In the year we were at our absolute poorest, my mom was welcomed back into a billionaire family. I’ve always been obsessed with novels, especially the “switched at birth” kind. I used to lose myself in fantasies about the stories I read. If only I were the real heiress, swapped at birth, I’d think. Then I’d have so much money. I wanted to buy my mom a huge mansion and hire five or six male models to wait on her hand and foot. I never dreamed it would actually happen. Except, the long-lost heiress wasn’t me. It was my mom. And I? I was just your average, run-of-the-mill, third-generation trust fund kid. 1 My life just got a major upgrade, all thanks to Mom! Before I could even process this insane new reality, we were being whisked away to the Vance family estate. The villa was enormous, complete with sprawling gardens and a fountain that looked like it belonged in front of a palace. Holy crap, I thought, my mind reeling. Even after devouring thousands of “switched at birth” stories, I could never have imagined this level of opulence. It turns out poverty really does limit your imagination. I stuck close to my mom, my eyes darting around, taking it all in. As the real heiress, lost for thirty-four years, she was a wreck. The sudden revelation of her true identity had sent her on an emotional rollercoaster, and she was understandably nervous. I squeezed her hand, a silent promise that I was right here with her. “Janie, what do you think?” Mom whispered, tugging at her worn cotton coat. “Is this okay?” The coat was old, and if you got close enough, you could smell the faint, musty scent of being stored in a wooden chest for too long. But it was the best, and only, decent piece of clothing she owned. She only ever wore it for New Year’s. Still, standing in front of this three-story mansion, we looked completely out of place. “You look beautiful, Mom,” I said, and I meant it. In my eyes, she was the most beautiful person in the world. 2 I kept a bright smile plastered on my face, but inside, I was already composing a funeral dirge. Life in a wealthy family was never easy. The novels had taught me that much, with their brutal, predictable plots. The real heiress returns home only to face a family that favors the fake one, and a conniving, manipulative imposter who makes her life hell. But not on my watch. I wouldn’t let my mom suffer that fate. As we stepped inside, a group of people came to greet us. I was about to yell, “Where’s my sword?” when I got a good look at them. There was Mr. and Mrs. Vance, both in their fifties. A beautiful, stylishly dressed young woman. And her ten-year-old daughter… I was stumped. Surely that little brat, younger than me, couldn’t be the cuckoo in the nest? While I was lost in thought, Mrs. Vance and my mom were already crying and hugging. After a round of tearful, heartfelt introductions, I quickly got the lay of the land. The real heiress had returned too late. The story was already over. The fake heiress had taken the money, gotten married, and had a kid. Everything was settled. What the hell? I looked around, brandishing my imaginary sword, completely at a loss. My mom was sobbing her heart out in Mrs. Vance’s arms, crying “Momma” over and over again. I lowered my weapon. None of it mattered anymore. My mom had lived such a hard life. Her adoptive parents favored their son, forcing her to drop out of school to work and support the family. Even then, they beat her. When she was old enough, they tricked her into marrying a man just to get the bride price to pay for their son’s wedding. She had no power to fight her fate. Lying on her tiny bed in a makeshift room next to the toilet, she could only try to convince herself: Maybe life will be better after I get married. But life is cruel. The universe never did my mom any favors. She just went from one hell to another. After the wedding, my father quickly showed his true colors. He was an alcoholic and a gambling addict. Whenever he lost money and had too much to drink, he’d come home and take it out on my mom, his fists flying. For my sake, to give me a “complete” family, she endured it all, wiping away her tears in secret. Until the day his fists started flying at me. That was the day she finally found the strength to grab me and run, leaving that house and him behind forever. She didn’t want me to become the second version of her. After leaving my dad, things were even harder. A single woman with no education and no real skills, she struggled to raise me on her own. She worked three jobs a day, from dawn till dusk, doing the dirtiest, most grueling work imaginable. Eventually, she saved up enough to open a small food stall selling steamed buns near my school. But our lives didn’t get much better. Despite the poverty, she never let me feel deprived. She did everything in her power to give me a happy childhood. “Janie,” she’d always say, “as long as Mom’s here, you don’t have to worry about a thing.” But now, things were different. She had found her mother, her family. She finally had a place where she could cry without shame, a shield against the world’s cruelty. More than anyone, I knew how deeply she craved the warmth of a real family. 3 To celebrate our reunion, the Vances had prepared a lavish feast. There were so many dishes I’d never even seen before. Mr. and Mrs. Vance sat my mom down, and I squeezed in beside her. Mrs. Vance kept piling food onto my mom’s plate, asking her about her life with deep concern. Just as they were about to start crying again, Mr. Vance changed the subject. “You must be Janie,” he said, his voice warm. “From now on, this is your home too. We’re your grandparents. Don’t you think it’s time you started calling us that? Are you shy, Janie? Why don’t you say hello to your grandpa and grandma?” Suddenly being the center of attention, my mind went blank. I had come here ready to play the role of my mom’s vicious sidekick, and I hadn’t switched back to “sweet granddaughter” mode yet. The others chimed in, teasing me gently, and for a moment, the atmosphere at the table was warm and cheerful. Clatter! Across the table, the ten-year-old girl threw her chopsticks down. She was the fake heiress’s daughter, Chloe Grant. “They’re my grandparents, not yours!” she wailed. “You’re just a country bumpkin! A hillbilly! You don’t belong in our house!” The table fell silent. My mom instinctively pulled me behind her, her own face flushing with shame. I glanced over at the fake heiress, a woman named Dahlia Vance, who was sitting right there, saying nothing. Her silence was a tacit approval of her daughter’s outburst. Mrs. Vance frowned. “Chloe, you can’t talk to your cousin like that. Janie is our family now. She’ll be living here with us.” At that, the little girl cried even harder. “She’s not my family! Now that she’s here, Grandma and Grandpa won’t love me and Mommy anymore! You never used to scold me, Grandma! She’s a bad person! Her mom is a bad person too!” She turned to her mother, her voice thick with tears. “Mommy, are Grandpa and Grandma going to abandon us? But I don’t want to leave them! They love me the most!” Dahlia pulled the girl into a tight hug, then shot a cold, hard glare in our direction. “Mom, don’t forget what you promised me before she came back! You said nothing in this house would change because of her. It’s only her first day, and you’re already letting Chloe be bullied! I bet in a few days, you and Dad will be thinking about redividing the family assets!” A spoiled little brat and an arrogant mother. The fake heiress wasn’t even trying to hide her true colors. With the family fortune already in her hands and the powerful Grant family backing her, she had no need to play the victim to win affection. Mr. Vance slammed his hand on the table. “Dahlia, what nonsense are you spouting!” But Mrs. Vance’s heart softened. She opened her mouth to scold Dahlia several times but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Instead, she turned to my mom. “Evelyn,” she said, using my mom’s real name, “don’t take Dahlia’s words to heart. It’s my fault. But I promise, I will make up for all the years you’ve lost.” The subtext was clear: compensation, yes. Redividing the inheritance? Don’t even think about it. She coaxed softly, “I’ll have Mrs. Gable get a guest room ready. You and Janie can stay here tonight.” And just like that, I understood. The warmth from before was a mirage. In this house, everything belonged to the fake heiress, Dahlia. Even her parents’ hearts were tilted in her favor. Ugh. It’s 2025, and these clichés are still alive and well. 4 So we moved into the Vance estate. The “temporary guest room” was still bigger than our entire tiny apartment. I lay on the soft, plush mattress, fuming until three in the morning. In the moonlight streaming through the window, my mom’s sleeping face was peaceful and beautiful, which only made the Vances seem more sinister in comparison. Furious, I decided to do what I always do to calm down: read. I opened my massive digital library of “switched at birth” novels. I devoured them, one after another, with a vengeance. After Rebirth, I Destroyed the Fake Heiress’s Family. The Real Heiress’s Revenge: Reading Minds and Exposing the Fake. After Becoming the Real Heiress, My Whole Family Burned. And on and on, for what felt like a hundred books. Finally, I mentally screamed into the void: The real heiress has returned, but the story is already over! The manipulative bitch is married with a kid and has all the money! What do I do? HELP! URGENT! The books had no answers. This problem was too advanced. I was out of my depth. Suddenly, my throat was parched. I crept out of the room to get some water. And there she was. Chloe, dressed in a white nightgown, looking like a ghost. She was holding a glass of water, as if she’d been waiting for me. “Cousin,” she began, her voice dripping with false sweetness, “why did you have to come back? Why are you trying to steal my grandparents from me?” Her face twisted into an ugly mask. “They’re my grandparents! It would have been better if you and your mother had just died out there! Why did you have to come back? Go die! Both of you, just go die!” Before I could even react, she splashed the water in her own face, threw herself backwards onto the floor, and the glass shattered into a million pieces. Her small, pale hand landed right on the shards, and a deep gash opened up. Bright red blood dripped onto the white fragments, staining them crimson. In an instant, the entire villa lit up, and the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall. My heart pounded in my chest, a frantic drum against my ribs. The world went silent, until Chloe, lying on the floor, started screaming at me. “Janie, Mommy and I didn’t mean to take your things! Please don’t hit me! I’ll give you whatever you want! You can have everything, just please don’t make us leave! Mommy loves Grandpa and Grandma so much, and I do too…” She lay there in Dahlia’s arms, her face pale, her bleeding hand still clutching Mrs. Vance’s sleeve. No one would ever believe a ten-year-old could lie like that. Wow. Just… wow. This family’s talent for manipulation wasn’t just genetic; it was getting stronger with each generation. This kid was a prodigy. “Janie…” I turned. My mom was standing there, her face ashen, her body swaying as if she were about to collapse. 5 Chloe was carried off to have her wound treated. The family sat in the living room, a heavy silence hanging in the air. Dahlia was the first to speak, her voice shaking with rage. “I never thought a child could be so vicious at such a young age!” “Mom, Chloe is only ten! Her hands are for playing the piano! I’ve protected her so carefully her whole life, never letting her get so much as a scratch! It’s their first day back, and Chloe is already hurt! You have to give me an explanation!” Mrs. Vance remained silent. Mr. Vance spoke, his voice cold. “It’s a good thing her hand isn’t seriously injured. If it were, we’d have a hard time explaining this to the Grants. If our families have a falling out over this, we can’t just let it slide!” Dahlia snorted. “Like mother, like daughter.” I was about to explode, but my mom beat me to it. “Janie didn’t do it. I know my child. Janie is the kindest girl in the world. She would never do something like this.” I stared at her, my vision blurring. “Mom…” She squeezed my hand, her voice firm and unwavering. “My Janie would never do something like this.” Mrs. Vance frowned. “Evelyn, I understand you’re a mother.” “But coddling her like this is only hurting her. Chloe is seriously injured. The doctor said she was lucky, she could have been scarred for life.” “You just got here, so you don’t know, but that child loves the piano. What if she could never play again? You’d be destroying her entire life. The evidence is right in front of you. Why are you still defending your child?” “Evelyn, listen to me. Have Janie apologize to Chloe and Dahlia. We can still be a family after this.” My mom pulled her hand away. “Mom! You said it yourself, I’m Janie’s mother! I carried her for ten months. I love her, I trust her, and I will protect her!” The unshed tears in my mom’s eyes seemed to sting Mrs. Vance. She looked away, her gaze flickering with guilt. My mom stood up straight, her shoulders back, and faced them all. “There’s been a misunderstanding. I want an investigation. Check the security cameras. That will clear Janie’s name.” I buried my face in her side, sobbing. I was so much luckier than my mom. I had her. I couldn’t understand how any mother could not love her child. Mrs. Vance was my mom’s mother, too. But I didn’t think she loved my mom at all. Mr. Vance scoffed. “Check the cameras? Isn’t this embarrassing enough? Have Janie apologize to Chloe! We’ve watched Chloe grow up. We know her. She wouldn’t lie.” “The child is already hurt! Can’t you even offer a simple apology?” The disappointment in his eyes was a physical blow to my mom, and her whole body started to tremble. The warmth she’d felt upon returning to her family had been fleeting. Reality had just slapped her hard across the face, giving her a glimpse of hope only to snatch it away. Footsteps sounded from the doorway. My mom’s older brother, Ethan Vance, had just rushed back from the office. He didn’t even bother with greetings. “You just got here and you’re already causing this much trouble!” he snapped. “Mom, Dad, if something serious happens to Chloe’s hand, can the two of them even take responsibility for it? How are we supposed to explain this to the Grants?” “I heard everything from outside. Apologize! Or I’ll have no choice but to call the police!” Ethan was completely cold towards this long-lost sister of his. My mom tensed up, her body rigid. I stared at them, dumbfounded. They were all completely insane. I couldn’t beat them. So I decided to join them. “No need to bother! I’ve already called the police!” The entire Vance family stared at me in shock. I slammed a small recording pen onto the coffee table and hit play. Chloe’s triumphant, taunting words filled the room, replaying the scene for everyone to hear. Having read so many “switched at birth” novels, did they really think I wouldn’t know the importance of a recording pen and hidden cameras? I didn’t have money to buy one, so I’d begged and pleaded with a classmate to let me borrow one. I never thought I’d actually need it. “The police will be here soon. I suggest you figure out what your little manipulator is going to say to them.” My original plan was to let the police handle the little liar. But now, they’d pushed me too far. I looked around at the Vances. Their eyes darted around the room, none of them daring to meet my gaze. My mom leaned in and whispered, “What’s a ‘manipulator’?” Just then, the family doctor came over. “Miss Chloe is awake now.” Dahlia turned to Mrs. Vance, her eyes red-rimmed. “Mom…” Mrs. Vance’s heart ached for her. She completely ignored the recording. “This was all just a misunderstanding. Since Chloe is awake, let’s just drop it. It was just kids being kids.” Even my mom, the one at the center of it all, could see that the Vances’ favoritism was as deep as the Pacific Ocean. Trying to find justice here was a fool’s errand. “When Chloe was the one who was ‘wronged,’ Janie had to apologize. Now that Janie is the one who was wronged, we’re supposed to just ‘let it go’?” My mom’s weakness was me. She had defended me even without proof. Now that we had it, there was no way she would let me swallow this injustice. Mrs. Vance’s voice softened. “Evelyn, a harmonious family is a prosperous one…”

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The summer after senior year, I was hit with a triple whammy of bad news: 1. My family went bankrupt. 2. Adrian Anderson, the boy I’d been chasing for three years, was officially with his childhood friend. 3. I failed to get into university. My dad sold our villa in the city center, and we moved back to my grandparents’ old house in the countryside. I cut off contact with everyone and enrolled in a prep school for a post-grad year, determined to try again. 1 A year later, I got my acceptance letter from Northwood University. A few days into the semester, I was in the dining hall when I ran into an old high school classmate. “Juliet Wilson?” she asked, surprised. I turned at the sound of my name and saw a familiar face walking toward me. “It really is you!” Chloe Miller said, smiling as she balanced her tray. “Are you here by yourself?” I nodded. She quickly said something to the two friends she was in line with, then found a seat with me. “I’m so glad I spotted you,” she said, still looking shocked. “I saw your profile and thought it might be you, but I wasn’t sure!” Chloe had always been a social butterfly in high school, super outgoing and friendly. Back then, though, my entire world revolved around Adrian, so we never really talked much. “So, what happened to you?” she asked. “You just disappeared after graduation. We couldn’t even reach you for the end-of-year party.” I managed a small smile. “My family went bankrupt, so we moved back to my hometown. And my phone got stolen around the same time.” “Oh my God,” Chloe said, her eyes wide with sympathy. “That’s awful.” She immediately pulled out her phone to add me on social media. After we finished eating, I had to head to the library, and Chloe walked with me. She kept looking at me, opening her mouth to say something before closing it again. “What is it?” I finally asked, curious about what could make the ever-talkative Chloe hesitate. “Spit it out.” She gave an embarrassed laugh and scratched her head. “Okay, don’t think I’m being nosy, but… did you talk to Adrian at all during that year?” Hearing his name used to send my heart into a frenzy. Now, it felt like hearing about someone from another lifetime. “No.” “Aw, that’s such a shame. I shipped you two so hard,” she said, her expression dead serious. “And it wasn’t just me! The whole class did.