My mother-in-law, Helen, was clearing new ground when her foot came down on a landmine, a ghost left over from the war. The town foreman told me to run and get my husband, a veteran EOD specialist, to defuse it. I just shook my head, refusing. In my last life, I ran six miles into town to save her. I dragged my husband, Liam, out of a diner where he was on a date with his “one true love.” I begged him to come help. Helen was saved, but his lover was cornered in an alley by her ex-husband and beaten to death. To the world, Liam praised me for my quick thinking. But on the anniversary of her death, he used that same disarmed landmine to blow me to pieces. “Why wasn’t it you who died?” he’d screamed. “Go to hell and apologize to Miranda!” Reborn into this life, Liam is finally enjoying his fancy meal at the town’s best diner with Miranda. But when he learns what happened back home, he will be shattered by regret. … “Jessie, don’t you dare come any closer! Get away from me!” That familiar voice pierced through the fog, and my eyes flew open. My mother-in-law, Helen, stood before me, tears streaming down her face, yet she was still desperately trying to wave me away. “I’m an old woman, my hands and feet don’t listen to me anymore. If this thing really goes off, I can’t drag you down with me.” Foreman Pete heard her and immediately pulled me back. “Jessie! Isn’t your husband a bomb disposal vet? Where is he? Go get him, now!” The urgent pleas swirled around me. I dug my fingernails into my palms, the sharp sting a desperate anchor against the tears threatening to fall. “He’s in town with Miranda,” I choked out. “Even if I go… I don’t think he’ll come back.” The young volunteers who had rushed over with the foreman all exchanged awkward glances. The affair between my husband, Liam, and Miranda was the worst-kept secret in town. Today was our wedding anniversary. He had taken every last cent and all our ration coupons, announcing he was buying Miranda expensive face cream and treating her to a steak dinner at the best diner in the county. The air grew thick and still. One of the young men, seeing the anguish on my face, sighed. “Jessie, we’re fast on our feet. We’ll go get Liam back here!” “You just look after Helen. Everything’s going to be alright!” Without waiting for the foreman’s order, a few of them took off down the road in a cloud of dust. I lowered my gaze, the raw reality of my rebirth finally sinking in. Helen, of course, knew all about her son’s shameful behavior. She looked at me, her face etched with sorrow. “Jessie, what Liam’s done… it’s my fault. I didn’t raise him right. I’ve failed you.” “When he gets back, I’ll make him break it off with that little harlot for good!” A fresh wave of grief washed over me, and a sob escaped my lips. Even after Miranda had abandoned him twice before, Liam was still willing to make me pay for her death with my own life, for a crime I didn’t commit. A man like that? Break things off with Miranda? Impossible. As we tried to comfort each other, the group of volunteers returned, drenched in sweat. Every eye turned to the road behind them. But it was empty. Liam wasn’t with them. They were still catching their breath, their faces flushed with fury. “That Liam is certifiably insane! He was in the general store with that phony, Miranda, buying her face cream and a brand-new shirt!” “We talked until we were blue in the face, but the bastard wouldn’t believe us!” “And you know what he said? He said you sent us! Said you were cheap and made up a story about a landmine just to trick him into coming home so you could save a little money for yourself!” “What kind of son is he? That’s his own mother standing on a goddamn bomb! Even if he had doubts, shouldn’t he have come back to check?!” “And that Miranda! What a venomous snake! With just a few words, she twisted it around so it sounded like we were your secret lovers! God, it makes me sick! How can such a vile person exist!” After their unfiltered tirade, they remembered Liam’s mother was right there. Two muddy streams of tears flowed down Helen’s cheeks. Her lips trembled for a long time before she could force out the words. “That ungrateful whelp… did he really say that?” “Jessie, I’ve wronged you in this life. I’ve ruined you. I’m a failure… let me pay you back with my life!” The shock was too much for her; she was on the verge of a complete breakdown. Under the silent, pitying gazes of the crowd, I gritted my teeth and dropped to my knees in front of her. “Helen, this isn’t your fault! It’s Liam! He’s lost his mind! I have never, ever blamed you!” “If you hadn’t given me a scrap of food to eat when I was a child, I would have starved to death long ago! I don’t want you to pay me back with your life! I want you to live!” My parents died in a flood when I was very young. I was an orphan with nothing and no one. It was Helen who took me in, who gave me a roof over my head and food in my belly, who allowed me to grow up safely. Years ago, Liam and Miranda had been childhood sweethearts. But Miranda thought Liam, a simple army grunt, had no future. She left him a note and ran off with a wealthy man from the city. The blow devastated Liam. He turned his attention to me. Helen, who already doted on me for my hardworking nature, urged me to accept. I married him out of a sense of gratitude, but no sooner had we tied the knot than Miranda came back. Liam immediately demanded a divorce. Helen refused, dead set against it. The whole town was abuzz with the scandal. Miranda fanned the flames, and Liam became convinced that I was using his mother to sabotage their love. From that day on, he hated me. To punish me, he started taking Miranda into town every day, squandering our money on lavish meals and extravagant gifts. A storm of emotions churned inside me, but I forced it down to comfort Helen. When she finally calmed, I reached out and took her rough, calloused hand. “Helen, you’re not well. You can’t stand here for much longer.” “Let me take your place. Please?” The moment the words left my mouth, the crowd erupted. “Jessie, think about what you’re doing! That’s a live bomb from the war! If it goes off, you’ll be dead or crippled! Your whole life will be ruined!” “You’re so young, you can even read and write! Don’t throw your future away like this!” Helen’s tears were unstoppable now. “Jessie, yes, I raised you! But that was only because your parents saved me from that flood first!” “I’m an old woman with one foot in the grave! If I die, I die! Don’t you make this worse!” I clung to her hand, refusing to let go. “No matter what, I can’t watch you die. If you won’t switch with me, then I’m not leaving either. We’ll just get blown up together!” Under my tearful threats, Helen finally relented. Seeing he couldn’t change my mind, Foreman Pete moved the crowd back for safety. Back when things were good between us, Liam had told me how to swap places with a teammate who couldn’t hold their position on a mine. I coached Helen through the steps as I carefully slid my foot over to take the pressure. To say I wasn’t scared would be a lie. My legs felt like they were about to give out. But my heart was already shattered. The only person in this world who was ever truly good to me was Helen. I couldn’t let her die. After a silence so profound it made my teeth ache, we successfully switched places. She wiped her tears, looking at me, and then stomped her foot with renewed determination. “Jessie, you wait here. I’m going to personally drag that monster back!” Seeing that I had actually managed the swap, the crowd’s eyes filled with awe. The same young volunteers, having just caught their breath, offered to go again. “Ma’am, we’ll take you! You need to give Liam a piece of your mind! What he’s doing is just too much!” They helped Helen to her feet and quickly disappeared down the road. I waited with the foreman in silence for what felt like an eternity. When they finally returned, it was the same as before. Behind the small group, there was still no sign of Liam. The moment Helen saw me, her legs gave out and she collapsed onto the ground. “Jessie… I’m so sorry… that boy… he has no humanity!” She was sobbing too hard to speak, so the volunteers angrily filled in the gaps. “Liam’s a complete lunatic! He won’t even believe his own mother!” Through their overlapping, furious complaints, I pieced together what had happened in town. After buying the face cream and the new shirt, Liam and Miranda had gone to the diner. When my mother-in-law and the others arrived, the two of them were cooing at each other, lovingly placing food on each other’s plates. At the sight of his mother, Liam slammed his fork down. “Mom, can you please stop playing along with Jessie’s crazy games? She already sent people to tell me you stepped on a landmine. If you were on a landmine, how could you possibly be standing here in town?” “I just want to have one nice meal with Miranda! Can’t you people just leave me alone?!” Enraged, Helen flipped the table over and tried to drag Liam back with her. Seeing the raw fury in his mother’s expression, Liam finally seemed to believe her, at least a little. But just as he was about to leave, Miranda grabbed his other hand. “I know Jessie doesn’t like me, that she can’t stand it when you spend time with me,” she whispered sweetly. “But Auntie, you can’t joke about something like this.” “The old battlefields have been cleared so many times. How could there possibly be a real bomb?” After that, no matter how much Helen swore on her life, no matter how she beat her chest and pointed to the heavens, Liam refused to believe. When Helen, in her fury, tried to lunge at Miranda, Liam shielded her and walked away without a single backward glance. Hearing this, the foreman’s face turned ashen. And the last thread of hope I’d been clinging to finally, completely, snapped. Our town was in the middle of nowhere. Liam was the only one who knew how to defuse a bomb. If he wouldn’t come, I was going to die. I stood there from dawn until dusk. Helen cried until she fainted several times and had to be carried home by the volunteers. When the moon reached the highest point in the night sky, I couldn’t feel my legs anymore. My body was numb and heavy. I knew I couldn’t hold on any longer. Under the tear-filled gaze of the few who remained, I parted my lips, my voice a dry rasp. “Could you bring me a piece of paper? I… I want to write a will.” The foreman sniffled and sent one of the volunteers, who ran off with tears streaming down his face. Just then, a line of torches appeared in the distance. “Is this where the landmine was found? We’re a military unit on maneuvers! We brought our EOD expert!” The small crowd rushed to meet them. A wave of relief, so powerful it almost buckled my knees, washed over me. I had been saved from the brink of death. Worried for my safety, the volunteers ignored the danger and rushed back to support me on either side. “Jessie, you have to hold on! So what if that idiot Liam won’t come? There are plenty of good people who will save you!” “You’re a good person, Jessie! The heavens wouldn’t let you die like this!” They had been with me all day, wracked with fear. Now that help had arrived, their faces were lit with joy. But as the soldiers drew closer, every smile froze. “Liam?!” Liam was just as shocked to see me. “Jessie, are you out of your mind?!” he roared. “To get me to come back, you made this huge scene? You actually got my commanding officers involved in your little drama!” Beside him, Miranda, dressed in her new clothes, smirked triumphantly. “Jessie, there’s really nothing going on between Liam and me. Did you make all this up just to get him in trouble with his superiors?” “You can’t keep being so selfish. You have to think about your husband’s career.” Liam’s face contorted with rage at Miranda’s words. He lunged forward and grabbed my arm. I had been standing for a full day and night. My body was utterly exhausted. Liam’s sudden pull sent me lurching forward, out of control.

