“When the Brown family empire was on the brink of collapse, Arthur and his wife came to my father, begging for a marriage alliance. My father knew I had been in love with their son, Dale, for ten years. So he did it. He injected ten billion dollars into the Brown Corporation, saving them from ruin and marrying me to the man of my dreams. On our wedding night, Dale blindfolded me with a red silk scarf and took me again and again with a brutal, desperate passion. A month later, I went to find him, clutching a positive pregnancy test, my heart soaring with joy. I found him at a bar with his friends, in the middle of a bet. “So, what do you guys think?” Dale’s voice was slick with amusement. “After April got handled by a dozen of us, whose kid do you think she’s carrying?” His friends roared with laughter. “Come on, Dale, I only had her three times. No way it’s mine.” Another voice chimed in. “I saw how hard Zach was going at it. He practically drove her insane that night. I’ve got a hundred grand says it’s his!” That’s when I realized. The man in my bed on our wedding night hadn’t been Dale. It had been his friends. I stormed in, screaming, demanding to know why. He just shrugged, completely unbothered. “What are you crying about? If you hadn’t used your family’s money to blackmail me into this marriage, forcing Tina to leave the country, would I have done this to you?” “I’ll tell you what,” he sneered, “the day Tina forgives me is the day I let you go.” My heart turned to ash. I demanded a divorce, but he just laughed and threatened me with the video from that night. He locked me in the basement. “Don’t be in such a hurry to leave,” he’d said, his voice a venomous whisper. “My friends and I still have a bet going on whose bastard this is!” Eight months later, I died in childbirth in that basement, my baby dying with me. When I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn. I was back on the day the Browns came to my father, begging for the ten-billion-dollar bailout and the marriage alliance. This time, on my wedding day, it would be Dale Brown who cried his eyes out. … “April, darling, Dale is very fond of you, you know. If you marry into our family, he’ll be so happy.” I snapped back to the present with a jolt, staring at the earnest faces of Arthur Brown and his wife. I was alive. It was real. I had come back. Mrs. Brown took my hand, her grip soft, her smile painted on. “I know you’ve had a crush on Dale for a decade, sweetie. If our families were to be joined…” My parents exchanged a slightly awkward look. Everyone in the room knew the truth: the Browns were here because they were desperate, their company hemorrhaging money, and my family’s ten-billion-dollar investment was their only lifeline. But they also knew how pathetically in love I had been with Dale. They thought they were granting my deepest wish. But now, my only wish was for him to suffer. I pulled my hand back. “I don’t want to marry Dale Brown,” I said, my voice cutting through the polite chatter. Every head in the room swiveled towards me. The shock was palpable. Me, April Rhodes, the girl who followed Dale around like a devoted puppy, was refusing to marry him? Mrs. Brown’s painted smile faltered. “April, what’s wrong? Did you and Dale have a little fight? I’ll give him a good talking-to when I get home.” I shook my head. “There’s no need.” Arthur Brown, Dale’s father, studied me for a long moment. “Is this because of Tina?” When I didn’t answer, he sighed. “Tina is just a charity case our family sponsored. Dale only treated her well because he felt sorry for her.” He leaned forward, his voice a low, conspiratorial promise. “Don’t you worry. As soon as I get home, I’ll have her sent away. She will never appear in front of Dale again.” He’d said the exact same thing in my last life. And it had earned me Dale’s undying hatred. He blamed me for driving Tina away. It was his excuse for everything, for the wedding night, for gathering a dozen of his friends to defile and torture me. It was his excuse for locking me in the basement when I found out, forcing me to carry a child whose paternity was the subject of a sick betting pool. When my parents, worried sick, had finally come looking for me, Dale had shown them the video from that night. His face was twisted with resentment. “This is the fine daughter you raised!” he’d spat. “Sleeping with so many men behind my back! She’s disgusting!” The video broke them. My mother and father both collapsed, their health failing from the grief and shame. Dale felt no remorse. He brought Tina to see me in my prison, his lips curled in a triumphant sneer. “Once your parents are dead, I’ll take over the Rhodes Corporation and give it to Tina as an apology.” My soul had died long before my body gave out during childbirth. The memory sent a tremor of pure rage through me. My voice was low and shaking. “Dale Brown is not worthy of me.” Arthur’s face stiffened. “While it’s true the Brown Corporation is in a difficult position, if the Rhodes family is willing to invest, I can guarantee you won’t lose a penny!” He wasn’t lying. In my past life, after my parents’ investment, the Browns’ business had boomed. My family had made hundreds of millions in profits without lifting a finger. I had no intention of throwing that money away. “I will agree to the marriage alliance,” I said, my voice cold as ice. “But I will not marry Dale.” I looked directly at Arthur and his wife. “I’ll marry Fred.” The room fell silent. Then Arthur shot to his feet. “Fred?! You mean… Fred?” He stared at me, aghast. “But his legs… he’s paralyzed! He can’t even stand up! April, this is no time for jokes!” My own father rushed to my side. “April! Don’t be foolish!” I placed a calming hand on my father’s arm. Fred Brown was Dale’s uncle, his father’s younger brother, but he was only four years older than Dale. We’d practically grown up together. Then, a car crash had put him in a wheelchair, and he had slowly faded from public life. In my last life, when Dale had me locked in the basement, it was Fred who found me. He’d banged on the door, his voice hoarse, yelling “Don’t be afraid!” over and over. And through the crack in the door, I saw it clearly: his legs weren’t paralyzed at all. Dale had arrived with his thugs and beaten Fred half to death. I remembered Dale’s vicious words. “Still alive, Uncle? I told them to hit you harder. First you tried to steal my father’s business, now you’re trying to steal my woman? You’re pathetic.” Fred hadn’t even been angry. He had knelt before Dale. “Let her go. I’ll do anything you ask.” Dale had just laughed and slammed Fred’s head against the wall again and again. I would never forget the last thing Fred had said to me through the door, his voice broken. “April… I’ve been looking for you for so long.” So, no. Choosing Fred was not foolish at all. It was Dale who was going to pay. My resolve hardened. I looked at the Browns. “My mind is made up. I’m marrying Fred.” Seeing my unwavering determination, they had no choice but to agree. A wave of relief washed over me. Later that day, I went to the jazz bar Fred owned to find him. But standing right outside the entrance were Dale and Tina. The moment Dale saw me, the smile on his face vanished, replaced by a familiar scowl of irritation. “April? God, you’re annoying. Do you have to follow me everywhere?” His friends behind him burst out laughing. “Told you she’d show up tonight!” One of them jeered, “I bet if Dale told her to lick his shoes, she’d drop to her knees right now!” A wicked grin spread across Dale’s face. He looked at me, then pointedly tapped his designer loafer with his toe. A surge of disgust churned in my stomach. I stepped around him. “Get out of my way.” Dale froze, stunned. Then he grabbed my arm. “April, I know all about you using your family’s money to force this marriage. What kind of game are you playing now?” He leaned in, his voice a low sneer. “You think playing hard-to-get will make me look at you twice?” I glanced at him, my expression blank. “I’m not marrying you.” Dale was silent for a beat, then let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “You’re not? The Rhodes Corporation already wired the ten billion. Are you really still denying it?” He shook his head, his face a mask of contempt. “Do you have any idea how cheap you look, begging me to marry you like this?” I nodded calmly. “I do. That’s why I’m not doing it.” It took a second for my words to sink in. He just stared at me, dumbfounded. Tina chose that moment to speak, her voice a soft, wounded whisper. “Dale, darling… I think April is just upset to see me here. If you don’t marry her, the Brown Corporation will…” She trailed off, letting the threat hang in the air. “Never mind. I’ll just go.” Dale instantly released me and wrapped his arm around her. “Who the hell does she think she is? Even if she gets her wish and marries me, I’ll never love her.” He stroked Tina’s hair. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ll go take our own wedding photos tomorrow. In my heart, you’re the only one who will ever be my wife.” His friends whistled and cheered, calling Tina their “sister-in-law.” Dale shot a smug glance over his shoulder at me, obviously waiting for my heartbroken reaction. In my previous life, he loved to watch me squirm. But now, I felt nothing. “Marry whoever you want,” I said, my voice flat. “I don’t care.” As I turned to leave, Tina stepped in front of me. “April, stop pretending. The media already reported on the marriage alliance this afternoon.” She looked down, her voice full of false magnanimity. “I can forgive you for hiring those thugs to humiliate me… but I’m begging you, please… take good care of Dale in the future.” The “thugs” were a complete fabrication, a story she’d invented to make me look bad and play the victim. I had tried to defend myself last time, but Dale never believed me. Now, I couldn’t be bothered to explain. At the mention of it, Dale’s face darkened. He glared at me. “Why are you begging her? A woman like her, who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, is nothing compared to you.” He turned his glare back to me. “This marriage is a business transaction. If I find out you’ve laid a single finger on Tina, I swear I will make you pay…” ”

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When my husband’s depression flared up again, I exploded. I smashed every door in the house. Finally, I slammed the hammer down in front of him and spat out two words: “We’re done.” He shattered on the spot, clinging to my leg, his cries raw and desperate. “I’m sorry, Bonnie, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have had an episode. I lost control.” “I’ll get help, I promise. I’ll take my medicine.” “You’re all I have. I’m begging you, please, don’t leave me…” His eyes were red, his body wracked with sobs, so fragile he looked like a gust of wind could break him. A pathetic, love-sick fool who couldn’t live without his wife. A far cry from the confident, commanding CEO of Brooks Enterprises. I felt nothing. I lifted my stiletto heel and drove it into his chest. “Are you deaf? I said I want a divorce!” 