I’m the beta everyone loves to hate. I posted on the school forum, asking what to do if my fiancé doesn’t like me. The top comment read: “If he doesn’t want you, I do. My family is just as powerful as the Hawthornes.” An idea started to form in my mind. Not long after, my usually calm and composed fiancé got into a physical fight with an omega. “Do you have any idea you’re hitting on my wife?” The omega just laughed. “You call him your wife, but would he even answer to that?” 1 I’m the social pariah of the prestigious Blackwood Academy. It all started with a compatibility report that predicted a near-perfect match between myself and Asher Hawthorne. Because of that report, I was raised as an omega my entire life. But then, when I was eighteen, my family went bankrupt. To make matters worse, I presented as a beta. My stepfather, in a desperate move, sold our house to get me into Asher’s school. Before I left, he told me, his voice grave, “Failing to present as an omega was a disgrace. If you can’t secure a connection with the Hawthorne family now, you know what will happen.” But I was clumsy. I tried everything I could think of to get close to him, and in the process, I only managed to make everyone hate me. Including Asher himself. He was always cold to me. Time and time again, he would ignore me, watching with detached amusement as I made a fool of myself. “Can you stop with the pathetic schemes?” he’d say. “Even if you had presented as an omega, I would never marry someone I don’t love just because of their pheromones.” One day, I went to find him, a homemade lunchbox in hand, and overheard him talking to an omega nearby. “Of course, he’s not my real fiancé,” he said, his tone casual. “He’s like a little stray dog, always following me around. What, are you interested in him or something?” Beyond the disdain in his voice, there was a faint, almost imperceptible hint of a boast. The omega beside him raised an eyebrow, his smile dazzling. “Seriously, Asher? Is that what you really think?” Asher didn’t say anything more, but for someone as reserved as him, silence was a confirmation. I recognized the omega with him. He was the untouchable gem of the academy, widely considered the perfect match for Asher—an S-class omega named Terence Croft. A notification popped up on my phone. It was a voice recording from Terence. His chat icon, pinned at the top of my list, blinked insistently. “Steven, he doesn’t like you.” “You’re so wonderful, and Asher just tramples all over your feelings. You’d be happier if you left him.” I thought for a moment, and the conclusion was obvious: Terence was in love with Asher. He was too nice to say it directly, so he was gently trying to persuade me to back off. It all made sense now. Why he always seemed to appear whenever I was bothering Asher. The resentful looks he always gave me, like a husband whose wife was cheating on him. The time he blocked my view of Asher and smilingly invited me to the library instead. It was all to keep me away from him. And I had actually dared to hope, even for a second, that maybe, just maybe, he liked me a little bit. 2 I have a secret. I’m in love with Terence. I sighed and turned to leave, feeling defeated. But then Terence’s smile widened, a triumphant glint in his eyes. Seeing them together, so perfectly matched, a wave of despair washed over me. I ducked my head, wiping away the tears that had started to fall. I cried for a long time before I remembered Terence’s message. With trembling fingers, I finally managed to reply. “Okay. I will.” “From now on, I won’t bother him anymore.” It was going to be a sleepless night. I couldn’t stop tossing and turning. I opened the forum again, the one titled “When will Steven finally stop chasing Asher Hawthorne?” 【Daily question: Have Asher and Steven broken up yet? Does he even deserve him?】 【Why was Steven crying by himself on the path? Pic attached.】 【Ugh, he’s so annoying, always putting on a show. The guys on the street were staring… he’s probably just trying to hook someone new.】 【Where is this? No reason, just think the scenery looks nice.】 【Wait, he’s crying that hard. Did his fiancé dump him?】 【Could there be such good news? I mean, I’ve never liked Steven anyway.】 The picture attached to the post was of me, earlier that day, crying as I ran back to my dorm. Seeing it just made me cry harder. I couldn’t wipe the tears away fast enough. So I made a new post. “I’m a friend of Steven’s. Why does everyone hate him so much? If it’s because of Asher, he’s not going to chase him anymore.” The replies were a string of question marks at first. Then, as if it suddenly dawned on them, the comments started flooding in. 【LMAO, I’m laughing so hard my abs hurt (and I have an eight-pack).】 【Hey, I’m 6’3″, nine-figure net worth, pure, innocent, and very gullible. My contact info is…】 【My family is just as rich as his. Why not marry me? If he doesn’t like you, he’s blind.】 The last reply wasn’t anonymous. @AsherHawthorne: “? Since when.” 3 I frantically deleted the post. The comments were probably just a new way for them to mess with me. Asher’s words from earlier echoed in my mind, and I felt a wave of despair. No matter what I did, he would always hate me. But if I had a choice, I wouldn’t want to be the gold-digging parasite everyone thought I was. I secretly opened my contacts and blocked Asher. The next day in class, I was a mess. The news of my forum post had already spread, and I could feel people’s eyes on me. When I saw Terence, I awkwardly tried to avoid him. But he caught me when no one was around, pulling me into his private lounge. I was mortified, and I stumbled over my words, trying to distance myself from Asher. “I’m really not going to bother him anymore. I heard what he said. He doesn’t like me at all. You don’t have to worry. I won’t get in the way of you two being together.” Terence smiled gently, but there was a flicker of confusion in his eyes. He stepped closer, pointing to my eyes, which were still swollen from crying. He handed me a tube of ointment. I took it, stunned. His low voice was a murmur in my ear, his breath tickling my skin and making the tips of my ears turn red. I couldn’t tell if he was doing it on purpose or not. “I’m glad you’re not sad over him anymore. But I think you’ve misunderstood something.” “I don’t like him. I like you.” 4 The sudden confession felt like a dream. I looked up at him, my eyes wide with disbelief. The deep-seated insecurity I carried made me instinctively take a few steps back. Even if he did like me, omegas were naturally drawn to alphas. And I… I was just a beta, with no scent to offer. My family, my gender… I wasn’t good enough for him. I knew that even if we did manage to be together for a little while, it would never last. He seemed to sense my rejection. He muttered to himself, “So you still care about him more?” I didn’t quite catch what he said. I was about to ask him to repeat it when he spoke again, his voice softer. “I won’t interfere with your choice. It’s okay if you don’t like me back.” “But… can we be friends? Steven.” I nodded slowly. We hadn’t locked the door when we came in, and now Asher’s voice cut through the air. “What are you doing, Steven? Have you forgotten you’re my fiancé?” My heart leaped into my throat. I turned to see Asher standing there, looking down at me. His eyes were fixed on where my hand was still clasped in Terence’s. His expression was dark. He let out a cold, contemptuous snort. “Do you really think you’re some kind of seducer? That you can just wrap anyone around your little finger? You’re such a slut…” I couldn’t believe it. I never imagined the proud, aloof Asher could say something so vile. I shook my head, my voice firm. “Terence and I are not in an improper relationship. And I am not your fiancé. I didn’t present as an omega, so the engagement is void. You told me that yourself the first time we met.” I looked down, remembering our first meeting. He had been frowning, his face unusually grim. He shot a glare at Terence, then held out a hand to me. “Be a good boy and come here. I won’t hold this against you. But if your family loses the Hawthorne investment…” 5 Not only would my family have no chance of recovering, but they would lose the last of their ancestral property. The threat in his voice was unmistakable. But he had no idea what my life was like at home. My mother had been forced to have me, and she died shortly after the arranged marriage. I was abused and ridiculed by everyone in that house. I was secretly hoping the family would fall, so they could no longer control my life. So I lowered my eyes and shrank further behind Terence. Terence felt me trembling with a mixture of pain and rage. He patted my back gently, as if soothing a child, trying to calm me. He then stepped between me and Asher. Even though he was just an omega. “This is my lounge. You’re being a little loud. Don’t you think you should stop forcing him, Asher? Since he doesn’t want to go with you, you should respect his choice.” Asher watched me hide in Terence’s arms, a look of understanding dawning on his face. In his anger, the air filled with the almost frantic scent of red wine—his pheromones. But I was just a plain beta. I couldn’t smell a thing. All I could see was Terence covering his mouth and nose, staggering back as if he was about to be sick. Asher ignored him completely. He looked at me, his voice deliberate and heavy with meaning. “Fine, Steven. You’re so fine. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other. Go get close to whoever you want. Just don’t regret it. I’ll be waiting for you to come crawling back to me.” I knew my family’s finances were completely dependent on him. After today, he would likely cut off all support, and maybe even actively work against them. But he didn’t know that I didn’t care at all. Asher practically slammed the door on his way out. The moment he was gone, Terence slumped against the wall, his head in his hands. His eyes were bloodshot, and an unnatural flush had spread across his face. I suspected Asher’s pheromones were to blame. The raw, burning desire in his eyes was impossible to miss. His voice trembled. “You should go. Don’t worry about me.” He was grinding his back teeth, a clear sign that he was fighting the urge to bite the back of my neck. But this… this was… this was an alpha’s rut. My voice shook as I asked, “Are you… an alpha?” He didn’t hesitate. “Are you scared of me? Scared I’ll break you?”

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I hate my three roommates. They’re handsome, privileged, and they all look down on me. I play the part of the quiet, obedient charity case, but secretly, on a fake profile, I’m talking to all three of them at once. At first, I just wanted to scam them for a little pocket money. But then they started sending transfers in the thousands. I got scared. My hands were trembling as I went to delete them, but then I saw the text. It just… appeared in the air. 【The poor baby is shaking with fear.】 【My heart aches for him. If he deletes them now, his sweet little hole will be wrecked.】 【Damn… I can’t even imagine what those three dogs would do if he’s the one to expose this. They’d probably lose their minds with pleasure.】 1 My phone chimed. A notification: Roger has sent you $5,000. I stared at the screen, my mind blank. My first thought was that wire fraud over a certain amount was a federal crime. I hesitated for only a few seconds before my phone buzzed again. A message from him: 【Why haven’t you accepted it?】 I rubbed my nose and muttered a quiet curse. What a stupid rich kid. I’d never seen anyone so eager to throw their money away. A minute later, my phone pinged twice more. Julian and Alex had sent their own transfers. The reason was simple. I had just sent the exact same set of photos—me in a cute, frilly schoolgirl outfit—to all three of them. 【Do you like this one, daddy?】 The same words, the same pictures. The whole outfit cost maybe fifty bucks, but I never imagined they’d send this much. I pulled up one of their profiles, my finger hovering over the red “Delete” button. If they caught me, they’d make my life a living hell. I’d been stringing them along for so long. An involuntary shiver ran down my spine. My brain split into two warring factions. The little angel on my shoulder whispered: You haven’t taken their money yet. Just delete them. If they report you to the police, this is serious. But the devil on the other side cackled: What’s there to be scared of? A few thousand dollars is nothing to them. Besides, they’re arrogant pricks who look down on everyone. Better their money goes to you than someone else. As my mind waged its internal war, a series of translucent comments began to materialize in the air before me. 2 【The poor baby is shaking with fear.】 【My heart aches for him. If he deletes these three dogs, they’ll corner him in the dorm room and wreck his sweet little hole.】 【Damn… they don’t even know he’s playing all three of them. I can’t even imagine what they’d do if he’s the one to expose this.】 My mind jolted. Were they talking about… me? I tried to get a closer look, but the comments vanished as quickly as they’d appeared. If I delete them, they’ll find out? The thought terrified me. I immediately backed out of the delete screen. My phone vibrated. Another message from Alex, underneath his transfer. 【This is a voluntary gift.】 My brain was still trying to process everything, but my hand moved faster. Before I knew it, I had accepted Alex’s money. 【Thank you, daddy! You’re the best!】 Part of me was jealous that he could toss around this much money without a second thought, while another part of me was silently cursing him out. I mimicked his message under my breath, “voluntary gift,” and rolled my eyes. Tch. So what if you’re rich? You’re still getting played by me. And I’m not just going to play you, I’m going to take you for everything you’ve got. 3 Just after I’d happily pocketed the cash, my three roommates started trickling back into the dorm. I clutched my phone, trying to make myself as small as possible in my corner bunk. Alex was the first one in. He was drenched in sweat from basketball practice and went straight for the shower. Julian came in next, not even sparing me a glance. Such a snob, I grumbled internally. As if he’d heard me, his cold, sharp gaze landed on me for a single second before flicking away in disgust, like the mere sight of me was offensive. He didn’t say a word, but the look was enough to make me whip my head back around, my knuckles white from gripping my phone. My eyes fell on my T-shirt, faded and worn from countless washes. The same T-shirt they’d made fun of before. Tch. What does he know? It’s called being frugal. I was an expert at consoling myself. Who cares if they wear designer clothes? They’re still getting wrapped around the little finger of the guy in the two-dollar T-shirt. 4 I quietly sat up in bed and parted the curtain to peek down below. The lights were still on. All three of them were at their desks. I didn’t dare message them all at the same time, afraid I’d get caught. Instead, I pulled up an online dating guide I had bookmarked. Awkwardly, I wriggled into one of my little skirts, trying to find a good angle for a photo. The dorm bed was ancient; the slightest movement made the frame shriek in protest. From his desk below my bunk, Alex let out an annoyed sigh. “Leo, what the hell are you fidgeting for? If you’re itchy, go take a damn shower.” I froze, too scared to reply. The ghostly comments flickered back into existence. 【This guy’s mouth is pure poison.】 【I am so ready for the groveling-ex-makes-amends arc. It’s my favorite.】 【The louder he bitches now, the harder he’ll cry when he finds out his ‘baby’ isn’t just his.】 Alex’s mouth really was poison. The first thing I did every morning was pray he’d lick his own lips and die. Seething, I sent the picture to him from my fake account. “Do you like it, daddy? I’m thinking of wearing it out with friends tomorrow.” A second ago, he was a complete asshole. Now, he was already sending a transfer. “My baby is so beautiful. You should buy some more cute little skirts to wear for your husband.” 【You have received a funds transfer of $5,000.】 【Image】 After the money, he sent a series of pictures. All of them were things like maid outfits and black stockings. I sneered. Hah. Already calling himself my husband. Shameless. But my fingers were already quickly taking screenshots. This was my insurance policy. My key to survival. 5 Alex was chatting from his laptop. The loud, clacking sound of his mechanical keyboard filled the room. Julian, frowning as he tried to read a textbook, snapped, “Keep it down.” Roger, however, seemed to know exactly what was going on. He glanced at Alex’s screen, which wasn’t showing a game. “Got a girlfriend?” Alex’s fingers stilled. He closed the chat window and chuckled softly. “Just a little thing.” Roger grinned. “You always were the smoothest.” He leaned over. “What kind of girl has you this hooked? Let me see.” He said it casually, but up in my bunk, I held my breath, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would leap out of my throat. I was terrified. If Roger saw… I might not live to see tomorrow. Alex’s voice turned cold. He clearly wasn’t going to show him. “She’s just a little thing. Nothing to see.” Roger was scrolling on his own phone, as if waiting for a message. “Tch. Whatever, who wants to see anyway.” Listening to them, I cursed Alex a thousand times in my head. That dog! That absolute bastard! In the chat, he was all “baby” this and “husband” that. But the second someone asks, I’m just a “little thing.” Did he really think he was some kind of domineering CEO from a novel? So shameless! 6 I sat frozen on my bed, listening to them talk. My phone had slipped under me, and at some point, the ringer had been turned back on. Roger, for whatever reason, was now spamming me with messages. 【What are you doing?】 【Why aren’t you answering?】 【It’s not like I really want to talk. Just checking in.】 【You there?】 【If you don’t reply, don’t bother messaging me again.】 【Caught me and now you don’t care anymore?】 【Are you out messing around?】 A cascade of dings erupted from under my ass. The pressure from my body and the bed frame made the phone vibrate with a loud, buzzing hum. Down below, all three of them looked up at my bunk in perfect, unnerving unison. Roger stared at my bed, and another message popped up on my phone. 【.】 I scrambled to silence my phone, my hands fumbling. This time, there was no more noise. Alex, annoyed, reached up and knocked on the metal frame of my bed. The thud, thud, thud echoed through the room. “What are you doing up there? Plotting something shady again?” 7 The word “shady” made me flash back to the time I was accused of stealing Alex’s watch. It was freshman year, not long after we’d moved in. I had tried to get along with them, since we were roommates, after all. But after a few days of acting like a suck-up, I overheard Alex talking behind my back. “Hey Alex, did you ever find that watch you lost?” someone asked. Alex had a cigarette dangling from his lips. The other guy tried to light it for him, but Alex waved him away. “Just holding it.” I was crouching in an empty classroom nearby, and although it was faint, I clearly heard him say my name. “That guy in our room, Leo…” The incomplete sentence sent a chill through me. It took me a moment to piece it together. He thought I’d stolen it. But the burden of proof was on the accuser. I clutched my books, my chest tight with anger, and ran. Back in the dorm, I imagined a hundred different scenarios. The second he accused me, I would stand on a chair, high above them, and point my finger in their faces. “You say I stole it? Then show me the proof.” I played the heroic moment over and over in my head until I felt a sense of satisfaction. But in the end, no one ever brought it up. 8 After knocking a few more times and getting no response, Alex stood up and yanked my bed curtain open. I was still wearing the skirt. In a panic, I pulled the blanket over myself, hiding completely. Alex: “?” With the curtain open, the other two guys sitting below had a clear view of my bed. … It wasn’t particularly cold, but I was quickly flushed and sweating under the thick blanket. Alex pointed at me. “Are you… you know…” I squirmed backward, not noticing the intense way his eyes were fixed on me. He even reached out, about to pull the blanket off. He absolutely could not see this skirt. I shot my hand out and grabbed his wrist. My palm was hot and sweaty from the heat. Alex’s eyes widened as if something had just clicked. He recoiled, shaking my hand off like it was something filthy and stumbling back a few steps. My hand slammed against the metal bed frame with a loud clang. Pain shot up my arm, and I bit my lip to keep from crying out. Alex’s face was dark enough to drip ink. I didn’t need to hear him speak to know what he was going to say. That I was disgusting. 