my, that is really out of line, ruining a good car.” “Yeah, you can’t wreck someone else’s car like that.” Great-uncle glanced at the photo and waved his hand: “What’s the big deal? So it got a little dirty? That’s your uncle! You’re family! Just wash it, isn’t that enough? How could you leave your elders halfway on the road over such a trivial matter? That’s unfilial!” I was stunned. Hearing someone backing her up, my aunt immediately jumped up from the ground, pointed at my nose, and cursed: “Did you hear that? Great-uncle said it! You are the younger generation, you should just take it! A car is a dead object, people are alive! You almost killed us over a broken car, do you have a conscience?” “Richard Davis!” Great-uncle turned to look at my dad, “Is this the good son you raised? Make him kneel down and apologize to his elders right now!” Kneel down? Hearing this, my dad’s knees went weak, and he was about to kneel. All his life, he feared nothing more than being told he failed to teach his son properly, and feared offending the clan elders even more. “Dad!” I was quick, grabbing my dad’s arm and pulling him back up forcefully. “We did nothing wrong, don’t kneel!” My dad trembling took out a bankbook from his chest pocket, his voice shaking: “Brother, Great-uncle, don’t be angry. Leo is ignorant, I’ll pay, I’ll pay… There’s three thousand dollars in here, my pension money, take it first…” Looking at my dad’s stooped back, I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my flesh. He had been submissive his whole life. For the sake of my reputation, he was willing to empty his life savings. My uncle’s eyes lit up, and he reached out to snatch the bankbook. Slap! I slapped my uncle’s hand away and smoothly shoved the bankbook back into my dad’s pocket. “Not a single cent!” I looked coldly at my uncle. “Forget three thousand, you won’t even get three cents!” My uncle froze for a moment, then flew into a rage out of humiliation. He looked around, saw a shovel leaning against the wall, grabbed it, and swung it at me: “You’re rebelling! If you don’t pay up today, I’ll beat you to death, you unfilial son!” The surrounding villagers gasped in shock and backed away. My parents turned pale with fear. My mom even screamed and rushed over, trying to block me. 3 I pulled my mom behind me, grabbed a clothesline pole from nearby, and pointed it at my uncle: “Try touching me? This is a society ruled by law. One swing of that shovel, and you’re looking at least three years in prison!” My gaze was too cold, and my uncle was intimidated, his hand holding the shovel freezing in mid-air. He was a bully who only acted tough at home. If he really had to hit someone, he’d have to weigh the consequences. Seeing the hard way wouldn’t work, my aunt rolled her eyes, the corner of her mouth lifting in a smirk. “Fine! Not paying money is fine too!” My aunt smiled sinisterly. “Since you said your boss lent you this car, it must be worth something. Leave the car for us to drive for a year, and we’ll consider this matter settled!” So this was their goal all along. From the moment they hitched a ride, they had their eyes on this car. I laughed out of sheer anger: “You want to drive this car? I’m afraid you can’t afford to.” The insurance and maintenance for this car alone cost tens of thousands a year, and even a minor scratch was astronomically expensive. My uncle scoffed disdainfully: “Stop trying to scare us! It’s just a broken Volkswagen! You think just because it has letters on it, it’s something special? Only a poor loser like you would treat it like a treasure! My son has driven a BMW!” A broken Volkswagen? I almost couldn’t resist telling him that this logo was called Maybach, and those two overlapping Ms stood for “Maybach Manufaktur.” But these legal ignoramuses clearly only recognized the VW logo and thought this was just another type of Volkswagen. While we were in this standoff, that bratty kid, taking advantage of the adults’ distraction, picked up a sharp stone and forcefully scratched the back door of the car. Screech— The piercing sound made my heart lurch. I turned my head and saw several winding, deep white scratches on the glossy black paint. “Stop it!” I roared, rushing over and shoving the brat away. Looking at those deep scratches, the blood rushed to my head. This was the boss’s favorite car, with original factory paint. It’s ruined now. The brat fell on his butt from my shove and burst out crying with a wah. My aunt lunged over, hugging her grandson tightly: “What are you doing! How dare you hit a child? He just drew a couple of lines! It won’t break the car! I think you just care too much about that broken car!” “Drew a couple of lines?” I took a deep breath, unclenched my fists. “Do you know how much it costs to touch up these scratches?” “How much? Twenty bucks max!” My aunt rolled her eyes disdainfully. “That’s the price at those roadside repair shops!” Great-uncle also spoke up at this moment, clearly impatient: “Enough! Stop arguing endlessly over a broken car. Richard, since you don’t want to pay, give them the car keys and let them drive it for a couple of days to cool off. We are family, don’t make things so ugly.” This biased mediation was unmatched. My dad looked at me hesitantly, clearly wavering. In his eyes, no matter how expensive a car was, it was just a material possession. As long as it brought peace, it was fine. Seeing this, my uncle put down the shovel and triumphantly stretched out his hand: “Give me the keys! Don’t force me to pat you down for them!” Looking at their ugly faces, I suddenly didn’t want to argue anymore. There are some people in this world you just can’t reason with. Only by making them hurt, really hurt, will they learn what rules are. I patted the car keys in my pocket, then looked at the battered Maybach. “Want the keys?” I took out the keys and dangled them in my hand. “Sure, as long as you dare to take them.” My uncle snatched the keys away, “What’s not to dare? I think you just need to be taught a lesson!” He tossed the keys to my cousin: “Son, go test drive the car! It’s just the right time to take it out and show off for the New Year!” My cousin excitedly took the keys and got into the car. I didn’t stop him; I just silently retreated back into the yard. My dad panicked: “Leo, how could you really give it to them? What if the boss blames us…” I held my dad’s trembling shoulders and said in a low voice: “Dad, don’t worry. They won’t be able to drive this car away.” Sure enough, my cousin messed around in the car for a long time, but the engine didn’t respond at all. This Maybach was equipped with a remote control system. I had just blindly pressed the app on my phone in my pocket, cutting off the starter power and activating the all-around Sentry Mode. “What’s going on? Is it broken?” My cousin popped his head out to complain. My uncle angrily kicked the tire: “This kid definitely did something! Leo Davis, get out here!” I closed the car door my cousin hadn’t had time to get out of, saying coldly: “I told you, you can’t afford to drive this car.” That night, my uncle’s family left cursing, their eyes harboring a chilling glint before they departed. Late at night, I tossed and turned in bed. A rustling sound came from outside the window, like someone had climbed into the yard. I opened the security camera on my phone. On the screen, a few dark figures were sneaking around the Maybach. It was my uncle’s family. They were holding something in their hands, pouring it onto the car. I didn’t go out to stop them. Because I knew this would be the key evidence to put them away. 4 Early the next morning, I was woken up by my mom’s crying. I rushed out of my room into the yard, and the sight before me made me gasp. That originally majestic and imposing Maybach was now plastered with yellowish-brown mud. All four tires were completely flat, punctured like a honeycomb with an awl. The car body was splashed with feces and dirty water, emitting a nauseating stench. Red paint was splashed on the hood, writing the three large words: “Unfilial Son.” My mom sat on the ground, trembling as she cried: “What a sin! What kind of sin is this!” My dad’s face turned green with anger. Grabbing a shovel, he was about to charge out: “I’m going to fight them! This is going too far!” I grabbed my dad: “Dad! Don’t be impulsive! This is a good thing!” “A good thing?” My dad looked at me in disbelief. “The car is ruined like this and it’s a good thing?” I calmly pulled him back: “Dad, if this car was fine, they’d at most have a moral issue. But now that this car is ruined, it’s a legal issue.” At that moment, the yard gate was pushed open. My uncle’s family swaggered in, wearing the smiles of victors. “Oh, up pretty early.” My uncle, hands behind his back, circled the car. “How is it? This is the lesson for your ignorance!” My cousin sarcastically added from the side: “Some people just need to be educated. Feeling comfortable now?” My aunt, cracking sunflower seeds, was full of disdain: “It’s just a broken Volkswagen. So what if we splashed some shit on it? Just wash it, right? So uptight.” Looking at their faces, I was surprisingly calm. I took out my phone and dialed 911 right in front of them. “Hello, I want to report a crime. Someone maliciously destroyed another person’s property, and the amount involved is huge.” Hearing me call the police, my uncle’s family not only didn’t panic, but laughed even louder. “Call the police? Go ahead! Let’s see if the police care about our family matters!” My uncle laughed arrogantly. Twenty minutes later, a police car parked at the door. Two officers stepped out. Seeing the tragic state of the yard, the officers also frowned: “Who did this?” “Officers! I did it!” My aunt actually stepped forward proactively, even lying directly on the ground to throw a tantrum. “But this isn’t my fault! It’s my nephew being unfilial, leaving us halfway on the road. I was just too angry and splashed some dirty water! This is our Davis family’s internal matter, you police have no right to interfere!” The officers had clearly seen many of these types of disputes and rubbed their temples: “Even though you’re relatives, you can’t do this. This car looks pretty new; washing it will cost quite a bit, right?” Hearing this, my aunt immediately climbed up from the ground: “Wash what? It’s just a broken car! Twenty bucks max! I’ll just pay him twenty bucks, right?” The officer looked at me: “Young man, since you’re family, do you think we can mediate this? Have them pay some cleaning fees and the cost to patch the tires, and let’s consider it settled. After all, it’s the New Year, going to jail doesn’t sound good.” Hearing this, my uncle became even more full of himself. He felt he had won. The law couldn’t touch him, and the police were on his side. “Did you hear that? The officers said it’s a family matter!” My uncle pointed at my nose, spit flying. “Leo Davis, what else you got? Hurry up and kneel down to admit your mistake, or I’ll smash this car today!” I looked at the officer and said calmly: “Officer, I do not accept mediation.” “Hey! You don’t know what’s good for you, do you?” My uncle was completely enraged. To establish dominance in front of the police, and to completely suppress me, he suddenly rushed to the corner and grabbed the shovel from yesterday. “I’ll show you not accepting! I’ll show you calling the police!” My uncle raised the shovel and smashed it hard against the Maybach’s front windshield. Crash! A loud noise. The glass shattered, spiderweb cracks instantly covering the entire window. This loud crash stunned everyone. The officers’ expressions changed. And I smiled. My uncle stepped on the filth-covered hood, pointing the shovel at my nose: “You refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit! Today I’m going to smash this broken car, let’s see what you can do to me! I am the law!” Under his feet, the Maybach logo covered in red paint faintly glinted with a cold light in the sun. Crack. That was the sound of glass shattering. 5 Crash! Crash! The sound of the shovel smashing against the glass grew louder with each strike. My uncle gritted his teeth, the veins on his forehead bulging, every swing producing a muffled thud. The front windshield was completely shattered. He started smashing the hood and even tried to pry open the sunroof. The two officers finally reacted and rushed forward to seize the shovel. “What are you doing! Daring to commit a violent act right in front of the police!” the older officer shouted sternly. Deprived of his shovel, my uncle wasn’t panicked. Instead, he jumped off the car, lit a cigarette, and looked nonchalant: “What violent act? This is my family’s business! It’s my nephew’s car. What can happen even if I smash it? I’ll just pay for it!” My aunt chimed in from the side: “Exactly! How much can a broken Volkswagen be worth? Is two hundred enough? If not, I’ll add fifty!” In their eyes, this car was worth a few thousand dollars at most. If it’s smashed, it’s smashed. We’re family anyway. I have money, and they, having nothing to lose, aren’t afraid of those who do. Looking at the devastated Maybach, I knew in my heart that every swing of that shovel was worth at least the price of a house. The officers looked at the chaotic scene and felt somewhat helpless. They took out their body cameras, snapped a few photos, and then asked me to sign. “Young man, this is, after all, a family dispute. Since property was damaged, compensation must be paid. You guys negotiate the compensation amount first. If you can’t reach an agreement, we’ll handle it as a public order case.” Hearing this, my uncle became even more arrogant, blowing a smoke ring in my face: “Hear that? Compensation! Two hundred bucks, take it to fix the car. Consider the rest your emotional distress fee from me!” He pulled a wad of crumpled bills from his pocket and threw it on the ground without even counting. Those few red bills fluttered down into the muddy water, as if mocking my incompetence. I didn’t pick up the money, nor did I argue back. I simply accepted the police report form handed to me and signed my name. At that moment, my silence, in their eyes, became a sign of surrender. “Alright, we’re tired.” My uncle stretched and swaggered toward our main room. “After tossing and turning all night, I’m starving. Richard, hurry up and tell your wife to cook! I want braised pork!” This family had actually taken themselves to be the masters here. My dad trembled with anger, wanting to rush forward and fight, but I held him back firmly. “Dad, Mom, let’s go.” “Go? Where to?” My dad was stunned. “To the city, stay in a hotel.” I said softly. “It’s dirty here; we can’t stay.” Although my parents didn’t understand, seeing my grave expression, they could only nod. We packed a few clothes. As I drove our small cargo van away with my parents, I could still hear the triumphant laughter of my uncle’s family behind us. “Good thing he ran fast! Otherwise, I would have made him kneel and kowtow today!” Arriving at the hotel in the city, after settling my parents in, I finally took out my phone and dialed a number. “Boss, it’s me, Leo.” The boss’s hearty voice came from the other end: “What’s up, Leo? Is the car driving smoothly? Your family must be thrilled, right?” I took a deep breath, trying to make my voice sound calm: “Boss, something… happened to the car.” I recounted the incident exactly as it happened, without adding any embellishments, just stating the facts. There was silence on the other end for a full minute. “Are you saying,” the boss’s voice was as cold as ice, “someone threw garbage into my car, splashed feces on it, and smashed the windshield with a shovel?” “Yes. And…” I glanced at the surveillance video I had just received on my phone, “they pried off the hood ornament too.” In the video, my aunt was using a screwdriver, struggling to pry off the double-M logo, muttering: “This lump of iron looks pretty shiny, might fetch a dollar or two.” “Good. Very good.” The boss laughed out of sheer anger. “I specially ordered this limited-edition car from Germany; there are hardly any like it in the whole country. Leo, don’t worry about this anymore. Just protect yourself and your family. Leave the rest to me.” Less than two hours after hanging up, a commercial van parked downstairs at the hotel. Five people in suits stepped out of the vehicle. Leading them was the Chief Legal Counsel of our company, Lawyer Lee. Behind him were two assistants, and two people I didn’t recognize. Based on their attire, they should be damage assessment experts for luxury cars. “Manager Davis, the boss sent us to handle this.” Lawyer Lee pushed up his glasses, a cold glint flashing behind the lenses. “The boss said, no matter the cost, we must make the other party… sit in jail until the bottom falls out.”