1 My shout seemed to snap the swarm of relatives out of their stupor, but none of them dared to intervene. Only my husband’s father, Richard Brooks, stepped forward to take control. “Bonnie, calm down. Even if you want a divorce, you must have a reason.” I let out a cold, sharp laugh. “A reason? The reason is he changed the keypad on the front door to a lock and key.” A murmur of confusion rippled through the room. Richard’s face darkened. “Bonnie, if you hadn’t gotten pregnant with a daughter instead of a son, he wouldn’t have gotten depressed in the first place! He wouldn’t be so insecure!” “This ridiculous excuse for a divorce—I don’t accept it!” My husband, Julian, pointed a trembling finger at me, his eyes rimmed with red. I couldn’t even be bothered to look at him. I snapped my briefcase shut. “Sign it,” I said, my voice flat. “Don’t make me force you.” Ever since Julian changed the lock, he’d started locking himself in the bathroom, even to shower. I had to call him just to get into my own home. Sometimes, he’d be in there for three, four hours. I lost count of the number of times I was eaten alive by mosquitoes, or soaked to the bone in the rain until I caught a fever. Anyone who saw would have thought I’d done something wrong, that I was being punished. The neighbors came and went, their gossiping eyes like daggers in my skin and in my heart. I couldn’t take the humiliation. But every time I brought up divorce, Julian would slap me, hard, his eyes blazing. “Is it so hard to make a phone call? You promised you’d respect me for the rest of our lives!” If I dared to talk back, he’d use his depression as a shield, accusing me of having no compassion for a sick person. And now, today, at this family gathering, in front of all his nosy relatives, he was putting on this act of a devoted, heartbroken lover. It was disgusting. I was done with the abuse. I was done being his punching bag. I threw the divorce papers on the table and walked out. The entire family stared, their eyes darting between a trembling Julian and my resolute back. I could hear their whispers, wondering how I, the woman who had always put Julian first, could leave him over something so trivial. Julian stared, stunned, then reached out to grab me. His father started to rise from his chair. But before I could leave, Julian’s psychiatrist, Dr. Tessa Hale, pushed me back into my seat. “Ms. Davis, your husband is suffering from severe depression. He has extreme insecurity.” “He only locks the door to protect himself! How can you, as his wife, be so cruel?” “It’s because of you, constantly stirring up trouble, that his condition keeps getting worse!” The relatives immediately sided with her. “Dr. Hale is right!” “She’s just taking her own bad mood out on her husband!” “For a gold digger, she sure has a temper. Julian is the only one who would put up with her. She’d be nothing without him!” Julian shot a look that silenced them, then turned his gaze to me, his voice softening into a placating purr. “Bonnie, baby, I’m sorry.” “I know my illness has made you suffer. You never used to raise your voice at me. For the sake of our ten years together, can’t you just calm down?” “Is it your mother’s medical bills again? Don’t be embarrassed to ask. Your mother is my family, too.” The onlookers watched Julian’s groveling performance with murmurs of approval, but their looks toward me grew sharper. “Bonnie, for a sick man, Julian treats you incredibly well. You should be grateful,” one of them said. “Have we ever not taken care of your mother’s affairs? Just tell us how much you need. We’ll find a way,” Richard added, leaning on his cane. I knew what they were thinking. That I was too proud, too principled to ask for more money, so I was resorting to this drama instead. I met Julian’s eyes as he reached for my hand. I sidestepped his touch, my voice cold and detached. “There’s nothing left between us. Let’s end it.” The room fell silent. Julian rushed forward, grabbing me, his voice cracking. “Bonnie, don’t lie to me…” I shoved him away, taking two steps back. “It’s the truth.” “Let’s just end it here. With some dignity.” Julian stood frozen in shock. From the stroller, our daughter began to wail. I ignored everyone and turned to leave. Crash. A glass shattered at my feet. It was Tessa. She lunged forward, slapping the divorce papers against my chest, her finger jabbing at me. “Bonnie, are you even human?” “Julian gave up a scholarship to study abroad just to marry you! He loves you so much! And this is how you repay him?” “Now that he’s sick, you’re just going to abandon him and your daughter?” “You ungrateful bitch!” I looked at the frantic, sputtering woman and found it all rather amusing. “Dr. Hale, my husband and I are getting a divorce. What does that have to do with you?” Tessa’s spittle flew as she grabbed my collar, screaming. “You still call him your husband!” “You don’t know what’s good for you! Do you have any idea how much money the Brooks family has sunk into your half-dead mother?” “If Julian didn’t pity you, didn’t love you, your mother would have been dead and buried long ago!” I kicked her, hard. She stumbled back. “Get lost. A family gathering is no place for a shrink to be meddling.” Julian shoved past me, rushing to help Tessa up from the floor. “Bonnie, why are you taking your anger out on her? She’s innocent!” “I’m taking it out on the bitch who can’t keep her mouth shut!” I shot back, my resolve hardening as I glanced at the tender scene on the floor. The relatives’ accusations grew louder, a chorus of voices negating my ten years of devotion. They called me a thankless viper, moaning about how much Julian had suffered by marrying me. Tessa patted Julian’s hand. “It’s alright, Julian. It was my fault.” “I’m an outsider. I shouldn’t have judged Ms. Davis. Don’t get upset, you’ll make yourself sick.” She shook her head, her voice thick with feigned sorrow. “How could it be your fault?” Julian’s eyes were overflowing with adoration for her. He looked up at me, his voice choked with tears. “Bonnie, must you embarrass everyone like this?” “You know I love you. The family is all here. Can’t you just give me some face? We can talk about this at home.” His tears fell, one by one, onto Tessa’s chest. I could only laugh. He cried harder. The relatives rushed to comfort him. His performance cast me as the villain of the century. “Bonnie, you’ve taken good care of Julian all these years.” “I’ve seen your dedication and your filial piety.” “Just tell us the truth. What really happened? If it’s our family’s fault, we won’t shirk responsibility.” Richard limped over, leaning on his cane, trying to reason with me. But I remained stone-faced, unmoved. “This divorce,” I said flatly, “is happening.” Richard coughed, his face flushing a deep red with anger. Julian scrambled up from the floor, grabbing my hand, pleading. “Bonnie, don’t go.” When I didn’t react, he roared. “You must be cheating on me!” I met his gaze calmly, saying nothing. The cane slammed against the floor. “Bonnie!” Richard bellowed. “Everything you have, every piece of clothing on your back, came from the Brooks family! And you still have a sick mother to support!” “Live a quiet life, or leave with nothing. The choice is yours.” “I suggest you think it over carefully. You have two days.” It was meant to be terrifying. The onlookers’ faces were masks of anticipation, waiting for me to admit defeat. I shook Julian’s hand off me. “I don’t need two days. I can give you an answer right now.” “I, Bonnie Davis, and Julian Brooks, are getting a divorce today. If you don’t agree, then just wait for the special gift I have for you.” With that, I walked out of the Brooks house without a backward glance. The moment I got in my car, my childhood friend, Alex, sent me a few videos. They were all from the security camera at my front door. In the videos, every day, just before I got home from work, a figure would emerge from my house. The figure would then provocatively wave a different pair of lace panties at the camera. This whole drama about the lock? It was all a smokescreen. The real fuse was this endless stream of taunting videos. Two days was too long. I just wanted to send them all to hell as quickly as possible. The next morning, at the crack of dawn, I went back to the house to pack. When I opened the door, Tessa was in the living room, rocking our daughter’s cradle. Julian’s face went pale. He tried to compose himself, but his voice stuttered. “Dr. Hale… we had an appointment… for my… my therapy.” I ignored them and went straight to the bedroom. I was only there for one thing: the jade pendant my mother had given me to present to my husband. Julian no longer deserved it. Before I could even step into the bedroom, Tessa pushed the cradle in front of me, blocking my path, a smug look on her face. “Ms. Davis, I’m so glad you came home.” “The baby is so young. She can’t be without her mother.” “Come and see your daughter.” She tried to pull me towards the cradle. I shook her off, but she grabbed me again. I’d had enough. I shoved her away. “Get lost,” I snarled. I quickly went into the room, pulled open the nightstand drawer, and took out the jade pendant. Tessa followed, relentless, trying to snatch it from my hand, but she missed. “You think you’re worthy of something from the Brooks family?” I shoved her hard. She stumbled backward a few steps. Suddenly, the sound of a crash and a baby’s scream filled the air. Tessa was on the floor. Next to her, the cradle was overturned. Julian rushed in, saw the scene, and immediately rounded on me. “Bonnie! If anything happens to my daughter, I will never forgive you!” he roared, scooping up the baby and frantically checking her for injuries. “Julian, it’s all my fault,” Tessa whimpered from the floor. “I just thought the baby missed her mommy, but Ms. Davis didn’t care. She… she pushed us.” While I was distracted, Julian snatched the jewelry box from my hand and smashed it on the floor with all his might, his eyes blazing red. “For this piece of junk! You’d hurt your own flesh and blood?” My mind went blank. I only cared about the pendant. Thankfully, the box was sturdy. The jade was unharmed. Tessa screamed at me from behind. “You’re not a fucking human being! Your own daughter falls and you don’t even care! You go for a stupid piece of rock! Is that jade more important than your daughter’s life?” Julian righted the cradle, his tear-filled eyes fixed on me. “Bonnie, you better pray our daughter is okay!” “Take your trash and get out of my house!” “And never come back!” “After the court case tomorrow, I’m not just taking everything from you, I’m going to ruin your entire family!” “Get out!” He was like a madman, smashing things as he yelled. I just calmly clutched the box and left that toxic place. I hadn’t even left the neighborhood when Alex called and told me to check the trending topics online. A tidal wave of hate washed over me. They called me a gold-digging slut. A manipulative leech who only preyed on rich men. A monster who would choose an illegitimate child over her own daughter. I was branded with a thousand sins. AI-generated images were woven into the articles, making it all seem real. “Get everything about my mother taken down,” I told Alex. “The rest of it? Sue them.” I hung up and let the storm rage. After lunch, I announced a livestream for that afternoon. Julian called me over a hundred times. I didn’t answer. Finally, he showed up outside Alex’s building with a banner and a megaphone, the noise deafening. “Bonnie, the internet is tearing you apart!” “Going live won’t help! If you just apologize and repent, I’m willing to give you another chance!” I watched him from the floor-to-ceiling window above, my expression cold. Tessa snatched the megaphone, her voice oozing with false concern. “Julian said he’s willing to forgive you! Why make things harder for yourself? A livestream will only make it worse!” “Just admit you’re wrong! Your mother can still be saved!” Richard was there too, sitting under a parasol. “Bonnie,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “Young people shouldn’t be so impulsive. What woman in her right mind would divorce her husband for changing a door lock?” Their words were nothing but threats to me. I watched the second hand complete its final rotation. The livestream started. As expected, the comments were a torrent of abuse. Not to be outdone, Julian started his own livestream from his company’s official account and requested to connect with me. The screen split in two. “Bonnie, since you refuse to repent, don’t blame me for what comes next.” On Julian’s side of the screen, a slideshow began: my spending records at high-end private clubs, and a string of fabricated, filthy chat logs. [Wow, what a slut! So dirty!] [Poor Julian! I support the divorce!!] [I’m a lawyer, and this bitch is definitely leaving with nothing!] “Well, let’s let the good people of the internet be the judge today!” Julian said, smugly fanning himself behind a pair of sunglasses. I let out a cold laugh, turned up the AC a notch, and said calmly, “Eight hundred and ninety-one.” Julian froze, his fan faltering. He quickly started fanning himself again, faster this time. “Don’t start quoting legal statutes. You don’t even know any.” “Are they legal statutes, Julian?” Alex, standing beside me, couldn’t hold back a laugh. The gift was about to be unwrapped.

