After my fitness trainer found out I was living off rental income, he started looking at me with pure disdain. I thought maybe my membership had expired, so I specifically asked if my card needed renewing. Instead, he slapped my butt hard: “Why would a girl build muscles like that? Hard and ugly—who the hell would want to sleep with you?” “A woman’s most important job is to spread her legs and have babies. That’s your duty!” I stumbled back two steps, instantly on guard. “What the hell are you talking about?” He looked annoyed and reached out to touch my abs: “Babies born to older mothers are more likely to be slow. I’m giving you a chance—have my baby now.” Then he pressed closer, wrapping his arms around me: “After you’re pregnant, I’ll handle collecting the rent. You just stay home and focus on the pregnancy!” I was completely bewildered and elbowed him hard in the ribs. He immediately got agitated. “Don’t be ungrateful! An old woman like you who flaunts herself in front of men all day—you should be grateful I’m even interested!” I was so disgusted I canceled my membership on the spot. He harassed me for a few days, then suddenly disappeared. It wasn’t until rent collection day that I discovered he’d been impersonating my husband and had collected three years’ rent from all my tenants!

“Ms. White, your husband already collected three years of rent from all of us in this building last month. He even gave us a 20% discount. Why are you trying to collect it again?” Looking at the payment receipt tenant Mr. Wilson showed me, I was stunned. “My husband? I don’t even have a boyfriend, let alone a husband!” Mr. Wilson stared at me with an unfriendly expression. “You’ve got to be kidding. That trainer, Evan Hayes, even showed me photos from your wedding!” “He said you’re trying to conceive right now and your emotions are unstable, so he didn’t want you worrying about collecting rent. That’s why he came early to handle it.” Evan Hayes was the fitness trainer who had canceled on me a few days ago and called me ungrateful. I clenched my fists. “Call the police! Right now! This is fraud!” A man’s voice came from behind me. “Honey, haven’t you made enough of a scene?” I turned around. Evan Hayes walked up and tried to hug me. He sighed. “I know you’re mad I didn’t buy you that designer bag, but we’re about to be parents. We need to learn to be frugal.” “I deposited all three years of rent in the bank. It’s saved for our son’s education fund.” My hands trembled as I pointed at him. “Evan Hayes, are you mentally ill! Who’s your wife? Who’s having your son!” Evan shook his head helplessly and patted my head. “Jasmine, it’s one thing to throw tantrums at home, but why are you acting like this in public?” “This building may be in your name, but since we’re married, it’s marital property.” “What’s wrong with me collecting rent for you? Do you really need to embarrass me in front of all these people?” After hearing this, the tenants started pointing and whispering about me. Mr. Wilson spoke up disapprovingly. “Ms. White, that’s not right. You can’t take your marital problems out on us tenants.” “Exactly. Your husband is just planning for your future. Why are you being so unreasonable?” I said angrily, “I don’t have time for this nonsense. I’m calling the police right now to get this straightened out!” Evan grabbed my wrist. “Jasmine White, don’t be ungrateful!” “I’m collecting rent for your own good. Do you really want to blow this up?” “You think I won’t expose all your dirty secrets!” I shook off his hand. “Go ahead! I’d love to see what you can possibly expose!” Evan pulled a stack of photos from his pocket and threw them on the ground. “Everyone look! This is her so-called single status!” The photos scattered across the floor. I looked down, and my hands and feet went cold. They were all photos of me working out at the gym, and several were creepy shots of me changing shoes outside the locker room. My face flushed red. “You pervert! You’ve been secretly photographing me!” Evan responded righteously, “What do you mean secretly photographing? As a husband, I’m just capturing my wife’s beautiful moments!” “You wear such revealing clothes to the gym every day—isn’t that just to seduce men?” “If I weren’t so generous and forgiving, who would want a slut like you!” The watching tenants whispered among themselves. “Can’t believe it. She looks so proper, but she’s so slutty in private.” “Evan’s pretty pitiful, marrying such a restless woman.” I raised my hand, but an older woman rushed out and sat on the ground, slapping her thighs. “Everyone come look! My daughter-in-law is hitting her mother-in-law and her husband!” “What did we do to deserve this? Marrying such a curse!” This crazy woman was actually Evan’s mother! I gritted my teeth. “You people are insane! I don’t even know you!” Evan’s mother got up from the ground and pointed at me. “Don’t know me? You’re carrying Evan’s baby in your belly and you dare say you don’t know me!” “Let me tell you, Jasmine White, we’re keeping this rent money today!” “If you dare call the police, I’ll make a scene at your office and in your hometown. I’ll make sure you can’t hold your head up for the rest of your life!” I pulled out my phone. “Hello, 911? Someone here has committed fraud, the amount is three million dollars!” Seeing me call the police, Evan said unconcerned, “Call whoever you want. This is just a family matter. Let’s see how you handle this today!”

Two police officers pushed through the crowd. “Who called the police?” I pointed at Evan seriously. “Officers, I called. This man is impersonating my husband and defrauded three years of rent from all the tenants in my building!” The lead officer turned to Evan. “Fraud? How much?” Evan wore a bitter smile. “Officer, don’t listen to my wife’s nonsense. She’s throwing a tantrum.” “She’s pregnant recently, and her temper’s bad. She’s insisting that me managing her money is fraud.” The officer looked at me. “What’s really going on?” Before I could speak, Evan pulled out a marriage certificate and handed it over. “Look, this is our marriage certificate.” “I’m her legal husband. Helping her collect rent—how can that be fraud?” I snatched it away. It had both mine and Evan’s information printed on it, and all the details matched up. “This is fake! I’ve never been married!” “Officer, this photo is from when I registered for a gym membership. He photoshopped it onto this!” The officer took the marriage certificate and handed it to his colleague to verify. Evan’s mother rushed over, crying. “Officers, you have to help us!” “This woman took eighty-eight thousand dollars in wedding gifts from our family, and now that we’ve spent all our money, she wants to kick us out!” I was furious. “Who took your family’s money? Who’s carrying your family’s baby!” “This is organized crime! This is outright fraud!” Mr. Wilson suddenly spoke up. “Officer, I can testify. Coach Hayes really is Ms. White’s husband.” “Last month when he came to collect rent, he showed us their chat records.” “Ms. White was calling him ‘honey’ so affectionately on SnapChat, and said all rent collection would be handled by Coach Hayes from now on.” I stared in disbelief. “Mr. Wilson, what are you talking about! When did I ever chat with him about this on SnapChat!” Mr. Wilson curled his lip. “Ms. White, that’s not cool. Coach Hayes waived two months of our rent and gave us a 20% discount.” “You two are having a fight—don’t drag us tenants into it.” “We already paid the money and have receipts. You can’t make us pay again, right?” Other tenants chimed in. “That’s right. Evan’s a good guy. He even helps us carry stuff sometimes.” “You’re so ungrateful. Married and still seducing men outside.” “Officers, don’t listen to this woman’s nonsense.” Evan lifted his chin. “Honey, everyone’s saying the same thing. Stop making a scene.” “Come home with me. Mom made your favorite chicken soup.” He reached for me, but I stepped back. “Don’t touch me! Officers, you can check my household registration! I’m definitely unmarried!” The officer who went to verify came back. “Ms. White, we just checked the system.” “The system shows your marital status is indeed married, and your spouse is listed as… Evan Hayes.” I was instantly stunned. “That’s impossible! Absolutely impossible!” “I’ve never even stepped foot in City Hall. How could I be married!” Evan spoke up. “Jasmine, did pregnancy make you stupid?” “Last month we went to City Hall to register our marriage. You were so happy you posted about it. Now you want to deny it?” From somewhere, Evan’s mother pulled out a set of red lace lingerie and threw it in front of the officers. “Officers, look at this! This is the lace underwear she changed out of last night!” “If they weren’t living together, where would I get her intimate clothing!” “This woman is a slut who seduces men everywhere. She’s trying to scam our family’s money to support her lover!”

I stared at the lingerie through clenched teeth. “You’re not just committing fraud—you’re also guilty of breaking and entering!” “Sir, that underwear was stolen from my balcony! This is a premeditated crime!” Evan spread his hands. “Honey, that’s a ridiculous lie.” “We sleep in the same bed every night. How is my mom helping you wash clothes breaking and entering?” “Even if you don’t want to acknowledge me as your husband, you can’t slander my mother like this, can you?” The tenants pointed and whispered about me. “This woman is too much. She can even say something like that.” “Right? Her mother-in-law helps wash her underwear and she’s not grateful. What an ingrate.” “Marrying a woman like this—you’ve had the worst luck imaginable.” The officer looked at me helplessly. “Ms. White, since the system shows you’re legally married, this rent issue is indeed a domestic property dispute.” “The police can’t directly intervene. We suggest you resolve this through negotiation or legal channels.” I grabbed the officer’s sleeve. “You can’t leave! This really is a scam!” “I haven’t been to City Hall recently. How could I have gotten married!” “They must have used some illegal means to tamper with the system information!” Evan yanked me over and whispered a warning. “Jasmine White, don’t refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit.” “I already invested your three million. You can scream your head off and it won’t help.” “Admit I’m your husband and I’ll help you manage this building from now on. Otherwise, I’ll ruin your reputation!” I forcefully shook him off. “Get away from me! You disgusting parasite!” Evan deliberately fell to the ground. His mother rushed over to check on him. “Murder! She’s trying to murder her husband! Sir, you saw it, right! This poisonous woman dares to assault someone right in front of you!” “Arrest her now! She’s trying to kill us!” The officer stepped forward to separate us. “Enough! Stop this!” “Since both sides have different stories, you’ll all come back to the station with me to give statements!” I nodded eagerly. “Fine, I’ll go to the station, but I need to go back to my apartment first to get my property deed and proof of single status!” “All my documents are in the safe in my bedroom. Once I get them, I can prove he’s lying!” The officer agreed. When we got back to my place, I pulled out my keys to unlock the door, but after turning it twice, the key got stuck. I tried to keep turning when Evan pulled me aside. “Honey, did you forget again?” “Yesterday you complained the old lock wasn’t safe and insisted I get someone to install a fingerprint lock.” “You just set the password yourself. How did you forget already today?” He pressed his finger to the scanner. Fingerprint recognized successfully. The door opened. All the furniture and decorations inside had changed. Wedding photos of Evan and me hung on the wall. Men’s socks were tossed on the sofa. Health supplements sat on the coffee table. I held onto the door frame, my whole body cold. His mother pushed past me and walked in. “This floor is so dirty. What kind of wife are you?” “Hurry up and get in here to mop! Don’t embarrass yourself out there!” I pointed at the wedding photo on the wall. “You photoshopped this too! What exactly are you trying to do!” Evan leaned close to me. “What am I trying to do? Of course I want to have a good life with you.” “Your house, your money, your body—they’re all mine from now on.” “If you dare disobey, I’ll let everyone online know that you, Jasmine White, are a marriage-scamming whore!” With that, he gently took my hand. “Let’s go explain everything properly to the officers at the station.”

Sitting in the mediation room at the police station, my hands were clenched into fists. Evan sat across from me and spoke. “Sir, I really don’t know what’s gotten into my wife today.” “She said before that collecting rent was too tiring for her, and she insisted on handing it over to me. She even wrote me an authorization letter.” He pulled out documents from his bag and handed them to the officer. “Look, it has her personal signature and fingerprint.” The officer took the authorization letter to examine it. “Ms. White, the signature on here really is your handwriting. Do you have anything to explain?” I stared at the signature on the authorization letter. It was indeed my handwriting. But I never signed this document. Suddenly, I remembered a few days ago when Evan had me sign what he called a fitness assessment form. I had just finished working out and signed it without thinking, even adding my fingerprint. “He tricked me into signing this! That was a gym assessment form, not any authorization letter!” Evan shook his head. “Jasmine, your lies are getting more and more ridiculous.” “You didn’t just sign it—you even recorded a video for me, saying you were worried the tenants wouldn’t believe me.” “Sir, I have video evidence.” He pulled out his phone and played a video. In it, I was sitting on a sofa, smiling and greeting the camera. “Hello everyone, I’m Jasmine White. Because I’m trying to conceive and not feeling well lately, all rent collection matters for this building will be fully handled by my husband, Evan Hayes.” “I hope everyone will cooperate with his work. Thank you.” The voice and expressions were exactly like mine. I reached for the phone. “This is fake! This is an AI-generated video! Look carefully! The lip movements don’t match! This is forged!” The officer pulled the phone away. “Ms. White, please calm down!” “From the evidence we currently have, you are indeed legally married, and you did authorize him to collect rent.” “If you insist the video and signature are forged, you need to provide solid evidence.” “Otherwise, we can only determine this is an ordinary domestic dispute.” I collapsed into my chair. The household registration system was tampered with, the signature was obtained through deception, the video was faked, and even my house was occupied. Evan had set up an elaborate scheme to swallow my assets. Mrs. Hayes rolled her eyes at me. “Sir, just ignore her. She’s pregnant and not thinking clearly.” “Once she has the baby, she’ll settle down naturally.” “Let’s go, son. Let’s take her home. Don’t embarrass ourselves here anymore.” Evan walked over and put his arm around my shoulder. With his back to the officers, he whispered to me, “You’re finished.” I looked at his face. “Evan Hayes, do you think you’ve already won?” Evan froze. “What trick are you trying to pull now?” I turned to the officer. “Officer, I’m involved in illegal fundraising. Please immediately freeze all assets under my name.”

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On my first day being sent to the branch office as CEO, I kept a low profile, wanting to observe privately. In the elevator, I saw a male colleague struggling with an armful of supply boxes and casually pressed the floor button for him. The female colleague next to me immediately slapped my hand away: “Why are you touching my husband’s hand?” The male colleague awkwardly tried to calm her: “What’s wrong with you? She was just helping!” The woman pinched him hard, then grabbed my collar with her other hand: “What, you’re addicted to being touched by her?! How dare you defend her!” I frowned, trying to explain: “Ma’am, please be respectful. I’m new here…” “New here and already trying to seduce my husband?” She cut me off with a scornful laugh. Seeing the elevator had arrived, I didn’t want to get further entangled and moved to leave. But she thought I was guilty, grabbed my collar and screamed: “You think you can just run after touching my husband? A slut like you can’t stay in this company—you must be fired immediately!”

“Everyone come look! Stop what you’re doing and come see!” The woman dragged me all the way from the elevator entrance to the main office area, deliberately raising her voice to shout: “This new employee who just joined the company is a slut who specializes in seducing other people’s husbands! Just now in the elevator, right in front of me, she dared to touch my husband!” Over a hundred employees stopped their work and stuck their heads out to look. The woman’s husband stood beside her, his face red with anxiety, explaining quietly: “It’s really not like that, she was just helping me…” “Shut up!” The woman pinched her husband again. The man gasped in pain and didn’t dare say another word. The surrounding colleagues began pointing at me, their eyes full of contempt and excitement at the drama. “Isn’t that Jocelyn Brown? This new girl really doesn’t have eyes—of all people to provoke, she chose her.” “Exactly. Who doesn’t know Jocelyn runs this place? This woman looks like a slut—she probably did something shameless.” “Daring to seduce Liam—isn’t that asking for death? She deserves to be caught red-handed.” All kinds of ugly comments drilled into my ears. So this woman was the legendary Jocelyn… I took a deep breath and looked coldly at Jocelyn: “Are you done making a scene? Let go.” “Let go? A slut like you can’t stay in this company. Today, if I don’t teach you a lesson your parents should have taught you, you’ll suffer even more in society!” Jocelyn raised her hand, about to slap my face. Just as I was preparing to retaliate, a rough shout suddenly came from the far end of the office: “What’s all this noise during work hours! Don’t you people have jobs to do!” The crowd parted, and a middle-aged man with a beer belly, hands behind his back, walked over with a swagger. As soon as Jocelyn saw this man, she immediately released my collar and greeted him coquettishly. “Mr. Walker, thank god you’re here!” Jocelyn pointed at my nose and cursed, “There’s someone here who just joined and is already looking for shortcuts!” “Just now in the elevator, she was seducing my man, and I caught her in the act! This shameless slut is corrupting the company culture—she must be fired immediately!” Richard Walker squinted his eyes and looked me up and down. His gaze was extremely sticky, sweeping from my face down to my legs with undisguised lewdness. “Pretty face,” Richard snorted coldly, his expression full of disdain, “but a shame her mind isn’t on the right things.” “Miss, if you want to climb the ladder, you need to know your place. Our branch doesn’t hire sluts like you.” I was so angry I laughed. I straightened my wrinkled collar, stood up straight, and looked at him coldly: “You’re Richard Walker, the branch’s vice president? As a company executive, to insult an employee with such language without knowing the facts—watch your mouth.” Richard froze for a moment, probably having never encountered a new employee who dared talk back to him like this. Jocelyn acted like she’d caught something damning, her voice sharp with anger: “Richard, look at her shameless attitude—she’s clearly a repeat offender!” “She probably got by using these slut tactics all along. Today’s the first day the new CEO takes office, and I heard she can’t stand any nonsense. We can’t let her see trash like this in the company!” Hearing this, Richard coldly ordered me: “Then we won’t waste words. You’re fired.” My tone was calm: “Richard, firing an employee requires due process. This is my first day reporting to work—I haven’t violated any rules. On what grounds are you firing me?” “On what grounds?” Richard laughed coldly. “Seducing colleagues, disrupting family harmony, seriously violating Article 3 of the employee handbook, creating a hostile work environment. Is that reason enough?” “Miss, I can see you haven’t experienced the real world yet. In this company, I have the final say on personnel matters. If I say you’re fired, you leave now!” I looked into his eyes and said word by word: “Is that so? But I’m not someone you can just fire at will.” “I’m the new CEO sent by headquarters to take over the branch. My name is Serena Smith.”

Richard froze for a moment, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. But Jocelyn immediately jumped out, pointing at me and cursing: “You dare impersonate the new CEO?” “Everyone working here knows the new CEO is coming today! Not only do you try to seduce men, but you also try to deceive people?” She turned to Richard, her face full of flattery: “Richard, don’t let her fool you! Young women these days are so scheming.” “If she really were the CEO from headquarters, wouldn’t headquarters’ special assistant, Zack Lee, be with her? I think she’s guilty and trying to buy time!” The surrounding colleagues chimed in: “Exactly. She doesn’t even draft her lies properly. Would a new CEO dress so shabby and take the regular elevator?” “Young people these days are crazy—they’ll say anything to avoid getting fired.” Jocelyn grew more pleased with herself, her voice louder: “And even if the new CEO really came today, so what?” “Our Richard is the chairman’s nephew! This branch is practically Richard’s domain. Even the new CEO has to respect Richard!” This statement was extremely arrogant, but among the hundred-plus employees present, not one person dared speak out against it. Everyone looked at Richard with awe and flattery. Richard basked in Jocelyn’s flattery, looking immensely satisfied. He walked up to me, looking down from his height: “Miss, did you hear that? Don’t think those ‘workplace reformation’ tricks from the internet work in real life.” “As your senior, I’ll give you some face today and teach you a lesson.” Richard pulled out his phone and said with a cold smile: “I’ll call Zack Lee at headquarters right now. If what you said isn’t true, not only will you get out of this company, I’ll also report you to the police for fraud!” He made the call in front of everyone and deliberately put it on speaker. “Hey, Zack, this is Richard from the branch.” Richard’s tone became extremely polite. “Where are you?” Zack’s slightly anxious voice came through the phone: “Richard, I’m on my way. There’s a bit of traffic.” Richard immediately reported as if seeking credit: “Oh Zack, you don’t know this, but a female scammer came to our company today, causing trouble and brazenly impersonating the new CEO. I’ve got her detained!” Zack’s tone changed instantly on the other end: “What did you say?! I’ll be right there! Don’t anyone do anything before I arrive!” Click—the call ended. Richard put away his phone and looked at me contemptuously: “Did you hear that? The new CEO is still on the way! You imposter, still trying to pretend?” I looked at his smug face and laughed coldly. “You don’t believe me? Fine, I’ll give you proof.” I pulled out the headquarters transfer document from my bag and threw it directly onto the nearby desk. “You say you’re the chairman’s nephew?” I stared into his eyes, my tone ice cold. “What a coincidence—I’m the chairman’s daughter.” “How come I didn’t know my father had such a poor relative working as vice president at the branch?”