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The year the Vance Clinic was on the brink of bankruptcy, I married the Vance family’s young master and became the heir to the Vance medical empire. Everyone said I was taking advantage of their vulnerability, but I didn’t care. Because I knew Liam Vance and I truly understood and loved each other. I carried him and the entire Vance Clinic on my shoulders. Working day and night, I led the clinic from a struggling private practice to a top-tier national medical conglomerate. Until the day I successfully retired, at my farewell ceremony, he stood in front of everyone and proposed hanging Chloe Jenkins’ picture in the Vance Clinic’s Hall of Honor, replacing my position. I was shaking with anger. Questioning, arguing, pleading—none of it worked. To force me to accept reality, he pulled out a yellowed notebook, claiming that all the medical technology I used to bring the hospital back to life came from Chloe’s research. He even accused me of stealing Chloe’s life. The son I had raised for thirty years even cursed me, calling me a despicable, shameless fraud. Looking at the disdainful eyes of the guests filling the hall, a wave of dizziness washed over me, and I collapsed in the middle of the celebration. When I woke up again, I had returned to the day the Vance family was choosing their heir. Old Mr. Vance sat in the center of the conference room, his expression grave. “Liam, you are an adult now. It’s time to make a choice.” “Tell Grandpa, who do you lean towards more, Evelyn or Chloe?” Mrs. Vance held her coffee, her face full of expectation: “Is there even a need to ask? Our Liam has always protected Evelyn since they were little.” 1 Whether in medical skill or moral character, I was a level above Chloe. Everyone in the Vance family knew that my position as the clinic’s heir and the young Mrs. Vance was practically set in stone. But in this life, Liam looked at me with cold detachment. In an instant, I understood everything. He had been reborn too. Since you are so obsessed with Chloe. Then I will grant your wish. I stood up from my chair and spoke to the room full of people: “Grandpa Vance, Grandma Vance.” “I, Evelyn Thorne, have shallow knowledge and flawed morals. I am truly unworthy of Liam, and even less capable of bearing the heavy responsibility of being the heir to the Vance Clinic.” “Chloe has excellent medical skills and a sharp mind. She is more suited for this position than I am.” Liam’s expression visibly stiffened. He didn’t say a word, turned around, and rushed out of the conference room. I knew exactly what he was going to do. At this very moment, Chloe was performing an unauthorized procedure in the lab. That accident would cost her her left hand. There was still time to stop it. I stayed where I was, unable to hold back a bitter smile. Nearly fifty years of marriage in our past life couldn’t compete with Chloe’s place in his heart. “Evelyn, are you crazy! What nonsense are you talking about!” Old Mr. Vance’s voice was filled with anger. I looked up, meeting his gaze. This elder, who had personally guided me in studying medicine, was now full of disappointment. My tone was calm: “Grandpa Vance, Liam has someone else in his heart. I can’t force things.” Old Mr. Vance and Mrs. Vance looked at each other in dismay. But thinking of how resolutely their grandson had just left, any further words of reproach got stuck in their throats. I silently walked back to the guest room, packed a few changes of clothes, and a briefcase containing my medical research data. Early the next morning, the Vance family’s butler announced a piece of news. The decision regarding Liam and Chloe’s engagement. The announcement was plastered all over the clinic’s bulletin boards. In the photo, Liam held Chloe tightly, smiling brightly. I shoved the briefcase into my suitcase, my face expressionless. Near noon, a commotion erupted downstairs. Standing by the window, I saw Liam intimately holding Chloe’s hand, walking proudly into the office building. Not long after, a fierce argument broke out in the chairman’s office. “Grandpa! You promised! Whoever becomes the young Mrs. Vance gets to take over the German medical technology import project!” “Why is Evelyn still holding onto that position now?” Old Mr. Vance suppressed his anger and explained: “Liam, Evelyn is in charge of all the technical interfacing for that project. Changing the person in charge at the last minute will cause major problems!” “I don’t care!” Liam interrupted him. “I’ve thought it through. Chloe is the future of the Vance Clinic! Grandpa, would you rather believe an outsider than trust your grandson’s judgment?” The collaboration with the Germans was the Vance Clinic’s only chance to break out of its predicament and introduce advanced medical equipment. In our past life, I led this collaboration, working day and night with my team to successfully design a crucial surgical instrument required for the German technology. From then on, the Vance Clinic gained immense fame and became a national medical benchmark. It also solidified my position as the true heir and power holder. Liam knew all of this like the back of his hand. A few minutes later, I was called into the office. Old Mr. Vance sat in his swivel chair, looking embarrassed. “Evelyn, there’s something… Grandpa has let you down.” “Grandpa Vance, say no more.” My voice was calm. “I understand.” Old Mr. Vance looked up, his eyes full of guilt. He had raised me like his own granddaughter for many years. But facing this situation today, caught between his stubborn grandson and his favored successor, he was truly in a dilemma. I took out the research report from my briefcase—the one I had spent countless sleepless nights completing—and placed it on the desk. “The report contains all the technical data and interface plans. Liam also knows the critical data on the last page.” This report had been with me since my first day at the Vance family. It recorded all my hard work. In my past life, it was locked in my safe until the day I died. Looking at my calm expression, Old Mr. Vance opened his mouth but couldn’t say a word. I stood up and bowed deeply to him: “Grandpa Vance, I will never forget your guidance all these years.” Just then, Liam and Chloe walked in. “Grandpa, she agreed?” He walked straight to Old Mr. Vance without even looking at me. Old Mr. Vance nodded weakly and pushed the report toward him: “Evelyn… she handed it all over.” Before Liam could reach for it, Chloe, standing next to him, snatched the report, unable to hide the smugness on her face. “Wait a minute.” I spoke up suddenly, and Liam immediately frowned: “Evelyn, what trick are you trying to play now?” I shook my head and pulled out a single, folded blueprint from my pocket. “These are the final process parameters for the new surgical instrument. I just calculated them last night and haven’t had time to write them into the report.” Liam took the blueprint, staring at the numbers and formulas on it, his brow furrowed tightly. “If these parameters are off by even a fraction, the entire batch of instruments will be ruined. The direct loss will be at least several million, and the German experts will terminate the collaboration immediately.” My tone was indifferent. “With Chloe’s skill level, solving this problem shouldn’t be an issue, right?” Chloe’s face instantly flushed red, but she quickly puffed out her chest and regained her arrogance. She snorted coldly: “Stop being an alarmist. This is a minor problem. I’ll figure it out when I get back.” I didn’t say anything else. Chloe was nothing but a mediocre talent who hadn’t even mastered basic medical theory, let alone knowing anything about precision instruments. 2 “You can leave.” Liam said coldly. “From now on, the Vance Clinic has absolutely nothing to do with you, Evelyn.” Just as I was about to turn around, Chloe suddenly stopped me: “Hold on!” “Since Evelyn is no longer the heir, she isn’t considered part of the Vance family anymore, right?” “According to the rules, everything she uses belongs to the Vance family. Now that she’s leaving, shouldn’t she leave behind everything that isn’t hers?” “Liam, isn’t that right?” I turned around, ignoring Chloe’s smug face, and looked at Liam. “Is this what you want?” He stood there, looking a bit awkward. Ultimately, he avoided my gaze. Hearing this, Old Mr. Vance violently smashed the ashtray from his desk onto the floor: “Bastard! Evelyn has been in the Vance family for fifteen years. Even if she isn’t your wife, she’s still half a granddaughter to this family!” “Grandpa!” Liam finally spoke, but not to defend me. “Chloe is right. Since she’s leaving, we should settle things clearly, to avoid any messy entanglements later.” I looked at him and suddenly smiled. “Grandpa Vance, since this is Liam’s decision, I accept it.” “But to settle the score, I have a few things to say too.” “I entered the Vance family at eighteen, studying medicine under you. Today, it’s been exactly fifteen years.” Chloe let out a disdainful scoff. “In my third year here, I improved the testing program for the cardiac monitoring equipment, saving the clinic over eighty thousand dollars in maintenance fees every year.” “In my fifth year, I led the team to tackle the sterile control issue in the operating rooms, securing performance bonuses for the entire medical staff for three consecutive years.” “In my tenth year, to secure the military hospital contract…” I listed them one by one. With each accomplishment I mentioned, Old Mr. Vance’s face grew uglier. “All of this added up, over these fifteen years, the value I created for the Vance Clinic is enough to build a brand new hospital.” Liam bit his lip tightly. He certainly knew the significance of these numbers. In our past life, the Vance Clinic went from a small practice to a medical giant relying on these very tangible achievements. “The Vance family raised me for fifteen years, and I risked my life for the Vance Clinic for fifteen years.” “The sweat I’ve shed is enough to repay Grandpa and Grandma Vance for raising me.” “From now on, we are even.” “I’m leaving with nothing, and we have no further connection.” Chloe suddenly let out a sarcastic laugh: “You make it sound so noble. Look at what you’re wearing, what’s on your wrist. Which of these things is actually yours?” She took a few steps forward and roughly tugged at my work suit. “This custom-made suit, the clinic provided it, right?” She grabbed my wrist, revealing the jade bracelet. “Tsk tsk, this bracelet must be worth twenty thousand dollars. Could an apprentice afford this?” She pointed at the Mercedes car keys on the desk. “And that S-class sedan, that was a reward from the clinic too, wasn’t it?” “All of these things, which one isn’t from the Vance family?” I let her pull at me, keeping my eyes fixed on Liam the entire time. But he still didn’t say a word. “Liam.” I couldn’t help but ask: “The year the cherry blossoms were blooming, the words you said to me under the tree, have you forgotten them all?” Finally, he spat out two words. “I forgot.” I thought that by living a second life, this heart would no longer feel pain. I didn’t expect to still be deeply pierced by those two words at this moment. I forcefully suppressed my churning emotions and took off the bracelet. “Evelyn!” Old Mr. Vance stood up abruptly. “Don’t do this!” “Grandpa Vance.” I interrupted him, placing the bracelet on the desk. “Rules are rules.” The custom suit, the car keys from my pocket, the high heels on my feet. I took them off one by one, folding them neatly on the floor. Finally, I even took off my socks, stepping barefoot on the floor. The broken glass pierced my soles with a sharp pain. Chloe wore a victorious smile. When I started unbuttoning my last shirt, Liam finally couldn’t help but stop me. “Enough!” “Evelyn, stop it right now!” I calmly folded the shirt and placed it on the floor. “From now on, I am just me.” “My name is Evelyn Thorne. I am no longer an apprentice of the Vance family.” I changed into my own clothes, grabbed my suitcase, and walked out of the office building. A dense crowd of people stood outside. The hospital’s PA system was broadcasting the announcement of my dismissal. The gazes of the medical staff cut into me like knives. “Look, that’s her, the ungrateful wretch!” “I heard she still wanted to hog the position of heir. How shameless!” “Old Mr. Vance raised her for fifteen years. He really raised a snake in his bosom!” I walked through the crowd step by step. Just as I walked out of the clinic’s main gate, a Rolls-Royce sedan stopped right in front of me. The window rolled down, revealing a handsome face. “Are you Ms. Evelyn Thorne?” “My boss would like to have a word with you.” 3 “My name is Ethan Sterling. I’m from Hong Kong.” I looked at the sharply contoured face in the car without responding. Ethan opened the car door, took off his jacket, and draped it over my shoulders. “Ms. Thorne, our boss has had his eye on you for a long time.” “Our conglomerate highly appreciates your research in cardiac monitoring equipment and operating room sterile control.” His voice was gentle and calm, carrying professional respect. This was a stark contrast to the condescending charity of the Vance family. “The Sterling Group in Hong Kong specializes in high-end medical device research and development. We lack a technical leader like you.” “We are willing to provide an independent laboratory, fifty million dollars in startup capital, and ten percent of the technical shares.” “We only hope you will join us to jointly develop a new generation of surgical instruments for cardiac bypass surgery.” The terms he offered were too generous to refuse. More importantly, I saw in his eyes a thirst for technology and a respect for talent. After a pause, I nodded. “Looking forward to working with you.” “Looking forward to working with you, Ms. Thorne.” Ethan smiled and shook my hand. After that, I got into the Rolls-Royce. In the rearview mirror, the Vance Clinic building grew smaller and smaller. But everything there had absolutely nothing to do with me anymore. A week later, I was already in the top-floor laboratory of the Sterling Group in Hong Kong. Ethan walked in holding a report, his expression slightly strange. “Ms. Thorne, something happened at the Vance Clinic.” I was adjusting the focus of my microscope and didn’t look up. “Speak.” “They took the technical data you left behind and initiated production interfacing with the Germans.” “The first batch of prototypes was completely ruined due to errors in the critical process parameters.” “The German experts announced the termination of the collaboration on the spot and reserved the right to pursue legal action for technical fraud.” My hand paused. Millions. That was the figure I had warned Liam about. Now it seemed the losses were far more than that. Ethan continued: “I heard from a friend over there that Liam was so angry he smashed everything in his office, acting like a madman.” “But Chloe pushed all the blame onto you.” “She told everyone in the Vance family that you intentionally left incorrect blueprints as a trap to destroy the Vance Clinic.” I let out a cold laugh. Classic Chloe. Her ability to twist the truth is as good as ever. And Liam? In our past life, didn’t he listen to Chloe’s slander and believe I stole her life? In this life, he still believed her just as easily. “What about Old Mr. Vance?” I asked casually. “He was so angry he had a cerebral hemorrhage on the spot. He was sent to the ICU and is still in critical condition.” I fell silent. Old Mr. Vance treated me well, but I had already repaid that debt during my fifteen years with the Vance family. It was his own choice to believe his grandson and abandon me. Ethan looked at me and added: “I heard Liam is desperately sending people to look for you now.” “He says as long as you’re willing to go back, he’ll agree to any condition.” “He’s even willing to break off his engagement with Chloe immediately and give you back the position of heir.” I turned off the light source of the microscope and stood up straight. “Ethan, prepare the contract documents for me.” “We’ll proceed with the terms we discussed before.” Ethan’s eyes were full of approval. “Right away, Ms. Thorne.” When I signed “Evelyn Thorne” on the official employment contract with the Sterling Group, my phone rang. It was Liam. I looked at the familiar name on the screen, rejected the call immediately, and blocked all contact numbers from the Vance family. Liam, it’s too late. You were the one who pushed me away. Now, it’s your turn to taste what despair feels like. 4 The Sterling Group’s efficiency was incredibly high. Within a week, the top medical equipment in Asia was continuously transported into my independent laboratory. I threw myself entirely into my new research. What I wanted to develop was a new type of surgical instrument far surpassing the German technology—a revolutionary product capable of changing the entire landscape of cardiac surgery. I practically lived in the lab day and night, eating and sleeping there. Ethan became my exclusive assistant. He always managed to hand me detailed market data reports right when I needed them most. There was an unspoken understanding between us. One day, while I was conducting crucial mechanical tests, Ethan suddenly opened the door. “There’s someone downstairs looking for you.” His expression was strange; he looked like he wanted to laugh but felt it was inappropriate. He turned on the office security monitor. On the screen, two people were kneeling at the entrance of the Sterling Group headquarters. It was Liam and Chloe. Liam’s hair was messy, completely stripped of his usual pride. He knelt on the ground, crying his heart out, constantly calling my name. “Evelyn! Come out and see me!” “Evie, I was wrong! I was really wrong!” “Please, save the Vance family, save Grandpa!” Chloe knelt beside him, but her face was full of reluctance. The security guards approached several times to drive them away, but Liam clung to the main gate, refusing to let go. He was screaming hysterically. I watched the screen expressionlessly. There was not a single ripple in my heart. “Tell the security guards, if they don’t leave, call the police and say they are disturbing public order.” Ethan nodded and turned to make the arrangements. Not long after, Liam on the screen was dragged away by two security guards and thrown into a police car. Even then, he was still unwilling to give up. “Evelyn, you ungrateful wretch!” I turned off the monitor. Ungrateful? Exactly who is ungrateful? And who discarded my fifteen years of hard work like trash? A few days later, the Germans formally filed a transnational lawsuit, demanding 30 million euros in damages from the Vance Clinic for technical fraud and breach of contract. As soon as the news broke, the Vance Clinic’s stock price plummeted. Within a single day, sixty percent of its market value evaporated. The once-bustling hospital was now deserted. Creditors blocked the entrance, holding banners demanding repayment. The sky had fallen on the Vance family. Ethan told me that Liam, desperate to raise funds for the compensation, had to frantically sell off properties and jewelry in his name. He even pawned his mother’s belongings. But compared to the astronomical compensation, it was just a drop in the bucket. And Chloe, the woman who constantly claimed to love him, the woman who was supposedly the only hope of his life, stabbed him in the back at this critical moment. While Liam was overwhelmed, she secretly transferred the remaining few million dollars in the hospital’s account to her overseas account, planning to run away alone. When Liam found out, they had a complete falling out. Rumor has it they fought viciously in the Vance mansion, smashing everything to pieces. The once loving and sweet engaged couple were now sworn enemies. While they were tearing each other apart, I received incredible news. The new cardiac bypass stapler I developed had overcome the biggest technical hurdle in minimally invasive surgery. The clinical trial data was absolutely perfect. The Sterling Group immediately applied for a global patent for this technology. The day after the news was announced, the International Medical Innovation Conference in Geneva broke precedent and awarded me the highest gold medal of the year. The eyes of the whole world focused on Hong Kong, focused on the Sterling Group. Orders from top hospitals all over the globe poured into the company. The Sterling Group’s stock price tripled in a week, setting a historic high on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

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I received a $5,000 transfer from my husband’s company’s accounting department and happily assumed it was my year-end bonus. Unexpectedly, the accountant called and ordered me: “That money is for the legal wife, not you. Hurry up and return it the same way it came.” I was confused and stunned. She thought I didn’t want to return it, and her tone toughened: “If you don’t return it and the legal wife finds out, you’ll be in big trouble!” My husband is known to everyone as a family-oriented good man. Even his salary card at work is registered in my name. His monthly salary of $500 is deposited into my account without a penny missing. I feigned calmness and asked: “Does he give the legal wife $5,000 every month?” The accountant replied contemptuously: “Yes. I think as a mistress, Mr. Vance giving you $500 a month is already generous enough. You shouldn’t compare yourself to the legal wife.” I asked again: “How many years has he been giving it?” The accountant grew somewhat impatient: “Seven years. Hurry up and return the money.” My heart twisted in pain as I realized my good husband had been lavishly keeping a mistress on the outside. And my label was… the mistress. The accountant urged me again. I replied: “I will handle it, thank you.” … The accountant, thinking I had agreed to return the money, breathed a sigh of relief and hung up the phone. I braved the cold wind all the way to the company where Arthur had worked for 7 years. Throughout the journey, I felt as if I had fallen into an ice cellar. Reviewing every detail of our 15-year marriage, I still couldn’t find a single moment when he could have cheated. Over the years, no matter how late it was, he never spent the night away from home. Even if it was 2 AM, he would rush back. He would even save the cardboard boxes from every package we opened to sell. He wore his underwear until there were holes, patching them up for another three years, never willing to throw them away. How could he be willing to spend a fortune to keep a mistress? It wasn’t just him living frugally; all these years, the whole family lived in poverty. Out of his $500 monthly salary, $100 went to my mother-in-law’s medical bills. $50 for rent, $20 for his pocket money, and $50 for gas. Leaving only $280 every month. This $280 covered the living expenses for a family of four, utilities, and our daughter’s school fees. We even had to save some for occasional social obligations. So, for our family’s meals, I always went to the market just before it closed to buy the cheapest leftover scraps. We lived in the cheapest house in the urban village. Day after day, we lived on meager meals, stretching every penny. To save money, he even quit smoking and drove for Uber after work. My husband and I were known among our neighbors as a thrifty, hardworking couple. I never expected all this to be an illusion. I never expected he would brazenly register both mine and the mistress’s bank cards with his company’s accounting department. I still couldn’t figure it out. Such a frugal person, even when his mother had mobility issues due to a stroke. When I suggested buying a $20 used wheelchair for her to use temporarily, he agonized over it and couldn’t bear to spend the money. Yet he was so generous as to keep a lover! Entering the lobby of his company, a pretty 20-year-old receptionist asked politely: “Who are you looking for?” “Arthur Vance.” “Do you have an appointment?” My heart skipped a beat, remembering the accountant calling Arthur “Mr. Vance.” I thought perhaps he had been promoted. “Please tell him I am Chloe Hastings.” The young receptionist remained polite: “I’m sorry, ma’am, our boss is out right now and not in the company. Why don’t you give the boss a call?” I was shocked as if struck by lightning. Boss? This company was started by Arthur? And I was completely in the dark. [Chapter 2] I pretended to be calm and peeked inside. The company wasn’t big, with about 30 employees. It was a typical small business. There was a cheap bubble tea shop downstairs from his company. I spent 40 cents on a lemonade and sat by the window. Before all this, spending 40 cents on a lemonade would have made my heart ache for a long time. Because that 40 cents was enough for a light dinner for our family of four. Enough for my daughter to buy two pairs of socks, or even a pretty hair clip from the dollar store. I took a sip of the sweet and sour lemonade, enduring my breaking heart, and downloaded a corporate registry app. I entered Arthur’s company name, and the information popped up. He was the legal representative, the executive director, and a board member. Registered 7 years ago, with a registered capital of $20,000, an e-commerce company. That was the very day he hugged me in ecstasy, kissing my face repeatedly and saying: “Honey, I found a job paying $500 a month! Our life is going to get better and better!” I believed it then too. Before Arthur got this job, lacking a degree, he worked as a warehouse keeper at his previous company. His salary was around $300 to $400. Back then, we worked at the same company. I was a stocker, and he was a warehouse keeper. Two people from the bottom rung, sparked a romance, and became husband and wife. After our daughter was born, because my mother-in-law was in poor health and couldn’t help with the baby, I had to quit my job to take care of her. Later, my mother-in-law’s stroke worsened, to the point where she was bedridden long-term. I managed everything inside and outside the house. Many times, when I was so tired I couldn’t stand straight, lying in bed pounding my aching shoulders, Arthur would guiltily massage me and say: “Honey, you’ve worked so hard.” Thinking back now, it’s incredibly ironic! When my lemonade was half finished, I finally saw Arthur get out of a car from the window. He was wearing a decent suit, completely different from the cheap casual clothes he left the house in this morning. He walked around to the other side of the car and opened the rear door. A woman stepped out—high heels, a body-hugging dress, long straight black hair, and exquisite makeup. Her skin was tender and white, looking to be in her 20s. Arthur held her hand, their fingers intertwined, as they walked into the company. Seeing this with my own eyes, my heart felt like it was split in two, my chest suffocating. Before this moment, I had imagined a scene of catching them in the act, making a furious scene, causing them both complete humiliation. But at this moment, I felt it was utterly pointless. My phone vibrated right then, a message from my daughter: “Mom, why aren’t you here yet? My stomach is so empty.” My reason was pulled back. Thinking of my daughter, my tears fell like a broken dam onto the cracked screen of my phone. My middle school daughter didn’t board at school, nor did she eat there. I cooked and delivered her meals at noon and in the afternoon, and picked her up to go home at 9:30 PM. Braving wind and rain, just to save $50 a month on food and boarding. Yet her father couldn’t even bear to spend $50 on his own biological daughter. But spent $5,000 to keep a lover. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I immediately went online and ordered braised ribs, shredded potatoes, and dry-pot cabbage for my daughter, having a courier deliver it to her school. That saying online is true: the money you can’t bear to spend, someone else will gladly spend for you! From now on, I will not wrong myself or my daughter. I waited downstairs. Waiting for Arthur and that woman to come out, I followed their car. I followed them all the way to a high-end residential complex. Less than half an hour later, a boy of about 6 years old appeared between them. I watched him call Arthur: Dad. So, he not only had a home outside, but also a son. This boy, whose features were 70% similar to his, was like a sharp sword gouging my heart. [Chapter 3] When I gave birth to my daughter, I suffered an amniotic fluid embolism. By a stroke of incredible luck, the doctors managed to save me. That day, Arthur was scared out of his wits, signing numerous high-risk resuscitation consent forms. The nurses and doctors all said I had a good husband. Because that day, Arthur knelt and begged them: “Please save my wife, I don’t want the child, please save her.” “I’ll call to sell the house right now, no matter how much it costs.” He, who never believed in deities, knelt outside the resuscitation room that day, devoutly praying to every god. After I was saved, he held me and cried for a long time, still in shock. He kept telling me: “No more kids, no more. We just want this one daughter, that’s enough.” Even when our daughter was 7, and my father-in-law threatened suicide, demanding I must give the Vance family a boy, He fell out with his father over me, flipping the table, even if it meant cutting ties. He resolutely defended me, absolutely refusing to have a second child. He told relatives who pressured us countlessly: “Nothing is more important than my wife’s life. I will never let my wife suffer the pain of childbirth again.” Relatives all said he spoiled me too much and was so good to his wife. Looking back now, it’s a complete joke. He didn’t not want a son; he just secretly had one with someone else. I sat in a taxi, following their car all the way to a high-end restaurant. From a distance, I watched him order several delicate and expensive meat and vegetable dishes. Watched him considerately and carefully serve food to his son and lover, even feeding them. And this scene… even during the New Year, our family didn’t eat this well. A month ago, my daughter had a craving and said to Arthur: “Dad, I want to go eat a skewer hotpot with my classmates.” He told her: “If you rank first in your grade on the final exam, I’ll reward you by letting you eat hotpot with your classmates.” My daughter’s grades were above average, so ranking first was difficult for her. A wave of bitterness washed over me. Suppressing my emotions, I contacted my nephew, a lawyer on my side of the family. While they were laughing and chatting through their meal, I told my nephew the specific situation. He replied: “Auntie, staying calm is the right move. Don’t confront him yet, wait until we gather solid evidence.” My nephew felt for me and said he would handle this. He would investigate. When my daughter finished her evening study hall, I rushed to the school to pick her up. In the dark, I rode the electric bike I’d had for 7 years, its chain rusting, carrying my daughter home. Along the way, she chattered non-stop, like a happy little bird. Because today she finally got to eat the delicious takeout she had dreamed of. She asked me: “Mom, did you win the lottery today, ordering all this good food for me?” I feigned happiness, not wanting her to know about the family’s mess during her happiest moment. “Yeah, I bought a 20-cent lottery ticket and won $20. Ordered you takeout, and saved a little bit for you to go eat skewer hotpot with your classmates.” My daughter was even happier, hugging my waist tightly and saying: “I won’t go with my classmates. I’ll go with you, so you can experience eating out too.” [Chapter 4] When we got home, Arthur wasn’t back yet. My bedridden mother-in-law complained endlessly, grumbling that I was out for so long and didn’t make dinner, leaving her hungry. My daughter also casually mentioned she was hungry. I hurried to the kitchen to cook noodles. Just as I finished making a simple tomato and egg noodle soup, Arthur returned. He had changed back into the faded casual clothes he left with in the morning. He walked over to me as usual and said: “Eating noodles, huh.” He rubbed his stomach and said: “I drove for Uber for a while and ate a steamed bun to fill my stomach. Really getting older, it still hasn’t digested.” His underlying meaning was that he wasn’t eating. Basically, whenever he came back late, he would use the excuse of an undigested steamed bun to skip dinner. Every time, my heart would ache for him eating plain steamed buns with no nutrition. I never imagined he had actually eaten delicacies outside before coming home. I feigned calmness and asked him to carry a bowl of noodles: “Take this to Mom.” He smiled and took it, and as usual, smiled and said to me: “My wife is so virtuous.” That sentence stabbed my heart like a vicious knife. He went into my mother-in-law’s room. My mother-in-law complained to him about dinner being late and me not giving her a good attitude. He mediated and spoke up for me. As I passed my mother-in-law’s room, I suddenly heard her lower her voice: “You’re capable, you’re a big boss now, why don’t you just hire a nanny for me.” “What use is she to you? She won’t even give you a son. Well, you don’t need her to anymore, I already have a big grandson.” “I can’t just let my big grandson stay off the family register forever, how will I face your father in the future!” So she had known about Arthur having an illegitimate child outside all along. My blood ran cold, and the anger of being played for a fool surged through my body. When Arthur went back to the room to sleep, I said to him: “I plan to start working.” His hand pulling the blanket paused, looking at me: “What about our daughter?” “She’ll board at school.” He asked again: “What about Mom?” I pinched my palms, pretending to be calm: “You figure it out. Anyway, I plan to start working.” He looked incredulous, tried to persuade me for a good while, and seeing I was determined, settled for the next best thing: “How about this, I’ll find you a part-time job. That way you have a job, but it won’t interfere with taking care of Mom and our daughter.” A cold sneer rose in my heart. He actually still delusionally thought I would serve his mom like a nanny! After he fell asleep, I secretly unlocked his phone. As I scrolled, my hands shook with fear. This shocking secret completely shattered my understanding of Arthur. The next day, he said he found me a part-time job. He took me to a new residential complex. He told me: “Taking care of people is your specialty. A friend introduced this; their family needs a live-out nanny.” “You just cook lunch and dinner, and clean up. The salary is $200.” While talking, I unexpectedly saw a family photo of this household. Only then did I realize this was the mistress’s parents’ home. He actually wanted me to serve the mistress’s parents. I asked Arthur: “In your heart, am I only fit to serve people? Am I a servant, is that it?” While he was stunned and hadn’t had time to answer, I gave him a cold look and left. He chased after me, offering a few perfunctory coaxing words, thinking I would brush off these “small things” like before. That night, after he fell asleep, I secretly saw on his phone that his company was hosting an annual gala tomorrow. Looking at the various pieces of evidence my nephew sent me, after a night of careful consideration, I decided to deliver a fatal blow to them tomorrow. In the morning, Arthur left the house as usual. I followed him all the way to the five-star hotel he had booked for the annual gala. Timing it perfectly, I silently called the police. Just as Arthur held that woman’s hand and went on stage to speak, while the crowd cheered that they were the best boss and boss’s wife, The police walked up to Arthur with gleaming silver handcuffs: “Are you Arthur Vance?” Looking at the uniformed police, Arthur was confused: “Yes.” “Your wife reported you for suspected involvement in several illegal fraud operations. We are lawfully arresting you for investigation.” Arthur was struck dumb as if by a thunderbolt. When he saw me walking forward unhurriedly, his face turned deathly pale. [Chapter 5] The employees below the stage whispered in shock: “Isn’t the boss’s wife right there on stage?” “What’s going on here?” “Yeah, the boss and his wife have such a good relationship, how could she call the police on him?” The woman on stage, Maya Sullivan, was shocked and angry, and said to the police: “Nonsense! How could I report my own husband?” “Besides, my husband is a good, law-abiding citizen. He’s never done anything bad.” “You guys must have made a mistake!” “Did you arrest someone with the same name by mistake?” She kept rambling on, completely missing Arthur’s gaze turning deathly pale when he looked at me. The police looked at her suspiciously: “You are Arthur Vance’s wife?” “Yes! I am his wife!” A very firm and resonant answer. The police turned their gaze to me as I walked over, lifting their chins slightly: “Then who is she?” Maya looked toward me. The color drained from her face, and her pupils dilated. I walked right up to her. The murmurs from the audience boiled up again like hot water. “Oh my god, so the real boss’s wife is someone else.” “But she doesn’t look like a match for the boss at all, she looks much older than him.” “Is what she reported true? Did our boss really break the law?” Yes, compared to Maya, she looked more like the boss’s wife. Her skin was soft and delicate, even her hands were manicured, as tender as a peeled egg. She wore a designer gown, and her face was covered in high-end cosmetics. While I was bare-faced, wearing cheap, washed-out clothes from discount sites. My hands were rough and dry. These marks of years of dedication to my family had become the standard by which outsiders judged who looked more like the boss’s wife. I slowly spoke: “Say it again. Are you Arthur’s wife?” Maya’s embarrassed flush reached her neck; her red lips moved, but she hesitated. Arthur shot me a look, signaling me to give him some face and stop making a scene. “Whatever it is, we can talk about it calmly. Don’t make such a big joke.” A bitter smile played on my lips, the hatred in my heart rising to my throat. I glared furiously at Arthur: “What makes you think we still have a chance to talk calmly?” “For our daughter’s sake, stop messing around, okay? This is a serious matter, I could go to jail!” He used our daughter to pressure me. I had always taught my daughter to study hard, get into a good college, and preferably become a civil servant. Not to struggle at the bottom like me. So I had warned Arthur many times that he must be law-abiding, not even a DUI. To ensure that if our daughter wanted to take the civil service exam later, our family wouldn’t have a stain on its record. He always knew what my weakness was. I laughed through gritted teeth and roared at him: “You have the least right to mention our daughter to me!” “Did you think of our daughter when you were cheating?” “When you were enjoying wealth and luxury, why didn’t you think of your daughter who couldn’t even afford skewer hotpot?” “When you did those unconscionable, illegal things, why didn’t you think of your wife and child at home?” “Arthur! Put your hand on your heart and tell me, did you ever care about your daughter, your family!” As I roared, the tears from the corners of my eyes fell non-stop like broken pearls. Not for him. Just for the unworthiness of my years of dedication. He froze. Knowing he was in the wrong, he avoided my burning gaze and didn’t utter another word. He was taken away by the police.

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After being chosen through a lottery for a full scholarship at an elite prep school, my parents gave me thirty dollars a month for living expenses. The following year, my younger sister tested into the same school. My parents gritted their teeth, sold our house, and bought her a whole new wardrobe. Just so she could have the confidence to make friends there. After she enrolled, my sister saw me neglecting my studies, spending every day running errands for the rich kids. Furious, she accused me: “Mom and Dad work so hard to pay for your schooling, and you’re letting them down!” “I will never embarrass them like you do!” I silently glanced at the bank card in my wallet. It held the hundreds of thousands of dollars I had earned at this school. “It’s a deal. You must focus on your studies, and whatever you do, don’t try to steal my business.” 1 Chloe transferred here today. Her school uniform was brand new and pristine. The material was completely different from mine, which I had bought second-hand from a previous scholarship student. Before she transferred, my parents specifically warned me. They said my sister was highly sensitive, unlike me, who had thick skin. So I should try my best not to reveal our relationship. To prevent the other students from viewing her through tinted glasses. So, as I listened to Chloe’s impassioned self-introduction, I just glanced up briefly before putting my head back down on my desk to catch up on sleep. The rest of the class ignored her as well. Everyone was doing their own thing. Chloe froze for a few seconds. Realizing the awkwardness, she let out a few dry laughs. Then she walked straight toward the empty seat in the front row. The classroom suddenly fell eerily quiet. As Chloe wished, everyone’s gaze was now focused on her. But she seemed completely oblivious. She simply started arranging her things on the desk. It wasn’t until the silence became too much even for her that Chloe curiously asked, “What’s wrong?” A girl sitting behind her, busy touching up her makeup, gently warned her: “The person who sits there is a lunatic you can’t afford to mess with. You’d better find another seat.” Hearing this, Chloe’s eyes visibly brightened. She turned her head. “I’m here to study hard. I don’t care who my desk mate is.” “But I care.” Liam’s figure suddenly appeared in the doorway. He glanced disdainfully at the slightly cute and childish stationery that had suddenly appeared on his desk. He frowned and clicked his tongue. Chloe stiffened her neck and met his gaze. Putting on a fearless front. “But this seat is empty. Isn’t it a waste for you to have a double desk all to yourself?” “You don’t need to pay attention to my existence. I’ll just quietly study and won’t say a single word to you. So, don’t look at me with that condescending look.” Liam let out a cold laugh. “You’re talking quite a bit right now.” “Three…” He didn’t give Chloe any more chances. “Two…” Before Liam’s countdown finished, I sighed and resignedly stood up. I walked over to their desk, swiftly packed all of Chloe’s things, grabbed her wrist, and dragged her to my seat. My desk was near the back row, and Chloe was clearly unhappy about it. She shook off my hand. And questioned me in a low voice: “I was having a perfectly good conversation with my new classmate, what are you doing?” Saying that, she tried to grab her backpack and return to the front. I slammed my hand down on her bag. “Considering you’re my sister, I’m going to stick my nose in your business just this once.” “Listen to me. Don’t provoke people you shouldn’t provoke.” I had experienced Liam’s foul temper firsthand. He hated anyone getting close to him. He didn’t give face to anyone. Everyone kept their distance from this untouchable god. Even I wouldn’t take any commissions related to Liam. Hearing this, an inexplicable confidence appeared in Chloe’s eyes. “That’s just because you guys don’t have what it takes to provoke him.” My eyelid immediately twitched. It seems you really should mind your own business if you want to protect your sanity. So I let go. I wasn’t going to stop her from hitting a brick wall. Chloe, having gotten her way, grabbed her bag and was about to head back to Liam when she heard him dial a number, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. “Bring me a new set of desk and chairs immediately.” “Some idiot dirtied mine.” Chloe’s expression froze, her footsteps halting dead in their tracks. Under the watchful eyes of everyone else, she struggled to turn her head. Gritting her teeth, she reluctantly sat back down next to me. 2 During the first academic class, I almost fell asleep with my eyes open. When I finally made it to the end of the period, Chloe couldn’t help but mock me: “It’s only the first class and you’re already this sleepy. Are you even here to learn?” I slapped my cheeks a few times to wake myself up. “I was busy doing business last night and didn’t sleep well, that’s all.” There was a pair of childhood sweethearts in the upper grades who were destined to be arranged in marriage. They had recently gotten into a huge fight. Neither was willing to be the first to apologize. So I was busy setting up a surprise party for them last night, constantly acting as a mediator and saying good things to both sides. I finally managed to coax the young master and miss into making up. I was so exhausted I felt like I was falling apart. But thankfully, the payout for this job was generous. I was one step closer to my savings goal. But as soon as I finished speaking, Chloe looked at me with an indescribable expression. “You…” “Have you always had so little self-respect?” I was still half-asleep. For a moment, I didn’t even understand what she meant. Until she moved her chair slightly further away with a look of disgust. “Don’t give me any diseases.” I suddenly realized what she meant. I was so speechless I wanted to laugh. I just slapped her on the shoulder. “Well, now you’re infected. Guess we’ll die together.” Seeing her actually panic, I rolled my eyes, packed my things, and got ready to leave. Chloe stopped me, looking surprised. “You’re skipping class?” I pulled out my phone. And shoved the class schedule in her face. “There’s only one academic class today.” “The rest are equestrian and golf.” Chloe was confused. “So go to them.” I put my phone away. “For equestrian class, you need your own horse and riding gear. For golf, you have to bring your own clubs.” “Mom and Dad only give me thirty dollars a month, so I can’t afford any of it.” Hearing this, Chloe’s gaze unnaturally dropped to her brand-new school uniform. 3 This school offers a few spots to the general public every year. They randomly draw from students with outstanding grades, offering them full-tuition scholarships. They’re called “scholarship students.” During my sophomore year, I was lucky enough to be drawn. When I excitedly shared the good news with my parents, they just looked at me with extreme seriousness. “You’re this happy just because of pure luck?” “This lottery system is so flawed. Your sister is smarter and sharper than you. She even skipped a grade in elementary school, and now she’s the youngest student in your grade. Based on IQ, they should have picked your sister, not you.” “So don’t get too arrogant, or you’ll fall even harder later.” They heard that the cafeteria at this school was also free. So they proposed giving me only thirty dollars a month for living expenses. Under the guise of “enduring hardship to become a better person.” But when I enrolled, I realized. Tuition was just the cheapest admission ticket. The curriculum at this school was very unique. Academic classes geared toward standard standardized testing made up a very small percentage. Because very few students here take the traditional college entrance exam route. Even if they did, paying top dollar for one-on-one private tutors was the smarter choice. The rest of the classes were mostly electives. From equestrian, baseball, and golf to SAT and TOEFL prep, they had it all. But if you wanted to take the equestrian class, you had to have at least your own horse. The hidden costs behind these classes were something I couldn’t bear. I once tried bringing this up with my parents. I had no intention of touching those expensive sports. But the SAT prep was very practical. But they just gave me a cold look. “What kind of background do those people have, and what kind do we have?” “Just stick to your academic classes and behave yourself. Don’t think about things you shouldn’t think about.” “So young, yet already worshipping foreign things.” That was the only time. After that, I never mentioned anything about the school to them again. But a few days ago, my sister was drawn as a scholarship student for this year. My parents threw a massive celebratory banquet at a five-star hotel. It was only when the banquet ended and we were heading home that my parents told me. In order to give my sister the confidence to make friends. The moment they got the news, they sold our house. All the money was used to buy my sister a new wardrobe and provide her with living expenses. Now, the three of us had to live in a cramped, rented apartment. Despite this, my parents’ tone was still incredibly sweet. “Things are a bit tough now, but once your sister makes something of herself, our whole family will have a good life.” Listening to their words, I felt surprisingly calm. I just asked: “What about my room?” They probably didn’t expect me to ask that. They froze for a moment. And stammered an explanation. “Since you went to that school, you rarely come home. Plus, you’ll be going to college out of town when you graduate, and then you’ll find a job and rent your own place. So we didn’t factor in a room for you.” “You also know that a three-bedroom apartment is much more expensive than a two-bedroom. Given our family’s special circumstances right now, you can understand Mom and Dad, right?” I couldn’t even cry. My smile was incredibly ugly. “Yeah, I understand.” “It’s not like I’ll ever be coming home again anyway.” 4 “…Even if you can’t afford it, you can still audit the classes, right? That’s no excuse to skip.” I didn’t expect this sister of mine to understand my situation. But I also didn’t expect her to be this stupid. So I let out a cold laugh. “Because I’m someone with no self-respect.” “So I’m skipping class to trade my time for money.” “What are you going to do about it?” Chloe didn’t expect me to admit it so openly. She laughed out of sheer anger. “Whatever. I definitely won’t be short-sighted like you, only caring about what’s right in front of me.” “I will study hard, turn all the students here into my network, and change my life in the future.” I silently glanced at the bank card in my wallet. It held the two hundred thousand dollars I had earned at this school. Retaking a year of school or studying abroad—both require a lot of money. I had no one to rely on. I could only rely on myself. But I had no intention of telling her any of this. So I earnestly shook her hand. “It’s a deal. You must study hard, and whatever you do, don’t try to steal my business.” … I did a beautiful job last night. Mrs. Wang invited me to a café and handed me a check for forty thousand dollars. “My Evie came home and told me she made up with the Zhou family boy.” “This is the final payment. Take it.” I silently accepted the money. But my gaze landed on the unfamiliar woman sitting next to Mrs. Wang. “I forgot to introduce you. This is Mrs. Sterling. She has a commission for you.” Hearing this, I immediately sat up straight. My business covered a wide range. Running errands and doing odd jobs was just for pocket money. The real money-maker was my “Friendship Bonding” business. These rich kids were used to being accommodated and indulged since childhood. But here, everyone was a rich kid. A small conflict could lead to a severed friendship, or worse, affect the relationship between two powerful families. I keenly spotted this blue-ocean market. From best friends to soon-to-be-engaged childhood sweethearts. I could smooth over any relationship. Once successful, I would receive a “thank you fee” from both sets of parents. The amount ranged from six to seven figures. To date, I had a zero-failure rate. There was also an unspoken rule in this circle— When discussing unresolved matters, no third party could be present. After Mrs. Wang grabbed her bag and left, Mrs. Sterling handed me her business card. Black background with gold lettering, a low-key, luxurious “Sterling.” Inside and out, it conveyed one message: wealth. She looked very young. And spoke softly. “I have a matter here that’s a bit more difficult than smoothing over classmate relations. I wonder if you can take it?” “Please, tell me.” “It’s my son, Liam…” Hearing that name, I almost choked on my own saliva. “Liam? Which Liam?” Mrs. Sterling smiled but didn’t say anything. I realized it was a stupid question. In our school, if you threw a brick, you’d hit a dozen kids named Smith. But Liam Sterling. There really was only one. I gave a dry laugh, just wanting to run away. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Sterling. I really can’t take a job related to Liam.” I was just about to leave when Mrs. Sterling took a slow sip of her coffee and said, “Name your price.” If there are three words in this world that no one can refuse… It’s definitely not “I love you.” It’s “Name your price.” I sat back down, completely lacking any backbone. “What are your instructions, Ma’am?” Mrs. Sterling said she used to do business abroad with her husband. She basically let Liam run wild. Now that the business was stable, she wanted to return to family life. Only to find that Liam had turned into a complete demon child. He was moody every day and had absolutely no friends around him. If he didn’t always have bodyguards following him, he probably would have been beaten to death by now. So she wanted to hire me to help him improve his relationships with his classmates at school. By any means necessary, just make his life a little smoother. At that moment, I felt that not everything in the world could be solved with money. At least, getting Liam good popularity couldn’t. Seeing my hesitation, Mrs. Sterling added: “I can also offer you an additional condition. Whatever you want, you just name it.” But then again… Even the worst person has the right to make friends, right? I immediately nodded. And held up two fingers. “Sure. Two hundred thousand.” That was the sum total of everything I had earned so far. Mrs. Sterling blinked at me. And suddenly sighed in relief. “You scared me to death. I thought you meant two hundred million. I would have actually had to discuss that with my husband.” As if afraid I would go back on my word, she quickly pulled out a check and paid me in full. Before leaving, she smiled brightly and genuinely. “Ms. Sarah, thank you so much.” I looked at the check in my hand and fell silent. … Did I ask for too little?