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When Anthony’s family lost their fortune, I swooped in. To my delight, I managed to capture his handsome heart. We were together for three years. In that time, he grew more and more distant, the look in his eyes tinged with a subtle contempt. I knew he regretted choosing me. But I’m a sucker for a pretty face, and I just couldn’t let go of his. So, for three years, I pretended not to notice. That is, until the night I went to pick him up from another drunken stupor and my eyes landed on a different face. A face so stunningly handsome it sent a jolt through my entire body. I stood there, mouth agape, forgetting to even wipe the tears from my eyes. “What’s… what’s your name?” I stammered. The boy was sweet, his voice soft. “Ethan.” It was 1:27 AM. And I knew, with absolute certainty, that my obsession with Anthony was finally over. 1 It was midnight when a junior from his graduate program brought Anthony home. Woken up yet again, I threw on a robe and leaned against the doorframe, watching the girl’s flushed face. “You should have had someone else help you. That’s a lot for you to handle on your own,” I said, moving to take Anthony from her. He flinched away from my touch. The air thickened with awkwardness. As the girl stumbled through an explanation, my gaze fell to Anthony’s hand. His long, elegant fingers—the same fingers I’d always found so beautiful—were clenched around the strap of her purse, gripping it like a lifeline. My throat felt dry. I watched her soothe him, watched her coax him into my arms. I had a pretty good idea why she was the one to bring him home. The moment I took his weight, the overpowering stench of alcohol hit me, and a wave of nausea rolled in my stomach. Wiping his face, changing his clothes, forcing down the hangover medicine… After it was all done, I sat quietly by the bed, studying Anthony’s sharp, refined features. Fine brows, long eyes, a high-bridged nose, and thin lips. The open collar of his shirt revealed the smooth, strong lines of his porcelain skin. I leaned in close, my lips near his ear. “I love you so much, Anthony,” I whispered. He turned his head away, his brow furrowed in a pained grimace as he mumbled something in his sleep. I strained to hear the name, my cheek almost brushing against his lips. “Lila…” If I remembered correctly, the girl who brought him home was named Lila. A first-year grad student. Very popular, very likable. How close did you have to be for a man as reserved as Anthony to murmur a girl’s first name in his sleep? I refused to think of Anthony as some morally bankrupt cheat. He was one of the few genuinely decent men I’d ever met; it was one of the reasons I’d pursued him so relentlessly. The main reason, of course, was that face—a face that held my entire world captive. I pushed the thought away and lay down beside him. I wanted to kiss his lips, but the smell of liquor was too strong, and I retreated with a sigh. “Good night,” I whispered. A second later, Anthony’s arm wrapped around me, pulling me into his embrace. Just like he had countless nights before, he buried his head in the crook of my neck. I’d been up with him until the early hours, and with work being so hectic lately, my sleep was fragile. The moment Anthony stirred, I was awake. He released me and sat on the edge of the bed with his back to me, silent for a long time. I had no idea what he was thinking. Just as I was about to sit up and ask, his phone rang. The balcony door was open, and I could hear his clear, smooth voice drift back into the room. “Yeah, I just woke up. You? Did you sleep well?” I couldn’t hear the reply, but I heard Anthony’s low chuckle. It had been so long since I’d heard him laugh. For some reason, their ordinary conversation felt like nails on a chalkboard, a sour, indescribable ache tightening in my chest. 2 My boyfriend was having an affair. Not the physical kind, but an emotional one. He was on his phone more often. When we talked, he was either distracted or completely silent. He no longer held me, no longer kissed me. When he looked at me, his eyes were cold. This was Anthony’s signature move. Over the past three years, whenever he felt a pang of regret about being with me, he’d try to freeze me out, to push me away with the silent treatment. But I was just too weak for that beautiful face of his. I clung to him, shamelessly, for three long years. He had been on the verge of giving in, of resigning himself to a life of settling with me. Our families had even started discussing wedding dates. But then Lila appeared. Bright, gentle, and a perfect match for Anthony’s ideal woman. They had endless things to talk about, their own inside jokes and secrets. They were a perfect match, in looks and in spirit. And me? I was shallow and tactless, a constant source of embarrassment for him. I tried to break up with him, to give him what he wanted. But every time I was about to speak, he would look at me with those narrow, almond-shaped eyes, and the words would die in my throat. All I wanted to do was kiss him. The thought of waking up and not seeing that face next to me was enough to make me want to cry. So, as long as he didn’t explicitly end it, I chose to live in this pathetic limbo. He’d pull all-nighters with Lila in the lab; I’d send worried messages that went unanswered. He’d leave early in the morning; I’d have his outfit for the day picked out and waiting. He’d go out with colleagues and friends; I’d be the designated driver, waiting to pick him up. Every time his friends would laugh and tease, “Your girlfriend is so thoughtful, man,” the ice in Anthony’s eyes would get a little thicker. He slid into the passenger seat without a word. I smiled and made small talk with his friends for a moment before waving goodbye. Of course, I noticed Lila standing in the corner, her face pale. “It’s getting colder,” I called out before leaving, my voice deliberately cheerful. “Lila, make sure you dress warm so you don’t catch a cold!” Her lips trembled as she mumbled a soft “okay,” and a moment later, she pulled off the dark blue scarf around her neck. It was the scarf I had spent three months knitting for Anthony. When I’d put it on him, he hadn’t even bothered to lower his head, just watched with detached eyes as I stood on my tiptoes, struggling to wrap it around his neck. So how, I wondered, did he wrap my scarf around another girl’s neck? Did he bend down for her? Did he smile? I didn’t dare to imagine it. I didn’t want to. On the drive home, Anthony was silent. Following my principle of “don’t act unless acted upon,” I chattered away like usual, filling the silence with meaningless small talk. He barely responded. Just before we got out of the car, he suddenly leaned in close. His dark hair fell forward, perfectly framing his high-bridged nose, beautifully shaped lips, and clean jawline. His eyelashes fluttered, his gaze drifting down to my lips. The sweet scent of liquor filled the confined space. I held my breath, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. It had been so long since we’d kissed. For the first time, I closed my eyes in anticipation. I never used to close my eyes. I never wanted to miss a second of looking at him. But the next words out of his mouth sent a chill through my entire body. “Lila…” He did it on purpose. My heart stuttered, a dull, delayed ache spreading through my chest. I turned my head away, pushing him back. “You’re drunk.” When Anthony got home, he found clean clothes and a glass of hangover soup waiting for him, just like always. I lay in bed, feigning sleep, lacking any of the courage or resolve to confront him. As I drifted off, I thought I heard him mutter through gritted teeth, “Hira, you’re really something else. How can you be so damn pathetic?” Don’t let his prim and proper appearance fool you. When Anthony gets angry, he can be much, much crueler. I was used to it. I fell asleep quickly. 3 Anthony’s indifference became blatant. He started disappearing, ignoring my calls and messages completely. Not being able to see his face made me anxious, like an addict in withdrawal. Finally, I saw him on a mutual friend’s social media story. He was at a quiet lounge, sitting with Lila, their heads bent together in conversation. I expertly cropped Lila out of the picture and saved it. I got the address from my friend and took a cab straight there. Anthony’s face soured the moment I walked in. Lila looked visibly uncomfortable, only calming down after he gave her a reassuring glance. “Hira! Good to see you! Come have a drink!” “Yeah, it’s been a while! We were starting to get used to you not keeping tabs on Anthony anymore.” Everyone laughed. I ignored Anthony’s glare and quickly joined the group, letting them pull me into their circle. Before long, I’d been pressured into drinking far too much and was feeling dizzy. I sat down in the spot they’d made for me, about to lean my head on Anthony’s shoulder to steady myself, when he abruptly stood up. He was tall, and the sudden movement drew everyone’s attention. “Ethan,” he said, his voice flat. “Switch seats with me.” A stunned silence fell over the table. All eyes darted between Anthony and me. “Dude, what are you doing? That’s so harsh,” a friend muttered, trying to intervene. I pressed my fingers to my temples, shocked at the sheer venom in his actions. He was so desperate to not be near me that he’d give up a seat next to Lila. “It’s fine…” I tried to smooth things over, but Anthony cut me off before I could finish. He shot me a sidelong glance, his tone dripping with contempt. “Don’t worry. She’s got thick skin. She can talk to anyone. Besides, she knows her way around a place like this.” Very few people knew that after high school, I’d worked in a hotel bar for six months to save up for college tuition. I’d survived that toxic environment, nearly being assaulted more than once. I had told Anthony about it during one of my most vulnerable moments. He had held me tight, stroking my back and comforting me. Now, he was using it as a weapon against me. I looked up at him in disbelief. For a split second, I saw a flash of surprise, then a flicker of regret in his eyes before he quickly looked away. No apology. Anthony never apologized. I was just so tired. I didn’t argue, didn’t yell. My heart just ached, a dull, heavy throb, like it was being struck with a blunt axe. A boy sat down next to me. He was wearing a light blue plaid shirt and had been quietly passing me tissues and hot water. Halfway through the night, Lila suddenly clutched her stomach, complaining of pain. Anthony was the first to react. Ignoring everyone, he scooped her up into his arms and rushed out of the bar. None of us, myself included, had ever seen him so frantic. “Wow, I always thought Anthony only showed actual human emotion when he was with Hira. Guess he really cares about his little junior, huh?” someone remarked, then trailed off, realizing I was still sitting right there. He quickly tried to backtrack. He glanced at me nervously. “It’s okay. Lila’s not very strong. Anthony has always worried about her,” I said, my eyes crinkling into a smile, though my voice was laced with a bitterness I couldn’t hide. “Still, that’s going too far, isn’t it? His girlfriend is right here…” someone else whispered. I took a sip of my drink, and my head throbbed even harder. The person next to me handed me another tissue and swapped my glass for a cup of hot water. Only then did I realize I was crying. “Haha, how embarrassing. For someone to see me like this.” Tears blurred my vision, but through the haze, my eyes landed on that stunningly handsome face. A jolt went through me, so powerful it cleared my head. My jaw dropped, and I forgot to even wipe the tears from my face. “What’s… what’s your name?” I stammered. The boy was sweet, his voice soft. “Ethan.”

