Out of state closing a deal, I got a text: “Mr. Coleman, your Patek Philippe is ready.” Attached was a photo of a $5M watch. “Wrong number,” I replied. “No mistake,” they insisted. “Your wife ordered it.” The invoice showed Isabelle’s payment, but the recipient’s name was smudged. Before I could ask more, the messages vanished. “Apologies, wrong person,” came a new text. The next day, I saw that watch on my wife’s assistant’s wrist. “A bonus for his hard work,” she shrugged. I laughed coldly, had security trash it. “What ‘work’ earns $5M?” I asked. “Sleeping with the boss?” 1 “Grant, what the hell are you talking about?!” “There is nothing going on between us! Stop making these baseless accusations!” Isabelle’s voice was a furious shriek as she stormed toward me. I curled my lip into a sneer. “Nothing going on?” My voice was pure ice. “You give a brand-new intern a five-million-dollar watch, and you expect me to believe you’re ‘just friends’?” “Isabelle, do you take me for a fool?” I gave her a look of utter contempt before my gaze shifted to the boy cowering behind her, Leo. A raw, red mark now circled his wrist where the watch had been. His eyes were wide and shimmering with unshed tears. I let out another humorless laugh. “Such a big man, and so very delicate. Is this the same pathetic act you used to convince my wife to buy you a five-million-dollar toy?” Isabelle’s face darkened. “Grant, watch your tone!” Leo immediately tugged on her sleeve, then turned to me, adopting a posture of respectful terror. “Mr. Coleman, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I… I honestly had no idea the watch was so valuable.” I smiled at him, but the smile didn’t reach my eyes. “You didn’t know?” I purred. “As I recall, our company just completed a major partnership with Patek Philippe in the first half of this year. As Ms. Coleman’s lead assistant, you’re telling me you were unaware of such a critical piece of company business? That’s not just ignorance; it’s incompetence.” My voice hardened. “And if you’re that incompetent, you’re of no use to me.” I pulled out my phone and dialed the head of HR. “Fire Leo. I want him gone by the end of the day.” The color drained from Leo’s face. The pitiful act vanished, replaced by sheer panic. He rushed forward, his voice cracking. “Mr. Coleman, I was wrong! I know I was wrong! Please, don’t fire me! I’ll never do it again!” Tears streamed down his cheeks. “My parents are both sick. They’re depending on my salary for their medical bills. I can’t lose this job!” With a thud, he dropped to his knees and began bowing his head to the floor. Isabelle couldn’t stand it. She hauled him to his feet and shoved him behind her, shielding him with her own body. She glared at me, her eyes blazing. “I’m the one who gave him the watch! It has nothing to do with him! Grant, if you have a problem, you take it up with me. Don’t you dare bully a new employee!” Seeing her protect him like a lioness defending her cub, I felt a bitter, ironic twist in my gut. “So quick to defend your little boy toy?” Before she could answer, my hand shot out. Crack. The sharp sound of my palm connecting with her cheek echoed in the silent office. She stared at me, stunned, her hand flying to her face. “How dare you hit me?” My eyes were cold steel. “A slap is the least you deserve. I’m out there breaking my back to expand this company, and you’re in here carrying on an affair with your assistant?” She clutched her cheek, her voice desperate. “The watch was a misunderstanding! I’m a woman; I don’t know much about these things. I just wanted to get him a bonus and asked the boutique to pick something out. They must have thought I was buying for you and chose something so expensive!” I cut through her pathetic excuse. “I don’t care about your convoluted lies. Leo is fired. That’s final.” I took a step closer, my voice dropping to a low, final command. “And effective immediately, every supplementary card under your name is suspended. From now on, every single cent you spend will require my personal approval.” Isabelle trembled with rage, but she couldn’t say a word. She shot me a look of pure hatred before spinning on her heel and storming out, her precious, sniveling Leo in tow. 2 After that day, a wall of ice formed between Isabelle and me. She didn’t come home for a week. Where she went, who she saw—I didn’t care to know. My entire focus was on the Apex Industries partnership. Their team felt our last proposal wasn’t quite there. Determined to perfect it, I lived at the office for a week straight. Finally, my team and I crafted a flawless proposal, one they couldn’t possibly refuse. This deal was the lifeblood of our company for the next two quarters. I spent three full days preparing for the signing ceremony. But when I walked into the conference room with my team, I saw them. Isabelle and Leo. They were laughing and chatting with Mr. Harrison, the CEO of Apex. Isabelle raised an eyebrow at me, a smug, triumphant smile on her face. “What took you so long? The contract is already signed. You can take your people and go home.” A roar filled my ears. I turned to Mr. Harrison. “Sir, what’s going on? We were scheduled to sign today at ten.” My voice was tight. “I wasn’t even here. What contract did you sign? And more importantly, Leo has been fired. He has no authority to represent our company!” Isabelle cut me off. “I never approved Leo’s termination, Grant. Your verbal dismissal doesn’t count.” Her smile widened. “Besides, he’s now the top performer on the team. Who would dare fire him?” Mr. Harrison frowned at me, his tone laced with confusion. “Mr. Coleman, I should be asking you what’s going on. Why would you fire an outstanding employee like Leo? The young man is talented, diligent, and hardworking. He’s been staying late every night to get this project over the line.” His voice grew heavier. “As a leader, you can’t just steal the credit for a young person’s work.” The sheer absurdity of it all made my head spin. “Mr. Harrison, you must be mistaken. I was the one working late. My team and I were the ones coordinating with your people every single day.” But he shook his head firmly. “No, Mr. Coleman. You were merely the intermediary. The person doing the real work behind the scenes was Mr. Leo.” He pushed a signed contract across the table. I flipped it open. Every detail, every clause, every projection—it was identical to my proposal. My head snapped up, my eyes locking onto Leo. “How did you get your hands on my project files?” Leo’s eyes immediately reddened. “Mr. Coleman,” he whimpered, “I… I made this proposal myself. Why wouldn’t it be in my hands?” Isabelle instantly moved to his side, shielding him. “I can vouch for him. Leo did all the work himself. Grant, stop trying to take credit for what isn’t yours.” As she spoke, a flicker of guilt crossed her eyes, but it was gone in an instant. I understood everything. She would stop at nothing to keep Leo by her side. I didn’t know how she’d done it—perhaps a mole on my team—but right now, I had to prove the truth. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm. “I don’t steal credit from anyone. Because I have a complete record of all my work.” I signaled for my assistant to bring my laptop. But before he could, Leo plugged his own device into the projector. “Mr. Harrison, everyone, here are all the records I kept while creating this proposal.” On the screen, my source files, my edit history, my entire digital trail appeared. A cold dread washed over me. I opened my own laptop. Every related folder was empty. The source files had been wiped. I was shaking with rage. I pointed at Leo. “What did you do to my computer?” He flinched, shrinking behind Isabelle and starting to sob. “Mr. Coleman, please, just leave me alone. I really did do all this myself. If you want it, I can give it to you, but please, don’t fire me. I’ve worked so hard for this job…” His crying drew the attention of people outside the conference room. Whispers and pointed fingers followed. I ignored them and quickly logged into my cloud account. The access logs showed a login from an unrecognized device just thirty minutes prior. There was only one other person who knew the password to that account. Isabelle. I lifted my head and stared at her, my eyes burning holes into her. She couldn’t meet my gaze. A volcano of fury erupted in my chest. Crack! I lunged across the room and slapped her again, harder this time. “You shameless bitch!” I roared. “You stole my work just to protect your little lapdog!” She clutched her face, denying everything. “What are you talking about?!” Leo fanned the flames, his voice thick with fake tears. “Mr. Coleman, please don’t be angry with Ms. Coleman. It’s all my fault. I… I’ll just give the project to you, okay?” He picked up the contract and tried to shove it into my hands. Mr. Harrison had seen enough. He blocked Leo’s path and pointed a trembling finger at me, his face a mask of disgust. “I was wrong about you, Grant Coleman,” he spat. “Let me make one thing clear: I am signing this contract with Mr. Leo, and no one else! Security! Get this man out of my building!” Guards rushed in and dragged me out of the room. I went home and collapsed onto the sofa, a fire of rage and betrayal scorching my insides. I picked up my phone, ready to call my assistant and launch a crisis PR campaign, when a notification flashed across the screen. A trending news headline. Corporate CEO Grant Coleman Bullies New Employee in Vicious Power Play I clicked on it. The video from the signing had been edited into a masterpiece of manipulative fiction. In the clip, I was a snarling aggressor, while Leo was a weeping victim, looking as if he might shatter into a million pieces. The headline was pure bait: The Unfeeling Capitalist vs. The Helpless Worker: A Modern Tragedy. The comment section was a cesspool. [This Grant guy looks polished, but he’s pure evil.] [My heart breaks for Leo. Poor thing. All capitalists are scum!] [Stealing someone’s work and then acting all high and mighty about it? Unbelievable.] Just then, another notification appeared. A live broadcast from my company’s official account. It was Isabelle. On screen, she looked exhausted and burdened, with dark circles artfully smudged under her eyes. “Hello, everyone. My name is Isabelle Coleman. Regarding the events of this afternoon, I want to apologize on behalf of my husband, Grant.” Her voice was heavy with sorrow. “Grant has been under immense pressure lately, and his mental state has been… unstable. That’s why he acted out. I have placed him on an indefinite leave of absence from all his duties at the company so he can focus on his health. I hope that his personal issues won’t affect your opinion of our company.” I was trembling, my blood boiling. I dialed her number. On the live feed, I saw her glance at her phone, an expression of weary resignation on her face. Then, in front of hundreds of thousands of viewers, she declined my call. And turned her phone off. The chat exploded. “OMG, Isabelle is a saint. Her husband is a monster and she’s still protecting him.” “She married such a narcissistic asshole. What terrible luck.” “Poor Isabelle, having to deal with a crazy husband and save her company at the same time.” With one broadcast, she had successfully crucified me. Fine. Just fine. I laughed, a raw, humorless sound, and opened my own social media account to go live and tell the truth. Password incorrect. I tried every password I’d ever used. All wrong. I went through the recovery process, and the moment I logged in, my inbox was flooded with thousands of hate-filled, threatening messages. I ignored them and hit the ‘Go Live’ button. The camera activated. Before I could say a single word, a black screen appeared. “Your account has been suspended for violating platform community guidelines.” The screen went dark. I grabbed my car keys and stormed out of the house. The company building was lit up like a beacon. I kicked open the door to her office. She was sitting behind her desk, watching me with a calm, triumphant smile. “Isabelle, do you really think my parents won’t make you pay for this?” She laughed softly and walked toward me. “Grant, your parents are halfway across the world. By the time they hear about this, it will be old news.” Her eyes were cold, filled with contempt. “Besides, I’m sure that when they find out, they’ll understand my actions. It’s high time someone taught you to control that spoiled rich-boy temper of yours.” She had the audacity to act like she was doing me a favor. “Think of this as a small lesson. Once the storm passes, I’ll let you come back.” She sighed, her face a mask of false sincerity. “I didn’t want to do this, but Grant, you were being too cruel. I can handle being hurt, but Leo has done nothing to you. You can’t take your anger out on him. You have no idea how brilliant he is. You’re just too prejudiced, too impulsive.” Her words were so absurd they were almost comical. I looked her up and down, a cold smile playing on my lips. “Oh, please, Isabelle. He’s a fresh college graduate. Are you really interested in his ‘brilliance,’ or is it something else? You know the truth.” My voice dropped, filled with disgust. “I must have been blind to ever marry a venomous snake like you.” Another word would have been a waste of breath. I couldn’t stand the sight of her sickeningly false face for another second. I turned and walked away.

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For five years, I was Matt Howard’s lover. In name only. What he loved was my face—the same face as my twin brother, Evan. On nights when the longing became unbearable, he would wrap his hands around my throat, his eyes red with torment, and ask, “Daniel, why wasn’t it you who died?” 1 I stopped fighting, letting Matt steal the air from my lungs. His shattered, broken expression warped in my blurring vision. He had so many moments like this over the past five years. One second, he’d kiss me like he wanted to devour me. The next, he’d want my life. An offering to my dead twin, Evan. I let all the disgust and hatred in my heart boil over, choosing the cruelest words I could find, twisting the knife with every sentence. “Don’t pretend you’re so devoted. When Evan was alive, where was all this love? He would have torn his heart out for you! And you? You just used him as a pawn in your games against my father! Go on, kill me! Then the only place you’ll ever see this fucking face again is on a goddamn tombstone!” …Running my mouth always earned me a beating. The worst was two years ago, on the anniversary of Evan’s death. Matt wiped a smear of blood from his lip where I’d bitten him and dragged me to the floor. He grabbed the solid brass stand of the floor lamp and, without hesitation, brought it down on my knee. Twice. I bit my lip to stifle a scream, but involuntary tears streamed down my face. “Now, you’re even more like him,” Matt said, planting his foot on the back of my knee and twisting his heel. I trembled violently, my vision spotting with black. I couldn’t hold back a guttural, agonized cry. Matt knelt, one hand gripping my chin, the other gently brushing the sweat-drenched hair from my forehead. He pulled me into his arms, his voice a choked whisper. “Evan, I miss you so much.” I convulsed in his embrace. Matt, I want you… to die! But tonight, I was tired. Utterly exhausted. I let go of all the resentment and bitterness. If our five years of mutual torture could only end with one of us dead, then fine. Let it be me. I let Matt’s face dissolve into a blur… “Cough! Cough!” He suddenly let go. Air rushed into my lungs. I coughed violently, snot and tears streaming down my face, a pathetic clown once again. Matt pulled away, standing over me as I curled into a ball on the bed. His voice was low and cold. “Evan saved your life. You’re not allowed to die.” Fucking psycho. He was the one who’d just tried to kill me. I finally managed to stop coughing, the agony of suffocation receding. I ignored the state of my clothes, which were barely covering anything, and lay sprawled on the bed, staring at the ceiling. My voice was hollow. “Matt, it’s been five years. Aren’t you tired of this game? If Evan knew, he wouldn’t want to see you like this.” It was the first time in five years I’d said anything that even resembled comfort. If he had half a brain, he’d understand I was surrendering, that I didn’t want to fight anymore. But the next moment, Matt was on top of me again, his long, muscular thigh forcing its way between mine. I was bewildered. In all the years he’d kept me, Matt had only ever treated me as a substitute, as the man responsible for his lover’s death. He had always stopped short of the final act. All the kisses, the touches, the bites—they were all expressions of his rage. This new, intimate position… I didn’t understand it. Was this some new form of torture? I tried to squirm away, but he pinned my shoulders to the bed. “Daniel, this game between us… you don’t get a say in when it starts or when it ends.” He crushed his mouth to mine. And his hand went for the waistband of my pants. A jolt of alarm shot through me. I shoved him hard. “What are you doing?” Lust flared in his eyes. A stray thought, completely inappropriate for the moment, crossed my mind: Is that for Evan, or for me? Then I heard the raw violence in Matt’s voice as he pressed his knee against me. “Give it up, Daniel. This is your life now.” 2 I don’t know how much time passed. My body felt hot and limp. In a daze, I thought I saw Evan. He was angry with me, demanding to know why I was sleeping with the man he loved. I wanted to tell him I was a straight man, for fuck’s sake, and I didn’t want this either. But the words wouldn’t come out, and I clawed at the air in frustration. Evan’s crying grew more intense until his face dissolved into a bloody, mangled mess. Just like it had been after the car sent him flying… “Evan!” I cried out, reaching for him, but my hands closed on empty air. I couldn’t catch the brother hit by the car. I couldn’t catch the fading ghost who blamed me. … “Daniel, it’s me.” A calm, low voice, like a gentle but firm wind, blew away the chaotic images in my mind. I opened my eyes and saw Dr. Miles Vance sitting beside me. I was gripping his arm so tightly the sleeve of his pristine white shirt was a wrinkled mess. I quickly let go, my voice hoarse. “Sorry.” He placed a hand on my forehead, his elegant eyes behind his glasses looking away, avoiding my gaze. “The fever’s broken.” “Mmm,” I grunted, glancing at the gloomy sky outside. “How long was I out?” “Thirty-two hours.” He checked the sleek, gray-diamond watch on his wrist. Every part of my body ached when I moved. A searing pain shot through me from a certain… area. I gritted my teeth and pushed myself up to lean against the headboard. “Thanks. Every time something happens, I’m always troubling you.” “Matt pays me to do a job,” Miles said without looking up, methodically organizing his medical kit. Then, unexpectedly, his movements became clumsy, instruments clattering together. He shot to his feet and leaned over me, his perfectly handsome face inches from mine, the corners of his eyes tinged with red. “Daniel, trust me. I can help you.” I stared at him and shook my head with a bitter smile. This was the second time I had refused his help. Miles was Matt’s private doctor. He was the one who took care of me when I was sick and a few pills wouldn’t cut it. He was the one Matt called two years ago when my knee was shattered. That was the first time I’d seen the usually cool and composed Miles lose control. He’d scooped me up, his voice a low growl. “He needs to go to the hospital! Otherwise, he’ll lose that leg!” But Matt had just laughed. “That’s the point. Evan broke his leg for me. This substitute of his needs to be a little more dedicated.” I had leaned my head against Miles’s chest, feeling his heart hammer against his ribs. He had looked down at me, his lips trembling. Then, ignoring Matt’s protests, he took me to his hospital. After the anesthesia from the surgery wore off, I was drenched in a cold sweat from the pain. Miles had pushed his glasses up his nose, as if making a decision. “Daniel, your father’s debt… I can find a way to deal with it.” I was surprised. He was Matt’s friend, yet he wanted to pull me from the fire. But this was a fire I had to endure. I had to stay by Matt’s side as Evan’s stand-in, so he would be merciful and not pursue the massive debt my father owed him. Otherwise, my father wouldn’t survive. I pushed the memory away, avoiding Miles’s sincere gaze. “I’m fine now, Doctor. You can go.” I could hear him grinding his teeth. But he didn’t say anything more. He picked up his kit and left. He ran into Matt at the door. It was slightly ajar, and I could hear their conversation clearly. “Is he okay?” Matt’s tone was dismissive. Miles’s composure was back in place. “The fever’s gone. But the tearing down there will need time to heal.” He paused, then added, “Matt, control yourself.” Matt snorted. “That’s what you’re for, isn’t it? He won’t die.” Then he pushed the door open and came in. I looked away. Matt sat on the edge of the bed and placed a takeout bag on the nightstand. “You must be hungry. Eat.” It wasn’t a question; it was an order. I looked at the bag. Spicy rabbit heads. “Isn’t this your favorite? Don’t leave any,” he said, opening the container and handing it to me with a pair of disposable gloves. “I’m not hungry.” Matt didn’t move. His cold, dark eyes were fixed on me. Resigned, I put on the gloves and took the container. One bite, and my mouth was on fire. Matt pulled out his phone and brought up a security feed. It was a video of my conversation with Miles just moments before. “Daniel, I know your every move. Don’t even think about trying anything. It’s useless.” A chill shot up my spine. I glanced around, trying to spot the hidden camera. I lowered my head and continued to gnaw on the rabbit head. It was so spicy. Why else would I be crying? 