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “You were shipping the wrong couple, my friend. He never liked me.” You should have been shipping him and Iris Song from the class next door, I added silently. They were the real story. “No way! Do you have any idea how popular and untouchable Adrian was back then? He was gorgeous, but no one dared to actually pursue him.” Her eyes lit up as she spoke, her hands waving excitedly. “But you did! You’d just call out his name, so sweet and cheerful, ask him to eat with you, wait for him after class… ugh! Watching you two was my only joy during senior year.” “He was so cold to everyone else, just these one-word answers. But with you, there was always this sense of helpless indulgence.” “And anytime a teacher called on you and you didn’t know the answer, Adrian was always there to clean up the mess. It was the cutest thing ever.” I kept smiling. You know that feeling when someone calls you out so completely it’s almost painful? What she called “helpless indulgence” was just him being annoyed. I was like gum on his shoe, a shadow he couldn’t shake. Chloe, a true captain of her ship, was still going on about it as we reached the library entrance. “Okay, Juliet, I’ll let you go. We’ll chat online!” “Bye!” I waved back, a genuine smile on my face this time. “Talk to you later!” That evening, I got back to my dorm to find my roommate, Hannah, doing a face mask. She pointed to a box of macarons on my desk. “Hey, Juliet, someone who said she was a high school friend of yours dropped these off for you.” I walked over, ready to message Chloe, but a text from her popped up first: Don’t you dare say no! These were supposed to be your graduation gift. I’m just giving them to you a year late. I thought for a moment, then sent back a “thank you” sticker. She replied almost instantly: Hey, can I add you back to our high school group chat? My fingers hovered over the screen. An image of a boy with cool, distant eyes flashed in my mind. It had been so long. He had a girlfriend now. There was nothing to be afraid of. Okay! A few seconds later, a notification popped up: You have been added to the “Class of ’22” chat. Immediately, the chat flooded with messages. [? A new member?] [Who’s this?] [Wait… is that Juliet Wilson?] Just then, my other roommate burst through the door, throwing her soaking wet bag on the floor. “Ugh, this stupid weather! It just started pouring out of nowhere!” she complained. “Juliet, I’m gonna hop in the shower!” “Go for it,” I called back. “Don’t catch a cold!” “You got it!” More people were popping up in the chat. I quickly typed: It’s me, Juliet. [Oh my God! What happened to you? We couldn’t reach you at all, we were so worried!] [Yeah, what she said!] I replied: Sorry guys, my phone was stolen, and it took me a while to get a new one. [No worries! As long as you’re okay!] [Juliet, I heard your family went bankrupt. Is that true?] I stared at the question for a moment, then blinked slowly. Yeah. The chat went silent for a beat. Then, someone jumped in: [That’s all in the past now.] [So, how are your college classes? If you guys aren’t too busy, we should all get together sometime.] [Let me send you a screenshot of my schedule. It’s inhuman. Worse than high school.] [Haha, can’t relate. I have class two days a week and the other three off.] I tapped on the group members list. Adrian’s profile picture was still a Hello Kitty. A strange thought crossed my mind. Didn’t Iris make him change it? I don’t know what possessed me, but I clicked on his profile. His feed was completely empty. He probably has it set to private, I thought. “Juliet…” Hannah came over, wrapped in a blanket. I quickly flipped my phone face down on the desk. Luckily, her attention was on the macarons. “Can I try one of those?” she asked, smiling sheepishly. “I’ve heard this brand is amazing.” “Of course, help yourself,” I said, opening the box for her. “By the way,” she said, munching happily, “are you free next Wednesday? There’s a volunteer event I was thinking we could sign up for.” “Yeah, I’m free. Sounds good.” “Awesome! Well, I’m heading to bed. Thanks for the macaron, gorgeous!” When I picked up my phone again, a notification was on the screen. Adrian Anderson has accepted your friend request. It was Adrian. My eyes went wide. A message followed immediately after. [Need something?] Oh, crap. He probably thought I was trying to bother him again. I debated whether to tell him I’d clicked by accident, but that seemed even more awkward. [Just adding people from the group chat.] After sending the message, I grabbed my clothes and headed for the shower. Whatever. He had a girlfriend now. It wasn’t like I still had feelings for him. On my desk, the screen of my phone stayed lit. At the top, the words Adrian is typing… appeared and disappeared for a long time before a single message finally came through. [Okay.] 2 Wednesday arrived in a flash. Hannah and I picked up our volunteer vests and headed towards the basketball court. “Ahhh, I’m so glad we signed up fast enough!” Hannah said, practically bouncing with excitement. “This is the holy grail of volunteer gigs. We get volunteer hours and we get to look at hot guys.” “And the game is against Kingston Tech, the engineering school next door!” I squinted at her. “Giving up on your beloved club president so soon?” “What? No! I’m just… spreading the love.” “…” The massive gymnasium was already starting to fill up. Hannah and I put on our bright red volunteer vests, and she started scanning the crowd. “Looking for your president?” I teased, bumping her shoulder. She shook her head, her eyes fixed on the entrance. “Nope. I’m scouting for talent.” Then, she grabbed my arm and physically turned my head towards a group of guys who were walking in, all wearing matching black and white jerseys. My gaze landed on the one who stood out, a head taller than the rest, and my heart hammered against my ribs. At the same time, Hannah’s excited voice squealed in my ear. “Do you see the one in the middle? With the raspberry-red hair? Isn’t he gorgeous?” “I’m telling you, he’s definitely the king of their campus. Unbelievably hot…” After all this time, I never thought I’d see Adrian again like this. And I never would have imagined him with such a bold hair color. I didn’t dare stare at him openly like Hannah was; I could only steal quick, furtive glances. He had changed, yet he was still the same. The dyed hair, the new ear piercing—but his eyes, his expression, were as cold as ever. But then my gaze drifted down to the girl walking beside him, and I quickly looked away, my heart sinking. It was Iris Song. She was wearing a simple white dress, quietly following at his side. “Hey, hey!” Hannah nudged me. “Is that his girlfriend?” “I heard some of the Kingston Tech kids talking about a girl who’s always with him. That must be her.” Hannah pouted. “She’s really pretty, though.” Then, she quickly added, “But you’re prettier, Juliet.” At that moment, I deeply regretted agreeing to volunteer. Not only were we standing directly across from them, but these bright red volunteer vests were impossible to miss. Seeing that I wasn’t responding, Hannah got even more animated. “She’s got that ethereal, water-lily kind of beauty, but you… you’re bright and fiery, the kind of beautiful you can’t ignore. The first time I saw you, and your figure… I was like, wow.” The crowd was getting bigger, and the two of us were just standing there like bright red targets. Hannah, completely oblivious, was getting more and more worked up. “Hannah, if you keep this up, someone’s going to report us,” I said, gently pushing her hands away as she tried to demonstrate my “figure.” Suddenly, she shot me a look, wiggling her eyebrows. At first, I didn’t get it. Then, Sean Sheng came jogging over to us. He was smiling, a little shyly. “Juliet, you’re volunteering here?” Hannah had vanished. I was left alone, feeling incredibly awkward. I nodded, a silent confirmation. Sean had been pursuing me since the first week of school. Even though I had told him clearly that I wasn’t interested, he persisted. Seeing him now, I saw a reflection of my younger self. I finally understood what a nuisance I must have been to Adrian. “So, uh, after the game, wait for me, okay? We can get dinner together.” Before I could refuse, he smiled and jogged back to his team. I stared at his retreating back, speechless. Hannah reappeared at my side, her voice low and thoughtful. “You know, I think Sean is actually a pretty great guy. Very persistent…” She caught my murderous glare and quickly zipped her lips. I sighed and looked down, trying to figure out how I was going to survive the next few hours. Hannah leaned in again. “Hey, do you know that hot guy from Kingston Tech? Why has he been staring at you this whole time?” My heart skipped a beat. I jerked my head up. Adrian was sitting on the bench, leaning back slightly, his face impassive. But his eyes, those sharp, almond-shaped eyes, were brewing a storm. “Don’t tell me he’s into you too!” Hannah whispered, covering her mouth in shock. I was genuinely terrified of what she might say next. I quickly clamped my hand over her mouth. “Don’t be ridiculous. He has a girlfriend.” “Mmmph mmm,” she mumbled through my fingers, her eyes wide. “She’s not as pretty as you.” 3 A sharp whistle blew, and the game began. Adrian’s red hair was a beacon on the court. That, combined with his incredible skill—the way he dribbled, the way he moved past defenders—drew endless screams from the girls in the stands. I glanced across the court and saw Iris, holding a water bottle. Her eyes were fixed on him, shining with an adoration that was impossible to miss. Watching her, I was suddenly transported back to a similar game in high school. As soon as school let out, I had dragged my deskmate to the gym, clutching a water bottle for Adrian, to snag the best seats. We were so proud of our foresight as the stands filled up around us. Back then, just like now, Adrian was the center of everyone’s attention. I held the water bottle, waiting for him to look my way so I could wave. My deskmate, unable to stand my lovesick puppy look, finally said, “I’ll save your spot. Go say hi to him.” I beamed, putting the water bottle down. But before I could even take a step, I saw Iris, a bright smile on her face, walk right up to Adrian with a water bottle of her own. The players had their own designated seating area. I stood frozen in place as Iris sat down next to him, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Another sharp whistle pulled me back to the present. I looked towards the court and saw a crowd of players huddled together. Iris was already running towards them. I don’t know when Adrian was helped off the court, or when he ended up standing right in front of me. Iris was beside him. When she saw me, her expression froze, her mouth falling open in surprise. Adrian was breathing heavily, his face flushed and beaded with sweat. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and his dark eyes were locked on mine. One of the players said, “Excuse me, can you show us to the nurse’s office?” I nodded. As I turned to lead the way, I could have sworn I saw a flicker of hurt in Adrian’s eyes before he dropped his gaze, his shoulders slumping. The nurse’s office wasn’t far. We were there in two minutes. I stood outside with Iris. She gave me a small, polite smile. “Have we met before?” “I don’t think so,” I lied without batting an eye. I glanced into the office, then she said, “Thanks for your help. I’ve got it from here. You can go.” “Okay,” I replied, a little too quickly. A flash of surprise crossed her face.

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The phone call came while Leo was fast asleep beside me. It was my parents, telling me it was time to go over to his house and meet his blind date. I thought they were joking. I leaned over and whispered, “Leo, they said they found a blind date for you.” He let out a lazy “mmhmm” and pulled me closer. “Be a doll, Thea, and pick out an outfit for me later. And do my hair.” When I didn’t move, he cracked open an eye and let out a cynical laugh. “What’s with you? We’re just bed buddies. You didn’t actually think I was going to marry you, did you?” 1 For a moment, I couldn’t process it. My hands fumbled as I pushed him away, scrambling to pull on the clothes scattered on the floor. I didn’t dare look at him. “Thea, look at me,” Leo said, propping his chin on his arm, a playful glint in his eye. “You didn’t really think we were a couple, did you?” The words “bed buddies” echoed in my head. My hands trembled so badly I couldn’t fasten the clasp on my bra. Leo threw back the covers, revealing a lean, sculpted torso, and knelt on the edge of the bed. He reached out and expertly fastened it for me. I kept my head down. “Who’s the date?” I asked, forcing a bitter laugh. “Please don’t tell me your parents just grabbed some random person from a singles mixer.” I looked in the mirror at the constellation of love bites scattered across my skin. My legs still ached. Leo, now wearing only a pair of gray sweatpants, came up behind me and buried his face in the crook of my neck. “It’s Amelia,” he murmured, his beautiful, almond-shaped eyes crinkling at the corners. “Amelia Thorne, from the art department back in college. Remember her?” He repeated her name, a note of excitement in his voice. “To be honest, I’m actually pretty nervous about seeing her.” My hand, holding a tube of lipstick, froze. Of course, I remembered. Leo had had a massive crush on her, but before he could make a move, she’d moved abroad. I thought that was all in the past. He studied my face, his lips pursed. “Hey, don’t get any funny ideas, Thea. We grew up together. You’re practically one of the guys. I mean, you’re gorgeous, sure, but… you’re my buddy.” “You’re my perfect partner in crime—my food buddy, my road trip buddy, my bed buddy…” His words hit me like a physical blow. My whole body went cold. I looked at his smiling face and managed a weak smile of my own. He continued, oblivious. “Besides, I know everything about you. What you’re going to wear, what underwear you’ll pair with it… it’s all so predictable. There’s no mystery.” “Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and see you sleeping next to me, and I get this jolt of fear—what if we actually ended up married, like our parents always joke? My whole life would be laid out in front of me, over before it even started.” He shivered, as if the very thought was terrifying. I dug my nails into my palms, fighting back tears. “I have to go,” I said, grabbing my coat and fleeing like a deserter. 2 I thought we were dating. We did everything couples do. We ate together, went on dates, hung out with friends. We’d even kiss during games of “Truth or Dare” and say “I love you” without a second thought. Leo would pick me up from work on rainy days. He’d secretly hold my hand under the table during family dinners. I had no idea that what I thought was a six-month relationship was just a game of house to him. “Thea?” My mom tapped on the car window, her face etched with concern. I snapped back to reality. I glanced in the rearview mirror and saw my tear-streaked face. I quickly wiped my cheeks and got out of the car. “Mom!” I threw my arms around her, hiding my face in her shoulder. “I missed you,” I said, forcing a cheerful tone. She was holding a bag of groceries. She took my arm, a wave of relief washing over her. “Honey, why were you just sitting in the car? You scared me. Didn’t you see that news story about someone suffocating in their car…” I nodded along. Suddenly, her tone shifted. “By the way, Thea… Leo’s date is coming over soon. His parents are taking this one very seriously. I hear Leo planned the whole thing himself. He said he was worried she might feel awkward, and that having another girl there would help. Your aunt and I have been friends for so many years, so today…” She trailed off, looking at me with a pained expression. I understood. “It’s okay, Mom. I get it. Break the ice, say nice things. I know the drill.” She gave me a look filled with pity. Of course, she knew. A picture of me and Leo sat on my nightstand. I treasured every gift he’d ever given me, and my journals were filled with a love for him that I couldn’t hide. How could she not know? We walked home in silence. As we reached the door, I said suddenly, “Dad’s retiring next month. Let’s move to Florida.” I looked at my mom’s stunned face and put on my best cheerful, daughterly voice. “You guys have always talked about retiring there. And I don’t have any big dreams. I’d be happy just being a dance teacher, staying close to you.” 3 Sitting in Leo’s house with my parents felt different this time. We were usually so boisterous, so comfortable. The last time we were here, we had used “playing video games” as an excuse to sneak off to his room and kiss. This time… “Oh, Catherine, you have no idea the lengths this boy went to for Amelia,” Leo’s mom, Aunt Rose, was saying to my mom. “I told him, ‘Just ask her out!’ But no, he had to insist on ‘dating with the intention of marriage.’ He had his father pull all sorts of strings just to arrange this ‘blind date’ today.” The house was meticulously decorated, filled with roses. There were platters of fruit and sweets on the table. Even their little dog was wearing a bright red sweater. And Leo was in front of the mirror, checking his reflection over and over, making sure he was perfect. The irony was almost suffocating. Just last night, we were tangled up in his sheets, and he was kissing the small birthmark on my hip with such passion. And the boxers he was wearing right now? I bought them for him. “It’s such a shame, though…” Aunt Rose said, taking my mom’s hand. “We always said we’d be in-laws one day. We even had a childhood engagement pact for the kids.” She glanced at me. “I just adore Thea. She’s not only beautiful, but she has such a wonderful personality, so full of life…” I kept my eyes down, not daring to speak. I was afraid that if I did, the tears would start to fall. “Mom!” Leo frowned, clearly annoyed. “You said it yourself, that was your generation’s thing. You and Aunt Catherine are best friends, so why don’t you marry her? What does it have to do with me? What century are we living in?” He had no regard for his parents’ feelings. He turned to me, his tone sharp, as if I had put his mother up to this. “Thea, where’s the bracelet my mom gave you?” When I didn’t answer, he strode over, grabbed my wrist, and pushed up my sleeve. “The one from the engagement pact. I don’t want Amelia to see it and get the wrong idea…” The room fell silent. Leo’s father and my dad stopped drinking their tea. My mom, who had been arranging flowers, froze. The atmosphere turned painfully awkward. My mom looked at me, and the vase and scissors in her hands clattered onto the table. She started to stand up, but Aunt Rose pulled her back down. Aunt Rose, however, shot up from her seat, stood protectively in front of me, and gave Leo a hard shove. “Leo! What do you think you’re doing? First of all, nothing has even happened between you and this Amelia yet! And second of all, that bracelet… you were the one who got on your knees and begged Thea to wear it when you were seventeen!” It was as if Leo’s soul had finally returned to his body. He remembered. He remembered the year someone had confessed their feelings to me. In a panic, he had gotten drunk, stolen the antique jade bracelet from his mother, and shown up at my house in the middle of the night, crying and pleading, even getting on his knees, begging me to wear his family’s heirloom. He loosened his tie, took a deep breath, and then looked at me with a forced smile. “I’m just a little on edge. I… it’s not right to take back a gift. You can keep it.” “It’s fine. I’ll give it back to you. I’ll go get it now,” I said, my voice calm as I stood up. “I’ll be right back. I won’t be long.” Before anyone could react, I grabbed my bag and walked out. 4 When I returned with the bracelet and was about to knock, I was startled by a chorus of cheers from inside. “Welcome…” Leo’s smile froze when he saw me. “What are you doing here?” He seemed surprised that I had come back, and even more surprised that I was actually returning the bracelet. When I handed it to him, his face was a mask of disbelief. He finally took it and tucked it away, then leaned in and whispered in my ear. “Thea, for the sake of our… partnership, don’t cause any trouble today. Amelia is a sensitive girl. Don’t say anything to upset her.” I didn’t want to deal with him. Amelia is a girl, but I’m not? I looked at the boy I had loved for my entire youth, and a bone-deep chill threatened to swallow me whole. Ten minutes later, Amelia arrived, escorted by the matchmaker. The older generation chatted amiably. That was why my parents had to be there—to subtly lay out our family’s background and future prospects for the matchmaker’s benefit. Throughout it all, Leo sat beside Amelia, his every move radiating care and attention. A nearly thirty-year-old man acting like a nervous teenager. I had nothing to do with any of it, which was fine by me. I was just looking for a chance to slip away. But then, Amelia turned her gentle gaze on me. “You must be Thea. I’ve heard so much about you. The goddess of the art department, wasn’t it?” Startled, I waved my hands dismissively. “Oh, no, that was just my friends fooling around in college.” I thought the attention would shift, but Amelia persisted. “Not at all. I remember you performed a classical dance at the spring formal, and the next day, the dorm lobby was flooded with flowers for you.” Before I could reply, she tugged playfully on Leo’s arm. “You two grew up together. How did you not end up together? I remember you were inseparable. Everyone thought you would get married.” All eyes turned to me. I don’t know how to describe it, but this seemingly harmless woman exuded a strange hostility towards me. “Her?” Leo said, looking at Amelia as he handed her a perfectly peeled apple. “To you, she might be a ‘goddess’ or whatever. To me, she’s just a tomboy. My best buddy.” He chuckled as if remembering something. “You have no idea. When she cried as a kid, snot and tears would just stream down her face. If I didn’t wipe it for her, it would have gone right into her mouth.” “And when she was fifteen, she fainted during gym class and started talking nonsense, flailing her arms around…” “I have to go,” I said, standing up, barely containing my anger. I forced a smile at the adults. “You all enjoy the rest of your evening.” Amelia looked at Leo with a concerned expression. “Did I say something wrong to upset her?” Leo shot me a furious glare, as if I were the one ruining the mood. Before he could speak, I cut him off. “I have a date with my boyfriend tonight. If I don’t leave now, I’ll be late.”