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The first year after my death, my daughter was diagnosed with a terminal illness. The director of the children’s home called Lucian Blackwood, telling him they needed half a million dollars for the life-saving treatment. He was holding his childhood sweetheart, his fingers idly twirling a lock of her hair, his face a mask of cold indifference. “Don’t treat her,” he said. “If she dies, she dies. She can go keep her short-lived mother company.” In the end, with no money for treatment, my daughter died in that children’s home. The director called Lucian again. His voice was laced with irritation. “Oh? So she’s really dead this time?” 1 A full day after our daughter died, Lucian finally sauntered into the children’s home. I hadn’t seen him in a year, and the chill in his eyes had only deepened. In his hands, he carried shopping bags filled with high-end baby supplies. A sharp pain lanced through my spectral heart. Of course he was late. His new wife was already expecting. He spotted the director, his expression tightening with impatience. “Where’s the body of that little brat?” he demanded. “You’re the one who kept calling, telling me to come collect it.” The director, who had been wiping away tears, froze. She led him silently to the small, cold room where they had laid our daughter’s body. Lucian strode forward and ripped back the white sheet. He glanced down, and a cold smile touched his lips. “Not bad,” he drawled. “They did a good job on the corpse this time. How much did Janie pay you to help her pull this stunt?” A flash of anger cut through the director’s grief. “Mr. Blackwood, Lily is truly gone. If we didn’t need a parent’s signature for the cremation, I would never have disturbed you.” Lucian ignored her completely, his gaze fixed on the small form under the sheet. “It seems you didn’t mean much to your mother, either,” he said to the body. “You’re dead, and she still won’t even show her face.” A bitter sting pricked my eyes. Lucian, it’s not that I don’t want to appear. It’s that I can’t. I’m already dead. I died a year ago. For some reason, my spirit has been tethered to my daughter ever since. I’ve spent countless nights watching her convulse in pain, watching her kneel on the cold floor and cry out my name, utterly helpless to comfort her. And her father? He was busy making a new life with his precious childhood love. Our daughter wasn’t his flesh and blood; she was a piece of trash he was desperate to throw away. “Since the little nuisance is dead,” Lucian’s voice sliced through my thoughts, “I can take the body, right?” He walked out the main entrance, took a call, and then, without a second thought, tossed our daughter’s small, shrouded body into a nearby dumpster. He didn’t stop there. He instructed his bodyguard to go to a local dog pound and bring back a few starving hounds. I froze, the horror paralyzing me for a moment before I dove into the dumpster, my ghostly hands clawing frantically, trying to pull her body out. He was going to let her be torn to pieces! But no matter how I struggled, I was powerless. I could only watch as the slobbering, desperate animals crept closer and closer. A cruel smirk twisted Lucian’s lips. “Garbage belongs in the trash,” he murmured to himself. “Janie, why would you think I’d want the trash you threw away?” Despair shot through me like a bolt of lightning, from the soles of my feet to the crown of my head. I screamed, a silent, spectral shriek. “Lucian, that’s our daughter!” The hounds lunged. As cold blood spattered against the grimy pavement, a flicker of confusion crossed Lucian’s face, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. “The props are convincing, I’ll give them that,” he said, his voice hard. “But it’s a shame, really. Even if the little brat were actually dead, I wouldn’t feel a thing.” “Just like her mother,” he added, his voice dripping with venom. “You should have both been out of my life long ago.” He watched, satisfied, until the dogs had left nothing but a mangled, unrecognizable ruin. Only then did he turn to leave. Just then, the director came rushing out of the home, stopping dead in her tracks at the horrific scene. She pointed a trembling finger at Lucian. “You… you…” Lucian’s eyes were like ice. He looked at her with smug certainty. “You tell Janie that if she wants custody, she can stop hiding. This little trick, faking the brat’s death, isn’t going to fool me.” His voice dropped, becoming a low, menacing snarl. “The anniversary of my mother’s death is coming up. If she doesn’t show herself, I won’t mind making this fake death a real one.” He bit down on the words “real one,” the sound chilling to the bone. Anyone else might have thought he was joking. What kind of father could be so monstrous to his own child? But I knew. He meant every word. And in a sick, twisted way, I was suddenly grateful. Grateful that Lily was already gone. Before the director could even form a response, Lucian was gone, flanked by his bodyguards. My soul was dragged along in his wake. 2 The car pulled up to a lavish villa. As they reached the gate, a pregnant woman ran out to greet them, her face alight with joy. The figure was painfully familiar. As she threw her arms around Lucian, I recognized her. Christine. Lucian’s childhood sweetheart. During the years Lucian and I were together, she had humiliated me time and time again, telling me to stay away from him, calling me a low-life whose entire salary wouldn’t cover one of Lucian’s dinners. I ignored her, so she started booking appointments at the hospital where I worked, spreading rumors that I was a quack, even hiring thugs to try and cripple the hands I used for surgery. When Lucian found out, he used his company’s power to crush her family’s business, threatening to bankrupt them entirely if she ever bothered me again. Her father had no choice but to lock her away. And now, here she was. She fussed over him, asking where he’d been. When the conversation turned to our daughter, Lucian’s handsome face turned to stone. “Hah. The bodyguards told me long ago that the brat was perfectly healthy. This is all just a game Janie cooked up with the children’s home to manipulate me.” A flicker of guilt crossed Christine’s face. “But… what if she… what if she really is dead?” she asked, testing the waters. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an icy fist. I stared at Lucian, waiting. The old Lucian, the man I had loved, would have stayed up all night worrying if our daughter so much as sneezed. He used to say that Lily and I were the most important people in his life. Now, his face was a cold mask. “Then I’ll hire a band,” he said, his tone clipped and annoyed. “We’ll celebrate for three days and three nights.” The next morning, Christine’s water broke. Lucian rushed her to the hospital. After a few hours in the delivery room, she gave birth to a baby girl, whose eyes were a perfect mirror of Lucian’s. His gaze softened as he held the newborn, refusing to let her go for even a second. He looked just like he had when I gave birth to Lily. But now, not even a week after our daughter’s death, he was pouring all that fatherly love onto another child. A phone rang on the bedside table. Lucian answered, and his secretary’s urgent voice came through the speaker. “Mr. Blackwood, my apologies, but there’s an emergency at the office. We need you to come in.” After a brief conversation, Lucian placed the infant gently beside Christine. “Be a good girl,” he cooed, his voice soft. “Don’t bother your mommy, or Daddy will have to teach you a lesson, no matter how little you are.” Those words struck me like a bolt of lightning. My spirit trembled. Christine’s child… was Lucian’s? How could it be? Why Christine? She’s the one who killed your mother, Lucian! I wanted to scream, rushing to his ear to roar the truth. But how could he hear the voice of the dead? Slowly, a cold calm settled over me. Just as Lucian was about to leave, a doctor entered the room, holding a file, his brow furrowed with concern. “Mr. Blackwood,” he began, “after running some tests, we’ve discovered an issue with the baby’s heart. If she doesn’t receive a transplant before she’s three, it’s unlikely she’ll live to adulthood.” He paused, the gravity of his words sinking in. “A suitable heart will be very difficult to find. It has to come from a donor under the age of ten, otherwise, the risk of rejection is too high.” The doctor’s words cast a pall over the room. Lucian’s face was a canvas of shock, which quickly morphed into a chilling resolve. “Leave it to me,” he said, his voice steady. “I have a solution.” After the doctor left, he beckoned a bodyguard into the room. “Bring me that little brat.” I understood instantly. He wanted to take Lily’s heart and give it to this new child. The bodyguard nodded and left immediately. Lucian stared out the window, his expression hardening into something predatory. “Janie,” he whispered to the empty air, “this is what you and your daughter owe me. A life for a life. Fair, isn’t it?” A bitter laugh escaped my spectral lips. When I was alive, I could never convince him I didn’t kill his mother. Why would I hope for him to believe me in death? After all, every piece of evidence in his mother’s death pointed directly at me. And Lucian believed it. The day of his mother’s funeral, he dragged me before her memorial tablet and slammed my head against the floor, again and again. He clutched her memorial plaque to his chest, his eyes bloodshot with hatred as he stared at me. “Janie,” he had hissed, “this isn’t over until one of us is dead.” 3 From that day on, I went from being the woman Lucian loved most to the woman he hated most. He tortured me, and he tortured our daughter, who looked so much like me. At only a few years old, she was forced to do chores, to scrub and clean. The slightest mistake, the smallest sign of imperfection, and she would be viciously punished with a cane. I tried to take her and leave, to file for divorce, but he wouldn’t allow it. He even threatened to break our daughter’s legs if I ever mentioned the word “divorce” again. Seeing the despair in my eyes, he would just smile that cruel smile, tipping my chin up with his fingers. “Hopeless, isn’t it, Janie? You deserve every second of this.” But I didn’t kill his mother. I hadn’t. Even though she never liked me, always believed I wasn’t good enough for her son. Even though she publicly humiliated me, calling me a shameless slut. Even though she once slapped me in front of the media. I never hated her. Because I could never forget that to marry me, Lucian had been willing to break ties with the mother who had raised him all alone. How could he not shatter when he believed that same mother died at the hands of the woman he loved? By evening, the bodyguard returned. When Lucian heard he couldn’t find Lily’s body, he swept everything off the coffee table, sending fruit crashing to the floor. “What?” “The… the young miss… Janie already took her.” My spectral eyes narrowed, fixing on the bodyguard. If I wasn’t standing right here, I’d have no idea how easily they could heap lies upon my name. While Christine was recovering from childbirth, Lucian hired a private investigator to find me. The moment he got a lead, he rushed to the location. He had his men break down the door and then strolled casually inside. “Janie, hand over the little brat now.” When no one answered, he sank onto the sofa and waved a hand, sending his bodyguards to search the place. They all returned empty-handed. His face was a thundercloud. He called the PI immediately. After confirming this was the last place I’d been seen, he gritted his teeth. “She can run, but she can’t hide. Janie, you’d better pray you can live the rest of your life hiding like a rat in the sewer.” I’m not hiding, Lucian. I don’t need to hide! I’m standing right in front of you, but you can’t see me! As darkness fell, Lucian’s face grew grimmer, his eyes glued to the door. Finally, there was a sound. A moment later, Dave’s figure appeared in the doorway. He saw Lucian through the crowd of bodyguards, and a flash of pure hatred crossed his face. “What are you doing in my house?” Lucian let out a derisive snort. “What am I doing? I’m looking for my wife and daughter, of course.” Dave’s expression shifted, and a grim smile spread across his lips. “I’m afraid you’ve come to the wrong place.” “Your wife and daughter are dead. Oh, that’s right, the daughter died because her loving father, the millionaire CEO, wouldn’t pay the half-a-million dollars to save her. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten?” “Hah. You think some realistic-looking doll is going to fool me? I’m not an idiot, Dave. Now, hand them over.” A wave of pain washed over Dave’s face. His eyes, once full of life, were now like dead pools as he stared coldly at Lucian. “I told you. Your wife and daughter are dead. You collected your daughter’s body yourself.” Lucian grabbed Dave by the collar, his knuckles white. “Are you taking me for a fool?” he snarled. “That brat was a survivor. She would never just die.” “I’m warning you, get her out here now. She owes me her life, and I’m here to collect!” Just then, his phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, Lucian hit the speakerphone button, a mocking sneer on his face. “Janie, what’s the matter? Finally decided to crawl out of whatever hole you’ve been hiding in?” But the voice that answered was not mine. It was the private investigator. “Mr. Blackwood… I have some information. Through a source, I’ve learned that Janie… she died a year ago.”