9 This was all Roger’s fault for spamming me. And Alex was the disgusting one! The most disgusting of them all! Alex can just die, die, die, die! The three of them stared at me for a long moment. What are you looking at! With red-rimmed eyes, I reached out and yanked the curtain shut. A little while later, the lights went out. As the darkness settled, my emotions slowly calmed down. I lay in bed, going over the day’s events. It was less of a review and more of an update to my mental grudge list. Today, Roger’s messages almost got me caught. He can die. Alex looked at me like I was trash and called me a “little thing.” He can die, die, die!! And Julian wasn’t any better. He was even more pretentious than the other two. Pretentious bastard. I was halfway through my mental tirade when a message came from Julian. A single question mark. ? I opened our chat. I’d forgotten to thank him after taking his money this afternoon. With a blank expression, I typed: 【Ah… I was so busy earlier, I forgot to thank you, daddy!】 【You’re the best, daddy! Love you!】 Julian was clearly harder to fool than the others. 【What were you so busy with that you didn’t look at your phone?】 【Stringing other guys along?】 10 I pouted and typed quickly. 【Of course not, I only chat with you, daddy. I just had a little argument with my roommate and didn’t have a chance to check my phone.】 It was a mix of truth and lies. He could believe it or not. I logged out of my fake profile and started browsing shopping apps. I bought a few cheap T-shirts from a budget site, then switched to another app and splurged on a “luxury” shirt that cost a whole twenty dollars. I planned to deposit the rest of the money in the bank. This feeling of easy money was intoxicating. But I considered it compensation for my emotional distress. After all, it takes a lot of courage to live with three soulless roommates. 11 I had found a really good part-time job as a server at a private, high-end restaurant. The pay was $4,000 a month, not including room and board, and the shifts were rotational, so I didn’t have to be there every day. Having a steady job made me feel like I could finally walk with my head held high. I had no classes that afternoon, and the dorm was empty. After a blissful nap, I headed to work feeling refreshed. When I arrived, I changed into my uniform. The manager told me it was a busy night, and there was one private room with VIP clients that needed special attention. I grabbed the heavy menu, knocked on the door, and went inside. The moment I stepped in, I saw them. Julian, Roger, and Alex were all there, along with several other guys from my classes. It looked like some kind of get-together. I was immensely grateful for the mask and hat I was wearing. I kept my head down and deliberately lowered my voice. “Here is the menu. What can I get for you today?” I held the menu out to a student I didn’t recognize. He gave me an awkward smile and pointed a finger at Julian, indicating he was the one hosting. Under my mask, I gritted my teeth and cursed them a thousand times. So what if you have money? Can’t you just eat at a food stall like normal people? Did you have to come to a place like this? Hah. Such posers. I walked around the table with the menu and stopped beside Julian. “What would you like to order?” The moment I spoke, his eyes snapped to mine. I didn’t dare meet his gaze, focusing intently on flipping through the menu. Julian’s finger tapped here and there, and I checked off the items. Are they pigs? Ordering this much. Aren’t they afraid of eating themselves to death? Perhaps my silent cursing was too intense, because I felt Julian’s eyes fixed on me. A chill ran down my spine. I instinctively looked up. The second our eyes met, I knew. He had recognized me. Don’t say my name. Please, please don’t say my name. At school, we were all students. But outside, the inequality of our statuses was laid bare. I hated the way they looked me up and down. A corner of Julian’s mouth twitched, as if he could see the desperate thoughts racing through my mind. Don’t say it!! I’m begging you! But a second later, his voice cut through the room. “Leo? Why didn’t you tell us you were working here?” 12 A thunderclap went off in my head, and my vision blurred. My entire back felt numb. I couldn’t bring myself to look at anyone’s eyes. I couldn’t bear to listen to what they were saying. It would be the usual stuff: Leo? Oh yeah, I know him. The one who wears the same faded shirt every day. Or maybe: Leo? Why is he working as a server here? Is he that broke? I took a few steps back. Hearing my name, Alex and Roger both looked up. “Leo, what are you doing here?” Why are you asking? Why are you all asking? It had to be on purpose. They obviously knew, and they were just asking to humiliate me. I didn’t want to smile, but for the sake of my job, I forced a grin that was uglier than a grimace. I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you. I saw a few of them whispering with their heads down. My mind went to a dark place. They had to be talking about me. Why else would they invite me to eat with them? They were definitely planning something worse for me if I stayed. It was nine o’clock by the time I got back to the dorm after my shift. I flipped on the light and jumped. Alex was sitting ramrod straight at his desk in the dark. My eyes darted up to my bunk. I’d forgotten to close the curtain when I left after my nap… Wait. Where was the skirt I’d changed out of that night? Suddenly, the translucent comments popped back into existence. 【Poor baby is done for. The dog found out.】 【His little hole is going to be wrecked.】 【Alex is a jock, right? Baby Leo is definitely not going to be able to handle it.】 My pupils contracted. I saw it then. That skirt was, in fact, in Alex’s hands. The once-crisp fabric was now crumpled and wrinkled, as if it had been roughly handled. And was that a faint sheen on it, as if it had been… dampened by something?

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I’m a cat. A tuxedo cat, to be precise. And a damn feisty one. So when a sudden slap jolted me awake, I shot up, ready to shred whichever suicidal human dared to disturb my slumber. But then— Where were my claws? My fur? My magnificent, fluffy tail?! 1 “What the hell…” The voice that escaped my lips was human. A guy with wide, panicked eyes stared at me. “Who are you? What are you doing in my bed?” I was even more shocked than he was. Because I, a cat, had fucking turned into a human. His gaze drifted downward, and his face instantly turned crimson. “Holy shit, you’re a pervert.” He scrambled to his closet, yanking out a few pieces of clothing and flinging them at my face. “Put these on, for fuck’s sake!” I glanced down at my own bare, smooth body. Hmph. So I’d lost my fur. Big deal. “I’m not wearing that,” I said, tossing the clothes right back at him. “Only sissy tomcats wear clothes.” The guy’s—Liam’s—face flushed a deeper red. “Dude, stop with the drunken act, I’m begging you.” “Drunken? I’m perfectly sober, you moron.” “I’ll count to three. You’re getting dressed. One… two—” “No!” I snapped, then my voice faltered. “I… I don’t know how.” “…What?” I puffed out my chest. “Unless you help me.” Liam took a deep breath, shaking a T-shirt open and trying to pull it over my head. “Arms up. No, those are your legs!” I thrashed wildly. “Murder! He’s trying to murder me!” “Hold still,” he growled through clenched teeth, hooking an arm around my neck to force the shirt on. My leg shot out in a powerful kick. He gasped, clutching his crotch as he doubled over, and I seized the opportunity to break free. But a second later, with a vein throbbing on his forehead, Liam lunged at me, a pair of boxers in hand. “I swear to God, today I’m gonna—” The door suddenly swung open. “Hey, Liam, the RA downstai—” Three guys stood frozen in the doorway, their words dying in their throats. The scene they walked in on: Liam, kneeling on the bed, brandishing a pair of patterned boxers, pinning down a disheveled me. Well, the human version of me. I was biting his wrist, my T-shirt hiked up to my chest, two pale legs kicking wildly in the air. “Our bad,” the guy in glasses said, and slammed the door shut with a loud BANG. Liam froze. I shoved him off me hard. I tried to scramble down the bunk bed ladder, but my footing slipped, and I tumbled headfirst to the floor. “Hiss…” The pain made me want to lick my fur, but my tongue was too damn short to reach anything. “Useless human body.” Liam leaped off the bed and clamped a hand over my mouth, his face pale as a ghost. He yelled at the door, “It’s not what it looks like! This is my cousin! He’s wasted!” A chorus of snickers came from the hallway. “Nice try, dude. Your cousin bites your wrist? You guys are into some kinky shit.” “Get lost!” Liam grabbed a slipper and hurled it at the door before turning back to me, his voice a harsh whisper. “I don’t care if you’re a man or a demon, right now, you pretend to be drunk.” I rolled my eyes. “But I haven’t been drink—” Liam leaned in close, his warm breath ghosting over my ear. “Play along. Or I’ll hand you over to the biology department for experiments.” …You despicable human. 2 The moment the door opened again, I channeled the feeling of hacking up a furball and let out a dramatic, dry heave before collapsing limply into Liam’s arms. “See? He’s completely smashed,” Liam said, patting my back a little too hard. “I was just getting him into some clean clothes.” “Then why was he biting you?” one of them asked. “He…” Thinking fast, I threw my arms around Liam’s neck. “Bro! The ants… the ants are biting me!” It was true, too. A bunch of ants had bitten my balls just last week. Liam went with it, wrapping an arm around my waist. “See? He’s hallucinating.” His hand felt… nice. I instinctively rubbed my cheek against his chest. Wait, what was I doing? Where was my feline dignity?! I instantly recoiled, forgetting the clumsiness of my new body and slamming backward into the wardrobe with a loud thud. Someone choked back a laugh. “Liam, your cousin’s pretty… lively.” “Tsk. Seen enough? I need to get him changed.” “Okaaay, changing,” they chorused, backing out of the room with knowing grins. The last one even closed the door gently for us. Liam wiped a hand over his face. “What the hell are you?” I rubbed my bruised head. “A cat.” “…What?” “A tuxedo cat. Male,” I clarified. “You were flicking my balls this afternoon.” “Oreo?!” he shrieked, then reached out and pinched my cheek. “Are you trying to die?!” I snapped my jaws at him. “It’s really you…” Liam stared, dumbfounded, at the teeth marks on his hand. “This isn’t a dream…” The next second, he grabbed my shoulders. “Listen, I don’t care if you’re Oreo or some other cookie, you are going to learn how to wear clothes right now.” He shook the patterned boxers at me. “Lift your leg.” “No!” I stumbled back. “That thing will squish my butt!” “Fine, go naked then. Don’t blame me when they drag you off to a lab to be dissected.” My courage vanished. “Fine, I’ll wear it.” I don’t know how long we struggled, but by the time Liam had forced the last piece of clothing on me, I was exhausted and drowsy. “What kind of anti-cat design is this…?” Liam sighed, a sound of pure defeat. “I can’t believe I’m teaching a cat how to get dressed.” “Teaching? Does that mean you’ll be responsible for me from now on?” “What kind of logic is that?! I’m kicking you out of this dorm the second I can. Go wherever you want.” My eyes narrowed. I gracefully climbed back onto his bed. “I like it here.” “Get down!” “Nope.” I wrapped myself tightly in his duvet. “Or I’ll tell the whole campus you abuse cats.” “You’re a person now, you idiot!” “But my soul is a cat’s.” Suddenly, the booming voice of the dorm supervisor echoed from the hallway. “Liam! I hear you have an unauthorized guest staying overnight!” We both froze. In a blur of motion, he yanked me off the bed and shoved me into the wardrobe. “If you make a single sound, you’re dead.” 3 He argued with the supervisor for what felt like an eternity. Long enough for me to start dozing off before her voice finally faded away. I peeked out from the pile of clothes and saw him slumped in his chair, looking like he’d just survived a natural disaster. Tch. Coward. It was dark in the wardrobe, filled with stacks of Liam’s clothes. They were soft and smelled like him. I couldn’t resist burying my face in a wool sweater. Damn, this felt amazing. Even better than that velvet cushion on the balcony of the girls’ dorm. “Hey. Get out.” Liam pulled the wardrobe door open. “Are you planning on having your kittens in there?” I clutched his clothes defensively. “I’m a tomcat, you moron! I can’t have kittens!” “Then get out.” “No~” I burrowed deeper into the corner. “It’s dark and soft in here. The perfect cat nest.” Liam looked like he’d just swallowed something foul. He reached in to pull me out, and I immediately flashed my nails. “Touch me again and I’ll bite you!” “Fine. You win.” Liam sneered and pulled out his phone. “I’m calling the biology lab right now. I’ve got a cat that’s turned into a spirit.” With a yowl, I shot out of the wardrobe and launched myself at him, clamping my hands over his mouth. “Shut up! Don’t you dare!” The impact sent him staggering back two steps. His back hit the desk with a loud thump, and he winced in pain. We were tangled up, wrestling, when the dorm room door opened again. “Hey, Liam, is your cous—” The air froze solid. The guy with glasses stood in the doorway, his eyes wide and vacant. Liam: “…” Me: “…” Glasses guy: “…My bad.” The door was slammed shut. Again. Liam’s face was thunderous. He jabbed a finger at my nose, his voice a low growl. “From now on, you are my cousin, visiting from back home for a few days. Got it?” As the smartest cat on campus, I certainly understood the principle of “know when to fold ’em.” So I smiled sweetly and rubbed my cheek against his chin. “Got it, bro~” 4 In the end, Liam let me sleep in his bed. I curled into a ball, instinctively seeking out the warmest spot. Which happened to be Liam. “D-don’t get so close…” Liam’s whole body went rigid. “What’s wrong?” I mumbled, draping a leg over his waist. “This is how we cats sleep.” His breathing hitched, growing noticeably heavier. “You’re a person now.” “So annoying,” I grumbled, and simply flopped on top of him, burying my head in the crook of his neck. “There. Is this better?” Liam: “…” I could feel his heart hammering against his ribs, and his skin felt feverishly hot. “Are you sick?” I reached up to feel his forehead. He snatched my wrist, his voice raspy. “…Go to sleep.” Tch. Humans are so complicated. But… he was pretty warm. 5 The next morning, they all left for class, leaving me—the cat—alone in the dorm. Ha. As if these foolish humans could cage me. I slipped out onto the balcony and shimmied down the drainpipe with ease. I nearly twisted an ankle on the landing, though. Damn, this human body had terrible balance. I swaggered across the campus grounds and spotted that stupid calico cat crouching by the flowerbeds. The one who was always trying to claim my territory. “Hey! You want to go a round today?” I called out. “I’ll even give you a three-move head start!” The calico glanced up at me, flicked its tail, and turned its back, walking away. ??? “Hey, get back here!” I chased after it. “What’s with the silent treatment? You pretending you don’t know me?” The calico’s fur bristled. It hissed at me, its expression one of pure terror, before scrambling up the nearest tree. I stood at the base of the tree, hopping in frustration. “Coward! Get down here and fight me one-on-one!” It stared down at me, its gaze the kind you give a total moron. …No way. It really didn’t recognize me? A sudden tightness squeezed my chest. I picked up a small rock to throw at it, but then, for some reason, I just let it drop. 6 When Liam got back, I was sprawled on his bed, stewing in a foul mood. “Here. Got you some food.” He tossed a plastic container onto the bed. I lifted the lid and sniffed. Just as I was about to dig in, the image of the calico’s dismissive stare flashed in my mind. Suddenly, even the fish didn’t seem so appetizing. “Not hungry?” Liam raised an eyebrow. “I can give it to Mike.” “It’s mine!” I snatched the container back and began shoveling food into my mouth furiously. Liam sat down on the edge of the bed. “What’s wrong?” “I saw that stupid calico today…” I slammed my chopsticks down, ready to vent, but Liam clamped a hand over my mouth. He glanced toward the other side of the room. Oh, right. The other roommates were here. “Tell me later,” he whispered. I rolled my eyes and went back to my food. So annoying. As a human, you even had to watch what you said and where you said it. During the afternoon nap time, the dorm was finally quiet. Liam slipped through the curtain of his bunk and whispered, “Okay, you can talk now.” “That moron calico actually—!” My voice shot up in anger before Liam slapped his hand over my mouth again. “Keep it down! You want to wake everyone up?” Damn it. I couldn’t even be angry properly? Being human sucked. I lowered my voice to a seething whisper. “It pretended not to know me. I’ve been fighting that cat for two years! We just fought yesterday!” Liam blinked, then a snort of laughter escaped him. “What’s so funny?!” I punched his chest. “You humans will never understand!” “I get it, I get it…” he said, trying to stifle his laughter as he reached out and gently scratched the back of my neck. !!! The sensation was so familiar it made my scalp tingle. Back when I was a cat, the girls on campus loved to pet me just like this. I would always tilt my head back involuntarily and start to purr… “Hnnn…” A soft hum escaped my throat, the sound curling at the end. Liam’s hand froze. Mortified, I wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it. I decided to just go for broke and buried my face in his chest. “Keep going!” I could feel the rumble of his chest as he laughed, probably at me again. But his hand did start moving, stroking down my back, from my neck all the way to my waist. Damn… I couldn’t help but nuzzle against him, then I remembered myself. “You’re not allowed to tell anyone about this.” “Tell them what?” he asked, feigning innocence. “That someone starts purring like a kitten after a few pets?” “Liam, I’m going to claw your eyes out!” “Shhh…” He covered my mouth again. “They’re sleeping.” I bit his finger in protest, but the bastard just took the opportunity to give me a few more good strokes. Fine. His technique was pretty good. I, the great Oreo, would graciously let it slide this time. After a thorough petting session, my anger had mostly subsided. I turned my back to him and mumbled, “Being a human is alright, I guess. I get a bed and fish to eat. I don’t care about those stupid cats anyway.” Liam gently wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on the top of my head. “Yeah. Being human is pretty good.” “Especially with a personal servant,” I added. “Hey!” “Shut up and keep petting.” “…Yes, my lord.” Hmph. That’s more like it. I snuggled a little deeper into his arms. 7 A few weeks passed like this, and I had grown quite accustomed to human life. Liam dutifully served me every day. As my personal servant, he was… adequate. But the idiot had been acting strange lately. He hadn’t petted me in three days. Not only that, but last night when I tried to snuggle into his arms like usual, he actually turned his back to me. And today, he didn’t even bring me lunch. “Where’s my food?” I blocked the doorway, glaring at him. Liam’s face was a cold mask as he sidestepped me. “Buy your own.” Buy my own??? I launched myself onto his back. “Say that again, I dare you!” Josh, one of his roommates, was watching with amusement. “Whoa, lovebirds having a tiff?” “Who’s a lovebird with him?!” Liam and I yelled in unison. Liam peeled me off his back, hissing, “Knock it off, the guys are here.” “Then get me lunch!” “Go yourself.” “I don’t know how to use the meal card!” “Learn.” I was so furious I could feel my fur wanting to stand on end. This idiot was definitely doing this on purpose. Fine. If Liam was going to be a jerk, then I, the great Oreo, would be a jerk right back. He could forget about being my exclusive servant! That afternoon, Mike was eating fried chicken in the dorm. I immediately sidled up to him. “Can I have a piece?” “Sure, man.” Mike grinned, holding out a drumstick. “Just call me ‘bro’ and it’s yours.” Hah. Childish human. “Broooo~” I cooed, deliberately rubbing against his arm. “Please~?” Mike’s face went from red to white as he shakily pushed the entire box of chicken towards me. In my peripheral vision, I saw the pen in Liam’s hand snap in two. Ha! Serves you right! That evening, when another roommate, Josh, came out of the shower, I pounced on him, sniffing his neck. “Did you get a new body wash? It smells so good.” Josh stiffened. “Uh? It’s… it’s just regular lemon scent…?” “I love lemon~” In reality, the smell was so strong it made me want to sneeze, but to piss off Liam, I endured. Suddenly, Liam slammed the door and stormed out. Heh. Victory.