3 This went on for over a month. By the time Matt dragged me along to the golf course again, I had lost a significant amount of weight. I looked frail, almost delicate. Matt’s friends chatted and laughed amongst themselves, occasionally shooting me looks of open mockery. I stood beside them, holding Matt’s clubs, feeling like one of the golf balls they were hitting around. One of them, a guy named Kai, casually tossed a ball in the air, then pointed at me with a smirk. “Danny-boy, be a dear and go fetch that for me.” The chatter died down. All eyes were on me. A palpable sense of cruel anticipation filled the air. I didn’t move. Looking at their arrogant, youthful faces, I wondered what the old Daniel would have done. He would have charged in, kicking and punching until they begged for mercy. No, back then, no one would have dared to mock me like this. My father and my brother were my shields, protecting me from all of life’s storms. My world was smooth sailing, full of flattery. “Danny-boy” was a name associated with a carefree, glamorous life. Now, that shield was shattered, and the storm had hit. Even the nobodies who couldn’t get near me before could now amuse themselves by humiliating me. “Go on, fetch,” Kai taunted, his eyes roaming over my body before landing on the small white dot in the distance. “Or I’ll tell Matt. I hear he has some… creative ways of dealing with people.” “One moment,” I said, my voice so calm it surprised even me. I placed Matt’s club in the bag and, ignoring the sharp pain in my left knee, walked toward the ball. Matt was in the VIP lounge on an urgent work call. Before he left, he’d made me act as his caddy, fetching his ball a dozen times without my cane. He wanted to torture my bad leg. It was working. My limp was more pronounced than ever. I was only a few steps out and already sweating from the pain. Just as I finally reached the ball and could see Kai’s triumphant smirk, he threw another one. Even farther. “Danny-boy,” he called out in a singsong voice. “If you would be so kind—” I squeezed the ball in my hand, fighting the urge to hurl it at his smug face. I turned to get the second ball. A wave of laughter erupted behind me, a celebration of their victory over me. By the time I returned, I could barely lift my left leg. I was almost at Kai’s feet when I tripped on a tuft of grass and fell to my knees. The ball rolled out of my hand. Matt, who had just returned, stopped it with his foot. Kai suppressed a laugh. “Well, look at that, Matt. It’s not even a holiday and Danny-boy is showing his respect.” Matt ignored him and walked over to me, extending a hand. I looked up at his emotionless face, unsure if I should take it. “You like kneeling?” he asked, his tone sharp. I took his hand. He pulled me up and didn’t let go, leading me forward slowly. “Hand me a club,” he ordered. The moment the club was in his hand, there was a flash of silver. “Ah—!” Kai screamed, clutching his knee as he collapsed, wailing in agony. Matt casually tossed the dented club aside and planted his foot on the writhing Kai. “Matt!” the others started to protest. Matt shot them a look that could kill, and they fell silent. “Even if Daniel is just my plaything, he’s my plaything. Who the hell are you to humiliate him?” “J-Matt, I’m sorry—” Kai blubbered, snot and tears streaming down his face. “Crawl over there and apologize.” Kai scrambled across the grass to my feet. “Danny-boy, I’m sorry, I’ll never do it again, please forgive me…” The others now looked at me with a mixture of fear and awe. But all I felt was like a dog borrowing its master’s power. It was pathetic. I took a step back. “Don’t be like that. Get up.” SMACK! Matt slapped me across the face, so hard my ears rang. The stinging pain eventually subsided. “He’s apologizing to you,” Matt’s voice was sharp. “That’s me giving you face. You take it.” The flicker of warmth I’d felt when he’d offered me his hand was brutally extinguished by that slap, twisted into a deep, loathing for myself. I was so fucking pathetic, falling in love with a monster like him. 4 Matt was sick. In five years, I’d barely heard him cough. But now he was shivering, curled up on the large bed in the villa’s medical room, all his sharp, cold edges softened, like a fragile, wounded animal. I sat by his bed, studying the feverish flush on his face. On impulse, I reached out and gently traced the line of his eyebrow. The heat from his skin traveled up my fingertips and settled in my heart, a searing brand that made me flinch. A soft cough came from the doorway. I snatched my hand back and turned to see Miles standing there, medical kit in hand, his expression unreadable. “Doctor.” Miles nodded, took a white coat from the closet, disinfected himself, and then began to examine Matt. I moved to an armchair in the corner, out of the way. After a moment, Miles said calmly, “It’s nothing. Just exhaustion.” “He’s always been so healthy, and he’s always so busy. Before…” “Are you worried about him?” Miles interrupted, tilting his head. The question caught me off guard. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I just nodded. “I do his regular check-ups; I know his condition well. The human body has its limits. Even someone made of iron needs to rest when they reach their breaking point. The fever is just his body’s cry for help. A good sleep and a few days of rest will do the trick.” “Okay, thank you.” Miles started an IV for Matt. The movement disturbed him, and he tossed and turned restlessly. “Daniel.” The whisper was so faint I wasn’t sure I’d heard my own name. In disbelief, but with a flicker of hope, I leaned in closer. “Daniel, I’m cold.” As if under a spell, I gently tucked the blankets around him. The next second, Miles yanked me away, his calm features contorted with anger. “Daniel, if I weren’t here, were you going to climb in and warm him up yourself?” He’d hit a nerve. I looked away. “Daniel, you’re sick,” Miles said, his voice heavy with pain, as if I were terminally ill. “I think you need to see a psychiatrist. I have a friend who’s an expert in this field. I’ll send you his contact.” Miles took out his phone, his fingers trembling slightly as he swiped across the screen—not the steady hand of a surgeon. “I’m fine, Doctor.” He didn’t seem to hear me. My phone vibrated. It was the psychiatrist’s contact card from Miles. “Stockholm syndrome can be completely cured with timely intervention.” “Doctor, I said I’m fine. I don’t need a psychiatrist.” I turned to leave. Miles followed me out, cornering me on the stair landing. “Daniel, you can’t love Matt.” Hearing it spoken so plainly, I lost all energy to argue or deny it. I slumped against the wall, defeated. “But I do. I’m just that much of a pathetic mess. Matt is handsome, he’s the king of this city, and he’s fucked me more times than I can count. Is it so wrong to love him?” Miles took off his glasses, his expression pained, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just leave me alone, Doctor. Let me rot.” I pushed past him and started down the stairs. “Daniel, have you never been suspicious about your brother’s death?”

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I starred in a queer romance show and it turned me gay. When I confessed, the younger actor shot me down. “You’re five years older than me, Liam. Can’t you tell the difference between acting and reality?” I walked away and avoided him for three years. I never imagined the show would become a massive hit, forcing us back together for promotional events. Worried he’d be uncomfortable, I puffed out my chest and assured him, “Don’t worry, I went through some intensive therapy and got it all sorted out. I’m as straight as you are now.” But now, at every event we do together… whenever I get close, his lips find mine. “Sorry,” he’ll whisper, “we kissed so much back then… my body just remembers.” 1 Three years ago, I shot a TV series with two male leads alongside Theo Thorne. Given the subject matter, I figured it would never see the light of day. Who knew that when it was finally released this year, it would explode? Back then, I was the seasoned actor and Theo was the fresh-faced rookie. Now, I’m just a guy who reliably plays supporting roles, never quite breaking through. Theo, on the other hand, is one of the biggest stars in the industry. Thanks to him, my name has been trending lately, too. My agency is desperate to capitalize on this sudden wave of popularity. I’d made a point of avoiding any event Theo was at, but they sent my agent, Jenna, to personally persuade me. “Liam, whatever beef you have with Theo, you have to do this joint live stream while the show is airing,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. “Otherwise, the rumors will get nasty.” I was taken aback. “What beef could I possibly have with Theo?” It was nothing like that. I’d just gotten too deep into my role and let him turn my world upside down. I’d poured my heart out to him, only to be rejected. I wasn’t avoiding him out of hatred. I was avoiding him because there was no point. But no matter how hard I tried, Theo was inescapable. He was so famous his face was everywhere. I ran my thumb over the sandalwood beads on my wrist and finally agreed to the live stream. “Jenna, believe it or not,” I said, meeting her gaze, “we were each other’s only male lead. I’ve never wished him anything but the best.” From my 28th to my 31st year, that chapter should have been long closed. Jenna looked relieved. “Oh, I thought you were homophobic or something. That you regretted doing a queer show with him and that’s why you were hiding.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “I mean, you two were practically shoving your tongues down each other’s throats in every other scene. I can’t imagine any straight guy being okay with that.” I choked on my water. “Ahem… well, you’re not wrong, but you don’t have to be so crude about it.” 2 When I arrived at the studio, the reality of Daybreak’s popularity hit me. A crowd of shippers was waiting, holding signs for “TheoStorm”—our couple name—and chanting for us. I gave them a respectful bow. As I straightened up, an egg splattered against my head. “You leech! Stop sucking the life out of my idol! Just die!” a girl screamed. I was stunned. I’d been in the business for a while, built a reputation for being professional and easy to work with. I’d never been publicly insulted like this. Gooey egg yolk dripped into my eyes, blurring my vision. “Jenna? Where are you?” It sounded like Jenna was arguing with the egg-thrower. My vision went dark, and I swayed on my feet. The next second, a jacket was thrown over my head. A hand steadied my shoulder, and a calm, deep voice said, “This way.” I was led into a restroom inside the building. After a quick rinse, I licked a drop of water from my lips and thanked the person beside me. “Theo. Thanks for that.” He was dressed in all black, completely covered up. He pulled off his hat and mask. At six-foot-three, I had to crane my neck to meet his eyes. “The fans didn’t even recognize me. How did you know?” I paused. Looking at his curly lashes, the high bridge of his nose, and those lips that were slightly upturned, so damn kissable… how could I not know? While filming, I had kissed every feature of his face. I knew the faint, clean scent of pine that clung to his skin. I knew about the mole on his neck. For those few months, I knew his body better than he did. I shook my head, trying to clear the strange thoughts along with the water from my hair. I extended my hand like a gentleman. “Theo. It’s been a while.” He took it, his gaze deep and unreadable. “Liam. You look well.” Tsk. Three years ago, it was always “Liam, my friend” or “Liam, my brother.” Now he was just using my name. So quick to forget. Then again, he’d earned the right. “Oh, by the way, Theo,” I said, my smile wide and sincere. “I’m straight now.” 3 Theo must have been thrilled. The troublesome colleague who’d confessed to him so recklessly had finally seen the light. He wouldn’t have to worry about me crossing any lines. A straight guy and a straight guy. There was zero possibility. In the makeup room, Jenna told me the girl who threw the egg had been taken to the police station. She was an extremist fan of Theo’s, and the popularity of our on-screen couple had apparently driven her over the edge. Jenna was still fuming. “You haven’t once tried to ride his coattails since the show aired! How dare she call you a leech?” I sighed. I hadn’t actively tried, but I had definitely benefited. When we shot Daybreak, Theo was a newcomer, but his talent was astonishing. I knew he’d be a huge star; I just didn’t expect it to happen so fast. He shot up like a wildfire, reaching heights I could no longer touch. In the month since the show started airing, my friend Evan, another actor, called me, his voice green with envy. “You sly bastard, you kept it a secret that you did a show with Theo Thorne! Your career is about to take off…” For most actors, working with Theo was a dream come true. “So, what was it like shooting those intimate scenes with him? Isn’t he supposed to be walking pheromones, irresistible to everyone?” “It was years ago,” I deflected. “Who remembers?” But the truth was, I remembered every single detail. I still haven’t watched the final cut of Daybreak. The thought of reliving that obsessive crush I had on him… it was too humiliating. I didn’t want to remember. But I forgot one thing. The studio’s live streams were famous for being bold. As the broadcast began, the host played a fan-made compilation of Daybreak’s best moments. On the high-definition screen, the story unfolded. I played a volunteer teacher who meets a young, free-spirited ranch hand in the mountains. The teacher falls for him at first sight but doesn’t pursue him directly, instead using subtle ways to seduce him. The young man struggles, slowly falling for him, only to find out the teacher is planning to return to the city after the New Year to get married. At the break of dawn, after a night of turmoil, the young man pushes open the teacher’s door. They finally give in. Their first sweet, stolen moment. 4 The clip dragged me right back to that sweltering, intense summer. The summer I was utterly mesmerized by Theo. The sound of our breathing echoed in my ears, and my mind went blank. “Liam,” a voice said beside me. Theo was sitting next to me on the sofa, his handsome, mature face just inches away. “What are you spacing out for? The host asked what you thought of the fan edit.” My throat was dry. “It was great. Both Theo and I looked very handsome.” Theo chuckled, leaning closer. His dark, bright eyes reflected my own image back at me. “I thought it was great, too. Especially that last intimate scene. Your expression was so sweet… and so dirty.” A sense of dread washed over me. Was Theo actively trying to play up our couple dynamic? The live chat exploded. [Whoa, did he really just say that? My poor virgin ears!] [Theo seems VERY satisfied with the beautiful husband the production provided. It’s been three years and he’s still teasing him!] [Look at his face, he’s totally reliving it. The shippers said Theo had a great time filming this, and yeah, looks like he did!] [I didn’t believe the rumor that Theo disguised himself as a fan to save Liam from that egg attack, but now… I’m a believer!] Theo continued, “The director had really high standards for that scene. We had to kiss so many times our lips went numb.” I just stared at him. Who asked you? Literally no one asked you. My scalp was tingling. Had Theo been possessed? Every word out of his mouth was loaded. Little did I know, this was just the beginning. The more he talked, the bolder he got. The host would ask, and he would answer. “My first impression of Liam? His skin is very fair, very soft. It bruises easily.” “I was the one who usually led the intimate scenes. He gets shy.” “To get into character faster, Liam and I slept in the same room every night.” “Liam’s birthday was on set. I gave him a sandalwood bracelet. He got drunk that night, and I had to carry him back to…” My face was on fire. I clamped a hand over his mouth. Was he using my name as a comma? “Theo! This is a live broadcast,” I hissed through gritted teeth. He just raised an eyebrow and whispered in my ear, “Don’t worry. I won’t mention how you forced a kiss on me when you were drunk…” He was doing this on purpose! The show started trending topic after topic. No one was accusing me of leeching off his fame anymore. Now, the fans were convinced we’d been secretly dating for years. The host asked, “So, you two have kept in touch all this time?” My heart sank. Everyone in the industry knew I’d been avoiding him for three years. But Theo just smiled sweetly and said, “Of course.” 