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On the train home for the holidays, I found myself seated next to a college student. A stray glance at her phone’s lock screen caught my eye. The young woman held up her phone, beaming. “This is my boyfriend. Isn’t he handsome? He’s a senior executive at a publicly traded company. And he’s completely devoted to me.” I stared at the man in the sharp suit on her screen, rubbing my eyes in disbelief. Why did he look exactly like my husband? Just then, the girl’s phone rang. A blissful expression on her face, she answered on speaker. My husband’s voice filled the space between us. “Hey, babe. Call me when you get in. I’ll come pick you up from the station.” 1 Hearing the voice on the phone, the girl cooed playfully. “You should be thinking about what you’re going to say when you meet my parents.” “Oh, I have to go. We’re pulling into the station soon.” We had chatted a bit on the way, and I knew she was getting off at the same stop as me. So, this was what my husband, Adam, meant by a “business trip”? I sat there, stunned, until the girl hung up and looked at me. Only then did I snap back to reality. Her eyes were shining, phone in hand, an irrepressible mix of pride and joy on her face. “Honestly, I don’t know what to do with him. He’s six years older than me, but he’s so clingy.” “I’m just going home for the break, and he was so worried he actually moved his client meeting to Crestwood.” My mind was reeling, but a part of me still couldn’t believe it. After we got married, Adam was constantly praised by my family and friends. They all said he was a rare gem. Not just handsome, but with a wonderful personality—gentle, considerate, and deeply in love with me. He never flirted with other women. In fact, you could count the number of female contacts in his phone on two hands. He’d even offer me his phone from time to time, telling me to check it whenever I wanted. I had always trusted Adam completely. Our relationship had always been stable. This was our third year of marriage. A few days ago, he had apologized, saying something urgent had come up at work and he had to go on a business trip. He wouldn’t be able to come home with me for the holidays this year. I never imagined something so coincidental would happen, that I would run into this girl. I studied her expression and ventured a question. “You look so young. Are you still in college? How did you meet your boyfriend?” The moment I asked, she couldn’t help but spill everything. “My boyfriend? Well, he’s sort of an alum of my university. He came back to give a speech as a distinguished graduate.” “I thought he was so handsome then. After the conference, I just went up and asked for his number.” “I can’t believe we actually started dating!” Seeing the flicker of doubt in my eyes, she seemed a bit defensive. She opened her phone’s photo gallery to an album titled “Ava & Adam’s Love Diary.” “See? My boyfriend is really handsome. I’m not lying.” The girl, Ava, showed me the pictures one by one. There they were at a fancy restaurant, Adam leaning on his hand, a doting smile on his face as he looked at the camera. At an amusement park, they were wearing matching outfits, looking incredibly sweet in a photo taken by a passerby. The photos were time-stamped. I mentally cross-referenced them with my own memories. On most of those days, Adam had told me he was working late, busy with work, or had a business dinner, and wouldn’t be home. My hands started to tremble. The color drained from my face. Ava frowned, looking at me with concern. “Are you okay, ma’am? You look really pale.” I forced a stiff smile, my eyes fixed on her. “How long have you two been together?” Ava swiped to a relationship-tracking app on her phone. It clearly displayed “520 Days.” She lifted her chin, showing it to me. “Today is day 520! That’s why my boyfriend is picking me up, so we can celebrate our anniversary.” I looked at Ava’s ecstatic face. Even though my heart was breaking, I didn’t expose the truth. After all, she was probably just as clueless as I had been. I took out my phone, opened my chat with Adam, and my fingers trembled as I typed a single line. “What are you doing?” 2 Adam replied almost instantly. “Just finished with a client. Heading back to the hotel.” A second later, a photo arrived. It was a picture of Adam in a car. He always did this—whenever I asked, he’d send me his location and a photo in real-time. But because I trusted him so much, I rarely ever examined the pictures he sent. This time, however, looking at the familiar streetscape in the car’s rearview mirror, I was certain. That was Crestwood, the city where I grew up. If I hadn’t happened to run into Ava on this train, I might have gone my whole life without ever discovering Adam’s affair. I put my phone away, only to see Ava looking at me thoughtfully. My phone had a privacy screen, so she couldn’t have seen the picture of Adam. The next moment, Ava smiled and held up her phone. “Ma’am, are you also going back to Crestwood for the holidays? We should exchange numbers.” “I really enjoyed talking with you on this trip.” Being called “ma’am” repeatedly was starting to get on my nerves. I was only six years older than her. But I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to bicker with a young girl over something so trivial. I added her on my messaging app. I needed to talk to Adam before I decided what to do next. As for Ava, she was probably an unwitting participant. I didn’t want to cause her any more pain than necessary. When the train arrived, Ava grabbed her pink suitcase and bounced out of the station. I followed at a slower pace, swiping my ID to exit. Adam was waiting just outside. When she saw him, Ava let out a joyful cry and threw herself into his arms. They hugged tightly, then shared a kiss. “I missed you so much! We haven’t seen each other in two days!” Adam stroked her head affectionately. “You missed me this much after only two days?” I stood there quietly, watching their intimate display. Adam’s eyes were fixed on Ava; he didn’t even notice me standing just a few feet away. He picked up her suitcase with one hand and took her hand with the other. “Let’s go. I’ll take you out to eat.” The hand that usually wore a diamond wedding band was now bare, with only a faint red mark where the ring used to be. When I got home, my mom had already made dinner. “Adam didn’t come back with you? Is he busy with work?” she asked, her usual refrain. I mumbled a noncommittal “mm-hmm,” not wanting to tell her about Adam’s affair. It was the holidays. I didn’t want to turn the house into a war zone. But I couldn’t tolerate Adam’s betrayal. After dinner, I checked my phone. Adam had sent me a message twenty minutes earlier. “Back at the hotel, about to get some rest. Are you home yet, honey?” “Here’s a picture of my hotel room.” He sent several photos. There wasn’t a single trace of anyone else in them. But when I opened Ava’s newly updated social media feed, it was a completely different story. In her picture, Ava was wearing a flimsy nightgown, nestled in Adam’s arms. Adam, fresh from a shower, had a towel wrapped around his waist. “Home, but staying at a hotel with my boyfriend. Probably won’t be able to get out of bed tomorrow morning, haha.” She had posted it just a few minutes ago. I picked up my phone and started a video call with Adam. It rang for a long time before being abruptly disconnected. My face expressionless, I hit the call button again. This time, it was disconnected almost immediately. I don’t know if it was the fifth or sixth time I tried, but the call finally connected. On the screen, Adam was shirtless, his chest rising and falling with his breath, a clear sign he had just been engaged in some strenuous activity. He was panting, a slightly unnatural smile on his face. “What’s up, honey? I was sleeping, I didn’t hear the phone.” “Sleeping this early?” I asked, my voice flat. “The client meeting today was exhausting.” Adam faked a yawn. “Honey, I’m really tired. If there’s nothing else, I’m going back to sleep.” I didn’t say anything, but I didn’t hang up either. From the other side of the call, I heard the faint, almost imperceptible sound of a plastic wrapper being torn open. Adam’s expression on the screen suddenly changed. He let out a soft gasp. He lifted the phone higher, a flicker of arousal he himself didn’t seem to notice in his eyes. “Honey,” Adam’s voice had grown hoarse, clearly suppressing something. “If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.” I watched the beads of sweat form on his forehead, his eyes darting downwards every so often. He was clearly impatient. I gave a faint smile, my voice calm. “Okay. You get back to it, then.”

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After a company intern reported me, my wife said he was just being naive. “Sir, we’re going to need to open your suitcase for inspection.” The customs officer’s face was grim as he pulled me aside. I froze, watching as they pulled the packet of white powder from a hidden compartment with unnerving precision. Three days later, my wife picked me up from the detention center. “He’s just an intern, he doesn’t know any better,” she said, her tone casual. “Don’t take it personally.” That was the moment I realized. This marriage should have ended a long time ago. 1 The click of the lock turning echoed in the quiet hall as I dragged my exhausted body through the door. The wheels of my suitcase screeched against the polished floor. The living room lights were blinding, making my eyes ache. The moment he saw me, the intern, Jackson, shot up from the sofa. His eyes were red-rimmed, his lip trembling. He was wearing my slippers. The gray cotton ones I’d bought just last month. The sight of them on his feet was a jarring violation. “Mr. Reilly,” he choked out, his voice thick with an emotion that suggested he was the one who had been wronged. “I really didn’t know it was just your sinus medication in the bag.” “I thought it was… something illegal. I didn’t mean to, please don’t be angry.” Tears welled in his eyes, threatening to spill over. I watched him in silence, saying nothing. My wife, Kendra, walked over and patted Jackson’s shoulder. Her voice was so gentle it felt foreign to me. “It’s alright, Jackson. Don’t blame yourself. It wasn’t your fault.” She turned to me, a hint of reprimand in her eyes. “Ethan, don’t be so hard on him. Jackson just graduated; he doesn’t have any real-world experience. How was he supposed to know the ins and outs of these things?” I stared at her, my throat tightening. “So you think him reporting me, getting me detained by customs for three days, is just a minor inconvenience?” Kendra frowned. “But you’re out now, aren’t you? Nothing really happened.” Jackson hung his head, his voice a barely audible whisper. “Mr. Reilly, I’m really, truly sorry.” “You seem pretty comfortable in my slippers,” I cut him off, my voice low. Jackson’s head snapped up, his face instantly draining of color. He glanced down at his feet in a panic, stammering, “I-I was just…” I took a step closer, my voice dropping to a near-whisper. “Because you think you can just walk in and out of this house as you please?” Kendra suddenly stepped between us, her tone turning icy. “Ethan, that’s enough! Jackson is here to apologize. What is this attitude?” I looked at her, and a wave of absurdity washed over me. “Kendra,” I said, taking a deep breath. “I want a divorce.” The air froze. Jackson’s eyes widened, his lips trembling even more violently. He stumbled forward, his knees buckling as if he were about to fall to the ground, his voice cracking. “Mr. Reilly, it was all my fault. Don’t blame Kendra.” “I’ll… I’ll get on my knees and beg for your forgiveness, okay? Please, just don’t divorce her.” The way he acted, anyone would think I was the one bullying him. Kendra grabbed his arm, pulling him forcefully to his feet, her voice laced with concern. “Jackson, what are you doing? Stop it!” She whirled on me, her eyes blazing with fury. “Ethan, are you serious? A grown man, being this petty?” A bitter smile touched my lips. I stared at Jackson’s tear-streaked face. “What’s this now? Are we moving on to the tragic melodrama portion of the evening?” My words struck Jackson like a physical blow. He flinched, and the tears fell faster, but he bit his lip and didn’t dare say another word. Kendra’s chest heaved with anger. She pointed a shaking finger at me. “What’s with the sarcasm? Jackson is here to sincerely apologize!” “Do you have any idea what the rumors are at the office because of what happened to you?” “The board of directors is involved! They’re saying a senior executive is suspected of smuggling. Think of how damaging that is!” 2 She grew more agitated as she spoke, her voice rising. “It was me! I was the one who had to go to each of them, explaining, suppressing the story, telling them it was all just a misunderstanding!” “Do you have any idea how much effort that took? And you?” “You come back with this sour face and now you’re threatening me with divorce?” “Ethan, do you have a conscience?!” Her voice was shrill, each word a knife twisting in my gut. But all I could think about was last month, when my stomach ulcer flared up and I was lying alone in a hospital bed on an IV drip. I called her over a dozen times, but she never picked up. I found out later she’d taken Jackson to an industry gala that night, a radiant smile on her face the whole time. My missed calls were brushed aside with a simple, “I didn’t hear it.” And before that, when my dad had a sudden stroke and I spent the entire night waiting outside the operating room, all she did was send a single text: “Something urgent came up at work, can’t get away. Take care of yourself.” I later heard from a colleague what her “urgent business” was. She was helping Jackson work late, and then she personally drove him home. The memories flooded back, a bitter tide rising in my throat. My eyes burned, hot and unwelcome. I clenched my jaw, refusing to show any weakness in front of her. But just then, Jackson dropped to his knees with a thud. Tears streamed down his face, hitting the floor with audible plinks. His voice was a wreck. “It’s all my fault. Mr. Reilly, Kendra, please stop fighting.” “I’ll… I’ll just jump off the balcony right now. You two can just be happy together, okay?” With that, he scrambled to his feet and made a dash for the balcony, acting as if he was about to end it all. Kendra screamed, lunging to grab him. “Jackson! What are you doing?! Don’t do something stupid!” He struggled against her, his cries heartbroken. “Let me go, Kendra! My being alive only makes you two fight! It’ll be better when I’m dead!” She held him tight, roaring at me over her shoulder, “Ethan! Are you satisfied now?! You won’t be happy until you’ve driven an innocent person to their death?!” I stood frozen, watching their tangled struggle. The whole scene was utterly ridiculous. “Go ahead and jump, Jackson. But drop the act. If you had any real guts, you wouldn’t have reported me in the first place.” Jackson’s sobs stopped abruptly. He froze mid-struggle. Kendra stared at me in disbelief, her voice trembling. “Ethan, are you even human?!” I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand and turned towards the entryway, tossing a final, cold sentence over my shoulder. “The divorce papers will be drawn up. Sign them or don’t. It’s up to you.” The night air was a biting wind against my skin. I stumbled through the doors of a bar, plunging into the noise and chaos. The lights were blinding, the music deafening, but none of it could drown out the roaring in my own head. “Whiskey. Neat,” I rasped, slamming my hand on the bar. My voice was unrecognizable. The bartender shot me a look but didn’t ask questions, just slid a glass over. I tilted my head back, the fiery liquid searing my throat, but it couldn’t numb the dull ache in my chest. One glass after another, until my vision blurred and the world began to spin. “Why? Why would she do this to me?” I slumped over the bar, my fingers gripping the glass so tightly my knuckles turned white. Kendra’s face, Jackson’s tears, the image of them tangled together—it all swam before my eyes. I slammed my fist on the table, startling the person next to me. “Wasn’t I good enough to her?! I would have given her my goddamn life!” 3 My voice was raw, but in a crowded bar, no one pays attention to a drunk’s ravings. The bartender pushed another drink towards me. “Sir, you’ve had too much.” “None of your damn business!” I grabbed the glass and downed it. The alcohol churned in my stomach, but my mind was becoming painfully clear. I don’t know how much time passed before I felt hands lifting me up. Through my blurry vision, I saw a pair of slender but strong hands hauling me out by the arm. The next day, I walked into the office with a splitting headache. As I pushed open my office door, I was met with the averted gazes of several colleagues. It seemed the “customs incident” had already made the rounds, though no one dared mention it to my face. My office was separated from Kendra’s by only a hallway, the glass-wall design leaving nothing hidden. I tried to force myself not to look, but my eyes were drawn to her office like a magnet. Jackson stood by her desk, a stack of files in his arms. He was leaning in close, his lips almost touching her ear. Whatever he said made her laugh softly. She even reached up to straighten his crooked tie, a gesture so familiar it looked like it had been performed a thousand times. My knuckles whitened around the pen in my hand. A large black blot of ink spread across the document on my desk. “Mr. Reilly, this contract needs your signature.” My assistant tiptoed in, but my dark expression made her take a step back. “Leave it,” I said without looking up. She put the file down and glanced nervously across the hall, but ultimately decided to keep her mouth shut and left. At noon, I went to the break room for coffee and walked right in on Jackson clinging to Kendra’s arm, whining playfully. “Kendra, that new Japanese place is impossible to get a reservation for.” “But I heard sea urchin is your favorite, so I had a friend pull some strings to hold a table.” Kendra laughed, poking him on the forehead. “You’re such a sweet talker.” They turned and saw me standing in the doorway. The air instantly froze. Jackson let go of her arm as if he’d been electrocuted. “M-Mr. Reilly. I was just, uh, reporting to Director Evans on a project.” I calmly pressed the button on the coffee machine, not even bothering to look at them. “Reporting on a project requires you to be that close? When did the company start offering tango lessons?” Kendra’s face darkened. She pulled Jackson behind her slightly. “Ethan, watch your tone. Jackson is just a bit enthusiastic. Don’t project your own filthy thoughts onto others.” Hot water splashed onto the back of my hand. I barely felt the sting. I let out a small, humorless laugh, picked up my mug, and brushed past them, my voice low. “Director Evans, that mark on your neck… your foundation didn’t quite cover it.” Kendra’s hand flew to her neck, her face turning pale. Jackson, on the other hand, looked like a cat whose tail had just been stepped on, his ears instantly turning a deep shade of red. Back in my office, I locked the door and threw the coffee, mug and all, into the trash. Through the glass wall, I could see Jackson talking to Kendra with red-rimmed eyes, while she gently patted his shoulder. And I, the “petty” husband, was nothing more than the disposable villain in their love story.