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I was the last to know our company was being sold for $20 million. I went to work as usual that day, but when I pushed open the conference room door, it was full of people. Liam, my boss, sat at the head of the table, flanked by three strangers in sharp suits. He saw me, and his eyes flickered. “Chloe, go back to your work, we don’t need you here.” I froze in the doorway. A document lay spread out on the conference table, and I could only make out a few words— “Equity Acquisition Letter of Intent.” My name is Chloe Vance, and I’m 29 years old. Three years ago, I was an accountant at a small firm, making $4,000 a month, renting an apartment, and commuting an hour by subway. Liam was a senior from my university, four years ahead of me, and a prominent figure on campus. We weren’t particularly close, occasionally exchanging a few words in the alumni group chat after graduation. Until one night three years ago, he suddenly asked me out to dinner. “Chloe, I want to start a business in cross-border e-commerce,” he said casually, picking up a piece of food. “You’re an accounting major, want to join?” I was taken aback. “Senior, I… I don’t really know much about e-commerce.” “You don’t need to.” He smiled. “You handle the money, I’ll handle the business, and we’ll split it fifty-fifty.” Fifty-fifty. Those words were like a pebble dropped into the stagnant pool of my life. I had just gone through a breakup, my job was unsatisfying, and I felt like I was just going through the motions every day, finding life meaningless. Liam’s words were like a ray of light. “Senior, I don’t have much money,” I said honestly. “How much do you have?” “Savings… about twenty or thirty thousand dollars.” He nodded: “Not enough. The startup capital needs to be at least two million dollars.” My heart sank. “But—” he continued, “I’ll put in one million, you put in one million. You can borrow the rest from your family.” Borrow from my family. My parents were blue-collar workers; they hadn’t saved much their entire lives. But I was still tempted. Fifty-fifty. Being my own boss. Changing my life. These phrases kept spinning in my head all night. The next day, I called my mom. “Mom, I want to start a business.” Silence hung on the other end of the line for a long time. “How much do you need?” “…One million.” My mom didn’t scold me, nor did she ask too many questions. A week later, she wired the money to my account. I later found out that money was their life savings for retirement, plus money borrowed from relatives, plus a loan against their old house back home. One million dollars. My parents had never seen that much money in their lives. They entrusted it to me. And I entrusted it to Liam. On the day we signed the contract, Liam treated me to a lavish dinner. “Come on, Chloe, have a drink to celebrate our partnership!” I couldn’t drink much, but I was so happy that day. Whenever he toasted me, I drank. Glass after glass. What happened later is a bit of a blur. I only remember him pushing a stack of documents in front of me. “Sign here, just a formality.” I squinted at the text, densely packed and a bit dizzying. “What is this…” “The partnership agreement.” He picked up a pen for me. “See, 1,000,000 for 50%, it’s written clearly.” I took the pen and signed my name. He smiled, gathered the documents, and patted my shoulder. “Junior, from today on, we’re partners.” Partners. I believed those words for three years. The beginning of the company was tough. We rented a 600-square-foot office with no AC in the summer and no heating in the winter. Liam ran the business, I handled the finances, and with two part-time customer service reps, that was our entire team. I arrived at the office at 8 AM every day and didn’t leave until 11 PM or midnight. Salary? None. Liam said, “We’re just starting out, let’s hold off on salaries until we make some money.” I thought that made sense. It was our own company, so working hard was worth it. The first year, the company lost $300,000. Liam was anxious, spending sleepless nights. “Chloe, how much money is left in the account?” “Less than $400,000.” He smoked a cigarette and looked at me. “Do you have any more money?” I paused. “I… have a little.” It was the $300,000 I had saved for a down payment on a house. “Can you lend it to the company for now?” He crushed his cigarette. “When the company is doing well, I’ll pay you back double.” I didn’t say anything. “Chloe, I know this is a lot to ask.” He sighed. “But we’re partners. If the company goes under, we’re both finished.” Partners. That word again. The next day, I transferred $300,000 to the company account. Liam sent me a text: “Thank you, Junior. I won’t forget this.” I won’t forget this. I believed him. The second year, the company started making a profit. The third year, our revenue tripled. Early this year, Liam told me someone wanted to buy our company. “For how much?” “Still negotiating.” He smiled mysteriously. “But it definitely won’t be low.” I thought the good days were finally here. I thought these three years of hard work were finally paying off. I thought— Until today. I stood at the conference room door, looking at the Equity Acquisition Letter of Intent. 20 million. The company was worth 20 million. I put in 1 million for 50%, so I should get 10 million. Plus the 300,000 I lent later, that makes 10.3 million. I could finally pay off my parents’ debts and buy myself a house. But the way Liam looked at me made me feel something was wrong. “Chloe, please wait outside.” His voice wasn’t loud, but it was firm. I stood there, unmoving. “Get out.” I looked at him, then at the strangers, then at the document. “Senior, I’m a shareholder, why can’t I be here?” The conference room fell silent for a second. Liam laughed. It was a strange laugh, like he was looking at an idiot. “Shareholder?” He stood up and walked over to me. “Chloe, since when are you a shareholder?” I thought I had misheard. “Senior, what did you say?” Liam sighed, like he was dealing with an unreasonable child. “The conference room isn’t the place to talk. Let’s go to my office.” He turned and excused himself to the others, then pushed me out of the conference room. My mind was a complete mess on the way. What did he mean “since when are you a shareholder”? Three years ago, he said it himself: fifty-fifty. I put in 1 million. I signed the contract. I— “Sit.” Liam’s office was ten times bigger than three years ago. Leather sofas, a solid wood desk, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline. Half of this was mine. Wasn’t it? I sat down and looked at him. “Senior, the company is being acquired. Why didn’t you tell me?” “It’s a trade secret.” “I’m a shareholder.” Liam pulled a folder from a drawer and placed it in front of me. “See for yourself.” I opened the folder. Inside was a contract. My name. My signature. But— “A loan agreement?” My voice trembled slightly. It stated in black and white: Chloe Vance borrows 1,000,000 from Liam Sterling, at an annual interest rate of 6%, for a term of three years. What loan agreement? I clearly signed a partnership agreement! “Senior, this isn’t right. I signed a partnership agreement, 1 million for 50%—” “Look closer.” His voice was very calm. I stared at the document, reading it word by word. Borrower: Chloe Vance. Lender: Liam Sterling. Loan Amount: 1,000,000. Term: Three years. Annual Interest Rate: 6%. Repayment Method: Lump-sum repayment of principal and interest at maturity. At the end was my signature. It was my handwriting. No mistake. But I clearly… The memories of that day suddenly flooded back. The lavish dinner. The toasts. Glass after glass. He pushed a stack of documents in front of me. “Sign here, just a formality.” I squinted at the text, densely packed and a bit dizzying… “Remember now?” Liam’s voice sounded in my ear. I looked up at him. “You tricked me.” “What do you mean, tricked?” He sat back in his chair and crossed his legs. “It’s in black and white, you signed it yourself. How can you call that a trick?” “You got me drunk that day—” “I treated you to dinner, you drank of your own free will. Are you blaming me?” “You said it was a partnership agreement—” “What I said doesn’t matter. What matters is what’s written in the contract.” He smiled, like he was lecturing an ignorant student. “Chloe, you’re an accounting major. You should read carefully before signing a contract. That’s common sense, isn’t it?” I felt cold all over. Three years. Three whole years. I thought I was a boss, but I was just a creditor. I thought I was a partner, but I was just an employee. I thought… “You—” I wanted to say something, but my throat felt blocked. Liam picked up a pen from his desk and twirled it. “Alright, we’ve cleared this up. The 1 million loan, plus three years’ interest, totals 1.18 million. I’ll return it to you in full.” 1.18 million. I put in 1 million, wasted three years of my youth, and only get back 1.18 million. And he, walking away with 20 million, doesn’t have to share a penny with me. “What about the 300,000?” My voice was dry. “What 300,000?” “The first year, when the company almost went under, I lent the company 300,000.” “Oh, that 300,000.” He nodded. “I remember. I wrote an IOU.” He pulled another piece of paper from a drawer. Borrower: XX Company. Lender: Chloe Vance. Loan Amount: 300,000. Term: One year. Annual Interest Rate: 5%. One year? It’s been way past a year. “The company has already repaid this money.” “What? I never received—” “It was transferred to your account. Check it yourself.” I pulled out my phone and trembling, opened my banking app. I scrolled back to transactions from two years ago. XX Company, incoming transfer, $315,000. Note: Loan repayment. I had absolutely no memory of this money. Back then, there were so many company transactions going in and out, I didn’t even notice… “See.” Liam stood up and walked to the window, his back to me. “Chloe, considering our history as alumni, I calculated the interest clearly for you, not a penny less. Anyone else would have turned hostile long ago.” He turned to face me. “What more do you want?” I sat there, trembling all over. Not from the cold. From anger. Three years. I hadn’t taken a single day off. I hadn’t gotten a single raise. I bet my parents’ retirement savings, money borrowed from relatives, and the mortgaged house back home, all on this company. And him? He walks away with 20 million and doesn’t have to share a penny with me. He says I’m just a creditor. He says it’s in black and white. He says— “Senior.” My voice was very soft. “Where is my salary for these three years?” “What salary?” “I worked here for three years and didn’t get a single penny.” “You agreed to that. You said we were just starting, so we wouldn’t pay salaries yet.” “Did you pay yourself?” Liam paused. “I’m the boss—” “How much did you pay yourself?” “That’s a company secret—” “I’ve seen the books. You paid yourself $50,000 a month.” I stared at him. “Three years, that’s 1.8 million. Not counting reimbursements, consulting fees, and travel expenses.” “You—” “I’m also a ‘boss’. Why did you pay yourself and not me?” Liam’s expression changed. “Chloe, don’t push your luck.” “Me, pushing my luck?” I stood up. “You tricked me into signing a loan agreement, you stole my shares, you made me work for free for three years, and I’m the one pushing my luck?” “I tricked you? Where’s the evidence?” He walked over and looked down at me. “Chloe, let me teach you something. If there’s no evidence, it never happened.” “You said fifty-fifty—” “Empty words.” “You said I was a partner—” “It’s not in the contract.” “You told me to sign a partnership agreement—” “You didn’t read it carefully, whose fault is that?” With every sentence he spoke, my heart sank further. He was right. No evidence. No audio recordings. No chat logs. No witnesses. All I had was a loan agreement. And a betrayed heart. “Get out.” Liam opened the door. “I’ll wire the 1.18 million to you next week. Take the money and don’t come back.” I stood there, unmoving. “Or what—” he chuckled, “are you going to sue me?” Sue him. Could I win? He has the contract, the bank statements, all the “evidence.” What do I have? “Chloe, for old times’ sake, I’ll teach you one more lesson.” He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “You’re just a community college grad. You think you’d be where you are today without me? Face reality, take the money and leave. It’s better for everyone.” Community college grad. Without me. Where you are today. These words stabbed into my heart like knives. I turned and walked out of his office. Without looking back. I didn’t know what to do next. I only knew one thing. This isn’t over. It was 9 PM when I got home. I didn’t turn on the lights, just sat on the sofa staring at the ceiling. One image kept replaying in my mind— Liam pushing that loan agreement towards me, smiling and saying, “Black and white.” I closed my eyes, trying hard to remember the night I signed three years ago. The restaurant. The private room. The dim lighting. He kept pouring me drinks. “Come on, Chloe, let’s toast to our partnership.” “Senior, I can’t really drink…” “It’s fine, we’re celebrating today, just a little.” One glass. Two glasses. Three glasses. My memory gets fuzzy here. He pushed a stack of documents towards me. “Sign here, just a formality.” “What’s this…” “The partnership agreement. Look, 1 million for 50%.” I took the pen. But did I really see it clearly? The text was dense, I only saw the numbers “1 million” and “50%”… I snapped my eyes open. No. He definitely said “partnership agreement” and “50%”. But the contract… what was actually written in the contract? I rushed into the bedroom and found that document from three years ago. Loan agreement. Black and white. But if this is a loan agreement, what about the “partnership agreement” he mentioned? I stared at the document, a possibility suddenly dawning on me. Could it be that there never was a partnership agreement from the start? Could it be that he planned to scam me from the very beginning? My phone rang. It was my mom. “Chloe, have you eaten?” I opened my mouth but didn’t know how to start. “Mom, I… I ate.” “How’s the company doing? Your senior mentioned it’s being acquired, are you getting a big payout?” I froze. “Mom, how do you know?” “Your senior told me. He called a couple of days ago to thank me for supporting your startup.” Liam called my mom? “What… what else did he say?” “He said the company is doing great, you’ve contributed a lot, and told me not to worry. He also said that when the company sells, you’ll get a lot of money, and we can buy our old house back.” My hand holding the phone trembled. He called my mom to tell her I’d get a payout. He told me to my face that I was just a creditor. What is he trying to do? “Chloe? Chloe, are you still there?” “Yes… Mom, I have something to take care of, I’ll hang up now.” I hung up the phone and slumped onto the bed. Why did he call my mom? And “a couple of days ago”— That means he knew about the acquisition long ago. He planned all this. He kept me in the dark about the acquisition while calling my mom to reassure her. Making my mom think I’d get a payout. Making my mom tell me the “good news.” Making me walk blindly into his trap. And then— The loan agreement. 1.18 million. Get out. I felt cold all over. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment thing; it was premeditated. Since when? Since the day we signed the contract three years ago? Or even earlier? I took out my phone and opened my WeChat chat history with Liam. I scrolled back to three years ago. The earliest message: “Chloe, are you free tomorrow? Let’s get dinner, I want to talk about something.” Then there were details about our collaboration. But— It was strange. There wasn’t a single word about the partnership agreement. Only one message: “We’ll sign the contract tomorrow, I’ll book a restaurant, my treat.” Just that one message. I scrolled further. For the three years after the company was founded, the chat was entirely about work. “How much was collected this month?” “Are the financial statements ready?” “Follow up with that client.” Nothing about equity, dividends, or partnerships. It was as if… As if he was deliberately avoiding these topics. I put down my phone, an image suddenly flashing in my mind. Three years ago, the night we signed the contract, I posted a Moment. “New beginnings! Partnering with my senior, we each hold 50%, let’s do this!” I deleted it later because Liam said, “The company is just starting, it’s better to keep a low profile.” I thought it made sense then. Thinking about it now— Was he destroying evidence? But did I really delete that Moment? I opened WeChat and clicked on “Album.” I scrolled down. Three years ago, three years ago… It wasn’t there. I had indeed deleted it. But— I remembered that night, I didn’t just post a Moment. I also sent a WeChat message to my mom. I quickly opened my chat history with my mom and scrolled up. One page, two pages, three pages… Found it! Three years ago, the night we signed the contract, I sent my mom a voice message: “Mom! I signed it! Senior said I put in 1 million for 50%, and when the company makes money, half of it is mine!” A voice message. I had sent a voice message. My hands were shaking. I tapped it. My own voice came out of the phone, sounding a bit tipsy, but every word was clear— “Mom! I signed it! Senior said I put in 1 million for 50%, and when the company makes money, half of it is mine!” 1 million. 50%. He said it. My mom never deleted this voice message. Because she never clears her chat history. I stared at the phone screen, my eyes burning. The evidence was there all along. I didn’t rush to confront Liam. I knew one voice message wasn’t enough. In court, he could argue that it was my “one-sided understanding,” or that he never promised any equity. I needed more.