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I’m five years older than Liam. So, when he turned twenty-eight, I was already thirty-three. He was the one who once swore to me that age would never be a barrier between us. But later, he told his best friend, “I don’t know why, but once Clara hit thirty, she just started to seem… a little unclean to me.” After that, he found a lover—a girl who looked a little like me. He gave me his heart, and he gave her his body. He thought he had crafted the perfect, compartmentalized life. Until I handed him the divorce papers. I smiled as I told him, “You know, there’s one huge advantage to loving and marrying an older woman, darling. We know how to play the game, and we know how to take a loss.” 1 Sometimes, a woman’s intuition is just that sharp. While Liam was in the shower, his phone buzzed. A local number, no caller ID. I answered it. I said “Hello?” twice, then asked, “Who is this?” The line was silent. Then, they hung up. In those few seconds of dead air, an unspoken understanding passed between us. The person on the other end knew exactly who I was. And I knew, with a sinking certainty, that something was deeply wrong. I unlocked Liam’s phone. I used the number to find the person on his social media. It was a girl. Her avatar was a soft, cutesy anime character, her screen name was “Peaches.” There was no contact name saved for her, and he had her notifications silenced. Their chat history was pristine. Only a single unread message remained: 【I miss you.】 Just those three words, and my heart seized in my chest. My mind went cold with the single, stark realization: Liam was cheating on me. The phone felt weightless in my suddenly nerveless grip. I clicked on the girl’s profile. Her cover photo was likely a selfie—hair in a messy bun, lips in a playful pout. It screamed youth, and I had to admit, she was pretty. I didn’t linger on it. Instead, I took out my own phone and snapped a picture of her profile. Her feed was full of posts. I scrolled quickly, my thumb a blur, until one post made me freeze. She’d written: 【I only want 199 from him, not a penny more!】 Beneath the text was a screenshot of her conversation with Liam. She had him saved under the contact name: My Princess’s Provider. She’d asked him: 【Where’s the 199 you promised me?】 Liam had sent her twenty thousand dollars. She hadn’t accepted it. She’d sent it right back. 【I only want 199!】 Liam replied with a string of ellipses but complied, sending her the exact amount. She followed up with: 【Do you know what 199 means? It’s a pun. It means I want to be with you for a long, long time! Forever and ever!】 My face remained a mask of calm as I took another picture. I backed out of her profile and went straight to his transaction history, filtering for all their transfers. One after another, they scrolled down the screen, a river of payments with no end in sight. The most consistent were the large deposits: fifty thousand dollars at the beginning of each of the last three months. Beyond that, the smaller amounts were countless—a thousand here, two hundred there. Sprinkled among them were numbers thick with meaning: 199, 520 for I love you, 1314 for forever. I photographed every single transaction, my movements methodical and precise. Throughout the entire process, I was eerily calm. I even remembered to mark their chat as unread before I closed the app. 2 “What’s up? Lost in thought?” Liam emerged from the bathroom, rubbing a towel through his wet hair, his voice laced with casual curiosity. I snapped back to reality. I looked up at him. He was wearing nothing but a towel slung low on his hips. Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, a chiseled eight-pack. Liam had always kept himself in impeccable shape. I remembered a friend once envying me. “Just look at him,” she’d said. “As long as he’s not a murderer, what’s there not to forgive? Especially when he’s so devoted to you!” I had believed it, too. I had believed Liam was devoted to me. But now, it seemed that was just a story I’d been telling myself. “Oh, someone called for you just now,” I said, my voice even. “Didn’t say a word and then hung up. You might want to check it.” “Probably a spam call. Don’t worry about it.” He took the phone from me, his expression unruffled. He tossed the damp towel into the laundry hamper and picked up his pack of cigarettes from the table. “I’m gonna have a smoke on the balcony.” He always smoked on the balcony because he knew I hated the smell. Only now did I realize it wasn’t just about the smoke. A few minutes later, Liam came back inside, pulling on a fresh shirt. “Honey, I have to run out,” he said, all business. “Something urgent came up. Don’t wait up for me tonight.” “What’s wrong?” “The system at the Harrison Group is acting up. I don’t know what their deal is. It was working perfectly during the tests, but now they’re saying it’s all glitches and crashes. I’ve gotta head over there. If it’s late, I’ll just crash at a hotel nearby.” “Is Ethan going with you?” “Yep!” It sounded so convincing. Facts, details, even a witness. I simply nodded. “Drive safe.” 3 Liam left in a hurry. I stood there for a long time, my gaze fixed on the wedding photo hanging on our wall. I just couldn’t understand. Why? Why would Liam cheat? And that girl… Who was she? Her face, the money Liam sent her, those posts on her feed… The images flashed through my mind, a chaotic slideshow of betrayal. Suddenly, a memory sparked. I grabbed my phone, my hands trembling. That girl. I’d seen her before. 4 It was about six months ago. Liam had been taken to the local precinct after a street fight. I went to bail him out. He wasn’t badly hurt, just a scrape on his cheekbone, but his mood was black. His eyes were feral, his whole body radiating a dangerous energy I hadn’t seen since he was a teenager. He had beaten the other guy to a pulp; it was clear he’d intended to do serious damage. The man was screaming about pressing charges, demanding an apology and compensation. Liam just sneered. If I hadn’t been holding him back, he would have gone for him again. After everything was sorted, I was leading him out of the station when a young woman in a work uniform rushed up to us. She gushed at Liam, her words tumbling out in a grateful torrent. “Sir, if it weren’t for you today, I don’t know what would have happened. Thank you, really, thank you so much!” I blinked, looking from her to Liam. He was the picture of impatience. “You should find a new line of work,” he said, his voice rough. A shadow crossed the girl’s face. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I had any other choice…” Liam’s expression soured even more, and he cut her off harshly. “Not my problem. Do whatever you want.” My friend Chloe had come with me that day. As Liam shook the girl off and strode away, Chloe grabbed my arm. “Don’t you think she looks a bit like you?” she’d whispered. “Like, a younger version of you?” I’d laughed it off, thinking she was imagining things. But I couldn’t help turning back to look at the girl one last time. Now, the memory of her face merged perfectly with the photo on my phone. It was her. 5 Liam didn’t come home that night. He returned the next evening, carrying a takeout container. “It’s from that spicy noodle spot you love,” he said, a placating smile on his face. “The line was insane. You go ahead and eat, I’m gonna hop in the shower.” “Okay.” As soon as the bathroom door clicked shut, I grabbed my spare key, took the bag of food, and went straight down to the underground garage. The car had been washed; it was spotless. The passenger seat was adjusted to my preferred position. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But I wasn’t looking for the obvious. I was there for the dashcam. I went through all the footage from yesterday until today. Liam had driven to the university campus on the south side of town. He’d called the girl. Just two words, sharp and commanding: “Come down.” She’d bounced into the passenger seat, a picture of youthful energy. Then came the sounds. Kissing. Heavy breathing. “Did you touch that old hag?” the girl’s voice, sharp and possessive. “Shut up,” Liam’s voice, low and strained. “Did you or didn’t you?” His reply was a husky growl, thick with desire. “What do you think?” She giggled, triumphant. “You’re all mine.” “Just don’t beg me to stop later.” The car sped up, the velocity a clear indicator of the driver’s urgency. He pulled into the parking lot of an apartment complex near the campus and parked. The footage went dark. The next clip started at ten the following morning. Only Liam was in the car. The video played on in silence. I sat frozen in the driver’s seat, my entire body rigid, muscles coiled so tight they ached. I raised a hand to turn it off, but just then, the car’s Bluetooth rang. It was Ethan, Liam’s best friend. “Dude, where are you? You’re not here yet.” “On my way.” “Tsk, this is late, even for you. Not your style. Don’t tell me you were with your little Peaches again.” Liam grunted an affirmative. “Mm.” Ethan sounded exasperated. “Seriously? You’re seeing her way too often. Are you actually falling for her?” Liam let out a short, hollow laugh. “What’s real? What’s fake?” “Don’t play dumb with me. I thought this was just a fling. How did it turn into a long-term thing? Weren’t you head-over-heels in love with Clara? What happened?” The question seemed to stump Liam. A long pause hung in the air. Finally, he spoke, his voice flat. “Clara’s thirty-three.” “And?” “I don’t know why, but once she hit thirty… she just started to seem… unclean to me.” 6 How long had it been since Liam had touched me? I lit a cigarette, the unfamiliar gesture feeling both foreign and deeply necessary, and tried to trace it back. It started about six months ago. Work had become all-consuming. I was pushing for a promotion, pulling late nights, running on fumes and caffeine. Most days, I’d stumble home with just enough energy to fall into bed. Liam would wrap his arms around me, try to kiss me. I’d push him away. “Don’t, I’m exhausted. Next time, okay?” The first time, he was understanding, even sympathetic. The second time, he was clearly annoyed but held his tongue. The third time, he exploded, slamming the door on his way out. I found him at a bar later that night. I knew I’d been unfair, so I wrapped my arms around his neck and met his fierce, punishing kiss with one of my own. It wasn’t good. It was rough, and it hurt. He must have sensed it too, because he finished quickly. That night, he slept with his back to me, the first time he’d ever done that. I felt helpless, unsure how to fix it, how to soothe his bruised ego. But before I could, he seemed to fix himself. He apologized, saying it was his fault, that he’d been too aggressive. “Don’t overthink it,” he’d said. “Don’t let it get to you. We’ll go on a trip as soon as you’re not so busy.” I thought the issue was resolved. He was still good to me. He still treated me well. Even if he no longer held me when we slept, even if we hadn’t made love in half a year. He was good to me. But now he was saying he found me… unclean. That single word. From the moment I heard it, it had sunk its icy claws into me. Every time I thought of it, a chill spread through my entire body. The hand holding the cigarette trembled violently. Ash fell onto my skin, a hot, sharp sting. But it was nothing compared to the wound that word had carved into me. 7 Liam called, his voice a familiar balm over the phone. He asked where I was, why I hadn’t come back upstairs yet. I told him I was just taking out the trash and would be up in a minute. He grunted an “Okay.” “I’m heading to bed, then.” When I finally went back up, Liam was fast asleep, turned on his side, hugging the edge of the bed and leaving a vast, empty space for me. I didn’t get in. I just sat on the edge of the mattress. I stared at his back all night. I met him the year he turned eighteen, a new student in a new city. He was a rebellious kid who’d defied his parents to enroll here, running away from home with nothing but a backpack. His older brother, Mark, had been worried about him and asked me to pick him up from the station. “He has no money, and the dorms aren’t open yet. Can he crash with you for a bit? The kid’s stubborn as a mule. If he says or does anything to tick you off, just give him a good smack.” I thought Mark was out of his mind. A teenage boy? Living with me? Not a chance. I was already planning to rent a separate apartment for him. But when I saw him, he looked so small, so lost. He was crouched under a large tree at the station, hugging his backpack like an abandoned puppy. He came home with me, quiet and obedient. Before I could even bring up the topic of him finding his own place, he was already tugging on my sleeve, his eyes wide and pleading. “Please, I’ll be good, I promise. I’ll cook for you, I’ll clean the house. Just please don’t make me leave.” I couldn’t help but laugh, thinking he was full of it. But he wasn’t. He really did cook for me every day. He even rode his little electric scooter to my office to pick me up after work. His presence filled my quiet, sterile apartment with life. My daily commute suddenly felt less like a chore. We lived under the same roof for a month. In the end, it was me who bought him his school supplies and took him to campus. I thought it was just a fleeting chapter in my life. But later, he confessed he had chosen this university just for me. He told me he’d seen me once when he was sixteen, and from that moment on, I had become the sole focus of all his hopes and dreams. This man, when he was still just a boy, had laid his whole, earnest heart at my feet. And I had fallen completely. But now, he was taking it all back. And I had to drag myself out of the wreckage, fast.