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My childhood sweetheart thought I was a coward, so for my eighteenth birthday, he gave me a snake. As I screamed, about to hurl the creature away, a stream of ghostly text flickered into view before my eyes. 「The villain holds a grudge against the side character for throwing him away. He’s going to eat everyone here alive, except for the main couple. This poor girl is so screwed.」 「But our girl Mia will catch the snake with her bare hands and win the hero’s heart!~」 「A sweet girl who isn’t afraid of snakes! The villain will even give her mansions and money!」 My childhood friend, Joe, smirked. “Still scared, Leah? If you are, I’ll just kill it.” I saw the cold glint in the snake’s eyes. Fighting back tears, I clutched it to my chest. “How did you know I love snakes? It’s so cute! Look at its big eyes and white fangs!” Let go, you idiot, don’t bite me!

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The mayor’s son was hostage. A bomb was ticking down. I had the kidnapper dead in my sights. But my captain—my wife—aborted the assault at the last second. All to give her golden boy, her precious lover, a chance to play hero. In my last life, I took the shot to save the hostage, turning her lover into a laughingstock. As payback, during the final moments of my deep-cover operation, she personally leaked my location to the mob. “You just had to make Todd look bad,” she’d sneered over the phone. “So you can rot there forever.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the sniper perch. In my ear was her gentle reassurance to her lover, followed by the most venomous curse she could spit at me. “You’re a damn animal, Hart. No wonder you have no family.” This time, I took my finger off the trigger. She wanted him to prove himself? Fine. Let him. I was going to watch, firsthand, how these two bastards would sacrifice the entire team to pave a golden path for him. 1 “Seven minutes left! What’s the status on negotiations?” “Assault and EOD are ready. If we don’t get a breakthrough soon, we’re going in hot!” The deputy commander’s voice crackled over the comms for the fourth time, and for the fourth time, he was met with a sharp rebuke from Serena. “I’ll say it again: you’re the deputy. I’m in command here. Nothing happens until I give the order.” But the deputy was positioned just one floor above the hostage situation. He could hear every shift, every muttered threat. He was out of time. “Todd is only pissing the guy off! Nothing he’s saying is working! If he keeps this up, the hostage is dead. Are you prepared to take responsibility for that, Captain?” Serena muted his channel without a word. “You’ll wait when I tell you to wait. That’s an order,” she snapped into her mic, then singled me out. “Hart, back me up here.” I pulled my finger from the trigger guard. “Listen to the Captain,” I said, my voice flat. “She’s command. We follow her lead.” My “cooperation” clearly pleased her. She immediately used me as an example. “You hear that? That’s how a real team member sounds.” “Listen up, everyone. No one moves without my direct order.” Through my scope, I watched the kidnapper’s face flush a deep, blotchy red. His movements grew erratic, his grip on the hostage tightening. And Todd, the so-called expert negotiator, was still prattling on, completely oblivious to the escalating danger. This was the man Serena trusted. She was gambling the lives of her entire team to give a rookie some field practice. And the building we were in was rigged to blow. In my past life, I’d acted on instinct. I saw an opening and took the shot, ending the threat instantly. The result? Todd became the laughingstock of the force and had a breakdown that landed him in a psychiatric ward. I got a commendation and a promotion. Serena didn’t say a word. She just had me reassigned to a deep-cover operation inside the city’s most dangerous cartel. Right before the final sting, just as we were about to close the net, she leaked my location. They caught me. Tied me to a lamppost and carved me up, piece by piece. Just before I died, I saw her standing across the street, watching. I heard her on the phone, telling someone she had gotten revenge for him. I didn’t need to guess who he was. This time, I wouldn’t make the same mistake. I was morbidly curious to see how this disaster of their making would end. With five minutes left, the tension inside the building was a razor’s edge. Every officer was coiled like a spring. The only one who seemed relaxed was Todd, standing face-to-face with a desperate man. “Hey man, listen,” Todd’s voice piped through our earpieces, “you don’t need to get so worked up. Put the knife down and we can talk this out.” “Holding him isn’t going to help you. Just let him go, and we can figure this out, okay?” A wave of disbelief washed over the comms. “What the hell is he even saying? He’s just repeating himself. Does he not see it isn’t working?” “If the guy was going to drop his weapon after a few nice words, what the hell are we even here for? Is this negotiator insane?” “Goddammit, we’re all sitting ducks while he spouts this crap! Captain, give the order to move in!” Todd, of course, could hear every word. Through my scope, I saw him actually pout at the kidnapper, complaining about his own team. “Oh yeah? You think you can do better? Then you come in here!” he whined. “Serena, I don’t want to do this anymore. They’re being mean to me.” His voice cracked, threatening tears. A stunned silence fell over the channel, quickly replaced by grumbling. “Jesus Christ, does he think this is a game? What is wrong with him?” A few of the hot-headed guys on the assault team were already cursing. That seemed to be the last straw for Todd. He stormed over to a nearby door—one we had already booby-trapped—and started banging on it. “Open up! Let me out of here! I’m done!” It wasn’t that he couldn’t be extracted, but he’d chosen the one door that would compromise the entire entry plan. The team that had just finished setting the trap was furious. “We just rigged that door, you idiot! I told you not to go near it! Are you trying to get us all killed?” Before the officer could finish, Serena cut in. “Who do you think you’re yelling at? Clear that position and let him out now!” she commanded. “One more word and I’ll revoke your comms access. You follow my orders. Understood?” Todd heard her. And in front of the man holding a knife to a boy’s throat, he broke into a grin. “Heh, you’re the best, Serena.” The kidnapper actually laughed, a harsh, grating sound. “Are you fucking kidding me? You cops really don’t give a shit, do you? Sending in this clown just to mess with my head!” With his right hand, he tightened the knife against the hostage’s neck. With his left, he pulled a detonator from his pocket. “You think you can look down on me? I’ll show you! I’ll show all of you!” With a subject this volatile, a paranoid sociopath, the protocol was to stroke his ego. Praise him, validate his actions, build a rapport to de-escalate. It was basic criminal psychology, something even a trigger-puller like me knew. But Todd, the professional, had done nothing but lecture and contradict him, fanning the flames of his rage. Every unit got the alert: Perp has the detonator in hand. Every muscle in the building tensed. All he had to do was press that button, and we’d all be buried in the rubble. The assault team leader finally broke. “Captain, requesting immediate entry! Subject is extremely unstable! I repeat, requesting immediate entry! Subject is extremely unstable!” Using a repeat call was a field code for a critical, non-negotiable situation. Any competent commander would take it seriously. My finger found the trigger again. Protecting civilians was our first duty. “Stand by,” Serena’s voice was chillingly calm. “Wait for Todd to clear the building. Then we’ll talk about assault.” “Hee hee, Serena, I knew you were the best!” Todd cooed into his mic. No one had the energy to curse him out anymore. Our lives were hanging by a thread. There was no room for anger, only a cold, gnawing dread. We waited. Todd finally exited the building. The teams readied themselves, muscles bunched, ready to breach. And then Todd started up again. “Serena… am I useless?” “No, Todd, of course not. You were amazing. It was your first time facing a real kidnapper and you didn’t even flinch. That’s incredible.” “No, Serena. I have to prove myself. I’m not a waste of space. Give me a gun. Let me be the one to take him out.” “Okay. Take this sniper rifle. Get to that rooftop over there.” “All units, stand down! Await my command!” The comms went dead silent. The team was beyond shock, beyond fury. We were in a state of grim resignation. I kept my eye glued to the scope. The kidnapper’s deadline had three minutes left. But looking at his state, I knew he wouldn’t wait that long. “Hart! I’m here!” The rooftop door flew open with a dramatic kick. Todd, clutching a sniper rifle like a sack of potatoes, staggered over to my position, panting. “Hart, show me how to shoot this thing.” “I don’t have time for your games.” I didn’t look at him, my focus locked on the target. This seemed to annoy him. He kicked me hard in the back, then dropped his rifle and stepped onto my prone body. “Come on, Hart, teach me! Don’t be selfish!” The blow was like a sledgehammer to my spine. A white-hot agony flared through my ribs and lower back. But the lives of my team were in my hands. I couldn’t move, couldn’t break my position. Seeing I was immobile, Todd decided to have more fun. He grabbed my arm—the one supporting the rifle—and started shaking it with both hands. A professional sniper spends years conditioning their body, holding this exact position. I had trained with special forces. My arm strength was leagues beyond this wiry punk who could barely carry the weapon. My arm didn’t move an inch. My patience, however, was gone. I snarled at him. “Todd, if you want to act like a lunatic, go do it somewhere else. Don’t screw this up!” My words made his voice crack again. He broadcast his performance over the comms. “Serena, you see? Hart won’t teach me, no matter how much I beg. I guess I’m just too stupid. I knew I couldn’t help… sob…” Serena didn’t hesitate. Her voice, sharp and cruel, flooded my ear. “What’s there to hide, Hart? You’re a damn animal, with no upbringing. No wonder you have no manners!” I was an orphan. It was the deepest wound of my life, a source of endless bullying and humiliation until I graduated from the academy. The only person I had ever told was Serena. She used to tell me that she was my family now. And now, she was using that vulnerability like a knife, twisting it with the most venomous words imaginable. I ground my teeth in silent rage, but my training held. My duty as a sniper came first. I would settle this after the mission was over. I forced my focus back to the scope, but something was wrong. The kidnapper, who had been watching the doors and windows, was now staring directly at our rooftop position. I was hundreds ofyards away. My scope had a sunshade. It was impossible for him to spot me… My eyes darted to the side. Todd’s rifle. The scope lens was bare, uncovered. He didn’t attach the anti-reflection device. He’d given away our position. The kidnapper raised a megaphone, his voice booming across the distance. “You filthy fucking pigs! I told you not to try any tricks!” “You dare put a sniper on me? You all must have a death wish!” “I’m giving you ten seconds! If I don’t see that helicopter, you’re all coming with me!” “Ten!” The situation went critical. The kidnapper ducked behind cover, moving into a blind spot. It was a complete checkmate. I shifted, trying to find a new angle on the detonator, which was still partially visible. If I could take it out, we might still have a chance. But Serena’s voice was still a placid drone in our