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I was pregnant with twins, and my sugar daddy of six years told me he was finally going to give me a title. When he proposed, asking if I would marry him, I was just about to say yes when two tiny, childish voices echoed out of nowhere: 【Mommy, don’t say yes! My daddy isn’t Liam Hayes!】 【The baby in your sister’s belly is Liam’s!】 Those two short sentences completely fried my brain… The entire venue was waiting for my answer, but I stood frozen on the spot. If the babies in my belly weren’t Liam’s, then whose were they? The next second, the little milky voices piped up again. 【Silly Mommy, that scumbag has been hooking up with your sister for a long time. If you marry him, he’s going to sell you to human traffickers in international waters!】 【Hurry, ask my dad for help! He’s the one off stage wearing the black suit and the Buddhist amulet!】 I was shocked, my gaze involuntarily drifting toward the man sitting at the main table, radiating a lethal, chilling aura—the underground arms king of New York, Arthur Vance. … Even though today was my wedding to Liam, everyone’s attention couldn’t help but gravitate toward him. This man exuded an intimidating “keep away” aura, casually playing with a blood-red Buddhist amulet in his hand. His eyes were sharp as a hawk’s. I glanced at him and accidentally met his icy stare. I immediately looked away, my heart pounding in terror: My sweet babies, do you know who he is? The Arthur Vance, who controls half the arms trade in North America, has never had a woman by his side. How could you possibly be his kids? Even if Liam is just a mid-level boss, you can’t just maliciously frame someone else and refuse to acknowledge your own father! Be good, accept reality. It’s too late to pick a new dad on the spot. Try again in your next life. I tried to comfort the little dumplings, thinking they were just rejecting Liam because his gang was too small-time. But I didn’t expect the tiny voices to scream in protest: 【Did you forget about the time you woke up in the VIP suite of that casino?!】 【Your fiancé and your sister tricked you into going to the casino, planning to use you to pay off a gambling debt. But you went into the wrong room…】 【The man lying next to you that night was Arthur Vance!】 I gasped in shock: That was Arthur? I thought it was Liam… Memories flooded back like a tidal wave. The late night, my back covered in hickeys, limbs intertwined. The air thick with the smell of gunpowder and cigars. Liam was still looking at me tenderly, but all I could see was the sweat and suppressed panting of Arthur from that night. He had handcuffed my wrists to the headboard as he took what he wanted. The legendary, terrifying arms dealer was shockingly ferocious in private. Seeing my lack of response, the officiant repeated, “Ms. Chloe Jenkins, do you take Mr. Liam Hayes to be your lawfully wedded husband?” Liam squeezed my hand, looking concerned. “What’s wrong, Chloe? Are you not mentally prepared yet?” He gently scratched my palm to soothe me: “Don’t be afraid. Once you marry into the Hayes family, I’ll make sure you enjoy endless wealth and luxury.” 【Don’t believe him! He has a hidden dungeon in a warehouse by the docks specifically for locking up disobedient women!】 I shuddered in terror and immediately shouted at the top of my lungs, “I do not!” The moment I spoke, the entire hall erupted in an uproar. The Hayes family was a decently powerful syndicate in the city. No one expected me to publicly reject Liam. Especially since I had been Liam’s submissive mistress for six years. Everyone called the eldest daughter of the Jenkins family a notorious gold digger. Now that I was finally getting “promoted” to wife, I was actually turning down this golden opportunity. Liam’s face instantly darkened. He clearly hadn’t anticipated I would reject him at our own wedding. “Chloe, stop fooling around. This is our wedding! If you have a problem with me, we can talk about it after…” 【If you wait until after the wedding, it’ll be too late! My real dad is about to take his private jet to Mexico for a business deal!】 【Mom! Time waits for no one! Hurry up and kick this scumbag to the curb! Go grab onto the thigh of my ruthless, billionaire dad!】 “I’m not marrying you!” I answered firmly. My own flesh and blood wouldn’t lie to me. If they said Liam was a scumbag, then I absolutely could not marry him! Right then, my younger sister walked onto the stage, her belly slightly protruding, and stood next to Liam. “Sister, what kind of tantrum are you throwing now? Hasn’t Liam already agreed to marry you?” It wasn’t until she got close that I noticed the diamond necklace she was wearing was from the exact same collection as my wedding ring. Comparing the quality, my ring looked like a cheap knockoff from a street vendor. In a flash, I understood everything. The baby in my belly was nothing but a pawn in a scheme she and Liam had planned long ago. As an adopted daughter, she didn’t have the status to be Mrs. Hayes. And I was merely the stepping stone for her to climb the ranks. My parents stood up and furiously berated me: “Chloe! Haven’t you embarrassed the Jenkins family enough? Do you think you can just ruin a wedding on a whim?!” “You were the one crying and begging to be with Liam back then, and now you’re backing out at the altar! Do you think marriage is a game?! Why can’t you be sensible like your sister, Mia?!” “You are marrying him today whether you want to or not!” 2 No one expected the wedding to turn into a farce. The guests were whispering amongst themselves, eager to watch me make a fool of myself. “This Jenkins girl really has no sense. She threw herself at the Hayes heir for six years, and now that she’s finally becoming the wife, she backs out? The whole underworld is waiting to see her thrown into the ocean!” “The adopted daughter is so much more sensible. She knows her place, found herself a rich backer, and is living a comfortable, secure life.” “The Jenkins family is so unlucky, giving birth to such an ungrateful biological daughter.” Hearing the malicious gossip, I realized my reputation in the city was already completely ruined. Yet, I used to be the elegant, well-educated heiress of the Jenkins family. It seemed that ever since my adopted sister, Mia, entered our home, my status began to plummet, and the attitudes of my parents and Liam slowly changed. Liam grabbed my hand directly, ignoring my words, and announced to the crowd, “Chloe is just throwing a little tantrum. Please forgive her. She has agreed to marry me, and I am willing to take her as my wife.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mia clenching her fists. I took a deep breath and violently shook off Liam’s hand: “I said I’m not marrying you, and I mean it! I already know about the dirty secrets between you and my sister! The baby in her belly is yours, isn’t it, Liam?” Those words hit the banquet hall like a bombshell. 【Great job! Mom! Tear off the hypocritical masks of this cheating couple!】 【Your adopted sister has been spreading rumors about you non-stop. Your reputation is ruined entirely because of her!】 The little dumpling, thriving on the chaos, cheered excitedly in my belly. “What nonsense are you talking about?!” Mia covered her mouth, looking pitiful and wronged. “Sister, it’s bad enough you bully me normally, but why would you falsely accuse me of something so huge in public?!” “How could you use my baby as an excuse to run away from your wedding?” Hearing her words, Liam’s expression shifted from guilty to composed. He said righteously, “Chloe, you’re crossing the line! Even if you don’t want to get married, you shouldn’t slander me and your sister!” My parents looked at me with immense disappointment, their faces twisted in anger: “Are you out of your mind?! Humiliating your sister and fiancé in public? How did the Jenkins family raise such a daughter?!” “Do you realize your words have turned us into the laughingstock of the city?!” The guests below were almost laughing out loud: “This is too good. This Jenkins heiress is truly trashy, spreading rumors about her own sugar daddy and sister in public!” I ripped off my veil, threw it on the ground, and turned to leave, but several heavily tattooed thugs immediately blocked the exit. Taking advantage of my momentary shock, Liam grabbed my wrist, intending to force me through the rest of the ceremony. His voice was squeezed through his teeth, his usually gentle demeanor now incredibly ferocious: “Once you become Mrs. Hayes, you’ll never have the right to be this willful again!” The eyes of the people around me were filled with mockery and ridicule. Not a single person respected my wishes. For the first time, it felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over my head, waking me up. My situation was this dire. I had been used as a pawn by my adopted sister and my supposed backer for their own interests. The little dumpling yelled anxiously: 【As soon as this wedding ceremony is over, your husband will find an excuse to lock you up in the dock warehouse!】 【The black SUVs are already lined up at the door. The second you walk out, you’ll be tied up!】 【Mom, hurry up and ask my real dad for help!】 Arthur? I looked toward where he had been sitting, only to find him standing up, leading two bodyguards in black suits toward the exit. 【Oh no, my dad is taking a helicopter to Mexico!】 This might be my last lifeline! In a moment of desperation, I bit down hard on the webbing between Liam’s thumb and index finger. He yelled in pain and let go. I turned, bolted, and threw myself toward Arthur. The bodyguards ran to intercept me, but I directly flipped over a display table, sending a towering pyramid of red wine glasses crashing to the floor. The long train of my wedding dress wove through the chaotic crowd. People screamed, and the venue dissolved into total mayhem. Ignoring everything, I dragged my wedding dress and sprinted straight for Arthur. His bodyguards didn’t react in time. Hearing the commotion, Arthur turned around, and I crashed directly into his chest. “Take me away, please!” Arthur’s face was obscured by the backlight. The next second, I was shoved away violently. He brushed off his suit as if he had touched something filthy, looking at me with sheer disgust: “Get lost. Didn’t you know I absolutely loathe women getting close to me?” 【So fake! Don’t believe him, he’s just acting tough right now. Once my dad falls in love with you, he’ll turn into a totally devoted puppy!】 Arthur turned to leave again. I desperately grabbed the cuff of his trousers, refusing to let him go. Footsteps rushed up from behind. Liam and his bodyguards caught up and pinned me down. My parents looked at Arthur’s barely suppressed anger with terror in their eyes: “We’re so sorry, Mr. Vance! My daughter is mentally unstable and offended you. We will personally visit your estate to offer a formal apology!” Liam also chimed in, his expression subservient: “Mr. Vance, it’s my fault for not keeping my woman in check. I will discipline her properly when we get back. Please, be magnanimous and forgive us!” Mia, however, looked at Arthur with absolute infatuation. This was the man almost every woman in the city both feared and desired. Arthur didn’t reply. He looked down at my hand gripping his trouser leg. Mia also noticed and raised her high heel, stomping down hard on the back of my hand. “Sister, how could you offend Mr. Vance? Let go, now!” I screamed in pain. Arthur took the opportunity to pull his leg free and strode away coldly. Seeing his back about to disappear, I yelled at him in panic: “Arthur! The babies in my belly are yours!” 3 Arthur stopped abruptly. The atmosphere descended into an eerie silence. The guests in the banquet hall stared at me. Their eyes were no longer mocking, but looking at me like I was already a corpse. Mia, not expecting me to drag Arthur into this, looked at me with unconcealed schadenfreude. She whispered in my ear, “Sister, trying to climb the social ladder? You picked the wrong target.” “Arthur Vance isn’t a man you can just attach yourself to.” She was right. Everyone knew Arthur avoided women and despised physical contact. The blood-red Buddhist amulet in his hand was the symbol of his ruthless, lethal decisiveness. The last woman who approached him with ulterior motives was thrown into international waters to feed the fish. “Is this woman asking for a death wish? I thought she was just cheap, but she’s actually insane. No one who crossed Mr. Vance has ever lived to tell the tale in one piece…” The crowd held its breath, waiting for Arthur to erupt. As expected, Arthur turned around. His lips were pressed in a tight, freezing line. His cold eyes stared at me like I was dead. He rubbed the amulet in his hand and said coldly, “My children? Heh, Ms. Jenkins, you really are bold.” “There isn’t a single person in this city bold enough to stand in front of me with a pregnant belly and fake a claim. I’ve heard of your reputation, but have you really sunk so low that you’d try to pawn your kid off on another man at your own wedding?” The amulet flipped through his fingers, striking a rhythmic beat against the silence. It was a sign that Arthur was about to unleash his wrath. Liam quickly grabbed my head and forced it to the floor, apologizing to Arthur while forcing me to kowtow: “I’m so sorry, Mr. Vance! She’s truly out of her mind. Please, just spare her this once!” “Apologize to Mr. Vance right now, hurry!” Seeing Liam completely unbothered by my claim that the child wasn’t his, I knew he was well aware that I wasn’t carrying his baby. He just wanted to control me, so he could openly carry on his affair with Mia later. 【Mom, don’t be afraid! As long as there’s evidence that we’re his kids, he won’t abandon you!】 【Once you have the Vance family backing you up, everyone who bullied you will get their karma!】 Evidence? I smiled bitterly. Where was I going to get evidence? I didn’t even know Arthur as a person. My parents rushed forward and slapped me hard across the face twice, screaming, “Apologize to Mr. Vance immediately! Are you trying to get the entire Jenkins family killed?!” Arthur looked down at me from his towering height. I looked as pathetic as a maggot in the dirt. The intoxicating memories of that night felt as unreal as an illusion. Suddenly, remembering something, I looked up at Arthur and said calmly, “Mr. Vance, I saw the gunshot wound on the side of your waist.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Arthur froze. Though his expression didn’t change, his eyes were filled with shock. The gunshot wound on his waist was from a violent gang war in his early years. It was in a hidden location; no one knew about it unless they were incredibly intimate with him. The rest of the hall exchanged confused glances, not understanding what I was talking about. But Mia was smart and quickly interrupted: “Sister, everyone in the underworld has a gunshot wound. How can you use such a boring piece of evidence to prove you have a relationship with Mr. Vance? Do you know how many women have tried similar tricks over the years?” “If you really want to prove the seeds in your belly belong to Mr. Vance, why don’t we just do a paternity test?” Mia looked immensely smug. She didn’t believe for a second that I actually had any involvement with Arthur. After all, how could an unremarkable Jenkins daughter possibly get involved with the city’s arms king? Even his presence at this wedding today was only secured after Liam pulled massive strings, offering up a significant amount of weapons and territory. The people around me agreed: “Yeah! Do a paternity test! Slap this woman right in the face!” “Who does she think she is, trying to claim ties with Mr. Vance? And claiming the baby is his at her own wedding? What a shameless slut!” “She was yelling so confidently, let’s do the test and expose her ugly face personally! Let’s make sure she can never show her face in this city again!” Arthur’s eyes were dark and unreadable. Then, he nodded, giving me a chance. “Fine, let’s do a paternity test. I’ll make sure you die knowing exactly why.” 【Mom, you’re a badass! I finally get to see my dad’s face get slapped, hahaha!】 【Don’t worry, I’ll teach you how to handle him. By the time he falls in love with you, you’ll have a perfectly obedient, loyal puppy!】 The farce at the wedding quickly became the talk of the town. Old Mr. Vance, Arthur’s father, heard the news and rushed to the scene. Seeing my blood being drawn by a private doctor, he stood to the side, unable to hide his joyous expression. “Wonderful. To think I’d get to hold my grandchildren while I’m still alive.” Arthur sneered. “When she’s exposed in a few minutes, I hope she can still walk out of here in one piece.” I closed my eyes, letting the blood drain from my body. My parents stood by in terror, deeply afraid I would implicate the Jenkins family. Liam’s face was as dark as ink. At his wedding, his woman was getting a paternity test for another man’s children. Even if that man was Arthur Vance, he felt a crushing sense of humiliation. 【Thank god Mom didn’t marry this Hayes guy! He’s plotting how to deal with you as soon as the wedding is over!】 【Wuuuwuuu, drawing blood hurts so much, but for Mom’s happiness, I’ll endure it!】 At this moment, my body was covered in bruises. Drawing blood made me so weak I could barely stand. I leaned on the comfort of the little dumpling’s voice to keep waiting for the results. The guests sized me up with mocking eyes. They were all waiting to see Arthur punish me ruthlessly. No one believed that Arthur, who abstained from women, could possibly have a child. I also realized that if the babies weren’t Arthur’s, I would face absolute annihilation. Finally, hurried footsteps echoed outside the door. Arthur’s personal subordinate rushed in nervously, holding a report, and whispered into Arthur’s ear. Arthur’s cold expression was instantly replaced with absolute shock. Old Mr. Vance impatiently tapped his cane on the floor: “What are you whispering about? Are they my biological grandchildren or not? Spit it out!” Mia covered her mouth and giggled nearby. “Is there even a need to say it? How could it be the Vance family’s flesh and blood? It’s all my sister’s lies…” The subordinate wiped the sweat from his forehead and announced loudly: “The genetic similarity between Ms. Jenkins’s children and Mr. Vance is 99.99%!” 4 The room was silent for a moment before exploding into a frenzy of discussion. Everyone stared at me in sheer disbelief: “How is that possible?! A girl from such a small family, how could she get pregnant with Mr. Vance’s child?” The Buddhist amulet in Arthur’s hand was suddenly squeezed tight. He frowned: “I don’t even know this woman, how could…” But the paternity report, and the gunshot wound on his waist, proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the bride standing in front of him was indeed his woman. He suddenly remembered a night three months ago. After finishing an arms deal at a casino, he was ambushed, drugged, and ultimately passed out in a VIP suite. That night was a haze. He was consumed by lust and unable to pull himself out. When he woke up, he thought it was just a dream. He never expected it to be reality. “Sister, you are truly shameless!” Mia jumped out again. When she first heard that the babies in my belly were Arthur’s, the mask had slipped for a second, revealing intense jealousy. But seeing Arthur completely refuse to acknowledge me, she regained her smugness. “You cheated on Liam behind his back, and then shamelessly climbed into Mr. Vance’s bed! You’re too manipulative! You’ve played us all for fools!” “The virtuous and elegant image of the Jenkins family has been completely destroyed by you! I can’t believe we produced such a promiscuous woman like you!” Hearing her words, the crowd finally processed the situation. I was pregnant with Arthur’s child while marrying Liam. This was simply a gross violation of public decency. The guests immediately started attacking me: “Exactly! This woman clung to the Hayes heir, and then secretly plotted against Mr. Vance behind his back! How does someone like her deserve to enter the Vance family?!” “A cheating woman actually has the nerve to claim paternity at her own wedding! Why hasn’t the Jenkins family thrown her out yet? Still dreaming of climbing the ranks through her children? The Vance family won’t let her off easily!” “Kick her out of the city! Immoral, low character, cheating in public… it’s absolutely disgusting!” The insults directed at me grew louder and louder. Unable to bear the humiliation, my parents yelled: “The Jenkins family does not have a disgraceful daughter like you! Get out of here!” “Mia is the only daughter of our family!” Liam stood silently to the side, taking a vindictive pleasure in watching me being berated by the crowd. Suddenly, a cane struck the floor heavily. Old Mr. Vance’s voice carried an unquestionable authority: “Enough! What kind of place do you think this is? A whole crowd of people bullying a little girl!” “As long as the flesh and blood in Ms. Jenkins’s belly belongs to the Vance family, she is the daughter-in-law of the Vance family!” “Marcus, escort Ms. Jenkins to the car. We’re going home!” The bodyguard nodded and reached out to help me. By this point, I was utterly exhausted from the stress and pregnancy. After two steps, my body went weak, and I pitched forward. Just as I was about to hit the floor, a pair of hands caught me, sweeping me up into a firm embrace. Arthur looked entirely aloof. “Although I won’t acknowledge you, you are carrying my seed and you have been my woman. I will not allow others to bully you.” He carried me, his sharp gaze sweeping over the people who had just been mocking me. “From now on, Ms. Jenkins is part of the Vance family. If I hear any more malicious gossip, don’t blame me for turning hostile.” With that, he took long strides out of the banquet hall. Over his shoulder, I saw the faces of Mia and Liam. They glared at me with vicious eyes, clearly unwilling to let this go. I was quietly placed inside a black, bulletproof SUV by Arthur. When he got in and sat beside me, I instantly felt the immense pressure of his presence. The man sitting next to me had carved a path through blood and violence, building his own arms empire in the city. He was the eldest son of the Vance family, with a status that was completely out of reach. Logically, someone of my class shouldn’t even have the right to interact with such a massive figure. He closed his eyes and rested beside me. A moment later, he answered a satellite phone: “Cancel the helicopter. Just bring Elena back to the country later.” 【Mom, your biggest rival, Elena, is about to appear! She’s my dad’s one and only ‘white lotus’ first love! This woman is much more formidable than your sister!】 【But don’t worry! No matter if it’s your sister or Elena, Dad and I will absolutely back you up!】 I rubbed my belly and smiled bitterly. Even though the little dumpling said that, I didn’t hold out any hope. I was a woman who almost married another man, a woman he only had a one-night stand with. How could I possibly catch the eye of an arms warlord? I escaped Liam’s control and ended up with the Vance family. Who could say if I hadn’t just jumped from the frying pan into an even bigger fire? Arthur squinted, sizing me up. His suspicion of me had never vanished: “Ms. Jenkins, even though you’re carrying my seed, I will never marry you.” He sneered. “I don’t care what methods you used to get pregnant, or how long you planned out this little show today, but getting into the Vance family won’t be that easy.” Hearing his words, the little dumpling started screaming again: 【Fake! So fake! You have no idea how much he reminisced about that night after it happened!】 【He’s the ultimate hopeless romantic! Mom, you don’t even need to use any tricks. He’ll convince himself to fall in love with you!】 I closed my eyes, took three seconds to digest Arthur and the little dumpling’s words, and answered obediently: “I never thought about entering the Vance family. I just want to give birth to the children safely and watch them grow up healthy.” Arthur didn’t say another word, but the little dumpling issued a notification: 【Dad’s heart rate is rising! He’s very satisfied with your answer! Falling in love with you is just a matter of time!】