5 During a commercial break, I lit a cigarette and blocked his path. “What the hell are you playing at?” If I wasn’t me, I’d actually believe we’d fallen in love on set. Theo snatched the cigarette from my fingers. His bangs fell over his eyes, casting a dark shadow over his face. “I’m just telling the truth.” “You’re talking about the past,” I said calmly. “Three years in the past. We’re not in that kind of relationship now.” He suddenly reached out and pinched my earlobe. It was one of my sensitive spots. He used to toy with it whenever we kissed. “Liam, before this live stream, people were saying our shippers were just eating up fake, manufactured chemistry. What do you think about that?” During the show’s run, they’d been releasing behind-the-scenes footage. In the clips, we were incredibly close. Even when we weren’t filming, we were always smiling at each other, holding hands, with our arms around each other’s waists. That genuine affection from back then was now being dismissed as completely fake because of the huge gap in our career status. Theo’s eyes were defiant. “I don’t care what’s real or fake. All I know is that you and I, hiding in our room and making out, was real.” The tension in my brow eased. “Oh, I see. You were giving the shippers what they wanted.” It was a shame, really. He had to create content on the spot. I felt a surge of admiration. Theo had more talent than me, and he worked harder. No wonder he was a superstar while I was still stuck in mediocrity. My mind was always filled with useless things like feelings and kissing and… other stuff. I was so shallow. It was surprising that an actor of his stature needed to resort to this, but then again, in this industry, who didn’t want to be more famous? There was no shame in using a popular ship to boost your profile. I was moved. “Don’t worry,” I said earnestly. “You want to play up the couple angle? I’ll cooperate. I’ll give it my all.” Theo’s expression was strange. He even cursed at me. “Liam, you’re an idiot.” He probably didn’t trust a “straight guy” like me to do a good job. My competitive spirit flared. Who was he looking down on? Playing a part for the fans was just another form of acting. When Theo was just starting out, I was the one who taught him everything, step by step. He said he’d never really kissed anyone, so I let him kiss me until my lips were numb. He said he didn’t understand the dynamics between men, so I let him use me for practice… Eventually, he was the one taking the lead, biting the back of my neck with a primal intensity, his eyes red like a wild animal’s. He was so convincing, I thought he’d actually fallen for me. Turns out, I was the one who got lost in the role. He was just being a professional. But I was fine now. I could play a straight guy playing a gay guy. Easy. 6 For the game segment, I chose the most intimate option: the Pocky challenge. The host was practically vibrating with excitement. “Oh my god, are they actually going to kiss?!” I took a bite, closing the distance. Our lips were a hair’s breadth apart, our breaths mingling. Theo either had to forfeit or kiss me. This was just for show; he wouldn’t actually do it. I held my position, blinking innocently. Suddenly, his large, warm hand clamped onto the back of my neck, pulling me forward. He stole the last tiny crumb of the biscuit from my mouth. Theo held up a script to block the camera’s view. The audience couldn’t see it, but we were really kissing. Only the host saw everything, and she was screaming into her mic. “AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!” “I NEED A RESPIRATOR! GET ME A RESPIRATOR!” Theo rested his chin on my shoulder, his damp lips brushing against my earlobe. “Sorry,” he whispered. “We kissed so much back then… my body just remembers.” I didn’t dare look at the live chat. And I couldn’t exactly scold him for using his tongue. After all, I was the one who taught him how. It was an exhilarating live stream. Theo and I dominated the trending topics all night. After that, my career took off. Offers started pouring in. Jenna, ever the pragmatist, knew we owed Theo. She arranged a dinner to thank him. At the table, she told me to propose a toast. In this industry, status trumps age. I willingly poured a glass of wine, but before I could raise it, Theo took it from me, his thumb brushing the palm of my hand. “You can’t handle your liquor, so don’t force it,” he said. “Jenna, I actually brought my manager, Mark, to talk about our upcoming joint activities.” The two agents excused themselves to the adjacent private room, leaving Theo and me alone. 7 His presence was overwhelming. The shippers said he was like a snake and I was a rabbit, and every look he gave me was like he was about to swallow me whole. There was a time I was hopelessly lost in those eyes. Now I understood: a good actor can look at anyone with devotion. I looked at Theo and offered a gentle warning. “Playing up the couple thing is a win-win, but there has to be a line. Let’s not actually kiss next time. If people start thinking you’re not straight, you’ll be in trouble.” He had a big movie coming out. Going too far would definitely have consequences. “You were so close,” Theo said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “And your lips were all puckered up. Of course I couldn’t resist.” My lips? Was he saying I started it? Well, I was the one benefiting most from this partnership. To do some damage control, I pulled him in for a selfie and posted it online. Reunited with my good friend @TheoThorne. Reminiscing about the old days. The shippers descended immediately. [The more you try to hide it, the more obvious it is.] [You were just making out on a live stream, and now you’re pretending to be straight? A little late for that, sweetie.] Hmph. I didn’t need to pretend. I was straight. Theo leaned over my shoulder to look at my phone. The strands of his hair tickled my neck, and the scent of pine filled my senses, throwing me back to those months we spent living in each other’s pockets. My heart began to race. Just then, a new comment popped up. [This is the great thing about straight guys. Even if they catch feelings, they convince themselves they’re supposed to like girls. Even if they get turned on, they think they’re sick. They keep lying to themselves until they realize they only react that way to one person!] A smirk played on Theo’s lips. “Speaking of which, you used to have some pretty strong reactions during our scenes. Got me all wet once.” I couldn’t deny it. My face burned, and I shoved him away. “You were no better.” The atmosphere was getting tense. And hot. I tried to steer the conversation back to safer ground. “Theo, I was the one who got too into the role back then. I made a mistake.” I had to make it clear I wouldn’t be a problem. “Don’t worry. I went to therapy and got it sorted out. Guaranteed straight now.” Theo’s expression soured, and his focus was… odd. “What kind of therapy works that well?” “Uh…” I felt awkward. “It wasn’t actual therapy. It was more like… chat-erapy.” “Chemo?” Theo looked alarmed. “Are you sick?” I scratched my head. “No, not that kind of chemo. My friend Evan, you know him? He can talk for an entire night without stopping. He could talk a man out of any problem.” “I wasn’t that far gone. He talked me straight in one session…” The words had barely left my mouth when I saw Jenna standing in the doorway, her face a mask of shock. “Who’s not straight?!”

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Rule number one of dorm life: Never turn your back on your roommates. Especially when one of them has just kissed you until your lips are numb, and the other is glaring like a predator, plotting how to steal you away. Joey licked the corner of his mouth, his smile deceptively innocent. “He smells like me now, Aiden. Do you still want him?” Across from him, Aiden gripped a basketball, the veins on his arm popping. He let out a cold laugh. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll just have to wash your scent right off him.” And me? All I wanted to say was: If you two keep shouting, the RA is going to come up here and write us all up. 1 I was in my bunk watching a… certain kind of video when my dickwad of a roommate, Leo, suddenly ripped open my privacy curtain. He shot me a look of pure disgust, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “So, you’re into guys.” “Don’t tell me you’ve got a crush on me.” “God, that’s fucking disgusting.” I scoffed, firing back, “Please. We gays have standards, you know.” “If I were going to like anyone, it’d be someone like Joey. Who the hell are you?” The words had barely left my mouth when I saw him standing in the doorway of our dorm room, a faint blush on his cheeks. Joey. And right behind him, his face as dark as a thundercloud, was Aiden. My stomach plummeted. It was bad enough that my crush had overheard me running my mouth. It was a million times worse that his number one admirer had heard it, too. Only Leo, the idiot, was oblivious. “You? You think you have a shot with Joey? The best you could ever be is his simp.” I went quiet for a second. The word “simp” might have been aimed at me, but it hit someone else just as hard. It was obvious Aiden was into Joey. I’d clocked it on the first day of the semester. They weren’t even in the same major, yet Aiden was constantly orbiting Joey, hiding behind the flimsy excuse of being “just friends.” He was practically Joey’s shadow, always there but never truly in the picture. Sure enough, Aiden’s expression soured. “If you’re going to fight, take it outside.” Just then, the alarm I’d set for my part-time job went off. I scrambled to change, eager for an escape. As I was leaving, I heard Leo eagerly spilling the tea to Aiden. “Hey, Aiden, did you know? Milo’s a gay. He likes men. So gross, right?” Aiden kicked a chair in frustration. “Get lost,” he growled. 2 It was true. I had a thing for Joey. He was gentle and considerate, with a face that was both beautiful and sweet. The whole campus seemed to have a crush on him. If it weren’t for Aiden guarding him like a mother hen, he’d be drowning in admirers. Yesterday, I walked in on him changing. He was practically glowing, with a narrow waist, long legs, and a set of abs so defined they looked carved from marble. His face was already my kryptonite, but his body? It was on another level. He was basically the Holy Grail for guys like me. I’d been hot and bothered all night, and today, I just needed an outlet. I’d finally found a video with a pale-skinned bottom who looked a little like Joey. I’d just hit play when Leo yanked my curtain open. I took out my frustration on the lemon slices in my water bottle, stabbing them violently with my straw. As I was murdering the poor fruit, a horrifying thought struck me. My laptop… it was still open on my bed. Then again, my sexuality was already out of the bag. What was a little porn on top of that? Besides, my headphones were plugged in. As long as no one opened my curtain, they’d never know. 3 The clock ticked toward ten p.m. I handed a taro milk tea to the girl in front of me. She took the drink, blushing slightly. “Hey, uhm… can I get your number?” On the outside, I was cool as a cucumber. On the inside, I was preening. See? I still had it. Leo should be here to witness this. Too bad I was gay. Just as I was figuring out how to let her down easy, a grim voice cut in from behind her. “He’s gay.” …And just like that, I was outed to the entire bubble tea shop. Strangely, the girl who’d asked for my number didn’t look disappointed at all. In fact, she looked thrilled. She exchanged a knowing glance with her friend, and they walked away, sipping their tea with blissful smiles. I stared at Aiden, completely baffled. What the hell was his problem? He ordered a pearl milk tea and then just stood there, watching me with a dark, brooding intensity. My coworker leaned over, a smirk on her face. “Your boyfriend’s a little possessive, isn’t he?” Oh, great. Now everyone had the wrong idea. 4 After my shift, I walked out of the shop. Aiden fell into step behind me, casually sucking on the straw of his milk tea. I stopped and turned to face him. “Alright, what do you want?” The warm, yellow light of the streetlamp cast sharp shadows across his face. He had intense features and a permanent scowl that made him look fierce even when he was relaxed. He closed the distance between us, step by step. Suddenly, a cold, sticky liquid poured over my head. A few boba pearls slithered down my neck and into my shirt. He stared down at me, his eyes like chips of ice. “Keep your filthy thoughts to yourself. Joey is not for you.” I wiped the sweet tea from my face, unfazed, and fished a boba pearl out of my collar. I flicked it straight at his mouth. He caught it instinctively. “Playing the big hero, are we? You follow Joey around like a puppy dog, drooling over something you can’t have. And besides,” I pointed at the plastic cup he’d dropped on the ground, “you’re the one who’s trashy. You’re littering.” Aiden’s expression faltered, as if I’d thrown him off script. But he quickly recovered, his scowl returning. He chewed on the boba pearl. “If you dare try anything with Joey in the dorm,” chew, chew, “or watch any more of that disgusting shit…” His hand shot out, and I felt a sudden, sharp pain below my waist. Aiden finished the boba and leaned in, his voice a low threat. “I’ll chop this thing right off you.” Damn. The boba I made really was perfectly chewy. Okay, so that’s what this was about. He must have seen my laptop screen. But still, it was rude as hell for him to go snooping behind my curtain without permission. Suddenly, I heard a gasp. I glanced over and saw a figure darting away into the darkness. But that wasn’t the main issue. The main issue was Aiden’s hand, which was still… uh… there. Aiden, realizing it too, snatched his hand back awkwardly. He picked up the empty cup from the pavement, shot me one last glare, and stormed off. 5 Back at the dorm, Leo was lost in his game, headphones clamped over his ears. I grabbed my shower stuff and headed for the bathroom, nearly colliding with Joey, who was just coming out, wrapped in a towel. I felt a pang of awkwardness. Did he see the video? Does he think I’m some kind of pervert now? Joey’s brow furrowed as he looked at me, his eyes flicking down to my chest for a second. I felt too guilty to even say hello, so I just ducked my head and slipped past him into the bathroom. The air was still warm and steamy, filled with the fresh, clean scent that clung to Joey. I couldn’t help but take a deep breath before stripping off my sticky t-shirt. I had just stepped out of my pants when the bathroom door creaked open. I spun around to see Joey standing there. His face was flushed. “Sorry, I forgot my clothes.” I followed his gaze to the laundry hamper, where his dirty clothes were piled. A bitter, fizzy feeling, like a shaken-up bottle of soda, filled my chest. “Joey,” I said, my voice low and heavy. “I know I’m gay, and yeah, I’m attracted to you. But I’m not a freak. I wouldn’t steal your stuff. You don’t have to watch me like a hawk.” He wouldn’t meet my eyes, looking away as he mumbled, “I’m not watching you.” I gave a humorless laugh, a wave of exhaustion washing over me. Prejudice was a wall you just couldn’t climb. He probably thought I was pathetic. I turned on the shower, letting the hot water cascade over me. I let out a long sigh. My life was a goddamn soap opera, and I was the tragic main character. After the shower, though, I felt refreshed. If the world was going to make me gay, then I was going to make the world my playground! I felt like I could start a whole new life… except, shit. I forgot to bring clothes. I glanced at the hamper. It was empty. Okay, fine. I believed him. Joey wasn’t wary of me. So why the hell did he take my dirty clothes, too?! 6 Normally, I would’ve just streaked back to my closet. But after today, I couldn’t risk it. Mostly because I was afraid that idiot Leo would think I was trying to seduce him. There were only three of us in the room. After a moment of hesitation, I decided Joey was my best bet. I called through the door, asking him to grab me some clothes. Joey, ever the gentleman, agreed. He passed a set of clothes through a crack in the door. From outside, Leo’s snide voice piped up again. “You gays and your little games.” I rolled my eyes so hard I think I saw my brain. I shook out the clothes and realized something was off. These looked like Joey’s. Joey’s soft voice came from the other side of the door. “I didn’t want to go through your closet without asking. You can just wear mine. The underwear is new.” A warmth spread through my chest. Joey really was an angel. So gentle, so considerate. It would be a damn shame if a brute like Aiden ever got his hands on him. I quickly got dressed. Hmm. Joey looked lean, but his boxers weren’t exactly small. I opened the bathroom door, then immediately wanted to slam it shut again. Did I get water in my brain during the shower? Why was I seeing that walking disaster Aiden again? A hand pushed the door open, and Aiden’s eyes were practically shooting flames. “Why are you wearing Joey’s clothes!” I shot him a withering look. “Because he let me. What’s it to you?” I swaggered out of the bathroom and saw Joey on the balcony, hanging up laundry. “Joey…” I started to ask where my dirty clothes went, but then I saw the dripping wet pair of my own white boxer briefs in his hands. Joey looked at me, radiating an almost… wifely glow. “It was no trouble. I just washed them all together.” Behind me, I could hear the sound of Aiden grinding his teeth. “Joey, you washed his underwear?” Joey looked perfectly innocent. “We’re all guys. What’s the big deal?” Aiden looked like he was about to explode. He glared at me. “Have you no shame?” Me? How was this my fault? Joey finished hanging the clothes and stepped in front of me, shielding me. “Aiden, stop picking on Milo all the time.” Another wave of warmth washed over me. I couldn’t help but praise him. “See? You’re so kind and reasonable. Not like some people who just act like rabid dogs.” Aiden shot me a death glare, looked at Joey, and then stormed out without another word, fuming. 7 I dried my hair and climbed into my bunk, only to notice that the empty bunk across from me was now piled high with stuff. Aiden, who had just stormed out, was back, dragging a suitcase behind him. He looked at me and smirked. “Starting today, I’m living here too.” I could feel the murderous intent behind his smile. This son of a bitch was really treating Joey like his property and moving in to stand guard. A competitive spark ignited within me. Fine. If he wanted to play this game, I’d make sure he ended up the loser. I pictured the scene in my head: me, driving a luxury car, with Joey nestled sweetly against my shoulder. Aiden would be chasing the car, tears streaming down his face, crying, “Joey, don’t leave me! Joey, what will I do without you!” I almost burst out laughing at the thought, but a sharp crash from inside the dorm cut me off. A glass had rolled off Joey’s bed, shattering on the floor. Aiden was the first to react. “Joey, are you okay?” “I’m fine, just spilled some water.” Joey started to climb down from his bunk. Aiden immediately stopped him, grabbing a broom. “Wait there. I’ll sweep up the glass first.” Joey hummed in agreement, then pulled back his own curtain and simply swung his legs over onto my bunk. His voice was laced with a hint of grievance. “Milo, my bed’s all wet. You don’t mind if I sleep with you, do you?” The air in the room froze. I had to physically restrain myself from laughing. Aiden’s sweeping motions halted. Even Leo shot Aiden a look of pity. No exaggeration, the guy looked like he was about to shatter into a million pieces. The broom was thrown down with force, and Aiden’s face had a distinct greenish tint. “Joey, if you didn’t want me to move in, you didn’t have to go this far.” My eyes darted between them, and it finally clicked. So, they were having a lovers’ quarrel, and I was their pawn. Aiden stormed out of the room again, slamming the door behind him. I looked at Joey, who was now smiling even wider. For some reason, a chill crept up my spine. “He’s finally gone.” Joey’s beautiful eyes locked onto mine. One hand gripped my chin while the other began to toy with my earlobe, rubbing it over and over. He leaned in close, his voice a husky whisper. “You like watching those filthy videos, don’t you?” His hand slid slowly down my chest, his fingertips tracing patterns on my skin. “Well, the real thing is right here. Want a closer look?” My brain felt like it had been scooped out by a zombie. A tingling, electric sensation shot through me, making my scalp prickle. “So pink… and you just let anyone see?” Joey lowered his head, and the tickling sensation intensified.