ears. “Everyone relax. The subject is bluffing. He won’t press the button. He doesn’t have the nerve.” “Nine!” Just as I lined up the shot, Todd’s hand slapped down over my scope. “I told you! I’m the one who gets to take the shot!” I knocked his hand away, but the lens was smeared with sweat and oil, blurring my vision. “Eight!” I shot him a look of pure fury. He simply took off his earpiece. “You know, I don’t think one life is worth all this trouble. If he dies, he dies. He’s just practice for me, anyway.” He smirked. “And I’ll tell you something else, Hart. If this mission fails, you’re the one taking the fall.” “Seven!” “Serena and I already have it all planned out. She’s going to divorce you. She’s been sick of a clueless brute like you for a long time. So get ready for a dishonorable discharge and divorce papers.” “Six!” I had no time to think. I dropped my rifle, grabbed Todd’s from the ground, and raised it to my shoulder. He lunged at me, trying to interfere again. “Five!” I sidestepped. He went sprawling. I followed up with a kick that sent him to the ground, then slapped a pair of cuffs on his wrists, securing them behind his back. “It’s okay, he’s just bluffing, he’d never…” Serena was still spouting useless reassurances. There was no time. I screamed into my mic. “Assault team, go! Create a diversion! I’m taking out the remote!” “Four!” A fraction of a second later, the sound of shattering glass erupted as the assault team breached. The kidnapper’s head snapped towards the window, his thumb jabbing down on the button. In that sliver of a moment, I summoned every ounce of my training. I centered the crosshairs on the sliver of exposed hand and squeezed the trigger. The next instant, the kidnapper’s hand exploded in a spray of red. The detonator shattered into a million pieces. He shrieked and reached for a pistol, but the assault team leader put a round through his other hand. The leader tackled him, pinning him to the ground. Other team members swarmed in, securing the hostage. I watched it all unfold, letting out a long, shuddering breath. Then, Serena’s voice cut through the relief. “Hart, why did you disobey a direct order? Why did you compromise the sniper’s nest and act without authorization? Your recklessness nearly caused a major catastrophe!” Todd’s words echoed in my mind. “If this mission fails, you’re the one taking the fall.” So, this was their plan all along. Success or failure, the blame was always meant for me. Todd, still cuffed on the ground, crawled closer to his earpiece and yelled. “Serena! I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen! He attacked me and cuffed me! Now he’s trying to kill me!” “Help me!”

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1 Nick’s “best friend,” Scarlett, was throwing another tantrum. It was our fifth anniversary, and he’d only bought a gift for me, completely forgetting about her. So, Scarlett pitched a fit, sobbing and screaming until Nick blocked me on everything, deleted me, and swapped out our matching profile pictures. “She’s just a kid, you know how she gets,” he’d said, trying to soothe me. “Be a good girl, baby. I’ll switch it back as soon as she’s calmed down.” I reminded him, my voice flat, “This is the hundredth time.” He just smiled and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “I know. I’ll make it quick this time.” That evening, Scarlett posted an update: 【Okay, I guess someone behaved themselves. You’re granted three days of freedom.】 Almost instantly, Nick unblocked me. 【It’s okay now, baby. You can change your profile pic back.】 But before I could, a different account—one with my half of our matching picture—added him and sent a single message: 【What kind of matching PFP needs three people?】 2 Nick stared at the message from the strange account, then a slow grin spread across his face. “Well, well, Claire. Look at you, finally learning how to make me jealous.” He dangled his phone in front of me before wrapping me in his arms. “My fault, baby, all my fault. You put up with it ninety-nine times without a peep. I guess it’s about time you got a little fire in you, hmm?” “I’m not trying to make you jealous.” I pushed him away. “I’m serious, Nick. We’re done.” He burst out laughing, pulling me back against his chest. “Alright, alright, I get it. I know I messed up. They say three strikes and you’re out, and you’ve let me get away with ninety-nine. I’m not that clueless.” He leaned in, his voice a low murmur. “I came back just for you.” He placed a gift box in my hands. I opened it. Inside, twelve pigeon’s blood rubies lay nestled in velvet, glowing like embers. “A year ago,” he said softly, “you told me you’d marry whoever bought you sunrise rubies. Twelve gems, Claire. One for every month. Do you like how hard I’ve worked for you this past year?” Then, he dropped to one knee, a diamond ring appearing in his hand as if by magic. Suddenly, doors to the other rooms flew open. Our friends burst out, popping confetti cannons. “Happy 25th birthday, Claire!” “Say yes! Say yes!” The sudden ambush left me reeling. Burmese rubies from the Mogok valley—the last auction price for a set like this was in the millions. I’d said it as a throwaway comment, a joke. He’d remembered it all this time? Colorful streamers settled in my hair as Nick took my hand, sliding the diamond onto my finger. “Baby, I’ve been waiting for this day for so long.” Just then, his phone rang. He answered, and the smile vanished from his face. I could clearly hear Scarlett’s voice, sharp and furious, through the phone. “Who the hell said you could propose?! I gave you three days of freedom, not a lifetime pass! You forget my gift, and then you go and propose to her? Did you even ask for my permission? What am I to you, Nick?!” He froze, his eyes darting instinctively toward our friends. One of them, who had been filming, stiffened and quickly lowered his phone. Nick shot him a death glare before ripping the ring from my finger and turning to leave. “No, Scarlett, that’s not it! I wasn’t trying to hide it from you!” “Hey! Nick!” someone called out, trying to stop him. “What about Claire…?” “Forget it! Just pack it all up!” he snapped over his shoulder. One of the guys glanced at me, shook his head with a smirk, and closed the lid on the box of rubies. “Man, I really thought he was serious this time. Guess some people just aren’t destined for a happy ending, huh?” “Haha, what do you bet he does to win Scarlett over this time? She sounds seriously pissed!” “I don’t know, but that box of gems is definitely going to her as an apology, right?” That night, Scarlett, of course, posted an update. It was a picture of the twelve rubies, tossed carelessly into a trash can. 【Someone else’s dirty leftovers? No thanks. I’m not interested. Hmph!】 Minutes later, another post appeared. This one featured a custom velvet case holding twenty-four flawless blue sapphires, glittering under the light. Scarlett’s delicate hand rested on the box, and on her ring finger sat a stunning diamond—a DR ring, the kind you can only custom-order once in your lifetime, for one person. 【Blue is so much more elegant than red, don’t you think? And since someone used his one-and-only lifetime purchase on me, I guess I can forgive him this time~】 Nick liked the post. 【Thank you for your mercy, Scarlett.】 Beneath his, a cascade of ninety-nine more likes from our “mutual friends” followed. In the past, I would have been a sobbing, hysterical mess, demanding an explanation. But this time, I just liked the post. Then, I calmly deleted Scarlett’s contact. I deleted all our mutual friends, too. A message popped up from the account with the matching profile picture. 【Claire, listen… changing the pic with you wasn’t just about getting back at him for you. The truth is, I…】 【Claire, do you understand what I’m trying to say?】 I paused, letting out a long sigh. 【Thank you, Jack. I understand. And I really appreciate your support.】 【But I’m done with relationships for now. I’m accepting the company’s offer to transfer overseas. For the next few years, the only thing I want to build is my career.】 He was silent for a long time. Finally, a single sentence came through. 【I support your decision. But if you ever need anything, remember I’m always here.】 I sent back a “Thank you so much!” sticker, a warmth spreading through my chest. We’d be working together on the overseas project. I’d find a way to repay his kindness then. That night, I packed my things. There wasn’t much to take. The apartment was Nick’s. The renovations were paid for by Nick. The appliances were bought by Nick. Aside from my personal belongings, there was nothing else that was mine. Maybe that’s why, after five years and a hundred betrayals, all I had to show for it was a hollowed-out heart. I left our home of five years that night and checked into the temporary hotel the company had arranged for me, waiting for my flight out in a week. But as I headed to the ground-floor pool with my swimsuit and a towel, a hand grabbed my arm from behind, yanking me back. “Hey! I knew you’d show up, Claire!” 3 “Nick just got Scarlett to forgive him, so he’s throwing a party to celebrate. We sent you an invite, but you deleted us all! What’s up with that?” “Come on, don’t take it out on us just because you and Nick had a fight.” “See? You were just playing hard to get. You came anyway! Get in here, we were just waiting for you!” I slapped their hands away. “Sorry, but the breakup is real.” The elevator doors slid open. I had one foot inside when a hand shot out, blocking the door. “Claire, Scarlett’s waiting for you. Don’t take this too far…” SMACK! I slapped him hard across the face. “She’s waiting for me, so I have to go? Who the hell do you think you are?” “You—!” “All of you, get the hell back to your party,” I cut him off, my voice ice. “Don’t make me end this ugly.” “Why so hostile?” That familiar voice. I turned. Nick was walking towards me, his arm wrapped around Scarlett’s shoulders, a lazy smile on his face. Scarlett was dressed in a couture gown dripping with crystals. But what stood out most were the twenty-four blue sapphires woven into the fabric. “I’m not angry anymore,” she said, her voice cloying. “Why are you still making a scene, Claire? Here, let me personally escort you inside!” She grabbed my hand, her grip tightening deliberately. The sharp edges of the sapphires and her new diamond ring dug into my palm. I hissed in pain and ripped my hand away. “Don’t touch me!” The violence of the movement stunned everyone into silence. Nick’s smile faltered for a second before he stepped forward, reaching for me. “Baby, don’t be like this. Scarlett’s in a good mood now. Do it for me, okay? Be good.” “Get lost!” I shoved him, and he stumbled back two steps. “I told you, we’re done! Are you deaf? If you can’t understand it, fine. I’ll say it again, in front of everyone. Nick, we are broken up!” The smile froze on his face. Someone in the crowd snickered. “You guys think she’s for real or just faking?” “Totally faking! Fifty bucks says she is!” “I’ll raise you a hundred!” “One thousand!” “Dude, seriously?” “What, you actually think she’s gonna leave him?” “Tsk! Good point. Alright, small bet then. Ten grand!” “Wait, is no one betting that she’s serious? What’s the point of this wager then? Hahaha!” Scarlett raised her hand. “One million. I bet she’s for real.” The crowd erupted in cruel, sharp laughter that surrounded me like a cage. I clenched my fists. The elevator doors opened again, and I turned to leave. “Hey! Don’t go, Claire!” Just as the doors were closing, Scarlett lunged, grabbing me. The force of her pull sent me stumbling, and half my body was caught as the elevator door slammed shut. The car jolted, dropping a few feet with a sickening lurch. I fell to the floor, my body trembling. Staring at the elevator, now jammed halfway between floors, I couldn’t