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1 Lately, Charlotte had been getting a lot of calls from a restricted number. She claimed it was her cell carrier, pitching new plans. But I knew the truth. She had a different carrier. I didn’t bother calling her out on it, but she just got bolder. The day I got food poisoning, she was at the office, screwing her male assistant. When I called her office line, all I could hear over the phone were the muffled sounds of their passion, punctuated by her sharp, dismissive words to me: “If you’re going to die, then just die. Stop bothering me!” Later, we were out together, and I found a designer men’s watch in the car’s center console. Before I could say anything, Charlotte snatched it away, her voice cold. “Don’t touch that. It’s not for you.” I just nodded and pulled the car up to the bridal shop. The custom wedding suits we’d ordered… it was time to cancel them. I’d just stepped into the bridal shop when Charlotte caught up to me. She tossed a windproof lighter at me. “Oliver, you need to work on not losing things all the time.” Charlotte had a touch of OCD. She couldn’t stand clutter in her car. The lighter hit me in the face, a sharp, stinging pain, but I didn’t react. I just said, calmly, “I don’t smoke. You know who this belongs to, don’t you?” At that, her expression softened. She carefully picked up the lighter from the floor and slipped it into her pocket. I knew it was Leo’s. Every time Leo deliberately left something behind to provoke me, I would lose my temper. But not this time. I didn’t complain. I just turned and gave my phone number to the sales assistant. The assistant smiled brightly. “You’re just in time. Your custom suits are finished and ready for a fitting.” Before I could refuse, Charlotte, the same woman who had just been yelling at me, had already disappeared into the changing room, her face a mask of indifference. Ten minutes later, I stood before her in my suit. She smirked. “A monkey in a suit is still a monkey. Tacky as hell.” I didn’t argue. I just asked the assistant to take a picture of me. Charlotte, though visibly annoyed, started to move into the frame. I shifted away. Just then, her phone rang—Leo’s special ringtone. Leo’s voice was frantic. He’d lost his limited-edition Dupont lighter and was dramatically offering himself to whoever was kind enough to return it. I thought he sounded like a moron, but Charlotte was completely invested. She hung up, and without even bothering to change out of her wedding gown, she hiked up the skirt and dashed out of the shop. As I heard her car speed away, I paid the remaining balance for the suits. Then I picked up a pair of scissors and, without a moment’s hesitation, cut my wedding suit to ribbons. It was one in the morning when I got a text while packing my things. It was from Charlotte: [At a karaoke bar.] After six years together, my girlfriend was finally, for once, volunteering her whereabouts. I glanced at it and didn’t reply. After taking out the trash, I took a long bath and fell straight to sleep. When Charlotte came home the next day, she found me on my way out to take out more trash. She gave me a strange look. “Is your phone broken?” When I shook my head, her brow furrowed in annoyance. I knew why she was reacting this way. In the past, whenever she stayed out too late, I would text and call her relentlessly. 2 I’d even cross the entire city just to bring her home. But last night, not only had I not tried to find her, I hadn’t even replied to her text. As I was about to step outside, Charlotte asked, “Oliver, where’s the photo of us that was on the wall?” I met her gaze, about to lay it all on the line, when her phone rang again, right on cue. She brushed past my shoulder, already deep in conversation as she walked into the house. “Don’t worry, Leo. I’ll bring it over as soon as it’s ready.” Hearing the sound of the shower running, I continued downstairs to take out the trash. On my way back up, a wave of dizziness hit me. Probably low blood sugar from skipping breakfast and a busy morning. I stumbled back into the apartment, drenched in a cold sweat, and grabbed a sandwich from the counter. I had just taken a bite when Charlotte appeared before me, her voice sharp and accusatory. “Oliver, are you some kind of starving animal?” She snatched the sandwich from my mouth, plate and all, and threw it in the trash. I stared at her, stunned. “I’ve taken care of you for six years. Don’t I even deserve a single bite of the breakfast you made?” Charlotte’s eyes were hard as stone. “Why don’t you take a good look at yourself in the mirror and tell me what part of you deserves anything?” Without another glance, she put on her coat and slammed the door behind her. Faced with this new wave of the silent treatment, I instinctively picked up my phone and opened her chat. I saw she’d changed her background photo. It was a side profile of Leo kissing her on the forehead. I ‘liked’ the photo and then unpinned her chat from the top of my list. During my lunch break, I had an appointment with a real estate agent to look at apartments. As I stepped into the elevator, I ran into Charlotte and Leo. Leo looked like he’d just woken up, and Charlotte was gently fixing his bangs. Seeing me, Leo didn’t flinch. He even greeted me cheerfully. “Ollie, perfect timing. I just got this haircut, but Charlotte thinks it’s messy and insists on fixing it. Is she this controlling with you at home too?” Even if I weren’t in the picture, Charlotte was still his boss, yet he called her by her first name. It was clear their relationship was an open secret at the office. I had no intention of responding to his provocation, but then I saw Charlotte poke Leo’s cheek, not trying to hide it at all. “Only you’re allowed to boss me around, huh? I can’t boss you back?” Leo looked up at me. “Why don’t you tell Ollie here how you boss me around?” They both burst out laughing. Charlotte laughed so hard she practically fell into him, completely ignoring my presence. The next second, the elevator shuddered to a halt, plunging us into darkness. I turned on my phone’s flashlight and saw Charlotte holding Leo, murmuring soft words of comfort. It didn’t take long for the elevator to be fixed. When we reached the ground floor, Charlotte offered to give me a ride. Before I could answer, Leo suddenly announced that the ordeal had made him dizzy. Without a second thought, Charlotte pushed me aside, bundled Leo into the passenger seat, and sped off toward the hospital. I silently picked up my phone, which she had knocked to the floor, hailed a cab, and went to see the apartment. That evening, Charlotte personally delivered a dessert to my desk. Half an hour earlier, I had seen a new post from Leo: [A little low blood sugar doesn’t call for this many desserts! There’s no way I can finish all of this!] 3 The picture was a table laden with French pastries. I thanked her but didn’t touch the dessert box. A flicker of confusion crossed Charlotte’s face. “Oliver, why are you being so polite to me?” I didn’t answer her directly. “If you don’t mind, I need to go print something.” By the time I returned with my printed resignation letter, Charlotte was gone. She had left a sticky note. It said to find her upstairs when I was done. I tore off the note and threw it away, along with the dessert. I didn’t go find her. Instead, I walked into my boss’s office and resigned. “Oliver, why are you being so polite to me?” my boss had asked, echoing Charlotte’s words. He tried to convince me to stay, but seeing my mind was made up, he finally accepted my resignation. If the handover went smoothly, I would be free after this week. At ten that night, Charlotte called me while I was at a work dinner. A female colleague accidentally answered. By the time I got the phone, Charlotte’s voice was dangerously cold. “Oliver, where are you this late at night? And who was that woman?” “Out,” I replied. “Send me your location. I’m coming to pick you up.” She hung up before I could say another word. I sent my location and stayed until the restaurant closed. Charlotte never showed up. I opened Leo’s social media and, unsurprisingly, saw a picture of him in a hospital bed with an IV drip. I took a cab home alone, showered, and went to sleep. At three in the morning, a disheveled Charlotte shook me awake. Her voice was ice. “Oliver, I’m hungry. Make me a bowl of shrimp dumplings.” She was allergic to shellfish and didn’t even like dumplings. I knew who they were for. I tried to pull her hand away, but my fingers brushed against the scar on her arm. Years ago, a fire had broken out in the school auditorium. Charlotte had dragged me out of the smoke-filled room after I’d passed out. Her arm was badly burned, leaving a permanent scar. If it weren’t for her, I’d probably be dead. A bowl of shrimp dumplings in exchange for my life. It was a fair trade. Seeing me get dressed without a word, ready to head out, Charlotte grabbed my arm. For the first time in a long while, her voice was hesitant. “Maybe… maybe you should just wait until morning. Anyway…” I cut her off. “Does he want anything else besides the dumplings?” I asked softly. After a moment of silence, Charlotte let go of my arm. “No,” she said. At dawn, Charlotte stood at the door with an insulated food container. “Oliver, I have to go abroad next week. Make some time this Saturday to have dinner with my parents and discuss the wedding…” Before she could finish, I cut her off. “No need.” Charlotte was clearly taken aback. “What do you mean?” I lied without batting an eye. “Let’s talk about it when you get back. Work is more important.” She stared at me, as if she had more to say, but luckily, her phone rang again. She shut the door, eager to take the call. On Friday, my last day of work, Charlotte pulled me into her car the moment I stepped out of the office. At a high-end restaurant, she placed a piece of sashimi on my plate. “Which wine do you want?” I scrolled idly through my phone. “Whatever. You pick.” My indifference made her pretty face darken.