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After my family went bankrupt, I was forced into a marriage with my arch-nemesis. Every day was an exercise in hate. I was his canary for three years. Then I got pregnant. And he got hit by a car and lost his memory. Clutching the ultrasound report, I rushed from the maternity ward to his hospital room, only to hear him screaming in a rage. “A divorce! I want a divorce, right here, right now! “Forcing me to live with my own nemesis—an Alpha, no less—for the rest of my life? You might as well just fucking kill me! It’s disgusting…” My hand tightened around the report, a chill seeping into my heart. I turned, ready to head straight for the abortion clinic, but a hand grabbed my ankle. Adrian Sterling, crawling on the floor, looked up at me, rubbing his nose with a bashful grin. “Heh, David Bright, what are you doing here? “I heard my family is bankrupt now. How about you take me home as your trophy husband… and humiliate me to your heart’s content?” 1 I was still reeling from the news about Adrian when the doctor’s voice cut through the fog in my head. My hand, slick with sweat, was balled into a fist. “This morning sickness isn’t a stomach bug, it’s pregnancy,” he said, peering at me over his glasses. “You’re already three months along. Why are you only just coming in for a check-up? Where’s your partner? Why isn’t he with you? Are you divorced?” The barrage of questions made the world spin. I clapped a hand over my mouth, another wave of nausea hitting me. It took me a long moment to compose myself in the restroom before I could return, my voice raspy. “Doctor, I’m an Alpha. S-Class.” The doctor just pushed his glasses up his nose, unfazed. “And? S-Class Alphas can still conceive if you’re… active enough. The reproductive cavity doesn’t just vanish. So, I take it you and your partner are intimate quite often?” I averted my gaze, my throat suddenly dry. Often was an understatement. For the past three years, to “humiliate” me, Adrian had fulfilled his duties as my “patron” with a cold, relentless fury. He pinned me down day and night, our encounters filled with a frigid hate. My dormant reproductive system had been practically drilled back into existence by him. The textbooks said the probability of an Alpha pregnancy was infinitesimally small, so I’d never given it a second thought. I didn’t take pills. We didn’t use protection. I never thought I’d hit this particular jackpot. After thanking the doctor, I walked out in a daze, my mind a complete blank. I was debating whether to call Adrian when my phone buzzed with an incoming call from his number. It was his best friend, Leo. “David, you need to get to the downtown hospital, now! Adrian was in a car accident. He has amnesia!” 2 The maternity ward wasn’t far from the main hospital wing. When I arrived, Leo stopped me at the door, his face grim. “David, you need to brace yourself before you go in. Adrian hit his head and messed up his leg. He’s got a concussion and a limp. But the worst part is… he’s lost his memory. He doesn’t seem to remember anyone. That probably includes you.” I nodded, my mind racing. I just wanted to see him. But as I took a step toward the door, a crash echoed from inside, followed by a roar of pure despair. “A divorce! I want one immediately! Dad, how could I possibly marry a man? My arch-nemesis? An Alpha?! Tell me the truth, did the family go bankrupt? Did you sell your only son to pay off a debt? Tell me!” Adrian’s father sounded exhausted, rubbing his temples. “Bankrupt my ass! Do you think I like your husband? Do you think your mother and I supported this marriage? Three years ago, you were the one who was dead set on marrying him! I broke your leg trying to stop you, and you ended up right here, in this very hospital room!” 3 I froze in my tracks. Adrian had gotten his leg broken fighting to marry me? He’d never mentioned a word of it. All I remembered was that before he’d reluctantly flown overseas with me to sign the marriage certificate, he had disappeared for three whole months. The reason he gave was that his parents adored me and wanted me as their son-in-law. He had always acted like he was being forced. “If that’s the case, then that bastard Alpha must have some dirt on me! He must have blackmailed me!” Adrian, with a bandage wrapped around his head, slapped his forehead dramatically. “Dad, just pay him off! I don’t care how much it costs, I have to divorce him! The smell of another Alpha’s pheromones makes me want to puke. How could you just stand by and watch me suffer for three years…?” “Suffer? Want to puke?” Mr. Sterling scoffed, a humorless laugh escaping him. “Every time I came to see you, you were practically draped all over him! A so-called Alpha, reeking of another man’s scent from head to toe. How did I end up with such a pathetic excuse for a son…” Adrian clutched his head, completely breaking down. “What kind of blackmail could make me act so spineless?! I don’t care, whatever it takes, this marriage is over! Forcing me to live with my nemesis for the rest of my life? You might as well just fucking kill me! It’s disgusting…” My fingers tightened around the ultrasound report, my body rigid. A storm of conflicting emotions churned inside me. It seemed our arrangement was truly at its end. And I knew what I had to do about the baby. I rubbed my stinging eyes, crumpled the report into a tight ball, and tossed it into a nearby trash can without a second thought. But as I turned to head for the abortion clinic, something latched onto my ankle, holding me fast. I looked down, confused. Adrian had crawled over to me. He rubbed his nose, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. “Heh, David Bright, what are you doing here? You’re the only one I remember! I heard my family’s bankrupt now. How about you take me home as your trophy husband… and humiliate me to your heart’s content?” Me: “?” 4 Adrian’s father: “??” He stormed over and slapped Adrian square across the face. “You ungrateful brat! We’re still on the goddamn Forbes list! Don’t you dare curse your old man!” Adrian, with his injured leg, couldn’t fight back. He just clung to my leg for dear life, refusing to let go. “David, you’re the only one I remember! You can’t leave!” Another slap from his father. “So you don’t even remember your own dad, but you remember your nemesis? You’re really trying to kill me with filial piety, aren’t you…” “Sir, I’m sorry, it’s my fault.” Fearing Adrian would be beaten into a permanent vegetative state, I quickly stepped in front of him, shielding him from his father’s wrath. But the already brain-damaged Adrian just stared at me, bewildered. “David, why did you call my father ‘sir’? What’s your relationship with him?!” His voice rose to a shrill shriek. “Dad! Please tell me he’s not my long-lost brother! Tell me—Ah!” “…” The third slap came, not from his father, but from me. His screeching was making me nauseous. 5 Mr. Sterling and the others soon cleared out of the room. Once they were gone, Adrian fell silent, his head bowed. I swallowed down my nausea, swept up the broken glass, and sat on the edge of his bed. “Are you okay?” After all that screaming, he couldn’t be too badly hurt. But as I leaned closer, I saw it. …Adrian was crying. Fat, silent tears were rolling down his cheeks. In the three years I’d known him, he had always been a fortress of cold indifference, his emotions only ever breaking free in the heat of the bedroom. This was a first. He clutched my hand, his voice choked with sobs. “David… even though I was blackmailed into marrying an Alpha… even though I’m not divorced yet… even though I’m… tainted… you’re the only one I remember! I only remember… when we were sixteen, you pinned me to the ground and beat me until my nose bled…” I covered my ears. I didn’t want to relive that. Before my family’s bankruptcy, Adrian and I were true arch-nemeses. We were constantly at each other’s throats. Of course, he was weaker, so he rarely managed to hurt me. Which is probably why, when he finally got his chance for revenge, he nearly fucked me to death… day after day, night after night. Snapping back to the present, I grabbed a tissue and wiped his tears. “What are you trying to say?” He sat up straight instantly. “You were top of the class in high school. You must be richer than my family now, right? You beat me into an idiot back then, so you have to take me home and take responsibility! I don’t want my dad to hit me anymore. I want to be your trophy husband…” “My family went bankrupt a long time ago,” I sighed. “And also… I’m the wife you were talking about. The Alpha who blackmailed you, the one who disgusts you so much you want to puke.” 6 Adrian’s brain short-circuited. His memory had reverted to when we were sixteen, the peak of our mutual hatred. Back then, I had just presented as an S-Class Alpha, and the mere scent of my pheromones would send him running to the bathroom to vomit for half an hour. It infuriated me so much I’d beat him up on sight. Telling him now that we were married was, admittedly, a bit abrupt. I patted his shoulder, intending to give him some space. But he flinched, then threw his head back and burst into hysterical laughter, wiping away tears. “David, are you trying to trick a fool? You, an Alpha with so much pride, would you ever agree to marry me? To be my wife? Do you think I’d fall for such a pathetic lie? You hate my guts! You just don’t want to marry this idiot and take responsibility for me!” I rubbed my temples. An S-Class Alpha willingly taking a submissive role did sound absurd. Three years ago, when my family first went bankrupt, I had no intention of asking anyone for help. I entered the entertainment industry alone. The money was fast, but the industry was a shark tank. Powerless and without connections, I was drugged three times and had my room key swapped five times within six months. My self-control was strong, and I always managed to escape. But the sixth time, the company replaced my suppressants with an aphrodisiac and locked me, in the middle of a susceptible period, in a penthouse suite. That time, I thought I was done for. But the person who walked into that suite that night was Adrian Sterling. 7 Adrian had just taken over his family’s company. Someone, as a twisted welcome gift, had delivered his old nemesis to his room, gift-wrapped and ready for the taking. But Adrian didn’t take the opportunity to humiliate me. His face was a thunderous mask. He simply wrapped me in his coat and carried my disheveled form to the hospital. Afterward, he acquired the company I worked for and dealt with the sleazy boss who had been trying to pimp me out. My agent, thinking Adrian was interested in me, sent me to his bed again during his own susceptible period. Adrian, delirious, kissed me. I was fully conscious, but I didn’t push him away. I closed my eyes and let it happen. … After that night, Adrian became my patron. He threw resources at me, introduced me to powerful people, and elevated me from an unknown nobody to a best-actor award winner. He even helped my father start a new company. And, somewhere along the way, we got married. He said his parents were pressuring him to settle down, and I was exactly what they wanted. He bought me three villas in exchange for a marriage certificate. I still vividly remember the reluctance on his face the day we signed the papers. But now, remembering he’d had his leg broken for me, I forced down my impatience. “So, what will it take for you to believe we’re married, Adrian? The certificate is overseas. You couldn’t stand the sight of it.” “Kiss me,” he said, tilting his chin up. “Kiss me with tongue, and I’ll believe you.” I paused. “Are you sure? I’m a man, your nemesis, an Alpha… It’s disgusting, remember?” “David!” He exploded, shamelessly pouting. “If you don’t want to kiss me, just say so! Stop making excuses—mmph!” His whining was getting on my nerves. I grabbed the back of his head and kissed him. He really had lost his memory. His kissing was atrocious, his tongue a clumsy mess. Amidst the sterile smell of the hospital, a faint scent of lime began to fill the air… My stomach lurched violently. I shoved him away and ran to the bathroom, dry heaving. Adrian, dragging his bad leg, crawled after me, his ears bright red as fresh tears welled in his eyes. “You are lying to me, David! You’re so disgusted you’re actually throwing up! If I’d really been with you for three years, how could I not have fucked you into submission by now…” My vision went black. I got up, beat him up again, and then took him for a CT scan. 8 Unfortunately, the CT scan showed nothing abnormal. With no medical reason for his condition, Mr. Sterling had to temporarily take over the company, leaving Adrian to recover in the hospital. I was tasked with taking care of him. I took two weeks off work, which was a welcome break for me too. The morning sickness was getting worse. And Adrian’s mind was still stuck at sixteen, making any rational discussion about the baby impossible. All he did was giggle and pester me, asking if we were really married… and if he could kiss me to disgust me. His kissing was terrible now; I wanted no part of it. But his seven-figure monthly allowance was still being deposited into my account, so I had to play along. Once again, he had me pinned to the bed, smearing saliva all over my face. I was dead inside. If it weren’t for that handsome face, I would have beaten him senseless. Half an hour later, he was still going at it, trying to “disgust” me. I finally managed to push him away, saying time was up… only to find my hand searing hot. Adrian pinned me down, his voice panicked. “David, why… why does it hurt so much today? And it’s so hot… help me…” I froze. Just when I thought I’d get a break while he was an amnesiac, his susceptible period had to arrive this soon? This was not good. I patted his head and reached for the suppressants in the drawer… but my hand knocked over a box of condoms, which clattered to the floor. The concentration of Alpha pheromones in the air skyrocketed. Adrian, already hard, went critical. A shiver ran down my spine. I retracted my hand. “No, I can’t. The baby…” The rest of my words were swallowed by his frantic mouth.

