In the third year of hiding my identity and marrying Alpha Lucas, he still hadn’t made our relationship public. His excuse was that he worried I’d be hunted down by his enemies. But I overheard him chatting casually with friends: “Sophie is just a useless Omega. She’s not even as pretty as Isabella.” “But if I divorce her now, she’ll take half my assets. The loss would be too great.” “I’m starting to regret making her my mate. With her status, she’s only good enough to be my mistress at best.” So I handed him divorce papers. When he saw I was walking away with nothing, he breathed a sigh of relief. Then, pretending to be generous, he said: “I’ll give you twenty million as compensation.” I smiled and declined: “I’m still young. I can afford to take risks.” He didn’t know I wasn’t the ordinary Omega he thought I was. I’m the beloved stepsister of the Alpha of North America’s most powerful pack, the Shadow Fang Pack. Lucas’s current status and wealth all came from my stepbrother’s support. Now, I’m going to take it all back. 0

My third year married to Lucas. To get closer to him, I hid my identity and took a job as an administrative assistant at Lucas’s company. I just wanted to see him a little more each day. But on my third day at work, my colleague Chloe sent me a video. The camera focused on a private room where Lucas and his beta Isabella sat side by side. Isabella turned toward him, hooking her finger around Lucas’s tie and pulling him close. “Lucas,” her voice carried a hint of intoxication, “do you have feelings for me or not?” Lucas pressed her hand down, saying in a low voice: “Now’s not the time to talk about this.” “Give me an answer, Lucas.” Her voice rose slightly. She glanced at the others nearby, then looked back at him. “Right now. Tell me, do you love me or not?” Lucas was silent for a few seconds, then raised his hand to rub his temples, his tone weary: “Do you have to do this?” Isabella laughed, released his tie, casually picked up his drink and took a sip, then set down the glass, grabbed her bag, and got up to leave. Lucas immediately stood up and briefly told the group: “Excuse me for a moment,” then hurried after her. The video ended. Chloe’s message came right after: [They left together! Haven’t come back all afternoon! Think something’s going to happen tonight?] I stared at the darkened screen, my fingertips numb. Before I could catch my breath, my phone vibrated again. Lucas’s message popped up: [Working all night tonight, not coming home, don’t wait up.] My heart sank. I called him right away. At first, no one answered. I called several times in a row. The call connected. “Honey, my phone was on silent, didn’t hear it. What’s wrong?” “Honey, are you really not coming home tonight?” I asked through clenched teeth, my nails digging into my palm. “Yeah, it’s a get-together. Everyone’s here. Can’t leave. Hope you understand, honey.” “Are there women at your party?” He paused, then laughed: “No, since when do you check up on me? Want to video chat so I can prove my innocence?” Just then, I heard it. The clear rustling sound of an expensive shirt rubbing against hotel sheets. Then a suppressed, brief groan escaped from deep in his throat. “Mm…” All the blood in my body seemed to freeze instantly. After three years with Lucas, I knew exactly what that sound meant. “No need for video…” I was afraid I might throw up. “You have fun. I’m going to bed.” “Honey,” his voice was terribly hoarse, “we closed a big deal tonight. Starting tomorrow, everyone’s going to be working overtime. I’ll probably be working late, so don’t wait for me for dinner these days.” The call ended. I didn’t sleep all night, already planning to confront Lucas directly tomorrow and hopefully leave him with nothing. But at four in the morning, Lucas came home. “Honey?” He obviously didn’t expect me to still be awake. He froze for a moment, then showed his usual gentle smile. “Why aren’t you asleep? Didn’t I tell you not to wait up?” “Where did you go?” I stared at him, my voice soft. “Didn’t I tell you? At a party?” “Was it a party, or a date with another woman?” “Sophie,” he sighed, his voice full of exhaustion and helplessness, “did someone send you something? I admit, Isabella confessed to me at the party. But I turned her down. We’ve known each other so long—if I liked her, why would I have married you?” “Besides…” He hugged me, his palm rubbing my neck, “wouldn’t you know if I’d cheated on you?” Calming down, I realized he was right. When I was 18, he had already marked me. If one mate cheats, the other suffers unbearably. If Lucas had really cheated, how could I not feel the pain? Maybe I really was overthinking it. 0

“I’m sorry,” I leaned against his shoulder, tears soaking his shirt, “I’m just… so afraid of losing you.” That night he was especially gentle. He heated milk for me, coaxed me to sleep, just like every night for the past three years. I curled up in his arms, telling myself: Trust him. Trust this man I’ve loved for three years. I almost really believed it. The next morning, Lucas specially got up early to make me breakfast. “Come home early today, okay?” I saw him to the door, helping him straighten his tie. “Okay, no overtime today. I’ll come home and keep you company.” He kissed my forehead. “What do you want for dinner? I’ll make it for you.” “I like everything you make.” Watching his retreating figure, I even started to feel guilty: How could I suspect him? He’s so good to me. But there was still some unease in my heart. So I didn’t tell him I was working at his company. After seeing Lucas off, I drove to the company alone. I’d just sat down at my desk when Isabella showed up at the office. She was carrying a lunch box and walked straight through Lucas’s office door. The door wasn’t fully closed. A few minutes later, I picked up an irrelevant document, pretending I needed to deliver something, and walked toward that door. Through the crack, I saw her straddle Lucas’s lap, cup his face in her hands, and give him a long, suffocating kiss. Lucas’s hands immediately gripped her waist tightly, while his other hand expertly explored beneath her skirt. “Did you miss me?” Isabella gasped as they separated, her lips glistening. “What do you think?” Lucas’s voice was low and husky, his hand still moving under her skirt. Lucas chuckled softly, leaned close to her ear and said something. Isabella giggled and playfully hit his chest. In that moment, the vague fear from last night’s phone call transformed into a soul-piercing, undeniable agony. Intense burning pain and nauseating betrayal surged through that invisible bond, crashing violently into my heart and brain. My legs went weak. I had to grab the wall to keep from collapsing, my stomach churning. I could barely stand, yet I still raised my phone and recorded everything. I didn’t actually need to witness it myself. But if I didn’t see it with my own eyes, I was afraid I wouldn’t give up. All afternoon, I watched Lucas and Isabella going in and out of the office like an outsider. They occasionally made eye contact, their gazes lingering. When Isabella handed him documents, her fingers “accidentally” brushed his hand. And I shattered a cup from the pain of their contact. During lunch, Isabella entered his office. She didn’t come out until half an hour later, her lipstick reapplied, her hair slightly mussed. The suffocating pain and absurd awareness coming from behind that closed door made me almost vomit. I didn’t even need to look to know what they were doing. Six o’clock in the evening. Closing time. I watched them head to the underground parking garage. Then I got in my car and followed them. I didn’t know what I wanted to see. Perhaps I just wanted an answer. If he’d fallen in love with someone else, why was he still pretending nothing was wrong? Why wouldn’t he divorce me? After Lucas dropped Isabella off at home, he went to a discreet members-only bar. I used the card Nathan gave me to get in and sat in the shadows near their private room. The door was ajar. I could see seven or eight people sitting inside. At first, the group discussed work projects. Later, they started talking about their personal lives. About kids, about wives… and of course, about mistresses. “I saw Isabella post on social media something about lovers finally getting together. What’s up? Did you finally come around and get Isabella into bed?” Someone asked. I couldn’t help but prick up my ears. Lucas said calmly: “You don’t understand the situation that day. I had no choice. Isabella was pressuring me. If I didn’t take her, she’d resign. You know, Isabella’s been with the company so many years, the company can’t do without her. Or rather… I can’t do without her.” “So Isabella’s okay with being a mistress? Lucas, don’t screw yourself over later.” “Right. And can your mate accept Isabella’s existence? Didn’t she notice anything yesterday?” “It’s simple. As long as you keep your distance, even a mate won’t detect these things.” So that was it. Apparently they all had experience with this, and had even figured out the effective range of the mate bond. Lucas set down his glass and spoke: “Sophie is just a useless Omega. She’s not even as pretty as Isabella.” “I’m starting to regret making her my mate. With her status, she’s only good enough to be my mistress at best.” “But divorcing now would mean too great a loss.” So he was worried about the loss. Made sense. Lucas and I were legally married. Divorce would mean splitting his marital assets. Lucas’s Silver Crest Pack was originally just a small pack, and the businesses under it barely made money. It was only after marrying me that he suddenly gained many opportunities to partner with Shadow Fang Pack’s enterprises. And Lucas finally had the standing to build connections with the Alphas of more powerful packs. Because although I’m an Omega, my stepfather and stepbrother are both powerful Alphas, and they dote on me. I got up and left the bar, walked to the curb, and called my stepbrother Nathan. “Sophia, what’s up? How come you’re calling me so late?” Nathan’s voice came through the receiver. I couldn’t hold back. Tears streamed down my face. “Soph, what’s wrong? Are you crying?” I was sobbing too hard to speak. Nathan immediately asked where I was. I gave him an address through my tears. Half an hour later, he appeared in front of me. “Where’s Lucas?” “He cheated.” 0

Nathan froze, his jaw clenched tight. “Where is he? I’m going to kill him.” I grabbed Nathan’s hand and shook my head: “No need. That would only dirty your hands.” Nathan stomped his foot hard on the ground in anger. But it still wasn’t enough to calm him down. He asked me: “Divorce?” I nodded without hesitation. “Could it be a misunderstanding?” I showed Nathan all the videos and photos saved on my phone. Even though I said nothing. Nathan had already made his decision. He immediately took out his phone and made several calls. He contacted suppliers connected to Lucas, telling them not to sign contracts that had just been negotiated but not yet signed, not to renew contracts that were expiring, and for contracts not yet expired, to withdraw discounts and charge full market price. After those few calls. Nathan took my hand: “Come on, let’s go home.” I shook my head, tears still hanging at the corners of my eyes: “Before going home, I want to move out first.” Without hesitation, Nathan drove to the place Lucas and I shared. Lucas had arranged the residence. I had nothing worth being attached to. I’d just lived here for three years, never imagining I’d leave this way. “If you want this place, I’ll get you the best lawyer to help you win it.” “No need. Anything touched by Lucas feels pretty dirty to me now.” Moving out of that villa. I wanted to wait for Lucas to contact me first, then confront him. But unfortunately. A week passed. He didn’t even notice I’d moved out. He just sent me his usual daily message: [Working late tonight, don’t wait up.] But in reality? I saw him and Isabella together every day. Each time brought me such clear pain. I’d planned to finish my current work before resigning, but one day I was suddenly notified by HR: immediate termination, leave the company at once. I protested and asked my department supervisor for a reason. The supervisor only said it was Ms. Rodriguez’s decision, that I was “not a good fit for the company culture.” I thought Isabella knew my identity and was deliberately targeting me. But unexpectedly, Chloe came to me and confessed. “Someone overheard me calling Ms. Rodriguez a ‘homewrecker’ that day, and word got out. We’ve been working overtime constantly these days. It wasn’t Mr. Lawson’s arrangement—it was Ms. Rodriguez deliberately targeting us. I was done for, but because you kept working overtime with me, I…” Chloe was crying uncontrollably. “I really need this job. I’m not as pretty as you, not as smart as you, so I went to Ms. Rodriguez and blamed you for calling her a ‘homewrecker.’” “I thought, I thought Ms. Rodriguez would just not let you stay to work here. I didn’t expect her to have security throw you out… I hurt you… I’m sorry…” I laughed. Completely out of anger. Partly angry at my friend’s betrayal. But more angry at Isabella for abusing her power and humiliating people like this. “It’s fine, I forgive you. Stop crying. Thank you for being a good friend to me this time. From now on, I wish you all the best.” With that, I picked up the documents I’d prepared long ago from the desk and started to leave. Chloe grabbed me, her face hopeful: “What about Ms. Rodriguez…” I said calmly: “Don’t worry, I’ll take the blame for this.” Then I raised my head. And shouted loudly across the entire office: “Isabella is a homewrecker. What, can’t even say it out loud!” 0

Instantly. Everyone in the office stopped what they were doing and looked at me in unison. Shock filled everyone’s eyes. And I, holding that “immediate termination notice,” charged straight into the conference room. At that very moment. All the company’s executives and supervisors were in an early meeting. My arrival was clearly very inappropriate. The executives in the conference room frowned one after another, somewhat disgusted with this clueless young woman. That’s right. Three years as Lucas’s mate. Not a single person in his company knew what his wife looked like. Including Isabella. Among those present, only Lucas showed some surprise in his eyes when he saw me. But he didn’t speak. The first to speak was still the meeting host, Isabella. Isabella lifted her chin, her sophisticated, mature face expressing utter disdain and impatience: “What’s so important it couldn’t wait?” I wasn’t polite: “Ms. Rodriguez, did you deliberately fire me because I said you were Mr. Lawson’s homewrecker?” The others present looked at Isabella with slightly surprised expressions. Isabella’s face stiffened, apparently not expecting a small administrative assistant to be so bold. She narrowed her eyes and said: “Since you already know, why bother asking?” There was no point in her denying it. There was plenty of gossip in the company. To silence the masses, you had to make an example. And in her view, I was that chicken to be killed to scare the monkeys. I met Isabella’s eyes and raised my voice: “I’m sorry, Ms. Rodriguez. I shouldn’t have said you were Mr. Lawson’s homewrecker!” Isabella’s expression was somewhat awkward, but she still held firm, crossing her arms and looking down: “Apologizing now is too late!” I looked at Lucas. His face was dark, clearly displeased. But what right did he have to be displeased? He was the one who lost face first. I sneered coldly: “It’s not too late at all. I’ll clear Ms. Rodriguez’s name right now!” I pulled open the door behind me, raising my voice even higher: “Although Ms. Rodriguez knew Lucas had a mate and still slept with him, she’s of course not Mr. Lawson’s homewrecker! After all, she’s about to be promoted to the main position! I, Alpha Lucas’s actual mate, am signing divorce papers right now to fulfill your love!” My announcement made Isabella’s face turn from green to white. The people present also realized my identity. Isabella too. Everyone looked at Lucas. Lucas was already furious. One year of dating, three years as mates… this was the first time I’d seen Lucas angry. “Have you caused enough trouble!” How could it be enough? I wanted to be dignified too. But you wouldn’t let me! “I have no other demands,” I pushed the document in front of Lucas. “Sign it.” Lucas glanced at the document title. “Divorce Agreement.” He froze. Isabella’s composure had already faltered, but seeing the document, she gained some confidence. “You—what do you mean?” I looked at her, then at Lucas: “I mean, I’m done playing games with you two.” Lucas stared at the agreement, then looked up at me: “Sophia, are you serious?” “What else?” I smiled. “I’m not a recycling center. I don’t handle garbage.” Isabella’s eyes flashed with wild joy, but she suppressed it, leaning close to Lucas and whispering: “She’s walking away with nothing. I’ve read the agreement. You can sign it.” Lucas ignored her, only looking at me: “Think carefully. Rejection—” “I’ve thought very carefully,” I interrupted him. “Compared to continuing as your mate, I’d rather walk away with nothing. But today, I’m only signing the divorce agreement. As for rejection… that’s between us, not something to resolve here today. I need time.” I looked at everyone present and raised my voice: “Everyone here is a witness. Today, I, Sophie, want the divorce. I’m the one who doesn’t want him anymore. As for the reason—” The conference room was deathly silent. I put away my phone and looked at Lucas: “Now, can you sign?”

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While I was with my best friend, Avril, trying on wedding dresses, she suddenly said, “You know, your husband Blake is pretty great in bed.” I froze for a moment, not really processing it yet. She pointed to a hickey on her chest: “He bit me there last night, in the car. Tell him to be a little gentler next time.” My throat tightened, my fingertips trembling. “Have you no shame?” Her smile didn’t falter. She took my hand and placed it on her lower abdomen. “I can’t help it, I’m pregnant with Blake’s baby.” My body went rigid, my mind exploding. “He really loves you, but he honestly thinks you’re dirty.” “I gave him my first time, and I’ve never had an abortion for anyone else, so he promised me a wedding.” I stumbled backward, a pair of warm hands reached out to steady me. Without thinking, I slapped him. Blake stopped, his voice casual. “You know everything?” My body trembled, a terrible cold washing over me. Blake looked at me, pushing his tongue against his cheek. “You and Avril have been best friends for ages. Why can’t you be even half as sweet as her?” His tone was no different from before, every word a sharp knife piercing my heart. “Aren’t you disgusted?” I choked out. He paused, then smiled, uncaring. “Who told you to be so dirty?” “Every time I see your body, I can’t help but imagine you beneath other men.” He said, a flicker of disgust in his eyes. “There’s no way I’d let my child be born from such a dirty body.” I froze, my ears ringing. I stared at him, unable to believe it. Just yesterday, he’d held me close, whispering “I love you” over and over into my ear. He’d sworn he wouldn’t care about my past, no matter what it was. “Do you know what you’re saying?” My voice trembled violently, tears spilling out uncontrollably. He lifted a hand, gently wiping away my tears, and sighed. “I know.” “It’s not that I don’t love you, but I really wanted to know what it felt like to be with a virgin. Why did you lie to me first?” He took Avril’s hand. “Avril is your best friend, she won’t fight you for me. She even promised that our child can call you Mom.” “You should thank her.” I watched their fingers intertwine, my vision blurring. Yesterday, I found out I was pregnant. I’d invited them to dinner, wanting to share the good news with the two most important people in my life. But as soon as they met, they ignored me and started bickering with each other. Avril accused Blake of not spending enough time with me. Blake thought she was meddling. I was already used to their dynamic, and I pushed my own pregnancy news to the back of my mind. When dinner ended, they were still arguing about who he’d spend the weekend with. But now, they stood together, telling me they were having a baby. Seeing me gasp for breath in pain, Blake stepped forward anxiously, trying to take my hand. “As long as you don’t make a fuss, we can go back to how things were.” “Yesterday, after Avril and I argued, I told you I had an emergency at work. Actually, we were having sex in the car.” “She was wearing a red lingerie set, I just couldn’t resist.” My heart felt like a huge hole had been torn through it, through which freezing winds howled. My teeth chattered. “Avril is my best friend!” Then, I looked at Avril. “Why?” Avril took a step closer, grasping my hand. “Precisely because we’re friends, I won’t threaten your position.” “Blake and I were just enjoying some excitement for a bit.” “In our hearts, you’ll always be the most important one.” My fingertips trembled, my chest heavy with a bitter ache. Blake casually kissed my cheek. “Cheer up. Weren’t you most excited to see Avril in her wedding dress?” “Pick out a bridesmaid dress for yourself while you’re at it.” The diamonds on the wedding dress reflected a blinding light, stinging my eyes. Tears blurred my vision. I raised my hand again, slapping him across the face. “You’re both so dirty, so disgusting!” The words had barely left my mouth when I was violently shoved, crashing into the corner of a table. A sharp pain shot through me. Avril’s crying voice reached my ears. “We’re dirty?” “Lester, you went out of your way to seduce Johnny and slept with him. What right do you have to call me dirty?” Blake looked at me coldly. “Calm down, Lester.”