help but think what would have happened if I’d been a second slower. SMACK! I grabbed Scarlett’s arm, yanked her toward me, and slapped her across the face with all my strength. “Do you have any idea what you just did?!” “Scarlett!” The panic on Nick’s face was real this time. He rushed forward, catching her as she fell into his arms. “Scarlett…” he whispered, his voice trembling as he gently traced the red mark on her cheek. Then he looked up at me. His eyes were filled with a cold, alien hatred I had never seen before. So that’s how much she meant to him. Even after she’d done something so reckless, so dangerous, she couldn’t suffer the slightest consequence, not even a single slap? “Claire…” Nick’s voice was dangerously low. His friends immediately understood. They moved, forming a circle around me. I looked around at them. Most were big guys, some twice my shoulder-width. I lifted my chin and met Nick’s gaze. “What are you going to do?” He flinched. I took a step toward him. “Are you going to kill me right here?” The veins on the back of Nick’s hand bulged. I held his gaze, refusing to back down. “Go home,” he finally bit out, helping Scarlett to her feet. She stared at him, incredulous. “Nick? She hit me!” “I said, go home!” he repeated, his voice tight. “Nick!” Scarlett’s teeth were clenched, tears streaming down her face. But for the first time, he didn’t give in. He shot me one last venomous glare and pulled her away. I closed my eyes, trying to quiet the storm inside me. Picking up my towel and swimsuit, I took the stairs down to the ground floor. But I never could have expected that when I finished my swim and stepped out of the shower, all of my clothes would be gone. 4 “Well, well, look who it is.” The familiar, mocking voice echoed in the locker room. I turned to see one of Scarlett’s friends dangling my clothes in her hand, a sneer on her face. “Give them back!” I lunged for them, but another girl yanked the door open and shoved me out into the pool lounge. “Oh my god! Is she naked?” “What is wrong with her? No shame at all.” “Damn! Nice rack. You get a picture of that?” “Got it, got it! Sending it to the group chat, boys. Skin’s practically glowing!” The sound of expensive leather shoes clicking on marble cut through the chatter. The whispers died instantly. “Huh? Mr. Blackwood? What’s he doing here?” I looked up. Nick stood over me, Scarlett clinging to his arm. The earlier distress on her face was gone, replaced by pure, triumphant glee. “Are you satisfied with this punishment?” Nick asked, his eyes soft as he looked at Scarlett. The coldness he’d shown me was now all warmth and affection for her. “Hmph!” Scarlett pouted. “You little sneak. You’ve learned how to play games with me now. For a second there, I really thought you weren’t going to listen to me anymore!” “How could I ever not listen to you?” Nick said, playfully tapping her nose. “Besides, there are no cameras in the locker room. It was a brilliant idea, Scarlett.” “Hmph! Of course it was! Fine, I’ll forgive you this time. But…” she shot me a contemptuous look. “She still owes me an apology.” “Claire.” Nick looked down at me, his voice devoid of any emotion. “Apologize.” I bit my lip so hard I tasted the metallic tang of blood. “What was that?” Scarlett crouched down, her face close to mine. The next second, I spat a mouthful of bloody saliva right in her face. “Ahhh!” she shrieked, recoiling as the red stained her pristine white dress. “It’s filthy! So filthy!” “Claire!” Nick grabbed my chin, his grip like steel. “I told you to apologize, not to add fuel to the fire! Why can’t you just learn to be obedient?” “Obedient?” I forced a smirk, the movement tearing at my raw cheek. “I’ve done nothing wrong! Why should I be the one to be obedient?” The fury in Nick’s eyes burned white-hot before flickering out, leaving only ice. “Since you refuse to learn your lesson.” Rough hands grabbed me, hauling me to my feet. Nick dragged me by the arm, pulling me through the corridor, past the gawking onlookers and their shocked whispers. “What is she doing? Walking around completely naked?” “How can someone be so shameless?” “Women need to have some self-respect. If my daughter ever did this, I’d break her legs!” “Damn, that ass… Hey, get a clear shot! It’s all blurry!” “Nick!” I struggled, but his grip only tightened, a raw, red mark forming on my wrist. “Let go of me! What are you doing?!” The hotel was mostly guests, a limited audience. But when Nick threw the main doors open, my heart stopped.

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My mother-in-law’s family was bitten by a venomous snake while camping. The only antivenom was at my husband’s company. I called him, but all I heard on the other end was the sound of moans and splashing water. Before I could say a word, he hung up. My mother-in-law’s family died in the hospital because they didn’t get the treatment in time. That’s when my husband called me. “Don’t cremate your parents’ bodies,” he said. “Send them to my company. They can be cadavers for medical research.” He thought it was my family who had been bitten. I hung up the phone, looked at the five corpses behind me, and did exactly as he asked. … By the time I got to the hospital, my husband’s family was on the brink of death. The doctor told me the snake was incredibly rare, and the only known antivenom was stockpiled at my husband, Jeff’s, company. I called Jeff frantically, but he rejected every call. On the hundredth try, he finally picked up. “It’s Sophia’s birthday. I’m spending the night with her. Stop being so paranoid!” With his family dying in the emergency room, I swallowed my anger and spit out the words. “Your parents and your sister’s family were bitten by a snake! The hospital doesn’t have the antivenom, only your company does! You have to get it here, now!” Before I could finish, Jeff cut me off, his voice dripping with scorn. “One vial of that antivenom costs over a hundred thousand dollars, Thea. Does your family have no shame?” “Your whole family gets bitten, and you come crawling to my company for a handout? What do you take me for? A fool?” “You need to take a long, hard look at yourself.” He hung up without another word and blocked my number. I slumped onto a hospital chair, stunned, unable to believe what I had just heard. A notification popped up on my phone. It was from the Chanel boutique, informing me that the limited-edition, multi-million-dollar handbag my parents had ordered for my birthday had just been picked up. By my husband. I didn’t have to guess where it was. It was on Sophia’s arm. He had a habit of stealing my things to give to his “one true love,” Sophia. Whenever I objected, he would sneer at me. “You’re a married woman, Thea. What do you need a bag that expensive for? No one’s going to notice you anyway. Let Sophia have it. She needs it for her business meetings.” “Don’t be so petty. Sophia is like a sister to me! If you love me, you have to accept how much I care for her.” He worshipped Sophia. Limited-edition bags, sports cars, luxury apartments—he showered her with gifts, practically offering her his heart on a platter. And me, his actual wife? I wasn’t even worthy of a few life-saving vials of medicine. It was pathetic. As I was typing a message to the boutique, Jeff posted on his social media: The most expensive bag for the one I love most. Tonight is ours. Sophia’s post followed moments later: My knight said he’ll always be by his princess’s side. Your medicine didn’t just save my family, it saved my heart. The picture was of the two of them, nestled together intimately. Sophia was holding up a vial of antivenom, my handbag slung over her shoulder, a triumphant smile on her face. Rage burned through me. I almost fainted. Jeff was a heartless bastard, willing to spend a fortune to worship Sophia while his own family lay dying. The emergency room doors opened, and the doctor walked out. “Please, just give me a little more time,” I begged. “I’ll get the medicine here as fast as I can.” The doctor shook his head and removed his mask. “It’s too late. The patients no longer have vital signs. I’m so sorry for your loss.” My eyes stung with tears. My heart ached with a profound, bitter sorrow. Just two hours ago, they had been laughing and talking. Now, they were five cold bodies, while their own son was out celebrating with another woman. He was worse than an animal. Fighting back tears, I sent a message to the boutique. I haven’t been to the store recently. The bag must have been picked up by someone else. Please report it to the police. The doctor had mentioned that the snake that bit them was almost extinct in this country, which was why the hospital had no antivenom. It was all too convenient. A rare, venomous snake, found in my in-laws’ tent. Five people dead. The police took the case very seriously. They quickly discovered that someone had purchased a large number of venomous snakes online and released them into the wild. The suspects? Sophia’s parents. The very people Jeff had rushed to save were the ones who had murdered his entire family. I hoped he wouldn’t cry too hard when he found out the truth. An officer explained the situation to me. “Ma’am, we understand the circumstances. However, the two suspects are currently in the hospital themselves. We can’t bring them in for questioning just yet.” My face was a blank mask. “They were also bitten by the snakes,” I said. “But the poison has been neutralized. There’s nothing stopping you from questioning them now.” The officer gave me a strange look, clearly wondering how I knew this. But seeing my distraught state, he didn’t press the issue. “Rest assured, we will get to the bottom of this and bring you justice.” After the police left, I opened my phone and began filing a lawsuit. A sudden phone call interrupted me. It was Jeff, his voice laced with fury. “Thea, are you trying to start trouble? I’m your husband! Can’t I pick up a bag for you? And you called the cops? Did the snake bite you, too? Did it poison your brain?” His accusations were a relentless barrage, with no regard for what I was going through. “No, it’s not okay,” I said, my voice cold as ice. “Because I never saw the bag. You said you picked it up for me. Fine. Where is it now?” Jeff fell silent. After a long pause, his tone softened. “We’re husband and wife, Thea. Why do you have to be so difficult? It’s marital property.” “Sophia wanted a limited-edition bag, and this was the only one available in the country. It was her birthday. I just wanted to make her happy.” “It looks so perfect on her. It’s better to give than to receive, you know. Just let it go.” The man had no shame. “How can you even say that?” I snapped. “Why don’t you use your own money to buy her gifts? You useless piece of trash!” Jeff was stunned. “You… you’re talking to me like that? Are you insane?” I used to be so careful with his fragile ego, always watching my words. Looking back, I realized his skin was thicker than a castle wall. I didn’t want to fight with him. Not now. “If you have a shred of humanity left,” I said, my voice sharp, “you’ll get your ass down to the hospital morgue and see what your stupidity has wrought.” “They’re already dead! What’s the point of me going? It’s not like they’ll come back to life! Don’t ruin a perfectly good night for me!” he roared. Then he added, “Don’t cremate your parents’ bodies. See if you can send them to my company to be used as cadavers.” “Sophia’s parents are in trouble. She’s a wreck. I need to be with her.” He hung up. I started to laugh. He actually thought my entire family was dead. I had planned to give his parents a quick, quiet burial. Now, I ordered five industrial-sized freezers. Just as Jeff wished, I had his entire family moved from the morgue, freezers and all, and sent them by cargo van to his company.

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