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My husband is a Player in a deadly game. His System told him that if he didn’t end up with the side character, she would die. But he fell in love with me, the heroine, at first sight. He spent all his points just to stay in this world with me. Then the backlash hit. Every month, I die. I’ve been crushed into a pulp by a car, decapitated by a falling object from a skyscraper, and had a home invader violate and tear me apart. I’ve even been kidnapped, tortured, and bled dry. As I lay dying this last time, I watched my tormentor pull off his mask. The face beneath it was my husband’s. Seeing my mangled state, his System couldn’t help but sigh. You’ve killed her 99 times. If you keep this up, you’ll destroy her body completely! Liam’s expression was calm. “Elara is the heroine of this world. Only by her death can the timeline reset and Rina be revived.” “This is the last time,” he said. “Once all of Rina’s wishes are granted, I’ll make it up to Elara.” It all clicked into place. He was killing me over and over again, just to bring a side character named Rina back to life. But he didn’t know something crucial. I’m a Player, too. My heart felt like it was being shredded. I called out to the System in my own mind. “System, I want to go home.” A familiar electronic voice, one I hadn’t heard in years, echoed in my thoughts. Host’s mission completion is at 100%. Do you wish to confirm your departure from this world? I closed my eyes, a tear tracing a path down my bloody cheek. “Confirm.” Understood, Host. You will depart from this world upon your 100th death. Liam’s System overheard our exchange. Its cold, mechanical voice was tinged with something like pity. Host, you will regret treating her this way. “You think I don’t regret this now?!” Liam shot to his feet, unable to look at me. This time, he had tortured me for thirty-six hours straight. He had personally shattered my kneecaps, ripped off my fingernails, and peeled back my scalp before hanging me upside down to drain every last drop of my blood. “For the past three days, Elara wasn’t the only one in pain…” He clutched his chest, his eyes a bloodshot red. His System fell silent. You could have made it quick. You didn’t have to torture her like this. “I had no choice,” Liam whispered, wiping away a tear. “Only by being this cruel to Elara could I ensure she wouldn’t suspect it was me. If I hadn’t fallen in love with her, Rina would never have died. This is a debt we both owe her. Once I grant all of Rina’s wishes, I swear I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to Elara.” He left me in the abandoned factory without a backward glance. I was nothing but a heap of ruined flesh lying in a pool of my own blood. “System,” I whispered, “I want to use my points to redeem Liam’s memories.” The moment the transaction was complete, the memories of the past ninety-eight deaths flooded me like a tidal wave. He ran me over with his car, crushing me into a pulp, so he could take Rina to ride the Ferris wheel at the amusement park. He dropped a sheet of glass from a skyscraper, slicing me in half, so he could go bungee jumping with Rina. He disguised himself as a burglar and stabbed me to death so he could spend the day volunteering with Rina at an animal shelter. … Every single time he killed me, he was thinking of her. The overwhelming pain was suffocating. The agony of ninety-nine brutal deaths was nothing compared to the despair of knowing the truth. I laughed, tears of blood streaming from my eyes. “System, I want to use the rest of my points to buy one more thing…” If Liam was going to destroy my life, I wasn’t going to let him have a happy ending. The next time I opened my eyes, I was met with Liam’s anxious face and swollen, red-rimmed eyes. “Elara, you’re finally awake!” he cried. “I’m so sorry you have to go through this. I never knew the System’s backlash would get this severe. Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to save you.” He lied without flinching, as if the words could erase the truth of what he’d done. Every time I’d woken up before, seeing his tears would break my heart. I thought this was the price I had to pay for defying the world’s rules to be with him. I accepted every death willingly. Now I knew I was just a fool. When I didn’t comfort him like I usually did, a visible tension seized him. “Elara, what’s wrong? Are you in pain?” I stared numbly at the ceiling and whispered, “Liam… it hurts so much.” He stroked my face, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ll never let you hurt again, Elara. I promise.” Those words, once so comforting, now sounded utterly vile. I wanted to ask him: when you were killing me, were you hurting for me, or were you worried about Rina? But as the question rose to my lips, I found I didn’t want to know the answer anymore. “Here, Elara. Have some porridge.” He picked up a bowl of lily porridge from the bedside table to feed me. Just as I was about to open my mouth, his phone rang. “She’s awake? I’ll be right there.” He hung up and gave me a careless excuse. “Elara, one of my patients just woke up. I have to go check on them.” He didn’t wait for a reply. He shot up so quickly that he knocked over the bowl, and the scalding hot porridge spilled all over me, raising an angry red welt on my skin. But Liam didn’t even turn back. His retreat was almost… joyful. I knew. He was rushing off to grant Rina’s one-hundredth wish. Even knowing the truth, some stubborn part of me had to follow. I didn’t feel the peace I expected until I saw it with my own eyes: Liam, sitting by Rina’s bedside, feeding her porridge spoonful by spoonful. “Rina, I learned how to make this just for you. Try it.” “Liam, you’re such an amazing cook. I’m so jealous of Elara; she gets to eat your food every day.” He smiled and ruffled her hair. “Why be jealous of her? I made this especially for you.” I stood outside the door, my fists clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms. So even the porridge was for Rina. “Liam,” Rina said, “I’ve decided. For my one-hundredth wish, I want Elara’s heart.” “What?!” Liam shot to his feet. “Rina, I can’t do that.” “Why not?” Rina burst into tears. “You said she’s the heroine, right? She can’t die. But I’m different. Liam, can you really bear to watch me die?” Seeing her cry, Liam hesitated. He called out to his System. “System, is it true the heroine can’t die, no matter what?” The System paused for a few seconds. Theoretically, yes, but… Before it could finish, Liam smiled and took Rina’s hand. “Don’t worry, Rina. I promise.” A wall separated us, but it might as well have been a chasm. I collapsed onto a chair in the hallway, the pain in my chest so intense it was turning into numbness. I knew what his System hadn’t finished saying. I had already requested to leave this world. Soon, I wouldn’t be the heroine anymore. I pushed myself up, using the wall for support, but Liam’s surprised voice stopped me. “Elara? What are you doing here?” After we got married, I had promoted Liam to Deputy Director of the Institute. I handed over all major responsibilities to him while I stayed home to rest and prepare for a family. Seeing my cold expression, he rushed over to take my hand. “Elara, don’t misunderstand. I was just here to warn her to stop bothering me.” He always told me how much he hated Rina’s endless clinging, how he despised the way the System forced their encounters. Even after our wedding, he would complain about how annoying she was. Looking back now, I realized that every time he mentioned her name, his eyes would soften with a tenderness I had refused to see. I couldn’t lie to myself anymore. I said nothing, just silently pulled my hand away. From inside the room, Rina cried out, “Liam, I twisted my ankle! It hurts!” Liam looked at me, torn. “Elara, she’s still my patient.” I didn’t stop him. I just watched as he rushed back into the room. His concern for her was so painfully obvious. How could I have been so blind, so lost in a fantasy of love that I never saw it? A bitter smile touched my lips as I turned and walked to my office. I called in my assistant, Alex, and handed him stacks of data on dozens of different viruses. Alex’s eyes widened. “Director… are you leaving?” I smiled but didn’t answer. “After I’m gone, give this research to the main institute. They’ll take over my work.” Alex looked at me with a new respect and gave a deep bow. … Ten years ago, this world was ravaged by a deadly plague. As the director of a 21st-century medical research institute, I was bound by a System and sent here. My mission was to save this broken world. The day the cure was announced, I could have left. But Liam fell to his knees before me and confessed everything about his System. He told me he was supposed to pursue Rina, but he had fallen in love with me. For me, he was willing to defy his mission, accept any punishment, even use all his points to stay in this world forever by my side. Lost in thought, I was startled when my office door burst open. Liam stormed in, his face contorted with rage. “Elara, why did you order them to stop Rina’s medication?!” I motioned for my assistant to leave, then raised an eyebrow at him. “Evidence?” “Who else could it be?” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Elara, I know you’re jealous that I’m taking care of Rina, but I’ve told you a million times, she’s my mission target! I have a responsibility to her. She has a heart condition. Do you really need to be so petty?” He looked like a stranger to me. I swallowed the bitter acid rising in my throat. “And?” I asked, my voice flat. “Are you going to kill me now? For her?” Tears welled in my eyes, a wave of grief I couldn’t suppress. Seeing my tears, Liam froze. “What? Of course not. I just want you to apologize to her.” Apologize? A harsh, broken laugh escaped my lips. Then who was going to apologize to me? For the ninety-nine brutal deaths? For the endless days and nights spent in terror? Just then, a delicate female voice came from the doorway. “Liam, please don’t fight with your wife because of me…” Rina leaned against the doorframe, coughing weakly. “I’ll be fine.” Liam immediately turned and wrapped his arms around her. Those eyes, which I had kissed countless times, now held nothing but Rina. “Elara,” he said, his voice cold with disappointment, “you’ve let me down.” I wiped away my tears and looked out at the blood-red sunset. The sun always sets in the end. After arranging the handover, I left the hospital. When I passed Rina’s room, I saw they were already gone. Not wanting to go home and face Liam, I decided to spend the night at a bar. But as I crossed an intersection, a car came speeding toward me. The world spun, and then everything went black. When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Rina. SMACK! A vicious slap stung my cheek. Rina’s usual delicate demeanor was gone, replaced by a twisted, snarling mask as she grabbed a fistful of my hair. “You bitch! You’re finally awake!” I swallowed a mouthful of blood and stared at her. “What do you want?” I glanced around. We were in a derelict, unfinished building, surrounded by a dozen masked figures dressed in black. Rina sneered. “This place looks familiar, doesn’t it, Elara? You’ve died here so many times, after all. It’s really quite pathetic. For my sake, your husband killed you ninety-nine times.” I felt nothing. I just laughed coldly. “So what? You’ve been reborn ninety-nine times, and you still haven’t convinced him to marry you?” As if I’d stepped on her tail, Rina exploded. “What do you know?! Liam doesn’t love you anymore! He promised to give me your heart! Then the heroine’s position, your System, and Liam—they’ll all be mine. Today, I’m going to show you who’s more important to him.” On cue, Liam burst in, looking disheveled and out of breath. “Let them go!” he yelled. “Liam, help me!” Rina shrieked. The leader of the masked men pressed a knife to each of our throats. “Dr. Evans, remember me? My brother died because of your mistake during the outbreak. If it weren’t for you, he’d still be alive!” He gestured with the knife. “Today, you get on your knees and bow three times, and I’ll let you take one of them.” Liam’s eyes darted between us. Rina was sobbing hysterically, trembling with fear. I remained calm, refusing to even look at him. He made his decision in an instant. He dropped to his knees and slammed his forehead against the concrete floor. “Please,” he begged, “let Rina go!” Seeing this, I couldn’t help but throw my head back and laugh. The proud, arrogant Liam, now kneeling for another woman. My laughter seemed to fill him with guilt. He rushed to Rina’s side, holding her close while whispering reassurances to me over his shoulder. “Elara, you can’t die, but Rina can. Don’t worry, once I get her to safety, I’ll come back for you.” As I watched him carry Rina away, even the kidnappers seemed to pity me. “The esteemed Mrs. Evans, worth less than some nobody.” “But hey, that’s what you get for crossing the wrong people.” They took off their jackets, revealing identical tattoos on their shoulders. And I finally recognized them. They weren’t former patients. They were members of this world’s most feared terrorist organization. For a day and a night, they beat me, electrocuted me, and drove spikes through my body. They tied me to a chair, a humiliating spectacle as my body was used and broken by dozens of men. The tearing, searing pain eventually silenced my screams, my struggles fading until my heart was nothing but ash. “System, where is Liam now?” The System sounded reluctant, but it told me the truth. He’s at the amusement park with Rina, buying her ice cream. He had already forgotten me. Forgotten that I was here, waiting for him to save me. Just because I couldn’t die, he felt no pain for me. The System showed me the scene. Rina was licking an ice cream cone. “Liam,” she asked, “don’t you think we should go back and save your wife soon?” Liam snorted. “She stopped your medication. She’s being a brat. She needs to be taught a lesson.” So he knew. He knew I was being tortured. He just didn’t care. I closed my eyes, numb, as one man replaced another on top of me. I don’t know how much time passed before the warehouse doors were finally thrown open. Liam rushed in with a team, kicking the man off me and pulling me into his arms. “Elara, I’m sorry I’m late.” Seeing my bruised and broken body, a flicker of guilt crossed his face. The embrace I once craved now only filled me with terror and disgust. I tried to push him away, but my vision went black, and I passed out. When I woke up, Liam was sitting by my bed, his face haggard. I thought that seeing me like this, he would finally feel something. But his first words were like a blunt knife, carving open my heart. “Elara, the doctors did a full workup. They found a problem with your heart. It needs to be replaced immediately.” He squeezed my hand. “But don’t worry. I had my System create a state-of-the-art artificial heart for you. You’ll be perfectly fine.”