Faced with the red-stamped transfer document I threw out, Richard first froze, his beady eyes fixed on the red seal on the paper, his expression changing. “Bullshit!” Richard suddenly grabbed the document from the desk, didn’t even look at it, tore it in half with both hands with a loud rip, and threw it viciously at my face. “You think you can impersonate the new CEO with some fake paper from a print shop on the street?” Richard pointed at my nose and laughed maniacally. “Take a good look at yourself! Would the chairman’s daughter wear cheap clothes like yours worth two hundred bucks? You think I’m stupid!” Seeing this, Jocelyn immediately incited all the employees: “Did everyone hear that! This woman is not only a slut but also crazy! Forging official seals can land you in prison!” She turned and pulled her cowering husband from the crowd, pushing him forward roughly: “Liam! In front of Richard and everyone, tell them what happened in the elevator again! Didn’t she actively seduce you!” Liam stumbled from being pushed. When he met my eyes, he visibly flinched. “I…” Liam opened his mouth, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Richard spoke ominously from the side: “Liam, tell the truth. The company will back you up. If anyone dares threaten you, I won’t stand for it.” Liam closed his eyes and steeled himself: “Yes! It was her! When no one was in the elevator, she pressed herself against me and… and touched my hand! I couldn’t push her away!” “That’s a lie!” I shouted angrily. “Did you hear that!” With her husband’s testimony, Jocelyn completely exploded. “Why waste words with this slut! She’s probably from some sales company, saw my husband was honest, and wanted to use those dirty tricks to drum up business! Shameless whore!” Before the words finished falling, Jocelyn rushed at me and slapped me hard across the face with a loud smack. The slap was extremely forceful. My face instantly turned to the side, my ears rang, and I tasted blood at the corner of my mouth. “Hit her! Strip her clothes off and see how she seduces men then!” Jocelyn shrieked, calling over several female cronies she was close with. They swarmed toward me, frantically shoving and tearing at my clothes and hair. My scalp burned with pain, but I wasn’t one to take things lying down. I steadied my stance, grabbed Jocelyn’s wrist as she pulled my hair, bent it downward forcefully, and at the same time lifted my right leg and kicked her hard in the stomach. “Ow!” Jocelyn screamed, kicked backward several steps by me, and fell on her rear. Richard saw this and flew into a rage. He pointed at me and gave orders to all the employees: “What are you all standing there for! This woman isn’t just a fraud—she’s a corporate spy! She came to our company to steal secrets! Where’s security? Pin her down!”

Richard had been at the branch for so many years that he’d turned it into his personal fiefdom. Everyone feared his “chairman’s nephew” connections and didn’t dare provoke him—some even wanted to show their loyalty by taking this opportunity. Several security guards and male employees eager to curry favor immediately rushed at me. With two fists against many hands, I was quickly restrained by several burly men who pinned my arms and pressed me against a nearby desk, unable to move. Jocelyn got up from the floor, clutching her stomach, her face twisted as she walked up to me and kicked my shins twice. “Run! Try to kick me again!” She cursed through gritted teeth. Pinned to the desk, I stared coldly at Richard and Jocelyn, memorizing every single face present. Just as Jocelyn was about to continue her attack, the receptionist rushed in from outside: “Richard! Zack has arrived downstairs with people! They’re coming up right now!” Hearing this, the arrogance on Richard’s face instantly froze. If the new CEO and Zack saw the branch in such chaos on their first day, he as vice president would definitely be in serious trouble. “Quick! Get her out of here!” Richard panicked, lowering his voice to an angry roar. “Don’t let the new boss see her!” Jocelyn’s eyes rolled as she leaned in with a clever suggestion: “Richard, there’s a backup freight elevator at the end of the hallway that nobody uses.” “Let’s lock her in there between floors first. After the CEO finishes the inspection and leaves, we can deal with her slowly!” “Do it! Hurry!” Richard grabbed onto this like a lifeline, waving his hands frantically. Under Jocelyn’s direction, several security guards grabbed my arms and forcibly dragged me toward the depths of the hallway. “This is illegal detention!” I warned coldly, struggling with all my might. “Shut up!” Jocelyn pinched my waist hard and, together with the guards, roughly shoved me into the narrow, dark backup elevator. Bang—the elevator door closed. I heard Jocelyn press the emergency stop button outside. The elevator lurched to a halt with a grinding sound, stuck between floors. Jocelyn’s vicious voice came from outside the door: “Stay in there and behave! After the inspection, we’ll see how I deal with you, you bitch!” The elevator was pitch black, with only a weak emergency light flickering. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, took a deep breath, my eyes cold as ice. They were finished. A few minutes later, the glass door of the main office area was pushed open violently. Zack from headquarters, along with several headquarters executives, rushed breathlessly into the lobby. Richard immediately put on an extremely flattering smile and led all the employees to greet them: “Zack, you’re finally here! Where’s the CEO? Why didn’t she come up with you?” Zack ignored his flattery. His eyes fixed on the floor. It was covered with torn document fragments. Zack crouched down and picked up a piece of torn paper with half a bright red seal on it. His hands began to tremble uncontrollably. He suddenly looked up and roared at everyone: “Where did you take Miss Smith!!!”

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I have a husband everyone envies—Kellan, the Alpha of Shadowreach Pack. But what everyone doesn’t know is that he’s addicted to cheating, and he has a peculiar habit of deliberately leaving traces behind. Over these past three months, I found a lace bra under the floor mat on the passenger side of his car. I dug out pink lace panties from under the bed in our forest vacation cabin. For the sake of the alliance between our two packs, I endured it all. But this time, at the Shadowreach Pack banquet, he had that little Omega, Lia, standing beside him. The spotlight shone on them both, as if she were Kellan’s mate. She looked at me provocatively, her arm wrapping around Kellan’s waist. I held my wine glass, turned, and walked back into the banquet hall without sparing her a single glance. I even smiled graciously at Kellan when he came over to take my hand. My indifference completely enraged Lia. She sent intimate photos of the two of them directly to my phone, every word dripping with provocation. 【You’re old now. Alpha Kellan has grown tired of your high-and-mighty act. Do you know how wild he gets when he pins me down on your marriage bed?】 I silently saved all the evidence, along with records of her embezzling Shadowreach Pack funds and colluding with rogues. She likes to show off, doesn’t she? Then I’ll make sure every Alpha in every pack sees their true faces.

Kellan stood in the bedroom doorway, his brow furrowed with disgust. He was Shadowreach Pack’s absolute Alpha, accustomed to controlling everything. Only in front of me would he ever lose his composure like he did when we were young. “Isobel, I didn’t call Lia here. She came on her own.” “You know she’s just a server at the club. It’s perfectly normal for her to serve drinks at a banquet like this.” I’d just pulled an all-nighter organizing materials, and my eyelids felt too heavy to lift. “There’s nothing to explain. You can like whoever you want. It has nothing to do with me.” “Isobel,” his tone turned harsh as he continued his self-justification, “I know you’re upset, but you’re my Luna. How can you say it has nothing to do with you?” “Are you finished?” I cut him off, standing up to walk past him into the bathroom, but he grabbed my wrist in a death grip. “Isobel, don’t you care at all?” I looked into his eyes, wanting so badly to tell him—I used to care. When I first found that bra, I smashed everything breakable in the house to pieces. Over these past three months, Kellan and I have fought countless times, but in the end, we never separated. Only because we are fated mates, witnesses to the alliance between Shadowreach Pack and Tundra Pack. At three years old, at the alliance banquet, he gave me a wolf-shaped wooden token and said, “Isobel, I’ll protect you from now on.” At ten, when we were ambushed by rogue wolves, he shielded me with his body and took a blade for me, leaving a permanent scar across his back. At seventeen, when my father fell gravely ill, he climbed through my window on the full moon night, held me tight, and said with absolute conviction: “Tundra Pack’s problems are my problems. I will always protect you.” Twenty-seven years of connection, like a dense net, trapping me inside. “Kellan, I’m really tired.” I tugged at my wrist but couldn’t break free, my voice full of exhaustion. “What do you mean?” His grip suddenly tightened, panic flooding his eyes. “Do you want to dissolve the alliance between our packs? Isobel, you wouldn’t dare!” “Let go.” “I won’t! You have to explain yourself today!” In our struggle, a decorative piece in the living room crashed to the floor with a thunderous shatter, the crisp sound of breaking echoing through the night. Silver fragments scattered across the floor, glinting coldly in the light. It was the wolf-head sculpture cast together by the elders of both packs during our bonding ceremony, engraved with our names and the oath of peace between our packs. I’d smashed countless things during our fights, but I’d never touched this one. Now, it was broken. Kellan flinched and instinctively released my hand. I collapsed to my knees among the fragments, sharp silver shards cutting into my kneecaps as blood instantly welled up. Silver is a werewolf’s bane—wounds from it hurt ten times more than ordinary injuries and heal a hundred times slower. His face went deathly pale, his voice trembling: “I’m sorry, Isobel, I didn’t mean to…” The blood kept flowing, but I didn’t feel the pain. I only felt a tightness in my chest. He frantically picked me up, used wolf clan secret medicine to treat the wound briefly, then drove urgently to Shadowreach Pack’s exclusive medical center. His hands shook on the steering wheel, even his breathing was erratic. We rushed into the medical center, and the attending physician came overnight to treat me. After the wound was treated, the hospital room door opened. Lia walked in carrying a thermos, her face displaying perfectly calibrated concern. “Alpha Kellan, I heard you were injured, so I specially made some calming soup…”

She stopped mid-sentence, as if just noticing me in the hospital bed, covering her mouth in feigned surprise. “Oh, I’m sorry, Luna Isobel. I didn’t know you were here too. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Kellan frowned, his tone turning cold: “Who told you to come in? Get out.” “I was just worried about you.” Lia set down the thermos and took two steps forward, pretending to help organize the gauze, but deliberately pressing her fingertips hard against my still-bleeding wound. Searing pain instantly overwhelmed me. I let out a muffled groan, my fingers clutching the bedsheet. Kellan exploded with rage, shoving her violently out of the way. She crashed into the metal door frame behind her with a loud clang. “Are you insane? Get out! If you dare come near her again, I’ll banish you from Shadowreach Pack!” Lia’s eyes instantly turned red, but Kellan didn’t even glance at her. He turned back and pressed down hard on my wound, his voice full of panic and guilt, his eyes never once straying toward the door. Kellan arranged the highest-grade recovery room for me, filling it with my favorite white roses. “We need to observe you for a few days. Wounds that touch silver are prone to infection. With the full moon approaching, your healing ability will be compromised. We can’t be careless.” He handed me warm water and medication, fussing over me with endless instructions, his tone full of caution. When I ignored him, he softened his voice further: “I’ll go buy you those macarons and berries you love, okay?” When he left and returned, he was carrying pastries and cut berries, cold air from outside still clinging to him. He hung his head, his ears burning red, not daring to look at me. He looked exactly like he did when he confessed to me all those years ago. Back then, things were so good. I closed my eyes and burrowed under the blanket, unwilling to look at him anymore. He didn’t disturb me, just quietly kept watch nearby. Just as I was drifting off to sleep, the door opened and Lia’s sickeningly sweet voice drifted in. “Alpha Kellan, I came to apologize to Luna Isobel. I was so clumsy yesterday, accidentally hurting Luna Isobel. I’ve felt terrible about it and came specially to make amends.” I lifted a corner of the blanket, just in time to see her deliberately press close to Kellan. Her chest was practically pressed against his arm, her fingertips tracing over the buttons of his shirt, her sweet scent wrapping around his wrist. “Alpha Kellan, please don’t be mad at me anymore, okay? I really know I was wrong.” “Lia.” Kellan’s voice dropped low. “This isn’t a place you should be. Leave.” “Hmm?” She moved even closer, her lips almost touching his ear as she spoke in a breathy whisper, “Alpha Kellan, your heart is beating so fast. Don’t you miss me, even a little?” I propped myself up to sit, my tone as cold as an ice-covered lake in winter. “Why don’t you two go outside to talk? Or I can leave and give you the space to properly ‘make amends’?” Kellan shoved her away violently. Lia stumbled and fell to the floor, her eyes instantly filling with tears. “Get out.” Kellan’s voice was ice-cold, devoid of any warmth. Lia scrambled to her feet, shot me a vicious glare, then ran out sobbing with her hands over her face. “Isobel, I…” “Sorry for interrupting you and your little lover’s flirtation.” I lay back down, turning my back to him and pulling the blanket up again. He stood there for a long time without speaking. He stood there for a long while, saying nothing more. Just then, his phone suddenly started vibrating. By the fourth ring, he finally answered. Lia’s shrill crying came through the speaker: “Alpha Kellan, rogues have cornered me at the back entrance. They’re going to hurt me. I’m so scared. Please come…”

Kellan hung up in silence, glancing at me with complicated eyes, his tone conflicted: “Isobel, I need to go out for a bit. I’ll be back soon. She’s on my territory after all—I can’t just ignore it.” The door closed softly. I pulled out my IV needle and contacted Tundra Pack’s guard unit to pick me up from the hospital. My knee still throbbed with pain, but that pain had long ceased to matter. I should have understood long ago—Kellan’s indulgence was never unintentional. He watched Lia provoke me right in front of him. It wasn’t that he didn’t know. He just didn’t care. He even secretly hoped I would make a scene, hoped my eyes would only hold him, like they used to. When Tundra Pack’s guard vehicle reached the redwood forest at the edge of the territory, I had them stop. This was a place we used to visit as children, where he once made me promises. But I never expected to see them here. Lia was half-draped over Kellan, her fingertips tracing along Kellan’s belt buckle, their intimate posture painfully obvious. Kellan’s free hand tried to pull her away, but Lia moved faster, sliding her fingers into his palm and interlacing them with his. He stiffened but didn’t shake her off. I stood frozen in place, my blood seeming to congeal in my veins. A werewolf’s keen hearing let me clearly catch Lia’s coquettish whining and Kellan’s helpless but indulgent response. Suddenly, as if sensing my gaze, Lia turned to look at me, a flash of triumph in her eyes. She leaned close to Kellan’s ear and whispered a few words. Kellan nodded, turned, and headed toward the medical center, saying he needed to get medicine for Lia’s injury. Lia stood there, and once he was far enough away, she slowly walked toward me, a victor’s smile on her face. “Luna Isobel, you’ve been discharged? Why didn’t you have Alpha Kellan take you? Could it be he doesn’t care about you anymore?” I ignored her, my gaze falling on her supposedly sprained ankle. Just moments ago she’d walked steadily, showing no sign of injury whatsoever. She shrugged nonchalantly, her smile growing even more smug: “See? He kept his arm around me the whole way, never let go. He’s an Alpha—how could he not tell I was faking? He just wanted to indulge me.” She tilted her head, feigning sympathy: “Though I understand you. After all these years, there’s no passion left between you, just the pack alliance and habit, right? You never knew how to please your Alpha.” “Are you finished?” I stopped walking, releasing an icy pressure that instantly made her face pale and forced her to step back instinctively. “Oh my, getting angry?” She quickly recovered, leaning in with a coquettish laugh. “You really expect him to stay faithful to you? I admire you, honestly—even now you can turn a blind eye. You really can endure.” “Lia.” I cut her off, my eyes devoid of warmth. “Do you know what’s most pathetic about you?” Her smile froze: “What do you mean?” “You’ve schemed and used underhanded tactics to steal someone who doesn’t even love you. Kellan’s indulgence toward you isn’t love. It’s boredom. You’re just a tool he uses to test me. In the end, you’re nothing but a pawn.” She suddenly grabbed my wrist violently, her eyes filled with madness and jealousy: “You’re lying! Kellan does love me! Once he divorces you, I’ll be Shadowreach Pack’s Luna!” “Let go.” I yanked my hand away forcefully, the momentum making her stagger backward.

She was completely enraged, a vicious look flashing in her eyes as she shoved me hard. Behind me was the steep slope of the redwood forest. The fallen leaves underfoot were slick, and I instantly lost my balance, falling backward down the incline. Survival instinct made me grab her wrist desperately. The massive momentum dragged both of us tumbling down the slope together. Mid-tumble, my back slammed hard against a thick redwood trunk. My vision went black for several seconds. When my consciousness cleared, I looked up to see Kellan rushing down toward us. Kellan almost instantly shifted into his black wolf form, leaping to our side. His first action was to grab the unconscious Lia in his jaws and shield her behind him. Lia woke up and threw herself into his arms, crying hysterically, trembling all over: “Alpha Kellan, Luna Isobel hates me for stealing you. She tried to push me down the slope to kill me…” Kellan said nothing, only held her tightly, his eyes falling on me with ice-cold disappointment, anger, and an unprecedented impatience. “Isobel.” His voice was heavy, carrying an Alpha’s oppressive force. “This is a life we’re talking about. If you’re angry, take it out on me. Don’t take it out on a little Omega. Don’t you have any dignity as a Luna?” I didn’t bother to defend myself, bracing against the tree trunk to try to stand. But a piercing pain shot through my right ankle. I couldn’t put any weight on it at all. Just then, Lia’s foot suddenly slipped, and she viciously kicked my ankle. Searing pain instantly consumed me. I fell to the ground again. But Kellan only frantically picked up the unsteady Lia and ran toward the forest edge, as if I were just some irrelevant stranger. I lay on the icy fallen leaves, my right ankle hurting so badly I’d almost lost all feeling in it, darkness closing in on my vision. Just as I was about to lose consciousness, several malicious presences closed in. Rogues. They advanced toward me step by step. I instantly understood—this wasn’t coincidence. Lia had arranged this. She wanted me dead here. I tried to shift, but the wound’s excruciating pain made it impossible. Just as their claws were about to reach me, Tundra Pack’s patrol arrived in time. In the chaos, one rogue fired at me. A bullet laced with wolfsbane tore through my right ankle. The burning sensation of wolfsbane spread through my bloodstream. I let out a pained groan, and before my consciousness completely blurred, the image that flashed through my mind was of young Kellan taking that blade for me, saying those words: “Isobel, I’ll protect you from now on.” How laughable. The person who once promised to protect me for life had ultimately indulged someone else in pushing me into the abyss. When I woke, I was lying in Tundra Pack’s recovery room. Kellan was slumped beside the bed, bloodshot eyes and exhausted expression showing he’d kept vigil for a long time. I moved my fingers slightly. He jolted awake immediately, joy and guilt flooding his eyes, his voice hoarse: “Isobel, you’re finally awake. I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have suspected you, shouldn’t have indulged Lia, shouldn’t have let you suffer so much.” He reached toward my face, his hand hovering in midair before pulling back. Finally, he pressed my hand against his cheek, warm tears dripping onto the back of my hand. “Once you’ve recovered, I’ll never see Lia again. I’ll spend my whole life making it up to you, okay?”