Blake left with Avril. But I sank powerlessly into the abyss of my memories. Avril and I had been best friends since childhood. When she was seventeen, her family went through a tragedy. Her father passed away, and her mother remarried, taking her with her. But Avril grew increasingly unhappy, crying to me that her stepfather’s son, Johnny, treated her terribly. I felt sorry for her plight, living under someone else’s roof, and often went to keep her company. Until her birthday. I used the money I’d saved for a long time to buy her a dress she’d wanted. But when I arrived at her house, after drinking a glass of juice, I lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes again, all I felt was an unbearable pain. Johnny had violated me. And Avril was crying, holding me, her harsh words fiercely scolding Johnny, ringing in my ears. Fate wouldn’t let me go. Just as I thought about giving up and dying, I found out I was pregnant. My parents took me to get an abortion and moved to another city, but the pain didn’t fade with time. When I met Blake, my depression hadn’t healed, and I was consumed by insecurity. He always looked at me with tender eyes, then smiled and pinched my cheek. “Why are you always so sad?” I looked at his bright eyes, afraid to easily accept him. But he would stay by my side, holding my hand and saying, “It’s okay, it wasn’t your fault.” He was like a light, healing me, helping me let down my guard. The day we made our relationship official, he reassured me, promising to protect me forever. From dating to marriage, Blake was consistently good, bringing everything wonderful for me to choose from. But now… Tears streamed down my face. I thought my life had started anew. Yet the two people I loved most had conspired to tear open my old, deep wounds, and then rubbed salt in them. The heartbreaking pain jolted me awake. I cried until I choked, feeling numb. When my eyes were so swollen I could only open them a slit, my phone rang. It was messages from Blake and Avril. [Lester, go to the hospital and get some miscarriage prevention medication.] [We played a bit too rough, and it scared Avril’s baby.] Avril, meanwhile, only sent a intimate photo of her and Blake. I stared at the photo, my breathing shaky. My phone rang loudly in the silent room. Blake’s satisfied voice pierced my eardrums. “Lester, did you see the message?” I squeezed out a sound from my throat, every word ending with a trembling tremor. “Blake, how can you be so disgusting?” “Aren’t you afraid I’ll go crazy and kill both of you?” There was a moment of silence on the other end. Then Avril’s light laugh came through. “Lester, you’re so weak. Even a loud voice makes you burst into tears. How could you ever have the guts to kill anyone?” “It’s not like you haven’t killed before; you killed Johnny’s baby.” “But you’d never hurt your husband’s baby, would you?” She urged me to hurry with the medication, then hung up. Listening to her confident tone, I suddenly laughed. The reason I was afraid of loud noises was because of Johnny’s wild laughter on the day he assaulted me. It was a traumatic stress response. But I wasn’t even afraid of death anymore. I wouldn’t let them off easy. I went to them. Pushing open the door, I saw clothes scattered all over the floor. The two of them sat on the sofa, kissing passionately. The wet, smacking sounds of their kissing constantly pricked my eardrums. I gripped my phone tightly, slowly walking closer. Avril saw me and provocatively increased her panting. Perhaps seeking more thrills, she brought up what happened years ago. “Blake, when I found out Lester seduced Johnny…” “They were lying in my bed, kissing just like this.” Listening to her shameless slander, my hand trembled. Hatred surged, and rage burned away the last remnants of my sanity. I held up my phone, pointing the camera at their flushed, dazed faces. I held back my tears, pulled my lips into a smile, and spoke coldly into the camera. “This is a live stream of catching my husband and my best friend cheating.” “You two, feel free to perform.”

Blake’s body stiffened. He instinctively pushed Avril’s head into his embrace. The next second, he reached out and violently knocked my phone away. “Lester, what the hell are you doing?” I didn’t move, my gaze fixed on his wrist. Where his veins bulged, there was a newly tattooed, obscure string of letters. I instantly felt dizzy, and the image of that grinning man flashed before my eyes again. He had an identical tattoo. That wrist had once choked my neck, tracing every inch of my skin over and over. I bit down on my teeth, my voice trembling violently. “Blake, what is that?” Blake glanced at his wrist and curled his lips into a smirk. “Avril said you like men with tattoos on their wrists.” I snapped my head up, meeting Avril’s challenging gaze. The tightly strung wire in my mind suddenly snapped. I grabbed the knife from the table and held it against Avril’s throat. My hand was shaking, and I couldn’t stop sobbing. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” You deliberately made Blake get a tattoo identical to Johnny’s, just to sicken me. Avril’s face changed, but she still looked up and met my eyes. “It’s just a tattoo, what’s the big deal?” I was on the verge of collapsing, and my hands involuntarily tightened. Blood welled up, but Avril smiled. A sudden, powerful force shoved me away, and the slap across my face made my cheek burn. “Lester, are you crazy?” My eyes were blurry with tears, meeting Blake’s furious gaze. “Yes, I’m crazy!” Saying that, I struggled to my feet, laughing through my tears, bending at the waist. “Do you know why Avril made you get this tattoo?” Just as I was about to speak, Avril suddenly cried out in pain, and blood flowed from beneath her. Blake’s face drastically changed. He no longer cared about my words. He quickly scooped Avril into his arms, using his elbow to forcefully hit my chest, pushing me out of the way. Blake stared at me coldly. “If anything happens to the baby, I won’t let you off.” He strode away, not sparing me another glance. I fell to the ground, drained of strength, my heart feeling as if it had been ripped in half. But my tears had long since dried up. I stumbled out of there, feeling dazed. As soon as I stepped outside, my vision went black, and I completely lost consciousness. When I woke up again, I was in a hospital room. The nurse taking care of me said I’d had a miscarriage. She called my family, but no one answered. “No one’s here to look after you. What will you do?” I lay in bed, tears soaking the pillow. My parents were hundreds of miles away. In this city, Blake and Avril were the only people close enough to be considered family. But neither of them showed up. I only received photos from Avril. They were embracing and kissing intimately, carelessly. I tormented myself, looking at the photos over and over. Jealousy and hatred burned inside me relentlessly. How could those two be happy while trampling on my pain? I wouldn’t accept it. I sent the old pregnancy test results, which I’d kept for a long time, to Blake. He didn’t reply. It wasn’t until late afternoon that he pushed open my hospital room door. His gaze was heavy, falling on my lower abdomen. “When did you find out?” I curled my lips into a sarcastic smile. “The day Avril was trying on wedding dresses. I wanted to tell you then.” He didn’t speak, just lit one cigarette after another. Smoke shrouded his eyes, hiding his conflicted expression. After a long time, I heard his almost indifferent voice. “Just get rid of it.” “My child can only be born from a clean body.” “Avril and I have discussed it. Our child will only call you Mom.” All the blood in my body turned to ice. I mechanically looked up and met his gaze. He walked to the bedside, taking my hand and squeezing it in his palm. “Isn’t this good? We still both love you.” My stomach churned instantly. I violently pushed him away and leaned over the bed, vomiting. He frowned, his voice turning cold. “I’ve already scheduled your abortion procedure.” As his words fell, a doctor pushed open the door. They forcibly grabbed my arms. I couldn’t fight back, tears streamed down my cheeks and splattered on the floor. “Blake, I’m asking you one last time. Do you really not want this baby?” His eyes seemed to hold a flicker of reluctance, but his voice was a resolute, definite refusal. “Lester, don’t make a scene.” I suddenly laughed, shaking off their grip like a madwoman. Under everyone’s stunned gaze, I resolutely climbed out the window.

In the moment of freefall, I saw Blake’s horrified expression. I smiled, fantasizing almost hysterically. If I fell and was smashed to pieces, would he regret it? Would he and Avril be wracked with guilt, unable to sleep for the rest of their lives? But falling from the third floor wouldn’t kill me. Several of my ribs broke, piercing my lungs. The excruciating physical pain meant I couldn’t die, but I couldn’t truly live either. After the emergency treatment, Blake sat beside me. “Was it worth it?” “Lester, the baby was gone already. What’s the point of scaring people by jumping out a window?” His voice was laced with impatience and annoyance. As if I was a burden he could never shake off. I managed a bitter smile, my voice raw. “What good would scaring you do?” “Blake, you’re an asshole.” “An asshole who couldn’t even accept his own child.” The patience vanished from his face, replaced by endless coldness. “Blame yourself for not being more careful.” “No matter how much someone forced you, you still opened your legs.” A single dismissive sentence denied everything from the past, each word a sharp knife torturing my heart. I suddenly felt exhausted. “Let’s break up.” “I’ll let you and Avril be together.” He froze, staring at me blankly for a long time without making a sound. I didn’t look at him, pulling out my phone and calling Avril. She arrived quickly. “Blake, go outside for a bit. Lester and I need to talk.” He looked at me, and in the end, said nothing. Only the two of us remained in the room. I looked at her, my voice ethereal. “Are you satisfied? Then and now, you’ve destroyed me.” She smiled, a hint of tears in her eyes. “I didn’t want to do it.” “But only by giving you to Johnny could I escape.” I closed my eyes. My heart, which should have been aching, felt numb. She continued. “Lester, I’ve always felt guilty towards you.” “That’s why I won’t completely steal Blake away.” “It’s just a game. Once I’m done, I’ll give him back to you.” Years of accumulated hatred erupted instantly. I suddenly laughed, this time without hesitation. Dragging my weakened body, I lunged at Avril. With a powerful thrust, I plunged the cold, gleaming knife into her stomach. She screamed for help in pain. When Blake pushed open the door, Avril had already fainted. All the color drained from his face. He violently kicked me away. “Lester, you’re trying to kill her! Are you crazy?” I wiped the blood from my face, my voice eerily calm. “She owed me this.” Blake’s grim gaze fell upon my face. He picked up Avril, who was covered in blood, and gritted his teeth. “This isn’t over.” But I slapped the signed divorce papers onto his chest. “Between you and me, our scores are settled.” He stared at the signature page, his eyes trembling. “Lester, are you serious?” He was about to say more, but Avril in his arms groaned in pain. “The baby… will the baby be okay…” The panic in his eyes vanished. He took a deep breath. “We’ll talk when I get back.” This time, he didn’t hesitate. I suppressed the heartache, letting out a bleak laugh. That day would never come. I wiped away my tears, ready to head straight to the airport. But as I stepped out, I bumped into someone, and my body uncontrollably trembled, my steps faltering. Avril’s baby was gone. But Blake was absent-minded, frequently thinking about the divorce papers. After staying until Avril woke up, he felt increasingly uneasy. He turned and rushed to find me. But as he pushed open the door. The scene that met his eyes made him utterly collapse.

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After catching my husband, Ethan Hayes, cheating, he knelt before me and swore he’d cut all ties with that yoga instructor. But a month later, I saw a strange text on his phone: [I’m sick and so scared alone in the hospital. Can you come see me?] Watching Ethan rush out the door, I called after him mockingly: “In such a hurry? Want me to grab you a box of condoms on your way out?” Ethan froze, then whirled around, glaring at me furiously: “Charlotte, I’ve already come back to this family. Do you have to be so nasty? She’s sick—can’t I just go check on her?” I didn’t try to stop him anymore. After he left, I made a phone call. What Ethan didn’t know was that the yoga instructor’s fiancé was a mob boss who killed without leaving a trace. “Charlotte, when are you going to stop this?” “I already told you—Vivian doesn’t know anyone in this city. She’s got acute gastroenteritis and is getting an IV at the hospital. What’s wrong with me, as a former colleague, bringing her some medicine?” “Former colleague?” I let out a cold laugh. “Need me to refresh your memory about how many sex positions you two unlocked on that yoga mat last month?” Ethan’s face instantly flushed crimson. He jabbed his finger toward my face, his voice dropping to a furious hiss. “I already admitted I was wrong! I even slapped myself in front of your parents!” “This entire month, I’ve come straight home after work every day. I’ve handed over all my bank cards. What more do you want from me?” “Do you have to act like some bitter housewife and turn this home into a hellhole before you’re satisfied?” Looking at his self-righteous expression, I felt nothing but nausea churning in my stomach. A month ago, I’d thrown photos in his face—pictures taken by a private investigator. In those photos, he and that yoga instructor named Vivian were tangled together on a hotel bed. Back then, he’d knelt on the floor, crying and begging, swearing he’d just had a momentary lapse in judgment, pleading for one more chance. In front of both sets of parents, he’d slapped himself three sharp, ringing times across the face. He changed all his bank card passwords to my birthday. He even voluntarily canceled his membership at the gym where Vivian worked. I thought he’d truly realized his mistake. I was naive enough to think that if I just swallowed this bitter pill, our marriage could be patched up and continue. But I was wrong. A dog returns to its vomit, and a cheating man never learns loyalty. I watched him rage coldly, then turned and walked to the sofa, pulling a tablet from beneath a throw pillow. “Ethan, you put on quite the performance.” “Coming home on time every day, even letting me check your phone whenever I want—what a reformed man you are.” I lit up the screen and hurled the tablet into his arms. “So explain this to me.” Ethan fumbled to catch the tablet, glancing down at the screen. Just one look, and all the color drained from his face.

The screen displayed the synced backend data from that latest-model smartwatch on his wrist. He’d bought that watch last month, claiming it was to monitor his sleep quality. But this afternoon, I’d discovered that the watch’s health app was secretly linked to another person’s account. The account’s profile picture was a selfie of Vivian in tight yoga clothes. “Every night at eleven o’clock, your heart rate spikes to 120 beats per minute.” I stared into his evasive eyes, tearing away his mask. “Ethan, you’ve been carrying on with her this whole time!” Ethan’s lips trembled. He instinctively hid his hand behind his back, trying to conceal the watch. “You’re making things up! I go running at eleven at night!” I cut him off: “Stop lying! You even logged her menstrual cycle!” I held his tablet in front of him. After a brief silence, the panic in his eyes rapidly transformed into humiliated rage. “You’ve been spying on me?” He violently threw the tablet onto the sofa, glaring at me through clenched teeth. “Charlotte, you’re a psycho! Checking my phone every day, checking my watch—are you sick!? You’re disgusting!” I took a deep breath, suppressing the tearing pain in my chest. “If being with me disgusts you so much, then get out right now and go to the hospital to see Vivian.” Ethan grabbed the car keys from the living room and yanked open the door without looking back. “Fine, Charlotte. Don’t regret this!” I replied: “My only regret is being blind enough not to see what garbage you are.” “You think I want to come back to this cold, dead home?” Ethan stood in the doorway, one foot across the threshold, then turned back and looked me up and down with utterly contemptuous eyes. “Charlotte, look at yourself—this hysterical mess you’ve become. Your hair’s a wreck, you don’t even wear makeup, all you do is obsess over every little thing I do.” “Now look at Vivian—even when she’s sick, she’s gentler and more beautiful than you!” So he finally said what he really thought. I stood quietly in the center of the living room, watching this man I’d loved for seven years, feeling the blood in my veins turn to ice. So in his eyes, the exhaustion I’d suffered staying up late caring for this household had become his reason to despise me. I didn’t speak. Instead, I turned and walked to the TV cabinet, pulling open the bottom drawer. I took out a crumpled hospital payment receipt and a printout of an insurance policy. I walked to the door and threw both documents directly in his face. “Ethan, if you think she’s so wonderful, why did you marry me in the first place?” “You keep saying how pitiful she is—then what about this critical illness insurance policy worth three hundred thousand dollars?” Ethan looked down at the papers scattered on the floor, his pupils contracting sharply. That was an insurance policy he’d secretly bought for Vivian three months ago, with her mother listed as the beneficiary. And the premium had been transferred from our joint savings account—money we’d been setting aside for a new house. “You… you went through my study?” he shouted, livid. I looked at him coldly: “Ethan, have you forgotten how I nearly died on the operating table just one year ago?”