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1 My mother hated me. She believed I had stolen the love of my father, my grandfather, and my grandmother from her. On Christmas Day, she left me at home alone with three male neighbors while she went shopping with other relatives. Before she left, I cried and told her I was scared. She just sneered at me. “Willow, they’re your elders! Besides, with that scrawny body of yours, you really think they’d be interested?” After she was gone, they raped me, then killed me. They dismembered my body and flushed it down the drain. When my mother couldn’t find me, she told our relatives that I was born cheap, that I’d probably run off to fool around with some boy. But later, when she learned of my death, she went mad. When my mother bought clothes for my cousin, her face was lit with a gentle smile I had never seen before. She carefully held a dress up to my cousin, beaming as she praised her. “This bright color is just perfect for our little Joy.” My cousin tried to refuse, but my mother insisted. “It’s Christmas! A festive color for a festive time.” My aunt felt a little awkward. “Since we’re here,” she said, “we should get something for Willow, too.” I really did need new clothes. The winter coat I was wearing was from two years ago, a gift from my father for my fifteenth birthday. Teenagers grow fast. I couldn’t even zip it up anymore. But my mother’s face twisted in disgust. “Buy her something? Why?” “So she can dress up all flashy and go seduce men? Besides, Willow was born trash. She doesn’t deserve clothes this nice.” Although my cousin and aunt were used to hearing my mother say such things, they couldn’t help but look embarrassed. All our relatives knew. My mother didn’t like me. She had been the apple of her parents’ and brother’s eyes growing up. Then she met my father, who spoiled her like a princess. My cousin told me that when my mother was pregnant with me, she had been excited for my arrival. She used to say she hoped I’d be a boy, so I could protect her alongside my father. But I was a girl. And a premature one at that. I was frail after birth, so my grandparents and my father shifted some of their attention from my mother to me. My mother felt I had stolen their love. From that day on, she disliked me. The more she neglected me, the guiltier my grandparents and father felt, and the more she hated me. It was tolerable when they were around. But as soon as they were gone, she would become even worse. She once stared at me with pure hatred and said, “I wish I had just gotten rid of you when you were still in my belly.” Remembering the cold, venomous look in her eyes, I shuddered. When I came back to myself, my mother had already dragged my aunt out of the clothing store, as if terrified she might actually buy me something. A sudden wave of sadness washed over me. But, Mom. Even if you were willing to buy me clothes now, I couldn’t wear them. I followed behind them, watching as they continued to wander through the mall. My father, who was visiting relatives out of town, called. He reminded my mother, “Willow is a big girl now. When you and your sister-in-law go out, don’t leave her home alone.” My mother bristled at my father’s concern for me. She whined into the phone, “Willow, Willow, that’s all you ever care about! What about me? I’m your wife!” My father’s good-natured laugh came through the phone. “Of course, I care about you. I care about you the most.” After a few more sweet nothings, he reminded her again, “Remember to keep Willow with you. Men who’ve been drinking can be dangerous.” My mother nodded absently and hung up. She kicked at a pile of snow, muttering unhappily. “They say a daughter is her father’s lover from a past life. It must be true.” “Little slut.” I watched her, my heart aching with a strange urge to cry. Knowing my mother’s personality, my father sent a message to my cousin. At the sound of the notification, my mother eyed my cousin suspiciously. “Well, well, looks like our Joy is a busy bee. Who’s messaging you on Christmas?” My cousin didn’t dare say it was my father and quickly made up a lie. But she took his words to heart. A little while later, she said casually, “Auntie, maybe we should head back. It’s getting really cold out here.” “Besides, it’s no fun for Willow to be home all by herself.” My mother couldn’t stand anyone showing me concern. “Who said she’s alone?” she retorted. “Aren’t her two older ‘brothers’ and their uncle there with her?” My aunt also felt uneasy. “But they’re all men, and they’ve been drinking. Rose, Willow’s a young woman now. It’s not safe for her to be alone with them.” My mother just scoffed. “What’s not safe about it?” “They’re her elders! Besides, with that scrawny body of hers, what man would even look at her?” Hearing this, a dull ache spread through my chest. How strange. My heart had already been torn out, so how could it still hurt? 2 Two hours ago, my mother had said the exact same thing to me. It was Christmas Day. Our neighbor, Uncle Miller, had come over with his two sons. My aunt and cousin were also there, so it was a lively gathering. Everyone had a little to drink with dinner. The women were fine, but Uncle Miller and his sons drank heavily. After dinner, my mother suggested she, my aunt, and my cousin go shopping, leaving me at home alone. Uncle Miller and his sons eyed me with lecherous gazes. I trembled with fear. Drunk, they no longer had their usual gentle demeanor. They looked like savage beasts. I clutched my mother’s sleeve, pleading, “Mom, I want to go with you. I don’t want to stay home…” “I’m scared!” But she pried my hand off and sneered at me. “Willow, they’re your elders! Besides, you really think with that scrawny body of yours, they’d be interested?” Before I could say another word, she pushed me into my room and locked the door, leaving the key and my phone on the coffee table outside. But she didn’t know. The moment they left, Uncle Miller and his sons unlocked the door and came in. They subjected me to a brutal assault. Afraid I would scream and alert the neighbors, they covered my mouth and nose, pressing down hard. By the time it was over, I was dead. Mom, if you had just listened to Dad, if you had just called me instead of coming back, you would have found out that I was already gone. While you were saying those words, Uncle Miller and his sons were frantically dismembering my body and flushing it down the toilet. Mom. The bathroom floor is so cold. I’m so cold, and it hurts so much. My mother took my aunt and cousin to get their nails done. I watched from the side, a little envious. Once, I had the chance to go with her. The nail salon was filled with countless sparkling decorations, glittering under the lights. They were so beautiful, like crystals from a fairy tale. I was leaning over the counter, mesmerized, when my mother’s gaze fell on me. She slapped me, hard. “What are you looking at?” she mocked in front of everyone. “Want to get your nails done so you can better seduce men?” I was stunned, my hand covering my cheek as I stood there, frozen. People pointed and whispered, but my mother didn’t spare me another glance. But now, she was saying to my cousin, “Joy, you have such long, fair fingers. Any style would look beautiful on you.” I lowered my head and looked away. My cousin sent me a text. I didn’t reply. She looked worried. While my mother was getting her nails done, she snuck out to call me. But I couldn’t answer the phone anymore. My cousin grew even more anxious, shifting restlessly in her seat. I wanted to comfort her, but my hand passed right through her body. I fell silent, my eyes stinging. Just then, a young mother and daughter walked in. The mother was also there for a manicure, and her daughter had her arm linked through hers, helping her pick out charms. The daughter chose two large rhinestones. “Mom, these are so pretty!” she giggled. The mother lovingly tapped her nose. “My baby has the best taste!” They had such a wonderful relationship. I was so envious my eyes felt cold. I couldn’t look away. When I finally did, I realized my mother was watching them too. My aunt noticed as well. “What’s wrong, Rose? Are you jealous?” she teased. My heart tightened. That’s right. Mom, do you also envy their bond? But in the next moment, my mother looked away with a dismissive tsk. “I am envious,” she said. “That little girl is so much more likable than Willow,” she added with disgust. “You don’t know, sis. Willow is so manipulative. She only knows how to act pitiful in front of my parents and my husband, making it seem like I abuse her! She’s always trying to please them, just to steal everything that’s mine!” My aunt wanted to say something, but she held her tongue. She knew my mother’s beliefs were too deeply ingrained. In the end, she just sighed. But for some reason, my mother irritably pushed away the charms she had just chosen. She told the nail technician to just do a single color. “Forget it. There’s nothing else worth seeing. Let’s just go back.” “Before that damn girl causes any trouble at home.” A flicker of hope stirred in my chest. Mom, could it be that seeing other mothers and daughters made you think of the daughter you left behind? But Mom, it’s too late now. The blood and hair I left in the