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My ex-girlfriend, the award-winning actress Pamela Cahill, was filming a live reality show about revisiting her hometown when she stumbled upon a grave with my name on it. Etched onto the headstone was a QR code, with the words “Brad’s Last Tapes” carved above it in a playful, almost whimsical font. She frowned at the camera, her disgust palpable. “Brad, you’re the one who insisted on breaking up. What is this? What new game are you playing to get my attention?” “I’m with someone else now.” The someone else she was referring to was a rising star, Julian Cole. The livestream chat exploded with comments, calling me a toxic ex who couldn’t let go, a ghost from her past that refused to stay buried. The vitriol flowed until a single comment cut through the noise: [Did none of you scan the code? I think… I think he’s actually dead.] 1 Pamela’s annoyance deepened at the sight of the comment, her usually calm and composed expression cracking. “He’ll do anything to get my attention, won’t he? It’s pathetic.” The viewers chimed in with teasing remarks: [The only person who can rattle the unshakable Pamela Cahill is her clingy ex.] [Seriously. He’s the one who dumped her. Now that she’s famous, he crawls out of the woodwork every other day to get a headline.] [Yeah, I heard he sent her letters and gifts just last week. No way he’s dead.] Fueled by the audience’s skepticism, the show’s production crew scanned the code and broadcast the video that loaded. The first frame was me, holding a cancer diagnosis report, letting out a long, forced sigh of relief. “Hey. It’s day one. Day one of my diagnosis, and day one of our breakup. Happy breakup, Pamela.” “Sorry for ending things so suddenly. The last thing I wanted was to drag you down with me.” I was dressed in a sharp suit, trying to look bright and handsome, but it couldn’t hide the deathly pallor of my skin. “Let me guess, you’re crying, right? A career slump and a breakup hitting all at once… that’s got to hurt.” “But hey, you’ll bounce back. I know you will.” As it turned out, my predictions in the video had all come true. Someone dug through Pamela’s old Instagram posts and found a series of bleak, melancholic captions from the days right after our breakup. The reigning ice queen of Hollywood, revealed to be so heartbroken and vulnerable, became a trending topic for days. Back then, Pamela had quickly archived all those old posts, leaving only one public statement: [I have someone better by my side now.] It was right when her historical drama had become a massive hit. Her co-star, the male lead, was the popular young actor Julian Cole. And he had liked that post. Pamela really had moved on quickly. Her fans were thrilled for her. “Don’t worry, though,” I said in the video. “I don’t plan on bothering you. I just wanted to leave something behind.” “I’ve never asked for anything, Pamela. Just this once… let me be selfish.” As I said that, my voice choked, the sound catching in my throat. The confident, handsome man from the start of the video seemed to shrink, replaced by a small, fragile boy. Perhaps not wanting anyone to see me in such a state, the first video cut off abruptly. 2 [Date: April 9, 2019. Weather: Overcast. Hate lasts longer than love.] “Day two of the breakup. It’s an overcast day. Perfect for feeling miserable, right?” I was in my pajamas at home, brushing my teeth with one hand while holding up my phone with the other, showing Pamela’s sad posts on the screen. “Looks like you’re taking it pretty hard. But I’m sure you’ll get over it soon!” I said, my voice light, a gentle smile fixed on my face. The livestream chat erupted in defense of Pamela: [She was heartbroken over him for so long, and he just drops a casual ‘get over it’? You’d have more feelings for a dog you had for seven years! He’s a monster!] [Exactly. He doesn’t even look sick. He’s probably faking it for clout. I hope something bad really does happen to him!] [Just die already and stop torturing our Pamela!] In the video, after I spoke, I fell silent. The camera shifted to focus on my phone screen, showing a comment I’d left on her post from a burner account: [Even when you’re sad, remember to eat and rest well. A fan who will always support you!] Pamela had replied almost immediately: [Only one person used to care about things like that. Did you think I wouldn’t recognize you just because you’re using a different account?] [So, Brad, what’s the point of this fake sympathy? Are you here to laugh at me?] I stared at her words, frozen. After a long moment, I slowly typed back: [Yeah. It’s exactly what you think.] There was no reply. When I refreshed her profile, I found that she had blocked me. The chat filled with cheers: [YES! Get him! Our queen knows her worth. She deserves so much better!] [This must be when she started building that tough, ice-queen persona. We should thank this asshole for that.] [Still, I’m so curious about what she was like before all this.] [Don’t be. That must have been the darkest time of her life.] The flood of hateful comments obscured the screen. No one noticed the boy in the corner of the frame, clutching his phone, his eyes turning red. 3 [Date: May 2, 2019. Weather: Sunny. I want you to be happy more than anyone.] “Today… cough… came to see you in secret.” The moment the boy in the video appeared on screen, the barrage of angry comments suddenly stopped. “Surprised to see me like this? To be honest, I’m not used to it either. It took a lot of courage to even get in front of the camera.” The boy was wearing an ill-fitting wig, his cheeks hollowed out to a frightening degree. Yet, his face still held that familiar, gentle smile. The camera panned to show the set of Pamela’s first breakout role. She was playing the second female lead, acting opposite Julian Cole, who was then also a supporting actor. Amid a sea of fans cheering for the main actress, I stood in a quiet corner, holding a small sign with Pamela’s name on it, silently watching her perform. She had matured so much. Her features were sharper, her presence more commanding. The cheers for the lead actress grew louder. In the chaotic noise, on some strange impulse, I called out her name. The next second, as if she’d heard me through the din, she looked up. Our eyes met. I immediately dropped my head, my heart hammering against my ribs. It was only for a second, but it was enough to make me flee the set before the scene was even over. “Phew… You didn’t see me, right?” I was hiding in an alleyway, congratulating myself on my quick escape, when a firm hand gripped my wrist. “You break my heart and then you come back to spy on me? Is this fun for you, Brad?” Pamela was breathing heavily, her brow furrowed in anger. But the moment she got a clear look at my face, she froze. “You… haven’t you been sleeping?” I quickly composed myself, turning my head away. “Yeah,” I said, my voice cold. “My new girlfriend keeps me up all night. She’s a lot better than you.” Her face instantly flushed with fury. “Brad! You son of a bitch…!” Her words were cut short by Julian’s voice from behind her. “Pamela, why’d you run off mid-scene? The director is pissed. Are you okay?” Hearing him, Pamela let out a heavy breath and released my wrist. “You once told me people who betray love deserve to swallow a thousand needles. That was you.” “Forget it. Just… don’t come back here again.” I kept my head down, saying nothing. She turned and walked away. I could hear Julian asking, “Who was that? A friend of yours?” and Pamela’s reply, clear and cold: “No one important.” A bitter wave washed over me. By the time I looked up, tears had already blurred my vision. “See,” I whispered to the camera. “I told you you’d grow stronger.” “You’re right. I’m the one who betrayed our love. So let all the bad karma come to me. All I want… is for you to be happy.” 4 [Date: June 3, 2019. Weather: Sunny. Not a difficult decision.] Across the coffee table sat a sophisticated man. He took an elegant sip of his drink and looked up at me. “You want to hire me as Pamela Cahill’s manager? You know my rates are among the highest in the industry.” Someone in the livestream chat recognized him. It was David Carter, the legendary agent. With him on her side, Pamela’s path to stardom had become infinitely smoother. Pamela had thanked him publicly more than once, but his response was always a quiet, detached: “It was just a business transaction.” Now, watching the video from the studio, David Carter slowly lifted his head, his eyes beginning to redden. In the video, I nodded firmly and pushed a bank card across the table. “Mr. Carter, this has ninety-seven thousand, six hundred and forty-three dollars. It’s my entire life savings.” David’s eyes glanced at the card, his voice unchanged. “I’m a businessman, son. You understand that this isn’t nearly enough for me to tie my career to some unknown actress.” I bit my lip. The next second, I took off the wig, revealing my gaunt, ravaged face. It was the first time I had shown myself on camera without any disguise since getting sick. The livestream chat fell into a stunned silence. “Sir, to be honest with you, I have stomach cancer. I don’t have much time left.” “She’s the only thing I can’t let go of. I believe in her. I know she can make it big.” “I know this money isn’t enough to sway you, but I’ll sign over the rights to this video series I’m recording before I die. Whatever revenue they generate can be my payment. Please?” My voice was tinged with desperation. David stared at me for a long time before speaking. “And what about you? You’ve planned all this for her, but you’re just going to die quietly in a corner?” “If you used this money for treatment, you might live longer…” He trailed off as I shook my head with a faint smile. “I can’t drag her down. We’ve already been through enough hardship together.” “It’s okay. I’m not afraid of dying. I’m just afraid of her crying if she saw me like this.” My expression was calm, but the tremor in my voice betrayed me. The silence stretched. David looked up at the ceiling, blinking hard, before taking a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll do it.” 5 [Date: July 1, 2019. Weather: Rainy. It’s time to let go.] The moment I got through the door, the camera slipped from my hand and fell to the floor. A violent, searing pain in my stomach hit so fast I didn’t even have time to turn it off. It was a thousand needles stabbing me from the inside. I curled up on the floor beside my bed, cold sweat pouring down my face. In a haze of agony, I subconsciously dialed Pamela’s number. After a few short rings, the line connected, but there was only silence on the other end. Of course. She must hate my guts. Why would she answer my call? Tears mixed with sweat as I dug my nails into my own arm, but the words still tumbled out in a trembling, delirious whisper. “It hurts so much… Pamela… It hurts.” “I don’t want to die… I’m so scared…” My voice was almost a sob, punctuated by ragged, painful breaths. In that moment, death became terrifyingly real, a tidal wave of fear threatening to swallow me whole. Then, through the static, a hoarse voice came from the phone. “Where are you? I’m coming to find you right now.” Her words jolted me back to reality. She had answered. On pure instinct, I hung up. But it was too late. Pamela came. She stood outside my apartment, knocking on the door over and over. The pain had subsided into a dull ache. I leaned against the other side of the door, my eyes squeezed shut. “Go away, Pamela,” I managed to say, my voice raw. “I don’t want to see you.” Her voice exploded with rage. “Is this a game to you, Brad? Do you get some sick pleasure out of messing with me?” “You call, and I drop everything—a multi-million dollar ad campaign—and come running to you like a pathetic dog. And for what? What is the point of this?” “Brad, what did I ever do to deserve this from you?” Her fist slammed against the old, metal security door. Silence descended. I bit down hard on my lip to keep from crying out. The old doors in this building had terrible soundproofing. I could hear her on the other side, her voice breaking into quiet, choked sobs, like an abandoned puppy. I don’t know how long she stood there before her voice came again, soft and pleading. “One last time, Brad. Treat me like a dog, use me for fun, break my heart all over again—I don’t care. I’ll take it.” “Just let me see you one last time. Please.” She was met with only silence. I don’t know if she waited for three hours or the entire night. But I knew one thing with absolute certainty: I could not open that door. It was time to let go. For me, and for her.