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While waiting for my abortion surgery, I scrolled past a post: “What are your regrets?” My mind immediately went to my boyfriend, who died in a plane crash before we even had the chance to hold our wedding. He loved me deeply; his very last message before he died was to me: “Chloe, you must find happiness after I’m gone. I love you.” Even my mother-in-law had done everything possible, accompanying me to get the abortion and urging me to start a new life. Just as I was about to reply, the top comment on the trending list made my entire body stiffen: “I chased him for ten years to no avail. He even almost married his pregnant girlfriend.” “But luckily, he still couldn’t let me go. He faked his death on their wedding day to end things with her, and even had his mom take that woman to get an abortion.” “Now he’s sleeping right beside me, hehe. My regret has been fulfilled, I’m so happy~” I stared rigidly at the photo she posted. The hand resting on her chest was still wearing a wedding ring. It was the exact matching custom design to the one on my ring finger. ………… The replies under the comment were a barrage of insults: “You’re a homewrecker and you’re proud of it? What about the other girl? Does she deserve to be deceived by you two? Do you have any shame?” “Does anyone know who the other girl is? Quick, tell her the truth!” With trembling hands, I clicked into her profile, and my mind instantly went blank. I had been dating Arthur for ten years, and she had been chasing him for ten years. From high school graduation to now, they had never stopped contacting each other. I remembered this girl; she was the only one who didn’t offer her blessings when we became a campus couple. Red-eyed, she had once blocked Arthur as he was walking me home, stubbornly demanding he break up with me: “I’ve chased you for so long, why don’t you like me? What’s so great about her?” The usually gentle Arthur had a dark expression that day: “Chloe doesn’t need to do anything; I love her just standing there.” “And no matter what you do, I will never love you. Is that clear enough?” Since that day, I had never seen this girl again. I thought that was the end of it. Even when Arthur’s phone later frequently received harassing texts from an unknown number, his dismissive attitude reassured me. I never expected that he had secretly been keeping in touch with her the whole time. He even lied on our anniversary just to go see a movie with her. The impact of the truth left my entire body trembling uncontrollably. “Chloe, it’s your turn. Let’s go, I’ll go with you for the surgery.” My mother-in-law’s gentle voice pulled me from my thoughts. I abruptly looked up, stared at her mild face, and blurted out: “Auntie, Arthur’s seven-day mourning period isn’t even over yet, and you’re this anxious for me to get an abortion?” My mother-in-law froze, the smile stiffening on her lips: “Didn’t I already say? I treat you like my own daughter; I can’t bear to see you raising a child alone.” “Arthur loved you so much when he was alive. Auntie also hopes you’ll live a good life in the future. If you have any difficulties, you can come to me—” “Is Arthur actually not dead?” I interrupted her with a trembling voice, shouting uncontrollably. My mother-in-law visibly froze, a fleeting look of guilt flashing across her face: “Child, what are you talking about?” “I know you’re grieving, but he’s dead, and the living must always look forward—” Without waiting for her to finish, I shoved her aside and bolted out the door. Rushing out of the hospital, I immediately hailed a cab and hurried to the location of Mia’s newly posted comment. She had posted a photo of them holding hands, with our high school track field in the background: “Curse me all you want, but I have no regrets now~” “He said he treated me too poorly in high school, so he specially came here to personally take down his photo with that woman and stroll around the campus with me, hehe~” The next second, my best friend sent a picture: “Chloe, didn’t you say Arthur died in a plane crash?” “Is there a mistake? He just updated his Moments!” “Hey, if I click on his Moments again, there’s nothing there. He probably forgot to block me.” I clicked on the picture, and large tears instantly smashed down. “Walking the wrong path for ten years, only to realize the right person has been waiting for me in the same place all along.” I fiercely wiped away my tears, the anger surging to my heart before the pain did. As soon as I got out of the car, I saw a couple passionately kissing at the entrance to the track field. I rushed forward and gave a hard shove: “Arthur! Do you have no shame!” The guy looked bewildered, and the girl, just about to get angry, cried out in pleasant surprise: “Chloe!” I froze, only then realizing the person in front of me wasn’t Arthur. After hastily apologizing, the girl took my hand, her face full of envy: “Chloe, I was in the grade below you! My boyfriend and I have also been together since high school until now!” “The story of you and Arthur has been circulating for years! The ultimate power couple! Both recommended for admission abroad! Both top of your majors! So amazing!” “Because of you two, the school doesn’t even oppose high school dating anymore. They even tell us dating couples to learn from you!” “Are you also here with Arthur to reminisce about your youth? Oh my god, did you guys get married?!” As the girl excitedly recounted the story, my thoughts drifted back to those most passionate three years. The school heartthrob, Arthur, was a terrible student, but he buried himself in studying just for me. For me, he managed to shoot up to second place in our grade in just one month, and for me, he gave up an admission offer from a prestigious university. He said he didn’t want a long-distance relationship with me, and fought tooth and nail to get the second recommended admission spot. Teachers who always cracked down on high school dating pretended not to notice when they saw us going to the library as a couple. To this day, I still remember the summer of our senior year, when he received an offer from a top foreign university, he held me and spun me around excitedly: “We can finally be together forever!” The cherry blossoms bloomed late that year, falling right onto us. On graduation day, when we gave speeches together, he proudly held me in his arms: “If it weren’t for Chloe, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I will love her forever!” The moment my thoughts snapped back, I saw the girl looking deathly pale at something behind me, her voice very soft: “Chlo-Chloe, is that Arthur?” I turned my head stiffly and saw the man kneeling on one knee in the middle of the track field. Mia’s eyes were red with joy as she sobbed softly. Arthur’s voice was still the gentle one I was familiar with: “I did a lot of things to hurt you before. Please let me spend the rest of my life making it up to you, okay, Mia?” Just a moment before the ring was put on, I called out with a trembling voice: “Arthur?” The man’s broad back stiffened, and his face was deathly pale the moment he turned around. He immediately covered his face in a panic and tried to pull Mia away. I rushed forward and grabbed his arm tightly, my voice rising involuntarily: “Arthur!” “How dare you, how dare you lie to me?” “You—” “Sister, if you want to blame someone, blame me, don’t blame Arthur.” Mia yanked my hand away, standing tearfully in front of Arthur. “It was me, I threatened suicide to make Arthur do this.” “I just love him too much, I can’t live without him.” “You’ve already had Arthur for ten years, you should be satisfied, Sister. Please, give Arthur to me.” As she spoke, she sobbed and revealed the ugly scars on her wrists. The guilt on Arthur’s face was instantly replaced by heartache. He hugged Mia tightly and finally looked at me straight on: “Don’t blame Mia, I wanted to do this myself.” “I originally didn’t want to hurt you, so I put on a play to make you give up. Since you found out, I’ll just say it straight.” “Mia and I are getting married. You’ll give us your blessing, right?” “Mia is right. We’ve been together for ten years, the feelings are long gone. So why not set each other free?” Watching his increasingly self-righteous demeanor, my heart completely died. This scene made it seem as if I were the one who had done something wrong. Before I had time to speak, Arthur’s phone rang. He answered the phone for a moment, his face turning ugly, staring unblinkingly at me: “You didn’t get the abortion?” “Chloe, stop doing meaningless things. I don’t love you anymore, don’t bring a child into this world to suffer!” His cold words pierced my heart. I suddenly realized I didn’t know the man in front of me anymore. He was like a completely different person from the man who was so happy he couldn’t sleep when he found out I was pregnant. I swallowed all the pain, my red eyes instinctively wanting to escape this place. The next second, a heavy force struck my waist, and I fell hard to the ground. Behind me came Mia’s anxious voice: “Arthur, you can’t keep this child!” “Otherwise, what about the baby in my belly?” My lower abdomen slammed into the ground, the pain making my whole body tremble. Feeling a rush of warm fluid pooling beneath me, I instinctively reached out a hand to Arthur: “Arthur, our child—” However, he simply reached out to cover Mia’s eyes, saying in a low voice: “Don’t look, it’s dirty.” My brain felt like it had been struck by lightning. I looked at him in disbelief: “Dirty?” “Arthur, this is our child!” “What did I do wrong that you have to treat me like this?” The man frowned, looking down at me, the heartache in his eyes replaced by disappointment: “Chloe, you have the nerve to ask me what you did wrong?” “You lied to me for ten years. I really thought you were harmless, I didn’t expect you to be so vicious!” “Mia just liked me in high school, and you had someone strip her clothes and film a video to threaten her not to bother me!” “After graduating from college and returning to the country, she just coincidentally applied as an intern at my company, and you sent her to a business partner’s bed!” “What else is there that I don’t know!” “Yes, I admit that lying to you was my fault, but you’re no saint yourself!” I shook my head continuously, tears streaming down non-stop: “I didn’t, Arthur, I didn’t do anything.” “How can you doubt me? Don’t you know what kind of person I am?” Arthur stepped back two paces to avoid my touch, sneering: “Now I finally know what kind of person you are.” “Just like your mistress mother, your head is full of schemes and tricks. It makes me sick!” The blood in my body seemed to instantly freeze. My mind kept replaying the heartbroken look on his face when I told him about my family. He said, being born into such a family wasn’t my choice, I didn’t need to be sad. He said he would give me a normal family. He said I was wonderful. Memories and reality overlapped, and the immense impact made the blood beneath me flow even more heavily. Arthur simply put his arm around Mia and turned to leave: “Don’t drag Mia into your dirty business; she doesn’t know anything.” “Otherwise, I don’t mind telling people that you are a mistress’s daughter.” “After all, you care about your reputation the most, don’t you?” After saying that, he turned and left. No matter how much I cried and begged, he never looked back. Finally, my vision went black, and I passed out from the intense pain. When I opened my eyes again, my best friend, pale-faced, handed me her phone: “Chloe, you’re finally awake, look…” The moment I took the phone, my body felt like it had plunged into an ice cave. The video of Mia having her clothes stripped in high school, and the photos of her going in and out of a hotel with a business partner when she was an intern, had been posted online. Coincidentally catching the momentum of the previous video, she was being cursed out brutally. But Arthur, disregarding the reputation of the Vance Group, released a video using the company’s official account. In the video, Mia was crying hysterically, begging me to forgive her and let her go. And Arthur issued a statement: “Mia is my girlfriend. She has suffered a lot of undeserved harm, and all this harm was brought upon her by my ex-girlfriend, the very ‘poor, deceived woman’ you all talk about.” “Since things have come to this, I won’t hide it from everyone anymore. My ex-girlfriend is the child of a mistress, and therefore she harbors a deep hatred for mistresses. These actions in the video are all things she did because she mistakenly believed Mia was a mistress.” “Mia and I had absolutely no contact before I broke up with my ex-girlfriend. Everything happened after the breakup. She is not a mistress; she is my lover.” “As for the whistleblower, I am already investigating. If it was my ex-girlfriend, even if she has a mental illness, I will not let her get away with it.” “Chloe, I know you will see this video. Please behave yourself!” The last line directly exposed my name. All my social media accounts were flooded by completely biased netizens. They cursed me as a bully who deserved to be cheated on, cursed me as a misogynist who deserved to be a mistress’s daughter. My company also fired me directly, even threatening to hold me accountable for bringing negative reviews to the company. All of this was something I had never anticipated, and for a moment, I couldn’t even process it. My best friend was the first to slam the table in anger: “How could Arthur do this! He knows perfectly well that these things are your trauma, and he actually spoke about them for a Mia!” “And he threw dirty water on you! What bullying? We were inseparable in high school, how come I didn’t know?” “What business partner! Wasn’t I the one negotiating with the Vance Group that day? How come I don’t remember going in and out of a hotel with her? Where did these photos come from, just making up rumors!” “I’m so mad! You had a miscarriage because of him, and he still treats you like this!” “No, I have to go find him and settle the score right now!” Saying that, my best friend got up to go find Arthur. The next second, my phone rang. I pulled my best friend back, gathered my emotions, and calmly answered the phone. Arthur’s cold voice sounded: “You saw the video, right?” “There’s a lot of public outcry online now. I’ve arranged a press conference for you to publicly apologize to Mia and me.” “Otherwise, I don’t mind blacklisting you in the entire industry.” “Chloe, think clearly. You always have to pay the price for doing wrong.” I paused, and gave a self-deprecating laugh: “Pay the price for doing wrong? Then why aren’t you dead yet?” There was silence on the other end for a moment, followed by the man’s cold laughter: “Chloe, no matter how sharp-tongued you are, it’s useless in the face of the truth.” “Tomorrow afternoon at three o’clock. I’ll send you the address.” “Come over, apologize publicly, and give me and Mia your blessing, and this matter will end here.” The phone was abruptly hung up. I gripped the phone tightly for a long while, looked up to meet my best friend’s worried gaze, and smiled reassuringly: “It’s fine.” “I’ll handle it.” That night, I contacted the person I thought I would never contact again in this lifetime. The next day, I arrived as scheduled, walking in gracefully under everyone’s contemptuous gazes. The camera flashes were blinding, but I maintained a smile throughout. Arthur seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and nodded to me in satisfaction. I walked up to the stage, took the microphone, and pressed the play button on the large screen. A mournful crying sound, identical to the video circulating online, played, and the audience erupted: “Isn’t this the video the whistleblower released? Is she beating a dead horse? Won’t Miss Mia be traumatized hearing this? How can Chloe be so vicious!” Arthur also tried to stop me with an ugly expression. I, however, let out a light laugh: “Traumatized? Why would she be traumatized?” As soon as I spoke, the crying in the audio abruptly stopped. What followed was the coquettish voice of a young Mia: “Alright, alright, that’s enough filming.” “Don’t tell anyone I staged this video, or I won’t let you sleep with me anymore!” The noisy venue instantly fell dead silent, all eyes turning to a deathly pale Mia. Arthur also turned pale, glaring fiercely at the dazed woman. “Mia, you actually staged this all along?!” The woman immediately reacted, anxiously grabbing Arthur’s arm and shaking her head continuously: “I didn’t, Arthur, you have to believe me. How could I stage my own video!” “It must be, it must be Chloe who can’t stand seeing us together and is deliberately trying to drive a wedge between us!” “She’s also the one who exposed me online! She’s deliberately spreading rumors at the press conference that I staged it. You can’t let her fool you!” Arthur frowned deeply, turned, and stared at me, his tone softening slightly: “Chloe, did you leak the videos and photos online?” “And what’s going on at the end of this audio today? Explain it to me.” I sneered twice and pressed the play button again. The footage from the audio was displayed. It was a steamy scene between a young Mia and some blonde punk. The reporters were stunned at first, then immediately raised their cameras, reporting while broadcasting live. Mia screamed and tried to snatch the remote from my hand. I dodged nimbly and smiled: “Since you say this is a video I fabricated myself, why are you so anxious?” Mia stomped her feet in anxiety and looked pleadingly at Arthur: “Arthur! Can I explain this to you later?” “There are so many people here now, and reporters broadcasting live. These videos cannot be aired! Otherwise, how can I show my face in the future!” Arthur didn’t speak; he just stared at me unblinkingly, his face full of shock. After the video finished playing, I laid out the evidence that the business partner negotiating with Mia that day was my best friend. At the same time, I displayed the IP address of the online whistleblower, which was located right at the Vance Group. As for who it was, one could easily guess. Then, I provided the source of this evidence— The top overseas hacker, Julian. Now the whole room was completely boiling over: “Julian?! Isn’t he the hacker that even Wall Street giants couldn’t poach!” “Oh my god, Chloe actually knows Julian! Then these documents must be real!” “Mia really messed with the wrong person. There’s nothing in this world Julian can’t find out!” Amidst the clamor, I had already completed my mission and prepared to leave. However, as I stepped down the stairs, I was forcefully grabbed by Arthur. A hint of anger colored his brow: “Chloe, you actually, you actually still have contact with Julian! How did you promise me back then?!” I frowned, gently shook off his hand, and spoke flatly: “Does it have anything to do with you?” “I’m your boyfriend! You promised me you wouldn’t contact him anymore!” Arthur blurted out. Looking completely justified. As if he forgot he didn’t hesitate to fake his own death to break up with me. I curled my lips into a mocking smile: “I’m sorry.” “My boyfriend is already dead, in a plane crash. Didn’t you know?” “Now, who I want to contact is entirely my own right.” Arthur’s face turned completely ashen. His lips trembled for a long time before he spoke with a shaky voice: “There was a reason for that, Chloe.” “You still have our child in your belly. You can’t let my child call another man ‘Dad’!” I threw off his hand in disgust, too lazy to say another word to him. A group of uniformed bodyguards charged through the doors and escorted me out. I heard sounds of shock behind me: “Aren’t those Julian’s personal bodyguards? Chloe really does know Julian!” “Oh my god, what a huge scoop, write it down, quick!” Mixed in with these discussions was a hint of Arthur’s voice, breaking down: “Chloe, if you really leave with Julian, we are completely over!” I paused my steps, then walked even faster. In my heart, the man I loved for ten years was already dead, dead in the plane crash. The current Arthur was just a stranger who shared his name and appearance. Getting into the car, I looked at Julian, whom I hadn’t seen in ten years, my heart filled with mixed emotions. After a long while, I said softly: “Thank you for helping me.” Julian instinctively grabbed a blanket to cover his disabled legs, still smiling gently at me: “I said, no matter what difficulties you have, I will help you, anytime.” “Don’t worry, Arthur’s retribution won’t end just like this. The information I have is enough to make him wish he were dead.” I nodded, feeling no ripples in my heart. I knew the information Julian could uncover was enough to damn Arthur beyond redemption. If it had been in the past, I would definitely have tried my hardest to stop him, not wanting him to hurt Arthur. But now, I just smiled and changed the subject: “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely be a good assistant for you.” Julian seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, his handsome eyes shining even brighter: “I thought you would feel sorry for Arthur.” “After all, you liked him so much before, liking him enough to give up the opportunity to study in the US, just so you could be with him.” I paused, then gave a faint smile. Yes, in everyone’s eyes, Arthur was the one who sacrificed the most. Giving up a top domestic university for me to get a recommended spot at a school in Malaysia. But what he didn’t know was that I also sacrificed a lot. I sacrificed my language learning time to tutor him, and rejected a recommended spot at a top US university to go to Malaysia. These things were only known by Julian, who was also recommended for admission to the US at the time. He liked me, but he respected my choice. When Arthur and I were inseparable, he would always sit in his wheelchair, smiling gently as he watched us. I used to think it was a gaze of blessing, but looking back now, it was envy. Seeing I didn’t answer, Julian instinctively shrank back into his seat, trying to cover his legs. I proactively placed my hand on his leg, my voice very light but resolute: “I didn’t choose you back then not because of your disability, but simply because youthful infatuation has no logic.” “To avoid suspicion back then, I couldn’t tell you. Now I want to tell you, a physical disability is just a flaw in a precious jade, it doesn’t matter.” “After all, compared to a physical disability, your mind is very sound, and that’s something Arthur could never achieve.” The man lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes trembling constantly. Finally, with forbearance and restraint, he gently brushed over my hand, his voice filled with relief: “I’m also very happy that you didn’t throw your whole life away because of these ten years.” “Let’s look forward together.” The car sped away, the afterglow of the setting sun falling upon us. We exchanged a smile, and neither of us brought up Arthur again.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394557”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In my past life, I was the undisputed king of paparazzi in the entertainment industry. I held the dark secrets of half of Hollywood in my hands, and ultimately, I was silenced by the capital that controlled them. After my rebirth, I became the central node of the village’s gossip network—the ultimate “know-it-all.” Who lost a chicken, whose husband was cheating… I knew everything. Until the fake heiress decided she wanted to enter the entertainment industry. Her wealthy parents were terrified that I, the stain living in obscurity, would become a ticking time bomb for her future. They drove all the way to my village overnight, throwing an NDA in my face that demanded I never acknowledge our blood ties for the rest of my life. “Take this half-million dollar hush money and rot in the mud forever. If you dare stand in the way of Chloe’s stardom, we’ll take your life.” The fake heiress, crying pitifully on a video call, said: “Sister, you only lost your identity, but I can’t lose my dream.” I silently started a live stream. “Half a million? Are you trying to pay off a beggar? Do you know how much a trending hashtag costs these days?” “I’ve already compiled all your family’s secrets into a PowerPoint.” “Come on, smile for the camera. I’ve already thought of tomorrow’s headline.” “Wealthy Family Attempts Murder to Pave Way for Starlet; True Heiress Exposes Scum Parents on Live Stream.” “If you won’t do things the easy way, we’ll do them the hard way. Smash that phone!” Arthur Vance gave a look to his bodyguards, and the two men in black suits lunged forward. I didn’t move. I even adjusted the beauty filter on my camera. The viewer count in my live stream instantly skyrocketed to two hundred thousand. The comments were flying so fast I couldn’t even read them. 【Holy crap, is this a live broadcast of rich people drama? Better than reality TV!】 【Isn’t that the CEO of Vance Group? And the washed-up actress Margaret Vance next to him?】 Just as the bodyguards’ hands were about to touch me, I took a step back and screamed at the top of my lungs. “Help! City folks are in the village trying to kill people!” The ’80s crew of our village, who had been lying in wait by the wall, made their entrance. Auntie May took the lead, followed by seven or eight elderly folks, average age eighty-five and up. They moved with military precision, dropping straight to the ground at the bodyguards’ feet. “Ouch! You’re killing me! My back! My hip! My kneecap!” The bodyguards were dumbfounded. Who dared to touch them? One touch could cost them a luxury condo in medical bills. Arthur Vance’s hands shook with rage: “You bunch of uneducated hicks! Get out of my way!” Taking advantage of the distraction, I pointed the camera directly at Arthur and sneered. “Alright, my dear viewers, do you see this? This is the true face of the ultra-rich.” “Since Mr. Vance is in such a hurry to shut me up, let’s speed things up.” With a tap of my finger, the PowerPoint flipped to the second slide. It showed Arthur Vance with his arm around a young model, his hand resting somewhere it definitely shouldn’t be. Next to the photo, I thoughtfully added the time, location, and even hotel booking records. The live stream exploded. 【666! This tea is piping hot!】 【Isn’t that the model who just debuted from that idol show? So he’s her sugar daddy!】 【Mr. Vance is still going strong! Keeping the wife at home while playing the field outside!】 Seeing the photo on the screen, Arthur’s face went from red to purple. He clutched his chest, gasping for air. Margaret Vance let out a shriek and lunged at me to scratch my face: “You little bitch! You dare use photoshopped pictures to spread rumors?!” I responded by simply hitting play on a video. In the video, Margaret was at the White Horse Club. She was shoving a Porsche key down the pants of a young male host. Laughing wildly, without a shred of the elegance she portrayed as an actress. Arthur stared at Margaret in disbelief. She guiltily looked away. Their carefully crafted image as the perfect model couple shattered into pieces right then and there. I threw up a peace sign to the camera: “Don’t rush, this is just the appetizer.” “Chloe Vance’s plastic surgery records and videos of her sleeping her way to the top are on the next slide.” “If you want to see them, type ‘1’ in the chat. If we hit a million likes, I’ll release them immediately!” The screen was instantly flooded with “1”s. Chloe, who had been on the video call this whole time without hanging up, turned pale with terror on the other end. I looked at her coldly. “Didn’t you just say you couldn’t lose your dream? Is your dream to sleep with every director in the industry?” Chloe screamed and disconnected the call. Seeing the situation spinning completely out of control, Arthur pulled out his emergency heart medication and dumped it into his mouth. “Let’s go! Hurry!” He signaled the bodyguards, eager to retreat. I picked up the check from the ground, tore it to shreds, and threw the pieces against the window of their Maybach. “Take your half-million dollar check with you! I don’t mind getting dirty, but I do mind bad luck!” My adoptive parents huddled in the corner, trembling with fear. My adoptive mother pulled on my sleeve, her voice shaking. “Emily, those are your biological parents. Are we in trouble?” I patted her calloused hands, my heart aching. “Mom, they aren’t my parents. They’re jackals. And you need a shotgun to deal with jackals.” That night, the Vance Group’s cease and desist letter was posted online. My live stream account was banned across all platforms. The reason: invasion of privacy and malicious defamation. Banned? Who did they think I was? I was the king of paparazzi in my past life. I dragged an old box out from under my bed. Inside was everything I had been preparing since I was young. Dozens of backup accounts, and contact information for hundreds of gossip blogs. I switched to a new account and changed the ID to “Village Gossip King.” The bio had only one sentence: 【Don’t go to sleep. The big one is coming.】 