This time last year, I’d suffered an ectopic pregnancy and hemorrhaged, rushed to the hospital by ambulance. The doctor needed a family member to sign consent forms. I dialed Ethan’s number over and over again. But the voice on the other end was always: [Sorry, the number you are calling is currently unavailable.] I almost died on that operating table. How did he explain it afterward? He said he’d been playing golf with a very important client, and his phone was in a locker in the changing room where he couldn’t hear it. He held my hand at my hospital bedside, crying harder than I was, swearing he’d make it up to me twice over. I believed him. I dragged my weakened body through those most difficult days. But it wasn’t until last month, when I checked his phone, that I discovered the truth. That day, he hadn’t been with any important client at all. He’d been at a hot spring resort in the next city over, celebrating Vivian’s twenty-fourth birthday. He’d posted something on his social media, visible only to Vivian: [May my girl always smile like a flower.] Meanwhile, his wife had been lying in a pool of her own blood, signing her own critical condition notice. “And now you’re telling me she’s pitiful?” I stepped closer, staring into his eyes. “She bought insurance with my money, booked hotel rooms with my money—where exactly is she pitiful?” “The truly pitiful one was my child who never even formed before dying!” “The truly pitiful one is me—the fool you’ve been playing for a fool!” Ethan backed up a step under my advance. But there wasn’t a trace of guilt on his face—only extreme irritation at being exposed. “Charlotte, can you stop bringing up old history!” He yanked at his tie in frustration, his tone dripping with cold rationality. “The doctor said the ectopic pregnancy was because of your poor health—it was a matter of probability!” “You insist on blaming Vivian for this. Do you think that’s fair?” “Besides, I didn’t know you were in trouble. If I’d known, wouldn’t I have come back?” My breath caught. Poor health. A matter of probability. With one casual sentence, he’d erased all his cold-bloodedness and betrayal. He’d even shifted the blame onto me. I looked at his face, twisted with anger, and suddenly felt he was a complete stranger. Was this the same boy who, back in college, would run two kilometers through the snow just to buy me a cup of hot milk tea? No. He wasn’t. The moment he climbed into Vivian’s bed, that Ethan had died. The thing standing before me now was just a selfish monster who’d lost every last shred of humanity. “Ethan, you make me sick.” I spat out each word, looking at him like he was trash. My gaze stung him. He raised his hand as if to strike me, but ultimately stopped mid-air. “Fine, Charlotte. You’re so noble, so great.” He ground his teeth, pointing at me viciously. “Since you can’t tolerate her, I’m going to the hospital right now to bring her back here.” “Let’s see what you’re actually going to do to me!” Just then, his phone in his pocket suddenly buzzed frantically. The custom ringtone sounded particularly grating in the dead silence of the hallway. Ethan pulled out his phone, glanced at the screen, and his previously violent expression instantly softened. He answered the call, deliberately gentling his voice. “Hey, Vivian, don’t be scared. I’ll be right there…” From the other end came a saccharine, obviously tearful female voice. “Ethan, don’t worry about me. I don’t care if I die of pain in this hospital.” “Go back and make things right with Charlotte. Please don’t let me damage your marriage…” I let out a cold laugh. “Playing innocent? I’ve seen how wild you get on top of my husband!” “Charlotte! Watch your mouth!” Ethan reacted like a dog whose tail had been stepped on, covering the phone’s microphone and roaring at me. I completely ignored his impotent rage, stepped forward, and before he could react, snatched his phone away. Too fast for him to stop. I hit the speakerphone button and turned the volume to maximum. Vivian’s sobbing echoed clearly through the living room. “Charlotte… is that really you?” Her voice was so fragile it seemed a breeze could knock her over, with just the right amount of grievance and panic. “Please don’t be angry at Ethan. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have bothered him after work hours.” “But I’m alone at the hospital getting an IV, and the needle infiltrated—my hand is so swollen. I’m really scared…” “I just wanted someone to talk to. I really didn’t mean anything else. Please believe me, okay?” Listen to that! How clever! Every sentence an apology, every sentence a declaration of war against me. She was telling me: See? Your husband’s heart is with me. I just crook my finger and he abandons you to come running. Ethan hopped around anxiously beside me, reaching to grab the phone back. “Charlotte, give me back my phone! Didn’t you hear her hand is swollen!” I dodged his hand and spoke coldly into the microphone. “If your hand’s swollen, call a nurse. Why are you looking for my husband? Can he remove your IV or suck out the swelling?” “Didn’t you keep saying you don’t want to wreck my family?” “So why are you sending ambiguous texts in the middle of the night? Are your fingers not controlled by your brain, or do you just naturally enjoy digging through other people’s garbage for your meals?” The crying on the other end suddenly stopped. Vivian clearly hadn’t expected me to tear off the facade so directly. In the past, to preserve Ethan’s dignity, I’d always tried to maintain appearances. But now? I didn’t want this man anymore. Why should I save face for her? “Charlotte, how can you say that about me…” Vivian’s voice carried obvious embarrassment and anger. “Ethan and I just have a spiritual connection. We never meant to hurt you.” “Love doesn’t follow a first-come-first-served rule. The one who isn’t loved is the real third party. Why can’t you understand that?” I almost laughed at her twisted logic. “Spiritual connection? Was that on the hotel bed or on the yoga mat?” “Vivian, do you think being a homewrecker is something to be proud of?” “Believe me or not, tomorrow I’ll post videos of all your ‘connections’ to your yoga studio’s client group and let everyone see how pure you really are.”

“Don’t you dare!” Ethan finally exploded completely. He lunged forward and grabbed my wrist in a crushing grip. The force was enough to nearly break my bones. “Charlotte, have you lost your mind! Do you have to destroy everything before you’re happy!” His eyes were bloodshot, glaring at me while his other hand pried at my fingers, trying to wrestle the phone away. Pain shot through my wrist, but I refused to let go of the phone. “I’m destroying everything?” I gritted my teeth, meeting his murderous gaze, fighting back word by word. “Ethan, you two are the ones who’ve gone too far!” “If you dare walk out that door to see her today, I’ll make sure you both end up destroyed and disgraced!” Vivian’s terrified scream came through the phone. “Ethan! Don’t hit her! Come back, I’m scared…” She was still pouring fuel on the fire. Hearing Vivian’s crying, Ethan’s last thread of rationality snapped. With a violent yank, he ripped the phone from my hand. The momentum threw me backward. I stumbled and my lower back slammed hard into the edge of the marble table. A dull thud. Searing pain exploded from my back and spread through my entire body. My vision went black and cold sweat instantly soaked my clothes. I slid down along the coffee table onto the floor, the pain so intense I couldn’t speak. Ethan clutched the phone, looking down at me from above. There wasn’t a trace of concern in his eyes—only extreme coldness and disgust. “Charlotte, you’re an unreasonable lunatic.” He straightened his disheveled collar, his tone as cold as if he were looking at a corpse. “If you want to throw a fit, do it by yourself. I don’t have time to waste on you.” With that, he murmured soothingly into the phone, “Vivian, don’t be scared, I’ll be right there,” then turned and walked out without hesitation. “Bang!” The security door slammed shut with such force that the calendar on the wall fell to the floor. The living room fell completely silent. Only the clock on the wall continued its relentless ticking. I curled up on the cold floor, clutching my aching back, tears finally streaming down uncontrollably. This was the man I’d loved with everything I had for seven years. For a lying mistress, he’d actually laid hands on me. I closed my eyes, countless images flashing through my mind. There was his silhouette cooking noodles for me in our rental apartment when we first married. There was his laughing face as he spun me around when I got promoted. But in the end, all those images froze on his cold, disgusted eyes from just moments ago. I wiped the tears from my eyes and slowly stood up, using the coffee table for support. The pain in my back kept reminding me of what had just happened. But the fire in my heart had completely extinguished. In its place was endless ice and resolve. I walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and watched that familiar black sedan speed away below, disappearing into the night. Ethan, did you think you won? Did you think you could enjoy my devotion while playing around on the side? I picked up my phone from the sofa and dialed a number hidden at the very bottom of my contacts. “Hello, is this Drake?” A rough, irritable male voice came through. “Who the hell is this? Calling in the middle of the night—you got a death wish?” I looked out at the pitch-black night sky, a cold smile curving my lips. “I’m Ethan Hayes’s wife. Drake, your fiancée Vivian is sick and needs someone to take care of her.” “If you don’t get there soon, she’s going to die in my husband’s bed.”

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I had just picked up medicine for my feverish son from the hospital. The moment I pushed open the front door, I heard sharp, mocking laughter coming from the living room. “Eat this! This is imported dog food, hundreds of dollars per pound—more expensive than the meat you country bumpkins eat for Christmas! Don’t be ungrateful!” My heart sank. Without even changing my shoes, I rushed into the living room. The scene before me made my blood boil. My mind exploded with a deafening buzz. Eleanor—Ethan Sterling’s mother—was curled up on the cold marble floor. She had just undergone heart bypass surgery, and her face was as pale as paper, her entire body trembling. And Melissa Snow, the so-called “premium nanny” Ethan Sterling had hired at great expense, was wearing my silk nightgown, one foot planted on Eleanor’s shoulder, forcing a dog bowl toward her mouth. The bowl was filled with soggy, foul-smelling leftover dog food. “Melissa! What the hell are you doing!” I lunged forward like a madwoman and knocked the dog bowl from her hands. The rancid dog food splattered all over Melissa. She shrieked and jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, jabbing her finger at my nose and cursing. “Are you insane, Grace? How dare you splash me!” Melissa disgustedly brushed at her clothes, then shot a contemptuous glance at Eleanor on the floor. “What am I doing? I’m teaching your broke-ass mom some manners! Ethan said I’m in charge of this house. You country people are covered in germs. I was doing her a favor by making her lick the bowl clean!” I trembled with rage, my nails digging into my palms. She thought Eleanor was my mother.

But this was actually Ethan Sterling’s mother—the billionaire matriarch of the Sterling family! Normally, Ethan wouldn’t dare breathe too loudly around her, and now she was being stepped on and force-fed dog food by a nanny. I was about to explain who she really was when Melissa sneered and kicked Eleanor hard in the chest. “Stop playing dead! You haven’t finished mopping the floor yet!” The kick was vicious. Eleanor let out a muffled groan, clutching her chest. Her face instantly turned from white to purple. Her throat produced wheezing sounds like a broken bellows as she curled into a ball, unable to form a complete sentence. “Eleanor!” I threw myself over and grabbed her tightly. Her heart couldn’t handle this kind of shock—her whole body was convulsing violently. I frantically searched her pockets for her emergency heart medication. Melissa grabbed my hair and yanked me backward. “Stop putting on a sob story for me! You country people are so dramatic. Trying to scam me, aren’t you?” She pulled out her phone and started recording me and Eleanor. “Who can relate? I just encountered the worst today. These are the broke relatives leeching off Mr. Sterling. Not only are they covered in bacteria, but now they’re faking illness to extort money.” Ignoring the searing pain in my scalp, I swung my hand back and slapped Melissa hard across the face. *Slap!* The crisp sound echoed through the living room. “Shut up! If anything happens to her, even Ethan can’t save you!” Melissa clutched her rapidly swelling cheek, her eyes filled with venom. “Oh, so the barren hen dares to hit me! Guards! Throw these two beggars out!” Two burly bodyguards immediately rushed in from outside. Ethan had specifically assigned them to Melissa, claiming it was to protect his “lifesaver.” “Let go of me! Are you blind? Look closely at who she really is!” I struggled desperately, but the bodyguards pinned me to the floor, one on each side. The head guard sneered without even glancing at Eleanor. “Ma’am, Mr. Sterling instructed us that Miss Snow is in charge of all household rules.” They roughly grabbed Eleanor, who was in the midst of a cardiac episode. Her head lolled helplessly, her lips already turning blue-black. “You’ll regret this! When Ethan comes home and sees what you’ve done to her, he’ll make you wish you were dead!” I screamed in despair, tears streaming down my face. Melissa walked over and stepped on the back of my hand with her sharp high heel, grinding down hard. The excruciating pain made me gasp. “Grace, do you really think you’re some kind of high-society wife? Ethan told me you’re just a useless decoration taking up space. Once I’m pregnant with his child, you and your poor excuse for a mother will both get sent back to the countryside to shovel manure.” She kicked my hand away dismissively and waved at the bodyguards. “Drag this old hag to the outdoor pool! Today I’ll teach you people a lesson on Mr. Sterling’s behalf!”

“You lay one finger on her and I’ll fight you to the death!” Like a crazed lioness, I broke free from the bodyguards’ grip and bit down hard on the head guard’s wrist. The metallic taste of blood instantly filled my mouth. The guard cried out in pain and backhanded me across the face, sending me crashing into the coffee table. My lip split against the edge, blood trickling out. “What are you waiting for? Lock them both in the backyard, and don’t let anyone open that door without my permission!” Melissa shrieked, clutching her face in fury. The two bodyguards stopped being gentle. They dragged Eleanor and me out and threw us by the outdoor pool in the backyard. *BANG.* The heavy double glass doors slammed shut and locked. It was December in the New York. Heavy snow was falling outside, and the temperature was approaching negative ten degrees Celsius. The backyard had no shelter from the wind. Eleanor was already dressed in thin clothes, and now she was curled up in a ball, shaking like a leaf in autumn wind. “Grace… Grace… my chest… it hurts so much…” Eleanor’s withered hand reached out weakly, clutching at my clothes. Her voice was barely audible, her breathing growing more rapid. I quickly stripped off my coat and wrapped it tightly around her. “Eleanor, hang on. I’ll call an ambulance right now!” With trembling hands, I reached for my phone in my pocket. Empty. I jerked my head up. Through the transparent glass door, Melissa was smugly waving my phone at me. The house was heated to a comfortable 26 degrees Celsius. Wearing just a thin silk nightgown, she lounged comfortably on the sofa. “Want your phone? Beg me.” She pressed the intercom button, her mocking voice broadcasting into the backyard. “Grace, where’s that backbone you had when you slapped me? Didn’t you say Ethan would kill me when he got home? I’d like to see who freezes to death tonight.” I rushed to the glass door and pounded on it frantically. “Melissa! I’m begging you, give me my phone! Eleanor really does have a heart condition—she’ll die!” I pounded until my hands were bright red, tears mixing with snow and streaming down my face. Melissa leisurely peeled an imported cherry and popped it into her mouth. “Heart condition? You’re quite the actress. You old country hags are tougher than cockroaches. One night in the cold won’t kill you.” Eleanor’s face had turned from blue-black to deathly pale. Her eyes were rolling back. The hand clutching her chest slowly loosened, and her body slid limply downward. “Eleanor! Eleanor, wake up!” I completely broke down and turned to scream into the intercom. “Melissa! The medicine is in the black bag on the living room sofa! Give me the medicine! I’ll agree to anything you want if you just give me the medicine!” Melissa paused. She walked to the sofa, found the black bag, and pulled out a white medicine bottle. “Oh my, there really is medicine.” She shook the bottle at me through the glass, a malicious smile playing on her lips. “I can give you the medicine. But first, you need to kneel down, slap yourself three times, and shout ‘I’m a country dog’ three times. Then I’ll slide the medicine under the door.” Looking at Eleanor barely clinging to life, I didn’t hesitate. I dropped to my knees on the frozen tiles with a thud. My knees struck the hard ice with piercing pain. But I couldn’t care about that now. I slapped myself three times hard. My face turned red from the blows. “I’m a country dog! I’m a country dog! I’m a country dog!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, my voice especially shrill against the wind and snow. “Now can you give me the medicine?” I stared at the medicine bottle in Melissa’s hand with desperate hope. But Melissa suddenly burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. She laughed so hard she was practically doubled over, tears welling in her eyes. “Grace, you really are an obedient little dog. Too bad—I just changed my mind.” Right in front of me, she unscrewed the cap of the medicine bottle. As I watched in confusion and horror, she dumped the entire bottle of life-saving emergency heart medication into the nearby trash can. “Oops, my hand slipped.” Melissa covered her mouth in mock surprise. “You country people are tough, right? You can survive one night in the cold, can’t you?”

“Ethan, you’re finally home! Grace’s mom brought in some infectious disease, and then she hit me!” The front door suddenly swung open, and Ethan Sterling walked in, bringing a wave of cold air with him. Melissa immediately put on a pitiful expression and threw herself into Ethan’s arms like a frightened rabbit. The despair I’d been drowning in suddenly flickered with a spark of hope when I saw Ethan. I pounded frantically on the glass door, producing dull thuds. “Ethan! Open the door! Save your mother! She’s having a heart attack!” I dragged Eleanor’s unconscious body to the door, trying to make Ethan see her face clearly. But the glass was covered in thick frost. Ethan couldn’t make out who was outside. He didn’t even turn his head. His eyes were full of concern as he cradled Melissa’s hands. “What happened? Who hit you?” Melissa squeezed out a few crocodile tears and pointed with her delicate finger. “It was Grace’s country mom. Her body is so dirty. I kindly told her to take a shower, and she went crazy and scratched me. Look, she broke the skin. It hurts so much.” I stared in disbelief at the barely visible red mark on Melissa’s finger. She’d clearly scratched herself earlier while peeling cherries. Ethan’s expression darkened instantly, his eyes as cold as poisoned blades. He turned toward the backyard, his gaze cutting like ice. “Grace, I usually let you get away with things, but you actually brought your broke-ass mother here to cause trouble? And you dared to hurt Melissa?” I shook my head desperately, my voice already hoarse from screaming. “Ethan, are you blind! That’s not my mother—that’s your mother, Eleanor Sterling! She just had heart surgery, she’s dying, please open the door!” Ethan scoffed as if he’d heard the most ridiculous joke. He pressed the intercom button, his voice dripping with disdain. “Grace, if you’re going to lie, at least make it believable. My mother is recuperating in Switzerland. How could she possibly show up here looking like a beggar? You’re willing to tell such lies to cover for your poor mother. You disgust me.” He turned to the bodyguards behind him, his tone ice-cold. “Open the door.” I thought he was finally going to let us in. I was about to sigh with relief. But Ethan’s next words plunged me straight into hell. “Throw these two crazy women out into the snow. Don’t let their poverty contaminate my carpet.” The bodyguards immediately opened the door. A blast of bone-chilling wind mixed with snowflakes poured into the living room. They roughly grabbed my arms and dragged Eleanor and me toward the front gate. “No! Ethan, you can’t do this!” I clung desperately to the doorframe, my nails leaving bloody scratches on the wood. “If you throw her out today, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!” Ethan stood there holding Melissa, looking down at me with eyes devoid of warmth. “The biggest regret of my life was marrying a vulgar woman like you who can’t even show her face in society. Melissa is my lifesaver. Anyone who dares touch a hair on her head will answer to me.” The bodyguard gave a hard shove and sent me tumbling into the snow. Eleanor was thrown down beside me like a broken rag doll. The iron gate slammed shut in front of us. I crawled over and held Eleanor. Her body was already rigid, her breathing barely perceptible. The snow fell harder and harder, quickly piling thick layers on our bodies. Through the villa’s enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, I could see Ethan carefully putting a bandage on Melissa’s finger. Melissa nestled in his arms and gave me the middle finger. I held Eleanor tightly, my heart feeling like it was being crushed by an invisible hand. “Ethan Sterling, you’re throwing her in the snow today. Tomorrow you’ll be on your knees begging for her to live.”

“Still wailing out there? Throw cold water on them to wake them up!” Ethan’s cold voice came through the yard’s speaker system. Moments later, two bodyguards appeared on the second-floor balcony. A bucket of filthy ice water came crashing down from above, landing precisely on Eleanor and me. *SPLASH.* The ice water instantly washed away what little body heat we had left. Eleanor’s body convulsed violently once, then her head lolled to the side. She went completely still. “Eleanor! Eleanor!” I shook Eleanor frantically, but she kept her eyes closed. Even her faint breathing had disappeared. Her heartbeat had stopped. In that moment, something inside my brain snapped completely. I suddenly stood up, grabbed a decorative brick from the snow, and smashed it against the smart lock beside the gate like a madwoman. Sparks flew. The alarm blared through the night. The bodyguards inside were startled and instinctively opened the door to stop me. I seized the opportunity and rammed headfirst into the guard’s chest, snatching his walkie-talkie and backup phone from his belt. With trembling fingers, I dialed emergency services and screamed out the address. “Someone come quick! The patient has no heartbeat! Hurry!” Ten minutes later, an ambulance screeched to a stop in front of the villa. The paramedic jumped out carrying a defibrillator. “Where’s the patient?” I scrambled toward them and pointed at Eleanor in the snow. “There! Please save her!” The doctor was about to kneel down and check when the villa’s front door opened again. Ethan emerged with Melissa in his arms, his face dark with anger. “Who gave you permission to come in here?” Ethan strode forward and blocked the paramedic. “Doctor, check Melissa’s hand first. She just had a terrible shock, and her finger is bleeding. It needs immediate attention.” The doctor glanced at Melissa’s finger with its cartoon bandage and looked utterly speechless. “Sir, that elderly woman has gone into cardiac arrest. This is a life-or-death situation!” Ethan snorted coldly and glanced dismissively at Eleanor. “She’s just a country old woman. If she dies, she dies. How precious can she be? I’m the CEO of Sterling Corporation. I’m ordering you to examine Melissa immediately!” Just as the doctor stood torn and I prepared to fight Ethan with everything I had— A deafening roar suddenly filled the night sky. Three black helicopters bearing the Sterling family crest tore through the wind and snow, circling above the villa. The powerful downdraft made the surrounding trees sway wildly. Ethan froze, then his face lit up with delight. He assumed this was the premium private medical service he’d booked earlier to impress Melissa. “Melissa, look—the helicopter I called for you is here.” Ethan took Melissa’s hand and walked smugly toward where the helicopters were landing. Melissa was even more excited, her face flushed red. She shot me a haughty glance. “Grace, see that? This is how the elite live. A nobody like you will never experience this in your lifetime.” The helicopter landed smoothly. The door opened. A team of fully armed black-suited bodyguards and top medical experts in white coats filed out. Ethan walked up obsequiously, pointing at Melissa. “Thank you all for coming. The patient is—” He didn’t finish his sentence. From Eleanor’s inner clothing pocket, I pulled out the family signet ring that represented the absolute authority of the Sterling family matriarch. I stood up and faced the helicopter’s blinding searchlight, holding the ring up in front of Ethan’s eyes. “Ethan Sterling, open your damn eyes and look clearly at who you just kicked!”