bathroom have already been cleaned up by Uncle Miller and his sons. 3 When they got home, my mother, aunt, and cousin went straight to my room. It was neat and tidy, as if no atrocity had ever occurred. If I weren’t the one who had lived through it, I might have thought it was all just a bad dream. My cousin became even more worried. She turned to look at Uncle Miller and his sons, who were pretending to watch TV. Their eyes met hers, and they quickly looked away, their gazes darting back to the television. My cousin sensed something was wrong. She tugged on my aunt’s sleeve. My aunt, her brow furrowed, seemed to realize something too. “Where’s Willow?” she asked them. “Oh,” the older son, Ken, stammered with a weak smile. “She probably went out. I saw her take a call and leave.” My cousin looked skeptical. Ken nudged his brother, Leo, who quickly chimed in. “Yeah, yeah! Girls her age probably prefer hanging out with their friends, right?” My cousin was even more convinced something was wrong. She said that even if I had gone out, my phone shouldn’t be unreachable. She and my aunt exchanged a look. “Let’s call the police,” my aunt said firmly. Uncle Miller and his sons flinched. But my mother stopped them. She looked furious. “Call the police for what?” Her voice was cold and certain. “You don’t know Willow, but I do!” “She’s making herself unreachable on purpose because she knows my parents are coming over tomorrow! She wants to use this to tattle on me! To say I mistreat her!” My aunt and cousin were speechless. “Rose, what are you talking about…” But my mother just sneered, her eyes flashing with anger. “I’ll show her who’s more important to my parents, me or her!” “That little slut! She’s asking for a beating! Nobody is to go looking for her! When she gets back, I’ll break her legs!” The more my cousin listened, the more absurd it sounded. “Auntie! Willow isn’t like that!” she cried out. My mother just laughed coldly. “Not like that? You’ve all been fooled by her act!” “Just a few days ago, I saw her out shopping with some boy. That little slut is dating behind our backs! She’s probably out fooling around with her boyfriend right now!” Hearing this, my aunt and cousin’s suspicions were finally, reluctantly, quelled. The next day, I still hadn’t returned. My mother woke up early. She cooked dumplings for my cousin and braided her hair. I watched her hands weave through my cousin’s dark hair, so gentle, as if terrified of hurting her. The winter sun slanted through the window, bathing them in a warm glow. It was such a tender scene, as if they were the real mother and daughter. I felt a little dazed. Mom, if my cousin were your daughter, would you treat her the way you treat me? Is it me you dislike, or is it any girl who happens to be your daughter? Or maybe… Even now, I still don’t understand why my mother doesn’t like me. Was it because when I was three, she had terrible menstrual cramps, and my father had to leave her to rush me to the hospital with a 104-degree fever? Or was it in kindergarten, when she forgot to pick me up after school because she was out shopping with friends, and I was almost kidnapped? When my grandfather found out, he scolded her harshly, humiliating her. I don’t know. But Mom. You did love me once, when I was little. In the fifth grade, I was bullied by my classmates for my tattered clothes. You happened to see it when you came to the school. You were like an angry mother hen, shielding a trembling me behind you, childishly threatening the other kids that if anyone dared to bully Willow again, you would beat them up. Mom, you don’t know. How I wish time could have frozen in that moment. On the third day, the day after Boxing Day, my mother still hadn’t looked for me. It was as if I was never meant to be a part of this family. My father had called to ask about me, but my mother had brushed him off, saying I was out with friends. By now, the three men who had killed me had been sent home by my mother with all the proper courtesies. My grandparents arrived, wanting to give me my Christmas money. A flash of disgust crossed my mother’s eyes. She ran to them, whining like a child. “Mom, Dad, all you ever think about is Willow! What about my present? Did you get one for me?” My grandparents smiled and handed her an envelope. “Of course, we have one for you! We could forget anyone, but never you!” Like a red butterfly, my mother happily took the envelope into her bedroom. My grandparents continued to look for me. “Where’s Willow? Rose? Tell Willow her grandparents are here! We have a big gift for her!” My mother’s voice, tinged with annoyance, came from the bedroom. “What big gift? What does a child need a big gift for? Mom, Dad, just leave the money with me!” My grandparents frowned. Just then, my cousin, who had been calling me nonstop for two days, turned pale. She whispered to my grandparents that she hadn’t been able to reach me for two days.

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After I turned myself in to the police for my crime, my fiancé, Mark, rushed over, furious. “You didn’t steal anything,” he demanded. “Why did you confess?” I just shrugged. I was ready to do the time. In my last life, Mark’s childhood sweetheart, Stella, came back to the country and started causing trouble everywhere. First, she shoplifted from a mall. Then she dined and dashed at a restaurant. Finally, she ran a red light and killed someone with her car. When the mall manager, the restaurant owner, and the victim’s family all came to me, I was baffled. Why were they blaming me for things Stella had done? Later, when they accused me in front of the police of theft, skipping out on a bill, and a fatal hit-and-run, I finally understood. They had mistaken Stella for me. But Stella and I looked nothing alike. I demanded they review the security footage. The footage showed that the person stealing, dining and dashing, and committing the hit-and-run was, in fact, me. Words meant nothing against video evidence. The victim’s family, mad with grief, stabbed me to death on the spot. To my dying day, I never understood why, in every single piece of footage, Stella’s crimes were pinned on me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Stella stole from the mall… 1 “Melody, what the hell are you doing? You didn’t do anything wrong! Why did you turn yourself in and say you stole something?” I looked up at the familiar, furious face of my boyfriend, Mark. Faced with his questions, I just gave him an innocent look. “Mark, what are you talking about? I don’t understand.” “You have to own up to your mistakes. It’s a good citizen’s duty to admit when they’re wrong and change for the better. How can you tell me to take back my confession?” In the interrogation room, the police officer frowned at Mark. He rapped his knuckles on the table. “Sir, your thinking is very dangerous right now.” “There is security footage proving Ms. Melody Reid took bread from the supermarket, and she has confessed to the crime. With both physical and testimonial evidence, how can you try to persuade her to evade responsibility?” The officer’s righteous words made Mark’s face twist with anger. He stared at me in disbelief, pounding on the glass partition of the room. “Melody! Are you insane?” “You have millions in your account, and you’re stealing a two-dollar loaf of bread? Are you sick?!” But no matter what he said, I just kept my head down, pretending not to hear. Mark was beside himself with rage. He yelled at me one more time, “Melody, I’m asking you one last time, are you coming out of there with me or not?” “I’m telling you now, my parents will never let a woman with a criminal record into our family!” But faced with his threat, I just shook my head, tears welling in my eyes. “Mark, even if you say that, I can’t leave.” “If your parents won’t accept me as their daughter-in-law because I had the courage to admit my mistakes, then I guess we just weren’t meant to be.” My words completely disgusted him. He had nothing left to say to me. With one last furious glare, Mark turned and stormed away. Watching him leave, I let out a sigh of relief. In my last life, Mark’s childhood sweetheart, Stella, had returned from abroad. The moment she was back, his world revolved around her. Ten years of knowing Mark, and Stella made me look like a joke. We were already talking about marriage, but seeing how devoted he was to Stella, I wasn’t one to cling. I was ready to step aside and let them be together. But right then, Stella was caught stealing, dining and dashing, and even killing someone in a hit-and-run. Trying to be reasonable, I told Mark that Stella should turn herself in to get a lighter sentence. But he just looked at me like I was crazy. “What are you talking about, Melody? You’re the one who did those things. What does it have to do with Stella?” I was about to ask him what he meant when the mall manager, the restaurant owner, and the victim’s family all found me, accusing me of theft, skipping out on a bill, and a hit-and-run. I thought they had the wrong person. Stella and I looked nothing alike. I patiently explained, but the three victims pulled out security footage. The person in the videos, committing all those crimes, was clearly me. I had no way to defend myself. The victim’s family, having