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My Omega husband is the main character in a popular harem novel. Practically every desirable Alpha in the story is in love with him. The handsome, wealthy, aloof CEO; the wild, rebellious trust-fund kid; the gentle, devoted superstar… Without exception, they are all hopelessly devoted to my husband. And me? I’m just a plain, unremarkable Beta. In the story, I’m known as “the clueless husband.” My only purpose is to add a little spice to their thrilling affair, a background character they can cheat on for an extra dash of excitement. So, it turns out I’m the disposable nice guy trope? 1 After I took a nasty fall down the stairs, a flood of unfamiliar memories washed over me. That’s when I learned the truth: I was nothing more than the cannon fodder husband in a trashy romance novel. So, I immediately handed my husband, Jason, a set of divorce papers. When the Omega saw the words on the page, his fair, beautiful face filled with confusion and helplessness. “Josh… w-why do you want a divorce?” Jason’s voice trembled, and his lovely almond-shaped eyes welled up with tears. “Did I do something wrong?” After all, he was the man I had moved heaven and earth to win over, my one true love. Being his simp had become second nature. Seeing him look so pitiful, a familiar pang of sympathy shot through my chest. I instinctively wanted to reach out and wipe away the tears at the corners of his eyes. No, stop it! Josh, if you feel sorry for him now, who’s going to feel sorry for you later? The thought of not only being cheated on mercilessly but also being thrown into the ocean to feed the fishes by his jealous Alpha suitors sent a violent shiver down my spine. The fog in my brain cleared instantly. “You didn’t do anything wrong…” At this point in the story, Jason hadn’t even met the three main Alphas yet, so I couldn’t technically fault him for anything. I had to make something up. “I just… don’t feel the same way anymore.” “Let’s just end things amicably.” At my words, Jason began to cry even harder, his voice choked with sobs. “You swore to me! You promised you would make me happy for the rest of my life!” “Are you going back on your promise now?” His accusation made me feel a pang of guilt, and I nervously adjusted the black-framed glasses on my face. Everyone who knew we were married thought I was a classic case of punching way above my weight. After all, in a world where Omegas made up only six percent of the population, they were infinitely more precious than a dime-a-dozen Beta like me. And Jason wasn’t just any Omega; he was stunningly beautiful, came from a wealthy family, and had a gentle temperament. He was the perfect partner. I’d fallen for him the first moment I saw him in college. To win him over, I’d become the ultimate simp, catering to his every whim, always there for him, no matter what. But Jason always kept me at arm’s length—never rejecting me, but never accepting me either. I spent three years like that, and by the time we graduated, he still hadn’t agreed to be with me. I was crushed and on the verge of giving up when, out of the blue, he contacted me. I rushed to the coffee shop, my heart soaring, only to be met by the sight of his beautiful face, streaked with tears. “Josh, what am I going to do?” he cried, his eyes red and swollen like a terrified little rabbit. “My parents are forcing me into an arranged marriage! They want to marry me off to some sixty-year-old Alpha for a business deal!” The sight broke my heart. I immediately grabbed his hand. “Jason, come with me.” “I’ll make you happy!” And just like that, we eloped. I married the Omega I had dreamed of for years. I was, for a time, incredibly proud. In college, the line of suitors for Jason was endless. I was the least significant of them all. No one could believe that this dream man, pursued by countless Alphas, would end up choosing me. After all, I was just a plain Beta. My looks, my charisma, my talents… everything about me was average. I was an orphan with no family to my name. I thought I was the ultimate success story of the simp who got the girl. I never imagined the storm that was brewing, a storm that would turn my world upside down. 2 “I will never divorce you!” For the first time ever, Jason lost his temper. With red-rimmed eyes, he tore the divorce papers to shreds, then stormed into his room and locked the door, refusing to answer no matter how much I knocked. This was not how I expected things to go. According to the novel, Jason had only married me to escape his arranged marriage. He didn’t actually have any real feelings for me. He had always used the excuse that he had a “gland problem” to keep me from getting too close. We’d been sleeping in separate rooms for the entire year we’d been married. He found me, a Beta, to be dull and uninteresting, a far cry from his ideal partner. Logically, he should have been thrilled that I was the one initiating the divorce. So why was he fighting it so desperately? My head started to ache. The next morning, his door was still shut. I tried knocking, but got no response. Defeated, I gave up. After a quick breakfast, I headed to work as usual. I had barely settled at my desk when someone handed me a file. “Mr. Evans, could you please take this development proposal to Mr. Thorne for his signature?” “Sure.” I nodded and took the file up to the CEO’s office on the top floor. After a soft knock, a cold, sharp voice answered. “Come in.” The man behind the desk had deep-set eyes, a high-bridged nose, and a jawline so sharp it could cut glass. No one could deny that he was an exceptionally handsome Alpha. But seeing that familiar face again, something inside me had changed. The reason was simple. My boss, Damian Thorne, was the first male lead in this ridiculous novel. He was the first bastard to start this whole mess. The thought made me grind my teeth. My gaze toward him was now tinged with resentment. Seriously? I’m slaving away for you at this company, and you’re plotting to cheat with my husband?! Damian’s brow furrowed slightly when he saw it was me. He took the file from my hand, his voice cool. “Is my schedule for tonight prepared?” I nodded. “Yes, it’s all set.” He gave a slight nod, then after a moment’s pause, asked, as if it were an afterthought, “How are you and Jason doing lately?” I forced a polite smile. “We’re doing well. Thank you for asking, Mr. Thorne.” Damian and Jason were high school classmates. I’d only gotten this job at Thorne Industries because of Jason’s connection to him. But I never, ever suspected that this asshole had been secretly in love with my husband the whole time. No wonder he always looked at me funny, frowning whenever he saw me as if I were a piece of trash. It was the classic look of a man staring down his rival. 3 That evening, Damian had a charity auction to attend at six. As his secretary, I had to accompany him. Before the auction, there was a dinner gala. The hall glittered with chandeliers, filled with the city’s elite. Damian was his usual cool and composed self, exuding the powerful aura unique to a top-tier Alpha. I trailed silently behind him, but then I caught sight of someone out of the corner of my eye, holding a glass of champagne and slowly making his way toward us. “Long time no see…” The newcomer wore a perfectly tailored white suit that highlighted his tall, lean frame, making him stand out in the crowd. I recognized the handsome face, a regular on the big screen, and my heart skipped a beat. This was none other than the third male lead of the novel—the superstar, Elias Vance. Elias was smiling at Damian, his amber eyes glittering like honey under the chandelier lights. “Mr. Thorne, I hear you’ve been seeing the Li family’s Omega recently.” “It sounds like… wedding bells are in your future.” Damian’s brow twitched, and his tone was icy. “That’s none of your business.” The Thorne family had been actively searching for a suitable partner for Damian. But I knew that in the near future, after Damian got together with Jason, all these potential fiancées would become nothing but a distant memory. Elias was all smiles, while Damian’s face was so cold you could chip ice off it. Anyone could see they didn’t get along. I wasn’t surprised. I’d heard they were sworn enemies. The Thorne and Vance families were old friends, and Damian and Elias had grown up together. But their personalities clashed, and they’d never seen eye to eye. In the future, they would become bitter rivals over Jason, fighting practically every time they met. “The auction is about to begin. Mr. Evans, let’s go.” Damian clearly had no intention of engaging with Elias and turned to leave. I nodded, but couldn’t resist a glance back. Elias didn’t seem bothered by Damian’s cold shoulder, the smile never leaving his lips. But his eyes, fixed on Damian’s retreating back, held a dark, almost imperceptible glint of animosity. 4 After the auction, I called my best friend, Mark, to see if he wanted to grab a drink. “Josh, have you lost your damn mind?!” At the bar, Mark stared at me in disbelief when I told him I wanted to divorce Jason. “Jason was the most sought-after guy in our entire university, a total heartthrob!” “So many people were dying to be with him, and you, you lucky bastard, you want to divorce him?!” Mark looked at me, confused. “You’re not even drunk. Why are you talking crazy?” Of course, I couldn’t tell him about the novel. He’d think I was insane. He eyed me suspiciously. “Don’t tell me… you’re cheating on him, aren’t you?” “Get out of here!” I shot back, exasperated. “Am I that kind of guy?” “I just… I just don’t think we’re a good match.” To my surprise, Mark didn’t argue with that. “You know… I’m not entirely surprised you feel that way,” he said with a sigh. “We Betas don’t have pheromones. When an Omega goes into heat, we can’t do anything to help. Over time, it’s bound to cause problems in a relationship.” “Look around us. How many Betas do you know who actually make it work with an Omega long-term? Most Omegas might date a Beta for a while, but in the end, they almost always end up with an Alpha.” Mark sighed again. “After all, Omegas and Alphas are… biologically hardwired for each other.” His words hit me hard. I fell silent. He was right. In the novel, the first time Jason betrays our marriage is during his heat, when he runs into Damian. They can’t control themselves, and… well, that’s when it all starts. Bound by a sense of guilt, Jason feels bad about it at first. But he never had strong feelings for me to begin with. In the end, he can’t resist his Omega nature and chooses an Alpha as his partner. It’s true what they say: no good ever comes from being a simp. A wave of bitterness washed over me. I picked up my glass and downed it in one gulp. The cool liquid seemed to soothe some of the turmoil in my chest. I waved at the bartender. “Another brandy!” 5 Two drinks later, I was feeling unsteady on my feet. As I stumbled toward the restroom, a cloyingly sweet smell of chocolate hit me. Why does the restroom smell like chocolate? Before I could figure it out, a tall, slender figure lunged at me, pinning me against the wall. In that instant, the chocolate scent intensified, thick and overwhelming, wrapping around me like a suffocating blanket. Even through my clothes, I could feel the searing heat radiating from his body. The alcohol had slowed my reflexes. I stood there, dazed, for a few seconds before I slowly lifted my head. The man had a wild mane of blond hair, sharp features, and a rebellious air about him. Seeing his familiar face, I frowned. “You… Zane?!” Zane was a younger student from my university and my sworn enemy. We were both chasing after Jason back then, and we couldn’t stand each other. He used his family’s money to make my life miserable, always sneering at me with a condescending smirk whenever he saw me. I hated his arrogant attitude. What I hated even more was that Zane was the second male lead in the novel. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. A jerk like him gets to be with Jason, while I get thrown away like trash in the end?! “Get off me!” I snarled, trying to shove him away. But he effortlessly grabbed my wrists. The motion sent a jolt through me, clearing some of the alcoholic haze from my mind. That’s when I noticed that something was seriously wrong with him. His breathing was ragged, his eyes glazed over. He lowered his head, his lips parting, the warm breath from his mouth getting closer and closer to my neck. “Oh, crap!” This bastard was in a rut! “Are you blind?! Look at me!” I yelled, struggling against his grip. “I’m a Beta!” He just scowled in frustration, slamming my hands against the wall above my head before lowering his head again. Betas have glands, but they’re undeveloped and don’t produce pheromones. Without the scent to guide him, Zane couldn’t find my gland. So, in a fit of rage, he just bit down hard on my neck. The moment his sharp canines pierced my skin, my world went white. It hurts! The sharp pain sent a surge of adrenaline through me. I found a burst of strength from somewhere, and seeing an opening, I drove my fist hard into his stomach. He grunted, his grip finally loosening. Before he could recover, I scrambled out of the restroom and fled. It was midnight by the time I got home. The living room was dark, and I assumed Jason was already asleep. But when I flipped on the light, I saw a familiar figure sitting bolt upright on the sofa. I instinctively clapped a hand over the wound on my neck and forced a sheepish smile. “Why are you still up so late?” 6 On the sofa, Jason was staring at me, his gaze cold and piercing. His long, dark hair was loose, cascading down his back, which only served to accentuate his snow-white skin and ruby-red lips. Under the harsh, cold light, he radiated an eerie, chilling beauty, like a dangerous siren. Seeing his dark expression, I swallowed nervously. “What’s… what’s wrong?” Jason stood up, his face a mask of ice. He always used to lower his head in front of me, projecting an image of gentleness and submission. It was only now, belatedly, that I realized—he was a good half a head taller than me. “Who were you with tonight?” “Who else?” I rubbed my nose, feeling a strange sense of guilt. “Just Mark…” “You’re lying!” Jason’s eyes flashed with anger. “Mark isn’t an Alpha! You reek of some disgusting Alpha’s scent!” “Those are clearly Alpha pheromones!” I felt a flush of embarrassment. “Jason, let me explain…” But his face darkened further. He yanked my hand away from my neck. When he saw the bite mark, his entire body began to tremble, and the expression on his face was more terrifying than anything I had ever seen. “Josh!” “Did you sleep with an Alpha?!” His words were so blunt, so humiliating, that I exploded. “What the hell are you talking about?!” But Jason wasn’t listening. He seemed to have lost his mind with rage. He dragged me into the bedroom and threw me onto the bed, pinning me down. It was only then that I realized how strong he was, nothing like the delicate Omega I had always believed him to be. “Are you crazy?!” I yelled, trying to push him off. But he held my hands down, and I couldn’t move an inch. He traced the bite mark on my neck, his touch surprisingly gentle, but his voice was chilling. “A place I’ve been desperately holding back from, a place I couldn’t bear to touch… you just let someone else have it so easily?” A dangerous aura filled the room. Alarm bells screamed in my head, and my body began to tremble under his touch. “Honey, please, listen to me. It’s just a misunderstanding.” Jason placed a finger on my lips, silencing me. His voice was a soft whisper. “Shh…” “I don’t want to hear your excuses.” He was smiling, but his eyes were like chips of ice. He gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Since you say it’s just a misunderstanding, then let me…” “…conduct a thorough inspection.” 7 Inspection? What kind of inspection? Before I could process his words, a warm pressure covered my lips. “Mmph!” My eyes flew open. Was Jason… forcibly kissing me? As our lips and tongues tangled, the potent, intoxicating scent of tequila slammed into me, wrapping around me with an aggressive, domineering force. Was this… Jason’s pheromone scent? I was shocked. Because Jason had always claimed to have a gland problem, I had never smelled his pheromones before. I’d always imagined they would be soft and elegant, just like the gentle persona he presented to the world. I never expected them to be so…domineering. Is this really the kind of scent a sweet, gentle Omega is supposed to have? I was suddenly very confused. Jason seemed to sense my distraction. He nipped my lip in annoyance, and his hands began to roam over my body, finally settling on a very… private area. Wait. Something is very, very wrong here… Oh my God, is he trying to top me?! Panic seized me. No, no, no! As a Beta, I absolutely could not let an Omega dominate me! If word got out, I’d never be able to show my face in public again! With that thought, I tried to sit up and break free. But in the next instant, a strange, searing heat erupted from the gland at the back of my neck, spreading rapidly through my entire body. What the hell is happening?! Why was I, a Beta, experiencing symptoms similar to an Omega’s heat? I froze, completely stunned. My already foggy mind grew even hazier with the rising heat. Under the lamplight, Jason’s beautiful face seemed to become even more alluring. “Jason…” I managed to choke out his name, my throat dry and tight. Deep inside, a hollow, unfamiliar ache began to grow, an ache that was almost unbearable. But just then, Jason stopped. He simply watched me, a playful, cruel smile on his lips as he took in my pathetic state. “Tell me,” he purred, “do you want me to continue?” How had I never realized what a sadist he was? This was no gentle little rabbit. This was a calculating, vicious wolf. “Go to hell!” I snarled, glaring at him, refusing to back down. “If you can’t get the job done, I’ll just go find someone else!” “You dare!” My words clearly hit a nerve. He yanked me into his arms. “I was going to be gentle with you…” he hissed, then lowered his head, his sharp canines aimed directly at my gland. “Ah—!” My eyes shot open, pupils contracting in agony. Through my blurred vision, I could see Jason’s head buried in the crook of my neck. I don’t know how long it lasted. When he finally lifted his head, his lips were stained with a shocking smear of red. He stroked the wound on the back of my neck, his expression one of pure satisfaction. “The mark…” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “…is finally complete.”