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After I turned thirty, my mom nagged me daily about going on blind dates. After twenty-nine failed attempts, she introduced me to a man named Marcus Hayes. To my surprise, this guy seemed pretty decent. He personally prepared candlelit dinners for me and designed a birthday bracelet just for me. Until I stumbled upon a post on Instagram: “Bros, I’ve hooked a rich girl. Both parents are state government officials, family owns three mansions. She’s average-looking but super easy to fool. We’ve met three times now, should be able to get her in bed next time.” When I saw the photos attached, my blood ran cold. The pictures showed the dinner he’d made for me and the bracelet I was wearing. Someone asked how he planned to get me into bed. He replied smugly in the comments: “Easy! Just slip her some aphrodisiacs! That’s how I got the last girl.” Right then, my phone buzzed with a message from Marcus: “Evelyn, free tomorrow night? Let me take you to dinner?” I read the post several times, unable to believe that Marcus — who seemed so proper in person — could be this disgusting online. But the photos were right there. That was my dress, my hand. How could I not recognize myself? The evidence was irrefutable. Cold sweat broke out all over my body. I took a deep breath and texted back: “Sure, see you tomorrow night.” The next day at the restaurant, I found Marcus already there with all the dishes ordered. Seeing me enter, he quickly stood up with a smile and pulled out my chair: “Evelyn, you look beautiful today.” The perfect gentleman. I’d barely touched my food when he said: “Evelyn, we’ve met several times now. We should make things official. My mom says she wants to arrange our engagement next week.” Including today, we’d only met four times. We hadn’t even confirmed our relationship, and he wanted to get engaged? I swallowed the curse on my tongue. “Marcus, I don’t think we’re compatible.” Marcus’s smile froze. “What are you saying, Evelyn?” “I’m saying I don’t think we’re right for each other. You can’t force a relationship. Let’s not contact each other anymore.” Marcus’s face immediately darkened. “Evelyn, what’s your problem? Are you playing games with me?” “Why go on blind dates if you don’t want a relationship?” I listened silently without responding. Marcus sneered and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, slapping it on the table. “Fine, you want to break up? Let’s settle the bill first.” I looked down to see an itemized dating expense list! A long, dense column of numbers with a clear total at the bottom: $12,047. I was shocked and looked up at him. His expression was completely matter-of-fact. “Not a penny less.” “But I also treated you. It’s not like you paid for everything.” I’d spent about as much on our dates as he had. “That was your choice. I didn’t force you.” I laughed in disbelief. “You’re charging me for gas money to drive here?” The list showed $120 for gas, but his drive was only twenty minutes. “Would I make the trip if not to see you? Who else should pay for it?” I pointed at the $280 haircut entry. “What does your haircut have to do with me?” “Wouldn’t have gotten a haircut if not to see you,” Marcus said righteously. I nearly choked with anger. “Then show me the receipts, the order screenshots. Let’s go through this line by line. Empty claims won’t do.” Marcus slammed his hand on the table. “What receipts? You ate and drank on my dime — don’t you have any sense of how much you spent?” “Never satisfied with freeloading, are you?” This aggressive display finally matched the sleazy man I’d seen online. Instead, I calmed down. “How about this — post this list on your Facebook, get two hundred likes, and I’ll transfer the money immediately. Not a penny less.” Marcus’s face stiffened. His eyes darted around, then he immediately switched to a nice-guy face. “I was just joking around, Evelyn. I like you and don’t want to break up. I was just teasing. Don’t take it to heart.” He pushed the orange juice on the table toward me. “Here, have some juice and cool down.” I stared at the glass of juice for a moment, then reached out and picked it up.

Seeing me pick up the orange juice, Marcus’s eyes lit up. Probably thinking I was about to fall for his trap, he started sweet-talking again. “Evelyn, I was too impatient just now. You’re right — relationships can’t be forced.” “If we’re not compatible, that’s fine. We can part on good terms and stay friends.” My hand trembled, and the entire glass of orange juice spilled onto the table. Marcus’s face immediately turned green, staring speechlessly at the puddle of juice. I set down the empty glass and picked up where he left off. “You’re right, let’s part on good terms.” Right in front of him, I pulled out my phone and called the matchmaker, Mrs. Wilson. “Evelyn, are you setting a date? I knew Marcus was reliable! Your mom picked the right person!” “Mrs. Wilson, this match won’t work. Marcus and I aren’t compatible.” Mrs. Wilson immediately turned hostile. “Not compatible? Evelyn, you’re thirty years old — what are you being picky about?! At this rate, you’ll never get married. No one will want you –” I hung up before she could finish. Marcus watched this entire smooth operation, completely dumbfounded. He wanted to lose his temper but couldn’t — after all, he’d just said we should part on good terms. He glared at me hatefully, stood up, and slammed the door on his way out. He clearly wouldn’t let this go. Sure enough, two days later at work, a colleague rushed over with news: “Evelyn, you need to get downstairs! Someone’s causing a scene at the company entrance, calling you out by name!” I went downstairs to find Marcus, his mother, and Mrs. Wilson blocking the company’s main entrance, surrounded by a crowd. Marcus’s mother sat on the ground, slapping her thighs and wailing: “Everyone come judge this for yourselves!” “Evelyn dated my son for half a month, scammed him for meals, drinks, and jewelry — conned my son out of over ten thousand dollars, then just walked away!” “We’re poor! His father died young, and I raised him alone as a widow. How are we supposed to survive?” My colleagues whispered among themselves: “Wow, I never would’ve guessed. Evelyn seems so honest and proper, but she’s actually a gold digger?” “Over ten thousand? That’s way too much. She ate and ran?” “So shameless. Don’t let her ruin our company’s reputation!” Mrs. Wilson yanked me out of the crowd, playing the mediator: “Evelyn, let me be fair here. Even if you don’t want to date him anymore, Marcus spent so much money on you — you should pay him back, right?” “Marcus’s family isn’t well-off. He spent so much on you, and it’s all documented! Clear as day!” She seriously pulled out that same itemized list and shoved it into my arms. “Just take pity on Mrs. Hayes. Pay her back. She raised Marcus all by herself — how hard that must have been. Can you bear to watch her kneel here?” Marcus walked over with a lovelorn expression: “Evelyn, don’t blame my mom. She’s just heartbroken for me…” “I genuinely like you. Can you give me another chance? I promise, all the money I earn will be yours to spend.” The onlookers gave me even more judgmental looks, shaking their heads. The commotion grew too loud. Our director, Mr. Davis, walked over with a dark expression: “Evelyn, I don’t want to get involved in personal matters, but bringing this to the company is too disruptive. They’ve even brought an itemized list. Just pay them back quickly, or else the company can’t keep you.” After the director spoke, I didn’t panic at all. Instead, I smiled.

“I won’t give you a single cent.” I said calmly, “Not only won’t I pay you, I’m going to collect what you owe me.” Hearing this, Marcus’s mother collapsed back to the ground, wailing: “Help! This girl is trying to kill us!” “My son works so hard for his money, up early and late every day, barely saved any money and she scammed it all!” “And now she’s turning the tables on us! She’s heartless!” My colleagues also criticized me: “Evelyn, you’re going too far. How can you demand money from them? Playing the victim!” “Exactly! Debts must be repaid — it’s only right. Have some shame!” The director had lost his patience. “Evelyn, pay up now. Stop embarrassing yourself!” I ignored them and held up the itemized list for everyone to see. “Everyone, look carefully. This is what he wants me to repay.” “Marcus and I ate four meals together. He paid for two, I paid for two. I have payment receipts.” “Why is he charging me for all four meals?” The murmuring stopped as everyone crowded over to look. I pointed at the list and continued: “He drove to the restaurant — twenty minutes according to GPS. But he charges $120 for gas each time, four times totaling $480.” Marcus’s mother stopped crying and jumped up, shouting: “So what if he made a mistake! Everyone makes mistakes with their accounting!” “You’re nitpicking these tiny errors just to avoid paying!” “My son spent so much money on you, and you have the nerve to find fault? You have no conscience!” But my colleagues’ expressions had already changed: “Four hundred dollars off is a small error? This is clearly inflated!” “The gas doesn’t add up either. A twenty-minute drive doesn’t cost $120. This is fraud.” “I don’t think this is as simple as it seems.” Seeing things turn against them, Marcus’s mother lunged to grab the list, but several colleagues who wanted to see more drama held her back. I simply read aloud: “Pre-date chewing gum, $20. Haircut, $280. Car wash, $180. Phone bill, $80…” “Marcus, you took me to a movie, I bought you bubble tea. I never took advantage of you.” “But why should I pay for the chewing gum you chewed before our date, your haircut, your car wash?” The crowd erupted: “What the hell? He’s charging her for his haircut? And car wash fees? Is this dating or a business transaction?” “The prices are wrong too! Twenty dollars for chewing gum? One-eighty for a car wash? Think we’re idiots?” “This is ridiculous! He’s clearly trying to scam her!” The onlookers turned against them. Marcus’s face alternated between red and white as he shouted desperately: “Don’t let her mislead you! These expenses are real!” “I gave her a gold bracelet worth $6,888! That’s real gold!” I laughed coldly and pulled the bracelet from my pocket, holding it up for everyone to see: “This bracelet isn’t gold at all!” A colleague who knew jewelry took it and looked it over, immediately laughing: “It’s fake. Same one’s online for $9.99 with free shipping.” Now the crowd was truly furious, pointing and cursing at them: “You gave her a fake gift and have the nerve to cause a scene at her company? What shameless liars!” “This guy’s just a scammer! Call the police!” I looked at Marcus, my tone ice-cold: “You gave me a $9.99 knockoff, but I gave you a genuine watch worth $7,000.” “Seven thousand dollars. Pay me back now.” The crowd also demanded he return the money, with some saying they’d call the police. Marcus’s face turned ashen as he pulled out his phone and made the transfer. Marcus’s mother tried to stop him, but Marcus pulled her aside and whispered something. She went quiet. After Marcus paid, he dragged his mother away. As she left, she shot me a venomous glare and hissed through clenched teeth: “This isn’t over! You’ll see!”

That weekend, I was resting at home when someone pounded frantically on the door. My mom opened it to find our neighbor Mrs. Peterson looking anxious: “Dr. Brooks, you need to go see! Several people are livestreaming at our community entrance, saying your family scammed them for money and emotions!” I thought, finally, it’s happening. I immediately opened a livestreaming app, searched nearby locations, and quickly found it. Marcus had gotten a major influencer account with hundreds of thousands of followers. The host was speaking passionately: “Folks, today I’m seeking justice for this heartbroken young man who was scammed out of his wedding money!” In the video, Marcus looked haggard as he complained: “Evelyn and I dated for six months. Our relationship was great — we were even discussing marriage.” “Her parents demanded $200,000 for the wedding money. We scraped together every penny, but after she took the money, she turned on me and blocked me…” Marcus’s mother knelt on the ground, kowtowing and crying heart-wrenchingly: “I’m a widow… that $200,000 came from selling our family home and borrowing from relatives!” “Now his fiancée has run off, the house is gone, the debts remain, and we don’t even have a place to live!” “We can’t go on!” Mrs. Wilson also spoke righteously: “I’ve been a matchmaker my whole life, and I’ve never seen such a black-hearted family!” “I personally watched Marcus hand $200,000 in cash to Evelyn’s mother. Her mother was grinning from ear to ear when she took the money!” The livestream flooded with hundreds of thousands of viewers, comments overwhelmingly cursing us: [Marriage fraud! Scammer!] [Expose her! Destroy her reputation!] [Someone like this is a teacher?] My parents and I had just reached the community entrance when the livestream camera shoved into our faces. Marcus’s mother pointed at me and shrieked: “That’s her! Everyone help me make her pay back the money!” She pointed at my parents and cursed viciously: “Hiding behind the facade of educators, doing such immoral things!” Instantly, the neighbors present and online viewers all cursed our family: “Scammer! Pay them back!” My parents were bewildered. My mom’s legs went weak with fear as she frantically waved her hands: “We never took any wedding money! My daughter never even dated him!” The viewers didn’t believe it. The comments grew even more vicious: [The scammer’s still trying to lie!] [Playing innocent! The evidence is right here!] Mrs. Wilson walked over smugly and said to my mom: “Old friend, so many people are watching. Just pay them back. Otherwise, your Evelyn will never find anyone to marry her!” I quickly supported my mother, reassuring them, “Mom, Dad, don’t worry. Let me handle this.” The host approached me: “This is the person in question, Evelyn.” “They say you took $200,000 and then blocked them. What do you have to say? When will you pay them back?” I looked into the camera, calm and composed: “Marcus and his family are spreading lies. They have no evidence. I refuse to acknowledge this.” Marcus was prepared: “We gave cash! Mrs. Wilson is our witness!” I laughed coldly. “If you have evidence, if you were scammed out of $200,000, why didn’t you report it to the police?” I pulled out my phone, found that post, held it up to the livestream camera, and said word by word: “They have no evidence, but I do!”

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In the third month after I married Sebastian, I slit my wrists. When my soul floated in the air, I thought I would see him weeping bitterly, holding my corpse and kneeling before my grave day and night in repentance. But none of that happened. Sebastian looked at my body and said, “Disgusting.” He had no regrets, no sadness. Instead, my death gave his non-blood-related adopted sister Melissa a position—she leapt to become Mrs. Whitmore. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn, back to the day of my suicide. Why should I kill myself? The one who deserved to die was never me. I dropped the knife and walked out of the room. Before Sebastian moved Melissa into our marital bedroom, I signed my name on the divorce papers. When I felt the pain, I realized I had been reborn. The memories before my death kept flashing through my mind. I had tried to kill myself entirely because half an hour earlier, I had received a message from Melissa. A photo—her on top, Sebastian below, in an extremely intimate position, and in the car no less, that narrow and quiet space. I was furious. I frantically called Sebastian. He didn’t answer. When I called several more times in succession, he hung up directly. Everyone in the capital knew that I loved Sebastian like my life depended on it, that I couldn’t live without him. I even earned the nickname “yandere beauty Charlotte.” At that moment, the thought of Sebastian doing those things with another woman drove me truly insane. I quickly created a SnapChat group, pulled in all our mutual friends, and declared I was going to kill myself. Everyone in the group urged me to calm down. Only Sebastian sent a cold message: “Whatever.” I desperately wanted to extract even a tiny bit of love from Sebastian, so I actually live-streamed slitting my wrists. In the video, all our friends were shocked. Sebastian finally reacted. He cursed me under his breath, calling me a psycho, and rushed back. He finally came back from that other woman’s side. How wonderful. He could only be mine and mine alone. But I had cut too deep. I really died. Floating in the air, I was desperate to see Sebastian awaken to his love for me, to see if he would hold my corpse in agony. But he did nothing and had me cremated. A month later, he even married Melissa, who seized my position as the rightful Mrs. Whitmore. This suicide made me understand: loving myself is better than loving a man. Sebastian, I’m done loving you. The text message from Melissa was still on my phone. I wasn’t polite in my reply. “Sebastian likes passive, delicate girls. He doesn’t like slutty ones like you.” She went silent. I walked out of the bathroom and threw everything I had prepared for suicide into the trash. Following Sebastian around for ten years, constantly begging him for that tiny bit of love, only to trap myself for the rest of my life—it really wasn’t worth it. I sent Sebastian a text message. “The divorce papers only need your signature.”