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Good news: I slept with an alpha god. Better news: We became fuck buddies. Horrible news: He’s my new boss. My world imploded. 01 “Again.” The furnace of a body behind me pressed closer, a low rumble in his chest. “Still want more?” I murmured, my voice rough with sleep and overuse. My words feigned reluctance, but my body was a traitor, arching back into his touch. I turned my head, and our lips met in a hungry, bruising kiss. … Damian Halvorson and I spent the entire weekend as a blur of tangled limbs and sleepless nights. By the time Sunday evening rolled around, he still looked at me with the insatiable hunger of a man who’d just discovered his favorite meal. I painstakingly located my clothes on the chaotic landscape of the floor, forcing myself to push away. “No more. I have an early meeting tomorrow. Can’t be late.” I added, “The new CEO is starting. Gotta make a good first impression.” He was sprawled on the bed, shirtless and magnificent, a sigh of pure regret escaping his lips. “Fine. See you next week.” “Deal.” Monday morning, I was a model employee: crisp suit, polished shoes, company ID clipped to my pocket. Chloe, from the cubicle next to mine, leaned over, her voice a conspiratorial whisper. “Did you hear? The new CEO is supposed to be young and ridiculously hot.” I wasn’t interested in his looks. “I just hope he’s not a monster,” I replied, booting up my computer. Our last CEO was a nightmare who treated us like his personal workhorses. We’d all been counting the days until his transfer. In the conference room, the new CEO made his grand entrance to a wave of enthusiastic applause. As he took his place at the head of the table, my world tilted on its axis. My blood ran cold. It was Damian Halvorson. My fuck buddy. How could the world be this small? I wanted the floor to swallow me whole. Thankfully, the room was packed, and he didn’t seem to notice me as I tried to shrink into my chair, my head bowed so low my chin was practically touching the table. Suddenly, a sharp nudge hit my wrist. “Julian,” Chloe hissed. “Mr. Halvorson just called on you.” “Who’s Julian?” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. I snapped back to reality, hearing Damian’s smooth, deep voice repeat my name. I sucked in a sharp breath and slowly, shakily, got to my feet. The moment he saw me, genuine shock flashed across his face. A wave of guilt washed over me. Because I’d told him my name was Ian. His eyes held mine for two long, meaningful seconds before he spoke, his voice dangerously calm. “Mr. Vance, this project falls under your team’s purview. Please, bring us up to speed.” 02 I gave the briefest report possible, my voice tight. Damian asked only two sharp, incisive questions. The second the meeting was dismissed, I bolted from the room like my life depended on it. I’m not kidding. In that one-hour meeting, I had already drafted my resignation letter in my head. But then… I thought about the dumpster fire that was the current job market. I thought about my mortgage and my car payments. And I decided I could probably just keep my head down and power through. Chloe returned to her desk in a full-blown swoon. “Oh my God, he’s gorgeous,” she gushed. “Having a view like that almost makes this corporate slavery worth it. I forgive the world for three seconds.” “Get a grip,” I chuckled. She was lost in her fantasy. “Even in that tailored shirt, you can just tell he’s built. The man is pure, uncut testosterone.” Built didn’t even begin to cover it. His body was a masterpiece. And the feel of it… divine. But the thought of the man whose dirty talk could make a sailor blush now being my big boss made me want to flee the planet. Just then, Damian’s executive assistant, Linda, clicked over in her heels. “Julian Vance? Mr. Halvorson would like to see you in his office.” I rose from my chair, feeling like a man walking to his own execution. Could the Earth just explode right now? Please? 03 His office was vast, with a floor-to-ceiling window offering a breathtaking panorama of the city. “Mr. Halvorson, you wanted to see me?” I asked, keeping my voice professionally neutral. Damian finally looked up from his monitor, his eyes raking over me. “Julian Vance?” “Yes, sir.” He arched a single, perfect eyebrow. “Ian?” I played dumb. “I’m sorry, sir. Who’s Ian?” A slow, dangerous smile spread across his lips. He leaned back in his leather chair, looking thoroughly amused. “Don’t play games, Julian. The world isn’t big enough for two men who not only look identical but also have a mole in the exact same spot.” My brain short-circuited. “A mole where?” I asked automatically. A wicked glint in his eyes, Damian leisurely pinched his own earlobe. Shit. The tiny mole on my earlobe. The one this very man, now clad in a thousand-dollar suit, had been kissing just yesterday. My expression hardened into a mask of stone. “Damian Halvorson is my real name, by the way,” he added, his tone dripping with mock sweetness. …He was totally throwing shade at me for using a fake name. There was no way out of this. Giving up, I offered a weak, pathetic laugh. “Mr. Halvorson. What a coincidence, huh?” His smile widened. “So I’m the new boss you were talking about.” He paused, his gaze turning smoky. “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have let you leave yesterday…” I pressed my hands together in a prayer-like gesture of surrender. “Mr. Halvorson, please. At the office, let’s just pretend we don’t know each other. Strictly business, nothing personal.” He nodded, though a flicker of reluctance crossed his face. I practically ran out of his office. 04 Damian and I had a purely physical relationship. To put it bluntly, we were fuck buddies. It started six months ago. The guy I’d been crushing on, a straight friend, got a girlfriend. Heartbroken, I went to a bar to drown my sorrows and ended up sharing a table with Damian. He seemed to be in a foul mood, too. So foul, in fact, that he didn’t notice someone slip something into his drink. I’m a good person, so I helped him out of there. He, however, was not. He got handsy. And honestly, between the alcohol and the sheer magnetic pull of his beauty, my resolve crumbled. One thing led to another, and we were in a hotel room. Looking at that sinfully handsome face, I figured, what the hell, and kissed him back. That first time was clumsy, a fumbling exploration. But we quickly found our rhythm. We didn’t stop until the first pale light of dawn painted the sky. Afterward, we came to a simple agreement: no feelings, just bodies. We’d meet up once a week. Sexually, we were ridiculously compatible. Every time we met, it was like we were trying to break the bed. It was a much-needed release from the daily grind of my corporate life. We knew nothing about each other’s personal lives. I’d assumed he was just like me—a regular guy slaving away during the week, looking for some way to blow off steam on the weekend. I never imagined he was secretly moonlighting as a CEO. And not just any CEO—the CEO of my company! Goddammit. 05 For the first time in my life, I wasn’t looking forward to the weekend. Which, of course, meant the week flew by in a flash. Damian was swamped with work. The only time I saw him outside of a meeting was a brief encounter at the coffee shop in our building lobby. I pretended to take a call, avoiding his gaze entirely. On Friday, during my lunch break, a message from him popped up. [Where to this weekend?] We always varied the location. Hotels, his car, sometimes, when we felt adventurous, somewhere more… remote. I typed out the excuse I’d been rehearsing all week. [Sorry, Mr. Halvorson. I have to go back to my hometown for my mom’s birthday this weekend.] Damian: [Alright.] Damian: [And didn’t we agree to keep things professional? Call me by my name when we’re talking about personal stuff.] Oh, God. There was no way to keep them separate. Not after watching him tear apart the team lead from the adjacent department in a meeting that very morning. “Did you come up with this proposal with your feet?” he’d asked, his voice dangerously low. The temperature in the room had dropped twenty degrees. The team lead could only stand there, seething in silence. When it was my turn to present, I felt like I was walking a tightrope over a canyon of ice. After I finished, Damian’s only comment was, “The plan looks flashy, but have you given any thought to its practical implementation?” Me: “…” Seriously, who could handle that? And now he expected me to sleep with him? I chose celibacy. 06 Another week crawled by. Right on schedule, Damian’s message arrived. [This weekend?] Me: [A friend’s getting married in the next state over. I’m the best man.] Damian: [You don’t have any free time at all?] Was he that desperate? Me: [Nope. It’s a seven or eight-hour drive round trip.] Of course, there was no wedding. I was just a coward. Two weeks of celibacy was starting to take its toll. On Saturday, I resorted to some… personal aids at home. They helped, but not much. Inevitably, my thoughts drifted to Damian. The more I thought, the more wound up I got. To douse the fire, I took a cab to the office to get some work done. Making money makes me happy, I told myself. But the moment I swiped my keycard and the office doors slid open, my soul shattered. The universe was out to get me. Why the hell was Damian Halvorson also working on a Saturday? He emerged from the break room, a cup of coffee in hand, and raised an eyebrow at me. “Next state over? Best man?” I let out a dry, hollow laugh. “The wedding got canceled. Last minute.” Damian actually chuckled, a humorless sound. His expression turned hard. “Julian. You’re avoiding me.” 07 I scrambled to my desk, my mind racing for an escape route. But Damian, as if reading my thoughts, called my internal line. “Come to my office. We need to go over your proposal.” Clutching the file folder like a shield, I knocked on his door. It swung open from the inside, and a powerful arm yanked me in. Damian slammed me against the door, his mouth crashing down on mine in a fierce, demanding kiss. At first, I struggled, pushing against his chest. But then, the familiar heat, the intoxicating taste of him, flooded my senses. My resistance melted. My hands snaked around his neck, pulling him closer as the file folder slipped from my grasp and clattered to the floor. He lifted me effortlessly, carrying me as he kicked open the door to the private lounge inside his office. White shirts and tailored trousers soon lay in a heap on the floor. Damian’s seductive voice whispered from behind me, “I never thought I’d get to unlock the ‘office’ achievement.” … I would never be able to look at his floor-to-ceiling window or his massive desk the same way again. Outside, the city lights began to twinkle. Without realizing it, the day had bled into night. Damn him. I came here to work! When Damian emerged from the shower, his chest was still beaded with water, glistening over the marks I’d left on his skin. “There’s a great new upscale bistro downstairs. My treat.” I picked up my mangled file folder from the floor. “I’m not hungry.” Right on cue, my stomach let out a pathetic, traitorous growl. A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. “Come on. We both worked hard today.” “…” Yeah, “worked.” That’s one way to put it. 08 In the private booth, I ordered enough food to feed a small army. This place was notoriously expensive; Chloe and I only ever came here the day we got paid. Damian barely ate, instead busying himself with placing pieces of grilled lobster onto my plate. “Mr. Halvorson, please, you eat. Don’t worry about me,” I said, my voice tight with anxiety. His hand paused mid-air. “It’s after hours, Julian. You can just call me by my name.” I couldn’t. It felt too weird. Over the past six months, we’d occasionally grabbed food together, but it was always a quick bite between rounds in bed. This—sitting across from each other, having a proper, civilized meal—was a first. It was just… strange. I buried my head in my food, eating furiously to combat the awkwardness. When we finished, a steady rain was falling outside. Damian dangled a set of keys. “I’ll give you a ride home.” I pulled out my phone and opened the rideshare app. “It’s fine, I can get a car.” Great. 100 people in the queue ahead of me. “It’s raining,” Damian said, stating the obvious. “It’ll be impossible to get a ride. Let me drive you.” I ended up in his Bentley. I opened the back door, but he arched an eyebrow. “Am I your chauffeur?” As if I’d dare. I walked around to the driver’s side. “Then let me drive.” Damian laughed, a genuine, warm sound this time. “Get in the passenger seat, Julian.” The entire ride, my mind was racing. Choosing to sleep with Damian was probably the most reckless thing I’d ever done. I’ve always been a person who keeps his work life and personal life in completely separate, sealed-off boxes. Damian knew my body, but he didn’t know me. And because of that anonymity, I could relax with him, be completely uninhibited. But now he was my boss. Could I ever truly be at ease with him again? What if our colleagues found out? I hated uncertainty. Before I got out of the car, I mustered my courage and turned to face him. “Damian. I think we should stop this.” “From now on, no more weekends.” His expression clouded with confusion. “Why? Is it just because I’m your boss?” I couldn’t admit that, not when I still had to work for him. “It’s not that. I just… want to end this kind of arrangement. It’s not a long-term solution, you know?” His face hardened, turning into a thunderous mask. I unbuckled my seatbelt and fled from the car. As I walked away, I couldn’t shake a hollow feeling in my gut. I shook my head, forcing the thought away. It’s just withdrawal. I’m just horny. That’s all.

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The night before our wedding, my fiancée Debi’s stepbrother locked her in the master suite, a lit Zippo held threateningly over her wedding dress. “Debi, if you dare wear this to marry that old man tomorrow, I’ll burn this entire apartment to the ground!” Debi lunged for the lighter, but he slammed her against the wall, pinning her there. “I’ve waited ten years for you, Debi! Since the day you first walked into our house! If you marry him, I’ll kill myself right here in front of you!” I kicked the door open. But Debi spun around, shielding her stepbrother with her own body, her eyes red as she glared at me. “Julian Sinclair, have you not caused enough trouble? He’s only nineteen! Can’t you just let it go for once?” The next second, she yanked down the zipper of her dress, her voice ringing with a desperate, self-destructive finality. “Leo, what you want… I’ll give it to you. Tonight, I’m yours. But you have to promise me you’ll keep living.” I watched her drag him into the bedroom. I heard the click of the lock. Then, my face a mask of stone, I pulled out my phone. “Inform the guests the wedding is still on for tomorrow morning. And per my grandfather’s wishes, I’ll be marrying you.” … When the bedroom door finally opened, Debi was wearing Leo’s oversized shirt. The collar was askew, revealing a cluster of angry, purple bruises on her collarbone—bite marks. She was unsteady on her feet. She walked straight past me to the refrigerator, her voice flat. “Julian, don’t be hard on Leo. He’s just used to being clingy with me. It’s just a childish tantrum.” “‘Just’?” I laughed, a cold, sharp sound. “You’d throw away your own dignity just to pacify him?” Debi slammed a glass of water on the counter. “Enough! You know how much he means to me!” Hearing the commotion, Leo strolled out of the bathroom wearing a bathrobe. On the chest, embroidered in silk thread, were my initials. “Julian,” he began, a lazy smile on his face, “my sister has given me everything I’ve ever wanted, ever since we were kids. That includes…” He let out a soft chuckle and pulled open the lapel of the robe, deliberately revealing the fresh scratches on his chest. “She told me I was very good just now. Said if I behaved, there would be more nights like this…” “Leo!” Debi’s face flushed crimson. She grabbed a throw pillow and hurled it at him. “Say one more word and I swear—” Leo ducked to pick it up, then looked at me with a smirk. “See, Julian? She could never truly be cruel to me.” I watched them, brazen in the afterglow of their betrayal, and a bitter acid rose in my throat. Everyone in our circle knew I had pursued Debi for three years. If she so much as frowned, I’d spend half the day trying to figure out why. The day she agreed to be my girlfriend, I was ecstatic. I booked a private island and set off a fireworks display that lasted all night. For her, I had defied my grandfather’s fury and called off the arranged marriage with the Vance family. My relatives called me a fool, but all I wanted was for her to be happy. When she asked me to buy a villa on the outskirts of the city for Leo, I signed the contract without even looking at it. I had given them everything. I had been more than generous. “Julian, why are you making that face?” Debi walked towards me, reaching out to touch my cheek. I instinctively turned my head away. Her hand froze in mid-air, her voice turning to ice. “The wedding is tomorrow. Do you really have to make this so ugly?” “Ugly?” I stared at the ill-fitting shirt swallowing her frame. “And what you and Leo just did in our wedding bed, that wasn’t ugly?” “I was just—” “Don’t,” I cut her off, my patience gone. “Don’t bother explaining. It’s just a deep, profound sibling bond. So deep you had to take off your clothes and share a bed.” She opened her mouth to argue, but was interrupted by the sound of heels clicking in the hallway. Debi’s bridesmaids had arrived. Her best friend, the maid of honor, immediately spotted the marks on Debi’s neck and laughed teasingly. “Well, well. Not even married yet and Mr. Sinclair is already so eager.” “This has nothing to do with him!” Leo snapped. He wrapped an arm around Debi’s waist, pulling her close in a possessive display. “Her first time could only ever be with me.” The air in the room froze. The smile on her friend’s face stiffened. She tried to laugh it off. “He’s just a kid, joking around. Don’t take it seriously, Julian.” “Who’s joking?” Leo’s voice rose, laced with contempt. “She belongs to me! If you don’t believe me, go look in the bedroom. Her blood is still on the sheets!” “Leo!” Debi was trembling with rage. She slapped him hard across the face. He clutched his cheek, his eyes wide with disbelief. “You hit me? For this old man?” “That’s enough.” I turned and walked out. If I stayed another second, I wasn’t sure I could stop myself from doing something violent. “Julian, stop!” Debi ran after me, grabbing my arm. “Where are you going? Leo is still upset, you can’t leave!” Her friends chimed in. “Yeah, Julian, she’s going to be your wife tomorrow! You proposed three times before she said yes. You should cherish her!” “Besides, who even cares about virginity anymore? It’s not like she was cheating with some random guy. She was just comforting her brother.” “Leo’s young and impulsive. Just cut him some slack. You’re all going to be family soon.” “Impulsive?!” Leo pointed a shaking finger at me, his eyes bloodshot. “You think you’re so great with all your money, Julian? She loves me! It’s always been me!” He snatched his jacket from the sofa and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. The moment it closed, Debi rounded on me, her eyes blazing. “Are you happy now, Julian? It took me two hours to calm him down, and you drove him away with a single word!” Two hours? The audacity. I looked at the undisguised accusation in her eyes and felt my throat tighten. Five years of my devotion meant less to her than one of her stepbrother’s tantrums. Debi grabbed her purse impatiently. “If anything happens to him, I will never forgive you!” She pulled open the door, only to be stopped by the sight of her parents standing by the elevator. They saw the bruises on her neck, their gazes sweeping over the disheveled apartment, and their faces went pale. “It’s the middle of the night, what are you two fighting about? Tomorrow is—” “Mr. and Mrs. Thorne,” I said, loosening my tie. “Good, you’re here. Let’s not beat around the bush.” “The wedding is off.” Mr. Thorne’s legs gave out, and he nearly collapsed. His wife caught him, her eyes wide with terror as she looked at me. “Julian… my dear boy… you can’t be serious. This isn’t a joke you can make!” “Does this look like a joke to you?” I stared at Debi, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Since you’ve been raising her future husband right here in your own home, why did you ever come begging to my family in the first place?” Her parents looked even more panicked. “Future husband? The Thorne family only acknowledges one son-in-law, and that is you.” I scoffed. “Since some people have no shame, let me spell it out. The bond between your children is so profound they ended up in the same bed. Since Debi loves her brother so dearly, and you know him so well, why not just make the adopted son your son-in-law? It’s all in the family, right?” Debi’s face went white. Her hand