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The day before my wedding, I dropped my best man off at his hotel and saw my fiancée, Isabella, checking into a room with her ex-boyfriend. Just ten minutes earlier, she had texted me: “I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow, my love. Come and take me home.” I swallowed my rage and filmed the video of them kissing in the hallway. The next day, at our wedding, I played it for everyone to see. 1 The moment the video played, the reception hall erupted. Isabella’s younger brother was the first to react, pointing at the event staff and screaming. “What the hell are you people doing? Why would you play a video like this at a wedding?” “How dare you embarrass the Thorne family! Is your company trying to go out of business?” “Where’s your manager? Get them out here…” His voice trailed off as he, along with every other guest, became glued to the screen. I nodded, satisfied. “Everyone,” I announced, “welcome to my breakup party with Isabella Thorne. From this day forward, we are finished. Please, eat, drink, and enjoy.” Realizing she was the star of the show, Isabella rushed toward me, desperate to explain. But I had already dropped the microphone and walked out. The second I stepped outside the hotel, my father’s call came through. I let my phone’s AI assistant handle it. When I’d first told him I was marrying Isabella, he’d been so ecstatic he stayed drunk for three days, bragging to anyone who would listen about how his brilliant son was marrying a wealthy heiress. He would be the last person to accept this wedding being called off. Back at my apartment, the calls from my father were relentless. Annoyed, I finally just pulled the SIM card out of my phone. I tossed my wedding suit in the trash and found the nearest bar. My social media, anything that connected me to Isabella, was blowing up with notifications. But I had a new phone now. I couldn’t see their chaos even if I wanted to. The bar owner saw me and strolled over, a friendly grin on his face. “Flying solo tonight, Leo? Where’s your fiancée?” I glanced over my shoulder, a wry smile on my face. “She’ll be here soon.” A second later, a familiar figure appeared. 2 Isabella was frantically pushing her way through the crowd, her eyes glued to her phone as she scanned the room. A man who had been watching me from a distance a moment before moved toward her. She fought him off, shoving him away. I couldn’t hear what he said, but it left a look of pure resentment on her face as she pushed him aside again and continued her search. The man watched her go, his posture radiating a deep, lonely pain. The bar’s flashing lights obscured his features, but there was something unsettlingly familiar about him. I assumed he was a friend of Isabella’s who had spotted me and tipped her off. Yet, racking my brain, I couldn’t place him. It was the bar owner who broke my train of thought. “Leo, your fiancée is calling my phone now.” “Your phone’s on, isn’t it? What’s going on? You two have a fight?” I looked up, and he, thinking I wanted to answer, accepted the call. He even helpfully turned it on speaker. Isabella’s voice, frantic and loud, came through the phone. “Leo, honey, I know you’re at a bar. Please just tell me where you are. Give me a chance to explain.” I hung up. The owner stared at me, bewildered. “Aren’t you going to find her? Aren’t you worried about her being out alone?” I glanced back at the spot where the mysterious man had been. He had already vanished back into the crowd. “She’s not my fiancée anymore,” I murmured, my voice hollow. “She doesn’t need me.” 3 It was past two in the morning when I finally stumbled home. I looked up and saw her, Isabella, huddled by my front door. It was always her move after she’d done something wrong. “Leo, I couldn’t find you at the bar, and your phone was off.” “You’ve had so much to drink. You can barely stand.” “Come on, let’s get you inside.” She greeted me with a bright, relieved smile, fussing over me as if nothing had happened. I shoved her away. “Get off me. Don’t touch me!” She froze, her eyes filled with a wounded look. “Honey, it was the wedding company. They were trying to mess with us. The video was a deepfake.” “I’ve already called my lawyer. I’ll find the proof, I promise…” “I filmed it.” My voice was cold as I looked at her. “You couldn’t even wait to get into the room. You were so into that kiss, it’s no surprise you didn’t see me standing right there.” The color drained from her face. She stood rooted to the spot, lost. The alcohol in my stomach churned. I pushed past her, ran to the bathroom, and collapsed over the toilet, heaving until tears streamed from my eyes. Isabella followed me, silently tending to me. She handed me tissues, found the hangover pills, and went to the kitchen to cook me noodles. She didn’t say a word. But every second, the image of her and her ex, desperate for each other outside that hotel room, played on a loop in my head. Seeing her now, so full of care and concern, felt surreal and absurd. “Isabella, I don’t want to see you again. Get out of my apartment.” Suddenly, there was a crash from the kitchen—the sound of a bowl shattering. She was silent for a long moment. Then, she brought out the noodles and the pills, placed them on the table in front of me, and quietly cleaned up the broken porcelain. “Leo, just… take some time to cool off. I’ll come back in a few days, and we can talk.” I was slumped on the sofa, my hand covering my eyes. “Get out.” 4 I didn’t touch the food. I spent the night on the sofa, wrapped in my own arms. Early the next morning, a loud banging rattled the front door. I opened it, and my father stormed in, nearly knocking me over. “Leo! Have you lost your mind?” “Isabella is from a wealthy family! Of course she’s had boyfriends! Once you were married, you would have had everything! You’re going to throw all that away over one little thing?” “All our friends and family were there! How could you humiliate me like that?” My head was pounding. “Dad,” I said weakly, “did you not see the video? She was with her ex, the day before our wedding…” He waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t talk to me about that! She’s a fourth-generation heiress! Men are lining up to marry her. This only happened because you couldn’t keep her satisfied! If you were man enough to keep her focused on you, this never would have happened. You were about to marry up, to enter a whole new world, and you just walk away? You’re thirty years old, Leo! Where are you going to find another woman who can do more for you than Isabella?” Hearing those words come from him was no surprise. His greed knew no bounds, especially when it came to rich women. But I had my limits. “Dad, if you love her so much, why don’t you ask her to adopt you?” He sputtered with rage, his hand flying up to slap me. I’d been drinking all night on an empty stomach, and the stress sent a sharp, cramping pain through my gut. I shoved him aside and ran for the bathroom again. Even then, he didn’t stop yelling, telling me I was inflexible, that my lifestyle was unhealthy. But every sentence somehow circled back to Isabella. “She’s beautiful, she’s sophisticated, and her family is top-tier! You couldn’t hold on to her, and now she’ll find someone better looking, more successful, and more open-minded than you! You’ll be left with nothing!” His words echoed down the hall and drilled into my ears. I thought of the heartbroken man at the bar last night. The delayed realization hit me like a sledgehammer, pounding against my chest. “You’re a grown man, and you can’t even clean up after yourself! What are these drops of blood on the floor?” “Only Isabella would put up with you. Any other woman would have burned this place to the ground by now.” I slammed the bathroom door shut and crawled into bed, pulling the covers over my head. I curled into a ball, cocooned in the darkness, and finally let myself sob. 5 My relationship with Isabella didn’t start the way my father thought—me climbing the social ladder, her being a convenient, docile rich girl. We had been together for ten years. We fell in love during a time when my father’s control over my life was at its most suffocating. In our tenth year together, through my own hard work, I had finally bought an apartment and a car in the city where her family lived. I had teased her, “Apartment and car are paid in full. I’ve saved for the wedding, and I even bought you your favorite style of ring. How much longer do I have to wait before you’ll marry me?” She had cupped my face in her hands and kissed me, her love enveloping me. When she pulled back, her eyes were shining. “This year. Let’s get married this year.” “Leo, do you still want to marry me?” I didn’t. I should have said no right then. Isabella, you said I was your present and your future. I was the one who healed your past, the one who brought you peace. I was the one you were supposed to walk down the aisle with. So why? Why, when I was closer to happiness than I had ever been, did you have to go back to him? 6 My father harassed me for days, a cycle of threats and pleading, all aimed at getting me to reconcile with Isabella. When he realized I wasn’t going to budge, he slammed the door and left in a huff. I locked myself in my apartment. No one called. My phone was off. I heard nothing. I lay on my bed like a corpse, utterly lifeless. On Monday, I went back to the office. My colleagues immediately started congratulating me. “The wedding didn’t happen. Sorry,” I said flatly. Their faces shifted from cheerful to awkward. “Oh. That’s… sudden. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…” “Let me buy you a coffee, man, I’m really sorry…” I cut them off with a weak smile. “Don’t worry about it. It’s over.” The busy morning was a welcome distraction. I went to the breakroom to get some water and overheard a few people whispering. “Why didn’t Leo get married?” “His fiancée is gorgeous and comes from a great family. You think she got cold feet?” “No way. She was crazy about him. She used to bring him different kinds of homemade soup every week to help his stomach problems. When he was hospitalized for that ulcer, she never left his side. She even drove him to and from work for a while after he was discharged. She was completely devoted to him.” “Then what could it be? You don’t think Leo was cheating on her, do you?” “Get out of here! We’ve worked with him for years. He’s capable, responsible, has a great sense of humor but always knows the line. He’s a solid guy.” I didn’t stay to hear the rest. I bought a coffee from the vending machine and went back to my desk. As soon as I sat down, my father called. I ignored it, but then the texts started. “How could you block Isabella? Are you a child?” “Can’t you two just sit down and talk this out like adults?” I read the messages with a detached numbness. I didn’t know how to respond. My entire being felt hollow. By the time I snapped out of it, my father’s number was in my block list. 7 A thunderstorm raged outside, the wind howling. Flashes of lightning illuminated the faces of my colleagues as they rushed to get home. I waited until the office was empty before heading down. I opened my bag and remembered: I never carried an umbrella. For ten years, Isabella had always been the one to remind me. Before I left, she would give me a playful, insistent look until I finally grabbed it. I had gotten so used to following her lead. I trusted her unconditionally. That kind of blind trust is a terrifying thing. I held my briefcase over my head and dashed into the parking garage, only to find my car wouldn’t start. I slammed my fist on the steering wheel in frustration. It had been working fine. In the end, I had no choice but to brave the storm and head for the subway. The moment I stepped out of the garage, I saw her. Isabella, standing in the pouring rain. She saw me and ran over, her voice filled with worry. “Leo, you’re getting soaked! Let’s just go home and we can talk…” “Let go of me!” I ripped my arm from her grasp and stormed off into the downpour. She ran after me, calling my name, trying to shield me from the rain with her small hands. “Leo, I drove here! Please, let me give you a ride!” “You have stomach problems! You’ll get sick if you catch a cold!” “If you won’t get in the car, at least take my umbrella! I’ll worry about you…” “Leave me alone! Stop following me!” I stopped dead in my tracks and screamed at her, all my pent-up frustration and pain exploding out of me. “Just get away from me! GO!” “I never want to see you again! I don’t want to hear another word from you! Do you hear me?” “I will never, ever trust you again! Get out of my life! GET OUT!” I was shaking, my face a mess of rain and tears. My throat was raw, as if I had screamed myself bloody. Why? The day had been so normal. I had closed a deal with a client, I had eaten properly. I had even decided to finally schedule a check-up for my long-neglected stomach issues. I thought I was moving on. Why did the sight of her make me fall apart all over again? The only umbrella we had was knocked from my hand, snatched by the wind and sent tumbling down the street. Isabella’s elegant dress was ruined, plastered to her skin by the rain. We stood there, two pathetic, drenched figures. Despite my furious rejection, she stood as still as a statue, just staring at me. Her lips moved, soundlessly forming my name. Seeing her so broken and lost brought me no relief. It only made the weight on my chest heavier. A few passersby were staring. I couldn’t stand it any longer. I wiped the water from my face and walked away, leaving her standing alone in the storm. Back home, after a hot shower, I could already feel a cold coming on, and a dull ache in my stomach. I took some medicine and was about to lie down when my phone lit up with a call from an unknown number. “Leo, you bastard! You blocked your own father?” “I’ve been going out of my mind! Isabella tried to kill herself! She cut her wrists!” “Downtown General, third floor, emergency room! Get your ass over here now!”

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I married a woman more alluring in her inspector’s uniform than silk lingerie, expecting handcuffs and passion. Instead, for three months, she’d tie me to the headboard only to leave when her phone buzzed with work. On the 99th time, pregnant and finally free for our first prenatal visit, her encrypted phone rang as we entered the hospital. A name flashed—she paled. “Code red,” she said. “Fugitive crossed the border.” Gone before I could argue. I crushed the appointment slip, hailed a cab, and pointed to her car. “Follow it.” A Red Notice fugitive? Pathetic lie. My father heads Federal Security—he’d know first. What “fugitive” would a city inspector chase alone? I’d find out which “superior” gave those orders. 1 The moment I muttered the words “catch a cheater,” the taxi driver slammed on the gas, and we were hot on Sera’s tail. I had no idea who she was rushing to meet, but a cold dread was pooling in my gut. To my surprise, after a series of winding turns, her car pulled up to the gates of the Oakhaven Estates, the exclusive residential compound for the department’s top brass. A wave of relief washed over me. At least it wasn’t a hotel. Sera had been assigned a villa here. Before our first child, we’d lived here for a few months. The neighbors were all pleasant enough. But as I looked closer, I saw the house was ablaze with lights and decorations, the driveway crowded with luxury cars. What was going on? Was it some kind of holiday I’d forgotten? I tried to follow her inside, but a guard stopped me at the gate. “Restricted access. No unauthorized personnel.” I managed a smile. “It’s alright. I’m with Inspector Henderson, who just went in. I’m her husband.” The guard shot me a look of pure contempt. “Inspector Henderson’s husband is Mr. Caleb Shaw. And who are you? If you’re going to impersonate someone, at least do your homework.” The world tilted on its axis. My blood ran cold, and I froze, rooted to the spot. Caleb Shaw. The man I had found for Sera… the living, breathing blood bank. Shaking myself from my stupor, I shoved past the guard and sprinted to the villa’s entrance. The scene inside was a glittering panorama of the city’s elite, their laughter echoing through the grand hall. My mother-in-law, Eleanor, who usually loathed social functions, was gliding through the crowd, a gracious hostess. And there, in the center of it all, was my wife, Sera. She was holding a baby, her pregnant belly prominent, smiling up at the tall man beside her with a look of pure, unadulterated happiness. The man was Caleb Shaw. A giant hand seized my heart, squeezing until I couldn’t breathe. My eyes burned. When Sera first joined the force, I was terrified for her. She had a rare blood type, and the thought of her getting injured in the line of duty was unbearable. I had scoured the country and found Caleb, then just a broke college student, to be her on-call donor. A living insurance policy. After our first child was born, Caleb had donated so much blood that his health had deteriorated. He couldn’t be a donor anymore. Sera had said we should send him on his way. But I felt a pang of pity. I’d pulled some strings, gotten him a comfortable clerk position at the precinct, and even asked Sera to look out for him. I never imagined this. That she would cheat on me with him. That she would move him into this house—the house she had decorated as our marital home after her promotion to Captain. She’d claimed it was too far from the hospital, that the stress of her first pregnancy was giving her panic attacks, and insisted we buy a new place downtown. I saw now that it was all a lie. This house hadn’t been abandoned. It had become their home. And they had a child… Wait. A child? “Congratulations, Captain Henderson!” a woman gushed. “Such a doting husband, and now your beautiful child is turning one! You truly have it all!” “Oh, Caleb is a lucky man to have landed our Sera,” another chimed in, patting my mother-in-law on the arm. Eleanor beamed, her eyes shining with pride as she looked at Caleb. “It is Sera who is the lucky one, to have found such a devoted man.” As she spoke, Sera leaned in and whispered something in Caleb’s ear. He blushed and then raised his glass to the crowd. “I have to apologize for the secrecy,” he said, his voice smooth. “I was worried that being publicly married to me might affect Sera’s authority at the precinct. Please, don’t hold it against us. Today is our child’s first birthday. Think of this as our belated wedding reception!” The crowd laughed and raised their glasses. “How could we be upset? We just owe you a ‘congratulations on the wedding’!” “I have an idea!” one of Sera’s subordinates shouted. “Why not relive the moment? A ceremonial toast, bride and groom style!” The room erupted in cheers. Caleb looked shyly hesitant, but Sera, ever the confident leader, grinned and linked her arm with his, raising her glass. But just as she brought it to her lips, her eyes met mine across the crowded room. “Finn…” she whispered. She shoved Caleb away so violently that he stumbled, red wine sloshing all over his pristine white shirt. I wiped the hot tears from my eyes, strode forward, and slammed my fist into Caleb’s face. CRACK! The sound of bone breaking echoed through the suddenly silent hall. “Caleb!” Sera screamed, rushing to his side. She turned on me, her face contorted with rage. “Finn! How dare you—” SLAP! The sound of my hand connecting with her cheek was just as loud. She staggered back, a red handprint blooming on her face, and fell into Caleb’s arms. I shook out my stinging palm. “Finn—” she started to yell again. “SERA!” My voice was louder, a raw, ragged roar. I pointed a trembling finger at the man she was cradling. “This,” I spat, my voice cracking, “is your ‘Red Notice fugitive’!” 2 Sera was speechless, her mouth opening and closing like a fish, but no sound came out. The assembled guests—high-ranking officials and their spouses—stared, utterly bewildered. The tense silence was shattered by the piercing cry of a baby. Eleanor rushed to take the child, and the moment she had him soothed, she rounded on me. “Finn! You psycho! We’re divorced, what are you doing here harassing my daughter? Get the hell out before you offend someone important and end up in a cell!” The Deputy Commissioner’s wife chimed in, her voice shrill. “Even if you are her ex-husband, you can’t just assault people! That’s a police officer you just hit! Have you lost your mind?” The revelation of my supposed identity sent a shockwave through the room. The murmurs exploded into a cacophony of outrage, with people shouting that I should be arrested. I ignored them, grabbing Sera’s wrist, my mind reeling. Since when was I the ex-husband? But Caleb spoke first, shrinking behind Sera and looking at me with wide, pitiful eyes. “Finn… brother… Sera already divorced you. Why won’t you leave us alone?” Tears streamed down his face. “It’s all my fault. I’ll give her back to you, okay? Just leave us be…” His words had the opposite effect. Sera’s face hardened. “Finn, I told you, we are never getting back together!” she snapped. “Stop harassing us! Get out, while I still have some patience left!” She gestured, and several of her subordinates moved to grab me. In the struggle, I stumbled and crashed into Eleanor. And then I saw the baby’s face. The world shattered. It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck me, leaving nothing but smoke and ash. Because the child in her arms, the child they were calling Caleb’s, was Leo. My Leo. Our firstborn. I had been the one to soothe him to sleep, the one to change his diapers, the one to love him with every fiber of my being. But Leo… Leo had died three months ago. How could he be here? Sera… My breath hitched, and a wave of pure agony washed over me. That goddamned woman. She had even given our son—the son I thought was dead—to her lover to raise as his own. “Give me my son!” I roared, my teeth grinding together. I shoved Eleanor aside, snatched the swaddled infant from her arms, and held him close, my own tears streaming down onto his tiny, crying face. Caleb panicked, lunging for the baby. “Finn, he’s not your son!” he sobbed, his voice trembling. “I know Leo is gone, and you’ve been… unwell since the divorce. You keep begging Sera to have another child with you… I feel for you, I really do, but you can’t steal my son!” He was practically hysterical. “Please, just leave our family alone… I’ll divorce Sera if that’s what you want, just give me back my son!” At that, Sera’s expression twisted in pain. She grabbed Caleb’s shoulders. “Don’t you dare say that, Caleb! No one is tearing our family apart.” “Then what about me?!” I bellowed, interrupting their tragic little melodrama. I held up the crying baby. “Sera, this is our child! You gave him to your lover and told everyone I’m your ex-husband! Do you even have a heart?!” Her lips trembled. She couldn’t meet my eyes. Caleb’s tears, however, fell even faster. He turned to the guests, the very picture of a wronged man. “I’m so sorry, everyone. Finn is Sera’s ex-husband. He… he hasn’t been well since they lost their son and divorced. He keeps begging her to have another baby, and when she refused, he… he started claiming our son was his. Sera has been trying to help him, out of pity for what they once had, but he just won’t leave us alone. Now he’s even threatening me…” His speech lit a match to the room’s simmering anger. “He’s an animal!” one of the society wives shrieked. “Security! Get this lunatic out of here!” I just held my son, a bitter, broken laugh escaping my lips. I looked at Caleb, my eyes as cold as ice. “Who’s the animal here, Caleb? Do you need me to remind you how much you used to charge me per milliliter of your precious blood? Thirty million dollars I gave you. And you were the one on your knees, begging me for a stable job.” Caleb’s face grew paler with every word, but I didn’t stop. “What’s the matter? Is the allowance Sera gives you not enough? Is the little mistress trying to claim the throne? Doesn’t it hurt, pretending to be the king when you’re nothing but a court jester?” Before I could finish, a powerful shove sent me stumbling. 3 “You’re the homewrecker who destroyed my daughter’s life!” Eleanor screeched. My back slammed into the corner of a heavy oak table. A bolt of white-hot agony shot through my abdomen. In that moment of shock, she ripped the baby from my arms and handed him back to Caleb. Before I could recover, Sera’s officers were on me, pinning me down, their faces alight with self-righteous fury. “Everyone at the precinct knows the Captain and Caleb are the real deal!” one of them spat. “If it weren’t for Caleb’s intel, do you think she would have solved all those high-profile cases? Do you think she’d have been promoted so fast?” “You’re just a useless ex-husband, holding her back! You’re the one who should be ashamed!” Intel? Promotions? Those were my contributions. Everything I had done for her, every lead I had chased down using my family’s resources, every late night I had spent poring over case files for her… she had taken it all and given the credit to him. To build him up, to give him a respectable façade. Why? “Exactly! Even if you are mentally ill, interfering with the marriage of a public servant is a crime!” “Stop pretending you’re the victim, you parasite! It’s only because the Captain is a saint that she’s put up with you this long!” The vicious accusations swirled around me. Pinned to the floor, I looked up, my face ashen, at the woman standing aloof from it all, watching me suffer. “Sera,” I gasped, my voice weak. “Tell them. Tell them how you really got your Captain’s shield.” Her fingers clenched into a fist. She turned her head, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of raw hatred in her usually placid eyes. I almost smiled. “You told me the front lines were too dangerous, that you just wanted a safe desk job. I made it happen,” I whispered, the words tearing at my throat. “After we got engaged, you said your rank was too low, that you weren’t worthy of me, so I went to my father. You complained the cases were too complex, so I stayed up night after night, feeding you the clues. And this is how you—” “Enough!” Sera’s roar cut through the room. She strode forward, waving her men off, and her hands closed around my neck. Her eyes were bloodshot, feral. “You’re lying! I earned everything I have myself! It had nothing to do with a useless piece of trash like you!” The pressure on my throat was immense. Black spots danced in my vision as my face turned purple. But my words had hit their mark. Her violent, over-the-top reaction had planted a seed of doubt in the room. The guests were whispering again. Sensing the shift, Caleb made his move. He fell to his knees beside me, clutching the baby, his voice choked with sobs. “Finn… brother… when you have your episodes, I usually just let it go. But in front of all these important people… if you keep saying these things, you’ll destroy Sera’s career! I’m begging you, Finn. I’ll get on my knees, I’ll bow to you, just please, stop this madness!” He shuffled forward on his knees, grabbing my pant leg as if to prostrate himself. Sera, alarmed, released her grip on my neck and bent to pull him up. In that split second, Caleb twisted, using my leg as leverage to throw himself backward, letting out a piercing scream. “Aaargh! Finn, just kill me!” Before I could even react, Sera’s hand cracked across my face in a vicious, hysterical slap. “Finn! I’ve had it with you!” The right side of my face exploded in pain. I tried to strike back, but a sharp kick from Eleanor caught me in the lower back, sending me flying into a tall display cabinet. Glass and porcelain shattered around me. Shards rained down, embedding themselves in my skin, and my shirt was instantly soaked with blood. As I collapsed to the floor, a pool of crimson spread out beneath me. I lay there in the wreckage, my body a symphony of agony. “My eye… Sera… my eye…” A piece of glass had pierced my eyeball. A tear of blood rolled down my cheek as I reached a hand out to her. But it was Eleanor who responded, stomping on my outstretched hand with her heel. I felt the bones grind together. “You bastard! Stop faking! My daughter won’t fall for your threats!” My vision was blurring. “Sera… I’m not faking… hospital… please…” She didn’t even look at me. She was fussing over Caleb, her voice cold and hard. “That’s enough, Finn. Stop the act and apologize to Caleb. Do you think I’d believe your lies?” She turned back to me, her voice dripping with rage, but when she saw my blood-soaked face, her pupils contracted to pinpricks of shock and fear. She knew who I was. She couldn’t just let me die here. Staring into her panicked eyes, I fought through the pain that felt like it was tearing my nerves apart. “Sera!” I bit out each word. “If anything… happens to me… in your house… you… the devoted wife… will be a murderer! My father… my brother… they will bury your entire family! Get me… to a hospital!”