Sebastian came back quickly. His first words were: “Not dead yet? Changed tactics—now you want a divorce?” Two sarcastic jabs, but he was stating facts. In my previous life, I was able to marry Sebastian entirely because of a business partnership between our families. At the time, the Whitmore family was on the verge of bankruptcy, their business set back decades. After I married in, it was essentially using the Sterling family’s blood to fill the Whitmore family’s bottomless pit. So whenever I brought up divorce, Sebastian would compromise. Back then, I thought his compromise was love, the only love he had for me. Now I understand—it wasn’t love, it was profit. Sebastian was compromising for the Whitmore family’s development. I adjusted my emotions and saw Melissa standing behind Sebastian. Melissa was two years younger than me. The Whitmore family had adopted her from an orphanage years ago. She had grown up with Sebastian since childhood—childhood sweethearts. And I was just a willful, selfish, spoiled girl in his eyes. I handed him the divorce papers. “Sign them.” Sebastian laughed mockingly and casually tore up the divorce agreement, not caring what I thought at all. “Melissa is moving in. Give her your master bedroom. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?” A problem? How would I dare have a problem? In my previous life, it was the same. Melissa insisted on living in the master bedroom that Sebastian and I shared. I refused, so she had to sleep in the side room. Then she fell out the window. She claimed the bed in the side room was next to the floor-to-ceiling window, so she accidentally fell. It was quite an accident indeed. What normal person sleeps without closing the floor-to-ceiling window? Sebastian blamed me for that incident. He said to teach me a lesson and locked me in a dark room without food or water. By the time he remembered me, I was barely alive. My best friend defended me: “Get divorced, Charlotte. If you keep tormenting yourself like this, that scumbag Sebastian will be the death of you.” But back then, my brain was broken, and I actually argued back. “Why does he only treat me badly and not others?” “Why does he only want my life and not others’?” “He loves me. He loves me to death.” Hearing these words, my friends gradually distanced themselves from me and stopped contacting me. Thinking back on those words now, I was such a fool. Since Melissa loved stealing nests so much, I’d give her this bird’s nest. “Fine.” I calmly agreed. A flash of surprise crossed Melissa’s eyes. All the schemes she had prepared were now useless. She looked me up and down repeatedly, then tugged on Sebastian’s arm. “About that thing…” Melissa trailed off suggestively. Sebastian pushed up his gold-framed glasses—the movement refined and elegant. I used to love this gentleman-scoundrel act of his. Now I realize, even if a dog did this, I would have loved it. Pure sickness. Sebastian spoke: “Melissa’s health isn’t good, and she needs to prepare for pregnancy. Take care of her for the next two weeks. I remember you studied nursing, right?” Yes, I studied nursing. For him. Back then, Sebastian was constantly drinking at business dinners for the nearly bankrupt Whitmore family, which damaged his stomach. He lay in the hospital for over ten days. He couldn’t afford a nurse, so I taught myself for a few days and took care of him around the clock for two weeks. I didn’t even blink. When he raised his hand, I handed him water. When he turned over, I gave him a massage. I was more diligent than a servant. I thought he would remember my kindness, but he only remembered me as a free nanny. I readily agreed again, but I took back what should have been mine. “Sebastian, give me back the three Sterling family seals I gave you, and I’ll agree.” Those three seals were the great heroes that helped the Whitmore company rise from the dead. Originally, my parents didn’t agree to my marriage to Sebastian. But I insisted on choosing him. So my parents gave me three seals representing our entire family enterprise. As long as I held these three seals, many companies would be willing to cooperate with the Whitmore family in the future. Mom also told me that whenever I took back these three seals, they would come get me even if they were on the other side of the world. When I gave Sebastian these three seals, I told him they would help his career. In my previous life, I also brought this up with him. Instead, he pointed at my nose and cursed. “Charlotte, what the hell is your Sterling family? What are these three seals? You really think you’re something special? Without your Sterling family, the Whitmore family can still rise again.” That’s when I learned: you can’t warm up an ungrateful wolf. You can’t warm up a heart made of stone either. What he doesn’t want, if I gave it to a dog, at least the dog would wag its tail at me. Sebastian disdainfully pulled one out from his pocket and gave it to me. “The other two—I’ll give you one every two weeks.” I knew what he meant. He wanted me to take good care of Melissa during this half-month period. After giving them all, I would leave. By then, my parents would naturally handle the divorce procedures for me. I withdrew all my admiration for Sebastian. I desperately wanted to see—when he was no longer the Whitmore family’s young master, when he was begging with a mountain of debt on his back, would Melissa still love only him?

For the remaining days, Melissa moved in. Her pregnancy preparations in my previous life had made me so angry I was hospitalized. I even developed anxiety disorder and nearly went insane. Because the pregnancy Melissa was preparing for was Sebastian’s child. Melissa said she had her own beliefs. Since the Whitmore family adopted her, she had to repay them. Sebastian had already married me, and I hadn’t had children for three years. She couldn’t bear to see the Whitmore family line end, so she was willing to sacrifice herself to bear an heir for the Whitmore family. She proposed IVF with Sebastian. It sounded nice calling it IVF, but behind the scenes, they had clearly had sex many times. Melissa sent me those photos and videos one by one. I was so stimulated I vomited blood. I was disheveled, sallow-faced, and utterly wretched when I found Sebastian at his company. He was in an international conference at the time. I burst right in, ruining his project, crawling on the floor and hugging his legs, begging him to love me, begging him to have a child with me. I even said: “I guarantee the child I give birth to will be smarter and more blessed than Melissa’s.” My outburst damaged Sebastian’s image. He had someone lock me up. Unable to stand my tantrums, he sent me to a psychiatric hospital. Only after I was tortured into submission did he bring me back. Even now, thinking about it makes my heart ache. Why did I debase myself like that? As for Melissa, she didn’t know that the reason Sebastian and I hadn’t had children in three years was because my parents had investigated. The Whitmore family carried genetic disease genes. Any children born would either be disabled or have cerebral palsy. So, to get back the Sterling family’s three seals, I was more nervous about Melissa’s belly than a maternity nurse would be. At eight in the morning, I had the kitchen prepare soup and sent it to Melissa. Melissa took a sip and threw it on me. “What garbage is this? Be careful or I’ll tell Sebastian.” I endured it. At noon during her rest, I found professionals to apply body oil to her skin to help keep it refined. Melissa specifically demanded I do it myself. “Charlotte, are your precious hands okay with serving me?” I endured again. At ten at night, Sebastian came home and entered the bedroom with Melissa. Sebastian pretended to be troubled. “Charlotte, this is all for me. You love me so much, you’ll understand, right?” I stood by the door, listening to the sounds of lovemaking inside, when I received a call from my parents. “Charlotte, your mother and I received the seals.” “Are you planning to come home?” One more left. Once I took the last one, all the projects under Whitmore Enterprises would come to a complete halt. Because over these three years, all the projects were stamped with my Sterling family seal. All the partners only recognized the Sterling family. I stood at the door, peeking through the crack at the two people pressed together inside, and smiled. “Mom, Dad, remember to pick me up in a week.” During the two weeks of caring for Melissa, I barely slept or ate. I lost a significant amount of weight. Sebastian’s evaluation of me, however, kept getting better. He often stared at me in a daze, occasionally spitting out a few decent words from his dog mouth. “Charlotte, if you were always this obedient and didn’t make a fuss, how nice that would be.” I pressed my lips together and smiled without speaking. I won’t make a fuss anymore. I just don’t know if he’ll make a fuss when Whitmore goes bankrupt. Sebastian placed the last seal in my hand. Afraid he would regret it, I put the divorce papers on the table again and reminded him. “Remember to sign tonight when you come back.” Sebastian’s eyes filled with more mockery. “What, now that Melissa’s pregnant, you’re going to pull that live suicide stunt again?” “Charlotte, if you die, I’ll collect your corpse.” I lowered my head without speaking, knowing he meant what he said. So I won’t be as foolish as in my previous life. I originally wanted to pack some things to take with me, but realized there was nothing worth packing. Sebastian left through the front door, and I got in my car through the back. I turned off my phone, threw away the SIM card. From now on, mountains high and roads far. Sebastian, I’ll be waiting in New York to watch you fall.

I blocked all his messages, but forgot about the SnapChat group I’d created when I threatened suicide. On my first day away, the first person to tag me in the group was our mutual friend Mason. He was also the one who called me a simp most viciously, because his family had always cooperated with Sebastian, so whatever Sebastian did, Mason was enthusiastic about covering for him. Thinking back now, on the day I attempted suicide, he was also the one shouting the loudest in the group. “Charlotte, just die already. I’ve never seen a female ghost with such an obsessive love brain. Besides, what do you have that’s better than Melissa?” At this moment, Mason was shouting even louder than that day. “Charlotte, besides playing suicide, can you also play missing? If you crawl back now to apologize to Sebastian, I can still put in a good word for you and have Sebastian give you the free gift when he buys jewelry for Melissa.” Put in a good word? Can a dog even speak human language? I clicked on the video Mason posted. It was from the afternoon of the day I left. He was accompanying Melissa at the mall buying the most expensive jewelry. The two were lovey-dovey—if you didn’t know better, you’d think they were actually husband and wife. How was I so blind in my previous life? From the video, Sebastian had reserved the entire mall for her and was buying extremely luxurious and expensive items. Mason was right. The jewelry Sebastian used to give me were all free gifts from what he bought for Melissa—worthless, and I had to beg him for them. But I was a bit puzzled. Does Sebastian have money to buy jewelry now? I contacted a friend in the capital and got the complete video. In the continuation of the video, the two spent a long time selecting items. During this, Sebastian first received a text message. [Dear Mr. Whitmore, your bank account has been debited xxxxxx. Remaining balance: zero dollars.] Seeing this message, he thought it was a scam and paid no attention. “Charge the card.” The clerk took the black card, but returned in less than a minute. “Mr. Whitmore, I’m very sorry, could you use a different card? This one won’t go through.” That simple sentence left Sebastian confused. He then tried many other cards, but none would go through. Sebastian suddenly remembered the text message and quickly called the company’s finance department. “Lisa, where’s the money in my account?” Finance: “Mr. Whitmore, because we breached our contracts, all the money in the company accounts has been paid out in compensation.” Breach of contract? All the money paid out in compensation? Melissa heard these words and let out a shriek. “Sebastian, it’s Charlotte. It must be her.” Sebastian took a sharp breath and immediately called me, but my phone was unreachable. He left me messages. “Charlotte, what game are you playing? Where’s the company’s money?” “Charlotte, answer me.” Unable to contact me, Sebastian felt helpless because his phone was going crazy receiving text messages. Half were from the company demanding the seals. Half were from partners demanding payment. And another half were astronomical breach-of-contract fees. I could clearly see Sebastian’s fingertips trembling, just like how my heart trembled when I saw him with Melissa. You see. A person can live without love, but absolutely cannot live without money. The video ended there. I clicked my tongue lightly. It seemed Sebastian’s good brothers still didn’t know about Sebastian and the company’s situation. I saved the messages he sent me, planning to let this group of people see later who was shamelessly begging whom. I collected myself. I was about to meet with partners—companies that had previously cooperated with Sebastian. They intended to withdraw their projects from the capital and come to New York to work with me. Then I received crazy tags in the SnapChat group again. It was actually Melissa. That haughty tone and the attitude of giving charity to a pitiful wretch made me nauseous. “Charlotte, Sebastian said as long as you come crawling back and appear before him, he’ll forgive you.” “A woman can’t be too difficult. Men don’t have much patience, especially men at the top of the pyramid like Sebastian.”

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After my four-year-old son died from illness, Ethan Ford, who had been on a business trip to Europe, finally came home. At the funeral, he tried to console me: “Don’t worry, I won’t blame you. If you want a child, I’ll bring one home tomorrow.” My whole body stiffened. I looked up at him in disbelief. “What are you talking about?” He said nonchalantly: “I have a child with another woman. He’s only six months younger than Tommy. If you don’t mind, we can bring him home and you can raise him as your own.” “Besides, the kid’s mom is too young—she’s like a child herself, always playing around. I’d feel better if you took care of him.” My nails dug deep into my palms, my voice trembling: “Who is this woman?” He smiled. “She’s a nurse from the maternity ward. When I took you to the hospital to give birth, she fell for me at first sight. We slept together in the room next to the operating room. I know I wronged you, but she was young and sexy. She came onto me first, and I couldn’t resist.” “Slap—” Before I knew what I was doing, a bright red handprint appeared on his face. Ethan covered his swollen cheek and ran his tongue over his teeth. “Is that really necessary? I only told you this because I thought you were too upset. If slapping me once makes you feel better, go ahead.” With that, he turned his head, offering me his other cheek. “Go on, hit me. Why’d you stop?” All my anger evaporated in that moment, leaving only helplessness to drown me. My voice was hoarse as I stared at him, tears streaming down my face. He sighed impatiently and said: “Men cheating is pretty normal, isn’t it? How many men spend their whole lives devoted to one woman?” “Besides, I didn’t even bring her home. You’ve lived comfortably as a rich man’s wife all these years. Isn’t that enough?” As soon as he finished speaking, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it, blowing smoke in my face. I suppressed my emotions and asked in a trembling voice: “Then why are you telling me now? Why tell me the truth right after my son just died! You’ve been lying to me for five years—why couldn’t you just keep lying forever!” Tears pooled in my eyes. I tilted my head back slightly, refusing to show weakness. Ethan raised an eyebrow and suddenly laughed mockingly. “Like I said, she’s too young to take care of a kid. Now that the child’s older, he needs education and parental guidance.” “Besides, your son just died. You can’t handle this blow. If I bring a child home to keep you company, it’ll help you move past your grief.” He crossed his arms over his chest and added carelessly: “Two birds with one stone. Don’t you think?” Before I could respond, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, and his expression instantly softened. He patiently typed out a reply. Perhaps now that the truth was out, he didn’t bother hiding anymore. I glanced sideways and saw the chat name: “My Only Treasure.” I stared at that profile picture for a long time. The same picture existed in my own chat list. During my third trimester checkup, a nurse named Melody Smith said I reminded her of her sister. Her sister had died from complications during childbirth, and Melody had lost her last family member. Out of sympathy, I added her on SnapChat.

She said I could message her anytime if I felt unwell. But I was afraid of bothering her, so I never sent a single message. All the details connected in this moment. My seven-year marriage was a joke. In my ears, I could hear Melody’s sweet, flirtatious laughter: “You’re so mean! Don’t call me dumb. If I hadn’t been trying to cook for you, I wouldn’t have burned my hand. Instead of feeling sorry for me, you’re going to ‘punish’ me by not letting me use my hands tonight? If you keep this up, I’m going to get mad!” Ethan wanted to smile, but when he caught sight of me still standing nearby, his expression quickly turned cold. “I have some things to handle at the office. I’m leaving. Deal with your son’s funeral yourself and go home when you’re done.” The guests had long since noticed the tension between us and were now waiting to watch the drama unfold. Ignoring my own dignity, I shouted at his retreating back: “If you walk out that door, we’re getting divorced!” Ethan stopped in his tracks. Seeing everyone’s eyes on him, his face darkened. “Shut up!” “If you’re not embarrassed, I am!” “If you have something to say, say it at home. Don’t make a scene here!” I laughed like a madwoman, grabbing his collar and pointing at our son’s portrait. “Our son just died, and you can’t wait to run off to your mistress and your bastard child. You’re embarrassed? What right do you have to be embarrassed!” “For seven years, you said you were busy with work, that you needed to develop business overseas. I handled everything at home alone—I was both father and mother. I could only sleep four hours a night.” “When our son had his accident, I was doing housework. I looked away for one second and he ran outside and got hit by a car. Where were you then? Talk at home? When have you ever been home!” Tears I could no longer hold back poured down my face. But Ethan just frowned. “Are you done? I’m leaving.” He turned and walked away with long strides, never looking back. The guests swarmed around me, offering hollow comfort: “That’s enough. Men are all like this. Every family has problems. Mr. Ford has such a big business—it’s inevitable women throw themselves at him. Just be patient and it’ll pass.” “Exactly. My husband doesn’t even have money and he still chats with women. Now I just turn a blind eye. Life goes on.” They spoke words of comfort, but each one was a needle stabbing into my heart. I wasn’t made of wood—of course I’d felt Ethan’s change. In our seven-year marriage, I’d imagined countless times how our relationship might end. But I never imagined it would cost me my son’s life. I didn’t want to be laughed at anymore. I hastily ended the funeral and went home. As soon as I walked through the door, I collapsed on the floor, drained of all strength. With trembling hands, I opened Melody’s social media feed. Only now did I realize every post had a hidden meaning. During my last prenatal checkup, she’d posted a photo of a positive pregnancy test. Caption: “He says this is a surprise from heaven. The baby and I are the most important people in his life.” When I was in postpartum confinement, Ethan said he had to go on a business trip. And during that month, Melody updated her feed almost daily. “He says I’m more important. He doesn’t know that to me, he’s the most important person in the world.” “When true love comes, heaven gives you a sign. This time, I heard it.” “Thank you for leaving everything behind to be with me. I hope you’ll be with me for the rest of my life.” … I tortured myself by reading through them one by one. Many photos included Ethan’s silhouette in the background. Back then, I never paid attention—I just assumed Melody was dating some secret boyfriend. Looking at them now, I realized how ridiculous I’d been.

The day our son died in a car accident, Melody was at a five-star hotel hot spring. In the photo, she wore a sexy bikini that barely covered her body. In the corner of the photo was a man’s hand holding a wine glass. Caption: “Thanks to my CEO for personally serving me. I’ll definitely reward him well tonight!” The blood drained from my face. Like a madwoman, I bombarded Melody with messages. “Where are you? I need to see you.” She replied instantly: “What’s wrong, Evelyn? Why the sudden need to see me? My husband’s all over me right now, so I can’t get away.” She sent a candid photo. Ethan had his head buried in her chest, surrounded by countless red marks. My heart went ice cold. After a long moment, I typed out a message. “This coffee shop. I’ll wait for you until you show up.” I stared at the coffee in front of me, the ice long melted, for three hours. Melody finally appeared. Wearing a sexy slip dress that deliberately exposed the marks covering her neck and chest. As soon as she sat down, she greeted me with a coquettish laugh. “Sorry I’m late, Evelyn.” “Oh my, I was in such a rush leaving the house, I forgot to cover these up. But you’re married too, so you understand, right?” I forced myself to smile. “Looks like things are good between you and your husband? Still so sweet after marriage—that’s rare.” Her cheeks flushed to her ears, but her voice rose several notches. “My husband’s been obsessed with me for five years and still isn’t tired of me. Honestly, he’s getting annoying. I only managed to slip out by saying I needed to buy something. I don’t have much time, so just say what you need to say.” Rage slowly consumed my rationality. I picked up my coffee and threw it directly in her face. Melody screamed and jumped to her feet. “Evelyn Wright, are you insane! Why’d you throw that at me!” “You slept with my husband and destroyed my family, and you have the nerve to show your face in front of me? Throwing coffee is getting off easy!” I shouted with every ounce of strength I had. Everyone in the coffee shop turned to stare at Melody, pointing and whispering. Her expression of anger froze on her face. In an instant, it transformed into a pitiful look. “Evelyn, what are you saying? My husband is married?” “I didn’t know. I really didn’t know. If I’d known he was married, I never would have gotten together with him! I was deceived too!” “I even had his child… How could this happen? My whole life is ruined!” With that, she covered her face and ran out crying. Before I could react, the crowd’s judgment rained down on me. The same people who’d sympathized with me moments ago quickly changed their tune. “The poor girl didn’t even know your husband was running around. Why are you being so aggressive?” “Exactly. She even had his child. Her whole life is ruined. The girl’s a victim too.” “Can’t control your own man, so you come here to bully a young girl. No wonder your husband doesn’t like you!” I wanted to explain that wasn’t how it happened. But no one believed me. Security threw me out on the spot. Someone had filmed my confrontation with Melody and posted it online. The video went viral. The comments were filled with insults. I, the actual victim, became the target of everyone’s hatred. I wandered the streets like a lost soul, not knowing where to go or what to do. I thought today’s meeting would make Melody back off, would make Ethan return to his family.