I moved my fingers, instinctively wanting to touch my right ankle. But that area sent piercing pain and a heavy sense of restraint. “My ankle—what happened to it?” My voice was terribly hoarse. The hospital room fell instantly silent. Kellan took a deep breath, his voice rough as he spoke: “Isobel, the bullet tore through your ankle bone. The wolfsbane has penetrated deep. We used every method available and saved your foot, but…” He paused, his voice full of heartache: “But the wolfsbane caused irreversible damage. You might never be able to shift again.” My mind went completely blank, as if all the blood in my body had frozen. I am the only daughter of Tundra Pack’s Alpha, the most gifted hunter in the pack, the only female warrior in North American werewolf circles who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Kellan. Running, hunting, fighting—these instincts were carved into my bones, the pride of being Tundra Pack’s heir. But now, all of it had been completely destroyed. Wave after wave of tearing pain struck my chest, making it almost impossible to breathe. I clutched the bedsheet beneath me so hard my knuckles turned white, my nails digging deep into my palms. I looked at Kellan like he was a complete stranger. “Those rogues,” my tone was flat, devoid of any ripple, “Lia hired them, didn’t she?” Kellan’s eyes immediately shifted away. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he rushed to explain: “I’ve already investigated thoroughly. Those rogues have nothing to do with Lia. Your ankle was truly just an accident, Isobel. Please don’t overthink this…” “An accident? At my last checkup, Shadowreach Pack’s physician said my body was the healthiest and strongest in the entire pack. Even if I were poisoned with wolfsbane, it shouldn’t have caused consequences as severe as losing my ability to shift.” I stared hard into his eyes. “Kellan, what exactly are you hiding from me?” The air in the hospital room completely froze. He opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a single word. Just then, his phone vibrated. Lia’s name flashed on the screen. I clearly saw him breathe a sigh of relief, as if he’d found an excuse to escape. He stood up, his tone conflicted: “Isobel, I need to handle something. I’ll be right back.” I stared at the ceiling until the door opened again. Lia walked in, a victor’s smile on her face, holding a document. She walked to my bedside. “Isobel, how are you feeling? Your right ankle is ruined, you can never shift again—that must feel terrible, doesn’t it?” I snapped my eyes open, my gaze full of murderous intent. “Ah, don’t look at me like that.” She covered her mouth in mock surprise, tossing the document onto my bed. “Kellan didn’t tell you, did he? I hired those rogues. I originally wanted them to kill you outright, but I didn’t expect your guards to arrive so quickly.” She leaned down, bringing her mouth close to my ear, her voice dropping extremely low. “And also—the reason you can’t shift is entirely Kellan’s doing. He knew perfectly well there were ways to remove the wolfsbane, but he signed off on conservative treatment. Do you know why?”

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I followed my husband’s mistress. She lived a luxurious life. A villa in a wealthy neighborhood, a car worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. She was rich. Even when meeting my husband, she always went home on time. She said her father was very strict with her. To protect my marriage, I secretly took photos and sent a message to her strict father. “Did you know your daughter is someone’s mistress?” After a long wait, he finally replied. “I know now.” “I’ve been betrayed.” Sophia’s POV I stared at my phone screen, confused for a moment. Why did he say he was the one betrayed? I was the one who’d been betrayed. Maybe he made a typo. After all, finding out your daughter is someone’s mistress would shake anyone up. I patiently corrected him. “I’m the one who’s been betrayed. Your daughter is secretly involved with my husband.” After thinking for a moment, I added, “If texting is inconvenient, we can talk on the phone.” He only replied with one sentence. “Let’s meet in person to discuss this.” Before this, I thought Renee’s father had to be at least fifty years old. I didn’t expect him to look so young. Even with money and good skincare, he shouldn’t look like the man sitting across from me. He wore a suit, strikingly handsome, with thick hair. But this was my first time doing something like this. How should I bring it up? “I didn’t expect you to look so young. You don’t even look forty yet.” He raised his eyes slightly, staring at me. “I’m thirty-three.” I froze. “What?” “Thirty-three.” He pressed his lips together. “…Oh.” I quickly took a sip of coffee. At the peak of my embarrassment, I blurted out, “You had kids really early then.” He paused, his fingertip touching the rim of his cup. “Actually, I’m not her… biological father.” I caught on. “You’re her stepfather?” “Something like that.” He lowered his head to drink. I nodded. “No wonder you’re so young.” He took a deep breath, glanced at me, then pulled out a business card from his pocket and placed it between us. “My name is Sebastian Hart. Let’s get straight to the point.” He withdrew his hand. “About Renee and your husband. I want to hear all the details.” I gripped my coffee cup tightly. “Alright.” … My husband, Ethan, ran a fairly well-known piano training center. Renee was his student. She’d been taking lessons for over a year. I didn’t know exactly when they got together. I only discovered them three months ago when I went to see him and caught them kissing on top of the piano. My heart stopped at that moment. I wanted to push open that door, but my pride and rationality weighed on me so heavily I couldn’t move. My vision blurred, but my mind stayed cold and clear. I memorized that girl’s face, went to the office, cross-referenced the student files, and found her name: Renee. She was young and beautiful, tall and slender. She’d enrolled in the premium course, five thousand dollars per session, and paid for thirty two lessons upfront. A total of one hundred sixty thousand dollars. “For a girl her age, a hundred and sixty thousand is a huge sum.” Sebastian listened to me expressionlessly. “Mm. I remember her asking me for two hundred thousand.” So she pocketed forty thousand for herself. I couldn’t help but grumble internally. Having a father willing to spend money on you must be nice. Since I’d only caught them once, I wasn’t sure if it was a fleeting affair or a long-term relationship, so I started following her. To my surprise, Renee lived an extravagant life. She didn’t work. She slept until afternoon, drove a luxury car worth hundreds of thousands, lived in a villa in a wealthy area, and spent her days having afternoon tea with friends, playing golf and tennis. I followed her for half a month and started feeling depressed. “Honestly, I was shocked. Her circumstances are too good. I don’t understand why she’d be interested in my husband.” Sebastian’s expression darkened, his lips pressed into a tight line. “Would you mind sharing your husband’s financial situation?” I spoke openly. “He has a PhD in music. He left academia a few years ago to start his own business. His annual income just reached… seven figures.” “A million?” Sebastian seemed incredulous at that answer. He pulled at the corner of his mouth, then looked me up and down, asking with certainty, “So is he extremely good-looking?” I held out my phone to show him Ethan’s photo. “Actually, he’s okay… Not as good-looking as you.” He looked up at me in surprise, narrowed his eyes, and said in a peculiar tone, “You think I’m better-looking than your husband?” I froze for a moment. Was that what I meant? “No, I mean…we’re ordinary people. Not like you two, father and daughter, with such superior looks.” He stared at me for a while, then suddenly grabbed my phone, his fingertip tapping the screen lightly. “He looks very ordinary. You don’t.” My heart skipped a beat. I gripped my phone tightly and pulled my hand back. “Mr. Hart, I came to you hoping you’d control your daughter.” “Of course I’ll control her.” He nodded, lifting his gaze to meet mine, his tone cool. “But I don’t understand. Do you really think doing this will win back your partner?” His words struck like a heavy blow to my most painful spot. “Of course not.” I put away Sebastian’s business card, stood up, took a deep breath, and looked down at him. “I just don’t want my ex-husband to have the chance to latch onto a rich heiress after our divorce.” Sebastian sat still, tilting his neck back to look at me with interest. “What’s your name?” I slowly extended my hand toward him. “Sophia.”

Sophia’s POV When I got home, Ethan was moving things into the study. I stood in the doorway and glanced at him. “Are you sleeping in the study?” He smiled at me, responding naturally. “I’ve been working late recently. I don’t want to disturb your rest.” “Oh.” I ignored him. Probably wants to tell his mistress he only has sex with her. I went into the master bedroom, pulled out the business card, and started searching online. Sebastian’s phone number was something I’d gotten from the property management at Renee’s apartment complex. Lucky for me, that property wasn’t registered under Renee’s name. I wanted to know what exactly he did for a living. To my surprise, searching Sebastian Hart’s name brought up countless associated companies, several of which I’d even heard of. He’s… that rich? No wonder he gave that helpless smile when he heard my husband’s seven-figure annual income. “Honey, want some coffee I made myself?” Ethan suddenly appeared. I immediately closed my laptop, afraid he’d see. A cup of hot coffee was placed in front of me. “I have a female student whose family is quite wealthy.” Ethan took my hand. “You know I’ve been busy trying to attract investors. I invited her over for dinner tonight to discuss investment opportunities.” I instantly understood his intention and looked up at him. “Which one?” “Renee.” Ethan mentioned the name casually, as if it had nothing to do with him. “Sure.” I smiled slightly. “Want me to cook?” “No need, I’ll do it.” Ethan suddenly reached out and touched my face, his eyes full of warmth. “You don’t need to do anything.” I looked into his eyes, feeling momentarily lost. Perhaps my taste differed from Sebastian’s. In my eyes, Ethan wasn’t ordinary looking at all. He was handsome, educated, gentle, the type of man who’d easily appeal to wealthy women. If he didn’t love me anymore, why did he keep up such a good act? At six PM, Renee came to our house. Ethan went to the kitchen to cook, leaving me to chat with Renee. “I didn’t expect you to be so beautiful.” She took the coffee, tilting her head and smiling at me. I maintained my smile. “Mm… Are you surprised?” Renee fell somewhat silent. “But isn’t this exhausting for you?” She looked away toward Ethan. “Do you know why I came to your house for dinner?” She turned back to face me. “Because the property manager at my building told me a woman’s been asking about me recently.” My heart lurched. Did she already know? Renee leaned closer, lowering her voice. “I came to warn you.” I froze in place, my heart racing, palms sweating.

Sophia’s POV “Dinner’s ready.” Ethan’s voice interrupted the strange atmosphere between Renee and me. At the table, Ethan chatted with her while serving me food. I didn’t eat a single bite. Who wants to perform in a play with no audience? Renee seemed unable to watch anymore either. She pointed toward the study. “Mr. Clinton, are you sleeping in the study?” Ethan responded gently. “We’re both so busy with work that we sleep separately. We rest better that way.” His words carried deeper meaning, making it sound like we’d already separated. I was too lazy to expose his lies. Sure enough, Renee believed him and gave me a provocative smile. I kept my expression blank, put down my fork, and stood up. “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.” Then I turned and left. Ethan glanced at me. Only when Renee called him back did he return his attention to their conversation. He needed a ten-million-dollar investment to expand his piano training center. “Sure, my family actually wants me to try finding some investment projects anyway.” Ethan acted quite reserved. “Renee, don’t agree so quickly. Let me send you the business proposal. Read it carefully first.” “Okay, whatever you say.” She nodded. I stopped at the corner of the hallway, pulled out my phone, and sent that man a text. “Mr. Hart, Renee’s at my house. For such a renowned entrepreneur, if you can’t discipline your daughter, I’ll have to do it for you.” After a minute, he replied. “Go ahead and hit her. I don’t have time.” My eyes widened. This man was absurd. A moment later, I returned to my seat. Renee seemed in an excellent mood. She glanced at me. “Mr. Clinton, if we become business partners, we’ll be working together frequently. Won’t Sophia be upset seeing us meet so often?” Ethan paused, then said seriously, “We have a normal working relationship. She won’t be upset.” Renee kept provoking me. I lost all appetite for the food on the table. I studied Renee and spoke coldly. “But for such a large sum, can you come up with it on your own, Miss Renee?” She met my gaze fearlessly. “This is nothing for me. As long as I want it, my family will support me.” Ethan tugged at my arm. “Sophia?” He wanted to stop me. “I’m just worried she’s pushing herself too hard.” I smiled apologetically, then turned to Ethan. “I know you’ve been looking for investors. Why don’t you send me the proposal too? I happen to know a wealthy person who’s very interested in this.” I reached into my pocket, felt that thin card, and pulled it out without hesitation, placing it on the table. Ethan froze, reading the name aloud. “Sebastian Hart?” Across from me, Renee looked terrified, staring at me in disbelief. Her previous aggressive demeanor vanished completely. I quietly enjoyed watching her expression change. She was truly scared. The next second, Renee’s phone rang. The ringtone was sudden and shrill, startling us all. Renee gripped her phone and shot to her feet, looking extremely nervous. “Um, it’s my father calling… I need to take this.” She rushed into the guest bathroom and shut the door firmly. I couldn’t help but laugh. So Sebastian finally had time and knew to make a phone call. Ethan asked what I was laughing about. “Renee’s in her twenties and still so afraid of her parents. Don’t you find that funny?” “No, I don’t.” Ethan didn’t smile. He picked up the business card and looked at me. “How do you know Sebastian Hart?” “I don’t know him. A friend of mine knows his assistant.” I was about to take back the card when Ethan dodged my hand and tucked it into his pocket. “Then I’ll keep it.” In less than a minute, Renee came out. Her face looked terrible. She hastily made her excuses, saying she had to go home. Even when Ethan offered to drive her, she refused. Ethan closed the door, puzzled. “What… happened to her?” “Probably her father won’t let her come home too late.” I lost interest too. I turned to head back to my room. After just a few steps, I was suddenly embraced from behind. Ethan rested his chin on my shoulder, his voice very soft. “Sophia.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, pushed his arms away, and turned around. “Didn’t you just say you were sleeping in the study?” Ethan paused. “I…” He opened his mouth but said nothing. “Good night.” I walked into the bedroom alone.

Sophia’s POV Renee hadn’t come to class these past few days. Ethan told me. “Do you think something happened to her?” He kept checking his phone, but there were no messages. “Maybe she can’t come up with that much money for the investment, so she doesn’t want to contact you anymore.” I brushed past him toward the door. “Were you really counting on her?” Ethan frowned. He turned around and stared at me. “Where are you going?” “Meeting a friend.” I grabbed my car keys. “You seem to be going out alone a lot lately.” He seemed to be complaining. “Do you want to come with me?” I met his gaze. He nodded and was about to come over when suddenly his phone rang. He glanced at it, then looked at me apologetically. “I have something here, so…” “Fine.” I cut him off and walked straight out. The friend I was meeting was a divorce lawyer. “The divorce agreement is ready.” I handed the lawyer the photos I’d taken while following him and Renee on their dates, mostly hand holding, hugging, and other intimate interactions. “Using these as evidence of his marital betrayal isn’t sufficient enough.” I put the photos back in the folder. “What level of evidence do I need to collect before you’re confident you can help me claim all the assets?” “All the assets?” I looked up, confirming with her again. “Yes. Everything. I want to take away everything he has.” Before leaving, the lawyer told me I needed more direct evidence. More direct… I opened my phone, found the location tracker on Ethan’s car, and drove to the spot, a mountain road. Ethan and Renee stood by the roadside. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but when Renee tried to take his hand, Ethan coldly pulled away. I sat in my car, taking the opportunity to photograph them. But while checking the photos, I suddenly noticed Ethan looking in my direction. Not good. He recognized my car. My heart raced. I immediately drove off. In the rearview mirror, I saw Ethan’s car in hot pursuit. My heart pounded as I stepped on the gas, accelerating continuously. I’d barely managed to shake him off when a car came slowly around a bend. I slammed on the brakes and jerked the steering wheel, but still ended up with serious scraping. Damn it. A Bentley, too. I pounded the steering wheel. I had no choice but to get out. I was about to apologize when I discovered the person getting out of the car was Sebastian Hart. “It’s you?” At least he still remembered me. Sebastian glanced at my aggressive driving. “Practicing drifting?” I had nowhere else to turn, so I had to ask him for help. “I’ve been discovered. My husband’s car is behind me…” Sebastian was speechless. He had his driver take my car away. I got into Sebastian’s car. He drove while I sat in the passenger seat. Ethan’s name popped up on my phone screen. I declined. It rang again. Only when Sebastian told me to answer did I dare pick up. “Honey, are you nearby? I think I saw your car on the road.” There was unmistakable tension in Ethan’s voice. “My car got into a small accident. Someone probably drove it to get it fixed.” “Oh, I see.” Ethan relaxed. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine.” “Where are you now? Should I come pick you up?” I instinctively glanced at Sebastian, paused for a second. “No need. I got a ride.” The call ended. Sebastian gripped the steering wheel and chuckled softly. “You’re both excellent liars.” I fell silent for a moment. The car drove along the mountain road. The scenery outside was beautiful as an oil painting. “Mr. Hart, this doesn’t seem like the way back to the city.” “Mm.” He answered unconcernedly. “I have plans today. I’m meeting someone for dinner.” I was confused. “Ah, then what about me…?” “I gave you a ride because it was on the way. Wherever I’m going, that’s where you get off. Isn’t that right?” Sebastian turned to look at me. I frowned and opened my mouth. “What am I supposed to do at your dinner?” His fingertip tapped the steering wheel lightly as he slowly spoke. “If you leave, it’s a hit-and-run.” “I…” I was forced to join Sebastian for dinner. The place was hidden deep in the mountains and forest, a Michelin restaurant that required advance reservations. Sebastian’s friends were all waiting for him. “You’re always the most punctual. Why are you late today?” “Got in a car accident. Lucky I came out alright.” Everyone fell silent. I sat next to him, feeling extremely nervous. Especially during dinner when my phone kept ringing. Ethan was looking for me. I stood up. Someone looked over. Sebastian explained for me, “Her husband is very concerned about her whereabouts.” “…Huh?” Now everyone looked over at once. I stood there, opened my mouth, but decided to keep quiet. I turned to take the call. Through the receiver, Ethan’s voice sounded strained. “Why aren’t you answering my calls?” I glanced at the screen. Over ten missed calls. “I’m having dinner with a friend.” “What friend? Male or female? Do I know them…” I was getting a headache. “You don’t know them.” Ethan on the other end fell silent. I hung up and was about to go back when I overheard someone say, “I didn’t expect you to like this type now.” “Just an ordinary friend.” Sebastian focused on his meal. Everyone went quiet. After a while, I returned to my seat, pretending I hadn’t heard. But his friends suddenly became interested in me. “Sebastian, Miss… looks very young. How many years have you been married?” He looked directly at me. “How many years?” I felt awkward. “Three years.” His friend pressed on. “What does Miss… do for work?” Sebastian turned his head. “Right, you’re a…” “Music teacher.” I quickly took over. “That’s nice.” He nodded approvingly. His friend crossed his arms, glancing at him helplessly. “How do you know nothing about her?” Sebastian put down his knife and fork. “I know her husband found a mistress. Their marriage is broken and they’re about to divorce. Isn’t that enough?”

Sophia’s POV The whole table fell silent. No one spoke for a moment. “I… I’m full. I’ll head back now.” I hastily fled the scene. I didn’t expect to see Renee approaching in the distance as soon as I walked out. She was definitely here to find Sebastian. I turned to hide, but bumped right into someone’s chest. “Mm?” Sebastian took half a step back, looking down at me. “Still hungry?” I signaled him with my eyes. “Renee’s here…” Only then did Sebastian notice the figure in the distance. He grabbed my wrist and pushed me into the car alone, smoothly closing the door. Before he could get in, Renee ran over and started talking to him. I couldn’t hear their conversation. But Renee kept crying, seemingly emotional. Sebastian backed away, speaking expressionlessly. I quietly cracked the car door open a bit. The man’s cold voice drifted in. “You said you wanted to learn piano so you could play for me once you learned.” Renee’s voice was choked, breaking intermittently. “I didn’t… those things you mentioned… I don’t know who told you what…” Sebastian showed no emotion. “Who said it doesn’t matter. This is the end.” Just as he opened the car door and was about to get in, Renee rushed up in a few steps, forcefully grabbing the car door and actually kneeling down right there in front of Sebastian. “Mr. Hart, I know I was wrong…” I didn’t expect Renee, someone so proud, could humble herself to this degree just to apologize. Sebastian looked at her calmly. “You don’t need to do this.” At that moment, my phone made a sound. I instantly silenced it in fright. Renee froze, wanting to look into the car. Sebastian blocked her view with his body. She understood. Her expression turned awful in an instant. He got into the car, glanced at me, and slowly raised the window. “Eavesdropping?” I avoided his gaze, my heart racing uncontrollably. “You’re not her father.” “I never said I was, but I do think I count as her father in a way.” I fell silent for a moment before answering. “In what way are you her father?” Sebastian pressed the start button. “Sugar daddy. Doesn’t that count as a kind of daddy?” The car started down the mountain. He swiped his finger across the driver’s screen and played a song. I really felt like he was driving me crazy. I never imagined he wasn’t the mistress’s actual father. My first reaction was to apologize. “I’m sorry. My husband seduced your girlfriend.” “Ah, you’re a perfect wife.” He suddenly sighed. I was furious. “Mr. Hart, you seem to have a problem with me.” “No. I’ve been betrayed, so this is just how I talk.” He kept his eyes on the road ahead. “I hope you’ll be understanding.” He’d said everything there was to say… I replied quietly. “I’ve been betrayed too. Why should I be understanding toward you?” He turned the steering wheel with one hand, showing no sign of being offended. “Oh, so you only show understanding to your husband.” “You-” The car turned a corner. Due to inertia, I swayed back slightly, and my curse died on my lips. Lush green mountains entered my view. The song on the speakers had just reached its climax. “This is my favorite stretch of road,” Sebastian suddenly said. I quietly admired the mountain scenery. But my phone kept vibrating. Ethan was calling repeatedly. Sebastian noticed too. “He seems to call every ten minutes.” I dimmed the screen. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately.” Sebastian glanced at me. “Unfaithful people have less security than faithful ones. Because they know what they’re doing when they don’t answer the phone.” I almost laughed in anger. “Is he actually suspicious of me?” “Looks like you’re not planning to get revenge by betraying him back.” He quietly withdrew his gaze. I fell silent. After a while, the music suddenly cut off. Sebastian’s phone rang. He looked at the number, frowned, and pressed the answer button. “Hello?” “Excuse me, is this Mr. Hart’s assistant?” His Bluetooth was connected to the car, so the voice came through the speakers. Almost instantly, I recognized whose voice it was. My body went rigid. Why was he making this call? Sebastian was still unaware. “I’m Sebastian Hart. How did you get my private number?” The person on the other end fell silent for three seconds, his voice suddenly cold. “I’m Sophia’s husband.”