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I woke up as a lioness, pregnant with cubs I didn’t remember conceiving. To raise them, to keep them alive, I had to lie. I hid my status as a mother and joined a new pride. The pride was in the middle of the great migration, and I spent my nights with a cub in my mouth, stumbling through the dark to keep up, my body screaming with exhaustion. I clung to the tail end of the pride like it was a lifeline, terrified of falling behind. The Lion King, who had been watching me with an unreadable expression, finally spoke. “You travel with such desperation,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “What is it you’re so afraid of losing?” 1 I prayed the cubs in my belly wouldn’t come too soon. At least not during the dry season. But fate, it seemed, had other plans for this lioness. I gave birth on the sun-scorched sand. Three fluffy little cubs tumbled and crawled around me. As far as the eye could see, the great plains were a sea of withered yellow. This land hadn’t seen a drop of rain in five months. “Mom, my brother scratched me!” “Nuh-uh, I just nudged her! The rock was hot, I was just moving my feet.” The siblings bickered constantly. I rested my head on my paws, my body a cushion on the hot ground. “Mama, look, there’s another mama over there.” What was he talking about? I followed his gaze and saw a mother musk ox leading her calf past us. “Oh my god, that thing is huge! Kids, run!” A jolt of pure human instinct shot through me. I scrambled up, snatched the smallest cub in my mouth, and bolted. I sprinted headlong, huffing and puffing, my cubs struggling to keep pace behind me. But the farther I ran, the more something felt wrong. I slowly eased my pace. I mentally slapped myself. I was a lion now. I should have been the one hunting the musk ox! By the time I turned around, filled with regret, the mother and her calf were long gone. 2 I was so hungry I could feel the world starting to spin. My cubs, weak from the lack of milk, wobbled and stumbled with every step. The endless, sun-baked savanna stretched out before us, a terrifying, empty expanse. A wave of panic washed over me. If we stayed hungry, it would only take a day and a night for this land to claim us. I had no choice but to mimic the lions I’d seen on nature documentaries. Gritting my teeth against the gnawing hunger, I trekked for miles until I finally managed to catch two small pikas. It was barely enough to fill a gap in my teeth, but at least it meant I could produce milk again. I raced back, desperate to feed my cubs, only to see three furry little heads poking over a sand dune. “Mama, look! So many lions.” My second-born stared with envy. “If we were with them, we’d never be hungry.” “Don’t say that!” the oldest swatted him with a small paw. “We won’t starve with Mama either.” Gurgle… His own little stomach betrayed him with a loud rumble. I climbed the dune and looked out. In the distance, a massive pride of lions was moving slowly across the vast plain. Behind them, the land stretched to the horizon, where an orange sun was sinking low in the sky. I knew, with a certainty that chilled me to the bone, that my cubs had no future with me alone. I slammed a paw into the dirt. I was staking everything on this. I had to. 3 The grasslands at night were even more vast and desolate. After finding a safe spot and lulling my cubs to sleep, I returned to the dune where I’d seen the pride. I followed their scent, running without pause. Just as the sun began to push its way over the horizon, I finally caught up to them. My approach immediately put the entire pride on high alert. “You’re not one of us. I’ve never seen you before.” “Leave now, or we won’t be so polite!” The lionesses bared their teeth, their bodies arching into combat stances. “Wait, don’t misunderstand!” I explained hurriedly. “I’m not here to challenge you. I’m here to join you.” One of the lionesses relaxed her posture slightly. “Can you hunt?” “Yes,” I said. A little bit is still ‘yes’, I muttered to myself, though my only victories so far were pikas. “Have you had cubs?” “Huh?” Was I being interviewed? Had the corporate rat race followed me even into the animal kingdom, complete with questions about my family status? Then, a flash of insight, cold and sharp. In a pride, the king would never tolerate cubs that weren’t his own. He would kill them without a second thought. The realization made me stammer. “N-no. None.” “What’s all the noise?” A deep, powerful voice cut through the tension. I turned to see a male lion approaching at a slow, deliberate pace. This must be the king. He was larger than any lion I’d ever seen. His gaze was piercing, his mane long and magnificent, and the muscles under his coat moved with a formidable, powerful grace. I instinctively took two steps back, a wave of regret washing over me. I shouldn’t have come. This lion could kill me with a single swipe of his paw. And I had cubs to raise. My courage evaporated. My knees felt weak. “I’m so sorry, sir. I’ll get out of your way right now.” I flattened my ears and turned to flee, but before I’d taken two steps, he was in front of me, blocking my path. His words were simple. “If you have nowhere else to go, you may walk with us.” I froze, and when his words finally registered, I was so overcome with relief I nearly fell to my knees. “I don’t mind! I don’t mind at all! I would be honored!” 4 The pride continued its migration. The sun of this dry season was harsher than any in recent memory. The scattered, skeletal remains of trees were a grim testament to the land’s fading life. I followed the pride absently, my mind consumed with worry. How were my children? Were they hungry? “Kael, there’s a herd of buffalo over there.” The long drought forced all animals to migrate, and this herd was no exception. Buffalo were enormous and not an ideal target, but the pride had been starving for days. It was a risk they had to take. “Yes. We hunt,” Kael said without hesitation, giving the command. The lionesses surged forward, charging the herd. The buffalo scattered in a panic. But they were formidable prey. The lionesses engaged in one long, draining battle after another, but came away with nothing. The pride’s division of labor was clear: the females hunted and raised the young, while the king patrolled the territory and fought off intruders. Kael watched the scene, his eyes narrowed. Then, with a sudden burst of movement, he charged. Dust exploded into the air. Before I could even see what had happened, a full-grown buffalo was down, Kael’s jaws locked on its throat, the great beast gasping its last breaths. There was a strict hierarchy when it came to eating. The king ate his fill first, and only then could the lionesses approach the kill. But Kael was no tyrant with his food. He gave a silent nod, permitting the others to eat alongside him. I hung back, ashamed. I hadn’t dared to join the hunt. Kael glanced at me. My tail went rigid with fear. He gestured with his head. “Come. There is room here.” My eyes lit up. I approached with the most fawning posture I could manage. “Thank you, my king! All hail the king!” I settled down next to Kael and devoured a large piece of meat, my stomach, which had been painfully empty for half a month, finally feeling full. After the meal, the pride rested. Seizing my chance while no one was watching, I sprinted back the way we came. I hoped my cubs weren’t scared. I returned to the dune and called out for them. “One! Two! Three!” I quickly heard the voice of my second-born. “Huh? It’s Mama!” My oldest was the first to appear, his face ecstatic. “Wow, it really is Mama!” My second cub ran over, circling my legs and rubbing his head against me. “Quick, call your sister. It’s time to drink,” I said, feeling the familiar pressure in my chest. Finally, my cubs could have a full meal. At the mention of their sister, both boys burst into tears. “Mama, we’re sorry! We lost her!” My world shattered. Forgetting all about nursing, I grabbed my boys and began a frantic search. “Three! Three, come to Mama!” “Little sister, where are you?” “SISTERRR—” We screamed until our throats were raw. The sun began to set, and there was still no sign of her. My heart felt like it was being torn apart. I fought back tears, about to give up. Suddenly, a faint voice drifted on the wind. “Mama…” Three! It was her! I followed the sound and found her trapped in a crevice between two large rocks. “Don’t be scared, Mama’s here,” I soothed her, pushing against the rock with all my might. My two boys joined in, using all their strength, their little paws scraped raw. Ignoring the pain, I finally dislodged the massive stone with my head. “Waaah! Mama!” My little girl threw herself into my arms, sobbing. I held my child, who I’d thought was lost forever, and my body shook with the cold sweat of relief. 5 I couldn’t bear the thought of something like that happening again. I would have gone insane. So I made a bold decision. I was going to hide my children within the pride. My second-born was thrilled, his tail held high. “Mama, can we really stay with you?” “It’s getting dark. I’m a little scared, Mama.” My youngest, having just survived her ordeal, was much more timid now. I knelt down. “Three, climb onto Mama’s back.” And so, with my daughter on my back and my two sons trotting behind me, we walked across the silent, vast plains under the high, bright moon. We caught up with the pride before dawn. The lionesses were sleeping, but Kael was gone, likely on patrol. “Mama! It’s that super big…” my second-born cried out in excitement. My oldest son’s fur stood on end. He quickly clamped a paw over his brother’s mouth. “Be quiet! Mama said we’re here to sneak food, we have to be discreet.” I raised a paw to my lips. “Shhh—quietly now. Don’t get caught.” The three little ones mimicked me in perfect unison. “Ssshh—we’re being sneaky.” I knew that to survive the dry season, we had to stick with this pride. If the cubs were discovered, it would be a death sentence for all of us. I warned them over and over. “You must stay hidden. I’ll be watching you. Don’t be scared, and don’t make a sound…” “You’re back?” Kael’s voice came from right behind me. The cubs scattered like frightened birds, diving under my belly. I immediately dropped to the ground to cover them, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would burst. “Ah, yes. I’m back,” I said, trying to sound calm. He didn’t seem to notice the little ones. “Where did you go? I was just looking for you.” So he wasn’t patrolling. He was looking for me? My mind raced. “I was thirsty. Went to find some water.” The cubs, cramped under my belly, began to squirm. My heart nearly flew out of my chest. I pressed down on them firmly and faked a cough. They finally settled down. Kael showed no signs of leaving. “This year’s dry season is too long. Water is hard to find. We just have to hold out until the rains come.” I was barely listening, just nodding and mumbling “Oh,” while silently praying for him to leave. “You know,” he continued, “I haven’t mated with any of these lionesses.” Oh, brother, I thought in agony. Why are you telling me this? Why won’t you just leave? “I only defeated the previous king half a month ago.” I don’t need to hear your life story, please, just go… “We leave at dawn. Get some rest.” He finally turned and walked away. I watched him go, only daring to let my cubs out when he was a safe distance away. My youngest gasped for air, her ordeal having left her breathless. My oldest watched Kael’s retreating figure with admiration. “Is that the Lion King? He’s so cool!” I was in no mood to discuss Kael’s accomplishments. I quickly ushered them away from the pride and hid them behind a large rock. 6 The pride trekked across the endless plains, the parched earth littered with the skeletons of animals. For me, the laws of the animal kingdom were a foreign language. In this land, devoid of civilization, I knew I would be quickly weeded out by nature. But I had to survive. At least until my children were grown. “Kael, signs of a wildebeest herd passing through here,” said a lioness named Kyra. She had been one ofthe former king’s mates. Kael made a quick assessment. “We’re picking up the pace. We might be close to the oasis.” The pride broke into a trot, but my heart sank. My children were still crawling through the tall grass far behind us. They would never be able to keep up. “Look, a river ahead!” one of the lionesses exclaimed in delight. They hadn’t had a proper drink in days and rushed to the water’s edge. While they were preoccupied, I seized the opportunity and ran back. My little ones were already exhausted. “Brother, I’m so tired, I can’t run anymore,” my daughter whimpered, though she kept her little paws moving, trying to keep up. “We can’t rest,” my oldest urged. “Don’t stop, or we’ll never see Mama again.” “We’re hiding so well, Mama must be so happy with us.” “Huh? It’s Mama!” My oldest son’s eyes lit up as he saw me running towards them. Without a word, I scooped up my daughter, let my sons clamber onto my back, and hurried to catch up with the pride. But I immediately faced a new problem. The river had bought me time, but now it blocked our path. I hid behind a dead tree, peering out at the pride. They had finished drinking and were now crossing the river. My cubs were too small to make it across. “Mama, what do we do? You’re going to leave us, aren’t you…” my second-born asked, his gaze uncertain. My other two cubs drooped their ears and hung their heads in sorrow. “Nonsense! I would abandon anything before I abandoned you.” I understood his fear. In the animal kingdom, abandoning the weak in a crisis was a common, brutal choice. The pride was already on the other side. If I didn’t follow now, I might never catch up. “We’ll wait for them to get further ahead, then Mama will take you across.” No matter what happened, I would never abandon my children. I watched the pride move across the vast landscape until they disappeared over the horizon. Then, I let my three little ones drink their fill from the river and play for a while before I carried them across. The plains on the other side were just as vast and empty. Once again, we were alone in this immense land.

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In my past life, I snatched up the guaranteed early admission to Harvard that a high-society heiress had thrown away. After graduation, I married into a dynasty of wealth, transforming from a small-town girl into the wife of the city’s most powerful man. By twenty-eight, I had flawlessly navigated every single crossroad that could alter my destiny. But then I woke up, and I was eighteen again. And floating before my eyes were lines of text, like comments in a live stream. [Chat: The MC is so damn lucky. She just swooped in and stole the supporting character’s entire life.] [Chat: In the last life, it was like the heiress was cursed or something. Threw away her Harvard acceptance to run off with some punk to a third-rate college, and even pushed away the rich guy who’d adored her since childhood. She had a royal flush and played it like a losing hand!] [Chat: She was nerfed by the plot to make way for the main character, duh! Thank god she’s been reborn. This time it’s gotta be the ultimate revenge story!] [Chat: I can’t wait to see how Luna becomes the main character now that she can’t ride the heiress’s coattails!] That girl, Luna? That’s me. But… Who says I can’t be the main character? The one who only wants something back after they’ve lost it… they’ve already lost the game from the start. 01 My eyes fluttered open, the world swimming back into focus. The first thing I saw was the ecstatic, almost manic glee in my deskmate Scarlett’s eyes. She bolted out the back of the classroom, sprinting to the room next door and shouting for Shaffer—the man who, in another lifetime, became my husband. She threw herself onto him, sobbing her heart out. “Shaffer, I won’t be a fool again! I swear it!” Shaffer froze for a long moment before a look of pure joy washed over his face. He fumbled to comfort her, his hands hovering awkwardly. The spectral comments appeared again. [Chat: Now THIS is how it’s supposed to be. The Manhattan heiress belongs with the tycoon’s son. What right does some country bumpkin like Luna have to a power-fantasy plot?!] [Chat: Luna is nothing but a thief, a bottom-feeder! We don’t acknowledge a main character like her!] [Chat: Good, the heiress finally woke up. This time, Luna can get sent packing back to whatever hick town she came from!] I stared blankly at the calculus workbook on my desk. The intricate equations were a stark declaration that I had truly returned to my senior year of high school. There was one month left of classes before final exams. Someone slid into the seat beside me. Scarlett’s eyes were red-rimmed but shone with a brilliant, triumphant light. She shot me a smug smirk, her face a mask of absolute certainty. “I’m going to take back everything that’s mine, Luna. Just you watch.” I just smiled, saying nothing. I was looking forward to it, too. To see what path I would forge for myself, now that I had a second chance. 02 The school bell shrieked, and our homeroom teacher walked in, beaming. A look of unadulterated joy exploded across Scarlett’s face. The comments streamed by in a frenzy. [Chat: Here it is, here it is! The heiress’s early admission letter!] [Chat: This is the first turning point for Luna’s destiny. If she hadn’t taken the spot that belonged to the heiress, how could she have ever gotten into Harvard?] [Chat: People like her who steal the fruits of others’ labor without putting in the work are just rats in the gutter. And then she even stole the heiress’s fiancé and became the envied wife of a tycoon. Shameless!] A moment later, our teacher spoke. “Scarlett Vance, congratulations! You’ve officially received an early acceptance offer from Harvard!” As a wave of applause filled the room, he looked at me with a touch of sympathy. “Though you and Scarlett both won awards in the National Math Olympiad, there was only one spot for early admission based on that achievement.” In my past life, Scarlett had beaten my score by a mere half a point. When the rankings came out, I was the one cut. But then, to everyone’s astonishment, she had refused it. “Sir, getting in through early admission is the easy way out. Give the spot to someone who needs it more.” That one sentence made the entire class see her in a new light. Our teacher had even joked with her. “Well then, I’ll be waiting for you to make valedictorian and bring glory to our school!” The reality, however, was that she had been completely brainwashed by her bad-boy boyfriend, vowing to attend the same college as him to live out some grand, dramatic romance. She was sick of their current life of sneaking around, of having to steal moments just to hold hands. Back then, Scarlett was drowned in praise. But I, the one who received the cast-off offer, became the butt of everyone’s jokes. “Charity case.” “Bottom-feeder.” “Shameless.” I didn’t care. My grades hovered right on the edge of the Ivy League cutoff. I cherished that opportunity. Scarlett had the wealth and connections to absorb the blow of a less-than-perfect transcript, but for a girl from a small town like me, there was no safety net. A stable future was far more important than a few thoughtless insults. But this time, things were different. Scarlett’s voice rang out, firm and clear. “I accept the early admission to Harvard!” 03 Amidst a chorus of envious sighs, she turned to me. “You must be crushed, Luna, aren’t you?” [Chat: Oh, you know she is. Luna’s probably grinding her teeth to dust right now!] [Chat: This is the best part! Just thinking about the heiress dumping that delinquent loser and going to the same university as the male lead is so satisfying!] Scarlett took a deep, shaky breath, her body trembling slightly as if the reality of her rebirth was finally sinking in. “I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. “This acceptance letter is mine.” I offered a faint smile. “Congratulations.” Ten years. In my previous life, from eighteen to twenty-eight, I’d powered through my bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees, all while fighting my way up the ladder at the Astor Corporation. Meanwhile, Scarlett and her delinquent boyfriend were playing games of cat and mouse, having tearful fights, secret abortions, and dramatic episodes of running away from home. What I had over her wasn’t just a decade of knowledge, but also sharp judgment and the unshakeable confidence that comes from weathering storms. A single set of final exams. This time around, I could trust myself completely. No slip-ups, no second-guessing. But Scarlett saw my composure as a fragile front. She shot me a disdainful look. “I can’t wait to see the look on your face in two months when final grades are released!” She was gloating, utterly convinced she was about to witness my downfall. 04 Her victory lap lasted less than a single class period. The moment Zane appeared, the color drained from her face. Zane was a real troublemaker, and also Scarlett’s current boyfriend. As the sole heiress to the immense Vance family fortune, one of the city’s most prominent families, Zane’s motives for pursuing her were painfully obvious. He stormed into the classroom, his face a thundercloud of fury, and kicked my desk with a loud bang. “You said we were going to the same college! What the hell is this now?” Scarlett glared at him, her eyes blazing. “Why should I listen to you? With your grades, you’ll be lucky to get into a no-name state school. Who do you think you are to tell me what to do!” The commotion drew a crowd of onlookers at the classroom door. Shaffer, in the class next door, heard Scarlett’s raised voice and rushed in, immediately placing himself in front of her as a shield. His voice was cold and hard. “If you want to cause a scene, get out. This isn’t the place for your theatrics.” Humiliated, Zane’s anger boiled over. He pointed a shaking finger at Scarlett, his words turning vile. “You’re still hung up on this prissy little bitch? You have no idea, do you? She’s dying for it, said she’d give me her first time right after graduation.” He let out a harsh, ugly laugh. “Never thought I’d see a high-society princess so desperate to get into my pants. Pathetic, isn’t she?” Scarlett trembled with rage, then suddenly whirled around and pointed at me. “It was you, wasn’t it? You’re mad you didn’t get my spot, so you brought him here to threaten me! To ruin my reputation! You’re shameless, Luna! You and him, you’re both just trying to steal what’s mine!” The chat exploded with indignation on Scarlett’s behalf, cursing me out. [Chat: I knew it! How else would Zane find out so fast? Luna must have been in on it with him from the start!] [Chat: The heiress was totally manipulated by Zane last time. She’s innocent and kind, raised like a princess by her family and Shaffer. How would she ever recognize a calculating predator like Zane? And with a schemer like Luna in the mix, it’s no wonder she fell into their trap.] [Chat: Last time, she suffered so much because of those two. Now that she’s awake, they’re going to get what’s coming to them!] I almost laughed out loud. “If you’re having delusions, go see a shrink! I haven’t moved from my desk this entire class, are you blind? Don’t you dare try to blame me for the mess you dragged in.” The surrounding students exchanged glances, nodding in agreement with my words. Scarlett’s face flushed a deep crimson, and she fell silent. Zane was kicked out, but he left chaos in his wake. My textbooks were scattered all over the floor. I quietly bent down to pick them up, my eyes meeting Shaffer’s as he did the same. 05 Our eyes locked, and for a heart-stopping second, it felt like yesterday. Just a moment ago, it seemed, he was whispering my name in bed, gently soothing me after we’d made love. We had been married for three years, and we were planning to have a child. Then I woke up, and I was eighteen again. The young man before me was no longer the man I knew. At eighteen, Shaffer Astor did not love Luna. Yet, at this moment, he was looking at me with a flicker of confusion. “Have we… met somewhere before?” I paused. For three years of high school, I had been buried in my books. We’d had zero interaction. Even after I became Scarlett’s deskmate this semester, she was too busy with Zane to ever give Shaffer the time of day, forbidding him from even coming to our classroom to see her. Why would he suddenly ask me that? Before I could answer, a panicked Scarlett cut in. She shoved me aside, planting herself in front of Shaffer. “Shaffer, don’t be ridiculous! She’s just some girl from the middle of nowhere. How could she possibly have ever crossed paths with us?” Shaffer’s gaze wavered, but he eventually nodded. “Sorry. I must have been mistaken.” He handed me the notebook I’d dropped. It was open to a page where I’d scribbled dense formulas, solving the most difficult problem from the national competition. Shaffer looked surprised. “You actually solved it? Can I see your methodology?” Shaffer was the top student in our entire year, but he had skipped the competition for Scarlett’s sake. Instantly, Scarlett tensed up and snatched the notebook from his hand. “Shaffer, why are you asking her? Her score wasn’t even as high as mine. What kind of brilliant solution could she possibly have? Besides, if even you couldn’t solve it, how could she?” She looked like she was on the verge of tears. Having been reborn, she was terrified of making a single misstep, of repeating the mistakes of her past life and pushing the man who loved her most into someone else’s arms. “Shaffer, you’re not even asking if I was scared… Don’t you care about me anymore?” The chat was filled with reassurances. [Chat: Don’t you worry, heiress! Shaffer would abandon anyone before he’d abandon you.] [Chat: Even in the last life, after he married Luna, the second he heard Scarlett was in trouble, didn’t he drop everything and run to her? Miss Scarlett is the queen of his heart.] [Chat: I don’t know… I feel like seven years later, he genuinely loved Luna. They went through so much together, from college to the Astor Corporation. It’s natural they’d fall for each other. And Luna is brilliant in her own right. It was Scarlett who chose the wrong guy.] [Chat: Is the person above me brainwashed by the plot? It’s obvious the later events were plot-driven. The MC is just a country girl. How could she ever compare to the heiress! Besides, who knows if her intentions toward the male lead were pure in the first place?] Not good enough for Shaffer. This wasn’t the first time I’d heard those words. In college, we began collaborating on research projects. Even our professors said we were intellectual equals, a perfect match. But no one ever said we were suited to be together, to get married. Because a single cufflink Shaffer wore was worth more than I could earn in a year. Meanwhile, I was still wearing a pair of canvas shoes that had been washed until they were faded and white. Class was an abyss that an ordinary person could strive their entire life to cross and still never reach.