lost their only son, was mentally shattered. They stabbed me over a dozen times right there. After I died, I couldn’t figure out how every single piece of security footage—from the mall, the restaurant, the street—all clearly showed me as the culprit. Faking one video might be possible, but faking so many would be incredibly difficult. So, what went wrong? Reborn into this life, I was determined to uncover the truth. I was held at the police station for three days. After three days of counseling and education, they let me go. The first thing I did with my phone was search the local news, just as I remembered from my last life. Sure enough, Mark’s sweetheart, Stella, had committed all the same crimes. But unlike the panic I felt last time, I was completely calm. I’d been locked up for three days. The person in the security footage couldn’t possibly be me this time, right? But I was wrong. I had only taken a few steps from the police station, stopping to buy a bowl of soup from a street vendor, when a group of angry people surrounded me. The man in the lead raised his hand to slap me. “Melody Reid, we finally found you!” “You ran a red light and killed my son! I want you to pay with your life!” The others chimed in. “You stole luxury goods from our store and damaged mall property! You’re not getting away with this without paying ten thousand dollars!” “You dined and dashed at our restaurant! The bill was $888.88! Pay up!” One of the victims, afraid I would deny everything, even started a livestream, pointing their camera right at me. “Everyone, take a look! This is the deadbeat, Melody Reid, who owes money and a life!” Faced with their accusations, a question flashed in my mind. Why, after I had been locked in a police station for three days, were these people still coming after me? But unlike the panicked, frantic me of my past life, I was incredibly calm. “I think you have the wrong person,” I said, unhurriedly. “The person who did those things is named Stella, not Melody Reid. If you don’t believe me, check the security footage.” “We knew you’d say that!” one of them sneered. “We came prepared so you can’t deny it when we hand you over to the police!” They all pulled out their phones and played the footage. The person in the videos, committing all those crimes, was still me. The livestream chat exploded with comments. [Wow, it takes all kinds. I’ve never seen a thief so brazenly accuse someone else.] [Not only does she refuse to admit her crimes, she tries to pin them on someone else. Why doesn’t this woman just die?] Seeing this, my heart sank. Before I was taken into custody, I had considered the possibility that Mark and Stella wouldn’t give up, that they would still try to frame me. But I hadn’t expected the worst-case scenario to still happen. My silence was taken as guilt, as if their accusations had hit their mark. The restaurant owner shoved his bill in my face. “You bitch! You eat at my place, then you smash my plates and bowls! How can you be so disgusting?” “The bill is $888.88, and the damage to the tableware and lost business comes to $200. You owe me $1,088.88 in total!” The mall manager, with a salesclerk in tow, stepped forward, frowning. “You took a popular handbag from a luxury boutique. That bag alone is worth ten thousand, thirty with the required extra purchases. Add in the damage to mall property, and you owe us forty thousand dollars. Pay up!” The parents of the hit-and-run victim were the most emotional, pointing a finger at my nose and screaming curses. “The police station is right across the street! If you don’t give us an explanation, I’ll have the police arrest you and see you get the death penalty!” I took a deep breath. “I really didn’t do any of these things. The person who did is named Stella. I know her. She’s my ex-fiancé’s childhood friend. If you don’t believe me, I can have her come here for a confrontation. Also, I’ve been at the police station for the past three days. I…” Before I could finish, Mark and his darling Stella rushed over, interrupting me. The moment he saw me, Mark raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. “Melody, I’m breaking off our engagement!” “I knew you were getting out today, and Stella was kind enough to come with me to pick you up. But you dare to slander her like this?” “You make mistakes and refuse to admit them. I don’t have a fiancée like you. You’re not worthy of our family!” Stella looked at me, her eyes red. “Melody,” she choked out, “I know you’ve never liked me because I’m Mark’s childhood friend.” “At home, you’d break a plate and say I did it. You’d pinch the neighbor’s kid and say I hit them. To keep the peace between you and Mark, I always just took the blame!” “But you can’t… you can’t accuse me of something like this! This is a matter of life and death!” With that, she pushed Mark away, taking several steps back to create distance between them. “Mark, if being your friend means I have to endure these false accusations and slander, then maybe we shouldn’t be friends anymore!” “I can’t stand being pointed at and judged all the time! I have to bow and apologize for things I didn’t do, and sometimes I even get hit! I can’t take this kind of treatment anymore!” Her words were like a spark in a tinderbox. The crowd erupted. They all turned on me, their eyes filled with condemnation and hatred. Someone even picked up a rock and threw it at me. I couldn’t dodge in time. The rock grazed my cheek, breaking the skin and drawing blood. The crowd froze for a second. The livestream chat paused. But after a brief silence, they surged forward again, fists raised, demanding an explanation. Just then, the police noticed the commotion and sent a patrol unit over to investigate. When the lead officer, Officer Davis, saw me, he paused. “Melody? You just got out. Shouldn’t you be heading home for a shower instead of standing out here?” His words silenced the crowd. Seeing Officer Davis, a dark glint appeared in my eyes. I saw the flash of panic on Mark’s face and deliberately spoke loudly. “Officer Davis, since you’re here, I’d like you to be a witness for me!” “A witness for what?” he asked, confused. Under everyone’s gaze, I lowered my head, my shoulders trembling as tears streamed down my face. My voice was filled with anguish. “I just got out of the station, and I was surrounded by this mob. They’re saying I did a lot of terrible things and that I have to pay.” “I told them it wasn’t me, but they showed me security footage, and the person in it is me.” “But they might not know, but the entire police department knows! I’ve been locked in a holding cell for the past three days! How could I possibly have been out here?!” Officer Davis paused, then confirmed my words. “That’s right. You’ve been in custody for the past three days and have been a model detainee. You never caused any trouble. We were even going to recognize you as a model prisoner.” Hearing this, the business owners were stunned. The livestream viewers were shocked. “So, after all that, they got the wrong person!” “These businesses are so irresponsible! They came here all aggressive without getting their facts straight! I saw some of them get physical. The poor girl’s forehead is bleeding!” I looked at the business owners and the victim’s family earnestly. “Now do you believe me? I really didn’t do any of the things you said, because I’ve been locked up in the police station the whole time.” They hesitated, looking from the security footage to me and back again. “But the person in the footage is you. The cameras can’t be wrong, can they?” A bystander chimed in. “Maybe they can be! She said she was at the police station, and the station’s security footage has to be real!” At everyone’s request, the police brought out their equipment and examined the footage on the spot. But when the results came in, everyone was stunned again. Even Officer Davis’s eyes widened in shock. The footage from the business owners’ phones was completely authentic, with no signs of tampering whatsoever. Now it was the online viewers’ turn to explode. “What is going on? The police have to investigate this thoroughly! We can’t let an innocent person be framed, and we can’t let a guilty person go free!” Just then, Mark, who had regained his composure after seeing the footage confirmed as real, exchanged a look with Stella and stepped forward. “The bad guy is Melody!” he shouted. “She’s a terrible person! She could sneak out of police custody to commit crimes!” “We just checked! There’s a small alley behind the police station, a blind spot for the cameras! Melody must have escaped through there!” “And her dad’s a locksmith! Who knows if she learned the trade from him? She could have easily picked the lock while the guards were asleep and snuck out to do bad things!” All eyes turned to me, filled with suspicion. Even Officer Davis began to doubt me. Mark smiled triumphantly. “Officer, you have to arrest her! She killed someone! She has to pay with her life!” The victim’s family chimed in emotionally, “Yes! I want her to pay for my son’s life!” The crowd grew rowdy again. Eyes filled with scrutiny, contempt, doubt, and disgust lingered on me. I trembled under the weight of their negativity. But I wasn’t scared. I was thrilled. Because… I had anticipated this moment.