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The day I brought an umbrella to my boyfriend Alexander, I discovered I was nothing but his “poor girlfriend” used to provoke the woman he truly loved. “I’m only pretending to be poor with Lynn because Victoria found herself some broke boyfriend to spite me.” “Love her? Fuck off. A poor woman like that isn’t worthy of me.” Two years together, working three jobs to support him. Turned out I was just a cheap toy to make his true love jealous. That night, I signed the agreement to serve as a volunteer doctor in the border conflict zone. Between gunfire and death, I carved him out of my heart completely. Three years later, I returned home as the youngest director of cardiothoracic surgery. When he knelt at the airport, crying and begging me to come back, I held my new lover’s hand and smiled coldly. “Alexander, didn’t we settle everything long ago?” Lynn’s POV In my supervisor’s office, only the soft hum of the air conditioner broke the silence. I stared at the liability waiver on the desk. Without even blinking, I signed my name without hesitation. “I won’t back out. Half a month from now, I’ll depart on time.” Walking out of the hospital, the stifling summer wind hit my face. I looked down at the simple silver ring on my ring finger and pulled my lips into a self-mocking smile. When I returned to our rental apartment, less than three hundred square feet with barely functioning AC, Alexander Blackwood was cooking pasta in the narrow kitchen. He wore a faded white T-shirt. His broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist, and his profile looked especially gentle under the dim yellow light. Hearing the door open, he turned around. His eyes lit up as he walked out carrying two plates of pasta. “You’re back? Got paid from my part-time job today, so I bought you your favorite cake.” I looked at the cake on the table, packed in a cheap paper bag. “Thanks, but I don’t feel like eating it right now.” Alexander wiped his hands and walked over, habitually pulling me into his embrace. His chin rested in the hollow of my neck, his voice low and slightly pleading. “What’s wrong? Tough day at the hospital? Once I graduate and get a permanent position, you won’t have to work so hard. I promised I’d buy you a big house and marry you properly.” If this had been three days ago, hearing those words would have made my eyes water with emotion. I would have hugged him back and told him I didn’t mind the hardship. But now, I only felt nausea churning in my stomach. Three days ago, I went to deliver an umbrella to him at his part-time job at an upscale club, walking through the rain. In the underground parking garage, I saw Alexander, the same man who claimed he couldn’t afford taxis and rode the bus with me every day, climbing into a multi million dollar sports car. The window was half-down. His rich-kid friends laughed without restraint, their voices echoing through the empty garage. “Mr. Blackwood, how long are you going to keep up this ‘poor student’ act? Living in that cramped apartment with that broke girl every day. Doesn’t it hurt your image?” Alexander held a cigarette between his lips, his expression lazy and cold. The smoke rings he blew obscured his refined features. “Victoria hasn’t broken up with Lucas Ford yet. I need something to do in the meantime.” “True. If Victoria hadn’t decided to date some commoner to ‘experience life,’ the richest guy in our circle wouldn’t have gotten petty enough to find himself a poor girl. But that Lynn sure is gullible. She actually believes Alexander could be interested in her. Working three jobs every day to support you. That’s priceless.” The rain was heavy that day. I stood in it for a long time. I don’t even remember when I dropped the umbrella. So our two year relationship was nothing but a cheap game, one man’s way of provoking his childhood sweetheart. What I thought was salvation was just a joke in everyone else’s eyes, one they could end whenever they wanted. I closed my eyes and pushed myself out of Alexander’s embrace. “I’m a bit tired. I’ll take a shower first.” Alexander looked at his empty arms, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly. He walked to the table and picked up his phone. The screen lit up. It was a message. I happened to see the screen from where I stood. “Alexander, thank you for the necklace you gave me today. I love it.” Sender: Victoria Sterling. Alexander quickly swiped the message away and looked up in my direction. He smiled awkwardly. “Work message.” I nodded without saying anything and went into the bathroom.

Lynn’s POV Water rushed in the bathroom. I stood under the shower head, letting cold water wash over my body. I didn’t cry. My tears had already run dry in that heavy rain three days ago. Now I was terrifyingly clear-headed. After my shower, I dried my hair with a towel while handing Alexander his phone that he’d left on the sink. “Your phone vibrated just now.” Looking at me, Alexander’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He casually tossed the phone onto the bed, then stepped forward and pressed me against the closet. His hot breath fell on my neck as the ambiguous atmosphere rapidly heated up in the cramped room. “Lynn…” He called my name in a low voice, his hand wandering up along my waist. My stomach turned with physiological revulsion again. I pressed down on his wandering hand at my waist. “I’m not feeling well today. I don’t want to.” Alexander’s movements froze. This unexpected rejection left him somewhat stunned. After all, in the past, no matter how tired I was, as long as he wanted it, I would cooperate with flushed cheeks. I looked at him and repeated myself. Only then did he suppress the heat in his body and obediently fetch the hairdryer to dry my hair. “Okay, let’s rest early tonight then.” After tidying up, we lay in bed. Alexander habitually hugged me from behind and said softly, “Good night.” I stared at the mottled wall with my eyes open, not responding. A dreamless night. The next morning, the sound of me rummaging through things woke Alexander. I was throwing things into a large black garbage bag. Matching mugs, matching toothbrushes, the cheap stuffed animals he’d given me, even his old shirts… Everything I had once treasured. Alexander woke with a start and sat up abruptly. “Lynn, what are you doing? None of this is broken. Why are you throwing it all away?” “These things are old and taking up space, so I want to get rid of them.” I didn’t even look up. “I’ll buy new ones later.” Alexander froze for a moment, then walked over and ruffled my hair. “Okay, I’ll buy you a better set when I get paid next month.” I didn’t dodge his hand, just pulled my lips into a slight smile without speaking. I carried the garbage bag outside. As soon as I reached downstairs, the landlord called. “Why the sudden move? Did you have a fight with your boyfriend? He works odd jobs for you every day, runs over ten miles in the dead of winter to buy you cake. Such a good guy. Don’t be foolish!” Listening to the landlord’s advice, I laughed coldly. Yes, what a great performance. Even the observers were moved, let alone someone in the middle of it all. “There’s no future for him and me. Please process the move-out paperwork. I don’t need the deposit back.” I hung up and returned home. Alexander was changing clothes. Just then, Alexander’s phone rang. A few seconds later, Victoria’s tearful voice echoed clearly in the quiet room. “Alexander, my stomach hurts so much… Lucas won’t help me…” Just one sentence, and Alexander, who moments ago had looked so tender, completely changed expression. He grabbed his jacket, not even bothering to make up a decent excuse, and rushed toward the door. “Lynn, my professor suddenly needs me for something urgent. I have to go back to campus. Eat without me today.” I stood there, watching his panicked retreating figure, and spoke. “Is it your professor looking for you, or Victoria?” Alexander’s steps stopped abruptly.

Lynn’s POV The air seemed to freeze in that instant. Alexander turned around. A flash of barely concealed panic crossed his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He walked back, gripping my shoulders with both hands, his tone carrying helplessness and reproach. “Lynn, what are you talking about? Victoria is Lucas Ford’s girlfriend. What could I possibly have with her? It really is my professor. There’s an urgent issue with the project.” When he lied, his eyes always habitually focused on the tip of my nose. I used to think this showed his concentration. Now I knew it was proof of his guilt. “Really?” I looked straight into his eyes, not missing the evasiveness in their depths. “But I just heard her voice.” Alexander’s expression stiffened. Then he sighed and pulled me into his arms. “You heard wrong. Lynn, have you been too tired lately? You’re always so paranoid. Once I finish with this busy period, I’ll take you out to relax, okay?” He was always like this. Using the gentlest tone to push all the blame onto me. I didn’t struggle, letting him hold me. “Okay, go ahead. Don’t keep your ‘professor’ waiting.” Alexander breathed a sigh of relief, dropped a hasty kiss on my forehead, turned and quickly left the apartment. The moment the door closed, I took out my phone and looked at the date circled in red on the calendar. Fourteen days until departure. That afternoon, I received an unexpected call. It was from Victoria. “Lynn, I’m having a birthday party tonight at ‘Nightshade.’ Alexander will be there too. If you know what’s good for you, come see for yourself and recognize your place.” The voice on the other end was arrogant and full of malice. I was about to hang up, but then thought better of it and replied with one word: “Okay.” At eight PM, at the most exclusive private club “Nightshade.” I wore a plain white shirt and jeans, completely out of place among the wealthy heirs surrounding me. As soon as I walked in, I attracted quite a few contemptuous stares. Victoria wore a haute couture gown. Like a proud princess, she stood in the center of the crowd on her boyfriend Lucas’s arm, smiling radiantly. And Alexander, wearing that faded cheap casual outfit, stood not far away, his gaze glued to Victoria the entire time. Seeing me appear, a triumphant gleam flashed through Victoria’s eyes. She deliberately pulled Lucas over to Alexander and said coyly, “Lucas, I’m thirsty.” Before Lucas could move, Alexander had already reflexively picked up a glass of juice and handed it over. The people around burst into laughter. “Mr. Blackwood’s service attitude is even more professional than the waiters.” “Well, it depends on who it’s for.” Only then did Alexander seem to wake from a dream. He jerked his hand back, his expression ugly. He turned his head and met my gaze directly. Panic flashed through his heart. He strode over and grabbed my wrist. “Why did you come? This isn’t a place you should be. Let me take you home.” “Let go.” I looked at him. Just then, a server wheeled over a massive multi-tiered cake. As Victoria was cutting the cake, whether intentionally or not, her foot twisted. Her whole body lurched forward, and the wine glass in her hand flew straight at me. Almost instinctively, Alexander shoved me aside and rushed forward to catch Victoria. “Victoria! Are you burned?” He held Victoria tightly, the concern and heartache in his eyes impossible to hide. Even his voice trembled. Meanwhile, I fell hard onto the floor covered in broken glass. The one he’d violently pushed aside. Sharp glass shards pierced my palm. Blood immediately welled up, staining the white sleeve of my shirt. The surroundings instantly quieted. Everyone looked at me sitting in a pool of blood with eyes full of mockery.

Lynn’s POV Piercing pain shot through my palm, but I didn’t even furrow my brow. I looked at the two people embracing tightly not far away and suddenly found the scene absurdly comical. Lucas walked forward with a cold expression and yanked Victoria out of Alexander’s arms. “Alexander, you’re overstepping. Victoria is my girlfriend.” Alexander’s hand froze in mid-air. Only then did he snap back to reality. He turned around and saw me sitting in a pool of blood. His face instantly turned deathly pale. “Lynn!” He rushed over in a panic, trying to help me up. “I’m sorry, I was too anxious just now. I didn’t mean to push you…” I avoided his outstretched hand and pushed myself up from the floor using my uninjured left hand. Blood dripped from my fingertips onto the carpet, one drop at a time, shocking to see. I didn’t cry or make a scene. I didn’t even ask a single question. I just looked at Alexander calmly. “It’s okay.” I smiled slightly. “After all, she’s more delicate.” Alexander’s expression was terrible. An unprecedented sense of panic was written all over his face. “Lynn, let me explain. I just-” “I’m going to the restroom to take care of this.” I interrupted him, turned, and walked toward the restroom. Cold water rushed over the wound, washing out the glass fragments. The pain was excruciating. I looked at my pale face in the mirror and couldn’t help but curl my lips into a cold smile. The sound of high heels clicked behind me. Victoria stood behind me at some point, arms crossed, smiling wickedly and triumphantly. “Lynn, you’re so pitiful.” Victoria looked at my bleeding hand, her eyes full of mockery. “Do you think Alexander really loves you? He’s just using you to make me jealous. As long as I crook my finger, he’ll crawl back to me like a dog anytime. You’re nothing but a cheap toy he uses to kill time.” I turned off the faucet and pulled some paper towels to methodically wipe the blood from my hand. I turned around and looked at Victoria through the mirror. “Is that so?” I smiled slightly. “Then I wish you both, the bitch and the dog, eternal happiness. I don’t want this pile of trash anymore. If you like picking through garbage, keep it and play with it slowly.” Victoria was infuriated. She raised her hand to slap me. “You bitch, how dare you insult me?!” I grabbed her wrist and flung it away hard. Victoria staggered backward several steps, nearly falling. “Miss Sterling, don’t dirty your haute couture.” I glanced at her and left the restroom without looking back. It was pouring rain outside. I didn’t have an umbrella and didn’t wait for Alexander. I walked alone into the rain. The rainwater washed over my wound, but it made me feel more clear-headed than ever. At two in the morning, Alexander burst into the apartment, soaking wet. Seeing me sitting on the sofa, panic flashed through his eyes. He rushed over and hugged me tightly, his voice trembling. “Lynn, I’m sorry. I looked everywhere for you… I just saw she was about to fall and it was instinct. Please don’t be angry with me, okay? How’s your hand? Let me take you to the hospital…” I let him hold me. “Alexander.” I spoke softly. “Do you think I’m really easy to fool?” Alexander’s body stiffened. “What… do you mean?” “Nothing.” I closed my eyes and gently pushed him away. “I’m tired. Let’s sleep.” Thirteen days until departure.

Lynn’s POV Ten days until departure. The gauze on my hand had been changed three times. Alexander’s performance had lasted three days. During these three days, he canceled all his “part-time jobs” and stayed in the apartment like a child who’d done something wrong. He cooked for me in various ways, even clumsily following online tutorials to make bone broth. “Lynn, does your hand still hurt?” Alexander brought the soup to the bedside, his eyes full of careful flattery. I leaned against the headboard, looking at his flawless face, only feeling it was utterly unfamiliar. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.” I didn’t take the bowl of soup. “Just leave it. I don’t have an appetite.” Alexander’s hand froze in mid-air, panic flashing through his eyes. He set down the bowl and pulled an exquisite velvet box from his pocket. He opened it. Inside lay a star-shaped necklace. “Lynn, I saved up two months of salary to buy this for you. You’ve always wanted a necklace, right?” He looked at me with expectant eyes. I looked at the necklace. Crude workmanship, cheap rhinestones. Even the clasp gleamed with cheap metallic luster. Just yesterday, I’d seen an identical necklace on Victoria’s Instagram. Except the one around Victoria’s neck was a globally limited edition from a luxury brand, outrageously expensive. He gave the expensive genuine article to someone else, while using a cheap knockoff to placate me. “Thank you, I really like it.” I didn’t expose him. I just calmly accepted the box and casually set it on the nightstand. Seeing me accept it, Alexander breathed a long sigh of relief and pulled me into his arms. “Lynn, once I graduate, let’s get married. I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life.” I let him hold me, my chin resting on his shoulder. “Okay.” I said softly. “I’ll wait for you.” Just then, Alexander’s phone on the table started vibrating. His body stiffened. He quickly released me, grabbed his phone, glanced at it, and his expression changed. “Lynn, my professor suddenly needs me to verify some data urgently. I have to go to the lab.” As he spoke, he hurriedly put on his jacket. I watched his retreating figure without trying to stop him. I just nodded. “Go ahead. Be careful on the road.” The moment the door closed, I took out my phone and opened a post Victoria had made five minutes ago. In the photo, Victoria wore a hospital gown with an IV in her hand. The caption read: “Sick, and only you’re willing to drop everything to be with me.” In the corner of the photo was a glimpse of a man’s sleeve. It was the faded white T-shirt Alexander had changed into before leaving this morning. Five days until departure. Today was the two-year anniversary of Alexander and me being together. Before leaving this morning, Alexander solemnly promised he would definitely come home early tonight and take me to that private restaurant in the south part of town that I loved. “Lynn, wait for me tonight. I have something very important to give you.” He kissed my forehead, his eyes so affectionate they could drown someone. I looked at him and just smiled slightly. “Okay.” That afternoon, I went to the bank and calculated every penny Alexander had “borrowed” from me or spent on me over the past two years, with interest, and deposited it all onto a new card. A total of three thousand four hundred fifty dollars. That was all the money that man had ever spent on me. At seven PM, I sat in that restaurant, watching the food on the table gradually grow cold, calmly sipping lemon water. Eight o’clock. Alexander didn’t appear. Nine o’clock. His phone was unreachable. Ten o’clock. The restaurant closed and the staff apologetically asked me to leave. I paid the bill and walked alone in the cold late autumn wind. My phone suddenly vibrated. It was a picture message from an unknown number. In the photo was an extremely luxurious rooftop restaurant. Victoria wore an elaborate gown, holding a large bouquet of red roses, her face full of shy smiles. Standing opposite her was Alexander in a haute couture suit. Below the photo was a single line: “Lynn, he’s proposing tonight, but not to you.” I looked at the screen without my breathing even faltering. I casually deleted the message and blocked the number. When I returned to the apartment, it was past eleven at night. The room was pitch black. I turned on the light and began packing the last of my luggage. Clothes, documents, a few medical books. One suitcase contained my entire life here. At two in the morning, the door lock turned. Alexander stumbled in, reeking of alcohol and perfume. Seeing me sitting on the sofa, he froze, then overwhelming guilt flooded his eyes. “Lynn… I’m sorry…”

Lynn’s POV He walked over, trying to hug me, but I dodged to the side. He missed and collapsed onto the sofa, covering his face in pain. “There was a major problem with the lab data. The professor was furious and kept me there the whole time… My phone died too…” He was still lying. I looked down at him from above, looking at this man I had once loved with all my heart and eyes, and suddenly felt unbearably sad. “Alexander.” I interrupted his rambling. “Were you really at the lab today?” Alexander’s whole body shook. He jerked his head up. His bloodshot eyes flashed with extreme panic. “I… of course I was…” “Fine.” I didn’t press further. I turned and walked back to the bedroom. “Get some sleep.” One day until departure. The apartment had been cleaned completely. All my personal belongings, except for that one suitcase, were gone. Alexander had been in a state of extreme anxiety these past few days. He’d sensed the change in me. To keep me, he even went so far as to buy a real diamond ring. “Lynn, let’s get married.” In the cramped living room, Alexander knelt on one knee, holding up that expensive diamond ring, his eyes burning and crazed. “Tomorrow we’ll go register our marriage. I don’t care about graduating anymore. I want to marry you right now.” I looked at that ring flashing with blinding light, then looked at the oxidized, blackened silver ring on my own finger. “Okay.” I extended my hand. “Nine o’clock tomorrow morning. I’ll meet you at City Hall.” Alexander slipped the ring onto my ring finger and hugged me tightly. “Lynn, I swear I’ll never let you suffer the slightest grievance again!” However, his phone in his pocket rang with a piercing tone. It was Lucas calling. Alexander answered. His face instantly turned deathly pale. “Alexander, Victoria slit her wrists! She’s in the ER! She’s been clutching that necklace you gave her the whole time!” Alexander’s body froze violently. His phone nearly slipped from his hand. He shot to his feet and rushed toward the door like a madman, not even grabbing his jacket. At the doorway, he suddenly stopped and looked back at me sitting on the sofa. “Lynn, I…” His voice was shaking, his eyes full of conflict. “Go.” I sat in the shadows, smiling self-mockingly. “After all, in your heart, she’s the most important one.” “I’ll be right back! Tomorrow morning at nine, I’ll definitely be at City Hall on time!” Alexander looked at me deeply, then turned and rushed into the night. The door closed. I slowly removed the diamond ring from my ring finger and threw it into the trash along with the old silver ring. I stood up and pressed a bank card and a letter under the water glass on the table. Then, dragging my suitcase, I walked out of this prison that had confined me for two years without looking back. No tears, no hysteria. Only complete liberation. Seven AM, international airport. I changed into the medical team’s uniform. “Dr. Lynn, we’re ready to board.” The team leader called to me from a distance. “Coming.” I took out my phone and sent Alexander that photo of him and Victoria at the rooftop restaurant proposal scene. The message contained only one brief sentence: “Game over. I wish you and Miss Sterling eternal happiness.” After sending it, I removed the SIM card, snapped it in half, and threw it into a nearby trash can. I turned and strode toward security without ever looking back.