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Everyone in the palace knew that for a scrap of food, you could make the slow-witted princess do anything. The Grand Tutor, a man as radiant and pure as the moon, once gave me a small cake. For that single kindness, I trailed after him for years. Though he never showed it openly, in private he was disgusted by me, calling me shameless, so desperate I would throw myself onto any man’s bed. I didn’t know what “shameless” or “throwing myself onto a bed” meant. I only knew that the Tutor gave me delicious things to eat. He was a good person. I liked him, and I wanted to repay his kindness. Then, news of a devastating military defeat came from the Northern Marches. My father’s most beloved daughter, the Third Princess, was to be sent away in a political marriage to seal a truce. The Duchess, the Third Princess’s mother and the King’s most favored mistress, came to me herself. She brought a whole box of marzipan sweets and begged me to take her daughter’s place. I wiped the crumbs from my lips and gave a careless wave of my hand. “Your Grace need not worry. It’s just a marriage, isn’t it? If my sister doesn’t want to go, I’ll go for her.” 1. It was only when the guards at the King’s Solar blocked my path that I realized I might have agreed too easily. My father, the King, seemed to have forgotten he even had a daughter like me, so naturally, the royal guards refused to announce my presence. But the Duchess had given me an entire box of almond cakes. If I failed, wouldn’t I have eaten her gift for nothing? I scratched my head, and then an idea sparked. I turned and shouted toward the heavy oak doors of the study. “Father! Father! It’s Sixteen! Open the door!” A guard roared, “Insolence! This is the King’s Solar! How dare a wisp of a girl like you cause such a ruckus!” They leveled their pikes, about to drive me away. I scrambled to my feet and took off, running in circles around the grand entrance, yelling as I went. “Father! Father! It’s Sixteen! Sixteen has business with you!” “Who is making that dreadful noise!?” The doors to the Solar were suddenly thrown open, and a group of men strode out. The Duchess had told me what to look for: my father would be wearing gold, embroidered with a great wyvern. I spotted him instantly. Panting for breath, I waved at him. “Father, please tell them to stop chasing me. Sixteen is about to die of exhaustion.” The King waved a dismissive hand, and the guards retreated. He frowned down at me. “You are Sixteen? Which Sixteen?” I dropped to my knees with a thud, bowing my head twice before answering in a clear, bright voice. “Sixteen lives in the east wing of the Saltwind Hall. My mother was the Lady Linnea.” “Which Lady Linnea?” An old chamberlain beside him leaned in and whispered, “She was a handmaiden to the late Queen, Your Majesty. She displeased you on her first night in your service and was never summoned again. The princess she bore was… never given a formal name.” 2. A lady-in-waiting who lived in the west wing of Saltwind Hall once told me my mother had been a lamp-lighter in the Queen’s own chambers. When the Queen fell ill, the King, staying in her wing, had simply pointed to a handmaiden to serve him for the night. My mother, who was chosen, was devastated. She was only a year away from being released from service. Her betrothed was a guard in the palace. They were deeply in love, planning to marry the moment she was free. She begged the King to spare her. Her pleas only enraged him. He took her by force, then tossed her aside with the minor title of ‘Lady’ and banished her to Saltwind Hall, which was no better than a dungeon. Even when she carried me for ten months and gave birth, he never once came to see us. He never even gave me a name. The King still didn’t seem to remember which one was Lady Linnea, or which was Princess Sixteen. He smiled, a false, glittering thing. “Little Sixteen, what business do you have with your father?” “I want to get married!” I looked up at him and smiled back. “Sixteen is all grown up! I can get married now!” The somber mood in the Solar instantly dissolved into booming laughter. The King pulled me to my feet, ruffling my hair as if I were his most cherished daughter. “And who does my Little Sixteen wish to marry? Shall your father arrange it for you?” The old chamberlain chimed in playfully, “I’ve heard that Princess Sixteen is quite close with the Lord Tutor, Lucian.” The King’s eyebrows shot up in feigned surprise. “Little Sixteen, you fancy Lord Lucian?” Across the room, Lucian’s face changed. He pressed his lips into a thin line, his scorching gaze fixed on me. He looked… nervous. He was probably terrified I would say yes. I always knew that Lucian didn’t like me. He was a good man, though. We met because he helped me. One winter, he found me being forced to crawl on all fours like a dog by a few cruel pages, all for a handful of charcoal. He dealt with them harshly and left me with all the silver he had in his purse. I already knew who he was. He was the tutor to my elder brother, the Crown Prince, and my third sister, Princess Isadora. He often came to the palace to instruct them. Because the servants all called me “Sixteen the Simpleton,” I was determined to become clever. A blind laundress told me that reading books could make one smart, so I would often squeeze through a hole in the wall to listen from behind the hedges as Lucian taught the prince and princess in the gardens. He taught so beautifully. But I was too dull. After all those lessons, I only remembered a single line: This world a fleeting dream, our lives but winter’s briefest gleam. I was afraid I would forget it, so I stitched the words into the lining of my warmest tunic, turning it over to read them from time to time. I thought that one day, I would ask Lucian what the poem meant. But not long after, Lucian, who would sometimes bring me little things, suddenly began to despise me. It was during a palace feast. A few dissolute young nobles found me in the gardens, likely mistaking me for a witless servant girl. They offered me a plate of pastries to recite some lewd verses. One of them even asked if I wanted to be his courtesan, saying I’d be well-fed and warmly dressed if I went with him. I didn’t know what a courtesan was. But being well-fed and warm had been my greatest dream for over a decade. I looked at him with shining eyes and asked when he would take me with him. Lucian must have seen it. He dragged me away, his grip so tight I thought my bones would shatter. When I struggled, he shoved me from him, his voice thick with fury. “You are a princess of this kingdom! How can you debase yourself so? Fawning over any man who shows you the slightest attention, practically throwing yourself at him! A princess of this kingdom should model herself after Princess Isadora—proud, unyielding, the equal of any man!” I stood frozen by his tirade, tears streaming down my face, utterly bewildered and too scared to move. I didn’t understand why he was so angry. This was how my mother had kept me alive. After she died, this was how I had kept myself alive. As far as I was concerned, there was nothing wrong with it. Especially after the war started, our situation grew even more desperate. We did far worse things. The Queen had ordered the palace to be frugal, but that frugality was taken from the rations of unfavored consorts and their children. Our monthly allowances were skimmed at every level, leaving us with almost nothing. If a favored lady ran short of charcoal or some other luxury, we were the ones who suffered. Reciting a few bawdy lines? If it could earn me a bowl of soup or a few lumps of coal, I would have gladly recited them a thousand times a day. But Lucian’s reaction told me, for the first time, that perhaps it was wrong. I didn’t know what to say. I just wiped at my tears. Seeing my silence, he stormed away in bitter disappointment. He never brought me anything again. And so, I continued to live as I always had, curled up in the cold, forgotten Saltwind Hall, surviving day by day. I endured the teasing and torment of the pages and maids, and felt a surge of joy if I managed to snatch a piece of meat from a dog’s bowl. 3. One day, I was discovered eavesdropping on Lucian’s lesson. The guards beat me half to death. It was my third sister, Princess Isadora, who saved me. She gave me medicine for my wounds. A life saved is a debt greater than heaven itself. I had to repay her. Now, with the northern army defeated, the chieftain of the Vargan tribes was demanding tribute. He had once been a political hostage in our kingdom, and his time here had been miserable. He was a savage, bloodthirsty man. He had escaped back to his homeland with half a breath left in his body, killed his own father, and then led his warriors straight for our borders. He had conquered fifty-eight towns in the Marches, his sword pointed at the capital itself. He declared he didn’t want the throne; he wanted a princess of our kingdom. Almost everyone assumed that our most dazzling princess, Isadora, would be the one sent. The Duchess told me that the news had made Isadora unable to eat or sleep, and she had fallen gravely ill. The King had convened his council for three days and three nights, but with our best generals wounded or dead, not a single nobleman dared to ride out and face the Vargans. There was no choice but to send the princess. Helpless, the Duchess came to me with a box of almond cakes, begging me to go in Isadora’s place. I asked the Duchess if there would be good food if I got married. She hesitated for a moment, then said there would be not only good food, but beautiful clothes and jewels. What a bargain! My spirits soared. I wiped the crumbs from my mouth, puffed out my chest, and declared with bravado, “Your Grace need not worry. It’s just a marriage, isn’t it? If my sister doesn’t want to go, I’ll go for her.” But if my father made me marry Lucian, I would be breaking my promise! I waved my hands frantically. “No, no, that’s not it! Sixteen doesn’t want to marry the Tutor. Sixteen wants to marry the Chieftain of the Vargans, Kaelen… Kaelen…” Oh, dear. What did the Duchess say his full name was? The old chamberlain whispered, “Kaelen Vargan.” I shot him a grateful look and shouted, “Sixteen wants to marry Kaelen Vargan!” My voice must have been too loud, because it seemed to stun everyone in the hall. They all stared at me in disbelief. “Absolutely not!” Lucian suddenly stepped forward, his robes sweeping the floor as he knelt in a deep bow. When he looked up, his face was ashen. “The princess is young and naive, she does not yet comprehend the meaning of marriage! Your Majesty, I implore you to reconsider!” The King toyed with a jade ring on his thumb, his eyes fixed on Lucian. He smiled. “Lord Lucian, our Little Sixteen may be a child, but she is a clever one. I am fond of this child, and so I shall grant her wish.” With a grand wave of his hand, he issued the decree. “Let it be proclaimed: Princess Sixteen has shown great virtue and nobility. In response to the envoy from the Vargan Dominion, who comes seeking a bride for their Chieftain, she is hereby granted the title of Sun-Blessed and shall be afforded the honors of a Royal Duke. She will be wed to the Vargan Chieftain to seal the peace between our two nations.” Not only that, but my father also decreed that Lucian would marry my third sister, Princess Isadora, the very next month. Lucian’s face was deathly pale, but in front of everyone, he had no choice but to give thanks and accept the royal command. All I could think about was my new palace chambers. I couldn’t wait to see them. 4. This political marriage was the best thing ever! After leaving the King’s Solar, I hugged the royal decree to my chest, giggling foolishly as I walked. A little way down the path, I saw Lucian standing there, his face a cold mask, his eyes dark pools of ink. A knot of fear tightened in my stomach. I turned to run, but he caught me in an instant. “Do you have any idea what this means? No one even remembered you existed, why did you have to leap forward and volunteer? Do you think this is a child’s game!?” He gripped my wrist, dragging me back toward the King’s Solar like a petulant child. “Come with me to see the King. Tell him you don’t want to go.” “No!” I wrenched my hand from his grasp. “I want to go! I don’t want to stay here! I hate you! I hate this place!” “You’re about to marry my sister, what are you doing meddling with me!” Tears streamed down my face. I sobbed, “No one here cares about Sixteen! Sixteen is leaving, far, far away, and never coming back!” Lucian froze, his mouth opening and closing, but no words came out. Taking advantage of his stupor, I tore my hand away and ran for my life. The moment I saw my new chambers, I forgot everything else. The room was warm, with no drafts, no rats, and no snakes. And on the table, there was a plate of peach blossom pastries! Sinking into the soft bed, I sighed in contentment once more. “Getting married is the best!” 5. My wedding day was set for before my sister’s, but the preparations were happening at the same time. I heard Isadora had thrown terrible tantrums. My father had her confined to her rooms, to be released only on her wedding day. Lucian never returned to the palace. He even stopped attending the morning council sessions. I paid no mind to the outside world, content to lounge in my new chambers all day. I woke up to eat all sorts of delicacies, eating until I had gained a noticeable amount of weight. On the day of my departure, I was woken at dawn to be washed and dressed. A red wedding gown was draped over me, a veil covered my face, and I was pushed into a carriage adorned with red silk ribbons. “Aren’t Father and Mother coming?” Weren’t you supposed to bid farewell to your parents when you got married? Were they still asleep? I lifted the curtain and peered out. A light, misty rain was falling in the pre-dawn gloom. The courtyard was empty. There wasn’t a soul in sight. “The Duchess said she would come see me off, too. Why isn’t she here?” The old matron escorting me yanked the curtain shut. “Time is short, we’re already late,” she said with a forced smile. “His Majesty is a busy man, so he ordered us to depart first.” Of course. Weddings had auspicious times. We couldn’t be late! “Father is busy. The Duchess is busy, too. Sixteen understands.” I sat up straight, lowered my veil, and when I spoke again, my voice was thick with emotion. “It’s alright. Sixteen will be good. Matron, let’s go.” I had wanted to ask my father if he could give me a proper name. Being called Sixteen forever wasn’t a solution. Hiding under my red veil, my cheeks burned, and so did my eyes. “Sixteen will be good. Sixteen won’t miss home, and I won’t miss my mother.” I used a corner of the veil to dry my tears, then forced a smile. Mother, Sixteen is getting married. And to the mightiest Vargan Chieftain. They say he’s very rich. When Sixteen becomes his Queen, I’ll burn paper money for you every day, so you can feast and live in luxury in the underworld. Even the God of Death will have to give you massages! 6. The spring rain fell like silk, drawing a stark, bloody curtain across the stone courtyard in front of the Lucian family’s ancestral hall. Lucian knelt, his head bowed, his inner shirt already soaked through with blood. A single crimson raindrop clung to his dark, raven-wing lashes. It looked like a tear of blood. The thorny whip sliced through the air, cleaving the rain with a whistling shriek before landing hard on Lucian’s slender back. His face was pale, but he remained as still as a pine tree, kneeling in silence. His youngest sister couldn’t bear to watch any longer. She threw herself at her father’s feet, crying and begging. “Father! Please, no more! My brother knows his mistake! He knows!” Lord Lucian gripped the whip, veins bulging on his arm. He stared at his most brilliant son and roared, “Even now, you still intend to refuse the Third Princess and run off to join the army!?” Lucian slowly raised his head. Though he was weak, his voice was steady and strong. “Yes. I will join the army. I will go to the borderlands and see for myself how these Vargans, who once groveled at our kingdom’s feet, have become so fearsome that they’ve left our entire court of nobles paralyzed, forcing us to sacrifice an innocent, helpless girl for a mockery of peace!” “You insolent whelp, hold your tongue!” Enraged, his father kicked him squarely in the chest. Lucian fell backward, his body hitting the stone ground with a heavy thud. The world blurred. He thought he saw the little girl again, smiling at him, holding a pastry as if it were a priceless treasure and saying thank you. She knew nothing. A single cake was enough to win her over. Such a pure, innocent girl. She had never enjoyed a single privilege of her title, never even had a name. Why, when it came to the final hour, did she, who had fought so hard just to live, have to be the one sent to her death? In the pouring rain, Lucian closed his eyes, a sob catching in his throat. …