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My daughter accidentally burned my husband’s “one true love.” Ignoring my pleas, he threw our daughter into the pigpen. “You’re the one who taught her to be like this! She needs to be taught a lesson!” To stop me from saving her, he tied me to the post at the entrance to the pen. I watched, helpless, as the pig’s tusks tore through my daughter’s body. I heard her agonized screams, and my heart shattered. By the time I broke free and got her to the hospital, she was barely breathing. I called my husband dozens of times. He didn’t answer. Instead, I received a text from him: a picture of his lover’s positive pregnancy test. Looking at my sister-in-law, who had just arrived, I asked for a divorce for the first time. To repay a debt of gratitude, I had sacrificed myself. Now, for my daughter, I would make them all pay. I was covered in blood, slumped outside the operating room, my eyes fixed on the illuminated sign above the door. Tears streamed down my face, unstoppable. My sister-in-law, Sarah, looked away, unable to watch. “The baby will be okay, Channel. Don’t say such things. When she gets out of surgery, I’ll give him a piece of my mind…” I managed a bitter, mocking smile and handed her my phone. On the screen was the text that my husband, Mike, had just sent. It was a picture of Nina’s pregnancy test. My daughter was covered in bloody wounds from a pig’s tusks. I had held her trembling, blood-soaked body and called Mike over and over. Dozens of calls. He didn’t answer a single one. I had finally managed to break free and get our daughter to the hospital. And while her life hung in the balance, he had deliberately sent me Nina’s pregnancy test to humiliate me. Sarah’s face paled. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. “I’ll call Mike right now. Even if that Nina is carrying his child, our family will never let her through the door. You’re the only daughter-in-law we’ll ever accept.” She was about to dial his number when I struggled to my feet and called him myself. The moment he answered, Mike’s impatient voice filled my ear. “Channel, are you ever going to give it a rest? Penny was in the pigpen for a day. What could possibly have happened?” “Stop using these excuses to trick me. I’m with Nina at her appointment. Call me back when Penny is actually dead.” The dial tone buzzed in my ear. Sarah’s face was now as white as a sheet. I looked down, my voice laced with mockery as fresh tears fell. “To repay your family for raising me, I married Mike. All these years, I’ve done right by you all. So please, I’m begging you, just let me and Penny go…” Sarah was about to speak when the doors to the operating room swung open. I rushed forward, only to be met by the doctor’s look of helpless sorrow. “The child’s injuries are too severe. Her internal organs… there’s not a single one that isn’t damaged.” “We did everything we could. I’m so sorry for your loss…” I stared at the doctor, a sharp, searing pain spreading from my heart to my limbs. My body crumpled to the floor. At some point, Sarah had contacted the funeral home. When I saw the death certificate in her hand, I snapped back to reality. I screamed, snatched it from her, and tore it to shreds. “My Penny isn’t dead! This isn’t for her! It’s not…” Sarah, her heart aching, held me. She motioned for the men from the funeral home to take Penny’s body. Seeing them approach my daughter, I fell to my knees in front of Sarah, my head hitting the floor with a sickening thud, again and again. “Sarah, Mike has another child now! Please, don’t take Penny! Give her back to me!” Sarah’s eyes were red. She quickly pulled me into her arms. “Penny is gone, Channel. Do you want her to have no peace, even in death?” I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably, as the hearse carried Penny further and further away. Watching it disappear, I couldn’t hold on any longer. My vision went black, and I fainted. When I opened my eyes again, I saw my mother-in-law sitting by my bed, her face full of compassion. I managed a weak smile. Before I could speak, she handed me a set of divorce papers. “Channel, you’ve suffered so much these past few years. I watched you grow up. If it weren’t for your mother, I wouldn’t be alive today.” “I’ve always thought of you as my own daughter. I promised your mother I would take care of you. But now I see I was wrong. I thought marrying you to Mike was the best choice. Our family has failed you.” Her face was filled with guilt. “I’ve arranged everything. The day after tomorrow is an auspicious day. After we lay Penny to rest, you can leave this family and start a new life.” I looked at her weary face and thought of all my years with this family. When I was five, my mother had sacrificed her life to give me a safe harbor. All these years, both my mother-in-law and sister-in-law had been good to me. The family had raised me, but my own sacrifices over the years had more than repaid that debt. Now, we owed each other nothing. I took the papers and signed my name without hesitation. After the funeral, I would be free. My mother-in-law had just left when Mike returned. He stormed in, grabbed me by the hair, and dragged me out of bed. “Channel, you bitch!” he snarled. “Is running to Mom all you know how to do?” “I’m warning you, if anything happens to Nina, I’ll kill you!” Looking at his furious face, a storm of hatred brewed in my heart. A life for a life. Why was Penny dead while he was still alive? I stared at him, wanting nothing more than to stab him. But then I remembered my daughter’s last words. Penny had been so weak, barely breathing. She used her last bit of strength to grab my hand. “Mommy, it was my fault. I’m okay. Don’t be mad at Daddy, okay?” It wasn’t her fault, but even in death, she was so considerate. I dug my nails into my palm and tried to stand. Before I could steady myself, Mike grabbed me and pushed me to the floor, roughly tearing at my clothes. “You had Mom call me back for this, didn’t you?” I struggled, kicking my knee up into his groin. He jumped back, yelping in pain, and stared at me in disbelief. “Are you crazy? You know how we got our daughter in the first place. Who are you trying to fool with this prim and proper act?” “You lied and said our daughter needed surgery just to get me back here. You really are a lowlife bitch!” Hearing his curses, my face was a mask of indifference. “Penny is gone,” I said. Mike paused, then looked me over with a sneer. “I knew you were a bitch with no morals. Penny is your own daughter, and you’re cursing her to death. Channel, you make me sick.” He slowly straightened his clothes. “I’m telling you, if you dare go crying to Mom again, don’t blame me for what I do.” He slammed the door and left. I didn’t say a word. After he was gone, I stood in the shower, scrubbing my skin raw. In a daze, I saw us as we used to be. I had known Mike for over a decade. When Nina dumped him, I was the one who helped him through the darkest days. I believe we were in love then. But later, when Nina came back to crash our wedding, Mike abandoned me at the altar and ran to her. From that day on, he was a different person. One call from Nina, and he would drop everything. Even Penny was an accident, the result of a drunken night. I had argued, I had fought, but he didn’t care. In his eyes, I should have been grateful just to be Mrs. Hayes. So I stopped paying attention to him and focused all my energy on our daughter. I thought this was how my life would be. But now, without Penny, I couldn’t endure it any longer. The day Penny was cremated, the sky was a somber grey. Mike was nowhere to be found, as if he had vanished from the face of the earth. My mother-in-law called him again and again, but he never answered. Sarah was furious and wanted to send their bodyguards to drag him there. I stopped her. “Don’t. I don’t want him to taint Penny’s final journey.” I hadn’t slept in two days. I wanted to look at Penny a little longer, afraid I would forget her face. After a long wait, the staff finally came out. I bit my lip, holding back tears as I took the urn from them. Just two days ago, I had held her in my arms. Now, all that was left was this cold, heavy box. I knelt before my mother-in-law, my forehead hitting the ground hard. “Mom, I know Penny is Mike’s daughter and should be buried with your family. But I carried her for ten months, I nearly died giving birth to her. I want her to be free. Please, I’m begging you.” My voice was a choked sob, a desperate plea. Sarah looked at me, her heart aching, unsure what to say. My mother-in-law, her eyes filled with tears, sighed deeply and helped me to my feet. “Penny was a good child. Our family has failed you both. From now on, you must take care of yourself.” I returned home with the urn. I wanted to pack our things and leave this place cleanly, with my daughter. But as I opened the door, a wave of intimacy hit me. On the living room sofa, two naked bodies were intertwined. Nina’s moans were soft and seductive. “Gently… I’m pregnant, remember?” Mike heard the door open. He glanced at me but continued, unfazed. I stood frozen, holding the urn, my legs as heavy as lead. I don’t know how long I stood there. My feet went numb. Finally, they slowly got up and got dressed. Nina’s face was flushed. She stroked her belly and said with false sincerity, “Channel, when did you get back? It’s all Mike’s fault. He insisted on bringing me here so the baby could get to know its home. I’m so sorry.” She was apologizing, but her eyes were full of defiance. I bit my lip so hard I could taste blood, but I couldn’t say a word. Mike wrapped his arm around Nina and smirked at me. “She’s just the maid. Why are you explaining so much to her? Didn’t you say the baby was hungry? Let’s go eat.” As they passed me, Nina deliberately bumped into me. I stumbled, and the urn fell from my hands, spilling Penny’s ashes all over the floor. Mike frowned in disgust. He glanced down and, without a second thought, stepped on the ashes. “What is this disgusting stuff?” he cursed. “It got my shoes dirty!” He stomped his foot for good measure, then walked out with Nina, swaggering. Looking at the scattered ashes, I finally broke down. “Baby, Mommy couldn’t protect you. Just wait a little longer. Mommy will take you away from here.” I knelt on the floor in despair, my hands trembling as I gathered Penny’s ashes, bit by bit. When I had finally collected them all, I opened my suitcases and packed our things, one by one. Her favorite little dress, the doll she had to hug to sleep. When I picked up the family photo from her bedside table, my hand trembled. In the photo, Penny was timidly holding Mike’s hand, looking up at him with a pleading expression. But his face was cold, his eyes devoid of any warmth. She had earned this photo with a certificate of achievement from her preschool. I opened the frame. On the back, in her childish scrawl, were the words: “Daddy loves Mommy. I love Daddy and Mommy.” Looking at the crooked letters, tears streamed down my face. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant hand, the pain so intense I could barely breathe. My daughter was only four. She had just started preschool. She should have had a carefree childhood. She was so little, yet she had endured so much. She had longed for a complete, warm family, and now, there was nothing. I packed for five hours, filling five large suitcases. After watching the movers clear out the room, I took Penny’s urn to the airport. As soon as I arrived, I received a text from Nina.