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On the seventh day after my daughter’s tragic death in a car accident, the killer was sitting in my husband’s passenger seat. My husband, a top-tier lawyer, was mounting her defense. I scrambled for evidence outside the courtroom while he protected her inside. Until I fell gravely ill and remained in a coma for half a year. When I woke up, I stopped pursuing the truth. I stopped asking questions hysterically. Because I had started to forget my daughter’s voice. The sound of her calling “Mommy” had become blurred in my memory. Even her face was beginning to fade. And Ethan was still preparing late into the night for that killer. That day, he couldn’t find his case files and snapped at me impatiently, “Where’s the folder I asked you to put away the night before last?” I walked to the study doorway with empty eyes. “What?” He sneered coldly. “Playing dumb? You’re best at remembering these things, aren’t you?” I lowered my eyes and stayed silent for a long time. “I was just thinking,” I said softly, “what my daughter looked like. I can’t quite remember anymore.” The air suddenly froze. The documents in Ethan’s hands scattered across the floor. And I stood there, trying desperately to recall that little face that should have been carved into my bones. But now, all that remained was a blurry glow.

“Learned a new tactic? Trying to get my attention with this indifferent attitude?” Ethan’s expression was dark enough to drip water. “Tara, I know you’re angry—angry that I’m defending Rachel. But I’m a lawyer. I won’t abandon any client. Besides, Rachel is innocent.” I looked confused. “Why are you explaining all this to me? I didn’t even mention Rachel.” Ethan’s angry expression instantly froze. A flicker of guilt appeared in his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Forget it. I’ll find it myself.” I turned and went back to the bedroom. Just as I was about to lie down and rest, Ethan’s gentle voice came through the door that hadn’t closed all the way, somewhat muffled. “Rachel, what’s wrong? Don’t cry, tell me slowly… Those reporters are making things up. I’m coming over right now.” After a while, the bedroom door was pushed open. “Rachel’s having some trouble. I’m her defense attorney, so I need to handle it.” He explained somewhat uncomfortably. “Oh.” Ethan froze. He seemed to be waiting for what I would say next. But I simply nodded calmly and gave him a slight smile. After all, I couldn’t even remember where that folder was—how could I be expected to remember someone named Rachel? Ethan left in anger and didn’t come home all night. The next evening, he returned. And with him came Rachel. Her eyes were red-rimmed as she cowered timidly behind Ethan. That face was indeed pure and innocent. Even at thirty, she still looked like a college student. No wonder Ethan couldn’t forget her. “Tara,” Ethan coughed uncomfortably. “Rachel’s address was exposed. It’s not safe. I’m letting her stay at our place for a few days.” Rachel’s voice was barely a whisper: “Tara, I’m sorry for intruding. I really have nowhere else to go. Those people are terrifying—they’re calling me a murderer…” “How fake,” I thought to myself, turning to go to the kitchen. At the dinner table, Rachel sat next to Ethan. She kept passing him the pepper, cutting his steak for him. Busy as a bee. “Ethan, you have a sensitive stomach. You can’t eat spicy food.” She placed the peeled shrimp into Ethan’s bowl and shot me a challenging look. Ethan glanced at me somewhat awkwardly, wanting to see my reaction. I just quietly sipped my soup.

“Tara, aren’t you going to eat some food?” Seeing my indifference, Ethan proactively pushed the plate of peeled shrimp toward me. “This shrimp is quite fresh.” Looking at that plate of shrimp contaminated with Rachel’s saliva, my stomach instantly churned. I felt utterly disgusted. “No, thank you,” I said flatly. “Tara, what are you making a fuss about now? You’ve been sulking ever since Rachel walked through the door.” “What happened to our daughter was an accident. Why do you insist on blaming Rachel?” Ethan’s voice turned cold. I looked at him in confusion, about to speak— But was interrupted by Rachel’s crying. “Ethan, should I not have come? Tara seems to really hate me… Maybe I should just leave, even if those people beat me to death…” “Don’t talk nonsense. This is my house. I can let whoever I want stay here.” “She’s just been in that place too long. Her temper’s become strange. Don’t pay attention to her.” Ethan coaxed her gently. Hearing these words, my heart felt nothing. Only numbness remained. And so Rachel moved in. She couldn’t sit still either. Every day she found new ways to assert her presence in front of me. Wandering around the living room in a silk nightgown. Looking for something, her eyes occasionally glancing my way. I found her behavior bizarre. I just thought there was something wrong with her brain. Ethan had been so busy these past few days that he’d been staying at his office. Who was she performing for? But I couldn’t be bothered. I turned back to watching TV. Then I caught sight of a small plush toy in the corner of the TV cabinet. The toy was dusty, one eye slightly loose. My heart clenched painfully. This was my daughter’s favorite. How could it be here? I was still pondering this when Rachel suddenly reached from behind me and snatched the plush toy from my hands. “Oh thank god, I thought I’d lost it.” I stared at her. “This is yours?” Rachel raised her chin, smiling smugly. “Yes, Ethan gave it to me. He said it suits my personality perfectly.” Ethan gave it to her? Fragments of broken images flashed through my mind. My daughter running toward me in a pink tutu, bouncing with joy. “Give it back.” I reached out to Rachel, my voice hoarse. “Why should I? It’s mine!” “This was my daughter’s. It can’t be yours!” I lunged forward and grabbed Rachel’s wrist. “Let go of me!” Rachel screamed. The front door burst open and Ethan, who’d left work early, rushed in. Seeing this scene, he said nothing and shoved me away. I crashed heavily into the corner of the table, sharp pain shooting through my waist. Ethan shielded Rachel and glared at me furiously. “Tara, have you lost your mind?!” I pointed at the plush toy, tears streaming down my face. “This was Nina’s. Ethan, why is she saying it’s hers?” A flash of discomfort crossed Ethan’s face. “That was a gift I gave Rachel!” “Now you’re even trying to steal this? Are you still sick?!” Those words were like a bucket of ice water poured over my head. I stopped arguing. Because I suddenly realized my memory had serious problems.

I raised my head and stared at Ethan for a long moment. Those eyes that once held so much love now contained only impatience and disgust. Splitting apart the gentle image in my memory. When I first met him, I was the notorious spoiled heiress of our social circle. Everyone said I was destined to die alone. That even for an arranged marriage, no upper-class son could tolerate my temper. Only Ethan. Back then he was just a fledgling lawyer, standing firmly in front of me. “Don’t listen to them. The way you love and hate so fiercely—it’s beautiful.” “I’ll spend my whole life protecting your pride.” For that promise, I didn’t hesitate to break with my family to marry beneath my station. I stood by him from having nothing to becoming today’s top attorney. But later, when I kept crying and making scenes over Rachel, he finally grew tired of me. “Tara, when will you finally fix that domineering personality of yours? It’s so annoying.” All my breakdowns and tears were nothing but unreasonable tantrums in his eyes. Remembering the past, sourness welled up in my nose. I’d never felt so wronged. “Ethan, did you really buy this plush toy?” His eyes flickered with panic for an instant, his voice unconsciously rising. “There are tons of similar plush toys out there! Do you have to imagine that the whole world is targeting you before you’ll be satisfied?” Rachel stood behind him, a provocative smile playing at her lips, though her voice was aggrieved: “Ethan, forget it. Since Tara insists, I’ll give it to her. Even though this was a gift from you, I don’t want you two fighting over a toy…” “Don’t give it to her!” Ethan looked at me coldly. “Tara, don’t forget that Nina’s ashes are still at the funeral home. If you keep making trouble, I don’t mind making her disappear forever!” My whole body trembled. My nails dug hard into my palms. Ethan was a man who meant what he said. I closed my mouth and said nothing more. After this incident, to appease Rachel, Ethan decided to throw a small gathering at home. “Tomorrow is Rachel’s birthday. I’ve invited some colleagues and friends over to celebrate. Since you’re home with nothing to do anyway, you can handle the food and decorations.” I was dazed for a moment.

Tomorrow was October 15th. An inexplicable sadness welled up in my heart. This date seemed very important to me somehow. But I couldn’t remember why. Seeing my delayed response, Ethan frowned slightly. “Rachel’s been through a lot lately. I want to make her happy.” “You’d better act gracious and not embarrass me.” I nodded mechanically. After he left, I directly called a home service team. The old me would never have let others handle such things. Back when Ethan was just starting out, he was so busy his feet barely touched the ground. He often skipped meals and frequently suffered from stomach pain. I felt so bad for him that I, a pampered young lady who’d never lifted a finger, forced myself to learn how to cook. But Ethan took it for granted and would even complain that the food I brought was cold. Feeding your sincerity to a dog—this must be what that felt like. Early the next morning, the house was decorated with flowers. Rachel smiled sweetly at Ethan. “Ethan, isn’t this cake beautiful? It’s my favorite—strawberry flavor!” Ethan wrapped his arm around her waist affectionately and smiled. “As long as you like it.” Soon after, the guests began arriving. Rachel sat in the center, accepting everyone’s well-wishes. “Wishing Rachel eternal beauty!” “Mr. White really is so thoughtful toward Rachel!” Rachel laughed cheerfully, her eyes drifting toward me in the corner now and then. “Actually, I have Tara to thank for today being so wonderful.” “Even though we’ve had some misunderstandings, all these fruits and desserts were personally prepared by her.” Everyone’s eyes instantly focused on me, filled with curiosity and mockery. “So this is Mrs. White? I heard that after her daughter’s accident, she fell seriously ill.” “She looks pretty normal, though. How could she…” Ethan frowned, seemingly not wanting people to pay too much attention to me. “Alright, let’s cut the cake.” The lights dimmed. Rachel closed her eyes to make a wish, the candlelight illuminating her blissful face. Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang. “Who is it? It’s so late.” Ethan opened the door with some displeasure. Standing at the door was a delivery person, holding a bouquet of white lilies, a stuffed bear, and a photo of my daughter from when she was alive. Ethan’s face turned iron-dark. “Who told you to deliver these things?!” The delivery person looked confused, pulling out a receipt to verify. “That’s right. Ms. Tara ordered these from us half a year ago. She said today was her daughter’s death anniversary and we absolutely had to deliver them to this address.” The delivery person peered inside as he spoke. My head began to ache again, my temples throbbing. I held my head and stepped back, bumping into the wine on the table. The wine bottle fell to the floor, glass shards flying everywhere. All the fragmented memories reassembled themselves in that moment. A red sports car crashed into a guardrail, its front severely deformed. My daughter lay in a pool of blood, eyes still open, staring fixedly ahead. And Ethan, the man I’d loved for five years— Was frantically pulling the alcohol-reeking Rachel from the driver’s seat, stuffing her into the passenger seat, then getting into the driver’s seat himself. He turned his head and looked at me as I rushed over, revealing a cruel expression. “Tara, this was an accident. Nina is already dead.” “But Rachel is still alive. She can’t go to prison.” Reality and memory slowly overlapped. I looked at the white lilies before me, at the festive red balloons filling the room. My whole body began to tremble, my eyes turning bloodshot. “Ethan, did you think giving me injections and hypnotizing me would make me forget all this?” “Impossible! I won’t forget that Rachel killed Nina, and you’re her accomplice!”

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I lived with the Sterling family for ten years. Declan Sterling and I always minded our own business, never crossing the line. At the company, he was my ultimate boss, and I was one of his assistants. After work, he was just the son of my parents’ best friends—someone I rarely exchanged more than two words with. Until one day, we got married. He said, “I’m not getting any younger, and we know everything about each other. You’re a very good choice.” I smiled, hiding my true motives. “Then we both get what we need.” That was, until the rumors about me and the executive secretary started flying around the office. The usually aloof, untouchable CEO barged straight into the assistant’s bullpen. Under everyone’s shocked gazes, he personally fed me a bite of cake. “My wife is pregnant,” he announced. “Please take good care of her. Today’s afternoon tea is on me.” 01 In the morning, the moment I stepped into the office, the colleague next to me grabbed my arm. She looked desperate. “Chloe, my stomach is killing me. Can you please drop this file off in the CEO’s office for me?” I paused. Glancing at the time—exactly 9:00 AM. I had just parted ways with Declan ten minutes ago. At this hour, he should be in his office. I didn’t refuse. “Sure.” I put down my purse, took the file, and knocked on Declan’s door. “Come in,” a deep, magnetic voice answered. I pushed the door open. The office was spacious and immaculate. Declan had his back to me, one hand resting casually on the desk, talking on speakerphone. Seeing this, I stood patiently to the side. “Thank you, Arthur,” Declan said politely. “I’ll leave it all in your hands.” “You little brat, you’re absolutely ruthless in business,” the older man laughed. “I learned from the best.” “Bullshit,” Mr. Vance laughed softly, then his tone softened. “Listen, Declan. Are you and your parents free this Saturday night?” I blinked. What was going on? Why the sudden family small talk? I wondered if I should step out to give him privacy. Declan raised an eyebrow, glanced at me, and replied calmly, “I’ll have to check my schedule. Is there a special occasion?” “My daughter, Serena. You two used to play together as kids. She just got back from London. My wife and I want to book a restaurant to welcome her back. It’s always better with more people.” Uh. Was this a disguised blind date? Hearing this, I lowered my eyes, straining my ears while using my peripheral vision to peek at the man behind the desk. His face was expressionless as he flipped through the documents on his desk. He didn’t seem particularly interested in the setup. “I’ll pass the message to my parents. They should be free.” “You make sure to come too! You young people will have plenty to talk about…” Okay, that was way too obvious. He practically spelled it out. “I will.” Wait, what? He agreed? “Then it’s a date,” Mr. Vance said cheerfully. “See you Saturday night.” Then, with lightning speed, he hung up. Declan didn’t react much. He just tapped the end call button and went back to reading his files. I pursed my lips and slid the folder across his desk. “Mr. Sterling, this needs your signature.” He gave a slight nod, took the file, scanned it carefully, signed it, and handed it back to me. Smooth and efficient. As I took the folder, his fingertips brushed against mine. I shivered. It felt like an electric current snapping through me. Declan seemed to feel it too. He paused for a fraction of a second before looking back down at his work. I didn’t leave immediately. I stood right in front of him. With my eyes cast down, staring at the bold, sharp signature on the paper, my mind aggressively chewed over the conversation I had just overheard. “Is there something else?” he asked. I bit my lip and tested the waters. “Going on a blind date?” Declan lifted his gaze, crossed his arms, and leaned back in his leather chair. “What do you think?” His tone held a hint of amusement. I kept my head down, took a massive, deep breath, and summoned every ounce of courage I had. “Would you… consider me instead?” 02 “Are you sure?” he asked. His deep voice carried a sudden, rough edge. In an instant, the atmosphere grew incredibly tense. My heart pounded wildly against my ribs. I knew he was asking to give me an out. Declan had always been a deeply rational man. Silence spread through the air. After a long pause, I heard my own voice say softly, “I’m sure.” “I have conditions.” He stood up and took slow, deliberate steps toward me. Of course he had conditions. I understood. Rich people always needed to protect their assets. Especially since his marriage would impact the operations of Sterling Global. Even though I received a $30,000 payout from my own trust fund every month, compared to Declan’s net worth, it was less than a drop in the ocean. I was fully prepared to sign an ironclad prenup. Besides, I was only marrying him because… “Let’s go get the marriage license right now,” his voice rang in my ears. Huh? What??? I completely froze. By the time I snapped out of my daze, Declan had already closed the distance. He leaned in, planting both hands on the desk on either side of me, completely caging me in. I looked up, falling straight into his ink-black eyes. Didn’t I just say Declan was a rational man? Why was he suddenly acting crazier than I was?! 03 I skipped work. Actually, not just me. Declan skipped work too. On the way, Declan detoured to the most exclusive jeweler on Fifth Avenue and asked me to pick out a wedding band. The glass cases were filled with blinding, extravagant diamonds. The saleswoman was enthusiastic. “What girl doesn’t love diamonds?” She pointed to the centerpiece display. “This is a flawless, rare blue diamond, the kind you usually only see on European royalty.” I, however, pointed to a simple platinum band in the corner. “I want this one.” Halfway to our next destination, Declan stepped out of the car again. When he got back in, he was holding a bouquet of white Lisianthus. Getting married in New York wasn’t too complicated. We just needed to go to City Hall for the license, and the lawyers would handle the rest of the paperwork. Sterling Global had an entire legal department, but I thought about it and suggested we hire Fiona, a private attorney, to handle our application. I had my selfish reasons. First, Fiona was a close friend of mine. Second, I wanted to keep a low profile. I didn’t want to alert anyone inside the company. The fewer people who knew, the better. 04 It wasn’t until the drive back that I finally processed what had just happened. I was sitting in the passenger seat of Declan’s Range Rover. We were heading toward the Sterling estate in Greenwich. The sunset spilled through the car windows, glinting off the wedding band on my finger. I was married. And to Declan Sterling, of all people. I peeked at Declan’s hand out of the corner of my eye. He was wearing the matching band. His long, elegant fingers gripped the steering wheel. He kept his eyes on the road, looking completely calm and collected. It was different from how he looked at work. Right now, he had taken off his suit jacket, unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, and loosened his tie. Without his usual intimidating aura, he actually looked a bit laid-back. This was the first time I had ridden in Declan’s personal car. Usually, I just took the subway or caught an Uber. He was always strict about keeping his personal and professional lives separate. Even though his mother had gotten me the job at the company, he never gave me any special treatment. At the office, he was my boss. After work, he was the son of my parents’ best friends. We rarely spoke. I had lived in the Sterling house for ten years. But in reality, my relationship with Declan was incredibly shallow. My mind flashed back to what Fiona said at the lawyer’s office, her face sporting a teasing smirk. “Dream come true?” A hot blush crept up my neck. Sorry, Declan. The car stopped at a red light. “Chloe, do you regret it?” Declan suddenly asked. I snapped out of my thoughts and shook my head. “No. Do you?” He turned to look at me, his gaze direct and serious. “I won’t regret it.” Out of habit, I lowered my eyes, avoiding his burning stare, and scrambled for a topic. “Can I ask why you wanted to get married?” “I’m not getting any younger, and we know everything about each other. You’re a very good choice. What about you?” “Me…” I couldn’t exactly say I had an ulterior motive, could I? I pressed a hand against my racing heart and went with a safe answer. “You’re handsome and rich. I couldn’t find a better catch with a flashlight. Marrying you isn’t exactly a loss for me.” It was the truth. Declan had always been the golden boy. The typical “perfect son.” Not only was he ridiculously good-looking, but he was brilliant at running the empire. He let out a low chuckle, the corners of his lips curving up. “I’m honored by your high praise.” I glanced at him and quickly looked down. He reached over and gently tucked a few stray strands of hair behind my ear. “I will do my best to be a good husband.” That was his promise. I smiled, revealing faint dimples. “Then we both get what we need.” 05 When we got home, the housekeeper, Martha, told us that Mr. and Mrs. Sterling were attending a gala and would be back late. Declan handed his briefcase to Martha and looked at me. “Let’s eat first.” I kept my head down, sipping my water, and hummed in agreement. It wasn’t until we quietly finished dinner that I suddenly remembered— Tonight was our wedding night! After dinner, Declan went up to his study on the third floor. That was his designated workspace. After showering, I paced back and forth in my room. Should I go to his room or not? Just then, my phone buzzed. It was Fiona. “Wedding night vibes! How is it? Are you excited? Is he a beast in bed?” No filter, as always. My face instantly burned. “How would I know if he’s a beast? I’ve never tried him out.” Fiona clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Declan is such an old soul. You need to take the initiative. Push him down, seal the deal, and make him take responsibility for you forever.” “Who acts that crazy? If I actually did that, it would scare him away.” “Oh, please. You’re gorgeous, you have a killer body, and a sweet personality. If a premium catch like you threw herself at him and he ran, he’d have to be legally blind.” “I’m not talking to you anymore. You’re never serious.” After hanging up, I bit my lip, agonizing over it for another ten minutes. Finally, I chose to open my door. Better to devour him early so he wouldn’t have the chance to regret this. 06 There were four rooms on the third floor: Declan’s bedroom, my bedroom, the study, and a guest room. Light spilled from the crack under the study door. He was still working. The house was dead quiet. My heartbeat felt deafeningly loud. I tiptoed into Declan’s room. The style was completely different from mine. Beige walls, a navy blue duvet. Minimalist and sharp, just like the man himself. Only a single bedside lamp was on. I bit my lip, carefully climbed into the bed, and wrapped myself in the duvet he slept in every night. A faint, clean scent enveloped me. It was Declan’s scent. … Just as I was about to doze off. The door opened—Declan was back! I shut my eyes tightly, pretending to be fast asleep. In the darkness, I heard the door click shut, followed by footsteps. The footsteps paused for a moment by the bed. Then came the sound of a closet opening, running water… It wasn’t until I heard the shower running in the en-suite that I dared to peek. Through the frosted glass door, a silhouette shifted within the swirling steam. My heart hammered relentlessly against my ribs. Suddenly, the water stopped. My entire body tensed, and I slammed my eyes shut. I heard the bathroom door open, footsteps approaching, and then the covers shifted on the other side. He got into bed. Every tiny movement tugged at my nerve endings. Click. The lamp turned off. The wait felt like an entire century. Declan didn’t move an inch. I cracked my eyes open. The first thing I saw was his handsome profile in the moonlight. A sharp nose, defined jawline. I gripped the edge of the duvet, a million thoughts racing through my head. What should I do? If I kept hesitating, I was genuinely going to fall asleep. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and decisively rolled over, throwing myself straight into his arms. I was instantly met with his clean, fresh scent. I rested one hand on his chest. Even through his pajamas, the texture underneath was surprisingly solid. He sat in an office all day—how did he secretly build all these muscles? Instantly, Declan’s entire body jolted, and he went completely rigid. “Chloe?” His voice was deep, suppressed, sounding like a cello playing a mesmerizing chord. My cheeks felt like they were on fire. I shyly grabbed the hem of his shirt. Summoning all my liquid courage, I asked, “Declan… are we doing this or not?” 07 Silence blanketed us. The air seemed to thicken into amber, glowing faintly but dangerously in the moonlight. The distance between us vanished until I could hear his breathing. He finally spoke, his voice low and trembling slightly. “Are you… sure?” A large hand wrapped around my waist, lingering on my side. I looked up. Through the dark, I saw his tense jaw. I took a quiet breath. Was he… not capable? A woman literally threw herself into his arms, and he was hesitating? I don’t know where the courage came from, but I pressed my hand down his stomach, reaching lower… The next second, a breathless, panicked gasp escaped him. “Chloe!” Startled, I immediately let go. I patted my chest, letting out a sigh of relief. “Thank God. I thought you had a problem down there…” Before I could finish, my mouth was covered. “Mmph…” Suddenly, the arm around my waist tightened, and a hand cupped the back of my head. The next second, the world spun… … A long time later. A hand brushed against my forehead, gently wiping away the light sweat. Declan’s lips brushed my ear. “Chloe.” I felt like I was floating on an ocean, my voice catching in broken whimpers. “Mhm?” “Call me Declan,” he demanded hoarsely. “…” He pinched my waist. I gasped, crying out softly. “Ah…” Then, weakly, I surrendered to his demand. “Dec…” I felt his dark eyes gleam in the shadows. “Say it again.” “Declan…” Those words made the corners of his mouth lift into a faint smile. He leaned down and kissed me again. Over and over. Round after round. 08 The next day, I woke up from a dizzying haze. I opened my eyes, propped myself up, and looked around. The curtains were half-drawn. The room was empty. I let out a long breath. Thank God Declan wasn’t here. Otherwise, I truly wouldn’t know how to face him. Fighting through the soreness in my body, I quickly snuck back to my room. After washing up and changing, I slowly walked downstairs. As I reached the landing, I saw Eleanor and Declan chatting at the dining table. Eleanor was drinking milk, her face beaming with unconcealed joy. “Son, after all these years, you finally did something right.” “Chloe is so much sweeter than a biological son.” Declan looked like he had a headache. He put down his toast and laughed helplessly. “Mom, I never stopped you from legally adopting her as your goddaughter.” “You think I didn’t want to? Chloe was the one who didn’t want it.” Declan looked confused. “Why?” Eleanor glanced at Declan and sighed. “That girl just has too good of a heart. She said if we officially adopted her, what would happen if your future wife had a problem with it?” “She was worried about putting you in a difficult position.” Hearing this, Declan froze. Eleanor finished her milk, thought for a moment, and said, “I just talked to your father. Chloe isn’t lacking in money, but we might as well transfer the title of this Greenwich estate to her.” “I wonder if she’d like that?” “Mom, has she ever complained about anything you’ve given her?” As he said that, he looked up. And saw me slowly walking down the stairs.