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Isabelle Vance, the woman Julian Godin had loved for nine years, was back in the country. And she’d brought a three-year-old daughter with her. The fragile warmth that had just begun to thaw my marriage to him froze solid overnight. At our anniversary dinner, a grand affair filled with the city’s elite, Julian decided to prove to her that our marriage was nothing more than a business contract. In front of everyone, he had a doctor brought in to examine me. The doctor’s clinical pronouncement echoed in the sudden silence: “Mrs. Godin, married for three years, is still a virgin.” I lay on the medical cot, my dress pushed aside, my eyes hollow as I stared at the ceiling, feeling the weight of a hundred mocking gazes. Afterward, he tossed the Southbridge project proposal onto the table in front of me, his eyes glacial. “Ava,” he said, his voice dripping with contempt, “to endure a humiliation like that just to remain Mrs. Godin… you really are pathetic.” A faint, almost silent laugh escaped my lips. He had no idea. The woman who signed that marriage certificate three years ago was my twin sister. The title of Mrs. Godin—and Julian himself—were things I had never once wanted. 1 I photographed the project proposal and sent it to my mother. A moment later, a notification lit up my phone. A deposit of forty thousand dollars. It came with a text: Stop dragging your sister’s name through the mud with your pathetic stunts. I stared at the screen, my thumb unconsciously tracing the frayed red cord on my wrist. Finally, I typed back a calm reply. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I had just gotten home and collapsed onto my bed when my phone buzzed again. It was Julian. “Get to the hospital. Now.” His voice was as cold and sharp as splintered ice. A shiver shot through me. I scrambled out of bed and into a cab, my heart pounding against my ribs. I sprinted through the automatic doors of the emergency room, but before I could even process what was happening, one of Julian’s men slammed me against the wall, a hand tight around my throat. Julian sat on a bench nearby, idly flicking a silver lighter open and shut. “Isabelle says you’re the one who hired someone to run them off the road.” My face flushed, and I struggled to force out the words. “I… didn’t…” He finally looked at me, his eyes void of warmth. “Proof?” I had none. I’d only just heard about it myself. How could I have proof? Julian’s brow tightened. His man immediately shoved me, and I stumbled, falling hard to the cold tile floor. I swallowed the coppery taste of blood in my mouth and tried to explain, but a sharp kick sent me sprawling again. He rose and walked over, looming above me. “If you don’t want a divorce, you’ll stay on your knees right there. When her surgery is over, you can get up.” I met his gaze and understood instantly. He’d already decided I was guilty. My mouth opened, but no words came out. I lowered my head and knelt silently outside the operating room, my fingers finding the familiar comfort of the red cord on my wrist. I couldn’t get a divorce. Not yet. I don’t know how many hours I knelt there. The feeling in my legs, from my knees to my ankles, had long since vanished. My body finally gave out, and the world dissolved into blackness. When I came to, the light above the operating room door was off. I was still on the floor, and a dull ache radiated through my entire body. It took several tries just to push myself up. “Ava.” Julian’s voice came from above. I lifted my head, my neck stiff with pain. I wondered why he wasn’t with Isabelle. “It’s been three years,” he said, crouching down, his long fingers closing around my chin, forcing my gaze to meet his. “Did you really start to think I had feelings for you?” My eyelashes fluttered, but I said nothing. “As long as you stay away from her and her daughter, you can keep your title. I can give you anything you want, Ava. Anything but love. Do you understand?” The stark light of the hospital corridor haloed him. I suddenly remembered the small, tasseled lamp he’d brought back for me from a business trip to the Middle East last year. He had placed it gently on my bedside table, his voice uncharacteristically soft. “You don’t have to be afraid of the dark anymore,” he’d said. “This will keep the darkness away.” I never knew how he found out about my fear, but the rare tenderness in his eyes that night… it had allowed me to believe, just for a moment, that something real might be growing in the barren soil of our fake marriage. “I know,” I whispered, my voice steadier than I expected. “I never thought that.” Julian’s eyes narrowed, searching my face for a lie. Our gazes locked for a long moment before he suddenly grabbed my arm, hauling me to my feet. A searing pain shot through my knees, and I nearly collapsed, but his other hand shot out, steadying me at the waist. “Remember what you said,” he warned, his voice a low growl. I watched him walk away and managed a bleak, twisted smile. My phone began to vibrate violently. I answered, and my mother’s impatient voice burst through the speaker. “Your sister is coming back in two months. Get ready to switch.” My breath hitched. My hand tightened around the phone. “The money…” My mother clicked her tongue in disgust. “I don’t know where you get your obsession with money. It’s so common. You’ll get your payment. Twenty million to buy your silence. Is that enough?” A genuine smile finally touched my lips. “Yes. Thank you, Ma’am.” The formal address only seemed to irritate her more. She hung up without another word. Some of the tension I’d been holding for years began to ease. I stared at the red cord on my wrist and whispered to the empty air. “Once you’re better, we’ll go see the northern lights.” 2 I was never the one meant to marry Julian Godin. Ten years ago, my twin sister Scarlett’s congenital heart condition flared up. The sight of me would send her into fits of tears. She’d cry about how unfair it was that I was healthy, that I had stolen her share of nutrients in the womb. Her sobs broke our parents’ hearts, and in a fit of misplaced justice, they sent me away to live in a rural town. A child ignored by her parents is a child ignored by everyone. The housekeeper never sent the living expenses my parents had promised. At my hungriest, I fought with stray dogs for scraps of food. That was when Leo found me and took me in. The villagers all laughed at him. “Look at the simpleton, picking up a beggar for a wife.” But I knew he wasn’t born that way. He had a brain tumor. Three years ago, when his illness was at its worst, the Sterling family came for me. They brought me back from the countryside and ordered me to marry into the Godin family in my sister’s place. Scarlett refused to be tied down. She wanted to chase “true love.” On the eve of her wedding, she ran off with another man. Terrified of offending the Godins, my parents suddenly remembered they had a spare daughter. I agreed to the substitution on one condition: forty thousand dollars a month, deposited directly into my account. Leo’s life was sustained by a series of experimental injections. He needed one every three months, at a cost of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars each. My compliance was the price of his life. Julian spent a full month at the hospital with Isabelle and her daughter, Kate. When he finally came home, a dark cloud hung around him. I knew that look. He’d been forced to see his father. I tried to slip away unnoticed, but he saw me. “Ava.” His voice was heavy, his expression unreadable. “I need an heir.” I spun around, my eyes locking with his cold, hard gaze. He stared at me for a few seconds, then let out a humorless laugh. “What, you’re not willing?” My throat felt like it was closing up. I couldn’t speak. “The Godin family needs an heir,” he stated, his tone quiet but absolute. I clenched my fists, forcing a smile. “Of course. I’m willing.” He loosened his tie with a careless tug and took a step closer. His warm breath ghosted across my cheek. I went rigid, fighting the urge to flinch. As I closed my eyes in resignation, he let out a soft, mocking scoff. “So eager to have me in your bed?” He stepped past me, his shoulder brushing mine. “Too bad. It’ll be IVF.” The study door slammed shut behind him. It was only then that I realized my legs had given out. I slid down the wall and collapsed onto the floor. 3 The IVF process was more agonizing than I could have imagined. The hormone shots used a needle that was long and thick, and the moment it pierced my skin, my vision would swim with black spots. “You must really love your husband,” the nurse remarked one day as she administered the injection, “to go through all this for him.” My mind was a fog of pain. I mumbled a vague agreement. When I looked up, I saw Julian standing in the doorway. He wasn’t supposed to be here. His eyes were dark, fixed on me. After the nurse left, advising me to rest, I lay on the bed, weak and drenched in a cold sweat. Julian took a few steps into the room, looking like he was about to say something, but his phone rang. It was the custom ringtone he’d set for Isabelle. “Julian, Kate says she misses you…” A little girl’s cheerful voice calling for her “Daddy” drifted through the phone. For a fleeting moment, Julian’s expression softened. He hung up and stood there, frowning at me, hesitating. I didn’t understand what he was waiting for, but I knew my role. As the understanding wife, I offered a weak smile. “Go ahead. I’m fine.” His frown only deepened. He studied my face, as if searching for something he couldn’t find. Finally, he just said, “My assistant, Mr. Hughes, will take care of you.” I was surprised. Hughes was his personal right-hand man, dedicated solely to him. To have him assigned to me over a simple medical procedure felt like an absurdly grand gesture. The moment Julian was gone, I reached into my purse and pulled out the birth control pills I’d been carrying. I swallowed them dry. I couldn’t get pregnant. I was leaving soon, and I wanted no deeper ties to Julian Godin. When Mr. Hughes drove me back to the Godin estate, Isabelle’s daughter, Kate, was in the living room playing with blocks. After the incident, Julian had moved them both into the house. I’d heard of Isabelle long before I married Julian. She was his first love, the symbol of his youthful rebellion against his powerful family. The moment Kate saw me, she shrieked and charged, throwing a wooden block that hit me squarely in the stomach. “Bad woman! Get out! Don’t steal my daddy!” The force of her push sent me staggering backward. My lower back slammed into the sharp corner of a coffee table, and I gasped, a sharp pain radiating through me. “Kate!” Isabelle cried, rushing to scoop up the child. Her eyes immediately reddened. “I’m so sorry, Ava. She’s just a child, she doesn’t understand…” She trailed off, her own tears starting to fall as if she were the one who had been wronged. “Ava, what are you doing?” Julian’s sharp voice cut through the air as he strode down the stairs. He instinctively moved to shield Isabelle and Kate behind him. I opened my mouth to speak, but Isabelle’s sobs grew louder. “Julian, Kate has been having nightmares. She dreams that Ava is going to throw her out… She’s too young to understand adult problems.” She dabbed at her eyes, then gave Kate a subtle pat on the back. The little girl immediately launched herself at Julian. “Daddy, I don’t want a stepmom! She’ll throw me and Mommy out on the street!” Julian’s face darkened. He lifted Kate into his arms, his glare fixed on me. “What did you say to her?” I lost all desire to even try to explain. I just stood there in silence. Isabelle continued her performance, her voice thick with manufactured grief. “It’s all my fault. It’s because of my humble background that she has to live with the stigma of being an illegitimate child. Now that Miss Sterling is the real Mrs. Godin, we…” Julian cut her off, his voice turning to ice as he addressed me. “Get this straight, Ava. The thing in your womb is nothing more than a tool to appease my family. The moment that child is born, I’m sending it abroad.” He took a menacing step toward me. From the safety of his arms, Kate stuck her tongue out at me. “Now,” he commanded, “apologize to Kate.” I looked at their perfect family tableau. I was so close to being free. I didn’t want any more trouble. “I’m sorry,” I said, bowing my head, the words coming out numb and automatic. “I’m sorry. It was my fault.” My compliance didn’t seem to satisfy him. His brow remained tightly furrowed. Isabelle, however, was pleased, graciously accepting my apology. To “make it up” to them, Julian cleared his schedule and took them on a lavish vacation. They went on cruises, he bought her jewelry at a Sotheby’s auction, they even flew to see the northern lights. Isabelle took great pleasure in sending me photos every single day. I would reply with the same robotic blessing. Hope you have a wonderful time. Who Julian was with, or what he did, meant nothing to me. In my heart, I was just counting down the days until I could be myself again. 4 As the exchange date drew closer, I started packing a little bit each day. The quiet hope for a future that was my own began to kindle inside me. Tonight, I had just zipped up the last suitcase when a call came from the hospital. The nurse’s voice was urgent. “Miss Sterling? The patient in room 703, his condition has taken a sudden turn for the worse. He might not… he might not make it through the night.” My hands froze. I didn’t even grab a coat. I flew down the stairs, my bare feet slapping against the cold marble. I reached the grand foyer just as the front door swung open. Julian and Isabelle were back from their trip, loaded down with shopping bags. “Well, well, Miss Sterling. Where are you off to so late at night?” Isabelle blocked my path, a fake smile plastered on her face. I had no time for her. I tried to move around her, but she grabbed my arm, her expression shifting to one of mock concern. “You look terribly pale, Ava. Is something wrong?” I tried to pull away, but her grip was like iron. A cruel, playful glint flashed in her eyes. She could see my desperation and was enjoying it. Thinking of the nurse’s words, a surge of adrenaline hit me. I tore my arm from her grasp. “Get out of my way,” I snarled. “Who do you think you are to stop me?” “Daddy!” Kate shrieked, startled by my outburst, and buried her face in Julian’s chest. “Auntie Ava is scary… she’s like a wicked witch…” Isabelle flinched, then immediately dissolved into tears, looking helplessly at Julian. “I… I was just worried about her… The doctor said she needs to rest during the treatment.” Julian’s expression was thunderous. His gaze flickered down to my bare feet and back up to my face. “Go back to your room. I’ll have the family doctor come and see you.” “No,” I said, shaking my head frantically. “I’m fine. I don’t need a doctor. I have to go out. Right now.” My defiance made his eyes harden. “I said, go back to your room.” Every second we stood there felt like an eternity of torture. I clenched my jaw. “I have to leave. It’s important. I have to—” “You’re not going anywhere until the doctor has checked on you,” Isabelle interrupted, her voice dripping with false concern. “Nothing is more important than the baby, Ava. You should go upstairs.” Julian gave a subtle nod, and two housekeepers moved to grab my arms. Panic exploded in my chest. “I have to go out!” I screamed. “Don’t touch me!” They froze, looking uncertainly at Julian. He didn’t even glance at me, turning instead to comfort the sobbing Kate. “Take the madam back to her room.” His voice was flat and final. “Do not let her leave without my permission.”