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After successfully redeeming the yandere male lead, I said my goodbyes. “I have to go now,” I told him. “You’ll meet the heroine who is destined to love you. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.” Eric lowered his gaze, silent. Confused, I chose to exit the world. The next day, I was sprawled on my bed, engrossed in a round of Goose Guard. Suddenly, a shriek ripped through my mind. [MALE LEAD’S CORRUPTION LEVEL HAS MAXED OUT. PLEASE PROCEED TO SECONDARY REDEMPTION.] I was thrown back into the pocket world. Only to discover that ten years had passed. The once-gentle prince had become a blood-soaked tyrant. The moment before I appeared, he was wiping his dripping sword, a faint smile on his lips. “Her face,” he murmured. “You think you’re worthy of wearing it?” 1 When I materialized back in the pocket world, I was still clutching my little pot of cake. I stared, momentarily stunned by the architecture around me—so familiar, yet strangely foreign. “How am I back here?” [Host, there has been an unforeseen complication with your previous mission. Your intervention is required.] Hearing the System’s voice, a wave of relief washed over me. So, it was just a mission glitch that needed fixing. That scared the life out of me. I thought the System had bugged out, sending me home for a day only to yank me back again. I dug my spoon into the little cake pot. The cream was sweet and heavenly. I started walking through the palace, a place I could navigate with my eyes closed, heading towards Eric’s old quarters. Since I was back, I might as well go see him. I’d even let him try my cake. It was a White Peach Oolong flavor, absolutely divine! He was a man of an older time; he’d never tasted anything like it. I snapped the lid back on the container and ambled down the long, winding palace corridor. Ugh, I was so close to winning that round of Goose Guard. It was all Eric’s fault. Of all the times to have a psychotic break, he had to pick the exact moment I was about to corner the last goose. Now, the goose was free, and I was the one who got caught. I’m so mad. When I see him, I’m only giving him one tiny bite. Just a taste. Then I’m going to eat the rest of it right in front of him. That’ll teach him. Speaking of Eric, though… Why did he snap? 2 The System offered no answers. I reached the palace wing where Eric and I had once lived together, only to find it deserted, save for a few maids listlessly sweeping and dusting. In the courtyard, the apricot tree we’d planted together was in full, glorious bloom. A spring breeze rustled through its branches, shedding white blossoms like a flurry of snow, dusting my hair and shoulders. A sudden, jarring realization hit me. When had this apricot tree grown so large? The thought had barely formed when the System’s voice echoed in my head. [Host, the flow of time in this world is different from yours. Ten years have passed since your departure.] Ten years. No wonder the place felt so cold and empty. Eric was long gone from here, wasn’t he? I hurried over to one of the maids, wanting to ask where Eric was now. But the moment she turned and saw my face, her eyes widened in terror. “Do you know—” Before I could finish, she let out a piercing scream. “Assassin! Seize the assassin!” What?! “Wait, I’m not—” She wasn’t listening. Tossing her broom aside, she lunged, grabbing me with a strength that belied her station. During my last mission, I was technically a maid too, but I’d never lifted a finger. I’d cleverly delegated all my chores to Eric, spending my days goofing off. In reality, my noodle-armed college student body, which had barely passed gym class, was no match for a maid accustomed to hard labor. In a matter of seconds, she had me pinned. I clutched my little cake pot pathetically. “I’m really not an assassin! I’m here to find Eric. Can you please just take me to him?” The maid’s eyes narrowed. “You wish to see His Majesty?” His Majesty? So it was Eric. I’d left when he was still the Crown Prince, the old king’s health long failing. After ten years, it made sense he’d ascended the throne. My eyes lit up. “Yes! I want to see His Majesty!” She called over another maid from inside the hall. The two of them bound my hands and, flanking me like a pair of grim sentinels, marched me away. 3 The journey was dreadfully boring. I tried to make small talk. “So, how long has Eric been on the throne?” The maids ignored me. According to the original plot, he was supposed to meet, fall in love with, and marry the General’s daughter, becoming the empire’s most envied and loving royal couple. But the pocket world had glitched. Eric’s mother was executed in a witchcraft scandal, and the entire storyline veered off course. He became a forgotten, pitiable child. A prince who was supposed to be a beacon of light and honor became far more terrifying when he embraced the darkness. That’s when the System sent me in, tasked with redeeming him before his corruption was complete. Mission accomplished, plot set back on track. He was supposed to go on to meet his true heroine and live a life of love and devotion with her. And I was supposed to go back to my miserable life of a college student facing five 8 AM lectures a week. A wave of sorrow washed over me at the thought. He gets to fall in love, and I get to suffer through early morning classes. My life is so tragic. I wanted a bite of my cake to console myself. But my hands were tied. I couldn’t reach it. Sob. My life is even more tragic. 4 The two maids remained stubbornly silent. I followed them, and when I walked too slowly, they’d prod me to hurry up. Stop prodding me! Don’t you know how huge this palace is? A frail college student like me could literally die from all this walking! Just before I did, in fact, die, we finally arrived. The maids handed me off to a head maid, whose uniform indicated a higher rank. Her gaze swept over my arms and legs, a look of understanding and disdain flickering in her eyes. “Well, at least you came prepared.” What?! It was only then that I remembered what I was wearing: my nightgown. A sleep dress with a built-in shelf bra. Back home, it was the comfiest thing for lounging around. But here, in this antiquated world, my attire was scandalous enough for the bedchamber, let alone public display. I opened my mouth to explain, but the next second, she seized my chin. The thing is, I’m taller than her. I’m 5’6″, and the head maid looked to be about 5’3″. Her trying to grab me by the neck was slightly comical. She shot a look to her subordinates, and fearing they might force me down, I voluntarily lowered myself to her level so she could get a better look. I even blinked a few times for good measure. See? I’m being good. No need to tie me up again. The satisfaction in her eyes deepened. “Her temperament is a match, too. His Majesty will be most pleased this time.” She released me and moved behind my back. The ropes binding my wrists were cut. The next moment, the grand doors to the hall swung open. I was shoved inside. 5 Though it was broad daylight, the hall was steeped in a deep, oppressive gloom. I’d noticed on the way here that the maids were leading me to a remote, secluded part of the palace. Now, thrown inside, I saw why. The windows were all covered with thick, black paper. Only a single candle seemed to burn somewhere in the inner chambers, casting a crimson glow that pulsed outwards. Faintly, I could hear the sound of a woman crying. Even with the windows sealed, a phantom chill snaked across my skin, raising goosebumps. I clutched my White Peach Oolong cake and tiptoed deeper into the darkness. The closer I got to the inner sanctum, the louder the woman’s sobs became. Now I could make out her moans and pleas. “Your Majesty, no more…” “Please, Your Majesty, I can’t eat another bite…” At the same time, I heard another sound—the soft, rhythmic dripping of liquid hitting the floor. I froze. I’ve read enough dark romance novels. A woman’s pleas, the sound of dripping liquid… combined, they could only mean one thing. My mind plunged straight into the gutter. Oh God, I’m so corrupted. But why would they throw me in here? The System said the male lead had gone dark. Did that mean he was no longer faithful to the heroine, that he’d started a harem and one woman at a time wasn’t enough for him? Panicked, I screamed for the System in my mind, frantically calling it. It took several seconds to respond, as if it had crashed. [That is not the case.] [Host, I cannot speak freely when in proximity to the male lead.] [As for the specific circumstances, you will understand if you proceed further.] [This world is on the verge of collapse. Only you can save it.] [Good luck.] With those final words, the System went completely offline. No matter how many times I called, it didn’t respond. I’m screwed. I am so, so screwed. What do I do now?! I took a deep breath, trying to quell the frantic pounding of my heart, only to realize that the sounds from the inner chamber had stopped. The woman’s voice was gone. Only the dripping remained. Drip… Drip… Drip… Like a faucet that hadn’t been turned off all the way. I knew there was danger ahead. I knew the smart thing to do was hide. But curiosity kills the cat. I couldn’t stop myself. I crept forward, peeking around the final folding screen. At the center of my vision was a single, burning red candle. In front of it sat a platter piled high with honey cakes. The surrounding walls were plastered with all sorts of talismans, covered in arcane symbols I couldn’t decipher. What I could see, with horrifying clarity, was the woman lying on the floor at the twelve o’clock position. Her mouth was stuffed full of honey cakes. Her throat had been slit. Blood seeped from the wound. Drip— Drip— A stream of crimson flowed toward the red candle. As it touched the base, the flame flared violently. My heart stopped. That was the dripping sound I’d heard. I held my breath, my limbs turning to lead. The scene was ripped straight from the goriest horror movies I’d ever watched. It was one thing to see it on a screen, but to be here, in the flesh… I could hear the whisper of the wind rustling the paper talismans and the sickening, steady drip of blood. The air was thick with the cloying, sweet scent of blood mixed with the fragrance of honey, a combination that made my stomach churn. But the most terrifying part? There was someone else in the hall. And he wasn’t in the inner chamber. In the next instant, I felt the cold, hard press of a blade against my neck. Its sharp edge was still slick with the blood of the last victim. In that moment, the gleam of the sword reflected my own ashen face. From directly behind me, a man’s soft chuckle reached my ears. His voice, low and gentle, curled around me as his warm breath ghosted against my ear. “Caught you, little mouse.” 6 My entire body went rigid. The blood in my veins felt like it had frozen solid. “I…” I tried to speak, but only a single, strangled sound escaped. The words were trapped in my throat. Or maybe, there was simply nothing I could say. I knew Eric was no saint. From the very beginning, he’d never bothered to hide his malice. When the System first brought me to this world, I didn’t have a body to inhabit. It had to expend its energy to create one for me. Because the plot had deviated and the world was at risk of collapse, its power was limited. It ended up making a miniature version of me, based on my data. I remember crouching by a small puddle, looking at my reflection. My face was chubby and round, utterly pinchable. I held up my hands; they were chubby and pinchable too. “How old am I?” I’d asked the System. [Six years old.] The male lead was seven, I was six. Close enough in age. All I had to do was stay by his side and guide him away from the path of darkness. Simple enough. Gazing at my reflection, I gave my cheek a squeeze. I was so cute when I was six! Who could possibly resist this level of adorable? Full of confidence, I ran to the desolate palace wing where Eric lived. I tried to push the main gate open. It wouldn’t budge. I was too small. I tried to climb the wall. I couldn’t get a grip. I was too small. This was infuriating! Finally, I squeezed through a crumbling hole in the wall. Panting, I brushed the weeds and dirt from my hair. And my eyes met a pair of. A pair of pitch-black eyes. He was holding a shard of metal, its edge stained with blood. The smell of rust and blood were so similar, I couldn’t tell which was which. All I could see was seven-year-old Eric, standing in a corner of the neglected courtyard. At his feet lay the body of a maid. Her throat had been slashed open. Her head was lolled to the side, her bloodshot eyes wide open, staring blankly towards the hole in the wall. A jolt of pure terror shot through me. “You… you killed her!” Little Eric brushed the metal shard against my cheek, using its sharp tip to flick away a piece of dry grass from beside my ear. He smiled at me. “Another little mouse has arrived.”