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The night before my wedding to the Crown Prince, my father brought home the daughter he’d had with his mistress. “Your sister is a celestial beauty, far more striking than you. With her by your side in the Prince’s household, she will surely help you secure his favor.” I found it almost laughable. I was, after all, her mother’s killer. How could she possibly help me? And just as I expected, on my wedding day, she stood beside me in a breathtakingly simple white gown, stealing the gaze of every person present. Except for my husband, the Crown Prince. 1 The mistress my father cherished more than his own eyes was my mother’s half-sister, Liana. Every day, she would come to our estate to play the part of a devoted sister to my mother, all while secretly carrying on an affair with my father. When my mother was eight months pregnant with her second child, the royal physician declared it would be a boy. On the day of my mother’s labor, Liana chose that exact moment to confess, weeping, that not only had she become my father’s mistress, but she had borne him a daughter eight years prior. Eight years ago. The second year of my parents’ marriage. The facade of a loving marriage shattered into a lie. The bond of sisterhood became a cruel joke. My mother, consumed by grief and rage, gave up and died, leaving me with a wailing infant brother. I was eight years old. I grew up overnight. I trailed behind the head nurse, learning how to manage my mother’s funeral arrangements, never leaving my infant brother’s side, soothing and caring for him. My father was at his private villa, celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival in blissful harmony with Liana and her daughter. On the seventh day after my mother’s death. I dragged my frail, sick body to the villa my father had provided for Liana. As always, she greeted me with a look of maternal affection. “My dearest Viola, in a few days, your father will bring me home as the new lady of the house. You’ll have to start calling me Mother then.” The feigned warmth couldn’t hide the triumph in her eyes. She stroked my face and called for her daughter, Beatrix, and her son, Alistair. “Come, come and meet your elder sister.” Beatrix and Alistair called me “sister,” their expressions a mixture of curiosity and unease. Liana teased me. “It’s the first time you’re meeting your brother and sister, so of course you didn’t bring a gift. When you’re back at the manor, you must remember to make up for it. Even though you no longer have a mother to teach you, you must still learn to be proper.” I smiled, my fingers caressing the cold steel of the blade hidden in my sleeve. “Aunt,” I said, “come closer. I have a white jade hairpin for you.” She bent down without suspicion, her eyes crinkling with self-satisfied amusement. A second later, the smile vanished. Her eyes froze as she clutched the gushing wound in her neck. Her mouth opened in disbelief, but no words came out. She convulsed on the ground, kicking up dust, her bloodshot eyes staring at me in horror. Beatrix and Alistair shrieked. I calmly wiped the blood from the blade and smiled. “A welcome gift from your sister. Do enjoy it.” 2 Beatrix was sobbing hysterically, but with the knife in my hand, she didn’t dare attack me. “Father… Father won’t let you get away with this! He’ll make you pay for my mother’s life!” He won’t. If word got out that I had murdered my own stepmother, his career would be over. For his own sake, he would find a way to clean up this mess. Beatrix didn’t understand what a pragmatic, self-serving man her father was. But I did. 3 My father suppressed what happened at the villa, giving Liana a hasty burial. He came at me with a blade. “You are so young, yet so vicious! Go to hell!” My infant brother was crying incessantly. Just as I had instructed, my nurse brought my grandmother, and only then was my life spared. But I couldn’t escape a fate worse than death. He put something in my food. Within a month, I was meant to go mad. He hated me for killing the love of his life. And I hated him for destroying mine. That was my mother. The mother who carried me for ten months and risked her life to give birth to me. The mother who, for eight years, loved, cherished, and doted on me. I hated my father, and he hated me. We were no longer father and daughter, but enemies. In the dead of winter, I threw myself into the frozen lake. I survived by a hair’s breadth, carving out a sliver of hope for myself. My aunt, my mother’s sister-in-law, finally had a pretext. She arrived with her household guards and took me and my frail younger brother away. Before I left, I told my father, “If you dare bring Beatrix and Alistair into this house to raise them, I will go to the magistrate and beat the drum of injustice. I will tell the world how you carried on with your wife’s own sister and drove her to her death. Then I will confess to the murder of my aunt. My death is a small matter, but the entire Valerius name will be ruined because of me. The careers of the men, the marriages of the women—all of it will be finished. Father, as long as I am alive, you will never bring them through the gates of this house.” My father was overcome with rage. He slapped me across the face and squeezed my neck, his fingers digging into my flesh. “How did I raise such a disobedient, unfilial creature! How dare you!” I smiled at him, not struggling. Slowly, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he released his grip. He muttered under his breath, his eyes filled with a deep-seated fear. “You’re a lunatic. A complete lunatic!” I smiled sweetly. “I am not a lunatic, but you are a coward. Father, I dare to risk my life openly for my mother. But you don’t dare to openly avenge the woman you supposedly loved. You are less than me.” 4 With my aunt present, all the dowry my mother had brought with her was carefully inventoried and taken with me. My grandmother was displeased but could say nothing. She didn’t want my brother to leave. That night, my brother broke out in a red rash and a high fever. My aunt created a huge scene, causing my grandmother to faint from rage. My father, rubbing his temples in exhaustion, waved his hand dismissively. “Take him. Take them all! He’s not the only son I have! Get out! All of you, just get out!” My aunt prepared the chambers my mother had used in her family home before she was married. I settled there with my brother and my nurse. In return for my aunt’s kindness, I took my cousin’s place as the companion to Princess Seraphina. Princess Seraphina was known for being arrogant and difficult. The companions who had gone before me had all returned in tears, tormented beyond recognition. Now it was my maternal family’s turn, and my aunt couldn’t bear to see her own daughter suffer. And I had no desire to stay with the Valerius family. Our goals aligned perfectly. On my first day at the palace, I was forced to kneel. The reason? My hairstyle was unbecoming. I smiled and accepted the punishment. The second day, I was hung from a tree. Again, I smiled and accepted the punishment. Until I fainted and was rescued by the Crown Prince. When I awoke, the Prince was scolding Seraphina. I pushed through the pain and weakness, kneeling to bow my head. “It was I who broke the cup and offended Her Highness. That is why she punished me.” The Prince’s lecture faltered. Seraphina bit her lip and looked at me. He took a deep breath and rapped Seraphina on the head. “She is not your servant. She is your companion, the daughter of a nobleman. Her mother was the daughter of the Marquis of Fairview, and her father is a Master of the Royal Household. You cannot be so unreasonable.” Seraphina snorted. “The daughter of a minor official. So what? What does it matter if I have her beaten to death?” “Seraphina!” The Prince’s voice was low, strained with something like pity. “Her mother just passed away. Be kinder to her. She, like you, has lost her mother. You should understand her sorrow.” At that, Seraphina fell silent, her gaze toward me softening slightly. The Prince helped me up and smiled. “There, now. Rest. You are weak. I’ve had the royal physician prepare a tonic for you. Seraphina is just a bit spoiled, she means no harm. Don’t hold it against her.” “Her Highness is very kind to me.” From that day on, perhaps because Seraphina saw that I, too, was motherless, she treated me much better. She no longer punished me on a whim. I followed her to her lessons every day. The King doted on Seraphina, granting her the special privilege of studying alongside the princes. I attended her, learning the arts of governance, the ways of rulers, and the philosophies of a hundred schools of thought. Seraphina had no interest in these things; I wrote all her essays and arguments for her. She loved the spotlight and the empty praise. My writing earned her the commendation of her tutors. When it came to my own assignments, I deliberately held back, appearing mediocre. My loyalty to her was not blind obedience. I catered to her whims, but on matters of great importance, I would fight her to the death. She would be furious at the time, screaming and hitting me, but after suffering the consequences and losing face, she would remember my advice and appreciate me for it. Over time, she grew dependent on me. At the new Queen’s birthday feast, Seraphina got into a conflict with the new Queen’s daughter, the Seventh Princess, and was pushed into a pond in the royal gardens. The Seventh Princess was imperious. “No one is to save her! You think your mother is still the Queen? Your mother is dead! My mother is the Queen now! How dare you still be so arrogant! I’ll have anyone who tries to save her beaten to death!” The eunuchs and maids present were too terrified to move, only daring to sneak off to find the Prince and the King. By the time they returned with help, Seraphina would have been nothing but a corpse. Watching Seraphina flailing desperately in the water, I knew my chance had come. I jumped in. The rescue did not go smoothly. She couldn’t swim, and as I tried to save her, she latched onto me, pushing me under in her panic to climb up. I swallowed several mouthfuls of water and nearly drowned myself. When the King and the Prince arrived, they saw me, a complete mess, dragging an unconscious Seraphina onto the bank. The Prince’s face was pale. He was usually so gentle and warm, but this was the first time I had seen his eyes so cold and sharp. The Seventh Princess took a fearful step back, but then, remembering her mother was now Queen, she straightened her spine. The Prince took Seraphina into his arms and reached a hand out to me, but I collapsed back into the water, deliberately hitting my arm against a sharp rock and breaking it. He dove in without a moment’s hesitation and pulled me out. The King interrogated the servants. A young eunuch trembled as he recounted, “It’s not that we didn’t want to save her, Your Majesty, but the Seventh Princess forbade it. We did not dare to disobey.” The Prince’s face was like ice. He walked straight to the Seventh Princess and slapped her hard across the face. His voice was frigid. “Father, my mother is gone. If Miss Valerius had not defied her threats and jumped in to save Seraphina, Seraphina would be with my mother now.” The King’s eyes filled with guilt. He sentenced the Seventh Princess to a year of confinement. After the royal physician had set my arm, the Prince dismissed the maids attending me and brought me a bowl of medicine himself. He blew on it gently. “Miss Valerius, thank you for what you did today. You saved Seraphina. The King will reward the House of Valerius.” I said, “If there is to be a reward, could it be for my younger brother?” He stared at me, stunned. I continued, my voice laced with bitterness, “Your Highness, I must confess… my father has other children with a mistress. After my mother’s death, my younger brother and I have been under the care of my aunt at the Fairview estate. My brother is still so young, and though my aunt cares for him, I worry for him day and night.” As I spoke, tears fell like pearls from my eyes. “My brother and I are all each other has in this world. I cannot rest easy. If I am truly to be rewarded, I hope His Majesty can bestow some honor upon my brother, so that my aunt and uncle will value him more.” The Prince’s expression was complex. He set down the medicine and handed me a handkerchief, his own eyes red-rimmed. He was only fourteen himself. The year the former Queen died, he was only eight. He had to navigate this treacherous court with a clueless Seraphina in tow, fending off the schemes of the King’s favored concubines, caring for his sister, and shouldering the heavy burden of being the Crown Prince, never daring to slacken in his studies for a moment. He lived in constant fear that a single misstep would cost him the throne. “Miss Valerius… Viola. May I call you by your name?” My eyelashes trembled. I looked at him with red-rimmed, bewildered eyes. He picked up the medicine and offered it to me with a smile. “Viola, don’t cry. From now on, you will help me look after Seraphina, and I will look after your brother outside the palace for you. How does that sound?” My eyes lit up. “Really?” I asked, a hopeful surprise in my voice. He smiled warmly. “Of course.” I smiled back. It’s working. He had remembered my name. Viola. 5 The Prince visited me every day. When Seraphina recovered, she came to see me with a bowl of chicken soup, her demeanor incredibly awkward. “Look at you, so thin. Anyone would think I was mistreating you!” she grumbled, setting down the soup. I saw the fresh burns on her fingers and the back of her hand and blinked. She was terrified of pain. She asked, her tone brusque, “I was so awful to you, why did you still save me? Weren’t you afraid of dying?” I forced down a spoonful of soup. “Her Highness has been very good to me.” She turned her face away, her expression stubborn and proud. “Hypocrite.” But for the next two weeks, she didn’t miss a single day of bringing me soup. The taste improved from watery and bland to rich and delicious. Her attitude toward me shifted from disdain and contempt to one of genuine regard. She started to open up to me. Once my arm healed, I resumed my lessons with her. She no longer brought other maids with her, and she stopped making me carry everything. In fact, she even started carrying things for me. The Prince contacted me daily to ask about Seraphina. After discussing his sister, he would always ask about me, a word or two of concern. He occasionally brought me news of my brother, along with small gifts from outside the palace. The brilliant political essays that earned Seraphina so much praise from her tutors… others might not know, but he knew they were my work. He often discussed history and classics with me. And I, in turn, burned the midnight oil, studying relentlessly, not daring to be complacent for a moment, terrified that the opportunity I had fought so hard for would vanish. My mother was dead. My father was someone else’s father. My brother was young, and I was his only family in this world. I had to be strong. Spring turned to autumn, and six years passed. I came of age. For my coming-of-age ceremony, Seraphina found me a magnificent gown that shimmered like captured starlight. The Prince handed me a gift box. “Open it.” Inside was a simple wooden hairpin. Seraphina scoffed. “Brother, you’re the Crown Prince of the entire kingdom. Can’t you do better than that?” But I was delighted. “I love it.” Of course I do. He carved it himself. How could it be the same? That night, I gave him a sachet I had embroidered and confessed my feelings. He was taken aback, his ears turning red. He gently rejected me. “I only see you as a sister.” I lowered my eyes and nodded. “I see. Alright then.” I turned and left. The next day when we met, he avoided me. I acted perfectly normal, showing no awkwardness, and treated him just as I always had. His stiff expression annoyed Seraphina. “Brother, what’s with the long face? You think you’re our grim-faced old tutor?” I chimed in with a smile. “Yes, Brother, is something troubling you?” He paused, a frown creasing his brow. Seraphina looked up. “Why are you calling him Brother all of a sudden?” I answered innocently, “He said he sees me as a sister.” Seraphina burst out laughing. “Fine by me. I’m happy to have you as a sister.” My eyes curved into crescents. Only the Prince, Nicholas, kept his lips pressed into a thin line, his gaze on me dark and unreadable. I stopped embroidering personal items like shirts for him. He had a recurring throat ailment and was a picky eater. Every year, I would pick and dry chrysanthemums for his tea, carefully selecting the best ones to send to him. I had studied under the royal physician, learning many medicinal recipes, and spent my days trying to cook him delicious, healthy meals. For six years, I had woven myself into the fabric of his life. From grand political theories to the smallest stitch, in his life and his studies, I was everywhere, meticulously attentive. And now, I cut it all off. For two weeks, I was polite to him in public, and distant in private. He finally couldn’t stand it anymore. He tried to speak to me with the same warmth and familiarity as before. I smiled and interrupted him. “Brother, it’s late. Perhaps another day. I’ve already told my family that Your Highness sees me as a sister. Please don’t be angry with me. I am alone and have no one to rely on. I was hoping to borrow your name for a bit of protection. Tomorrow, I will be returning home to prepare for my marriage.” The smile froze on his face. His jaw tightened, his fingers unconsciously rubbing together, then clenching into a fist, veins standing out. “Who are you marrying?” he asked, the words forced out, each one landing with a heavy, difficult weight. I beamed. “I don’t know yet. The exam results will be out soon, won’t they? My uncle plans to let me choose from the top candidates. I think that young man from Silverwood, Julian, seems very promising. My uncle says that although Julian’s family is poor, his writing has great integrity and style. I was reluctant at first, but then I read his essays.” The more I spoke, the more animated I became, gesturing excitedly, my face practically splitting with a joyous smile. Nicholas’s eyes darkened, the warmth draining from him, replaced by an icy frost. His fingers trembled slightly. I babbled on. “Brother, you have no idea how beautiful Julian’s calligraphy is, and his essays are so well-written! Reading them felt like meeting a soulmate in a foreign land. I wish I could meet him immediately.” Nicholas’s smile was glacial. “Scholars are often fickle. Viola, you have spent your life in the palace and met few men. Do not be deceived by mere words.” I nodded obediently. “You’re right. It must be because I haven’t met enough men. Seeing you every day, I mistakenly thought I was in love with you.” I feigned a look of deep, conflicted thought, my cheeks flushing as I whispered shyly, “My aunt sent me a portrait of Julian. He’s so handsome, with a face like polished jade and an air of scholarly grace. I like him so much. I can’t wait to meet him.” The last traces of a smile vanished from Nicholas’s lips. His eyes were cold and dark, his expression unreadable. I glanced at the darkening sky and let out a small “Oh!” “Thank you for your kindness to me and my brother all these years. Thanks to you, my brother is now studying at the Royal Academy. I am eternally grateful.” I turned and waved cheerfully. “You should go back now. I need to pack. I have to go to bed early so I can wake up and get ready tomorrow. It wouldn’t do to meet Julian with dark circles under my eyes!” He suddenly grabbed my hand, his grip like iron, his eyes blazing. I looked at him, confused. “Brother—” He cut me off, his voice sharp with anger. “Don’t call me that.” I made myself look small and timid. “Your Highness,” I whispered. He stared into my eyes, his dark lashes trembling. From a distance, the sound of eunuchs and maids greeting the Queen drifted toward us. He seemed to snap out of a trance and released my hand. I turned and my eyes met Seraphina’s cold, hard stare. She’s finally here. The jewelry I sent wasn’t wasted. Back in her chambers, Seraphina sat on the main seat and ordered me to kneel. As I knelt, a teacup flew from her hand, grazing my forehead. My hairpin came loose, my hair tumbling down. A flicker of pity crossed her eyes, but her voice was sharp with accusation, her own eyes red. “You got close to me just to become the Crown Princess, didn’t you?!” I lowered my eyes. “I am leaving tomorrow. My family has already arranged another match for me.” I wiped the blood from my forehead. “Seraphina, I owe you nothing. Whether my feelings were real or false, I gave you my heart.” Tears streamed down her face. “Get out!” she screamed. I slowly stood up and retrieved the bag I had already packed. I gave the protective amulet I had embroidered for Seraphina to a maid I was friendly with. Before she could speak, I turned and walked out, my eyes red, my silence heavy. In the drawer of the room lay the birthday gift I had prepared for Seraphina. The late Queen had embroidered a cloak for her. After the Queen’s death, the Seventh Princess had deliberately ruined it. Countless nights, I had seen Seraphina clutching that cloak, sobbing for her mother. There were hundreds of skilled embroiderers in the palace, but not one dared to repair it. It wasn’t a lack of skill; they knew her temper and were afraid to take the job. They all claimed their skills were insufficient, terrified that if their work wasn’t perfect, they would be beaten and thrown out of the palace. I had already repaired half of the cloak, intending to give it to her for her birthday. Seraphina seemed cruel, but she was all bark and no bite. She would feel pity for me. For years, I had meticulously crafted my role, playing the part she needed, unconditionally fulfilling her emotional needs. A sheltered little princess, how could she ever escape the tender trap a hunter had so carefully prepared for her?