But I was wrong. Terribly wrong. A woman willing to be a mistress would never be that simple. After walking for who knows how long, a black Maybach suddenly stopped in front of me. Ethan rushed out of the car and slapped me without a word. “You have the nerve to be out shopping? Do you know you almost killed Melody!” My face pale, I looked up at him in confusion. His chest heaved violently with anger. “Because you went to see Melody this afternoon, people called her a homewrecker and she went to a bar to drink. She ended up getting raped!” “She smashed a bottle and tried to kill herself by cutting her wrists. She just got out of surgery and isn’t out of danger yet!” “Evelyn Wright, when did you become so vicious? The affair was my doing. If you’re angry, take it out on me. Why hurt Melody? She’s innocent!” Tears blurred my vision. The man standing before me, calling me vicious, could no longer overlap with the young man who once knelt to propose, swearing he’d protect me forever. I bit through my lip, eyes red as I screamed: “She’s innocent? What about my child? Wasn’t he innocent?” “You cheated and left me to care for our child alone. My son was only five years old. Why should he pay the price for your affair!” My heartfelt words only earned me another, harder slap. I lost my balance and fell down the steps. My ankle swelled immediately, the bone likely broken. Ethan gave the bodyguards a cold order, not even sparing me a glance: “Take Mrs. Ford to the hospital and make her kneel. When Melody is out of danger, she can get up!” In the hospital corridor, two bodyguards forced me to my knees. Both sides of my face were swollen, but I couldn’t even feel the pain. Five hours passed before Melody finally opened her eyes. Ethan walked past me and comforted her with gentle concern. In seven years of marriage, I’d never seen him like this. My heart ached to numbness, as if being twisted by a dull knife. The two talked about something, and Melody covered her face, crying uncontrollably. Ethan took her phone, looked at it, and became so angry he smashed it on the spot. The screen shattered into pieces. He strode toward me, grabbed my collar, and dragged me in front of Melody. “Evelyn Wright, did you release that video? Did you hire those trolls?” “Won’t you be satisfied until Melody’s dead! She just woke up and even agreed to let you raise her child, but you still won’t leave her alone!” The phone with its spider-webbed screen was playing a video. In the footage, Melody lay unconscious from alcohol while several men stood over her, violently tearing at her clothes. At the critical moment, the camera was covered by someone’s clothing. But sickening sounds could be heard. Melody’s face went white. She broke down crying: “Don’t stop me. Just let me die!” “Everyone online is saying I deserved it for breaking up someone’s family. This is my punishment!” “Give the child to Evelyn to raise. Don’t let him know what kind of shameful person his mother is!” With that, Melody yanked out her IV needle and raised her hand to stab it into her neck. Ethan reacted quickly, reaching out to block it. The needle pierced straight through his hand. His cold gaze locked onto me like a demon from hell. “Evelyn Wright, are you satisfied now?” “Someone take Mrs. Ford out of here!” I struggled desperately: “Let me go! Where are you taking me? It wasn’t me—I didn’t do anything!”

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I was scavenging for leftovers in a dumpster when my wife, who’d been dead for three years, appeared. She stepped out of a Rolls-Royce and looked down at me. “Marcus Brown, you’ve passed my test after all.” I stared at her blankly, clutching a piece of moldy bread. Turns out, three years ago at a class reunion, her ex-boyfriend—the one she’d dated before me—had proposed a test: “I want to see if what you two have is true love. “Fake your death right now. Cut off all his cards. Take back the house too. “If he’s still single for you three years later, you pass. Do you dare?” She’d laughed then: “Why wouldn’t I dare? “Marcus loves me to death. Forget three years—even thirty years, he’d stay faithful to me.” Now, she turned back to smirk at her first love in the passenger seat: “What did I tell you?” The bread crumbled in my grip. Vivian White looked at me. “Alright, I’m here to take you and my son Oliver home. “Where’s Oliver?” “Dead.” I raised my eyes. “Three years ago, when none of the cards worked, there was no money for his surgery. He died.”

Vivian froze. She started looking around the dump. Nothing but endless stench and me, clutching moldy bread. She knew I loved our son to the bone. I’d take Oliver everywhere, no matter what I was doing. But now, Oliver wasn’t by my side. “You’re joking.” There was a flash of panic when Vivian spoke. “I’m serious. I’m here to take you both home.” “Home?” I looked up with red eyes. “Three years ago when you faked your death, they said you owed a huge debt and mortgaged our house. “Oliver and I became homeless. We’ve been wandering for so long. What home is there?” She hesitated for a long moment before speaking: “That… that was just to test you. Don’t worry, the house has always been in my hands. Come on~ Tell Oliver to stop playing hide and seek. Let him come out, I’ll apologize to him.” “Then go!” I threw the death certificate at her. “Go down there and apologize to Oliver!” When the certificate landed in her hands, her hand trembled. “Oliver…” She stared at the conclusion of “acute cardiac death,” her eyes instantly reddening: “I was only gone three years. How could Oliver be gone! “You’re lying to me, aren’t you?” Vivian grabbed my shoulders. “I know I was wrong. Don’t put on this act to punish me. Bring Oliver out!” I just looked at her. Contempt curled at my lips. The hand gripping me trembled. Vivian looked at me, tears falling. “Vivian, can’t you see such an obvious scam?” Ryan Hayes picked up the death certificate: “Look, isn’t this just like the fake one I made for you three years ago?” He pointed to the stamp: “It’s not even as good as the one I forged for you. “Here, hospitals don’t stamp it this way.” He sneered at me. “Mr. Brown, we’ve both been through this once before. You think we’ll believe you with something like this?” Only then did Vivian snap back to reality. Ryan continued pointing things out to her: “Look, the signature section—can’t you see how stiff it is? And this certificate, it’s obviously been artificially aged. “Don’t you remember the process from three years ago? Mr. Brown is quite experienced, actually. He even predicted you’d come back for him today and waited for you in the garbage dump dressed all shabby.” “You’re lying!” My eyes reddened. Vivian just frowned. After examining the death certificate several times, she looked at me with contempt. “I almost fell for it.” The death certificate hit my body as she said coldly: “Looks like Ryan was right. You’re much more calculating than you appear.” “You!” “Get Oliver back home by the end of today. He’s only six. He can’t learn bad habits from a father like you.” She turned to leave. I quickly stood up, trying to stop her. But Ryan positioned himself between us. “Mr. Brown…” He spoke in a voice only we could hear, venomously: “I know Oliver died a long time ago.”

I looked at him in disbelief. “Know why Vivian doesn’t know?” He chuckled softly. “Because I blocked all information about Oliver from reaching her.” My fists clenched tight. “Speaking of which, Oliver was really pitiful. “His mother had just died, and then he was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. “There was a matching heart for him, but his father couldn’t come up with a single penny. Working four jobs a day, going without sleep—still couldn’t gather enough for the surgery. “Made little Oliver miss his chance for a heart transplant.” My eyes instantly reddened. “But don’t worry.” Ryan adjusted his custom-tailored cuffs. “He didn’t die in vain. His bone marrow, kidneys, corneas…” My breathing hitched. He laughed softly: “Ah… such a pity you didn’t see it. When the child was forced to sign the donor consent form, he kept crying for daddy. “And you, his father, were still out there delivering food… Ahh!!” “You goddamn bastard!!” I gripped his throat tightly. “Give me back my son!!” “Enough!” A slap struck my face hard. I hadn’t eaten in three days. The blow sent me sprawling into the garbage heap. Vivian shielded Ryan protectively behind her. Ryan said pitifully: “I just asked where Oliver was hiding. Mr. Brown, you can stand living in a dump, but the child can’t bear this suffering! “Just because I wanted to take Oliver away, you tried to kill me?!” “You’re lying! You clearly…” “Enough!” Vivian clenched her teeth. “If you have any conscience as a father, bring Oliver back yourself. “Otherwise, we’re getting divorced!” She let Ryan into the passenger seat. Divorce? I laughed. Fine. But before that, I had one more thing to do. The next day, a whistleblower letter landed on Vivian’s boss’s desk. At the same time, a banner appeared at the company entrance: [Tech Rising Star Vivian White Caused Son’s Death for Ex-Boyfriend] in large letters attracted many onlookers. And I knelt at her company entrance, holding Oliver’s photo. Not saying a word. I had printed what she and Ryan did into pamphlets and distributed them on site. Some people actually teared up reading them: “Is that a child in the photo? Still so small. How could Ms. White just abandon this father and son and fake her death for three years!” “Faking death is one thing, but why go to such extremes! Not only cutting off all the money, but also pretending to mortgage the house. Was this really to test her husband, or did she want to drive him to death so her ex could take his place!” “The company must give an explanation! If this is true, does such a person deserve that position!” Soon, the company leadership personally came downstairs to bring me up. Vivian stood at her office door, her expression unreadable as she watched me. The door closed, and the leader personally poured me tea: “Mr. Brown, please forgive Vivian and Ryan.” My hand gripping the cup stiffened. “They did this and you want me to forgive them?” “Yes, I know Vivian went a bit too far, and Ryan was foolish. “But Vivian is the company’s pillar. So many projects only recognize her name. “You should consider the company’s position too, right?” I couldn’t speak. The leader smiled at me. “How about this—I’ll give Vivian and Ryan an official warning. And for you, I can provide compensation. “I’m sorry about the child, but you and Vivian can have another one. You’re husband and wife, after all. “With Vivian’s successful career, you’ll only benefit more.” I laughed bitterly in anger. “Fine, protect her. But why do you need to protect Ryan Hayes too!” The leader was silent for a moment: “Don’t you know? Ryan was recommended by her with a personal guarantee.”

For a moment, I nearly dropped my cup. This tech company—I’d submitted my resume three times. But each time it sank without a trace for unknown reasons. I’d begged Vivian to help me get an interview with the leadership. Not to get me directly into the company, just an interview. I knew that with her weight, she could give me this opportunity without even asking the leadership. But she said she needed to avoid conflicts of interest. Didn’t want to make things difficult for herself. So I needed to avoid conflicts of interest. But Ryan could be directly recommended for a position. My knuckles turned white gripping the cup as I stared at her: “What if I don’t accept?” The leader smiled too. “I still advise Mr. Brown not to fight the company.” Not long after leaving the company, many discussions about me appeared online. [Mentally Disturbed Husband Uses Son’s Death to Extort Wife] [Tech Rising Star Vivian White’s Family Misfortune] [Husband Suspects Wife of Affair with Male Colleague? Is Son’s Death the Husband’s Tool for Revenge Against Wife?] In an instant, the public who had pitied me turned their guns around. The comment sections were full of praise for Vivian and Ryan. [Had the fortune to work with Ms. White. She’s truly wonderful, her professional ability is impeccable, and she maintains appropriate boundaries with male colleagues] [I don’t know what there is to complain about being Ms. White’s husband.] [Did Marcus Brown himself have someone on the side?] [I met Mr. Hayes offline once. He’s really great, very respectful to women. Excellent people really do attract jealous haters] With such high engagement, I knew Vivian was behind the manipulation. I returned to the home I hadn’t been to in three years. Smiling bitterly as I stroked the photo on Oliver’s urn. “I’m sorry. Daddy failed to protect you.” A divorce agreement landed on the table. Just as I was about to take Oliver and leave, the door was kicked open. Vivian led Ryan, whose head was bandaged, striding in: “Where’s Oliver?” I wiped the tears from my eyes. “What are you doing?” “What am I doing?” Vivian sneered. “Ryan was injured, and you had Oliver do it, didn’t you!” “Vivian!” I clenched my fists. “What are you talking about!” Ryan gritted his teeth: “Mr. Brown, why hide it? When that child hit me with a hammer, I saw clearly it was him. “He even said he wanted revenge for you. “If Vivian hadn’t arrived in time, caught off guard like that, I might have really been killed by that child!” I gritted my teeth. Vivian looked at me coldly: “I knew Oliver would learn to lie with a father like you! “If I’d known it would be like this, I should have taken Oliver with me three years ago! “Where is he! I’m taking him to raise myself! Ryan and I will teach this child together! Better than you ruining him for life!” “Fine!” I brought out the urn, looking at them with burning eyes: “Then you’d better go down there and teach him properly!”

Looking at the portrait on the urn, Vivian stared at me in disbelief. My hands trembled slightly as I clenched my fists. A year ago, when Oliver died, I’d used all my savings to make this final little home for him. But the next second, this little home was shattered. I roared and lunged forward: “Oliver!” “Have you made enough of a scene!” Vivian grabbed my collar. “How many times are you going to play this trick?” She grabbed the ashes. “Bamboo charcoal powder mixed with bone models—you really think I can’t tell! I played this trick three years ago! “Do you enjoy cursing Oliver this much?” “Mmph!” The ashes were forcibly shoved into my mouth. I retched violently. “Eat it! Aren’t these your own props? Why are you disgusted!” Vivian’s eyes were red as she firmly blocked my mouth. Until my face flushed red and I pushed her away. Kneeling on the ground, I coughed continuously. My trembling hands gathered the ashes bit by bit from the floor. Tears mixed with the blood from my throat, soiling Oliver’s remains. I collapsed on the scattered ashes, crying breathlessly. Vivian looked down from above. “Think about it—when Oliver grows up and remembers you faked his death and his ashes just to compete for jealousy… “What will he think? “He’ll hate you to death.” I was too wretched to speak. She half-knelt down. “So, where’s Oliver? If you have any conscience as a father, temporarily let me educate him.” My eyes reddened. I smiled at her. “Alright, I’ll take you to find him.” Ryan froze. Vivian also paused slightly, reaching out to grip my hand. “I knew you’d come around.” The car drove to a cliff’s edge. Vivian saw the small figure on the cliff. Her face lit up. “Oliver!” Just as she got out of the car, Ryan’s trembling voice came from behind: “Vivian…” She turned back. My knife was already at Ryan’s throat. … Police forces quickly gathered at the cliff’s edge. I held the knife to Ryan’s throat, standing at the cliff’s edge with Oliver. Cold sweat dripped from Vivian’s temples. “Marcus, I won’t take Oliver anymore. I won’t fight you for him. “Let Ryan go. Do you want Oliver’s father to become a murderer? Can you bear to let Oliver watch you kill someone!” All the live stream cameras focused on me. The police negotiator was also persuading me along with Vivian. I felt Ryan trembling in my arm. I looked down. Glanced at Oliver wearing a hat. He also looked up and met my eyes. Ryan’s body trembled even more violently. I smiled: “No, Oliver will become my best successor.” Then, ignoring Vivian’s pale face, I gave the order directly: “Oliver! Push this man down with Daddy!” “Marcus Brown!!” “Ma’am!” The police cried out. Vivian actually snatched the gun from the police. Aimed it straight at me. “Bang!” The bullet exploded into a blood flower on my chest. I swayed. Released my grip on Ryan. Before falling off the cliff, I turned back and showed Vivian a smile. Then fell straight down. Vivian stood frozen in place. In front of the live cameras, Oliver removed the hat. It was a girl. “Congratulations, Ms. White. Now you’ve killed your husband with your own hands too.” The police frowned at Vivian: “What this child said—what’s going on?”