tightened on her purse. “Julian, what nonsense are you spouting!” “Nonsense?” Three years ago, it was her father who knelt in my office, begging me to save his company. Debi, always so proud, had humbled herself for the first time. “Julian, if you agree, I’ll be with you.” Her eyes had been defiant, devoid of any affection, only the numb desperation of someone cornered. After her parents left, she had kept her distance, her voice stiff. “This is a transaction, Julian. Nothing more.” I was the fool. I thought with enough time, enough devotion, I could warm a cold heart. Now I understood. You can’t force love from someone whose heart isn’t yours to begin with. Over the past three years, I had injected billions into their company, helped them acquire three of their main competitors, and even relinquished my own overseas distribution channels to them. In just three years, the Thorne family had gone from a small, failing factory to a major player, all on the back of my family’s resources. I thought I had given them enough. But in Debi’s eyes, none of it mattered as much as Leo. “Julian, it’s our fault! We failed to raise her properly!” Mr. Thorne fell to his knees before me. “Please, for the sake of all the years the Thorne family has served you, give her one more chance!” His wife started to cry. “Julian, she was just confused for a moment! The only person she’s ever wanted to marry is you!” Debi stood silently, her face flushed, her lips pressed into a thin, stubborn line. It wasn’t until her friends had managed to escort her parents away that she finally unleashed her own fury. “Julian, my parents are old. Do you have to threaten them with the company?” “Threaten?” I laughed. She had a talent for twisting the truth. “You were the ones who came to me for help. If you truly cared about your parents, you would have known the consequences of betraying me.” She staggered back a step. Her phone rang. “Leo, where are you?” Whatever he said on the other end made the color drain from her face. Her lips trembled. “Don’t do anything stupid! I never said I was going to marry him! Just pull over—” She hung up and glared at me, her eyes wild. “Julian, Leo’s been drinking. He’s on the freeway! He said if I dare to marry you, he’s going to drive his car into a wall!” She took a step closer, her voice venomous. “If you have a single shred of conscience, you will stop pushing us!” I looked at the blatant threat in her eyes and found it almost funny. This was the woman I had cherished for three years, using our own wedding to protect the boy who wanted to sleep with her. “And?” I twisted my lips into a sneer. “You want me to go save him now?” “You…” Debi was shaking with rage, but then a cold, calculating look crossed her face. “Julian, don’t think I don’t know what you want.” “You just want me to beg you, don’t you? Fine. I’m begging you. Is that what you want to hear? Now go find him!” She paused, her voice laced with a desperate cruelty. “Otherwise, even if we get married tomorrow, I will never let you touch me! I’ll go on birth control, get my tubes tied, and make sure the Sinclair line ends with you!” I stared at her furious, defiant face and let out a low, dark laugh. End my family line? She gave herself far too much credit. I turned to leave, but then I noticed that the keys to my limited edition Maybach were gone from the console table. Leo must have taken them. Debi saw me freeze. A look of triumphant certainty spread across her face. “If I remember correctly, that car has a GPS tracker, doesn’t it?” “Even if you don’t care about Leo, you should at least care about that precious car you waited six months for.” A cold dread settled in my stomach. The car was just a thing. I could replace it. But hanging from the rearview mirror was the jade pendant my grandmother had left me. It was the last thing I had of her. “What are you waiting for?” Debi urged impatiently. “I’m telling you, if Leo does something crazy and gets hurt…” “Shut up.” I cut her off and dialed my assistant. “Bring a car to the apartment. And sync my Maybach’s GPS to my phone.” I looked back at her, my voice like ice. “And don’t ever bother me with your stupid threats again.” The car was waiting for me downstairs. I buckled my seatbelt and started driving towards the red dot on the GPS map. My phone rang again. I was about to ignore it, but when I saw the caller ID, I took a deep breath before answering. Isabelle Vance’s voice, calm and collected as always, came through the speaker. “Julian, are you sure about tomorrow? This isn’t just a fit of pique?” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Do I seem like the kind of person who would gamble with a family alliance out of spite?” “No,” she said with a soft laugh. “But you do seem like the kind of fool who lets a woman cloud his judgment.” “Which is why I need a sober ally.” The Maybach’s icon was heading towards the winding mountain roads outside the city. I frowned. “Vance Industries wants to break into the European green energy market. The Sinclair network is your fastest way in. We get married. It’s mutually beneficial.” Isabelle was silent for a moment. “I have no interest in marrying a man who’s in love with someone else.” “As of tonight, he no longer exists,” I said, my eyes fixed on the rapidly moving red dot. “I’ll see you at the chapel tomorrow.” I hung up and floored it. At the end of the mountain road, I finally saw the familiar silhouette of my car. But then, it spun around and accelerated, hurtling straight towards me. I had no time to react. The blinding headlights seared my eyes. CRUNCH— The violent impact sent my car spinning out of control. My head slammed into the steering wheel, and hot blood streamed down my face. Pain exploded behind my eyes. Through the shattered windshield, I saw the Maybach’s door open. Leo stumbled out. In his hand was a small, glowing green object. My grandmother’s jade pendant. “This thing must be worth a lot, right?” I tried to crawl out, but a sharp pain in my ribs made me cry out, my body trembling. “Put it down…” “Put it down?” He kicked my car door. “You’ve been clinging to my sister for five years! Why don’t you let go?” He raised his hand and violently smashed the pendant on the asphalt. The crisp sound of it shattering echoed in the night. As if that wasn’t enough, he ground the pieces under his heel. “Leo!” I roared, the taste of blood flooding my mouth. “That was my grandmother’s—” “Your grandmother? Not even your ancestors can help you now!” He grabbed the front of my blood-soaked shirt and dragged me out of the car. He pointed to the bite marks on his neck. “My sister did this. Only I get to touch her body.” “You think she actually loves you? You’re just her ATM!” he crowed, his excitement growing. “The villa, the shares, the sports cars—every single thing she asked you for was for me!” He looked at me and threw his head back, laughing like a madman. “Julian Sinclair! You think you’re so powerful, don’t you?!” “You tried to take my sister from me! Now I’m going to send you to your death!” He grabbed my collar and started dragging me towards the cliff edge. Headlights swept across the scene. Debi jumped out of a car and ran towards us. “Leo! Are you okay?!” She threw her arms around him, checking him from head to toe. When she was satisfied he only had a few scrapes, she breathed a sigh of relief. Then she saw the blood pouring from my forehead and quickly looked away. Of course Leo was okay. I’d had that Maybach specially reinforced. It barely had a dent in the bumper. “Julian, did you do this on purpose?!” “Leo is my brother! You’re so vicious, you actually tried to kill him!” A cold laugh escaped my lips. “Debi, anyone with eyes can see that he hit me.” I pointed to the shattered jade on the ground, my voice dangerously low. “And he smashed the last memento my grandmother gave me!” Debi glanced at the jade fragments, her expression flickering for a second before she scoffed. “It’s just a piece of jade. The Sinclair family has plenty of money. I’ll buy you a better one tomorrow, how about that?” I looked at her and started to laugh. I laughed until my vision blurred, the tears stinging my eyes. Of course. In her world, everything had a price tag. My grandmother’s memory, my heart… none of it was worth as much as a moment of her lunatic brother’s happiness. She had climbed so high on my generosity that she’d forgotten who had given her the money to be so reckless in the first place. Leo, hiding behind her, mouthed two words at me: You lose. The pain was overwhelming. My fingers trembled as I fumbled for my phone. It took several tries to dial my assistant. “Tomorrow…” “The wedding is still on.” Leo immediately sneered. “See, sister? He’s on death’s door, and he’s not calling an ambulance. He’s still obsessed with marrying you.” Debi knelt in front of me. “Do you really want to marry me?” Before I could answer, she held up three fingers. “Fine. But you have to agree to my terms.” “First, set up a gaming company for Leo and fund it with one billion dollars.” “Second, transfer the ownership of your beachfront villa in Australia to him.” “Third, give him a thirty percent stake in all of your companies.” “Money is so vulgar,” she said, staring at my broken face. “What I want is for Leo to be set for life.” I looked at the undisguised greed in her eyes and turned my face away, saying nothing. The wail of sirens grew closer. The last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was their piercing cry. The hospital lights were harsh and white. The doctor said I had three broken ribs, a fractured left leg, and fifteen stitches in my forehead. My assistant stood by my bed, hesitating. “Sir, are you absolutely sure about marrying Ms. Vance?” I kept my eyes closed. “I don’t make decisions I regret.”

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The System latched onto me, ordering me to humiliate the villain, Jane Schwimmer—a poor scholarship student. Too cowardly for real cruelty, I meekly pushed my chicken leg onto her plate. “It’s got my germs. You have to eat it.” She blinked, confused. Later, learning her mom was drowning in medical bills, I threw a black card at her feet. “On your knees. Be my dog.” A shadow crossed her eyes—then she knelt, gripping my ankle. “Okay.” When the System checked my progress, I slapped Jane, proud of her “humiliation.” The System laughed coldly. “Moron! You didn’t humiliate her. You got her off.” Shock hit me—my fingertips still tingled where I’d touched her. 1 It’s been a month since I was dropped into this world, and I’m still hopelessly spineless. The System was practically vibrating with frustration in my head. «Seriously, what are you waiting for? Your character is a filthy rich heir. Are you actually scared of some girl from the wrong side of the tracks?» «Just go! Humiliate her! Show her how cruel the world really is!» I fidgeted. “But… how do I do that?” Before I was shoved into this story, I was just a normal, quiet guy. My life was about grades and getting into a good college, not bullying people. Besides, what kind of man picks on a girl? Then again, calling Jane a “weak girl” felt like a stretch. I’d heard rumors she fought in underground circuits—the brutal, no-holds-barred kind of fighting. I was terrified she could flatten me with a single punch. Right now, she was sitting alone in the corner of the dining hall, a picture of quiet intensity. On her tray was a plain bread roll and some of the free kimchi. «Stop dawdling,» the System hissed. «Go over there, knock her tray onto the floor, and make her lick it up.» Taking a deep breath, I picked up my own tray—piled high with steak, roasted vegetables, and a side of truffle mac and cheese—and walked over to her table. She glanced up. Her gaze was flat, impassive. She held it for a second before returning to her meager meal. I summoned my best sneer. “Jane!” Her eyelids lifted slowly, one eyebrow arching in a silent question. She didn’t speak, just watched me, a palpable pressure emanating from her stillness. My hand trembled. I used my fork to spear the chicken leg I’d already taken a bite of and dropped it into her bowl. “I bit this. It’s tainted,” I forced out, my voice cracking slightly. “Now you’re going to eat it!” I immediately felt like scum. Making her eat my leftovers? It was genuinely humiliating. A wave of guilt washed over me as I met her gaze again. “What are you looking at? In case you haven’t noticed, I can’t stand you! I’m not eating any of this. Now you can lick the whole damn plate clean!” The dining hall fell silent for a few heartbeats. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I could see her knuckles turning white as she gripped the edge of the table. I’d definitely gone too far this time. The next second, Jane reached out. I flinched, instinctively pulling back. But she just calmly picked up the chicken leg. As I stared, completely stunned, she took a bite right where my own teeth marks were. “…” “W-Why did you eat it?” I stammered. The muscles in her throat moved as she swallowed, and for some reason, the sight made my face burn. “Isn’t that what the young master wanted?” Her reaction completely blindsided me. All the nasty lines I’d practiced were stuck in my throat. “You… you…” Her eyes narrowed to slits. She wiped her fingers on a napkin, then stood and leaned in close, her breath ghosting against my ear. “Does the young master want to watch me… lick everything clean?” “Like hell I do!” Clapping a hand over my flaming ear, I shoved past her and bolted from the dining hall. «Why are you running?» the System deadpanned. «You’re making it look like you’re the one being bullied.» «Get ready for the next plot point. Her mom’s sick. It’s time to throw some money at her and make her your dog.» 2 Steeling myself, I had my family’s butler, Arthur, withdraw a fat stack of cash. Dressed in my most obnoxiously expensive clothes, I went to Jane’s apartment. It was in the tenement blocks on the east side, a world away from my family’s estate. I raised my hand to knock, but the door creaked open before my knuckles could connect. «Look at you, being all polite,» the System sneered. «Just kick the damn door in! Anyone would think you’re here to give her a charity donation.» Jane stood in the doorway, her lips pale, a flicker of surprise in her eyes when she saw me. The System’s voice spurred me on. I decided to strike first. “I heard your mom’s sick. Needs half a million for surgery, right? I—” I didn’t finish. Her gaze sharpened. “You’ve been digging into my life?” The question was so direct it short-circuited my brain, and I forgot the rest of my villainous monologue. «Stop wasting time!» the System screamed in my head. «Throw the money in her face! Humiliate her! Now!» I took a shaky breath, gathered my courage, and slammed the heavy envelope of cash against her chest. Bills exploded outwards, scattering across the grimy hallway floor. A few fluttered into the dark apartment behind her. “So what if I have?” I snarled, my voice trembling. “Now get on your knees and pick it up. Be my dog, and all this money is yours for your mother’s treatment.” Jane didn’t move. She just stood there, her jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscles straining. The silence in the hallway was suffocating, broken only by her ragged, suppressed breathing. Suddenly, a weak, rasping cough echoed from inside the apartment. Jane’s body went rigid. The storm brewing in her eyes vanished, replaced by a chilling calm. Slowly, deliberately, she sank to the floor, one knee touching the ground. Her long, slender fingers began gathering the scattered banknotes, one by one. This was the same woman who, in the underground fighting rings, beat her opponents until they begged for mercy. And here she was, on her knees, her voice terrifyingly steady. “Okay.” Even the System sounded impressed. «Now this is what I’m talking about. She’s at her breaking point. On the surface, she’s agreeing, but deep down, she’s plotting a thousand ways to kill you.» Feeling a surge of confidence, I pushed my luck. I stuck my designer shoe out in front of her. “This shithole of yours… you’ve gotten my shoes dirty.” “Lick them… No, wipe them clean.” Jane looked up. Her eyes were like deep, dark pools. “Ethan,” she said, her voice low. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing?” 3 It was the first time she’d ever used my name. My heart hammered against my ribs. In the original story, the villain held grudges like a religion. Once she amassed power, anyone who had ever crossed her met a grim end. And I was at the top of her list. “Oh god, I’m so scared,” I whimpered internally. Pissing off the villain? I’m so dead! «I praise you for one second and you fall apart,» the System griped. «Once the plot is complete, you’ll be extracted from this world. By the time she’s powerful enough for revenge, you’ll be long gone. What’s there to be afraid of? Now, be more vicious!» Right. My confidence inflated once more. I deliberately nudged her knee with the toe of my shoe. “Who gave you permission to speak to me like that?” “Jane, do you want to pay for your mother’s surgery or not?” “I have a no-return policy on disobedient dogs.” She squeezed her eyes shut, her hands, resting on her thighs, clenching into tight fists. I could feel the rage rolling off her, so intense it felt like she wanted to crush me into dust. If she looked at me like she was going to flatten me, I was ready to make myself flat and roll away. After a long moment, she knelt completely, both knees on the floor. I stumbled back in alarm, but she shot out a hand and grabbed my ankle. Her palm was warm and dry, and the contact sent a jolt through my entire body. My voice came out as a squeak. “Wh-what are you doing?” I tried to pull my foot back, but her grip tightened. “Didn’t my master want his shoes cleaned? Why are you running away?” A faint smirk played on her lips. She lifted the hem of her own t-shirt, revealing a glimpse of a taut, well-defined stomach. My eyes widened as she used the soft cotton of her shirt to gently wipe the dust from my shoe. We were so close I could smell the clean, simple scent of soap on her skin. My face was on fire, and the point of contact on my ankle felt like it had been set alight. “Your pants got dirty, too.” Jane’s voice was a low, husky murmur. Her fingers brushed, feather-light, against my calf. “Should I help my master take them off and wash them?” “N-No!” I ripped my leg from her grasp and fumbled for the card in my pocket, throwing it on the ground. “Who told you to talk so much? Come to my house. Now.” “A dog belongs with its master. You’ll be on call, 24/7.” With that, I turned and fled. 4 Back in my room, I buried my face in a pillow. «Finally, the most important plot point is done,» the System said, sounding pleased. «That dramatic exit was pretty cool, you know.» Was it possible I was just running fast because I was terrified of getting beaten up? «By the way, I’ve picked up a side gig, so you’re on your own for a bit. Just remember: be domineering, be cruel. Humiliate her. Got it?» I grunted in affirmation. And just like that, the System went silent. Later that night, I woke up thirsty and padded downstairs barefoot for a glass of water. As I rounded the corner into the kitchen, I ran right into Jane. “What are you doing here?” Arthur had already informed me that Jane’s mother was settled in a private hospital room with round-the-clock care. Jane had stayed with her until 10 PM before leaving. I had no idea where she’d gone after that. Her sudden appearance made me jump. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack, creeping around in the middle of the night?” I clutched my chest. “Get on your knees and apologize!” After a full day of playing the villain, the lines were starting to come naturally. Jane’s eyes were dark pools in the dim light, making her look even more intimidating. I was already regretting my outburst, thinking I should just ignore her and leave. But then, without warning, she knelt, her hand closing around my bare ankle. The unexpected touch threw me off balance. I gasped, grabbing her shoulders to steady myself. Mortified and flustered, I tangled my fingers in her hair. “You pervert! How dare you touch me? I’m going to punish you!” Something soft and plush enveloped my feet. It was the slippers I’d had the maids prepare for her. She let go of me, her voice hoarse. “The floor is cold.” I looked down, the tips of my ears burning. “Master,” she murmured, her gaze lifting to meet mine. “How are you going to punish me?” Her hand, impossibly warm, slid up from my ankle, tracing a line of fire along my calf. A jolt of pure, mortifying shame shot through me. I slapped her, the sound sharp in the silent house. “Bad dog! Don’t you ever touch me unless I tell you to!” Her head snapped to the side from the force of the blow. She worked her jaw, her tongue darting out to press against the inside of her cheek. A dark, unsettling look crossed her face. This is it, I thought. I’m dead. But then I noticed something on her other cheek, near her jawline—a faint, reddish smear she hadn’t quite washed off. It looked like dried blood. “You have a cut on your face.” My anger evaporated, replaced by a pang of something soft and unwelcome. I reached out, my fingers gently brushing the mark. “Does it hurt?” Jane’s breath hitched. Her hand, resting by her side, clenched into a fist. “You went fighting again, didn’t you?” She remained silent. She led me to the living room sofa and sat me down. Just as I was about to get up, I lifted the hem of her shirt. Her torso was a canvas of bruises and faded scars. “I gave you the money. Why are you still doing something so dangerous?” She calmly pulled her shirt back down, her eyes fixed on mine. “Is my master worried about me?” “W-Worried? Don’t be ridiculous! I just… you’re my toy, that’s all. But I’m the only one who gets to break you. No one else is allowed.” She swallowed hard. Her gaze was intense, indecipherable, and it made my heart beat erratically. I scrambled up, avoiding her eyes, and retrieved the first-aid kit, tossing it into her lap. “Heal up so you can serve me properly. If I see you injured again, I’ll find a replacement.” As I started up the stairs, I heard her quiet reply from behind me. “I understand.” A pause, then her voice, low and resonant, filled the space. “From now on, Master… you can bully me all you want.” 5 Jane was always busy. She had classes to attend, her mother to visit at the hospital, and her duties as my personal maid. I kept her running ragged with my demands. In the morning, she had to be up before me to prepare a lavish breakfast spread, which I would then pick at for a few minutes before pushing it all towards her. “You only deserve my leftovers!” I’d declare. When it rained, I would deliberately stomp through the deepest puddles. And when she’d kneel to offer me a piggyback ride, I’d wrinkle my nose in disgust. “Your clothes are too rough, they’re scratching me! Have Arthur buy you something decent before you’re allowed to touch me again!” And whenever there was a thunderstorm, she was required to make a pallet on my floor, talking to me until I fell asleep. “If you dare fall asleep before me, I’ll make you sleep without a blanket!” I was a monster. 6 Jane’s mother’s surgery was a success. On the day of her discharge, I tossed a set of keys at Jane. “Don’t go back to that dump. My legs were sore for a week after climbing all those stairs.” “This apartment is a dump too, obviously not up to my standards, but at least it has an elevator. It’ll save your mother the trouble of dying from exhaustion on her way up, which would just stick me with the funeral bill.” “And take all this fancy health food I can’t be bothered to eat. Make sure your mom takes it on schedule. If any of it expires, I’ll ban you from the dinner table!” She just stared at me, her eyes glistening with an unfamiliar moisture, the corners turning red. All the torment I’d put her through these past weeks… it must have been pure agony for her. I scoffed, tilting my chin up. “Once you’re done here, get back to the mansion. You have to do my group project for me.” “Yes, Master.” I magnanimously granted her a few days off to spend with her mother. That night, however, I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned, the sheets tangling around my legs. I wanted to call her, but then I remembered I’d given her time off. That didn’t stop me. I grabbed my phone and fired off a text. «It’s so annoying. That stupid cat you brought home keeps meowing outside my window.» I added, «You only have three days off. Not a minute more!» Rain began to patter against the glass. I burrowed deeper under the covers. I was robbing her of precious time with her mother. Cutting her off from her only family would surely accelerate her descent into villainy. A smug thought crossed my mind. I was so perfectly, wonderfully evil. The System would be so proud of me when it got back. Heh. Content, I finally drifted off to sleep. In the dead of night, a faint noise stirred me from my deep slumber. I’m a heavy sleeper—the kind who could sleep through a marching band playing dirges on the front lawn. So I didn’t notice when Jane, drenched from the rain, slipped silently into my room. She tiptoed to my bedside, placing a glass of warm water on the nightstand. She then sat on the floor beside my bed, gently taking my hand and lifting it to her lips, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to my knuckles. Carefully, she placed my hand back on the bed and tucked the covers snugly around my shoulders. “The cat is a good girl,” she whispered to my sleeping form. “She’s in the pet room.” “Master… did you miss me?” Before she left, she leaned over me, burying her face in the crook of my neck, holding me for a long, reluctant moment. 7 For three straight days, I woke up feeling like I’d been through a wringer, my entire body aching. There was a strange, lingering heat on the inside of my thighs. And I kept having dreams about a snake. In the dream, it would coil itself tightly around me, its head nuzzling against my lips, my earlobes, my neck. Just as I felt I couldn’t breathe, it would speak, its voice uncannily like Jane’s. “Shh, don’t bite.” I’d try to push it away, only to hear its low, husky command. “Your tongue. Give it to me.” “No,” I’d gasp. I’d shove at it with my hands, but the sensation would linger even after I woke up—a phantom wetness and a persistent itch on my fingertips, my palms, the back of my knees. It felt as if a thousand tiny ants were kissing my skin. The next time I saw Jane, I blushed for no reason, but quickly covered it with a complaint. “Come here and rub my shoulders,” I ordered. “They’re killing me.” She was wearing an apron, placing a perfectly fried egg on a plate. The picture of domesticity. At my command, she walked over obediently. Her face was serene, her voice cool. “Where does it hurt, Master?” I rolled my neck. “Right here.” Her warm hands settled on my shoulders. “You’re very tense.” “Just relax. I’ll be gentle. I won’t push too hard.” A strange, tingling sensation spread across my skin where she touched me. “Master, don’t clench. I’m stuck.” “…Okay.” “Not there.” “A little lower.” Her hands slid down my spine. “Here?” “Mmm.” “I’m going to apply more pressure now, Master. Can you handle it?” “If you hurt me, you’re dead!” Her fingers roamed, exploring slowly, then pressed down on a knot. An embarrassing sound escaped my lips. I quickly tried to change the subject. “I keep feeling like there’s something in my room when I sleep these past few days.” “It keeps rubbing against me, and pressing down on me. I can barely breathe.” “It has to be that cat of yours, sneaking in with its toys.” Behind me, Jane’s hands stilled for a fraction of a second. Her voice was thick when she finally spoke. “Yes. It’s the kitty.” “I knew it!” I spun around in my chair to face her, leaning on the backrest to lecture her. “Don’t let it in my room ever again!” She bit her lip, the tips of her ears turning a faint pink. “That… might be difficult.” I was about to explode, but I noticed her breathing had become heavier. Her dark eyes swirled with an emotion I couldn’t decipher. “Why would it be difficult?” I pressed, suspicious. Jane’s gaze dropped to the sliver of skin visible at the collar of my pajamas. “Master…” Her voice was huskier now, her fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of the chair. “The truth is…” «Host, I’m back! So, how did the mission go over the past year?» 8 The System’s sudden return cut Jane off. My excitement surged. “She’s completely under my thumb! My own personal dog. I’ve totally broken her. She must hate my guts by now.” «Oh? You actually managed that?» Terrified it wouldn’t believe me, just as Jane reached out to straighten my collar, I acted. I slapped her. Hard. She flinched, her expression unreadable, but her voice was a low, guttural rasp. “Master, what was that for?” I puffed out my chest. “See? Utterly humiliated! You want to kill me right now, don’t you?” The System was silent for a moment, then it let out a cold laugh. «You idiot! She’s getting off on this.» «I told you to humiliate her, not reward her!» A series of data charts and graphs flooded my vision, all tracking Jane’s stats. «You’ve practically maxed out her affection meter! What is this, a hostile takeover? Are you trying to steal the male lead’s job?» What? As I stood there, dumbfounded, a wet, tingling sensation spread across my fingertips. I snapped back to reality. Jane had grabbed my hand. Her tongue was tracing slow, deliberate circles over the pads of my fingers. So wet. So hot. Her eyes darkened. She leaned in, presenting her other cheek. “Master. You should hit this side, too. For symmetry.” The System’s voice was dripping with sarcasm. «So this is how you two have been ‘flirting’ while I was away?» No! This is a misunderstanding! My face burning, I yanked my hand back and scrambled upstairs to change. «The cruel young master and the dark, brooding villain.» «Tsk, tsk. I’m almost starting to ship it.» “There has to be a mistake!” “I’ll go down there right now and make her kneel and warm my feet, how about that?” «Save it. The female lead has just appeared. Your next mission is to sabotage her relationship with the male lead.» I pointed at myself. “Who? Me?” «Who else? Wrecking relationships is what evil side characters do for a living.» “System, could you please not say things that make me want to die?” «Her name is Laura. Your childhood friend. You go to the same university. Now go, give her this love letter.» The System issued its command.

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I stumbled into the study at dawn, still in pajamas. She was already at her desk. I hugged the university student I’d met last night, grumbling, “You’re up so early.” I didn’t know she was on a live conference—or that she worked for my ex-wife’s company. Across town, my ex, the CEO, slammed her laptop shut, trembling with rage. The company chat exploded. She calmly typed, “Meeting adjourned. Family matter.” Later, when I saw her, eyes burning with fury, I said nothing. Because on the day I took our company public, my wife of seven years finally threw our “wedding of the century.” But when I arrived, she was kissing an intern, who announced: “Mona saved me from an arranged marriage.” My wife held his hand, beaming. My colleagues stared, expecting an outburst. Instead, I raised my glass, chanting, “Kiss! Kiss!” After, she cornered me, icy: “That was fake. Evan’s threatening suicide because of you. Record an apology—now.” I met her gaze. “Don’t bother. Let’s divorce.” 1 Her eyes widened in disbelief, then narrowed into a cold, mocking sneer. “Tim, have you been drinking? Are you out of your mind?” “Without me, what are you?” Her gaze raked over me, dripping with a contempt she didn’t bother to hide. “Don’t you forget who gave you the chance to climb this high. Without Mona, without my family’s company, you’d still be working construction somewhere, hauling bricks for a living!” My hands, hanging at my sides, clenched into tight fists. Hadn’t I given everything for this company? The seed money was mine. The business connections were mine. The deals were mine to close, the products mine to develop. When we went public just a few days ago, I was responsible for at least sixty percent of that success. And now she claimed I rode her coattails? “You cheat on me, and you think I don’t have the right to leave?” I bit out, the words tasting like ash. “What are you talking about?” she scoffed. “Evan’s parents were trying to marry him off to some woman in her forties. I was saving him! Do you understand? I was saving his life!” Her chest heaved with indignation. “And now, because of you, his depression is back. He’s locked himself in the dressing room, threatening to slit his wrists! Are you happy now, Tim?!” What had I even done? Even someone with genuine depression wouldn’t act like this. Staring at the face I had loved for seven years, I felt no pain. Only a profound, crushing exhaustion and a sense of the absurd. “Is he really that fragile?” Anyone could see the kid was putting on an act. But Mona, she believed it with every fiber of her being. “Cut the sarcasm, Tim. If anything happens to Evan, I’ll be the first one to call the police. I’ll have you charged with harassment, defamation, and emotional distress. You’ll rot in a jail cell.” Jail… A bitter laugh escaped me. In her eyes, I was worth less than a single hair on Evan’s head. Having vented her fury, Mona’s tone cooled, but the ice remained. “I’ll say this one last time. Record the video. Post the apology to Evan. Now.” “Once his mood stabilizes and he forgives you, I will give you a wedding. A wedding of the century, even grander than today’s.” I’d heard that promise a thousand times over seven years. When the company is founded, we’ll have our wedding. When the company is stable, we’ll have our wedding. When the company goes public, we’ll… I kept waiting. And waiting. Right up until the moment she married someone else. And now, she wanted me to wait again. I took a deep breath, the stale air of seven years of broken promises threatening to burst from my lungs. I was so tired. I was done waiting. “I’m not apologizing.” I spoke the words with chilling clarity, turned my back on her, and walked away. “Tim, you get back here!” she shrieked, her voice laced with fury. I didn’t even slow down. I walked out of the hall and didn’t look back. 2 Leaving the hotel, I was heading for the parking garage when a figure darted out from the side. “Mr. Vance! There you are! Here’s the complete file for Project Horizon!” It was Kevin from the project management department, panting as he shoved a heavy binder into my hands. Startled, I took a step back, my brow furrowing. “Didn’t Evan snatch this project? Why are you giving it to me?” “Mr. Lee is busy with his wedding. He doesn’t have time for this,” Kevin said, puffing out his chest with an air of borrowed authority. “Mona gave a specific order yesterday. As the company’s first multi-billion-dollar project post-IPO, she wants you in charge.” He leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial, yet commanding tone. “The preliminary design proposal is due by midnight tonight. The client is getting impatient, so you’d better plan on working late.” As if sensing my hesitation, he added, his voice heavy with significance, “This came from Mona herself.” A laugh, sharp and humorless, escaped my lips. I had spent six months of my life landing this massive contract. We had just signed the papers the day the company went public. And then, with a single word from Evan, Mona had handed it over to him. A three-month intern. What did he know? Too busy getting married… “And why should I do anything she tells me to do?” I shoved the binder back into his chest. “I’m not taking this project.” Kevin’s face flushed with anger. “Mr. Vance, a wise man knows when to pick his battles. You should…” “To hell with you and your ‘wise man’ crap!” With a roar of pure frustration, I swung my arm, launching the multi-billion-dollar project file into the air. Whoosh— Pages scattered like confetti, drifting down around us in the dim evening light. Kevin stared, his mouth agape. “Tim, are you insane? Do you want to get fired?” “Fired?” I sneered, a cold smile twisting my lips. “Someone else can have the damn job. I quit.” I turned, walked into the parking garage, and drove away without a backward glance. By the time I got home, the city lights were glittering. I pushed open the door to the familiar darkness and silence. I didn’t bother with the main lights, using the dim glow from the entryway to pack what little I had left. Some clothes, a few well-read books, a small toolbox… it all fit easily into one suitcase. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. It was a courier. “Express delivery for you.” He thrust a paper bag into my hands and was gone before I could say a word. I glanced at the shipping label. The recipient was ‘Ms. Mona.’ The address was correct. It was a bag from a pharmacy. A knot of dread tightened in my stomach. I tore open the seal and looked inside. My mind went blank, as if struck by a hammer. An icy chill shot through my veins, freezing me from the inside out. Inside the bag was a box of condoms and a piece of revealing, black lace lingerie. “Ha…” I leaned against the wall, a sound that was half laugh, half sob, catching in my throat. My lungs filled with cold, empty air. The last flicker of warmth in my heart died, leaving nothing but cold, dead ash. All that righteous talk about a ‘fake wedding’ during the day. And now this… My knuckles turned white as I crushed the bag in my fist. Just then, my phone rang. It was Mona. I stared at the screen for a long, empty moment before finally answering. “Tim, Kevin told me you threw the files. What the hell is wrong with you?!” 3 “This project is our company’s reputation on the line, do you hear me?” her voice snapped, sharp and demanding. “I don’t care how you do it, but I want that preliminary proposal on my desk by midnight. Understood?” She spoke as if nothing had happened, as if today’s humiliation was just a figment of my imagination. The sheer absurdity of it all was staggering. “Why should I?” “Because I’m the CEO of this company! And because I’m your wife!” Mona’s voice rose to a screech, her fury raw and unfiltered. “Tim, you’ve grown some nerve, haven’t you? Daring to defy me?” “Do you want me to strip you of your Director title tomorrow? I’ll send you back to the mailroom and you can start from the bottom all over again. Is that what you want?” “Heh.” Seven years. I’d poured my soul into this company, and I was still just a ‘Director,’ not even a partner. If it wasn’t for the blind, all-consuming love I once had for her, what sane person would have tolerated this? A cold, mocking laugh escaped my lips. “Do you really think I give a damn about your pathetic Director title?” “You!” Mona choked, then exploded. “Then leave! If you look down on it so much, why don’t you just get out?” “Have HR process my resignation.” “Fine. After you finish the project and submit the proposal.” I had no patience left for this game. My voice was glacial. “Mona, the condoms you and Evan bought were delivered to our house. Are you still trying to play me for a fool?” She didn’t miss a beat. “What are you talking about? I never bought anything like that. You’re just making things up to slander me…” “Process the resignation.” I cut her off, refusing to listen to another lie. I hung up the phone. The next morning, I received the official termination email from HR. It was expected. I drove to the office to pack my personal belongings. Nearby, my former colleagues were gossiping. “…Mona is just spoiling Evan rotten. I heard she’s giving him that luxury condo downtown!” “That’s not all. She’s flying his parents in from their hometown to live the high life…” “The car he’s driving now, Mona bought it for him, right? He really hit the sugar mama jackpot.” I pretended not to hear, ignoring the dull ache in my chest as I packed faster. Just as I was about to leave, a familiar voice called out from behind me. “Tim, is the proposal for that project done yet?” I turned. Evan stood there, his young, harmless-looking face breaking into a look of surprise as he saw me packing. “Oh… are you leaving, Tim?” “I am,” I replied flatly. “Are you blind?” “You!” he sputtered, then stepped closer, deliberately pulling down the collar of his shirt to reveal a series of angry red marks on his neck. “You know, you’ve been here a long time, but I bet you’ve never seen Mona’s… passionate side.” Something inside my head snapped. I shot out my hand, grabbed a fistful of his collar, and dragged him into a blind spot away from the security cameras. “Tim! Let go! Are you fucking cra—” His shouts were cut short as my fist, carrying the weight of seven years of fury and betrayal, crashed into his face. He cried out, clutching his jaw as he slumped against the wall. I loomed over him, my voice dripping with disgust. “Get out.” He shot me a terrified, hateful glare before scrambling away. I walked back to my desk and placed the last of my things into a cardboard box. Just as I picked it up, Mona stormed over, her face a mask of rage. “How dare you hit Evan? Who gave you the right?” I clutched the box and kept walking. “Move.” Mona was practically vibrating with fury. She threw her arms out, blocking my path. “You think you can just assault someone and walk away? In your dreams. Apologize to Evan right now, or I’ll call the cops and have you arrested for battery. You’ll regret this for the rest of your life!” Apologize. Again. The last shred of my patience evaporated, replaced by a wave of unbearable irritation. I stared at her, my eyes as cold as if I were looking at a stranger. “While I still have an ounce of sanity left, you should take your little pet and get out of my sight,” I said, my voice dangerously low. “Otherwise, don’t blame me for what happens next.” “Are you threatening to hit me, too?” Mona’s voice was incredulous. She thrust her wrist forward, displaying the jade bracelet I had begged her to wear seven years ago. It was a family heirloom, the one my grandmother had left for her granddaughter-in-law. “If you don’t apologize, you can forget about me ever wearing this piece of junk from your family again.”