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Sean and I were almost breaking up. Again. The day I planned to apologize, I drew a dare at a party: steal food from the top student’s plate. Everyone expected Sean to stop me. Sean, always ranked second, just scoffed. “Go ahead. Why not seduce him while you’re at it? Tank his grades. I don’t care.” Comments flashed before my eyes—phantom spectators of my life: 【Classic prideful jerk. One kind word from Ava and he’d crumble.】 【He’s been obsessively scrolling your chats since the fight, yet pushes you away.】 【Just dump him. The top student’s had a crush on you forever.】 I glanced at indifferent Sean, then picked up my fork. “Fine,” I said, voice steady. “I’ll try.” Then, softer: “Besides… I’ve wanted to meet him anyway.” 1 Sean and I were on the verge of breaking up. Again. It started with a game of Truth or Dare. Sean drew a dare: kiss your girlfriend in front of everyone. Sean was my childhood best friend and, as of this summer, my boyfriend. He had a touch of separation anxiety; growing up, we’d never been apart for more than five days. We’d made things official over the summer break, and I thought we were solid. Our friends erupted into a chorus of cheers. “Kiss her! Kiss her!” My heart hammered against my ribs. I clutched the hem of my shirt, hoping this was my chance to make up with him after our latest fight. But his face went cold. “I’m not kissing her. It’s embarrassing.” His gaze drifted over me, light and dismissive. “Her grades on the last test were a disaster. I don’t want people knowing I have a girlfriend who’s that dumb.” Olivia, sitting next to him, let out a little snort of laughter. “Ava can be a bit slow, can’t she? You should really help tutor your own girlfriend, Sean.” She nudged him playfully. “You helped me catch up when I transferred here, remember?” Sean leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips as he looked at her. “It’s not the same. She is what she is—all beauty, no brains. You’re different. Tutoring her would be a waste of time.” I froze, the words hitting me like a physical slap. A hot wave of shame washed over my face, burning all the way to my ears. The truth was, I consistently aced English and History, topping the school rankings, and my other subjects weren’t that bad. I’d only fallen behind because I was out sick for half a semester. Olivia wrapped her arm around his shoulders, her hair brushing against his neck in a way that was far too familiar. “You know, it’s like one of those steamy stories online. The hot couple studying together, and when she gets a question wrong, you pull her over your knee and… teach her a lesson.” Sean chuckled. “What are you talking about? She’s not a kid anymore.” Olivia tilted her head, her expression a mask of innocence. “Then how come you only tease me like that? You threatened to do the same thing to me when I messed up on that problem set.” I sat there, feeling small and utterly out of place. Come to think of it, Olivia was the reason Sean and I were fighting in the first place. Last week was my birthday. Sean had promised to celebrate with me, but he never showed up. In the middle of my party, I video-called him. Olivia was the one who answered. “What do you want?” she’d asked, a bored look on her face. I was stunned. “Is his phone… with you?” “Yeah, so?” she shot back, annoyed. A knot formed in my stomach. Sean was fiercely territorial about his things. I was the only person he ever let touch his phone. A moment later, Sean took the phone from her, his voice softening. “Ava? What’s up?” Before I could speak, Olivia cut in, her voice loud enough for me to hear clearly. “It’s all your fault, Sean. I told you not to worry about it, but you insisted on celebrating with me. Now you’d better explain yourself to your little girlfriend.” Sean’s attention immediately snapped back to her, his voice full of an unconcealed joy that twisted my gut. “Ava, you won’t believe it! Olivia made huge progress this time. She was only one point behind me in physics! We’re celebrating.” Olivia playfully punched his shoulder, pouting. “Hmph. That was just a fluke. I’ll beat you next time for sure.” Her cute act made Sean laugh out loud. “Alright, we’ll see. But if you do, I’m not tutoring you anymore.” “Jerk! Who asked you to tutor me anyway? I don’t need your help to win!” “Okay, okay. We’ll see about that.” They bantered back and forth, completely lost in their own world, as if I wasn’t even on the call. It was a long moment before Sean seemed to remember I was there. “Oh, right. Ava, what did you call for?” I bit my lip. “Sean, actually, today is my birth—” But again, Olivia interrupted. “Sean, oh my god, I can’t open this soda bottle…” Naturally, Sean’s hand reached out. “You’re so helpless,” he said, his voice laced with affection. Watching them, a sudden wave of exhaustion washed over me. It all felt so pointless. I didn’t bother asking him to come to my birthday party. I just hung up. Sean didn’t find out it was my birthday until the next day. When he came to find me, I thought he’d at least be a little sorry. Instead, he just gave me a cold look and said, “Why didn’t you tell me yesterday was your birthday? Olivia’s been upset all day. She was crying, saying she thinks you’re targeting her.” He glared at me. “Is it just because her grades are better than yours? Are you really that jealous? You can’t even tell me it’s your birthday? If you keep throwing these tantrums, we’re done.” This was the first time we’d gone more than five days without making up. 2 As a penalty for losing the dare, Sean treated everyone to a weekend night out at a club his family owned. Someone joked with him, “Dude, you’d rather lose the game than kiss Ava. Aren’t you afraid she’ll dump you?” He just laughed, a look of absolute confidence on his face. “Why would I be? She’s obsessed with me. She’s not going to break up with me over a stupid game.” Everyone laughed along. “True. Your girl knows how to handle things. She’s not gonna sweat the small stuff.” I lowered my head, fighting back the urge to cry, my face a carefully constructed mask of indifference. Don’t cry, I told myself. Not here. Not in front of everyone. The game continued. This time, it was my turn to draw a dare. I unfolded the slip of paper. It read: [Go and eat a piece of food from the top-ranked student’s plate.] I stared at the words, stunned. Adrian was the new transfer student. He’d shown up and immediately snatched the number-one rank from Sean, his picture plastered on the school’s honor roll display. Someone had even snapped a photo of it and posted it online. Thanks to his criminally handsome face, it had over a million likes. A few troublemakers immediately started hooting. “Ooh, this is a good one! Go on, Ava!” “That’s Adrian we’re talking about! The cold, untouchable genius who transferred into our class. He’s the reason Sean got knocked down to second place for the first time ever.” “He’s seriously cold, though. A bunch of girls confessed to him already, and they all came back crying.” Olivia covered her mouth, a sly grin on her face. “I hear Adrian’s single. With Ava’s figure, if she wore something a little more revealing tonight and wrapped herself around him, he probably wouldn’t be able to hold his books straight.” A couple of people shot her a warning look. “Hey, don’t talk like that. Ava’s Sean’s girlfriend.” “Yeah, everyone knows she’s head-over-heels for Sean. She’s been following him around like a puppy since they were kids.” Olivia feigned surprise, sticking her tongue out playfully at Sean. “Oops, my bad! I totally forgot she was your girlfriend.” I dug my nails into my palms, the sharp points nearly breaking the skin. I waited for Sean to say something, anything. I couldn’t believe he’d just let her talk about me like that, making crude jokes at my expense. Sean just looked at Olivia, a smirk tugging at his lips. “It’s fine. I don’t have a problem with it.” He shrugged. “Sounds good to me. While you’re at it, why don’t you go up to him with nothing on under your dress? Seduce him, tank his grades. I don’t mind.” His voice dripped with arrogance. “Ava’s crazy about me, right? It’s perfect. Her body might be with the top student, but her heart will still be with me. Works for me.” He let out a short, harsh laugh. “Besides, she’s so wrapped around my finger. I haven’t even had a taste, why would I let someone else get a free sample?” Olivia was the first to burst out laughing. In that moment, my heart seemed to skip a beat, then stop altogether. I couldn’t believe the boy I’d loved my whole life could be so utterly disrespectful. A tremor ran through my body, an uncontrollable shudder of hurt and anger. The phantom comments appeared again. 【There he goes again. Can he just drop the tough-guy act? He’s saying all this horrible stuff just to push our girl into apologizing and making up with him!】 【He spends all his time scrolling through their old chats. He thinks we don’t know? His thumb must be raw by now.】 【But damn, that number one is a total masterpiece. Even more of a heartthrob than Sean. I kinda want Ava to have a little taste of something new.】 【Sean has no idea. The new guy didn’t just steal his top rank; he’s been coveting his girlfriend for a long, long time.】 【Wait, isn’t the top student supposed to be the villain of this story? And isn’t he the sole heir to the Sterling Corporation or something?】 【Seriously, Ava, stop wasting your time on Sean. Give Adrian a chance! His study is filled with your photos. He probably keeps the pens you’ve touched in a freaking safe.】 【If you so much as brush a finger against him, he’d probably tremble with excitement!】 I stared at the floating text, my eyes wide. Adrian… was like that? Seeing my hesitation, Olivia tugged on Sean’s sleeve, pouting. “Look at Ava, she’s gone all quiet. Girlfriends are so much trouble. Can’t even take a little joke. And you,” she said, turning on Sean, “you should at least try to comfort her. Girls like her are so sensitive. What if she starts crying?” Sean’s brow furrowed in annoyance. “What’s there to comfort? It’s just a game. Acting like it’s the end of the world. Such a buzzkill.” Olivia giggled, inching closer to him. “Oh, so you can take a joke? What if the dare was for you to kiss me? Would you do it?” Sean raised an eyebrow. “Of course. It’s just a game.” Olivia laughed and shoved him playfully. “Ugh, shut up. I wouldn’t want to kiss you anyway.” Watching them flirt, completely oblivious to my presence, I felt a wave of bitterness so strong it threatened to drown me. Maybe the comments were right. Maybe all I had to do was soothe his ego, and he’d instantly soften and we’d be fine. That’s how it always was. Sean would push my boundaries, and I would be the one to retreat. But I knew if I backed down one more time… I’d be nothing more than a spineless doormat. Under the weight of everyone’s stares, I suddenly stood up, my bowl and fork in hand. “Fine,” I announced, my voice clear and steady. “I’ll give it a shot. He’s smart. I’ve been wanting to get to know him anyway.” The smile vanished from Sean’s face, replaced by a dark, thunderous expression. The comment-feed went wild. 【LMAO, Sean finally overplayed his hand. She’s actually going to do it!】 【Did you guys see Adrian’s face when he found out Ava was dating Sean? He looked like he wanted to commit murder. And speaking of commitment, his commitment to her is…】 【He hasn’t taken his eyes off her this whole time. And speaking of time, he could probably go for…】 【He’s been dying to have her. Watching Sean and Ava together has been torture for him. He must be starving. And speaking of starving…】 The comments grew more and more outrageous. I walked over to the other table, half-believing, half-skeptical. “Hi, sorry to bother you,” I began, my voice trembling slightly. “Can I… try some of your food?” Adrian looked up, and for a split second, his dark eyes seemed to glitter. I was taken aback. I’d never noticed before, but he was breathtakingly handsome. His friend started to run interference. “Adrian, another fan. Try not to be too harsh this time, you might make this one cry too. Hey,” he said to me, “you probably don’t know, but he’s a total germaphobe. He really doesn’t like people touching his…” “It’s fine,” Adrian cut in suddenly, his voice smooth and deep. He shot his friend a look. “I’m not a monster. This young lady is so thin. What’s wrong with her having a little of my food?” Before I could say anything, he pulled out the chair next to him. “Don’t listen to him. Sit. What else do you like? I saw you staring at the sweet and sour pork earlier. We can order some more.” So much for the cold, unapproachable genius. I’d been worried it would be awkward, but he was making it easy. Adrian pushed a plate of peeled shrimp in front of me and effortlessly kept the conversation going. “You’re amazing at English, right? I heard you got the highest score in the city on the mock exam.” I nodded, still a little dazed. He looked up, a warm smile gracing his lips. “That’s great, because my essays always lose points. I was wondering if you could help me with them. In exchange, I can help you with your other subjects. As you know, I get perfect scores in everything but English and History. It wouldn’t be a bad deal for you.” He paused. “Here, let’s trade numbers. It’ll be easier to coordinate.” The comment-feed was losing its mind. 【Look at him! The villain is fanning his tail feathers like a proud peacock!】 【This is perfect. Sean was just trying to force Ava into apologizing, and instead, he sent her straight into the villain’s arms.】 【LMAO, Sean thought she was going to get publicly humiliated. Now he’s so mad he’s about to bite his fork in half.】 【Nooo, I don’t want angst! Ava, just go back and apologize. If you just give in a little, he’ll totally make up with you tonight!】 3 After dinner, I packed my bag and got ready to head back to the classroom for evening study hall. Olivia suddenly appeared behind me and slapped my back with a grin. “Ava, can you do me a favor and tell the teacher Sean and I won’t be at study hall? He’s going to help me with my homework at his place.” She casually tossed her backpack to Sean, who caught it without a second thought. This was at least the tenth time I’d covered for them. In the past, seeing Sean carry Olivia’s bag or give her a ride home on his bike for a “study session” would have torn me up inside. But tonight, my mind was buzzing with Adrian’s offer to tutor me. I just mumbled, “Oh, okay.” “Wait a minute.” Sean’s voice, sharp and commanding, stopped me in my tracks. “You’re coming to my house tonight, too. I’ll help you with physics.” Olivia’s smile instantly vanished. I shook my head. “No, thanks.” He frowned. “Why not? Isn’t this what you’ve always wanted? For me to tutor you? What about that last problem on the physics test you said you couldn’t solve?” I met his gaze directly. “Thank you,” I said, enunciating each word. “But it’s too late. I already figured it out on my own. Besides, Adrian said he’d help me tonight. I can’t flake on him.” Sean’s expression darkened. “Ava, stop being difficult. You’ve always wanted me to tutor you. What is this, some new game you’re playing? Stop it. I don’t have time for these push-and-pull theatrics.” He held out his hand to me. “Come here. Whether we get back together or not depends on your performance tonight.” I took a step back. “I’m not playing a game. I really don’t want to go.” His hand hung in the air. He let out a cold, humorless laugh. “Fine,” he said, his voice laced with smug confidence. “Then let’s break up.” He’d said those words so many times before. Each time, they’d sent me into a week-long spiral. I’d be unable to focus in class, and I’d spend my nights crying while writing him long, rambling apologies. Maybe if I just bowed my head, soothed his ego like I always did, he’d let this all go. But suddenly, I just felt… tired. No one can keep retreating forever. I took a deep breath and summoned all my strength. “Okay,” I said. “Let’s break up.” The color drained from Sean’s face. He sneered. “Are you serious?” I clenched my fists, forcing myself to nod. The next second, he kicked a nearby chair with a vicious thud. The loud crash made me flinch. “Fine,” he spat, his voice like ice. “I hope you don’t come crawling back to me like a stray dog, begging me to take you back.” With that, he snatched his bag from the floor, turned on his heel, and stormed away. “Wait,” I called out. A tiny, almost imperceptible smile touched the corner of his lips. He glanced back at me over his shoulder. “What? Regret it already? Too late.” I pulled the matching couple’s ring he’d given me from my finger. “Since we’re broken up, I don’t want this anymore. You can have it back.” It was the gift he’d given me the day he asked me to be his girlfriend. Our names were engraved inside. I used to adore it, never taking it off. But now, it was just a piece of metal. Sean froze, his voice growing even colder. “Fine. If you don’t want it, just throw it away.” I nodded and tossed the ring into a nearby trash can, where it landed among leftover scraps of food. Then, without a second glance, I picked up my bag and walked away. For years, I had always been the one watching his back as he left. Maybe being the one to walk away wasn’t so hard after all. Sean’s face was a mask of fury. His friend tried to smooth things over. “Dude, she’s just trying to get a reaction out of you. You know how girls are, they love playing these little games.” “Yeah, man, don’t let her get to you. If you give in now, you lose.” “I bet you as soon as we leave, she’ll come running back, crying her eyes out and digging through the trash like a clown.” Sean gave a nonchalant laugh. “You’re right. She won’t last a few days.”