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Carter Vance won a priceless pink diamond at an auction. I thought he was finally going to propose to me. After all, we had been dating for seven years. His best buddy congratulated him, saying we were finally about to tie the knot. But I heard Carter ask in return, “When did I ever say I was marrying Maya?” “Who else would it be?” “The Vances are old money. How could my parents ever allow me to marry an orphan with nothing to her name? My family has already arranged a marriage with a woman of equal social standing. I’ll be proposing to her in a few days and announcing our engagement to the press.” His friend asked, “Then what about Maya?” Carter scoffed. “How can you mix love and business? I’ll just keep her as a mistress after I’m married. With her background, she should be on her knees thanking me.” 1 “Damn, Carter, but with Maya’s personality, would she really settle for being your side piece?” The grating voice drifted out from the VIP lounge. Through the crack in the door, under the dim, amber lighting, a faint smirk appeared on Carter’s handsome face. “She’s always been clingy, like a little puppy. As long as she gets to stay with me, she’ll do whatever I tell her.” The doorknob in my hand suddenly felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. I couldn’t push it open. I didn’t want to anymore. I had been so full of joy, thinking he was going to propose to me tonight. I never imagined that he had factored me into his future in such an incredibly humiliating way—leaving me the disgusting, immoral position of a kept mistress. Anger flooded my mind. My emotions screamed at me to burst in there, slap him hard across the face, and demand to know why he was treating me like this. But my rationality reminded me that doing so would be pointless. It would only give their elite little circle another joke to laugh at about the poor girl who didn’t know her place. After weighing it in my mind, I let go of the doorknob and turned away. “Maya?!” A familiar voice called out. I turned around to see one of Carter’s friends walking down the hall. Inside the lounge, the loud voices eagerly guessing who their “new sister-in-law” would be abruptly went dead silent. “Did you just get here?” he asked. I forced a smile. “I’ve been standing at the door for a minute.” The moment the words left my mouth, the faces inside the room drained of color. From a short distance away, Carter and I looked at each other. Neither of us spoke. He still had that calm, breezy look on his face. He was absolutely certain that I loved him too deeply. He believed that no matter how awful his words were, I could never bear to leave him. Because of that, he was confident. He assumed I would do anything for him, even willingly become his dirty little secret. Suddenly, I found it all so meaningless. I turned and walked away. Behind me, I heard his friend’s worried voice: “Carter, is she going to be mad?” “You should go after her and coax her.” Carter let out a low, dismissive scoff. “It’s fine. I know her personality. she won’t make a scene.” We had been together for seven years and lived together for three. Carter thought he knew me inside and out. In his eyes, I was quiet, gentle, and understanding. When we first got together, he told me that was his favorite thing about me. He said I was like a wild orchid—blooming quietly, never fighting for attention. Looking back now, that description made me sick. His so-called metaphor was a severe desecration of such a pure flower. 2 I drove back to our shared apartment. I packed my bags to leave. I remembered when we first moved in together. Carter had wrapped his arms around me and said, “Maya, hand in your two weeks’ notice. I’ll take care of you.” At the time, we both worked at Vance Corp. The difference was that I was just a junior sales manager, while he was the CEO of the entire empire. Hearing him say he would take care of me sounded incredibly sweet. Unfortunately, as someone who grew up with zero sense of security, I firmly believed in the survival rule of relying on myself rather than others. So, I refused. Back then, Carter had frowned. “Vance Corp is my company. You busting your ass all month for that chump change… is it really better than letting me take care of you?” A base salary of $8,000 a month plus commission—in his eyes, it was just “chump change.” I knew the gap between us all too well. Billionaires marry billionaires. Nobodies marry nobodies. And sadly, I was entirely alone in this world. I didn’t even have a family to speak of. I never expected to walk down the aisle with him. To me, as long as he loved me and I loved him, that was enough. Even if we couldn’t make it to the end, we could part on good terms. But he got angry. On our very first day in the new apartment, he gave me the cold shoulder. He ignored me for an entire month. I swallowed my pride and begged him to come around. Every day after work, I’d cook his favorite meals, waking up at three or four in the morning to meticulously prep his breakfast. After a month of me quietly delivering lunches to his office, he finally softened. His tone was irritable and displeased: “Maya, you are way too clingy.” Back then, I thought “clingy” was just playful banter between couples. Now, I was just thankful I hadn’t given up my career for a fleeting moment of romance. Two large suitcases held everything I owned from the past few years. I drove to my new home. It was a small apartment I had bought entirely with my own money—only 500 square feet. When I was house hunting, Carter had laughed at me. He couldn’t understand why I would turn down the luxury mansion he offered me, only to insist on buying a tiny, trashy apartment where you could barely turn around. He didn’t understand me. Just like I had never truly understood him. For three whole days, Carter didn’t realize I had moved out. He didn’t even send a single text demanding an explanation. Even though I was now the VP of Sales, I rarely bumped into Carter at the office. If he wasn’t going to look for me, I couldn’t be bothered to look for him. But one day, an uninvited guest arrived at the company. It was Chloe Harrington, the spoiled princess of the Harrington Group—the family with equal social standing to the Vances. Carter personally went down to the lobby to receive her. I was walking a client out when I bumped right into them. Carter gave me a curt nod, as if we were just the most ordinary of colleagues. He placed a hand on Chloe’s slender waist, guiding her into his private executive elevator. She must be the one. The future wife he had mentioned. The owner of that priceless pink diamond. Before the elevator doors closed, Chloe cast an inquiring look my way. Carter didn’t even spare me a glance. The employee elevator stopped on way too many floors. By the time I reached my office, the receptionist was standing at my door, looking deeply uncomfortable. “What’s wrong?” I asked. The receptionist answered, “VP Maya, Mr. Vance said my skills aren’t good enough. He wants you to go to his office and make coffee for Miss Harrington.” 3 I was a little dazed. I thought I had misheard. The receptionist whispered a reminder: “Mr. Vance said to hurry. Miss Harrington is waiting.” I let out a breathless, angry laugh. What the hell was Carter doing? Did he seriously think he could make me serve coffee to the “official wife” before I even agreed to be his mistress? I was absolutely speechless and entirely repulsed. But I didn’t want to make things difficult for my coworker. “I’ll head over. You go back to your desk.” Looking grateful, the receptionist trotted back to her station. I went to the breakroom, brewed a fresh cup of artisan coffee, and carried it to the CEO’s office. I knocked on the door. Carter’s light, cheerful voice called out from inside, “Come in.” It was obvious that Miss Harrington, his new fling, pleased him greatly. I pushed the door open, only to see Chloe sitting directly on Carter’s lap, covering her mouth as she giggled flirtatiously. She was wearing a pastel designer tweed suit that perfectly complimented her flushed, delicate cheeks. She looked like a blooming, exquisite flower. Carter looked up at me. With a cold, detached expression, he tapped his finger on the desk, signaling me to place the cup there. But Chloe suddenly spoke up: “Hand it to me.” Standing across the large mahogany desk, I reached over to hand her the cup. Chloe didn’t reach out. She lightly tapped the desk, gesturing for me to walk all the way around and place it directly into her hand. Suppressing the intense discomfort in my chest, I set the coffee cup down on the desk instead. “Serving coffee is outside my job description, and Miss Harrington is not my client. I hope our CEO remembers the company’s HR policies and refrains from casually harassing his employees.” I turned to leave. But Carter barked, “Stop right there!” “Is Vance Corp too small to hold your massive ego now?” Was he using my job to threaten me? Thinking about the massive contract I was about to close—and the six-figure commission check attached to it—I held my ground. I stopped in my tracks. The moment I turned back around, I didn’t miss the fleeting sneer on Carter’s face. He was mocking me. Mocking me, the orphan with nothing to her name, for compromising because of his light threat. Perhaps he already knew I had moved out of our home, but he simply didn’t care enough to acknowledge it. He probably thought that as long as he gave the word, I would come running back like an obedient dog. Chloe giggled. “Carter, the people at Vance Corp really don’t respect the hierarchy, do they? If she were at Harrington Group, she’d be fired instantly with an attitude like that.” Carter looked at me with deep, meaningful eyes. His voice was heavy. “She definitely needs to be taught a lesson.” When you love someone, words like that can be interpreted as playful banter. But when the love is gone, they just sound unbelievably toxic. I picked up the hot coffee again, walked halfway around the desk, and handed it to Chloe. The moment Chloe wrapped her fingers around the handle, I let go. But suddenly, the scalding coffee splashed out, raining down on the back of my hand. In an instant, my skin flared an angry, blistering red. The cup shattered against the floor. Chloe shrieked and buried her face into Carter’s chest. “Carter! It burned my hand! It hurts so much!” she cried, playing the victim. She held up a slightly pink fingertip, sobbing to Carter. Carter’s face went dark. He glared at me with sheer irritation and cursed, “How the hell do you do things?! You’re as stupid as a pig! I don’t know how you ever got promoted to VP of Sales!” 4 The back of my hand was burning, sending shooting pain up my arm. His insult—stupid as a pig—put me in a daze. Years ago, when I secretly passed the interviews to join Vance Corp just to surprise him, I vividly remember him praising me for being brilliant. I had been at Vance Corp for six years. I put my life on the line for this job, just to close the gap between us and give our future a fighting chance. I saw reality clearly, but I refused to accept my fate. I climbed my way up from a regular employee to the VP position, step by step. Yet here he was, calling me stupid, saying I couldn’t even serve a cup of coffee. It was laughable. “Is the CEO questioning Vance Corp’s hiring matrix? If you disagree with my position as VP of Sales, you are welcome to file a motion with the board of directors. Instead of launching brainless, personal attacks at me in this office.” “And let me reiterate: my job description does not include serving coffee to irrelevant bystanders.” I clutched my scalded hand and turned to leave. Carter stepped around the desk and grabbed my wrist. “Apologize to Chloe.” His grip was incredibly strong. He yanked my freshly burned hand, sending a spike of agony through me. I couldn’t hold back a sharp gasp of pain. He instantly let go. The shocking, blistering red burn on my wrist and the back of my hand was fully exposed. I looked up at him, my voice ice-cold. “There are security cameras in the CEO’s office. It’s crystal clear who’s at fault here. I think Miss Harrington should be the one apologizing to me.” A flash of panic crossed Chloe’s face, but she quickly masked it. “I didn’t expect Miss Maya to be so good at playing the victim.” Doubt flickered in Carter’s eyes. I laughed out of sheer anger. “Say whatever you want. If you’re not satisfied, you and Miss Harrington can call the cops.” I turned and walked out. Despite Chloe’s obvious fury, Carter didn’t try to stop me again. Looking at the burn on my hand, I remembered there was a first-aid kit in the breakroom. As I approached the breakroom, I heard a few female employees gossiping inside. “Is Miss Harrington going to be our future CEO’s wife?” “It’s a done deal! Mr. Vance has never brought a woman to the office before. She’s the first!” “I heard from the receptionist that VP Maya was called in to serve her coffee. Maya is a Vice President! Making her serve coffee… Mr. Vance really values Miss Harrington.” Someone lowered their voice. “I honestly thought VP Maya and Mr. Vance were a thing. Guess I was wrong.” “Mr. Vance did treat Maya differently, but who wouldn’t like a capable leader like her?” “It’s all about old money marrying old money nowadays. Maya might be great, but compared to Mr. Vance, she falls short.” “More than just short! Word on the street is Maya’s an orphan. The Vances are billionaires. Even if they really dated, the Vance family would never let her marry in…” I walked in, and the chatter came to a dead halt. 5 Back in my office, just as I finished applying the burn ointment, Carter called my phone. “You blocked my number on your personal phone?” His first sentence was an accusation. “Mr. Vance, if it’s about work, you can reach me on the company’s messaging app.” “Maya. You’ve got nerve.” Even through the receiver, I could hear him grinding his teeth. “I’m waiting in Parking Level 1. Come down right now.” I frowned, about to refuse, when he added, “Don’t make a scene and embarrass us both.” Maybe it was time to make things crystal clear. I replied, “Fine.” In the underground parking garage, Carter was leaning against his car door, looking down, lost in thought. When he saw me, he opened the passenger door. “Get in. Let’s talk.” I gave a dry, exasperated smile. Nobody at the company knew about our relationship. Even if there were rumors, they were never confirmed. At first, I was the one who wanted to keep it a secret for the sake of my career. Later, he became the one who wanted it hidden. Now that he was getting married, did he really need to sneak around just to meet his girlfriend? He handed me a tube of prescription burn cream. I shook my head. “It’s already bandaged.” Carter let out a soft “Hmm.” “You always did know how to take care of yourself.” I smiled silently. “That’s why, Carter… let’s break up.” Carter froze. Then he gave a cold laugh. “Maya, we’ve been together for seven years, and now you’re telling me you want to break up?” A wave of powerless anger surged in my chest. “Carter, you’re getting married. Do you seriously expect me to stick around and be your dirty little secret? Seven years. You said it yourself, it’s been seven years. Do you even have a heart?” I turned my face away. I didn’t want to look at him anymore. He felt like a complete stranger. Carter tapped his long fingers against the steering wheel, his tone perfectly composed. “What’s wrong with being my mistress? You can still be the VP of Sales at Vance Corp. If you don’t want to work anymore, I’ll support you. You can have kids if you want, or not if you don’t. A comfortable, pressure-free life. What’s so bad about that?” “Is it really that hard to accept reality?” I looked up at him, unable to comprehend how he could say something so abhorrent with such a straight face. The man who used to look at me like I hung the moon, the man who promised to spend the rest of his life with me… how did he turn into this? So, his version of “spending the rest of his life with me” was keeping me stashed away in a penthouse, treating me like a useless trophy waiting to be fed? “Let’s just part on good terms. You wouldn’t want me ruining your family’s perfectly calculated, elite marriage, would you?” Carter’s calm facade finally cracked. 6 Truthfully, my savings were enough to sustain me for a very, very long time. I probably wouldn’t even need to work for the rest of my life. But I was greedy. The security that a man couldn’t give me, the numbers in my bank account could. The massive contract I was handling was almost finalized, and I couldn’t bear to walk away from that huge commission. So, I kept delaying turning in my resignation letter. After my ugly fallout with Carter, the next time I saw him was on a plane. It was a mandatory business trip to Chicago. I had no idea he was going to be there. Or rather, he went specifically because of me. The colleague who was supposed to accompany me bailed at the last minute, claiming an emergency. On this trip, it was just me and him. The hotel had also booked single rooms. He claimed the hotel was fully booked and there was only one room left. What a cheap, pathetic trick. I immediately turned around and booked a room at the hotel across the street. Carter’s face went pitch black. He asked me out to dinner. I refused. He offered to bring food to my room. I refused that, too. Since we broke up, I wanted a clean, absolute break. But he showed up at my door anyway. “Maya, give me the contract. I need to review it one more time,” Carter said in a low voice through the door. I grabbed the contract we were signing tomorrow, cracked the door open, and handed it to him. But Carter shoved his way inside. He kicked the door shut behind him, pinning my wrists and pressing me hard against the back of the door. His heavy breathing echoed in my ear. His voice was hoarse. “Maya.” “Maya.” “Why won’t you drop this useless pride and just enjoy being with me?” “Don’t you love me anymore?” I pushed back with all my might, but I couldn’t move him an inch. “Carter, don’t make me hate you!” I bit down hard on his shoulder, which only enraged him. He threw me onto the soft hotel bed and violently ripped my blazer open. The moment he pressed his body over mine, I braced my leg and kneed him as hard as I could right between the legs. He curled up in agony. I bolted out of the hotel room. The early spring night was biting cold. I remembered back in college, when the distinguished alumni returned to give a lecture. The university had chosen me to present him with flowers. He told me I had a beautiful smile, especially my dimples. That polite, charming gentleman was a stark contrast to the beast who had just assaulted me. The cold wind slapped my cheeks, leaving them freezing. I didn’t even realize I was crying. I wiped my face, telling myself to hold it together. I just needed to get through this one obstacle. It was nothing I couldn’t handle. I had made it this far. I was just one contract away. Even if I had to grit my teeth until they shattered, I was going to finish this project. I sat outside for a long time. Only after I saw Carter leave the hotel did I finally return to my room, my heart still pounding in my chest. The room was a mess, documents scattered everywhere. I spent ages organizing everything. The next day, I arrived at the signing venue as planned. Carter was already sitting there, his face unreadable. I could tell he was furious, so much so that his jaw was still tightly clenched. I checked the time. I was fifteen minutes early, and the client hadn’t arrived yet. “Mr. Vance,” I said, taking a seat with perfect composure. Carter gave me a half-smile. “Maya, did you know?” “This deal has been canceled.” 7 I couldn’t believe it. That was impossible. The terms were fully negotiated. We were at the finish line. Why would the client back out now? “Mr. Vance, is this a joke?” Carter looked at me, amused. “Do I look like I’m joking?” “What reason did the client give?” Carter said nothing. I pulled up the client’s number on my phone and dialed. The client sighed helplessly. “This was your CEO’s decision. Mr. Vance said Vance Corp is no longer interested in taking this project.” I stared at Carter in total disbelief. “What the hell are you doing?!” I yelled. A multi-million dollar project, and he just scraps it on a whim?! Did he know how many evaluations I ran, how much blood and sweat I poured into this? With a single, flippant sentence, he negated all the hard work me and my team had done. Carter lit a cigarette, the smoke curling around him. “I told you. Except for the title of ‘wife,’ I can give you everything.” “But naturally, if you refuse to behave, I will take things away.” I froze in place. I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. “I was too greedy.” Carter finally smiled, like a hunter who had successfully trapped his favorite prey. Grabbing my briefcase, I headed straight for the airport. In the departure lounge, I hit “send” on the resignation letter sitting on my laptop desktop. Exhausted, I finally made it back to my little apartment, only to find a scene that made me shake with rage. The hallway walls were spray-painted in bright colors with horrific slurs: [HOMEWRECKER], [SLUT], [TRASH]. My front door was wide open, the inside completely ransacked. My clothes, toiletries, and documents were scattered all over the floor. The furniture I had just bought was smashed to pieces. I trembled uncontrollably. An unknown number called my phone. I answered, and a familiar voice came through the speaker. It was Chloe Harrington. “Miss Maya, I wonder if you like the gift I sent you?” Her delicate giggles echoed through the phone, grating on my nerves. “There are some men that someone of your status shouldn’t even dream of. Let me give you some advice: stay far away from Carter Vance.” I hung up and called 911. Unfortunately, the hallway security cameras were conveniently broken. Without solid proof, the police couldn’t do anything. I packed whatever was salvageable and crashed at a friend’s place for a while. My resignation process hit a roadblock at the final step. Carter refused to sign off on it. HR told me Mr. Vance wouldn’t budge, and their hands were tied. I asked Carter to meet me. I smiled and asked, “Didn’t you want me to quit my job and stay by your side? What, you don’t want that anymore?” Carter’s eyes filled with affection. He leaned in and pulled me into a hug. “I was worried you had other plans. Maya, isn’t this so much better?” “Don’t live in that dump anymore. Let’s move to a mansion in the hills. “If you really want, we can even have a private wedding ceremony overseas.” Where he couldn’t see, my smile vanished. I whispered, “In your dreams.” 8 The day all my salary, commissions, and bonuses were finally deposited into my account. I changed my phone number and got on a flight to Seattle. The world is huge. Hiding from one person is incredibly easy. I heard from friends that Carter went crazy looking for me. When he found out Chloe had trashed my apartment, he personally went and smashed up Chloe’s favorite luxury villa, and even severed all business ties with the Harrington Group. But eventually, the elders of the Vance family suppressed the chaos. Carter’s father had quite a few illegitimate children, and even his mother had a daughter from an affair. Carter was merely the nexus of his parents’ financial interests. No one was going to let him throw a tantrum without consequences. When his father prepared to elevate one of the competent illegitimate sons to power, his mother intervened, and Carter finally surrendered. The pink diamond Carter had bought at a premium was finally slipped onto Chloe Harrington’s finger. On the day of their engagement, the media aggressively pushed the narrative of a perfect, elite “old money” fairytale. Meanwhile, I bet everything I had and took over the multi-million dollar project that Carter had killed. I convinced a few of my trusted team members to leave Vance Corp and start a firm with me. Without Carter, I realized I wasn’t nearly as heartbroken as I expected to be. I no longer had to endure his subtle jabs at my background. I no longer had to stress over his constant dismissal of my abilities. And I certainly no longer had to worry if we had a future together. Less emotional drain, more actual work. My life became richer and more fulfilling. At a standard business gala, I bumped into a handsome young man who looked oddly familiar. He laughed, saying I seemed very approachable, and handed me a few medium-sized contracts. My company steadily stabilized. The day he showed up at my office with a DNA test, I was completely stunned. He hugged me, crying his eyes out. “Sister! I finally found you.” Relying on the caution of a grown adult, I insisted we do another DNA test. When the results came back, I really was his biological sister. When I was four, my parents took me on a trip, and I accidentally got lost. While searching for me, they got into a horrific car crash. My father died on the spot, and my mother fell into a vegetative state. She was still lying in a hospital bed today. My childhood memories were so blurry I could barely remember any of it. I felt a wave of bittersweet emotion. I thought I had been alone my entire life. Turns out, I had a family. My brother, Leo, organized a small, private welcome-home dinner for me. Our family was small—just my stern, intimidating grandfather, Arthur Sterling, and my younger brother, Leo. After the dinner, Leo looked at me with aching eyes. “Sis, our family is loaded. You never have to work so hard ever again!” During my startup phase, I regularly worked past midnight, surviving on three or four hours of sleep. But I never felt it was a burden; I actually loved it. I knew my brother managed a massive fortune, but I had my own career to build. “I like working,” I told him. Grandpa Sterling chimed in: “If your sister likes it, let her do it. Hand over some of those major projects you’re holding onto and let her run them.” 9 I was in a daze. The projects Leo handed over to me were astronomically larger than I ever imagined. The Sterling family was vastly wealthier than I had assumed. I finally had the backing to stop hiding and evading Carter’s search. We ran into each other at a high-society cocktail party. Clutching a wine glass, his eyes red, he walked straight toward me. “Maya. You sure know how to hide.” He grabbed my hand, trying to drag me into a secluded corner. I violently ripped my hand away. “Mr. Vance, please conduct yourself.” Carter raised an eyebrow in shock, his voice thick with emotion. “Maya, do you really not miss me?” Miss him? Not at all. The name ‘Carter Vance’ had long been buried under my busy schedule. Aside from occasionally catching his name in the tabloids, reminding me he existed, I rarely ever thought about him. I gave a polite, tight-lipped smile. “Mr. Vance is a man of incredible status. How could a commoner like me dare to miss you?” He gripped my hand tightly, pleading in despair: “Maya, I was wrong. I was so damn wrong.” “Maya, I only feel at peace when you’re by my side.” “I’ll break off the engagement with the Harringtons. You and I can—” I cut him off. “We’ve gone our separate ways. Who you marry has absolutely nothing to do with me.” Carter tried to keep pestering me, but Leo stepped in and shut him down. The next day, Chloe Harrington marched up to me, slamming a stack of photos onto the table. They were pictures of Carter harassing me at the gala. She screamed at the top of her lungs: “Do you have no shame?! Carter is engaged to me! Why are you still seducing him?!” I set down my fork. A perfectly good meal, completely ruined by her. I had booked this exclusive restaurant weeks in advance. I finally found the time to enjoy it, only to be rudely interrupted. “Miss Harrington, you really never know who to blame, do you? You only ever target the people you think are weaker.” It was clearly Carter’s fault, yet she wouldn’t dare confront him. Instead, she came hunting for an innocent bystander to interrogate. Last time, she hired thugs to trash my apartment because Carter went crazy. And now, she only dared to come after me. Bullying the weak while fearing the strong—pathetic. I enunciated every word: “I think you need to get your facts straight. I am not seducing Carter Vance. He is the one harassing me.” Chloe completely lost it. She cried and screamed: “If you hadn’t suddenly shown up, he would never have changed his mind! I’m already pregnant, and he’s trying to call off the engagement! He’s so cruel!” I was shocked. I didn’t realize Carter’s moral baseline was that low. Chloe was pregnant, and he was refusing to take responsibility? And he was trying to use his “undying love” for me as an excuse to dump her? His character disgusted me even more.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “417823”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