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I got home late, exhausted and starving, shoveling cold pasta into my mouth when Alan spoke. “You look pathetic.” Jimmy chimed in from the living room. “Mom, you work hard, but you’ll never be like Miss Lily.” He walked over, disappointed. “The way you eat is ugly. You’re not feminine. You’re just a replaceable housekeeper. Miss Lily is graceful—you can’t compare.” I remembered Jimmy’s preschool conference—me in my wrinkled pantsuit, him sullen afterward. Now I knew why. He was ashamed of me. I tossed the leftovers and ordered expensive takeout. Then, a promotion email popped up—Head of European Division. The one I’d refused for years to be home for them. Not anymore. But when I finally let them have their perfect fantasy family, they didn’t celebrate. They fell apart. 1 A few hundred dollars’ worth of food arrived at our door. I unpacked it all, laying it out on the dining table—lobster, Wagyu steak, things I hadn’t let myself dream of since the wedding. Alan’s eyes widened. “Are you insane?!” he bellowed. “How many times have I told you we need to save money? There was perfectly good food in the fridge, and you go and blow our budget on this?” He sneered. “What, because I called you pathetic and Jimmy said you’re not as good as his teacher, you throw a tantrum with my credit card? We weren’t wrong! Now get away from the table. What kind of mother steals food from her own child?” I ignored him, savoring each bite of the meal I deserved. If I didn’t like something, I tossed it directly into the trash can, not even glancing at my son, who was staring at the feast with wide, hungry eyes. Jimmy, spoiled rotten by years of my indulgence, immediately began to wail. He charged the table, swiping his arm across it, sending hundreds of dollars of food crashing to the floor. Then he lunged at me, his sticky, sauce-covered hands grabbing at my clothes. “You’re a bad mommy! You’re not as good as Miss Lily! I don’t want you! I want Miss Lily to be my mom!” A year ago, those words would have shattered me. I would have done anything to win back his affection. But tonight, something inside me had finally clicked into place. I looked down at my expensive work trousers, now smeared with grease and grime, and without a second thought, I pushed him away. “Fine. Go ask Miss Lily to be your mother, then.” He stumbled and fell, his fake sobs turning into genuine shrieks of pain and shock. Alan rushed to scoop him up, cradling him protectively while glaring at me. “Sarah, what the hell is wrong with you? Taking your anger out on a child?” “This is how you act like a mother? No wonder he prefers his preschool teacher over you!” The words were like needles in my heart. These were the two people I had dedicated the last five years of my life to. The year Alan and I married, I was slated to lead the company’s expansion into Europe. It was my dream—to build an entire division from the ground up. But a month before my flight, Alan had been relentless, and on the day I was supposed to leave, I discovered I was pregnant. He convinced me to stay for the baby, promising he’d take care of us, that our family would be his world. So I stayed. I took a step back, refusing promotion after promotion for five years, all to make sure my husband and son had a hot, nutritious meal on the table every single night. Meanwhile, I ran myself ragged. Some nights, after a brutal shift, I’d come home to find they hadn’t even saved me any leftovers. I’d just drink a glass of cold water and chew on a stale piece of bread. And for all my sacrifice? In their eyes, I was no better than the hired help. They resented me for being too busy with work and home to look perfect, for becoming a frumpy housewife they were embarrassed by. They never once stopped to think about why I had become that way. I looked at Alan, my voice cold and steady. “Was I wrong? He’s the one screaming for Miss Lily to be his mother. Let him go find her. See if she wants him.” My detached tone seemed to enrage Alan even more. “Are you really going to hold a child’s words against him, Sarah? Fine! I’ll take him to Lily right now! You’re the one pushing us away. Don’t you dare regret this!” Seeing no flicker of protest in my eyes, he scoffed, grabbed his car keys, and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him with our son in his arms. A moment later, I heard the roar of his engine as he peeled out of the driveway. I stood there for a beat, not an ounce of hesitation in me. Then I turned and walked straight to our bedroom to pack my bags. I was done. As I clicked the final latch on my suitcase, my phone rang. It was my boss, Sarah Evans, the one who had brought me into the company when it was just a startup. “Sarah?” she said, her voice serious. “This is it. The last spot for the European division. If you say no this time, there’s nothing more I can do for you. It’s now or never.” She had always believed in me, always wanted to pull me up into management with her. But for five years, I had chosen my family, letting her down time and time again. This was her last effort. I had to take it. “Thank you for everything, Sarah,” I said, my voice clear. “I’ll take the transfer.” There was a pause on the other end, followed by a burst of relieved laughter. “You finally came to your senses! When a woman loses herself in her family, Sarah, even her own husband and child stop seeing her value!” I managed a small smile. “Don’t worry. I’m ready to work.” 2 Alan transferred a couple thousand a month into a joint account for “household expenses.” It was never enough. The cost of raising a child, from diapers to an elite preschool, was astronomical. But he never saw that. He just thought I was sitting at home, living a life of leisure. My entire salary went to supporting him and Jimmy. The portion I kept for myself was laughable. Now, I was canceling orders for their new clothes, returning shoes I’d bought for them, and letting the utility bills sit unopened. Suddenly, my own salary felt like a fortune. I was finally learning the most important lesson: you can’t set yourself on fire to keep others warm. I opened my laptop and started reviewing the files Sarah had sent me. As I worked, a notification popped up. A new social media post from Lily. The picture was of her and Alan at a candlelit dinner. They were smiling at each other, a sweet, intimate moment. Jimmy was wedged between them, clutching their sleeves like they were already his real parents. It was a perfect portrait of a happy family. Her caption read: He just heard me mention I’d never had a candlelit dinner and poof! Mature men really know how to make a girl’s heart flutter! This is the romantic married life I’ve always dreamed of! With a husband and son like this, why would you ever want to go home? Nausea churned in my stomach. In five years of marriage, Alan and I had never once had a candlelit dinner. He always said things like that were “a silly waste of money for a married couple.” Apparently, it wasn’t the money. It was that he never thought I was worth it. Out of sight, out of mind. I blocked her number and all her social media accounts. A few days later, Sarah called again. The flight was booked for a week from today. I had to get everything in order. The work piled up, and I dove into it, grateful for the distraction. I spent three days at a downtown hotel. For three days, I had no contact with Alan. I thought it would be hard, that I would feel the gaping hole left by the life I had known for five years. But it wasn’t. Having time that was purely my own was… liberating. It was blissfully, beautifully quiet. I had an appointment with my lawyer that afternoon to discuss the divorce papers, but before I could leave, I got a call from the preschool. It was Jimmy’s main teacher, asking why I hadn’t shown up for the Family Sports Day. I’d never been told about it. And the person responsible for parent communications was, of course, Lily. I didn’t care about her petty games and was about to make an excuse, but then I remembered: the school always sent notifications to both legal guardians. I needed to go there one last time to officially remove my name and contact information from Jimmy’s file. I didn’t want to be bothered with these calls once I was on the other side of the ocean. “I’m on my way,” I told the teacher. 3 After the call, I asked my lawyer to draft a preliminary divorce agreement. I needed the paperwork to officially unbind myself as Jimmy’s contact at the school. After today, whatever happened to him there would no longer be my problem. By the time I arrived, the Sports Day was in full swing. Jimmy didn’t look like a boy who was missing his mother. He was bouncing with excitement, cheering at the top of his lungs. “Go, Dad! Go, Mom!” I was standing right here. Who was he calling “Mom”? I followed his gaze to the field and saw them. Alan and Lily, tangled together in a three-legged race. Their faces were flushed, their laughter echoing across the field, the air between them thick with a flirty, undeniable chemistry. My cold, stony expression must have stood out in the sea of smiling parents. Lily saw me first. She let out a little gasp, instinctively pushing Alan away before rushing over to me, her face a perfect mask of apology. “Sarah, please don’t misunderstand! Alan and I are just friends!” she pleaded. “Jimmy was so sad that you weren’t here, and all the other kids had their moms competing. He begged me to fill in for a little while. If you’re upset, I’ll quit right now!” Before she could finish, Jimmy ran up, positioning himself in front of Lily like a tiny, furious bodyguard. He glared at me. “You bad woman! What are you doing here?! Miss Lily is my mom now! I don’t need you!” Alan followed, his expression disapproving. “You’re the one who threw the fit, Sarah. You can’t just show up and expect us to drop everything for you. If you apologize to me and Jimmy, properly, we can let you take part in the rest of the events.” He stood there, waiting, expecting me to crumble and beg for forgiveness like I always had. I just frowned. “Who told you I was here for the Sports Day? I have other business to take care of. Get out of my way.” My dismissal only made Lily look more wounded. Her eyes welled up, her lip trembling. “Sarah, it’s all my fault! Blame me, please, just don’t be angry with Alan and Jimmy! I just couldn’t bear to see Jimmy feeling left out. That’s the only reason I agreed to participate.” As she spoke, she bowed deeply, a full ninety degrees. To any outsider, it looked as though I was bullying a kind, compassionate teacher. Murmurs and judgmental glances started rippling through the crowd. I was done wasting time on this drama. I turned to leave, but Alan grabbed my arm, his face dark with anger. “Sarah! Have you not caused enough trouble? Apologize to Lily. Now!” His grip was painfully tight. “Stop playing these games. You’re the one who pushed us away, remember? You deliberately waited until halfway through the event to show up, just to ambush Lily and make her look bad, to announce to everyone that you’re still my wife! I see right through your pathetic little schemes, and I won’t let you bully her! Either you apologize in front of everyone, or you get lost!” His baseless accusations were so ridiculous I almost laughed. I wrenched my arm from his grasp. “Get off me! Are you deaf? I said I’m not here for your stupid Sports Day! I couldn’t care less! You and your son can play happy families with whoever you want. It has nothing to do with me!” As I pulled away, Lily stumbled backward as if I had shoved her, collapsing to the ground in a heap. This time, the tears flowed freely, though she choked back her sobs, looking utterly heartbroken. That was all it took. Jimmy, her little knight in shining armor, launched himself at me like a cannonball, slamming his head directly into my stomach. The force of the impact knocked the wind out of me. I staggered back several steps before crumpling to the ground, my vision swimming with black spots as a sharp, searing pain shot through my abdomen. Through the haze, I heard Jimmy’s vicious little voice. “You’re an evil woman! I won’t let you hurt my mommy!” The contents of my purse spilled across the pavement, and the folded divorce papers slid out. Before I could reach for them, Lily snatched them up. She glanced at the document, and her hand flew to her mouth in a theatrical gasp. “These… these are divorce papers! Sarah, are you… are you divorcing Alan?!” 4 The sight of those papers made Lily’s eyes light up, but her expression was one of pure horror. She scrambled to her knees in front of me, bowing her head repeatedly. “Sarah, marriage is a sacred thing! If… if it’s because of me that you and Alan are having problems, then I am so, so sorry! I promise I will never see Alan or Jimmy again! Jimmy is still so young; he needs his mother!” Alan, who had looked momentarily panicked at the word “divorce”—a word I’d never used, no matter how bad our fights got—was visibly relieved by Lily’s performance. He and Jimmy rushed to her side, one helping her up, the other gently checking her forehead for scrapes. Then Alan turned to me, his face a mask of fury. “I thought giving you a few days to cool off would help, but instead you resort to threats like this? You think waving divorce papers around will make us come crawling back? Let me tell you, Sarah, it won’t work!” So, he’d been deliberately ignoring me. He and Jimmy hadn’t been home, which meant he didn’t even know I’d already moved out. I didn’t bother correcting him. Instead, I looked at the perfect little trio they formed and let out a cold laugh. “With what you and Lily have been doing? I have more than enough grounds to divorce you a thousand times over.” My statement captured the attention of every parent nearby. Lily flushed with shame, instinctively grabbing Alan’s sleeve for protection. “Sarah, watch what you say!” Alan hissed, his voice low and threatening. I raised mine. “You want me to air all your dirty laundry right here? The candlelit dinners? The weekend trips you took with my son while I was working? Where have you been staying these last few nights, Alan? At her place?” I pulled out my phone and displayed the screenshots of Lily’s boastful social media posts for all to see. My voice grew sharper. “Anyone looking at these would think you two are the married couple, and I’m just some stranger!” A wave of whispers spread through the crowd. “Oh my god, is that a picture of them in bed together? That’s not right…” “I knew it. That teacher always looked like trouble. She’s not here for the kids; she’s looking for a rich husband.” “The last time I was here for a conference, she barely gave me the time of day, but when my husband asked a question, she was all over him! I bet Jimmy’s dad isn’t the only one she’s been cozying up to!” The accusations struck Lily like lightning. Her face went pale. She had posted those pictures to taunt me, thinking I was too meek and quiet to ever fight back. She never imagined that the quietest people can have the most explosive breaking points. With one move, I had threatened to destroy the career she had worked so hard to build. She couldn’t find the words to defend herself. Tears streamed down her face, and she turned and fled. Alan didn’t hesitate. He hauled me to my feet, and his palm cracked across my face. His features were twisted with rage. “I think you’ve actually gone insane! Spreading vicious rumors about Lily in public! You just wait, Sarah. You are going to pay for this.” He scooped Jimmy into his arms and chased after her, leaving me alone in the center of a circle of gawking, gossiping strangers. 5 It took Alan a while to calm Lily down. When he and Jimmy finally returned home, they were hit by the stench. The food Jimmy had thrown on the floor three days ago was still there, a congealed, greasy mess that reflected the dim light. The entire apartment reeked of sour, rotting garbage. Alan gagged, stumbling back out the door to retch against the hallway wall. It finally dawned on him: in the days he’d been gone, I hadn’t come back either. There was no other explanation for the state of the apartment. A fresh wave of fury washed over him. He grabbed his phone and dialed my number, but all he got was a busy signal. He knew that sound. It was the same one I heard whenever he blocked my calls. The realization that I had blocked him sent him into a rage. He threw his phone against the wall, where it shattered. “Fine! So you’ve grown a backbone, have you? You’re blocking my calls now? You want to run away? Go on, then! See if I care! Stay away forever!” His first instinct was to punish me by cutting off my access to his credit card, his usual power move. But when he checked the account, he found I had already unlinked myself. For the first time, a sliver of doubt crept into his mind. Was this real? Was I actually leaving? Meanwhile, the story of what happened at the preschool had gone viral online among the parent groups. Lily was suspended from her job, and she spent her days at home, crying. Alan and Jimmy felt terrible for her, but as the other parties involved, anything they said in her defense would be dismissed. The only person who could clear her name was me. But Alan couldn’t find me. He was at a loss. One evening, Lily looked at him, her eyes gleaming with a new idea. “I know a way,” she said softly. “But I’m not sure you’ll be willing to do it.” After she explained, Alan hesitated. “Isn’t that going too far?” Even Jimmy pouted. “The house is a mess since Mom left. I don’t want to push her away again. Miss Lily, maybe you should just say you’re sorry.” Lily’s tears started instantly. “My reputation is ruined! You two are the only ones I have left! If you’re turning on me too, then what’s the point of even living?” That was enough. Alan gritted his teeth and agreed. That woman needs to be taught a lesson, he thought. Then she’ll learn not to defy me. We still need her around the house.

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