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I was the villain’s wife. The one who died young, his one true love. Ten years after my death, a System resurrected me. My mission: to redeem him, now that he had fallen into darkness. But I had lost all my memories. So when I saw the villain from a distance, before I could even get close, his men threw me out. As I lay crumpled on the ground, a phantom comment feed flickered into existence before my eyes. 【Here we go again. I’ve lost count of how many have come to ‘save’ the villain.】 【For years, the System has been sending countless replacements to placate him, terrified he’ll destroy this world.】 【Some looked just like his dead wife, some had her exact personality, some even came armed with all her memories…】 【But every single one of them failed.】 【How long will this one, this completely unremarkable one, even last?】 1 When the System brought me into this world, the villain threatening its very stability was already thirty-four years old, with a ten-year-old son. I, on the other hand, had just woken from a long slumber. I knew nothing. I remembered nothing. All I knew was that my name was Nora, and I was twenty-three years old. The System had just told me that much. Beyond that, it had given me a thousand warnings about the villain, about how dangerous he was. It begged me not to be like the candidates who came before me, who’d lost their lives the moment they arrived. The System told me the villain’s name was Reik Thorne, a man who stood at the absolute pinnacle of wealth and power. He was cruel and ruthless, a ferocious, temperamental beast. The only shred of humanity he had left was reserved for his young son. I stared at my reflection in the mirror for a long time. “I don’t see anything special about myself,” I murmured. “Nothing that would make a man like that give me a second glance.” The System watched me in silence. After a long pause, it spoke, its tone heavy with meaning. “You’re the last chance. If even you can’t do it—” It cut itself off, its voice firming with resolve. “No. You have to be the one.” 2 The System’s endless warnings were not an exaggeration. The moment I arrived, I tried everything I could just to get a glimpse of Reik Thorne from a distance. But the hulking bodyguards trailing him spotted me instantly. Reik was dressed head-to-toe in black, a heavy coat draped over his shoulders. He was standing outside the school gates, waiting for his son. He never once glanced in my direction. I stared at the sharp, cold lines of his profile, and a strange, uncontrollable emotion bloomed in my chest. It was a sorrow so profound it brought tears to my eyes. I stood there, frozen by this inexplicable wave of grief, not even noticing his bodyguards closing in. A sharp, searing pain shot through my body as I was thrown hard against a brick wall. One of the guards, his face a mask of brutal indifference, tossed a threat at me before leaving. “Don’t look at things you’re not supposed to see.” He gave my pathetic, crumpled form on the ground a final, cold sweep. “Next time, it won’t be this simple.” 3 At that moment, the sky began to shed soft flakes of snow. I clutched my injured arm, huddled against the wall. From a distance, I saw Reik meet his son. Even seeing the boy didn’t bring a hint of a smile to his face. He just stubbed out his cigarette, looked down, and took his son’s hand. They turned and got into a car. Perhaps my gaze was too intense. Just before the boy climbed into the car, he turned his head and looked directly at me. I was a mess of blood and melting snow. Utterly wretched. Yet, on pure instinct, I managed a gentle smile for the strikingly beautiful boy. His gaze was as indifferent as his father’s. He looked me over calmly, his expression unreadable. It was just one glance. A bodyguard was already holding the car door open. It swung shut, and the car drove away without a backward glance. 4 My heart felt as if it had suddenly stepped into thin air. A deep, sinking feeling of weightlessness washed over me. Before I could even begin to process the origin of these strange emotions, lines of white text began to scroll across my vision. The text was dense, flashing past my eyes at a rapid pace— 【And here’s another new candidate.】 【Over the past decade, I can’t even count if this is the twentieth or the two-hundredth.】 【The System is seriously terrified of this guy. Terrified he’ll just decide to burn the whole world down one day.】 【So it keeps trying to shove people into his life.】 【But he only ever loved his dead wife.】 【For years, the System has sent countless ‘replacement’ candidates.】 【Some looked just like her, some had her exact personality, some even came fully prepared with all her memories…】 5 I watched the stream of comments fly by, my brow furrowed. I’d forgotten to even blink. The “guy” they were talking about had to be Reik Thorne, the man destabilizing this entire world. And all those failed candidates—that must be why the System had warned me so relentlessly about him. The System had seemingly tried everything. So why did it believe that I, so painfully ordinary, could possibly complete this mission and pacify Reik Thorne? As I pondered this, the phantom text shifted its focus to me. 【Honestly, though, the only thing keeping him stable all these years isn’t some replacement or candidate—】 【It’s the son his dead wife left him.】 【She left without a trace, except for that boy.】 【He’s Reik’s only remaining connection to this world.】 【Otherwise, with how insane he was in those first few years, he would have destroyed the world and himself, joining his wife in death long ago.】 【That’s why all those candidates failed, without exception.】 【His wife was his white moonlight, his one true love.】 【She’s the only sacred ground left in his heart.】 【He would never allow anyone to tarnish her memory by wearing her face or stealing her identity.】 【That’s why all those fakes died, each one more miserably than the last.】 【So what about this one?】 【This plain, unprepared, completely unremarkable candidate?】 【How many days will she last?】 —They even started placing bets. 【I bet she dies the next time she meets him.】 【I’m in.】 【Me too.】 Then, someone posted a laughing emoji— 【LOL, she took a pretty nasty fall just now.】 【And it’s snowing hard.】 【We don’t even know if she’ll survive the night…】 6 I lowered my gaze, ignoring the dense wall of mocking text. My eyes focused on the bloody wounds on my body. But to everyone’s surprise, my next encounter with the Thorne family wasn’t with Reik. It was his son who came looking for me. I don’t know how he found me. I only know that when I pushed open the door of my cheap motel room the next morning, he was standing there, all alone, with his school backpack on. Looking at his face, so eerily similar to his father’s, I stopped in my tracks. He tilted his head up slightly, his gaze fixed on my face. “Who are you?” he asked in a low voice. It was a strange question. He was the one who had sought me out, yet the first thing he asked was who I was. “My name is Nora,” I answered, my voice earnest. The moment the words left my mouth, his brow furrowed deeply. 7 The white text feed was relentless. The instant I spoke my name, it erupted in a unified, mocking chorus. 【Has the System just completely given up?】 【It’s tried sending girls with a similar face—】 【It’s tried sending girls with a similar personality—】 【This is the first time it’s been so blatant, sending a candidate with the exact same name.】 【The System really isn’t afraid of making him angry, is it…】 【It’s one step away from just delivering her to his doorstep and saying: You wanted ‘Nora’? Well, I brought ‘Nora’ back for you…】 Unlike the boisterous text, the boy’s face remained devoid of any emotion. He just said calmly, “My name is Noah.” After he spoke, his gaze on me intensified, as if he were observing me, waiting for some kind of reaction. Nora, Noah… His name was so similar to mine. Combined with the information revealed by the phantom text… Perhaps Reik Thorne’s dead wife was named Nora. 8 But my mind was a complete blank. I couldn’t give Noah the reaction he was looking for. The intense, burning hope in his eyes gradually cooled. Someone came rushing down the hall from the elevator. A well-dressed man in a suit, a head taller than Noah, stopped in front of him and bowed his head. His voice was pleading. “Young Master, the car is waiting downstairs. You’re going to be late for school.” Noah slowly lowered his dark lashes. It looked like disappointment. He turned to leave, his movements sharp and decisive. But after turning, he paused for a moment. His brow furrowed again. He looked at the large glass window across the hall and said, “You should get those injuries treated.” I followed his gaze to my reflection in the glass, to the crude bandages wrapped around my arm and right leg. The System hadn’t given me any special advantages when I arrived. The little money I had was barely enough for food and shelter. I couldn’t afford to go to a hospital. Noah was already gone. My gaze drifted from the window to the blurred reflection of my own face. 9 There was a mottled scar on my right cheek. The System said I had died in a fire ten years ago. The System drew its energy from the world it managed. But Reik Thorne was a man who repaid every debt, real or perceived. His wife had died in an “accident” connected to the world’s original hero and heroine. So, without distinguishing between right and wrong, he had exacted his revenge on everyone involved in that accident. The hero and heroine, the so-called “Children of Providence,” had been dead for five years. After their deaths, Reik had taken complete control of this world. The System itself was barely surviving, clinging to a thread. Its energy reserves were always low. That was why it could only restore my body to about 80% of its original state. I was healthy, but my body was covered in burn scars of various sizes that had never fully healed. I stared at the unfamiliar face in the reflection. It was a plain, even ugly, face. To choose me as the one to win over a villain like him— I couldn’t see any hope at all. No wonder the phantom text was filled with nothing but ridicule for me. 10 But whether there was hope or not, I still had to win over Reik Thorne. That was the purpose of my resurrection. It was the only way I could continue to live. But to do that, I first had to solve the pressing problem of my own survival. I managed to find a job as a night-shift clerk at the bookstore on the ground floor of Reik Thorne’s corporate tower. I worked until midnight. The lights in the tower across the street were still blazing. I sat on the steps outside the bookstore, opening a box of cold takeout. At 12:07 AM, Reik’s black Bentley glided past. The tinted windows blocked my view completely. I knew he was inside because the phantom text was buzzing with discussion. They seemed to have an extra set of eyes, able to see right through the car window to the man inside, and they used this to heap more scorn on me. 【The System gave up, and it looks like this one has too…】 【Other candidates, the second they arrive, are already scheming how to get in front of him, trying to make an impression or find an opening.】 【But her? She’s taking her sweet time finding a job, just living her own life.】 【Was she scared off by that first run-in with his bodyguards?】 【Am I just supposed to sit here and watch her organize bookshelves all day?】 【If you’re this useless, you shouldn’t have agreed to the mission in the first place…】 I lowered my eyes, ignoring the heated comments. I noticed a stray dog had padded up beside me, its tail wagging, its eyes fixed on me hopefully. I picked out the only two pieces of meat from my dinner and gave them to the dog. Together, under the dark sky, we shared the meal. 11 I worked at the bookstore for nearly a month. By the time my injuries had mostly healed, I had another unexpected encounter with Reik Thorne. It was 11 PM, and the bookstore owner asked me to deliver a stack of pre-packaged books to the tower across the street. After passing through layers of security checks and questioning, I finally set foot inside the building for the first time. I handed the books to the client and prepared to leave. The office tower was quiet at night; most people had already gone home. As I waited for the elevator, I heard a faint sound from the end of the hallway. It sounded like someone in extreme pain. The elevator was taking forever. I turned my head and looked toward the end of the hall. The text feed screamed at me not to get involved. They even suggested I use this opportunity to sneak down to the underground parking garage and wait for Reik to get off work. But listening to that faint, hoarse cry of pain, I stood there in silence for a long moment, then turned and walked down the hall. 12 No one could have expected it. Curled up on the landing of a stark, concrete stairwell, bathed in the pale, sterile light, was Reik Thorne. He was dressed in a pure black shirt and trousers, his shoulders broad and his back straight, but he looked unusually fragile. The moment I pushed open the heavy fire door, he snapped his head around, instantly alert. His brow was beaded with sweat from the intense pain, but his eyes, when they met mine, were cold and wary. —I had stumbled upon something I wasn’t supposed to see. I froze in place. Under his intense gaze, I had no choice but to force the words out. “…Do you need me to call a doctor?” Reik just stared at me, his expression icy, without saying a word. I had to raise a hand and press my white face mask tighter against my skin. Because of the scars on my face, I always wore a mask in public to avoid frightening customers or children. The pressure of his gaze was immense. I wanted to back away, to leave. But seeing the vein throbbing at his temple from the pain, seeing his deathly pale lips, I felt an inexplicable pang of sympathy. So I took a step forward and pulled a small bottle of painkillers from my pocket. I’d never seen a proper doctor for my injuries. When the pain became unbearable, I just chewed on painkillers to get through it. I never thought the pills I always carried would come in handy like this. 13 Under Reik’s unblinking stare, I placed a single pill on the step beside him. As I turned to leave, he shot out a hand and seized my wrist. His palm was ice-cold, sending a chill through me. I had no choice but to look down at him. At such a close distance, our eyes met. “Who are you?” he finally rasped. The lighting was dim, but I thought I saw something flicker in his dark pupils, a flash of light that was there and then gone. He moved too fast. Before I could consent or protest, his other hand had reached up and hooked the mask from my face. Reik’s dark eyes reflected the vivid scars on my cheek. We were so close. I saw his gaze tremble. My face was still too frightening. I reached up and hooked the mask back in place. I saw his hand suddenly go slack, and a silver chain slipped from his grasp, dangling in the air. —It was what he had been clutching so tightly in his cold palm. At the end of the chain was a silver locket. In the center of the locket, I could faintly make out the smiling face of a young girl. I looked away, not daring to stare. I left the pill and walked away. This time, Reik didn’t stop me. Before I left, I glanced back one last time from the doorway. Reik was still sitting where I had left him. Dressed in severe black, yet radiating an aura of complete desolation. 14 The white text feed was “criticizing” me again. They called me an idiot, completely clueless. 【I give up…】 【She is honestly the most useless candidate I have ever seen.】 【She just stumbled upon a golden opportunity, a perfect moment, and she didn’t know how to seize it?】 【She just left?】 【Shouldn’t she have stayed, comforted him, showed some concern?】 【She finally gets a moment alone with him, and she just walks away?】 【What is she even doing?】 Some of the comments were even more aggressive, trying to stir up trouble. They thought I should have been more direct, thrown myself into his arms, used the crudest methods to seduce him. After all, I was doomed anyway. Someone like me could never complete the mission. They were practically begging for me to anger Reik sooner rather than later, to meet my inevitable end. They didn’t want to watch a “candidate” like me anymore. If I died, a new, more capable candidate would naturally take my place.

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