For two years, Carter Vance transferred $10,000 to me every time he spent the night at my place. That is, until one particular morning, when I received a notification for $100,000. [I’m getting engaged next month.] [Received.] I stared quietly at the pinned conversation on my phone. There was no further activity. An hour later, I placed my resignation letter on my office desk and drove through the night back to my hometown. Just as I was dreaming about using the money to buy a few properties and become a landlord, Carter suddenly appeared in front of me. Suppressing his fury, his voice was dangerously hoarse: “Quinn, who gave you permission to leave?” 01 When I received the text alert for the $100,000 deposit, my immediate thought was that Carter had accidentally added an extra zero. The next second, a message popped up in our pinned text thread: [I’m getting engaged next month.] I froze for two seconds before replying: [Received.] It was a brief exchange, no different from how we handled our daily business matters. I understood his meaning perfectly. This $100,000 was his way of telling me to leave. He was going to marry a wealthy heiress to merge their families. As his secretary and casual bedmate, it was no longer appropriate for me to exist in his world. I waited a long while, but no new messages appeared on the screen. He likely felt no need to explain further, assuming I would do exactly as he wished. After all, in his eyes, I had always been a woman who “knew her place.” I typed out a brief resignation letter, left it on my desk, took the millions I had saved up in my account, and drove through the night back to my quiet hometown. I wanted to rest. Being Carter Vance’s secretary for the past few years had completely exhausted me. 02 Before me, Carter had cycled through six secretaries. He was cold, dictatorial, and impossibly demanding. One wrong word and his face would instantly darken. He was a nightmare to serve. I had answered his calls at 3:00 AM, getting out of bed immediately to accompany him on last-minute business trips. I had pulled endless all-nighters with him and navigated countless corporate galas and drinking parties. I worked diligently and walked on eggshells, all for a very handsome salary. Everyone in the company knew I was Carter’s most capable secretary, yet he had never once given me a smile. He trusted me, but kept me at an icy distance. He once told me that the reason I was allowed to stay was because I “had a brain and knew where the boundaries were.” So, after our first absurd, alcohol-fueled night together, I didn’t ask anything. I didn’t say anything. Neither did Carter. Except… From that day on, on many late nights, he would follow me home. 03 Every time Carter stayed the night, he would transfer $10,000 to me the next morning. At first, I was furious. After all, the monthly salary he paid me was only $8,000. Giving me ten grand just to sleep with him felt like a massive insult to the grueling work I put in for him every month. But when Carter treated me like a workhorse at the office, reprimanding me with a dark face and zero mercy—completely ignoring the fact that we had been entangled in my bed just hours prior—my anger morphed into a realization. I earned that ten grand. I was acutely aware of the gap between Carter and me. He was a billionaire heir; I was a corporate employee. We were just two adults taking what we needed from each other. It had absolutely nothing to do with feelings. The $10,000 kept things dignified between us. The moment someone wanted more, it would turn ugly. So, when he mentioned he was getting engaged, I vanished from his world as quickly as possible. I handled it cleanly and efficiently, just as I did with all my tasks. The only hitch was when I went to block Carter’s number—my fingers trembled just a little. 04 My return home brought my parents overwhelming joy. They had always wanted me to come back, get married, have kids, and live a stable life near them. After staying home for a while, I suddenly didn’t want to leave. The millions Carter had given me over the years were more than enough to buy several nice houses in this quiet suburban town. Becoming a real estate investor, collecting rent, and doing something I actually liked sounded perfect. But my sweet dream was shattered just days later when Carter suddenly appeared in front of me. Seeing the black Mercedes SUV parked downstairs, I assumed it belonged to someone else. When I finally got a clear look at the license plate, I froze. Why was Carter’s car here? The next second, the man in the tailored suit stepped out of the vehicle and aggressively pulled me into the backseat. His fury was barely contained, his voice dropping to a gravelly rasp: “Quinn, who gave you permission to leave?” “You vanish without a single word. What do you take me for?” I looked at him, completely bewildered. “Aren’t you getting engaged?” Carter’s face darkened. “So what if I am?” I was speechless. “Carter, do you even hear what you’re saying?” “You transferred me a hundred grand. Wasn’t that your way of telling me to pack my bags?” Carter froze. “What hundred grand?” 05 I never imagined that Carter actually had just hit an extra zero by mistake. “Quinn, you couldn’t even ask me about it?” “A hundred grand is enough to send you packing? Are you looking down on me, or looking down on yourself?” His grip on my wrist tightened. He was genuinely furious. I honestly didn’t understand his anger. Even if I misunderstood his intention, did he need to be this mad? Driving all the way out here to find me was going to make me read into things. “Carter… Mr. Vance. Regardless of what happened, you are going to have a family soon. It’s not appropriate for me to stay by your side anymore.” “Even without that hundred grand, I would have left.” I looked quietly at Carter, slowly pulling my hand back from his grip. He had the capital to be reckless and act on whims. I did not. A dark storm surged in Carter’s eyes. His expression cooled inch by inch, a cynical smirk touching the corner of his lips. “So you’re just letting go, Quinn?” “Am I not even worth you fighting for?” My heart began to hammer wildly against my ribs. I spoke slowly, emphasizing every word: “Carter, aside from my $8,000 salary and those $10,000 nights, what exactly is our relationship? What exactly do you expect me to fight for?” 06 Carter didn’t answer me. He pinned me against the leather seat and kissed me fiercely. I covered my mouth, afraid to make a sound, listening to him growl low in my ear: “Quinn, are you out of your damn mind?” “I tell you I’m getting engaged, and you just reply ‘Received’? Were you trying to piss me off?” “I waited in the office for you to come find me, and instead you blocked me and ran! You bolted so fast, are you part rabbit?” … When I stepped out of the SUV, the flush on my face hadn’t faded. Carter rolled down the window and looked at me with deep, quiet eyes. “I’m not agreeing to the arranged marriage.” “I just need a little time to handle it.” I nodded, unsure of what to say. The driver got in and started the engine. Carter suddenly reached his hand out the window and brushed my cheek. His dress shirt was halfway unbuttoned in a messy disarray, and a faint smile played on his lips. “Wait for me.” As the car drove further away, my heart fell into total chaos. I had always been calm and rational. I knew how to bury inappropriate feelings in the deepest corners of my heart. But now… I decided to let myself indulge, just this once. The tenderness Carter had shown me—a side he never revealed to anyone else—was like a key, unlocking a door that had been sealed for years. It let a surge of hidden, chaotic emotions flood my body, impossible to stop. I became greedy. I wanted more. I waited three days. I waited a week. I waited a month… No news came. Eventually, just like I had done to him, Carter completely vanished. His number disconnected, his socials gone. Unreachable. Carter had disappeared. 07 I tried reaching out to former colleagues, but they all said Carter hadn’t been to the office in a long time. Feeling a creeping sense of unease, I finally called his best friend, Liam Sterling. “I don’t know what’s going on with Carter either.” “Sorry, I can’t help you.” The moment I heard those words, I suddenly felt pathetic and ridiculous. If it had been anyone else, maybe. But Liam claiming he didn’t know? He was definitely lying. The truth was, Carter just didn’t want me to find him. I should have known better, yet I eagerly tried to track him down anyway. What a joke… an unrequited, self-absorbed joke. I locked myself in my house, refusing to go out or see anyone. My parents were frantic but helpless. It wasn’t until my best friend Ava returned from abroad that I was finally dragged out of my misery. “Quinn, can we stop being so pathetic?” “You used to be so cool! You walked away when it was time to walk away. How did you end up like this?” Ava had been studying in Europe for two years, and her tongue was as sharp as ever. But even as she scolded me, she couldn’t hide the heartbreak in her eyes. I sighed, my voice muffled. “I thought I was cool too.” “But now, I just feel like a joke.” Ava sighed with me. “I know. You already made a clean break.” “But then he came looking for you, and you just…” My eyes burned as I turned to look out the café window. “Ava, I don’t get it. How did I suddenly become so stupid?” Ava looked at me in silence. After a moment, she said softly, “Quinn, feelings are messy. You can’t explain them.” “But… you know exactly what real love is supposed to look like.” 08 Ava’s words hit me like a physical blow. Yeah. Did Carter actually love me? In the two years I spent by his side, even though we did everything lovers do, he never once clarified what we were. He was always strictly professional at work, never showing me a sliver of favoritism. Even on the day he drove out here to find me, when I asked him what he wanted me to fight for, he didn’t give me a straight answer. He never took me to his house to spend the night. He never once said the words “I love you.” If a billionaire heir like him truly loved someone, would it really look like this? I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. “Ava, I was a fool.” “I mistook someone’s fleeting whim for deep affection.” “I brought this on myself.” Ava took a sip of her latte and tried to comfort me. “It’s not entirely your fault.” “Carter Vance is gorgeous, and he has a great body.” “Didn’t you say he was amazing in bed too? It makes sense why you fell in so deep.” I reached across the table to cover her mouth. “Can you keep your voice down…” Ava laughed, teasing me. “We’re all adults, what’s there to hide?” “Let me tell you, you just haven’t seen enough of the world. Once you experience a few more guys, you’ll…” Ava’s voice trailed off, all the color suddenly draining from her face. I followed her gaze and turned around, crashing instantly into a cold, painfully familiar stare. 09 Carter, who had been missing for so long, was standing right there. Ava looked at me, then at him, and let out a heavy sigh. She grabbed her purse and stood up, rolling her eyes dramatically as she brushed past Carter. Carter took the seat across from me. He leaned casually against the backrest, legs crossed, his gaze indifferent. Maybe it was just my imagination, but he looked thinner. “Who was that? Cut contact with her.” His tone was as dictatorial as ever, as if I were still his secretary. I gripped my trembling hands tightly, fighting to keep my composure. “Why are you here?” Carter’s brows furrowed slightly, seemingly surprised by my attitude. “It’s handled.” “I’m here to take you back.” His tone was entirely flat, devoid of any ripples. As if absolutely nothing had happened over the past month. Even though I had felt like I was dying from the pain of it. “Carter, do you not have anything to explain?” “Explain what?” I looked at the calm, collected man in front of me, forcing a smile through my red eyes. “Nothing.” “Except, Carter, I’m not going back with you.” 10 Carter stared at me quietly, his eyes turning pitch black. After a long silence, his deep voice resonated: “Quinn, what is that supposed to mean?” “Are you trying to break up with me?” The tears finally spilled over, trailing down my cheeks. “Carter, what do you mean ‘break up’? Were we ever actually together?” Carter watched me for a moment before letting out a cold scoff. “Quinn, what exactly did you think our relationship was, then? We slept in the same bed.” My voice was ice. “A ten-thousand-dollar transaction.” Carter glared at me, rage rolling off him in waves. After a beat, he snapped, “What kind of tantrum are you throwing?” I desperately wanted to turn around and walk away, to escape this suffocating space. But the anger and grievance building in my chest wouldn’t let me just leave. “Carter, you gave me illusions. You made me think you liked me, that we weren’t just casual bedmates. You gave me hope.” “But then you vanished for weeks. Total radio silence. Even Liam covered for you and kept me in the dark, making me look like an absolute clown.” “You don’t care about my feelings at all, and you don’t know the first thing about my life. You didn’t even know that Ava is my best friend. You have no idea how much you trampled on the rationality and self-respect I was always so proud of.” “Carter, we are from two different worlds. So please, stop messing with me. Okay?” 11 Carter was silent for a long time. He had never seen me like this. To him, I never talked back. I certainly never accused him like this. I had always adapted to his rhythm and style, flawlessly executing every task he gave me. “I had no way to contact you because I didn’t have my phone for a while.” “I told you to wait for me, so I was always going to come back.” “You’ve always understood my intentions. I didn’t think we needed to explain so much between us.” See? Carter still saw me as his secretary. I was just supposed to execute his orders unconditionally, without asking any questions. I stood up and looked him in the eye. “Carter, maybe to you, there’s no difference between a secretary and a girlfriend.” “But it’s different for me. Once feelings are involved, I become sensitive, selfish, and irrational.” “That version of me isn’t the one you want. And you… are not the kind of boyfriend I want.” Without a second glance, I turned and walked out of the café. I could feel his gaze burning into my back the entire way, but… he didn’t chase after me. I figured, this time, it was truly over between us. That night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. I got up and walked out to the balcony for some fresh air, only to freeze when I saw a car that didn’t belong parked downstairs. I checked my phone. It was 2:00 AM. A faint light glowed inside Carter’s car, illuminating a blurry silhouette. He was in the car.