The Vance family’s PR team was undeniably skilled. Overnight, the narrative completely shifted. The trending hashtags were all about #EmilyExtortion# and #EmilyUngratefulDaughter#. Paid trolls flooded the internet, claiming I would do anything for money, even extorting my own biological parents. Chloe even posted a series of photos doing charity work at an orphanage. The caption read: “Even though I’ve been wronged, seeing the smiles on these children’s faces makes me believe the world is still a beautiful place.” The comments section was filled with sympathy. Someone even doxxed the address of my adoptive parents. Early the next morning, when my adoptive mother went to town to sell eggs, people threw rotten vegetables at her. She came back holding her forehead, blood dripping through her fingers. “Emily, Mom is fine. I just accidentally tripped and fell.” She forced a smile, not wanting me to worry. The anger inside me shot straight to the top of my head. Originally, I wanted to play with them slowly. But since they were asking for it, they couldn’t blame me for playing dirty. I opened my laptop, my fingers flying across the keyboard, typing out strings of code. In my past life, to dig up dirt, I taught myself hacking. I wasn’t a top-tier hacker, but infiltrating a postnatal care center’s system from over a decade ago was child’s play. Eighteen-year-old nursing records, and a blurry backup of security footage. I bundled them together and posted them directly to my new account. The title was simple and brutal. The Truth About the Abandoned Heiress: Was she lost, or was it attempted murder? In the security footage, Margaret Vance looked at the baby in the crib with utter disgust. “Cry, cry, cry, all she knows how to do is cry! It’s giving me a headache. Was this damn child born just to curse me?” Arthur Vance stood nearby, holding a piece of yellow paper. It was a fortune-teller’s reading. “This girl has a cursed destiny. She will bring ruin to her relatives. She is a harbinger of doom. If she stays, the entire family will perish.” “The master said we can’t keep her. Throw her far away tonight while it’s snowing heavily.” The footage switched to street cameras. Arthur, carrying the swaddled baby, threw her into the snow and walked away without looking back. That baby was me. That so-called master was just a con artist who later went to prison for fraud. And Chloe was the “lucky star” they adopted on the master’s advice. The moment this video was released, the internet erupted like a volcano. 【Animals! These people are absolute animals!】 【It’s the 21st century! How can people still believe in this feudal superstition and try to commit murder?!】 【Throwing a baby in the snow in sub-zero temperatures? That’s attempted murder!】 The netizens who were cursing me just moments ago instantly switched sides. Chloe’s comment section was overrun, filled with people calling her a beneficiary of crime and a bloodsucker. I immediately released the second wave: comparison photos. Left side: Eighteen-year-old Chloe, celebrating her birthday on a luxury yacht, wearing a custom gown worth thirty thousand dollars. Right side: Eighteen-year-old me, wearing a patched-up winter coat, helping my adoptive father collect scrap in the freezing snow, my hands red and swollen like carrots. Left side: A bag Chloe casually threw away could feed my adoptive family for five years. Right side: To save fifty cents on bus fare, I carried a fifty-pound sack of sweet potatoes and walked ten miles through the mountains. This intense visual contrast was more lethal than any words. The internet’s sympathy overflowed. 【I’m crying. Emily has had it so hard.】 【Who’s the real bad seed here? The entire Vance family is rotten to the core!】 The Vance Group’s stock hit the limit down as soon as the market opened. Over a billion dollars in market value evaporated. My phone rang. It was Arthur. This time, his voice carried none of its previous arrogance, only exhaustion and fawning. “Emily, it was all a misunderstanding. Dad was tricked back then too.” “How about this? I’ll give you five million. Delete the video, and let’s go home and talk about this slowly.” Five million? If this were my past life, I might have actually been tempted. But now, it only made me sick. “Dad, I won’t be coming back.” “The master said I’m a harbinger of doom who will ruin your fortune.” “Take a look. Hasn’t your fortune really been ruined by me this time?” After saying that, I hung up and blocked his number. Outside the window, my adoptive mother was applying medicine to her forehead. I walked over and gently took the cotton swab from her hand. “Mom, does it hurt?” My adoptive mother shook her head. “Emily, let’s stop fighting them, okay? Mom is afraid you’ll get hurt.” I hugged this frail, rural woman. “Mom, don’t be afraid. You used to protect me. From now on, it’s my turn to protect you.” Arthur had clearly grown desperate. He dropped the facade of a loving father and directly mobilized his underworld connections. Early the next morning, before the sun even came up. A deafening roar woke the entire village. A dozen excavators rolled aggressively toward the village entrance. Leading the charge was my biological brother, Leo Vance. “Push it down! Flatten this entire shithole village!” The excavator’s bucket raised high and smashed violently into the stone monument at the village entrance. With a loud crash, the monument was reduced to rubble. That was the village’s landmark, the pride of the whole community. I frantically pulled out my phone to start a live stream, only to find the signal was jammed! Next, the excavators charged into the orchards. Over a hundred acres of newly ripened pumpkins and fruit trees—the villagers’ entire livelihood for the year. Old Man Lee rushed over like a madman, hugging a giant pumpkin and crying out. “You can’t destroy this! This is our lifeblood!” A bodyguard rushed up and kicked Old Man Lee squarely in the chest. Old Man Lee went flying, landing heavily in a mud puddle. The pumpkin in his arms smashed to pieces, its bright red flesh splattering everywhere. “Grandpa!” With bloodshot eyes, I rushed out to help him. But I was blocked by two burly men. Auntie May and her ’80s crew tried to help block the vehicles. Leo sneered and snapped his fingers. “Release the dogs!” Two massive, vicious dogs leaped from the trucks, baring their fangs, and lunged at the elderly villagers. Auntie May’s calf was viciously bitten, blood instantly staining her pant leg red. Screams pierced the sky. “Ah! Help!” The villagers were in chaos, the sounds of crying, screaming, and barking mixing together. A group of tattooed thugs burst into my house. They smashed everything in sight, even overturning the stove. My adoptive father tried to protect my computer—it was my only piece of evidence. A bodyguard slammed a baton into his leg. With a sickening crack. My adoptive father’s agonizing scream pierced my eardrums. “Dad!” I tried to rush over like a madwoman, but Leo grabbed me by the hair. “Emily, aren’t you supposed to be so capable? Aren’t you a streamer?” “Try streaming now!” He stepped on my adoptive father’s broken leg, grinding his foot down. My father, his face covered in cold sweat from the pain, gritted his teeth and refused to beg for mercy. “Emily… run…” My adoptive mother knelt on the ground begging, but a bodyguard dragged her away by the hair. The village chief tried to go call the police, but his phone was smashed to pieces by Leo. “I’ve got my eye on this land for development.” “Anyone who dares to call the police is crossing the Vance family! I’ll kill their entire family!” Extreme anger stripped me of my reason. I pulled a can of pepper spray from my sleeve and sprayed it directly into Leo’s face. “Ah! My eyes!” Leo covered his eyes and screamed in agony. In the chaos, I broke free, grabbed a brick, and lunged at him. But two fists are no match for four hands. Seven or eight thugs swarmed me and pinned me to the ground. Leo, his eyes red and looking like a lunatic, walked over. He took a lit cigarette from a subordinate and took a deep drag. “Look closely. This is what happens when people help you.” “These poor losers are dying because of you!” Then, he flicked the cigarette onto a nearby pile of dry thatch. Flames shot into the sky. That was our only home. The home my adoptive parents built brick by brick. Watching my adoptive parents’ despairing faces in the firelight, my heart shattered. I had caused this. I was too naive. I underestimated the shamelessness and cruelty of capital. Leo signaled his men to bring out a syringe. “Give her a shot and take her away.” My consciousness began to blur. My last sight was Auntie May twitching in a pool of blood. My adoptive father’s mangled leg. And the fire consuming everything. Darkness fell. The feeling of powerlessness from my past life washed over me again. Did I get a second chance at life just to drag more people down with me? The pungent smell of disinfectant violently jolted me awake. My head was splitting, and my limbs felt as heavy as lead. I struggled to open my eyes and found myself lying on a freezing operating table. My hands and feet were strapped tightly to the bed, immobilizing me completely. The scene felt exactly like livestock waiting to be slaughtered. From the next room, muffled arguing drifted over. Margaret’s voice trembled. “Arthur, is… is this going to work? What if the police investigate…” “Investigate what?!” “As long as we make it look like a surgical accident and cremate the body, who will know she’s missing two kidneys?”

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Just after I gave birth to my second child, my parents rushed over from our hometown and transferred me a huge red envelope of $88,000. My husband smiled and said, “Mom and Dad are so generous to their maternal grandson.” My parents and I exchanged glances, all of us stunned. “Liam, what do you mean? Didn’t we agree that the second child would take my last name? Why ‘maternal grandson’?” My face immediately darkened. Before my husband could open his mouth, my mother-in-law standing nearby immediately stepped forward. “That won’t do! The little treasure is a boy! He definitely has to carry on our Sterling family line, how could he take your last name!” My parents’ faces instantly darkened. Their good upbringing and manners made them suppress their emotions and not lash out. But I couldn’t hold it in! “Liam! Is this your idea, or your mother’s?” My husband looked at me, hemming and hawing. “Well, how about we change Chloe’s last name to yours instead?” As soon as he said this, the room instantly went quiet. I immediately laughed out of pure anger. “Fine!” “Then let our daughter take my last name!” … Hearing this, my mother-in-law’s eyes instantly widened. “What? Take your last name? Liam, is your brain broken? Letting your daughter take someone else’s last name! Your dad will beat you to death!” My mother-in-law was still yelling about the rules passed down from our ancestors, how children must definitely take their father’s last name. My mom took a deep breath, trying her best to remain peaceful. “Mrs. Sterling, times are different now, it’s very common for children to take their mother’s last name. Maya is our only daughter, we just want to have a namesake to carry on.” My mother-in-law sneered, looking my mom up and down from the corner of her eye: “Oh, a namesake? Sounds nice! Isn’t it just because you couldn’t give birth to a son yourself, so you want to come and steal our Sterling family’s grandson to provide for you in your old age? Let me tell you, no way!” “You! How can you speak like that!” My mom trembled with anger. My dad quickly supported her, his face livid. Anger flared in my heart. I looked at Liam shrinking to the side and roared: “We agreed from the start that the second child would take my last name, what does your mother mean by this now?” Liam’s eyes darted around, hemming and hawing for a long time, “Well, how about we ask Chloe what she thinks?” I simply couldn’t believe my ears! He actually wanted a child to bear the weight of such a decision? My dad, heartbroken for his granddaughter, but still holding onto a sliver of hope, nodded in agreement: “Alright, asking Chloe is fine too.” But who could have imagined that as soon as Chloe heard this, she immediately burst into loud wails, throwing herself into her grandmother’s arms: “Waaah, I don’t want to take Mom’s last name! Then Dad and I wouldn’t be a family anymore! The other kids will mock me for being a wild child!” The air instantly froze. My daughter is only 7 years old, she absolutely wouldn’t say things like this on her own. Unless someone had deliberately taught her. Thinking of this, my parents’ faces instantly became even uglier. They didn’t expect the granddaughter they loved so dearly to reject them so strongly. My mom, afraid that my emotional agitation would cause a clogged milk duct, suppressed her emotions, “Enough, we’ll talk about this later. Maya, you focus on your postpartum recovery first.” Seeing this, Liam visibly breathed a sigh of relief, “Yes, yes, Mom is right, anyway, no matter whose last name they take, they are both my and Maya’s children!” Hearing this, my parents didn’t say another word. In the afternoon, my parents went back early, using business at their factory as an excuse. As soon as they left, my mother-in-law started making passive-aggressive remarks. “Hmph! Ran away fast enough! As soon as they heard their grandson wasn’t changing his last name and there was no advantage to be gained, they left immediately!” My husband smiled awkwardly, offering a token word of advice, “Mom! Don’t say that, Maya’s parents really are busy at their factory!” I couldn’t hold it in anymore and shot right back: “They really are busy! After all, everything our whole family eats, uses, and lives in now is paid for by my parents’ money!” My mother-in-law, hit where it hurt, instantly turned red in the face and thick in the neck. Just as she was about to lash out, the maternity nurse came over to remind me it was time to breastfeed. I just turned over and lay down, saying coldly: “I can’t feed him, I’m too full of anger, my milk ducts are clogged!” My mother-in-law was so angry she wanted to charge over and argue, but was pulled out by Liam. 2 Liam and I dated freely. Back then, when my friends found out that I, an only child from a wealthy East Coast family, was going to marry into a rural Midwestern family, their eyes almost popped out of their heads. They took turns advising me, saying even if I had to get married, the man should marry into our family. But Liam simply couldn’t stand the idea of ‘marrying into’ my family. “Maya, I’m the only son in my family, my parents depend on me, I can’t leave them!” At that time, my brain clouded by love, I ignored my parents’ tears and my friends’ advice, and went back with him. But reality gave me a resounding slap in the face. After marriage, the farm he and his parents contracted lost money year after year, relying entirely on my parents for financial support. When we were dating, he solemnly promised “have two kids, one takes your last name, one takes mine.” It turns out, from the very beginning, it was an out-and-out scam. His family had made up their minds long ago to leech off our family. Thinking of this, I only felt a knot of pent-up anger blocking my chest, painfully stifling. I don’t know how long passed, but the bedroom door was gently pushed open. Liam came in carrying my favorite soup dumplings. “Honey, still angry? I just coaxed Chloe to sleep, she cried very sadly, saying no matter what she wouldn’t change her name.” I sneered inwardly. “True! Changing a name is indeed troublesome, you have to go through a lot of paperwork all over again.” Hearing me say this, his face instantly lit up with joy. “Exactly, exactly! Honey, you finally figured it out, I knew you were the most reasonable…” “So,” I coldly interrupted him, “it’s just more convenient to change the baby’s name directly, just as we agreed before, he’ll be called Ethan Vance.” Liam’s smile instantly froze on his face. He stood up abruptly, his voice rising sharply in anger. “How can we do that?!” Seeing me staring coldly at him without speaking, he suppressed his anger, putting on an earnest and well-meaning tone. “Maya, be reasonable, our family has had a single male heir for three generations! If the baby takes your last name, won’t this family line be broken? How are my parents supposed to hold their heads up in front of relatives and friends in the future?!” I took a deep breath, “So, your promise to my parents back then, to have two kids and each takes one last name, was all bullshit?” Faced with my accusation, Liam’s face turned the color of pig liver. “Maya Vance! Why are you so aggressive? Is this the same thing? Besides, if you were capable, you would have had a son the first time, and we wouldn’t have all this trouble now!” The blood in my entire body instantly froze. “Liam, do you have any common sense? Whether it’s a boy or a girl is determined by the man’s chromosomes!” Liam was choked by my words and couldn’t speak. He fiercely kicked the chair next to him, making a huge noise, scaring the sleeping baby into loud wails. Watching him leave in a huff, my heart sank to the bottom. I had actually given birth to two children for a man like this. 3 Because of my insistence, Liam finally agreed to change our daughter’s name. Not feeling reassured, I asked my best friend, Sarah, to accompany him and complete all the procedures. “Don’t worry, I watched him do it step-by-step. See, it’s changed, from Chloe Sterling to Chloe Vance.” In the afternoon, Sarah returned with the brand new documents. I nodded in satisfaction, the pent-up frustration of many days finally dissipating a little. “Sarah, thanks for your hard work, stay for dinner tonight, I’ll have the nanny make a few extra dishes.” Sarah’s eyes flickered, however, and she smiled and declined, “No, no, I have a date tonight.” Seeing her coy expression, I couldn’t help but tease her. “It’s a man, right? Tell me, did you find yourself a boyfriend?” “Oh stop, it’s nothing official yet, I’ll tell you first when we make it official.” Her tone was coy, and she subconsciously moved the bag in her hand behind her back. It was a newly released luxury brand handbag, definitely not her usual level of spending. A subtle feeling brushed across my heart, but it was diluted by the joy of my daughter successfully changing her name. “Alright, then hurry up and go. Liam,” I turned to my silent husband standing to the side, “drive Sarah, she helped us a lot.” Liam agreed, his face still gloomy, “Let’s go.” Early the next morning, I woke up early because my breasts were engorged, only to hear a slight noise outside the door. I threw on some clothes and got up, just in time to see Liam opening the door and coming in from outside. I felt suspicious, but kept my face neutral: “So early? Did you go out, or did you just get back?” He was clearly startled, then forced a tired smile: “The boss called for sudden overtime last night, tossed and turned all night, I just made do on the sofa at the office. See, I thought you’d like these, so I went early to buy some soup dumplings.” I nodded and didn’t ask further. That piece of farmland in his hometown lost money year after year. After my repeated suggestions, he reluctantly found a job. But his abilities were average, and his ambitions were higher than his skills, so his work wasn’t going smoothly. “Honey, I have something else I want to discuss with you.” Liam suddenly spoke, and I had a premonition it wasn’t anything good. “Go ahead.” “Look, the baby is about to be one month old, here’s what I’m thinking, we should celebrate it properly, make it lively!” I immediately frowned: “He’s just a baby, a simple gesture is enough, besides, when Chloe was one month old, we didn’t celebrate it, did we?” Liam blurted out almost instantly: “How can that be the same!” As soon as the words left his mouth, seeing my face darken, he immediately and hastily explained: “Just because Chloe didn’t have one, that’s why we absolutely must have one for the baby! Besides, over all these years, how much money have my parents given out as gifts for other people’s events? It’s time to use this opportunity to recoup it!” Looking at his calculating face, I sneered inwardly: “Fine, if you want to host it, go ahead.” A hint of joy had just appeared on Liam’s face when he immediately replaced it with a troubled expression: “Honey, you know my parents don’t have any savings. Look, could your parents help us out with fifty thousand first?” “Fifty thousand?” I jerked my head up, “Liam, are you crazy? A one-month celebration costs fifty thousand?” Liam couldn’t help but frown: “This is our Sterling family’s first grandson! Can the event look shabby?” “My parents’ money is hard-earned! It’s not for you to show off and fill your family’s bottomless pit!” I suppressed my anger, my voice icy. “I agree to the celebration, but you figure out the money for this yourself, I can’t bring myself to ask.” Liam’s face instantly turned extremely ugly. He glared at me fixedly, and after a long while, finally squeezed out a sentence through his teeth: “Fine! Maya Vance, you’re ruthless!” 4 Liam took it upon himself to book the baby’s one-month celebration at the best hotel in the city. That day, he and his mother were at home counting the invitations. I happened to walk by and glanced over, only to discover that my parents’ names weren’t even on them. “Liam! The baby’s one-month celebration, and you didn’t invite my parents?!” Liam panicked instantly, quickly gathering the scattered invitations on the table. “That’s not true, I’m just checking who I missed, I was going to add them right away.” I frowned at him, my intuition telling me his words were untrustworthy. Still feeling uneasy, I found a time to call my mom. “Mom, you know the baby’s one-month celebration is this Saturday, right?” My mom smiled and nodded, “Of course, I already have the red envelope ready, to celebrate my eldest grandson turning one month old!” “Eldest grandson?” I was full of doubts, “What do you mean?” My dad took the phone and said, “Liam told us he’s going to let the baby take your last name, he’ll change it right after the celebration.” I was just about to tell them that Chloe’s name had already been changed, but before I could finish, the call was hung up. Afterwards, my mom sent a text message saying she had something to do and we’d talk when we met on Saturday. In the evening, Liam came back, and I sat in the living room waiting for him. “My parents said you agreed to let the baby take my last name?” Liam smiled and nodded, “Yeah, didn’t Mom and Dad want the baby to take your last name.” I frowned, repeatedly reminding him, “But hasn’t Chloe already…” He suddenly bent down, kissed my forehead, and looked at me with deep affection. “It’s okay honey, I’ve thought it through. If we let both kids take your last name, I wouldn’t mind.” Hearing this, I was even more confused. How did he suddenly become a completely different person. Moreover, even if he really agreed, what about my mother-in-law, would she agree? At night, I tested the waters with my mother-in-law. To my surprise, she actually agreed too. “Yes, Liam told me. Your parents are getting older, it’s normal for them to want a grandson of their own bloodline.” Seeing her say this, I didn’t dwell on it anymore. After all, having both kids change to my last name would only mean my parents would contribute more. The next day, I dressed the baby early in his outfit for the celebration. My mother-in-law suddenly said. “Maya, you see there will be a lot of people at the banquet later, why don’t you and the baby just stay home, don’t go join the crowd. What if there are too many people and it scares the baby…” I was full of confusion, “Today is to celebrate the baby turning one month old, is it appropriate for him not to go?” My mother-in-law smiled and explained, “It’s just an excuse. The baby is so small, it’s inconvenient for him to go. Your dad’s relatives all love to smoke, we don’t want them smoking out the baby.” I agreed with this point. The first year of our marriage, Liam and I went back to his hometown to host a banquet. Those relatives smoked so much the whole room reeked, you couldn’t stay in there at all. “Alright then.” Seeing this, my mother-in-law said again, “Hey, your parents definitely want to see the baby, tell them not to go to the hotel either, just come straight to the house to keep your dad company?” I had originally thought of this too, and seeing my mother-in-law offer, I didn’t refuse. But because the baby suddenly had diarrhea, I was busy changing his diaper and forgot to message my parents. By the time I remembered, it was already noon, so I called them immediately. “Hello, Mom and Dad, have you arrived at the hotel? You don’t need to go, just come straight to the house to see me and the baby.” But my mom said, “You and the baby are at home? Then who is the baby I saw Liam and his mother holding?” Hearing this, I was instantly dumbfounded. I looked down at the baby in my arms. The baby was at home with me, so whose baby was Liam holding? Right at this moment, my daughter’s teacher suddenly tagged me in the group chat, saying my daughter was the only one left who hadn’t signed up for the school summer camp, and asked me to take a picture of my daughter’s household registration information to apply for her. I hurriedly looked for the documents, but when I flipped to my daughter’s section, I was dumbfounded. The name, which should have been changed to Chloe Vance, still glaringly displayed Chloe Sterling, with no new section added for “former name.” Which means, Liam never changed our daughter’s name?! Thinking of this, my whole body trembled uncontrollably, and I immediately called my best friend, Sarah. But her phone rang for a long time before being answered. Before I could speak, a familiar voice came from the other end of the line. “Sarah, come quick, your dad is calling you to take the baby around to toast everyone.” That was… my mother-in-law’s voice!! The next second, the call was cut off.