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Caleb, a man known for his unshakable self-control, played the role of a knight in shining armor. He settled a young woman into a suburban villa, paid off her debts, and opened a bakery for her, yet he never laid a finger on her. He just went over every day to eat a single meal. His friends couldn’t understand why he would do such a thing. He said, “I’m just greedy for a half-day of peace. When I go back, I am still Sloane’s perfect husband!” 01 That day, our daughter fell ill. As Caleb was heading downstairs, he asked casually, “Why hasn’t Autumn left for school yet?” Our daughter, eating her breakfast, looked up. “Daddy, I’m sick!” Caleb froze, looking up at me. “What’s wrong?” I said, “The flu. I’m taking her to the doctor in a bit.” “Is it serious?” “It’s fine. Her fever has already broken.” Caleb nodded, letting out a sigh of relief. “Drive safe, then. Call me if you need anything.” He kissed Autumn, said goodbye, and walked out the door. The nanny looked at me, hesitating to speak. I smiled and said nothing, just reminding Autumn to eat faster. I knew what she wanted to say. It was nothing more than: The child is sick, so why does her father seem completely unconcerned? He didn’t even know until she was almost fully recovered? To any normal American family, this would seem completely dysfunctional. But I was already used to it. Used to it to the point of apathy. After packing our things, I drove Autumn to the clinic. We ran into a car accident halfway there. The engine of the car ahead suddenly blew out, causing a three-car pileup behind it. I was the fourth car. I braked in time and narrowly escaped the crash. I originally wanted to just turn the car around and leave. But I unexpectedly spotted Caleb’s SUV—the one he claimed he lent to a friend. I had asked him before which friend it was. He said, “You don’t know him.” That answer was very clever. A friend I didn’t know meant they weren’t that close. If they weren’t that close, why would he be generous enough to lend out his car long-term? But I didn’t press the issue. I just played the part of the gullible, naive wife. Now, it seemed he had indeed lied. I clearly recognized the person getting out of that car. Even though we had only met once, I remembered her name perfectly—Piper! Piper anxiously checked the damage to the car, then pulled out her phone to make a call. Inexplicably, I felt that call was to Caleb. “Autumn, watch some cartoons on your iPad for a bit. We’ll go to the clinic in a minute, okay?” My daughter nodded obediently. “Okay, Mommy!” I pulled over and waited. Less than half an hour later, a black Range Rover sped over. A man holding a jacket hurried out of the vehicle. Piper looked at him as if he were her savior, stumbling into his arms. The man caught her, draped his jacket over her shoulders, and ushered her into his own car. I had no interest in watching the rest. “Autumn, buckle up. We’re going to the doctor now!” 02 I had only seen Piper once. But even before meeting her, I had heard her name. Her name was linked with Caleb’s, dragging out a rather colorful piece of gossip in our elite Manhattan social circle. To be honest, it had been years since anyone dared to throw a woman at Caleb. First, Caleb had a flawless reputation for keeping his hands clean. Second, he and his wife were known to be deeply in love. Once, some smart-ass tried to test his limits. Caleb not only severed all business ties with him but also beat him to a pulp. “If my wife misunderstands, I’ll beat you to death!” Because of that, things were quiet for many years. But recently, someone tried their luck again. “They probably figured you guys have been married for so long, and your kid is getting older. They thought Mr. Carter was getting lonely and needed a distraction. They bet on the wrong horse.” The person telling me this was Mrs. Vance. She said that night was incredibly dramatic. A young bottle girl from the club was wrapped in a blanket and delivered to his hotel room, like some ancient emperor being presented with a concubine. They thought any normal man wouldn’t be able to resist that kind of temptation. But Caleb walked out of the room in less than five minutes. His face was dark, radiating an icy, oppressive aura. “He called his own assistant first, had him buy the girl some clothes, and sent her home. Then he started settling the score.” Rumor had it, he barged into that manager’s room and beat him up. Then he called the cops, reporting prostitution, and had the guy arrested right there. Following that, he terminated all contracts with that company. Mrs. Vance spoke with a mix of envy and a sigh: “Caleb is truly devoted to you!” I smiled and exchanged pleasantries with her. But my heart sank a little. Devoted? Not necessarily! Caleb’s outward attitude toward this kind of thing seemed the same as before. But he hid things from me. That point alone was abnormal. And then there was Caleb’s attitude toward that girl. If it were the past, he wouldn’t have stayed for five minutes, nor would he have had his personal assistant handle the “aftermath.” So, I did a little digging into that girl. I discovered she had gone from a bottle girl at a club to suddenly becoming Caleb’s new secretary. 03 When Caleb got home, I was still working in my home office. Having spent the whole day with Autumn, I was behind on a lot of things. “Still busy?” “Yeah!” “I’m heading to bed then!” “Wait for me in the living room after you shower!” I looked back at him. “We need to talk.” Caleb instinctively frowned. The atmosphere instantly stagnated. He didn’t say anything, just gave me a cold glance, closed the office door, and left. I didn’t know if he would actually wait for me. He hated it when I used that tone with him. Just like he complained to his friends. Whenever I started a conversation like that, it was never a good thing. Today was obviously no exception. But I didn’t want to fight with him, nor did I want to make a scene. So, when I finished working and came out, seeing him sitting in the living room, I asked, “Want a drink? We can chat.” Caleb raised an eyebrow. “An interrogation?” I smiled. “Nothing that serious. Just a casual chat.” His tense body relaxed. He stood up and took a small piece of cake out of the fridge. “I bought this for Autumn, but it looks like she missed out.” He said, “You have a bad stomach. Eat something first, don’t drink on an empty stomach.” Actually, the vibe was pretty good at that moment. If we had just gone with the flow, we might have had a productive conversation. But that cake had to ruin it. Sure enough, I overestimated myself. “Where did you buy it?” I asked him. Caleb said, “A bakery I passed by on the way.” “Isn’t that Piper’s place?” When Piper stepped out of that car, I knew Caleb hadn’t kept his promise to me. After finding out Piper had become Caleb’s secretary, I went to his office once. It was bad timing; Caleb wasn’t there. I asked his assistant, “Where’s Piper?” He stuttered, looking incredibly nervous. Later, I found her in Caleb’s private lounge. She was curled up on the single bed, covered in the cashmere blanket I bought for Caleb, her face pale, looking sick. When she saw me, she panicked and scrambled up. I asked her, “Where’s Caleb?” She bit her lip and said shyly, “It’s my time of the month, and my stomach hurts. Mr. Carter went to buy me painkillers and a hot drink.” I nodded. “Let’s wait together, then!” Taking care of a woman on her period was something Caleb was very experienced at. Because since my very first period, he was the one making me ginger tea. He would even turn bright red going to the pharmacy to buy me pads. He knew exactly which painkillers worked best without upsetting the stomach. He also knew that women on their periods had bad appetites but loved sweets. So, he bought Piper the over-the-counter meds I usually took, along with a ginger tea and a slice of red velvet cake. I handed the items to Piper. “This medicine works okay. It’s not as fast as prescription painkillers, but the side effects are minimal. If you really can’t handle it, just take a sick day. The company offers that basic benefit, at least!” Piper nodded timidly. She glanced at Caleb, and seeing him silent, she left the room looking disheartened, taking the stuff with her. When the office door closed, Caleb called my name: “Sloane!” But I walked straight into the lounge, grabbed the cashmere blanket, and threw it into the trash can right in front of him. Caleb frowned. “You don’t need to do that. I just felt sorry for her. There’s nothing going on between us.” “Who is she?” “The new secretary.” “I’m asking you, who is she!” This time, Caleb went silent. After a long while, he told me the whole story about him and Piper. He said she was a pitiful girl who only agreed to that “delivery” setup because she needed to pay off her father’s gambling debts. She dropped out of school young and couldn’t find a decent job, so she sold liquor at a club and was constantly harassed. “I ran into her at the club that day. She was being forced to drink. She’s so young, she should have a better life. Sloane, I only helped her out of pity!” Was that the truth? The suspicious part was that Caleb almost never went to clubs. Yet, after Piper was delivered to his room, he just happened to “bump into” her at a club? Was it really a coincidence, or did Caleb specifically go looking for her? It was quite intriguing to think about. But I didn’t dig deeper. I just nodded. I told him, “Fire her. Find her a different job.” Caleb didn’t even hesitate. He agreed immediately. He said he wouldn’t contact Piper anymore. He said he wouldn’t betray me. I believed him. I never expected that he would not only house Piper in a suburban villa but also open a bakery for her. 04 My single sentence completely froze the room. Caleb’s demeanor slowly changed. From scrutinizing to cold. “You investigated me?” He said, “Sloane, that poor girl has suffered enough. You doing this is completely out of line!” I sighed. “Caleb, you’re panicking.” Panic clouds judgment. “Otherwise, you’d know that if I hadn’t found something, I wouldn’t have done anything extra.” I tapped my phone and pushed the dashcam footage from the car accident toward him. “It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together. If she can drive your car, she definitely lives in your house. So where is she working now?” Caleb didn’t click on the video. He just kept his eyes lowered. After a long time, he let out a heavy breath. “Whether you believe it or not, I haven’t cheated, and I haven’t betrayed you. I just pity her. Her place was constantly harassed by debt collectors. She had nowhere to go. She deserves a better job, not relying on selling herself for money. Sloane, these things mean nothing to us, but they can change a young girl’s entire life.” I had no patience for this. So I interrupted him: “Do you love her?” Caleb looked at me, his eyes filling with disappointment. “Is romance and sex all you see between men and women? Sloane, she and I are completely innocent. You shouldn’t start rumors about a girl based on your own paranoid delusions.” Caleb’s words truly stunned me. I never thought he could utter something so… shamelessly self-righteous. I had always thought he was a smart man. The biggest advantage of a smart person is that you can communicate with them. We know what the other is trying to say, we understand each other perfectly, and things click. But since when had Caleb become someone I no longer recognized? His reaction completely missed my expectations. This would make the next steps very difficult. But the arrow was already nocked; I had to shoot. I couldn’t let myself and my child fall into an even more humiliating situation. So I spoke decisively: “Caleb, let’s get a divorce! Take your time to think about it. Once you’ve made up your mind, we can discuss the details.” 05 I had realized very early on that getting a divorce is a huge hassle. Unless both parties reach a consensus, it’s a protracted war of attrition. All along, I had never sensed any desire for divorce from Caleb. Until Piper appeared. He put so much thought and effort into a girl other than me for the first time. Knowing him, it was either he already caught feelings, or he was about to. So, I demanded he fire Piper. I thought he would refuse. But he agreed. Had I guessed wrong? Half a month ago, some friends came over, and they were talking in his study. One of them teased Caleb: “They say marriage is the graveyard of love. As the ultimate authority on this, how does it feel now?” Caleb chuckled. “I couldn’t agree more!” “Oh?” his friend exclaimed. “What? Got the seven-year itch?” Caleb sighed. “Not exactly! It’s just… if I had known married life was this boring, I would have played around for a few more years!” “Then why did you turn down that girl who stripped naked and sent herself to your room?” “That’s a different matter entirely!” His friend disagreed. “What do you mean ‘different matter’? As long as you hide it well, finding a little fun is no big deal!” This time, Caleb fell silent. After a long while, he said in a flat tone, “We’ll see.” Hearing those words, I turned away from the cracked door and left. Caleb was looking for some “fun.” Whether it was because of that naked girl or the sheer boredom of married life, he wanted to step out. And I couldn’t possibly wait until he actually cheated to get a divorce. So, before he crossed that line, I had to terminate this marriage. My demand for a divorce left Caleb silent for a long time. He just stared at me, like he was looking at an unreasonable child. It wasn’t just him; I also thought of the past. That period when I frequently brought up divorce. Back then, I was anxious, miserable, and completely at a loss. I relieved my emotions through screaming matches, and I exploded by threatening divorce. But I didn’t actually want a divorce. I just didn’t know what else to do. My relationship with Caleb had hit a dead end, and I was just repeatedly smashing my head against a brick wall. Until my head was bloody and the wall finally broke. Caleb sighed. “Sloane, there is really nothing between me and Piper. If it bothers you, I’ll try my best not to contact her. Just drop the divorce talk, I don’t want to hear it.” I sighed too. “Caleb, don’t give me an answer right away. Think about it carefully. Do you really not want a divorce? Because right now, for you, the pros of divorce heavily outweigh the cons!” 06 That night, Caleb and I parted on bad terms. For the next consecutive week, he slept in the guest room, leaving early and coming home late, not saying a single word to me. Autumn smoothed out a crease in her storybook. “Mommy, when is Daddy coming home?” “What’s wrong?” “I want to read this storybook with Daddy.” “Can’t Mommy read it with you?” The little girl looked at me. “But I want to read this one with Daddy!” My heart ached. It seemed I couldn’t just passively wait anymore. Piper’s villa wasn’t far from ours. It was a property given to Caleb as collateral for a debt years ago. I went to the security office. Using the excuse of losing a valuable item, I requested to view the surveillance footage accompanied by a guard. Over the past week, without missing a single day, Caleb drove in every afternoon and left an hour or two later. Today, it hadn’t even been an hour since he arrived. The front door had an electronic lock. I had long forgotten the passcode. I had to knock. The door opened quickly, and a bright, pretty little face peeked out. “Why are you so early today…” Seeing me, the smile froze on her face, and she stood rooted to the spot. Seeing her wearing an apron, I asked, “Cooking?” Piper tightly gripped the hem of her apron. “Mrs. Carter!” I nodded and stepped past her into the house. Piper followed me inside. She asked, “Mrs. Carter, can I help you with something?” “I’m sorry,” I said. “I need to revoke the usage rights to this house. Will an hour be enough for you to pack your things? Do you need me to call a moving company for you? Oh, right, and that bakery—you can either return the startup capital to me, or I’ll take the storefront back!” Piper’s eyes widened. Her initial timidity transformed into anger. “What gives you the right?” I smiled. “Because these are marital assets.” Piper’s face darkened. She stepped back and shook her head. “Mrs. Carter, this is between Caleb and me. You have no right to interfere!” “Alright, then let’s wait for him!” I found a spot and sat down, while Piper remained standing. After I don’t know how long, she broke the silence. “Mrs. Carter, do you know how much Caleb hates going back to that house?” “Oh? How much?” She curled her lips into a mocking smile. She said, “He’d rather work overtime at the office or drink at a club. Do you know that every day when he gets home, he sits in his car and smokes for half an hour before going inside?” “Mrs. Carter, things between Caleb and me aren’t as filthy as you think. He just wants to steal a half-day of peace here. The pressure on him is too much, and this place lets him relax. Are you going to strip him of his very last bit of personal space?” “Mrs. Carter, you make your husband dread going home. What a failure of a wife you must be!” “Did you hear that?” I suddenly spoke up. “What?” Piper looked confused. I held up my phone and spoke to the person on the other end of the line: “Caleb, did you hear what your little girl just said?” There was silence on the other end. I continued, “I can’t imagine how devastated I would be hearing that if I were still deeply in love with you. But thankfully, I don’t love you anymore. Caleb, I don’t love you anymore. Let’s finalize this divorce as soon as possible! I’ll give you two days to think. If I don’t get the answer I want, I’m filing a lawsuit!” 07 That day, Caleb ultimately didn’t stay for dinner at Piper’s. When he got back, not only Autumn but even the nanny was shocked and quickly cooked two extra dishes. At the dinner table, Autumn was very excited, chattering endlessly about her day at preschool. For once, Caleb didn’t tell her “No talking at the dinner table.” After dinner, we played games with Autumn together. She dragged Caleb to read that storybook she had been saving, and finally drifted off to sleep, completely satisfied. Coming out of Autumn’s room, we instinctively went to the living room. This time, Caleb spoke first. “Sloane, there are some things I didn’t know how to tell you, so letting it out to a passing acquaintance like Piper was easier. Sloane, there is really nothing between Piper and me. You can look at our relationship as an equal exchange. I give her help, and she acts as my emotional trash can, that’s it. Sloane, I didn’t want to bring my negative emotions home to you. I always thought, as long as I could steal a half-day of peace there, I’d still be Sloane’s perfect husband when I got home.” Men and women are seemingly never on the same frequency. Once, I desperately wanted to hear Caleb’s true thoughts, but he was always so stingy with his words, even treating me like I was neurotic. But now, when he finally started bearing his soul, I only felt disgusted. “Caleb, can we skip the bullshit? What are your thoughts on the divorce?” My stubbornness made Caleb irritable. “Why does it have to be a divorce? Tell me what’s wrong, and I’ll fix it!” I couldn’t understand him either. “Why won’t you agree to a divorce? You heard Piper today. She definitely has those intentions. All it takes is piercing that thin veil, and the rest is inevitable. Doesn’t your current life feel incredibly boring? Isn’t divorce the best option?” My words were too blunt. A rare look of panic flashed across Caleb’s face. He clenched his fists, looked away, and growled, “I never wanted a divorce!” I leaned back on the couch. “Then you really need to think hard about it! Caleb, our ties are deep. The relationship between our families, the business overlaps, various joint investments, and most importantly, me and Autumn. If we can split amicably, there’s no need to tear each other apart. Otherwise, it will get very ugly. I’m suggesting this sincerely: if you want to step out, divorce me first.” “I told you, I never wanted a divorce, and I won’t cheat. Why don’t you believe me?” My patience was running thin. “Tell me, what will it take for you to agree to a divorce?” Caleb gritted his teeth. “I’m not getting a divorce!” “Why?” “Because I love you!” Caleb’s sudden outburst made me close my eyes in agony. I clenched my jaw. “Don’t love me. I’m begging you, stop loving me!” Caleb and I were childhood sweethearts. From high school to walking down the aisle, we were each other’s first loves and only loves. Along this journey, Caleb told me countless times that he loved me. The first time, it made my heart flutter. Subsequent times, it felt deeply romantic and tender. That feeling of holding the entire world in my hands had kept me intoxicated for a very long time. Until Caleb broke it all. Once, after getting drunk, he told me he still loved me, but he didn’t love Autumn. “If it weren’t for you, Autumn would mean absolutely nothing to me!” Was that supposed to be romantic? No, it made my blood run cold. If a person can’t even love their own child, then they must only truly love themselves. “Caleb, actually, your current life—aside from being a bit boring—must be pretty comfortable for you. After all, I don’t demand that you come home early, I don’t demand your company, I don’t track your whereabouts, and I don’t interfere with your actions. You easily get to be the father of a five-year-old. You have a home, a wife, and a child, yet you don’t have to sacrifice anything. So, after doing all those terrible things, you can still self-righteously say no to a divorce because you are the beneficiary of this arrangement, aren’t you?” “Here we go again! Here we go again!” Caleb flared up. “Can we stick to the issue at hand? Do you have to dig up the past? Sloane, this is getting really tiring!” Stick to the issue? Fine! “Your desire to cheat is an established fact. If not Piper, it would be someone else. Your relationship with Piper has already crossed the line of normal boundaries. I have reasonable suspicion that you have already cheated!” “I haven’t!” Caleb growled. I sneered. “I don’t believe you!” “Then what do I have to do to make you believe me?!” “I won’t believe anything you do!” Caleb glared at me furiously. “Sloane, you’re being completely unreasonable!” I nodded. “So what? Caleb, since I’ve brought up divorce, I will get it done at any cost. You can take my words as a threat!” Caleb was expressionless. I continued, “Or let me be clearer. Your company is in a critical pre-IPO phase. You can consider which causes less damage: a massive scandal, or an amicable divorce!” At that moment, Caleb fell silent. I had said everything that needed to be said. The rest was up to Caleb. He seemed to stay up all night. When I went down to get water in the middle of the night, I could still see the light shining from under the study door. The next day, we took Autumn to preschool together. After Autumn walked inside, Caleb said to me, “I agree.” “If this is what you want, I’ll give it to you!”