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I was bored out of my mind, so I started dating a guy. Turns out, he was an obsessively possessive psycho. He locked me up in his sprawling mansion, personally washing my face and spoon-feeding me every day. His only demand was that I could never, ever leave him. My eyes practically lit up. Are you telling me this kind of jackpot actually exists? He was a possessive psycho, and I was a lazy, affection-starved girl. It was a match made in heaven. 01 Today marked the fifth day of my imprisonment in Caleb Sterling’s mega-mansion. I was lounging lazily in a hanging egg chair, soaking up the sun, sipping a glass of ’82 Château Lafite, and feeling delightfully drowsy. So comfortable. God, this is the life. I genuinely couldn’t understand why the female leads in those romance novels always tried so hard to run away. Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of the main gates swinging open. A sleek black Porsche slowly pulled into the courtyard. Caleb was back. I immediately vaulted out of the hanging chair, sprinted back to the master bedroom, and threw myself onto the massive California King bed. I curled my body into a tight ball, squeezed my eyes shut, and forced out two pitiful tears. Slowing my breathing, I waited quietly for Caleb to come in. The doorknob turned without a sound, and Caleb silently padded over to the edge of the bed. I cursed him in my head. This guy literally makes zero noise when he walks. If his tall frame hadn’t blocked the sunlight and cast a shadow over me, I wouldn’t have even known he was there. Despite my internal grumbling, I kept my eyes gently shut, my brows furrowed in distress, leaving tear streaks on my pale cheeks. It was a picture of pure, tragic melancholy. Anyone who saw it would feel their heart break. Aside from my breathing, the room was dead silent. If I couldn’t feel the burning intensity of his gaze on me, I would’ve thought Caleb dropped dead. Just as I was about to lose my patience and curse him out, Caleb finally moved. He let out a soft, ragged sigh. His warm palm gently cupped my cheek as he muttered in a low voice, “Do you really want to leave me that badly?” I made my eyelashes flutter right on cue, then slowly opened my eyes, staring directly into Caleb’s gaze. He didn’t have time to hide the deep loneliness in his eyes. He looked so fragile, like he might shatter at a single touch. Acting perfectly, I jolted backward in “fear,” my eyes rimmed red. I put up my guard while secretly observing him. Caleb stared at his empty hand lingering in the air. He froze for a second before slowly pulling it back. He forced a bitter smile. “You don’t want to see me? Did I disappoint you by coming back so early?” I bit my lip hard and glared at him coldly. My face showed nothing but silent disgust, while my inner voice was screaming: Why the hell did you come back so late?! What took you so long? I missed you to death! Caleb seemed used to my coldness. He frowned, looking at my almost-bleeding lower lip, and ordered coldly, “Let go of your lip.” I didn’t move. Suddenly, he leaned down and captured my lips with his. Fireworks practically exploded in my brain. My entire being was enveloped by his scent. But, of course, I didn’t forget my “character setting”—I struggled fiercely. The more I struggled, well… the harder he kissed me. It wasn’t until I tasted a hint of copper in my mouth that Caleb finally pulled away. He brushed a thumb over my swollen lips, his expression melting into pure tenderness. “What do you want to eat? I’ll go cook.” I gave a cold huff. “I’m not eating.” He just smiled, scooping me up into his arms like a child. He carried me steadily down the grand staircase, rattling off a menu of dishes entirely unbothered by my lack of response. I rested my head on his broad shoulder. Where he couldn’t see, I licked my lips, absolutely hooked. Good lord, Caleb was so freaking hot just now. God knows how much I love this kind of overbearing, forceful romance. Caleb set me down on the plush living room sofa, arranged a spread of fresh fruits and snacks in front of me, and turned on the massive TV. He kissed my forehead, his tone incredibly gentle. “Don’t eat too many snacks, okay? Dinner will be ready soon.” How is this man so perfect and domesticated? Whoever marries him is going to be the luckiest girl alive. Oh wait, that’s me. I frowned, keeping my mouth shut. The kitchen had an open layout, meaning Caleb could see me the second he looked up. It had been like this for all five days. Aside from today, when he absolutely had to leave for work, I had to be within his line of sight at all times for him to feel at ease. Otherwise, he would lose his mind—smashing things, hitting his head against the wall, self-harming. 02 Caleb and I met online. We chatted for a while, and once we got familiar, he asked to meet up. I rejected him without a second thought. I was too lazy to exist, let alone put on makeup and leave my apartment. Unless I was starving and needed groceries, I didn’t go outside. But Caleb was relentless. During a video call, he “accidentally” showed off his perfectly sculpted abs to tempt me. I suddenly decided that going outside wasn’t such a bad idea after all. But I regretted it right after we met. When I tried to break up with him, Caleb’s eyes went completely red. He gripped my hands tight and begged me to grant him one last request: to go somewhere with him. I figured it was the last time anyway, so I humored him. And that’s how I ended up locked in here. Caleb hugged me tightly from behind, his expression dark and sickly obsessive. “Harper, now you can never leave me.” I looked around the ridiculously luxurious mega-mansion. An entire accent wall was encrusted with rare blue and pink diamonds. The 5,000-square-foot walk-in closet was stuffed with designer jewelry, bags, and haute couture. The bathtub alone was bigger than my entire old apartment. My heart was beating so fast it practically leapt out of my chest with joy. Caleb showed me around room by room. “I prepared all of this for you. Do you like it? As long as you don’t leave me, you can have anything you want.” Like it? I freaking love it! Why would I ever leave? This is literal paradise! I forced down the corners of my mouth that were desperately trying to curve upward and asked coldly, “What is the meaning of this? Are you imprisoning me?” Imprison me, please! You’re a psycho captor, and I’m a girl with severe social anxiety. It’s perfect! Caleb seemed unable to handle that word. He panicked, explaining desperately, “No, I just want to be with you forever, Harper.” He confiscated my phone and gave me a modified new one, cutting off all my contact with the outside world. Caleb stayed by my side 24/7. I could do whatever I wanted, but there was one ironclad rule: I could never leave his sight. The second he couldn’t find me—even for just a few seconds—he would go completely feral. I had “attempted” to escape a few times, getting caught by Caleb every single time. I did it on purpose. I was intentionally triggering his paranoid, possessive streak. I figured it out early on: Caleb had a deeply obsessive personality. If he were in a novel, he’d be the textbook yandere male lead. And I loved his toxic, do-or-die level of obsession. I just didn’t know how long this extreme devotion would last. So, I couldn’t let my true feelings show. If I acted too happy, he might lose interest. After all, the things you can’t quite grasp are always the most tantalizing. From then on, I lived a life where I didn’t even have to lift a finger. My only job was lying in bed playing video games. When I got hungry, someone fed me. When I needed to use the bathroom, someone carried me there. Thank god for Caleb. Otherwise, I would’ve never experienced such luxury in my life. I was born deep in the backwoods of the Ozarks. My parents pumped out seven daughters before finally getting their precious golden boy, “Junior.” I was the fourth daughter, the most ignored, the most invisible. Freezing, starving, doing grueling farm chores, and acting as a punching bag for Junior—that was my daily routine. So, I ran away. I ran to a city where no one knew me to start a new life. I worked odd jobs to put myself through school, constantly terrified that my family from the backwoods would come drag me back. Because of that, I was deeply insecure and affection-starved. I wanted a lot of love, and a lot of money. Caleb gave me a mansion to live in, endless cash to spend, he was incredibly hot, and he loved me to a terrifying degree. I couldn’t escape this maze-like mansion even if I tried—and trust me, I didn’t want to. And those leeches from my hometown could never find me here. What the hell did I have to complain about? “Baby, dinner’s ready.” Caleb walked over, but when he saw me staring blankly out the window, his face darkened. “Thinking about running away again?” 03 I acted like he “startled” me, shrinking back against the glass. Tears welled up in my eyes. “Yes. I just don’t want to be trapped with a monster like you.” Even though I was “terrified,” I bit my lip to hold back my tears, pretending to be brave. I looked exactly like a tragic, unyielding heroine who refused to bow to wealth—a fragile white flower caught in a storm. Brilliant, Harper. You are a generational acting talent. The pacing was absolutely flawless. I mentally patted myself on the back. Caleb recoiled as if he’d been struck, muttering, “Monster? “Harper… you think I’m a monster? But before, you clearly said you liked me the most…” His eyes grew bloodshot. He took a massive stride forward, cupping my face with both hands, desperate for validation. “You said you liked me!” I turned my face away, my 98-degree lips spitting out absolute ice. “Who could ever like a monster? I hate you. I—” Before I could finish, my lips were ruthlessly crushed. He kissed me with the ferocity of a tiger tearing into its prey. Beautiful! Caleb, you really are a well-trained guard dog. I absolutely loved this suffocating feeling, like I was being kissed to death. Whenever I was craving a heavy make-out session with Caleb but couldn’t just ask for one, I would intentionally provoke him like this. It made him lose control, go feral, and kiss me senseless. After about ten minutes of aggressive kissing, Caleb’s emotions finally leveled out. I was left gasping for air. He licked the tears off my cheeks, his voice dangerously low. “Harper, please don’t hate me.” My tears weren’t fake acting this time—they were squeezed out from the sheer intensity of it. God damn, that was a brutal kiss. Hurt like hell, but felt so good. Caleb’s lips were already swollen and red, with a few fresh scabs. I didn’t even need a mirror to know what my own mouth looked like. As if the intense interlude hadn’t just happened, Caleb smiled brightly, scooped me up, and sat me at the dining table. I stared “coldly” at the spread of gourmet dishes, secretly swallowing my saliva. Caleb really knew how to cook. After being “forced” to eat a massive meal “against my will,” Caleb smirked in satisfaction. He carried me upstairs, in a fantastic mood. “Our Harper is such a good girl when it comes to eating. You never mistreat your own stomach.” Me: “…” Was I that obvious? I thought I was showing great restraint. 04 Aside from that one day when an emergency forced him into the office, Caleb never left the house again. He stayed locked inside this castle with me, terrified I would escape. I cried, I screamed, I begged him to let me go. None of it worked. I could do whatever I wanted, as long as I stayed directly beneath his eyelids. I can’t even describe how amazing these past few days were. I threw tantrums whenever I wanted. If I felt like smashing priceless vases or designer jewelry, I did it. Caleb’s only concern was whether I might accidentally cut myself on the shards. If I was in a bad mood because I lost a ranked match in my video game, I’d slap Caleb across the face. I’d glare at him and say, “It’s your unlucky breathing that made me lose! This is all your fault!” Caleb would lower his head and whisper, “I’m sorry.” I’d snap, “I need to use the bathroom. Carry me.” Caleb would put down whatever fruit he was peeling for me and steadily carry me to the en-suite. Sometimes, the “Defeat” screen would pop up, and before I could even react, Caleb was already leaning his face in close, offering his cheek for me to slap. Truly a perfectly trained good boy. He would only ever ask if my hand hurt from hitting him. When I got tired of acting or bored with video games, I would go to the kitchen and cook aggressively. From dusk till dawn, and dawn till dusk, nonstop. No matter how crazy I acted, Caleb accepted it all with a loving smile. It was as if anything I gave him, even abuse, was a blessing. But I didn’t like how peaceful and complacent things were getting. There was zero challenge, no waves to ride. Plus, with me being so quiet lately, Caleb seemed to be dropping his guard and getting too comfortable. That wouldn’t do. Life was getting a bit too cozy. I needed to periodically stimulate him, keep him anxious and terrified of losing me. Otherwise, a comfortable wolf turns into a docile dog. So, I decided to play with fire again. I was going to escape. I meticulously engineered the perfect plan. It had to show my absolute, unwavering determination to run away, which would trigger Caleb’s paranoia. But it also had to result in me “accidentally” getting caught by Caleb, so I could return and continue enjoying my billionaire lifestyle. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Just thinking about it made me rub my hands together in excitement. Caleb, sitting nearby, asked cautiously, “Harper, what are you thinking about? You look so happy.” I instantly suppressed my rising smirk. “Nothing. This web novel I’m reading is just really good. I’m going to leave a like for the author.” As soon as I said that, Caleb suddenly leaned his head over, staring at my phone screen. “What are you doing?” Caleb said with dead seriousness, “I’m memorizing the author’s pen name. I’m going to find her and pay her ten million dollars to write stories exclusively for you every day.” Me: “…” My mouth twitched. I let him read a few lines of the book. Watching him study the screen like he was taking the SATs, I couldn’t resist teasing him. “Don’t you think the male lead in this story is exactly like you? Extremely controlling, possessive, and constantly going crazy.” Caleb nodded. “Does the male lead eventually live happily ever after with the female lead? Does that mean I get to be with you forever too?” Me: “…” Is that really the takeaway here?! 05 I put my plan into motion. I stopped crying and throwing tantrums. I ate, drank, gamed, and cooked normally, acting like a completely ordinary couple with Caleb. Because of this, Caleb relaxed his iron grip slightly. I was finally allowed to disappear from his line of sight for a few minutes at a time. When he wasn’t paying attention, I snuck into the closet and found the purse I had on me the day he locked me up. Inside were the anti-anxiety meds I used to carry everywhere. I raised an eyebrow. After I escaped the backwoods, I had terrible insomnia, constantly terrified I’d be dragged back. A doctor had prescribed me these heavy sedatives. I never thought they’d come in handy like this. That night, I handed Caleb a mug of warm milk. “Drink?” Seeing that I had made it myself, Caleb didn’t hesitate for a second and chugged the whole thing. Clatter. The mug hit the floor, and he collapsed instantly. “Caleb. Wake up.” I slapped his cheek twice, joking, “If you don’t wake up, I’m leaving.” The man on the floor didn’t twitch. I clicked my tongue. Wow, these meds really don’t mess around. The keys to the front gate were in his safe. I tried my birthday as the passcode, and it popped right open. Seriously, it was exactly like the cliché psycho CEOs in novels. I was going to just bolt, but looking at Caleb lying on the hardwood floor like a dead pig, I sighed. Considering how well he had treated me, I used every ounce of my strength to drag his heavy body onto the bed and tuck him in. Then, I walked out like a boss. The moment I stepped out the front gates, I let out a string of curses. This damn mansion is literally built halfway up a mountain! It was the dead of night, in the middle of nowhere. I added a huge tip on the Uber app, but no one was taking the ride. How long was it going to take me to walk down these winding mountain roads? My legs were going to snap. By the time I reached the bottom, Caleb would probably wake up and catch me. What was the point of this? Was I trying to experience the Little Mermaid’s pain of walking on land? Just as I was debating whether I should turn back, go to sleep, and pretend none of this ever happened, high beams flashed in the distance. I waved my arms frantically and hitched a ride, spinning a random sob story. The driver introduced himself: “I’m Ethan. What’s your name?” I discreetly sized him up. He looked like a fresh college grad—clean-cut, casual clothes, driving an average sedan. “I’m Harper Smith. I got into a fight with my boyfriend, and he kicked me out.” I lowered my head and let out a few soft sobs. Ethan instantly went into panic mode, handing me tissues and aggressively cursing out Caleb. “What kind of guy does that?! Kicking his girlfriend out in the middle of the night on a mountain? That’s so dangerous! He’s absolute trash.” Ethan righteously comforted me the whole drive down, but I just asked him to drop me at the nearest bus stop. After waving Ethan off, I took a cab straight to the night market. After being force-fed wagyu beef and lobster by Caleb for days, I was desperately craving some good old-fashioned greasy street food. Fully stuffed, I made my way back to my old, crappy rental apartment. It was exactly how I left it, just covered in a thick layer of dust. I didn’t have any friends or family who cared about me, so my disappearance hadn’t been noticed by a single soul. After getting used to a 5,000-square-foot custom mattress, this rock-hard rental bed was sheer torture. By now, the sun was starting to peek through the blinds. Damn it, what is wrong with Caleb?! Why hasn’t he come to catch me yet? I was dying of anxiety. Yes, I wanted to escape, but I didn’t want the escape to be successful! I did not want to leave my billionaire mansion to become a street rat again! Why wasn’t Caleb waking up? Did I put too many pills in his milk? Or was I truly just too much of a mastermind, and Caleb couldn’t outsmart me? Right when I was on the verge of stressed tears, the door to the rental apartment was violently kicked open. Caleb stood in the doorway, radiating a terrifying aura. Seeing Caleb, I let out a massive sigh of relief, then happily “fainted” right into his arms. 06 When I woke up, I was back in the familiar, luxurious surroundings. Caleb had finally caught me. I breathed a sigh of relief. I had almost accidentally said goodbye to my life of endless wealth. He was standing right beside the bed, his face terrifyingly dark. That was when I noticed a nasty gash on his temple. It was covered in dried blood. “What happened to your head?” Caleb closed his eyes, saying dismissively, “I rolled down the stairs and hit it.” I stayed silent. Looks like I really went overboard with those meds. Overdosing on that stuff causes sudden blackouts and severe dizziness. He must have stumbled trying to come after me. I tried to sit up, only to hear the clinking of metal. I looked down and realized my wrist was bound by a pair of cold handcuffs. I licked my lips. A surge of excitement vibrated through my bones. What is this? Forced confinement play? Oh, I love this. I instantly put on my “cold” face. “What is the meaning of this? Let me go.” Caleb stroked the metal chain, his voice deathly low. “This is the punishment for Harper being a bad girl. Now, you can never leave me.” Punishment? Oh, I consider this a reward. I hadn’t expected this fake escape to yield such fantastic bonus content. The handcuffs were lined with soft velvet so they wouldn’t chafe my wrists. That night, Caleb held me in a suffocatingly tight embrace. The metal chains clinked softly every time I moved, until I eventually fell into a deep sleep. From initial crying and struggling, to eventual cold indifference—I cycled through all my acting phases, but Caleb absolutely refused to unlock the cuffs. After satisfying my craving for drama, I started getting bored. Lying in bed all day was making my back ache. So, I started begging him, pretending to submit, and whispering every sweet nothing I could think of. “Caleb, please unlock it. I promise I won’t run away again.” “Caleb, I’ve really thought it through. Take it off, and let’s just live a good life together.” Caleb ignored my pleas entirely and instead asked abruptly, “Who was the guy who drove you down the mountain?” I paused for a second before realizing who he meant. “I don’t even know him! I just begged a random passing car for a ride. Don’t go hurting innocent people.” After I explained, Caleb’s dark expression finally lifted a little. And after a lot of relentless coaxing, he finally took the handcuffs off. However, his surveillance over me became suffocatingly strict. He practically glued himself to my side, acting completely paranoid 24/7. I had trained him exceptionally well. But it wasn’t enough. I wasn’t fully satisfied. If you want a relationship to stay spicy, a good game of cat-and-mouse is mandatory.

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