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After eight years of marriage, the passion between my husband and me slowly died out in bed. I was complaining about it during a girls’ night when a friend, hearing my woes, recommended a famous couple account on an international platform. “It’s actually quite a coincidence. They’ve also been together for eight years, and they still go at it five times a night!” “I know this account too! I’ve been following them for a long time. The guy is so devoted and the girl is amazing. Every time they post a spicy video, I’m drooling… Just remember, don’t play their videos out loud in public.” In the middle of the night, driven by curiosity, I followed their instructions and clicked on the profile. The most recent video was updated just last night. White lace paired with a black tie—the overwhelming sexual tension made me blush and my heart race instantly. The caption read: [Love has no expiration date.] Having grown up together for over twenty years, my husband and I had long viewed each other as an extension of our own bodies. Our intimacy had always been respectful and measured; we never interacted with such unbridled abandon. I watched the video with the mindset of someone trying to learn. But at the very end of the video, on the man’s forearm, where veins bulged with exertion, a familiar watch caused my pupils to dilate in shock. That looked exactly… like my husband’s watch. Throughout our marriage, he had kept himself completely clean and distant from scandal. Except for one time, the night before our wedding, when I caught him in bed with a young woman I didn’t know. As proud as he was, that was the first time tears streamed down his face. He explained with a trembling voice that he had drunk too much, mistaken her for me, and that it would absolutely never happen again. In the eight years that followed, true to his promise, we treated each other with the utmost respect. We were the loving couple everyone envied. I believed him, but I was terrified to gamble on it again. So, on the night of my husband’s thirtieth birthday, I specifically took time off work and took an 11-hour international flight to surprise him. I figured that if everything was fine, this would be the last time I ever checked up on him, and I could casually drop the news that I was pregnant. After landing, I walked into a convenience store to buy water, just like I usually do. The woman next to me was on the phone. “You’re so clingy. We haven’t spoken for an hour and you’re blowing up my phone.” “Just wait, I’m going to squeeze you dry tonight.” Hearing another person speaking Mandarin, I curiously took a second look. I froze instantly. This woman… was the young girl from all those years ago. 1 Having not seen me in years, she didn’t seem to recognize me and turned toward the checkout counter. I couldn’t hear what the person on the other end said, but she replied with a playful pout, “I’m not cold. I’m wearing a lot. If you don’t believe me, you can check later.” “You can slip your hand in, follow my waist, all the way down to…” As if possessed by a ghost, I pulled out my phone and sent a message to Julian Hayes. 【Julian, are you off work yet?】 He didn’t reply. The woman reached out and grabbed two boxes from the contraceptive aisle. The same brand, the same scent, the same size. The ones I was intimately familiar with, the ones Julian always used. Her voice was sickeningly sweet: “It’s your birthday today. You decide how many times we go.” I looked down at my phone. Still no reply. After she paid, I followed her out of the store. Her tone was coquettish: “Stop rushing me, I see your car.” The London rain hit my face, cold as ice. I pulled my coat tighter and hit the call button with a trembling finger. A cold, mechanical female voice replied, “The subscriber you have dialed is currently unavailable.” I understood. He had turned on ‘Do Not Disturb’. This year, he said the overseas branch was very busy, and once he stepped into the office, he had no time to answer calls. This wasn’t the first time I couldn’t reach him. A Bentley pulled up and stopped at the corner not far away. “Julian!” The woman quickened her pace and opened the passenger door. I turned my head slightly to look. With just one glance, I was nailed to the spot. The car window was half open. The man in the driver’s seat looked composed and aristocratic. The woman twisted her waist and planted a light kiss on the corner of his mouth. He gave a helpless smile. “Acting spoiled again.” The streetlights were dim, but I saw his face with agonizing clarity. The owner of this face had accompanied me for my entire thirty years of life. At three years old, we held hands as we walked into kindergarten. He secretly slipped me the candy the teacher gave him: “I’ll protect you, don’t cry.” At sixteen, he imitated a scene from a movie and hid a drawing of me in a book. When I found it, his ears turned red. “I like you, so what?” At nineteen, our first love, our first kiss. He was so excited he bought out the entire restaurant. “I want to tell everyone that I am the happiest man in the world.” At twenty-two, he successfully proposed in front of both our families, swearing he would only ever love me. Everything froze on the night before our wedding. When I opened the hotel room door, he was naked, tangled with a strange girl. That day was pure chaos. Everyone said he had drunk too much and mistaken her for me. Since we grew up together, they said I should give him another chance. Even the girl knelt down and apologized. She said it was all her fault, that she bribed a waiter to get a keycard, just to fulfill a fantasy of her secret crush. Julian, proud and overbearing since childhood, had red eyes for the first time. Seeing me crying silently, he grabbed a fruit knife and aimed it at his own heart. “Chloe, it’s my fault it’s come to this.” “If you don’t believe me, I’ll cut it open and show you. My heart really only has you in it!” Tears blurred his face. His voice kept trembling. “Don’t leave me, honey. I’m begging you. You know how long I’ve loved you.” “If you don’t want me, I’ll die. I really will die…” Later, I sealed that memory away. Having lived intertwined for so many years, I thought we were inseparable. I thought we would go from childhood sweethearts to growing old together. But in this single second. Our thirty years. Finally collapsed. 2 I returned to the apartment in a daze. My mom sent a message: 【How did it go? Julian must be thrilled to know you’re pregnant!】 I took a deep breath, swallowed the sourness in my throat, and replied with feigned calm: 【Not yet. I just got to his apartment, I haven’t told him yet.】 The apartment door was pushed open from the outside. It was Julian returning. Our eyes met. His gaze was unnatural for a few seconds before quickly recovering its composure. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I could have picked you up from the airport.” My expression was flat: “I wanted to surprise you.” He walked over with a smile and gently ruffled my hair: “I can’t bear for you to be so tired.” “The flight must have been exhausting, right? It’s just a birthday, and my wife has to suffer through jet lag.” Julian was about to say something else, but his phone rang. Looking down to reply, his eyes held the gentleness and patience I was so familiar with. Then, he looked apologetic: “It’s a shame I have a client meeting tonight. My baby is going to feel neglected.” Before I could speak, he grabbed a piece of clothing from the closet. I instantly understood. He came back to grab a personal item that woman had forgotten. This apartment, where he stayed during his overseas business trips, was something I had decorated bit by bit in my spare time. I took a week off work and lost a major client to do it. But right now, the vase I had spent an entire afternoon hunting down and personally brought over from back home was gone. Even the photo of us stuck to the fridge had vanished without a trace. A piercing, damp cold seeped into my heart along with the rain-soaked clothes clinging to my skin. I abruptly stood up, grabbed my suitcase, and headed for the door. Julian followed: “Are you angry?” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders from behind: “The apartment hasn’t been cleaned. Let me book you a room at a five-star hotel nearby.” “I promise I’ll spend the entire day with you tomorrow, okay?” He tilted his head to kiss me, just like he always did. A strange citrus scent flooded my nose. It was that woman’s scent. I turned my face away. Julian didn’t seem to care and left in a hurry. In front of the elevator, a sleazy local guy whistled at me, his gaze sticky. “How much? If he doesn’t want you, selling to me is the same.” “He has a girlfriend. I’ve seen her. You’re so beautiful, why degrade yourself?” “All the neighbors know them. He wouldn’t even let his girlfriend walk. He carried her on his back all the way from the garage several times. That girl looked so happy.” He grabbed my waist, grinning as he tried to kiss me. Like a reflex, I stomped down hard on his foot. While he cried out in pain, I dragged my suitcase and escaped through the emergency exit. Even when I awkwardly tripped and fell, I didn’t dare stop to check for scraped skin. I scrambled up and ran downstairs. Heading straight to the airport, I sat blankly in the departure lounge. I didn’t understand. Why did Julian cheat again? During the first two years of our marriage, I often had nightmares. In my dreams, Julian was naked, holding a strange girl. When I woke up, I would always cry. He would hold me, coaxing me over and over again. “It’s all my fault. I made my precious wife sad.” He changed all his device passwords to my birthday and introduced me as his wife at every public event. Every day, he would report everything he did and everyone he met. Even when he had to stay in a hotel during business trips, he would leave a video call on all night, falling asleep to the sound of my breathing. Both he and I were carefully repairing that trust. When exactly did it start? Vaguely remembering the woman’s name, I opened the social media app and searched. It only took me a minute to find her among the many accounts with the same name. Because her profile picture was taken in Julian’s office back home. 3 The painting behind her was one I had specially commissioned from a master artist. Just because Julian mentioned he liked it, I personally visited the artist, standing outside the studio in high heels for an entire afternoon before finally moving the artist to accept the commission. Chloe was a somewhat famous travel influencer with a decent following. I scrolled down. The first post related to Julian appeared three years ago. Chloe had her fingers intertwined with a man’s, the background being our high school track field. 【Together with my high school crush!】 In that exact spot, eighteen-year-old us held hands for the first time. The night breeze was cool, and Julian was so nervous his palms were sweating. “When our hair turns gray, we’ll come back here together.” Mid-August the year before last, right around our wedding anniversary. Julian said he had business and couldn’t make it, but Chloe’s post showed him keeping her company at a street food stall. Last New Year’s Eve, I was hospitalized with a high fever from the flu. Julian appeared in Chloe’s video, intently disinfecting a scrape on her fingertip. The hand holding my phone was shaking. Julian’s face never fully appeared in any of the photos. But the familiar cuffs, the lines on his palm, made it impossible for me to keep lying to myself. Chloe’s newest post refreshed on the screen. The lace maid outfit in the picture was so revealing it made me sick just looking at it. 【I bought it but forgot to take it. Good thing someone remembered. I’ll reward him tonight.】 So, that’s what Julian came back to the apartment to grab. In the comments, her fans were joking around. 【Brother-in-law is eating well! Sister loves him so much.】 Chloe replied: 【I can’t help it. I asked him today when he started falling for me.】 【He said it was eight years ago, the day I first bravely told him I liked him. He said my eyes were shockingly bright, and he never forgot it.】 【Thinking about how he was thinking of me during those years makes my heart melt completely.】 Eight years ago. That was the day I caught them in bed. I pressed my lips tightly together. But the tears stubbornly, silently rolled down my face. Chloe posted another video. The camera pointed at a large bed covered in rose petals. A woman’s voice giggled coquettishly: “My fans told me to ask you, now that you’re thirty, do you have any new plans for our relationship?” A man chuckled softly: “Plans?” “I do want a child. Baby, will you give me one?” The camera shook, and the sound of fabric rustling violently could be heard. My fingertips were stiff. I misdialed several times before finally calling Julian. The phone rang three times before connecting. My voice trembled as I asked, “Julian, am I still in your future plans?” He was silent for a few seconds, then said casually, “Of course, why wouldn’t you be?” “Oh, right, my parents said you had a surprise for me. They asked me several times, what is it?” From the other end came Chloe’s soft urging. “Hubby, if you don’t focus, I’m going to punish you.” If I hadn’t stumbled upon the truth, I probably would have been stupid enough to think it was his subordinate. My gaze swept over the torn ultrasound report in the trash can, and I said softly, “There isn’t one.” The surprise is gone. The love of the past, the future we looked forward to together. It’s all gone. Julian’s tone carried a hint of anger. “What kind of petty tantrum are you throwing?” “For you, I’ve turned down dozens of international partnership opportunities, just because you’re always so paranoid!” “I’m out entertaining clients tonight, considering our future, can’t you give me a moment to breathe?” Tears fell again, and I gave a soft laugh. “Julian, you’re right.” “I am throwing a petty tantrum.” “When you get back to the States, let’s get a divorce.” 4 Julian hung up first. He scoffed coldly, “Fine, throw a fit if you want to.” The disconnected dial tone echoed in the receiver, hitting my heart like a drumbeat. During the ten-plus hour return flight, I didn’t sleep a wink. It wasn’t until I lay on the operating table and the anesthesia flowed into my veins that I was finally freed from the endless agony. The day I found out I was pregnant, I was truly overjoyed. I thought this would be a new beginning for our little family. Just a few more months, and the baby would be born. Happiness was within reach. But now, everything had fallen apart. After resting for a day, I received another message from Julian. 【I’m back. Family dinner tonight, don’t throw a tantrum in front of my parents.】 【Chloe, you’re not a little girl anymore. There should be a limit to your temper.】 I replied, agreeing to attend. By the time I pulled myself together and arrived at the Hayes family estate, both families were already there. Julian sat down next to me. He looked at my averted face, his tone exasperated. “Are you still angry?” He pulled out a necklace and shoved it into my hand. “It was my fault, okay?” “An apology gift for you. Give me a smile, hmm?” My palms turned ice cold. Just yesterday, right before I was about to go into the operating room, Chloe posted an update. The messy bed was covered in gifts. She opened them one by one: a limited-edition crocodile skin bag, a custom luxury perfume, a diamond-encrusted bracelet… Only when she got to this gold necklace did she grimace in disgust: “The style is so old-fashioned, I don’t want it.” The person filming laughed indulgently: “I get you a gift for my birthday and you still complain. I’ll just go throw it away, alright?” I loosened my grip, letting the necklace fall to the floor. Julian frowned: “What more do you want? Take it or leave it.” Julian’s mother smiled affectionately, trying to ease the tension. “I heard you specifically flew to London for Julian’s birthday, but he didn’t spend time with you because of work. He was in the wrong for that.” My mom chimed in to smooth things over. “You’re going to be a mother soon, you can’t be throwing petty tantrums. It’s not good for your health.” “Be a… mother?” Julian froze, turning to look at me in disbelief. “Chloe, you’re pregnant?!” He stood up abruptly, the corners of his mouth uncontrollably curling upward. “I’m going to be a dad, aren’t I?!” The coldness in his eyes melted away, replaced by unconcealed excitement. I didn’t look away, clearly seeing every ounce of his emotion. But this time, was it real or fake? I couldn’t tell anymore. And I didn’t care. The elders from both families laughed out loud. “Look at this silly boy.” I said softly: “No.” “I aborted the baby.” The atmosphere froze. Julian’s excitement stiffened on his face. Panic flashed in his eyes for a few seconds before he squeezed out a smile: “Chloe, don’t make jokes like that.” I didn’t respond. I pulled out the pre-prepared divorce agreement from my bag. Then I gave a slight smile: “Julian, I met Chloe.” “If we don’t get a divorce, are you going to make her be the other woman for the rest of her life?”

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