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In the third year after our daughter was abducted, Arthur gave up the search. He said it was fate, that we couldn’t be too selfish, and that moving on and living in the present was the most important thing. But later, his “first love” went missing too. Arthur’s hair turned white overnight. He spent the next fifty years searching for her. Reborn into a new life, I took the initiative to protect my daughter first and immediately demanded a divorce. I didn’t expect that Arthur had been reborn, too. On his first night back, he booked a flight to take his first love on a romantic getaway. It wasn’t until half a year later that he finally remembered his daughter. Clutching a cheap doll he bought from the airport gift shop, Arthur tried to pick her up from school. But my daughter pushed him away without hesitation, turned around, and threw herself into another man’s arms. “I’m sorry, I already have a new daddy!” 1 When the news of Chloe’s disappearance broke, Arthur and I had just had a massive fight. He gripped my shoulders, practically roaring. “Lily has been missing for three years! We’ve tried every possible way, but we just can’t find her. Life has to go on. Can’t you just look forward?” I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. My heart turned to ice. “But we are Lily’s parents! If even we stop looking for her, she’ll truly never come home!” Lily was our daughter. When she was five, her nanny took her out to play in our gated community’s park. The nanny turned her back for just a moment, and the child was gone. Terrified, the nanny didn’t call 911 immediately, missing the golden window to save Lily. Arthur and I tried everything, but there was no trace of her. It was as if she had evaporated from the face of the earth. This year marked the third year of her disappearance. Yet, Arthur suddenly told me he didn’t want to keep searching. He wanted me to give up, to look forward, to focus on our present life—saying we could always have another child. His cold, resolute attitude made me feel like I was looking at a stranger. Lily was a piece of my own flesh and blood. To have a piece of my heart violently carved out was an agonizing pain I could never just “give up” on. Because of this, we had the most explosive argument of our marriage. In the past, I loved him more, so I was always willing to yield. Arthur relied on my love to force my compromises. But when it came to Lily, I would absolutely never back down! Everything in the house that could be thrown was shattered. Screaming hysterically had drained every ounce of my energy. Yet he just stood there, watching me coldly as if I were a clown. “Evelyn, you are too selfish! Are you going to tear this family apart for a child we can’t find?” His initial guilt had gradually warped into impatience. Leaving those words behind, he turned, walked into his room, and locked the door. The chaotic living room plunged into a sudden, suffocating silence. I sat on the sofa, staring at photos of my daughter on my phone, tears streaming down my face. But the next second, a notification popped up in our old high school alumni group chat. It said Chloe Adams had gone missing. She was the smart, beautiful girl who transferred into our class in high school and captured the attention of countless boys—Arthur included. I had barely processed the message when the tightly locked bedroom door was suddenly thrown open. Arthur looked frantic, desperately dialing his phone over and over, but the calls wouldn’t go through. He muttered to himself, “Chloe, please don’t let anything happen to you…” Arthur was famous for his composure. Even when Lily went missing, he maintained his usual calm. I had never seen him panic like this, his hands physically shaking. To Arthur, Chloe was the untouchable “white moonlight” of his heart. In the past, I hadn’t thought much of it. Arthur was the boy I had loved since childhood. Our families ran in the same elite circles; we were practically childhood sweethearts. I loved him, always had. But he was naturally aloof, so his special treatment of Chloe in high school had once crushed me. But later, Chloe chose to study in Paris, voluntarily giving him up. Their budding romance died before it could bloom. Arthur was depressed for a long time before he gradually stepped out of the shadows, never mentioning Chloe’s name again. I stayed by his side, just like always, year after year. Fortunately, I finally waited long enough for him to confess his feelings to me. We started dating, got married, and had our beautiful Lily. I truly cherished our relationship. But looking at it now, I was nothing but a colossal joke. I used to think Arthur only lost his composure over Chloe because of that lingering high school crush. But I never imagined that when Chloe actually did go missing, he would be so overwhelmed with grief that his hair turned white overnight. Yet, when Lily was taken, he remained perfectly calm. Not a single slip of composure. It turned out— A child born to a woman you don’t truly love will never be loved, either. In the end, Arthur decided he had to help the Adams family search for the missing Chloe. I asked him, “What about our daughter?” What about the daughter who had been stolen by traffickers for three whole years? Arthur’s eyes darted away evasively. “We searched for Lily for three years. That’s long enough. But Chloe is different. She just went missing. Maybe if we try hard enough, we can find her?” That “hard enough” lasted a lifetime. I spent my entire life searching for Lily, and he spent his entire life searching for Chloe. We fought countless times over this. I begged him to give up—Chloe had her own family and friends looking for her, but Lily only had us. She needed us more. But Arthur furiously rebuked me. “Evelyn, you are too selfish! Chloe is a living, breathing human being. How can we just give up on her?” Disappointment, heartbreak, and pure hatred finally killed whatever love I had left for this man. By the time we reached our twilight years, we still hadn’t found Lily or Chloe. We both lay in our respective hospital beds. I stared at a faded photo of my daughter. He stared at a photo of Chloe, his eyes filled with endless sorrow. It was the ultimate irony. “If I could do it all over again, I truly wish Lily never had you for a father.” Because he simply didn’t deserve it! 2 But I never expected that I would actually be reborn! And I was reborn right back to the very day my daughter was taken. I tore out of the house, sprinting down the street, desperate to save my Lily before those monsters could get to her. Thank God. Before the trafficker could reach her. I lunged forward, snatching my child into my arms, screaming at the top of my lungs for the negligent nanny to call 911 immediately. A kidnapper sneaking into a luxury gated community was a massive scandal. Many residents, terrified that the trafficker might have accomplices targeting their own kids, crowded around, waiting for the police to arrive so the monster could face justice. I didn’t leave either. But in the midst of waiting, I saw Arthur rushing out of the house from a distance. At this exact time in the timeline, he should have just returned from a business trip, exhausted, sleeping off his jet lag in the bedroom until evening. It wasn’t until the nanny couldn’t find Lily that I was forced to wake him and tell him she was missing. That was when he had suddenly jolted awake. But why were things different now? Could it be that Arthur had been reborn too? But if he had been reborn, he should know that the most urgent thing right now was to save our poor Lily, not to run out in a panic. I didn’t have time to dwell on it. The police arrived, and I had to take Lily to the station to give a statement. By the time we finished the paperwork and returned home, the sky had already darkened. “Where’s Daddy?” Holding my hand, the moment Lily walked through the door, she peeked into the master bedroom. She loved Arthur so much. She loved hugging his legs and calling for him in her sweet, babyish voice. But the bedroom was empty. Arthur still hadn’t returned home. Lily looked a bit disappointed, but she was always a good girl. She forced a smile, assuming her dad just had too much work, like always. “I haven’t finished my book yet anyway. Daddy would be mad if he knew I wasn’t reading!” She giggled, ran to the living room, found a spot to sit, and seriously began reading her storybook. The regrets of my past life made me unwilling to leave Lily’s side for even a single step. I held her as we sat in the living room. She turned to smile at me, kissed my cheek, and said, “Don’t be sad, Mommy. Daddy will be home after work. We’ll wait for him together.” Perhaps it was because of the memories of my past life. This man, whom I had once loved so deeply and then hated for half a lifetime—now that I had a second chance, even if everything was back on track, I absolutely refused to wrong myself or my daughter ever again. Divorce was inevitable. But Arthur’s phone was completely unreachable. It was turned off every time I called. He had vanished into thin air. For a full day and night, I couldn’t get in touch with him. “Did the bad guys take Daddy away?” Even though Lily was young, she was more mature than kids her age and incredibly perceptive of my emotions. She tugged at my dress with her little hands, her eyes filled with sadness. I quickly bent down and scooped her into my arms, soothing her gently. “No, baby. Daddy is probably just caught up with something very important. But your birthday is the day after tomorrow. Daddy will definitely be back by then.” “Really?” Her big, round eyes were wide open, full of pure hope. 3 But the truth was, he went to find Chloe. That night, as I held Lily and read her a bedtime story until she fell asleep, I picked up my phone, opened Instagram, and immediately saw Chloe’s latest post. One picture. One sentence. The picture: A pair of hands wrapped intimately around her waist. The sentence: After all the twists and turns, I finally waited long enough for your confession. On the index finger of that right hand, there was a distinct scar. Hilariously enough, Arthur had the exact same one. In the comments section, everyone was congratulating Chloe and this unseen man, wishing them a lifetime of happiness. I glanced at the location tag on the post. It was Santorini, Greece. That island was famous for being a top destination for couples. When Arthur and I first started dating, he promised to take me there for a romantic vacation so we could show off our love to the world. But he was always “too busy with work” and said we had to wait. That wait stretched until we got married, and then until we had a child. I waited year after year, but it was all an empty promise. Yet now, Arthur had dropped everything to make up for the lost love of his youth. He took his “white moonlight” on a romantic getaway overseas, living his best life. I looked down at the photo, my heart completely devoid of any emotion. Perhaps the disappointment from my past life was just too heavy. I had hurt, I had cried, I had screamed. After the hysterical breakdowns, whenever I looked into his eyes, all that remained was disappointment and hatred. I tapped on the image, zoomed in, and saved it to my camera roll. Since I had already decided on a divorce, I absolutely had to fight for full custody of Lily. And all the evidence proving his infidelity— I needed to back it all up. That way, during the divorce, I could secure the maximum advantage for myself. 4 I had a lawyer draft the divorce papers. But since Arthur was currently overseas and had deliberately cut off all contact, I couldn’t hand the papers to him immediately. I could only wait, and in the meantime, I told my parents. But just as I expected, the moment I mentioned divorcing Arthur, my parents expressed intense opposition. I didn’t hide anything. I told them bluntly about Arthur’s infidelity. My mother looked at the photos, silent for a long time. Finally, she looked up at me, a complex expression in her eyes. “Evelyn, sometimes in life, you just have to turn a blind eye, and the days will pass. Besides, you two have a daughter now. For the sake of the child, can you please not be so selfish?” My own mother was telling me to tolerate my husband’s infidelity—for the sake of the child. Even though I had known early on that my parents were emotionally detached, always putting business and family interests first, I never expected it to go this far. Even now, my happiness couldn’t outweigh the corporate benefits our arranged marriage brought them. “No, Mom. If I choose to just ‘get by,’ that would be truly selfish and irresponsible. My life isn’t Lily’s life. I can take perfectly good care of her on my own.” At least, with or without Arthur, there wouldn’t be much difference from the past few years anyway. As for my Lily, I truly felt guilty that I couldn’t give her a complete family. But I wasn’t the one who destroyed it. So why should I be the one to swallow the bitter fruit Arthur planted? My father snapped. He slapped me across the face and swore that if I went through with the divorce, he would never let me step foot in their house again. Divorce meant I would become an Evelyn without a family. Unable to hold it back, I let a few tears fall. “Fine. Let’s just consider our bond as father and daughter officially severed.” Regardless, the divorce was happening. I took Lily and left. I didn’t go straight home. Halfway through the drive, unable to keep my emotions in check, I found a quiet spot to pull over. In front of my daughter, I broke down and cried like a failure. Lily was so good. She unbuckled herself from her car seat, climbed into the passenger seat, and didn’t say a word. She just gently patted my back and, when I looked up, pulled a few tissues to wipe my tears. “Mommy, don’t be sad. Lily is here. Lily will always be here.” Her voice was still soft and childish. I looked at her and asked, “If Mommy and Daddy have to separate, and you stay with Mommy, would you be okay with that?” Lily didn’t answer immediately. She tilted her head, as if thinking. After a long while, she asked me, “If we leave Daddy, will Mommy be happy? Will you not have to cry anymore?” I didn’t know how to answer her. Choking back a sob, I just hummed in agreement. Lily immediately smiled. She reached out her short little arms and hugged me, mimicking the way I always held her. “Lily wants Mommy to be happy. I don’t want Mommy to cry. Daddy is mean, and I don’t want him anymore either.” Completely breaking down, I hugged Lily tight and sobbed. The little girl, who was smiling at first, suddenly pouted. As if she had suffered a massive grievance herself, she buried her face in my chest and cried with me. But she cried so hard and got so worked up that my chest suddenly flared with an agonizing pain. Lily knew I had a heart condition. She instantly wiped her tears and started scrambling around the car, searching for my medication. But the pain in my chest was so severe that my vision began to blur, pulling me toward unconsciousness. Right before I completely blacked out, I vaguely saw a panicked Lily grab my phone and, mimicking what I always did, dial Arthur’s number. But the call never went through. 5 When I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed. I was only dazed for two seconds. Then I scrambled up from the bed, looking around frantically. “Where’s Lily?!” Passing out so suddenly. I was terrified something had happened to Lily. I couldn’t bear the agony of losing her a second time. Perhaps hearing my voice, Lily, who had been sitting on the sofa reading a picture book, dropped it and trotted over to the bed. I pulled her into a tight hug. She sat by my side, her eyes still shimmering with tears. “Mommy, you’re finally awake.” Her voice still carried a hint of a sob, but she forced a bright smile, leaning against me obediently. She didn’t say anything else; she just looked at me quietly. I asked her, “Lily, who brought Mommy to the hospital?” Lily counted on her fingers, trying to remember. “It was a really handsome uncle.” Just as she finished speaking, someone pushed the hospital room door open. The person said, “You’re awake?” I looked toward the door. The moment I saw who it was, my eyes went wide in shock. “Nolan Vance?!” Nolan Vance was my high school classmate. But he and Arthur were complete opposites. Arthur was aloof, like a flower on a high peak—sacred and unapproachable. Nolan was pure sunshine. He was passionate about everything and everyone, always wearing a smile that warmed everyone around him. Not only that, we were childhood friends. Grandpa Vance had adored me since I was little. Back then, our families used to joke about an arranged marriage. But then I met Arthur, and I devoted all my attention to following him around. Later, Arthur and I officially started dating. Around the same time, Nolan received an acceptance letter from a prestigious university overseas and left the country. In my past life, Nolan never moved back. Or if he did, I was so consumed with my missing daughter that I never noticed. Seeing him so suddenly now felt like a lifetime had passed. “You have a heart condition. Doctors warned you since you were a kid to avoid extreme emotional swings. Good thing I happened to be driving by.” Nolan peeled an apple for me, meticulously cutting it into small cubes and placing them on a plate. He stuck toothpicks in them, handed one piece to me, and gave another to Lily. Lily thanked him, flashing an innocent smile. “Uncle Nolan, how did you know Mommy likes her apples cut into tiny pieces?” Nolan gently tapped her nose. He looked at me, his eyes full of the same warm smile as always, just with a hint of teasing now. “Since she was little, she’s been the most spoiled. If it wasn’t cut perfectly, she wouldn’t eat it.” Lily shook her head. “But at home, Daddy never cuts fruit for Mommy. Mommy always prepares it and brings it to Daddy.” Hearing this, Nolan’s smile vanished. He stared at me quietly without saying a word, holding my gaze for a long time. “What is it, Nolan? Why are you staring at me like that?” It was making me feel a bit uneasy. I pretended to look down and eat the fruit, but Nolan suddenly reached out and flicked my forehead. It actually hurt a little. “Nolan, that hurts! I’m a patient!” I couldn’t help but yelp. We were childhood friends, so we were familiar with each other’s boundaries. Aside from the initial awkwardness of meeting again, we easily slipped back into our old, comfortable dynamic. Around Nolan, I was always unreasonable and liked to tease him. And he would always let me. Just like now, even after I yelled at him, he completely ignored it and handed me another piece of apple. “Calm down, eat some more fruit.” I took the plate, shoved two pieces into my mouth, and muttered, “We haven’t seen each other in years, and the first thing you do is hit me without even explaining why?” Nolan smiled and shrugged. “Can’t help it. I’ve liked bullying you since we were kids.” With that, he turned and walked out, saying he was going to find my attending physician. I was looking down, eating the fruit, so I didn’t hear the words he muttered just before he walked out the door: “I just can’t stand seeing you wrong yourself. If I could smack that love-struck brain out of you, I would.” 6 There wasn’t anything seriously wrong with me physically. After I woke up, the attending physician gave me another checkup and cleared me to go home and rest. Since I had made up my mind to get a divorce, I had no intention of staying in the marital home, which was under Arthur’s name. I planned to move out with Lily. I owned several properties under my own name. I let Lily pick her favorite one, and we prepared to move in immediately. When Nolan found out I was getting a divorce and moving, he came over to help without a second thought. In less than a day, he moved all of Lily’s and my belongings over. The new house was just one street away from where Nolan currently lived. Lily was thrilled when she found out. “Do you really like Uncle Nolan?” That night, as I held Lily in bed, she snuggled into my arms, chattering endlessly about him. Over the past few days, Nolan acted like he didn’t have a job, coming over to mooch meals every single day. The moment Lily got out of school, she stuck to him like glue. The two of them hit it off instantly and played together brilliantly. They even made plans to go out on the weekend, completely leaving me out of it. Honestly, I felt a little like a third wheel. Lily sensed I was feeling a bit down and quickly hugged my neck, kissing my cheek. “Uncle Nolan is so nice. He’s willing to play with me and he’s so patient. Not like Daddy. Daddy always says he’s busy, he’s forever busy. He didn’t even come to my birthday yesterday. Uncle Nolan stayed with me, and he even gave me the present I wanted the most. If… if Uncle Nolan was my daddy, that would be great.” As Lily finished her sentence, a flicker of sadness crossed her eyes. A child’s world is simple. She might not be old enough to fully understand everything, but she was sharp enough to feel Arthur’s emotional distance. In contrast, Nolan gave her the fatherly love she had never experienced. My heart ached for my daughter. I pulled her into a tight embrace. Arthur really didn’t deserve to be a father. 7 In the afternoon, Lily came home from school. She didn’t look very happy. I asked her what was wrong, but she barely answered me. It wasn’t until dinner time that she finally spoke, her voice pitiful. “Kindergarten is having a parent-child event. A lot of the activities require the dads to participate. But… Daddy…” I sighed and said, “It’s okay, Mommy can do it too.” Lily shook her head, still looking miserable. She stared down at the rice in her bowl, lost in thought, when the doorbell suddenly rang. I didn’t need to guess to know who was here to mooch a meal. My previously depressed daughter shot her head up instantly. “Uncle Nolan is here!” With that, she scrambled out of her chair and ran to open the door for him. “Lily looks even cuter today.” Nolan carried Lily to the dining table, the two of them looking as natural as a real father and daughter. I felt a twinge of jealousy and glared at him playfully. “I almost died giving birth to this precious girl, and she’s closer to you than she is to me. It’s like you’re the one who gave birth to her.” Nolan’s smile grew even brighter. He leaned right into my words. “If that’s the case, then just pretend I did. I promise I’ll raise this precious girl right.” I quickly snatched my child back from his arms. “In your dreams! This is my precious girl!” Lily squeezed my hand, looking like a wise little peacemaker. “Stop fighting, you guys! One is Daddy, one is Mommy. Lily loves both of you!” Right. Just a few days ago, they had done a mock “adoption” ceremony. The two of them played along perfectly, calling each other “God-dad” and “Precious God-daughter.” Lily looked at Nolan, blinked her big eyes, and suddenly asked, “Mommy, since he’s already a daddy anyway, can Uncle Nolan be my daddy and go to the parent-child event with me?” I looked at Nolan, and he was looking at me, as if waiting for my approval. I hesitated for a moment, then shook my head. “That’s probably not a good idea…” “But all the other kids’ dads are going to be there. Only my dad… He hasn’t called me in so long. Why can’t Uncle Nolan be my dad? Mommy, I don’t want the other kids to make fun of me and say I’m a kid whose dad doesn’t love her.” The more my daughter spoke, the more heartbroken she sounded. She even started shedding tears, which shattered my heart. Nolan quickly chimed in. “Lily is my god-daughter now. That piece of trash Arthur is living it up overseas. I should definitely go! Do you really want Lily to be mocked by the other kids?” Naturally, I didn’t want that. So, on Monday, Nolan took on the role of “Dad” and went to the kindergarten event with me. The games were simple. Some tested the coordination between father and daughter, and others tested how well the parents knew each other. For example: “What is Mommy’s favorite color?” Nolan: “Purple.” “What is Mommy’s favorite fruit?” Nolan: “Apples.” “What does Mommy hate the most?” Nolan: “She hates being lied to.” Nolan answered every single question perfectly in record time. I couldn’t help but give him a thumbs-up. The host was one of the kindergarten teachers. Holding her script, she smiled at the kids, hyped up the atmosphere, and then asked the moms one last question. “So, who is Daddy’s favorite person?” Many parents wrote down their child’s name. I wrote Lily’s name too, because for questions like this, you’re supposed to write the kid’s name. But Nolan’s answer was—You. “Me?” I didn’t process it at first and instinctively pointed at myself. The host smiled and said, “It looks like Lily’s parents are very much in love! Out of all the dads here, he’s the only one with a different answer.” For some reason, my heart suddenly started beating a little faster. It didn’t return to normal even after the segment ended. Nolan held Lily’s hand and walked up to me. “What’s wrong? Is your heart bothering you again?” His voice was gentle as always, his eyes filled with genuine concern and inquiry. I shook my head. “Nolan, why didn’t you write Lily’s name?” Nolan’s smile paused for a moment before he replied, “Since I’m acting as Lily’s dad, naturally, my favorite person is Lily’s mom. So… saying I like you, I don’t see any problem with that answer.” There was a problem. A huge problem! My heart beat even faster.

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