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The moment he accepted my friend request, a message popped up: [Who is this?] I typed back carefully: [Is this the person who is madly, deeply, desperately in love with me? The one who can’t live without me, whose every thought is of me, and who would do anything to be with me?] My phone immediately rang. It was him, his voice a furious torrent. “Absolutely not!” “That’s completely insane!” “Who the hell told you something so ridiculous?” I cleared my throat. “Oh, uh, nobody.” “I just came up with it myself.” Silence. On the other end of the line, I could practically feel Shawn’s dumbfounded rage. 1 The silence stretched, thick with Shawn’s unspoken disbelief. I finally broke it with a nervous laugh. “My name’s Nia. I’m in the photography club with you.” He clearly remembered me. A cold sneer echoed down the line. “You look so sweet and innocent, but your imagination runs wild, doesn’t it?” I felt a flush of embarrassment. “Well, I just wanted to make a memorable impression. I know you have a lot of admirers, and I was worried you wouldn’t remember me.” Another cold snort. “Anything else? If not, I’m hanging up.” “Wait, yes!” I scrambled for an excuse to keep him on the line. “With the holiday coming up, I was just wondering… do you have any plans?” He sounded utterly bewildered. “What holiday?” My mind raced. “My… my birthday?” Shawn: ? 2 I should be grateful that Shawn only hung up on me and didn’t immediately block me. I sent him a sticker of a cartoon character bowing frantically, with “SORRY SORRY” written underneath. A red exclamation mark appeared next to it instantly. Damn it. I was grateful too soon. I stared at the dreaded symbol of rejection, tears welling in my eyes. Just as I was about to lament my fate to my roommate, my screen lit up again. Hey, he’d added me back! A new message from Shawn appeared: [Are you going to the club event this weekend?] My spirits soared. [Yes! Absolutely!] Shawn: [Okay, good. Then I’m not going.] I froze. When I tried to send another message, the red exclamation mark made its triumphant return. Two days later, at the weekend club outing, Shawn was, as promised, a no-show. I was sweltering in a chic tweed set, the hot wind making me feel like I was going to lose my mind. Even the club president took pity on me, leaning in to whisper, “Shawn actually came today. He’s hiding in the men’s room in Hamilton Hall.” I immediately clasped my hands together in a gesture of profound respect. Thank you, my hero! 3 The academic hall was mostly deserted on the weekend, so no one thought I was a creep for loitering outside the men’s restroom. “Where could he be…” I muttered, glancing at my watch. The bus for our trip was leaving any minute. “Nia?” I spun around at the sound of my name. “Oh, Professor Evans.” “What are you doing outside the men’s room?” he asked, looking puzzled. “Waiting for someone?” I nodded enthusiastically. “Well, I doubt he’s on the first floor,” he said, holding up a small laminated sign. “There’s a leak, so it’s closed for maintenance. I just got the sign from the supply closet.” Great. I bolted up to the second floor. Nothing. Third floor. Also empty. I couldn’t be bothered to climb any higher. Surely Shawn wouldn’t hike up to the fourth or fifth floor just to use the bathroom, right? With no other choice, I called the club president. “How much longer until the bus leaves? I still can’t find Shawn.” His voice was strained. “The bus is already here. We’re just waiting on you…” “Oh, okay, never mind then,” I said, wiping a bead of sweat from my brow. “You guys go ahead. I’ll just grab a cab and meet you there.” He agreed, and we hung up. I was about to open a ride-sharing app to check the fare to the campsite when a message popped up from one of the girls in the club, Sarah. [Nia, you’re not coming?] I typed back honestly: [I’m looking for Shawn. I’ll take a cab over in a bit.] A few seconds passed before she replied: [But… Shawn is on the bus.] I stared at the screen, confused. A moment later, a photo appeared. It was Shawn, sitting next to the club president, laughing and chatting as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Sarah explained: [I overheard them. The president helped Shawn lie to you.] [They’re being such jerks, tricking you in this heat.] 4 I stared at the photo, silent. Shawn’s smile was so effortless, his eyes sparkling. He was even more handsome than I remembered. Wasn’t that gorgeous face the reason I’d fallen for him in the first place? Well, by that logic, I could just as easily fall for another gorgeous face. I sent Sarah a thank you message: [In that case, I’m not coming. Thanks for letting me know. I’m heading back to my dorm to blast the AC.] Sarah replied: [Okay! You know, Leo and I are in the same department. We all know you have a crush on him, but he just doesn’t seem to be into you…] I was already over it. [It’s cool. The next one’s always hotter.] Sarah: [?] I thought for a moment, then asked her: [Hey, you know that senior in your department, Leo Vance? Do you have his contact info? Can you send it to me?] Sarah: [??] [Damn, girl. I respect the hustle!] 5 When it comes to dating, you have to have a good attitude. If one doesn’t work out, you move on to the next. No need to make things miserable for yourself or anyone else. With Leo’s contact info secured, I hummed a cheerful tune all the way back to my dorm. Lying in bed, I analyzed my failure with Shawn. Why did I strike out? Answer: I was way too direct. Handsome guys have an ego. I needed a more subtle, gradual approach. This time, I learned my lesson. I decided against adding Leo immediately. I’d wait until Monday and try to orchestrate a “chance” encounter first. Around seven that evening, after a long nap, I woke up starving and grabbed my phone to head out for food. I had several unread messages. To my surprise, they were all from Shawn. I blinked, tapping open the chat. Shawn: [I wasn’t in the bathroom today. The president lied to you. I’m sorry.] Shawn: [I really don’t have feelings for you. Can we just be friends? Please stop chasing me.] Shawn: [Not answering? Are you ignoring me?] Shawn: [Nia. Answer me.] Fine, I’d answer. [K.] His reply was instantaneous: [That’s it? Just ‘K’??] I responded honestly: [And a period.] That must have really pissed him off, because he didn’t write back. I didn’t care. I got dressed and headed to the dining hall. It was almost time for evening classes, so the hall wasn’t too crowded. I ordered a bowl of spicy noodles and wandered around while I waited. And as I wandered, my eyes landed on a handsome face— Leo Vance. Shawn’s senior. Maybe it was a common trait among attractive people, but at first glance, Leo and Shawn had a similar brand of handsomeness. A closer look, however, revealed they were entirely different types. One was gentle and reserved, the other confident and outgoing. But both were undeniably hot. Perhaps my stare was too intense, because he seemed to feel it and looked my way. The moment our eyes met, something inside me short-circuited. All my plans for a subtle approach, all the lessons I’d supposedly learned—they vanished. The words just tumbled out of my mouth. “Hey, wanna date?” Leo froze, his lips parting slightly. But the voice that answered came from behind me. “Nia!” I flinched and turned around to find myself face-to-face with Shawn’s handsome, furious face. “What did you just say?” he demanded, his voice tight with anger. “You want to date him?” “Do you have any idea how fast you move on?!” 6 So what if I did? Did I need to give my ex-obsession a formal notice before I quit? Still, I tried to be civil. “Look, I’m sorry if I bothered you before. I… whatever. I apologize.” Shawn’s face turned a shade of green. “So you just harass me, toss out a half-assed apology, and then move on to your next target? Is that it?” He shot a glare at Leo, his tone dripping with ice. “Leo, let me ask you. How would you feel if some girl got your number and then engineered ‘coincidental’ meetings all over campus? Would you find that acceptable?” Leo, who had been enjoying the show, blinked in surprise. “Isn’t that just… how crushing works?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Getting a number, bumping into someone… aren’t those just the little tricks of a secret admirer? Or… did she do something to actually harm you?” Shawn choked on his words. “Well, no, but…” “Then I personally don’t see the harm,” Leo said smoothly, his gaze shifting to me. He offered a small, charming smile. “You said you wanted to date me. Were you serious? You like me?” I hesitated. Honestly? I wasn’t sure. My mom always told me you should never date an ugly guy. And you shouldn’t confess to one either. My strategy was to pick a handsome one and shoot my shot. What if he said yes? As they say, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. Leo noticed my hesitation, but his smile didn’t waver. “Dating might be a little fast,” he said, pulling out his phone and flashing the screen at me. “How about we start by exchanging numbers?” My eyes lit up. “Okay!” “Just… one second.” I looked at my chat screen, my finger hovering. Then, I unpinned Shawn from the top of my list. I turned to Shawn, whose face was now a thundercloud. “So… since you blocked me, I guess you really weren’t a fan of my advances, huh? In that case…” “Why don’t we just delete each other?” “Out of sight, out of mind. How does that sound?” 7 “Fine! Great!” Shawn spat out, a bitter, angry laugh escaping his lips. He whipped out his phone and deleted me on the spot, his voice laced with sarcasm. “Should I go ahead and wish you two a long and happy life together?” I shook my head. “No need. A lifetime is too long. We’ll probably break up somewhere in the middle.” Shawn let out another choked laugh, turned on his heel, and stormed away. “Wow, you’re pretty ruthless with your former crushes,” Leo remarked, watching me with a theatrical expression of concern. “Should I be worried? If I become an ex, what kind of fate awaits me?” I tilted my head, studying him for a few seconds before breaking into a slow smile. “Yeah. You should be very careful.” Leo just laughed, clearly not taking me seriously. He checked his watch. “I have an evening class soon, so I have to go.” I nodded, watching him walk away. With Leo’s number in my phone, my mood was soaring. I practically skipped back to my dorm with my spicy noodles, scrolling through his social media feed while I ate. Leo was a chronicler of his own life. Trips, meals, outings—he documented everything. And his feed wasn’t set to private, so I could scroll back four or five years, all the way to his freshman year of high school. My roommate leaned over my shoulder, oohing and aahing. “Wow, he’s been handsome his whole life. I bet he was a heartthrob in middle school too.” “Who knows,” I mumbled through a mouthful of noodles. “Maybe he was an ugly duckling and only started posting pictures after he blossomed.” My roommate playfully smacked my head, accusing me of playing it cool after scoring a major win. “Oh, by the way,” she said, gesturing to a beautifully wrapped pink gift box on my cabinet. “That gift you got for Shawn… are you still going to give it to him? Probably not, right?” I reached for the box. It was surprisingly light. “Of course I am. I’ll just give it to Leo. Saves me the money of buying a new gift.” My roommate gave me a thumbs-up. “I can’t tell if you’re thrifty or just cheap.” My phone buzzed. It was a message from Leo, asking if I wanted to study at the library together tomorrow. I was a little surprised. My roommate’s tone turned playfully sour. “You know, I have a feeling Leo’s actually into you. And he’s so much gentler than Shawn. You’re really about to upgrade, girl!” I shrugged. “Maybe.” Then I replied to Leo: [Sounds great, Leo! ~] I couldn’t help but feel a little excited. 8 The next morning, I got ready and planned to grab breakfast before meeting Leo at the library. As luck would have it, I hadn’t walked far from my dorm when I spotted Shawn, looking thoroughly annoyed about something. I paused, figuring he wouldn’t be thrilled to see me. I decided to take a different path, but as soon as I turned, a voice called out. “Nia!” “Nia, I’m talking to you! Don’t pretend you can’t hear me!” There was no escaping it. I stopped and turned back, forcing a smile. “Hey, fancy seeing you here. What’s up?” “It’s not fancy,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. “I was waiting for you.” I blinked. “For me?” Why? Had his hatred blossomed into love? Just kidding. I wasn’t that delusional. His tone softened slightly, and he ran a hand through his hair in frustration, holding out a small box. “About that club event… I feel bad about what happened. Consider this a peace offering.” I was taken aback. “You don’t have to do that. My approach was probably too much for you anyway. You don’t need to apologize.” He pursed his lips. “…It’s just that I was harassed by a girl with some mental health issues back in high school, so I’m a little sensitive about this stuff.” “I thought about it after, and besides wanting to be around me all the time, you didn’t really do anything extreme. So it was my fault. Plus, isn’t your birthday coming up? Just think of it as a birthday present. I’m not taking it back.” He’d put it that way, so I couldn’t refuse. I took the box. “Thank you.” “And…” Shawn glanced away again, ruffling his hair in irritation. “That guy, Leo… do you really like him?” I paused. What, what, what? Was this a romantic subplot developing? “I’m not sure…” I said, testing the waters. “Maybe a little. Who doesn’t like a handsome guy?” “So why does it have to be him?” Shawn’s voice rose. “I’m not—” “Nia.” A smooth, gentle voice cut Shawn off. I turned to see Leo standing behind us, a half-smile playing on his lips. “What are you two talking about? Me, by any chance?” 9 Busted for gossiping. Both Shawn and I looked mortified. “No,” I said, my brain working frantically to invent a plausible lie. “We were just… just…” My eyes fell to the gift box in my hand, and an idea sparked. “We were just talking about my birthday! I’m planning a party, and I wanted to see if you guys wanted to come.” Leo raised an eyebrow. “Of course. If I’m invited.” He then looked at Shawn. “You’ll be there too, won’t you, junior?” Shawn waved a dismissive hand. “We’ll see. You two talk, I’ve got to go.” As Shawn walked away, Leo turned to me. “I heard you were into Shawn for the longest time. What made you suddenly change your mind?” He gave me a teasing look. “Your affections are a little fleeting, you know.” I met his gaze for a moment, then broke into a radiant smile. “You’re in trouble, you know.” Leo looked startled. “What?” “You’re starting to get curious about what I’m thinking,” I said, walking ahead cheerfully. “That means I’m not just some random girl to you anymore.” Leo chuckled, catching up in a few long strides. “You’re not wrong. I am getting more and more interested… So, can I get an official invitation to that birthday party?” I calmly agreed. Back in my dorm, I went into a frenzy of planning—booking a restaurant, buying decorations, hiring a makeup artist. It all came together just two days before the big day. I have a decent number of friends, so the party was packed. Leo arrived at the perfect time, not too early, not too late. He was wearing a casual white button-down, and when he stepped into the room, the lights hit him just right, making him look like a movie star making a grand entrance. “Happy birthday,” he said with a smile, holding up his empty hands. “The waiter confiscated my gift at the door.” I laughed. “That’s part of the birthday package here. They collect all the gifts and put them by that decorative wishing tree near the entrance. It makes for better photos later.” Leo nodded. “Ah, I see…” We chatted for a few more minutes before a waiter came over to discuss the menu with me. Leo excused himself to use the restroom. Just as we were about to start dinner, the door to the private room opened again, and a figure stepped inside. I froze. Shawn? What was he doing here?

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