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Right before my promotion match, my online boyfriend got called away for “training.” I put on my sweetest voice, practically purring into the mic. “Good luck with your scrimmage, babe! I’m going to head to bed. Don’t forget to miss me~” Hilarious. He’s really getting into this ‘pro gamer’ act. My online boyfriend reluctantly left the game lobby. The moment he was gone, I turned around and hired four top-ranked players. “Don’t worry, I’m a god-tier jungler. A win is guaranteed.” “Hey, hey, what song do you wanna hear? I can sing for you to pass the time.” “Just stick with me, I’ll protect you.” I was blissfully soaking in the attention, surrounded by my personal entourage. The next second, my mid-laner spoke up, confused. “Hey, uh… why do you have a couple’s icon with the enemy jungler?” I glanced at the enemy jungler’s ID, which looked terrifyingly familiar, and immediately swiped the game off my screen in a panic. 1 The enemy jungler, ID name [HardCandy], had appeared in my line of sight completely out of the blue, sporting a level 52 couple’s icon with me. My mid-laner pressed, “Hey, do you know the enemy jungler?” The top-laner chimed in, clearly enjoying the drama. “Of course she does. One’s GummyBear, the other’s HardCandy, and they have the couple’s icon. Tsk, tsk.” The ADC’s tone was laced with insinuation. “You’re playing with the four of us… won’t your boyfriend get mad?” A jolt of pure adrenaline shot through me. I frantically swiped the game away. A new message popped up on my phone. AAA Gaming God: [Babe, are you asleep?] Guiltily, I dismissed the notification. AAA Gaming God: [Did you lend your account to someone? Should I go easy on them?] A lightbulb went off in my head! I immediately logged back into the game. “Sorry, guys, my connection dropped.” “And no, I don’t know him.” Seeing I hadn’t replied to his text, Aidan tried the in-game chat. HardCandy: [Is that you?] I typed back without missing a beat. GummyBear: [Hi, I’m the account owner’s friend.] Aidan went silent. He must have bought it! But then, a prickle of annoyance surfaced. What happened to his “scrimmage”? Here I was, catching him red-handed playing a ranked match in the game. Liar! I couldn’t resist testing him. [The account owner told me you’re a pro player?] HardCandy: [I am.] Hilarious. Keep up the act. [Then don’t you guys have scrims to play?] His teammate jumped in. [Miss, we’re in a five-stack with our team.] Wow, they were really committed to the bit, even had backup actors. I hopped onto my jungler’s character. “Kai, take them down!” “As you command, my queen!” Kai replied. The next second, both Kai and I were mercilessly slaughtered by Aidan and sent straight back to our base fountain. The voice chat went dead silent. The ADC who loved to sing was quiet now, huddled under our turret, whispering, “Uh, this enemy team seems… kinda strong.” The jungler who’d sworn to carry us sounded strained. “Don’t worry, if we lose, I’ll pay you back double…” I watched as my team of top-ranked pros got absolutely demolished by HardCandy. I couldn’t take it anymore. This was my promotion match! “You guys, get over here, now!” I led my ADC and jungler to hide in the brush where Aidan always liked to lurk after taking down the main boss monster. Sure enough, after securing the objective, he headed straight for our hiding spot. Kai, with me on his back, unleashed his full combo. The ADC followed up with a barrage of damage. But Aidan’s reflexes were insane. He escaped with a sliver of health. HardCandy: [?] My teammates thought he was taunting them. Only I felt a sudden jolt of terror. Did he figure me out? I didn’t dare make another move. I just clung to my teammates like a scared limpet. Soon, all three of our high-ground towers were gone. One more push, and my promotion match would be lost. I gritted my teeth and decided to take a gamble. “They’ll probably go for both boss monsters. The jungler is likely at the top one with his support. Let’s sneak over.” This was Aidan’s usual strategy when he played with me. The four of us crept towards the top lane. And there he was. Aidan, taking on the boss monster all by himself. We were ecstatic. If we could just rush in, take him out, and steal the objective, we could turn this whole game around. Just as we were about to pounce, four beefy dudes leaped out of a nearby bush. They wiped out my entire team, sending them all back to the fountain. Aidan stopped attacking the monster and walked over to stand in front of my character. HardCandy: [Molly. Talk.] HardCandy: [Stop pretending. I know it’s you.] I clenched my jaw and played dead. [I told you, I’m not her. Let’s just start the next game. Stop wasting time.] Just my luck! I refuse to believe I’ll run into you guys again next match! To my horror, Aidan walked past me and positioned himself and his team in front of my base’s main crystal. My teammates were about to respawn. I quickly recalled to base. I jumped onto my ADC to help him clear the incoming wave of enemy minions. Aidan charged in, killed the ADC in a flash, but left me untouched. I turned and jumped onto my jungler. The jungler was sent back to the fountain. Our mid-laner couldn’t believe it. “Their four teammates aren’t even moving! They’re looking down on us!” “Come on, get on me, I want to see—” Before he could finish, he was also back at the fountain. The top-laner, guarding his 1-5 score, kept his distance from me. “Hey, this is my main account, these ugly stats are bad for my image…” “Please, just go talk to your boyfriend, ask him to let us go…” HardCandy stood before me, his massive virtual sword gleaming. [Talk.] Their super minions were bigger than my character. They chipped away at my fragile crystal, one blow at a time. I stood beside it, small, helpless, and pathetic. Aidan and I were locked in a silent standoff. The super minions did their work. After the crystal exploded, I logged out, my mind a chaotic mess. On my phone, messages from Aidan kept popping up. [Why did you lie to me? Didn’t you say you were going to sleep? Why were you playing with so many other guys?] [Did I do something wrong? Is there something I’m not giving you?] The image of him making me stand alone, facing him as my world crumbled, flashed in my mind. A wave of indignation surged in my throat. [I hate you! We’re breaking up!] He was the one who lied about being a pro player, the one who lied about having a scrimmage and bailed on my promotion match. And now he was acting like I was the one who betrayed him! I blocked him. Staring at the game icon, I felt nothing but irritation. I deleted it. Out of sight, out of mind. 2 Half a month drifted by in a state of listless boredom. I couldn’t even bring myself to open my drawing tablet. Sometimes, my fingers would itch to play a game, but then I’d remember my newly ex-online-boyfriend, and my chest would feel hollow. In the end, I never logged on. I’d scroll across a funny video, hit share, and then the chat interface would pop up. Seeing his name missing from the top of my list, I’d remember we had broken up, and a sharp pang would hit my chest. I guess this is what online relationships are like. Once you leave the game, leave the chat app, you just disappear back into the vast sea of people. Maybe one day we’d pass each other on the street and not even know it. On nights when I missed him terribly, the thought of adding him back would cross my mind. But then I’d think of all the lies between us, and I’d let it go. It was a relationship that wasn’t real and had no future. Better to cut my losses now. Then, out of the blue, my super-busy older sister contacted me. She’d been off in the mountains filming for the better part of a year and had finally made a rare trip home. “Molly, honey, can I borrow your game account?” “What for?” I asked, completely devoid of energy. Isabelle was meticulously primping every single strand of hair. “There’s a gaming event tomorrow. Your account has all the cool skins, right?” “Lend it to your big sis for a bit.” “I’m going to absolutely humiliate Serena at the event.” Serena. My sister’s arch-nemesis in the entertainment industry. Those two competed over everything, everywhere they went. From high-end jewelry to red-carpet gowns. They were locked in a bitter battle for the title of the industry’s most beautiful goddess. And now, apparently, their rivalry had spilled over into the gaming world. My sister added in a hushed whisper, “Besides, I got chat-banned a few days ago for flaming someone.” “I can’t let Serena find out.” “She’ll never let me hear the end of it.” … I was speechless. I’d witnessed my sister’s combat prowess before. She once used a voice changer to flame some blame-shifting teammate so hard they burst into tears and rage-quit on the spot. I wasn’t the least bit surprised she’d gotten chat-banned. I waved a dismissive hand. “Take it.” I hadn’t been online in ages anyway. I figured Aidan had probably already deleted me from his friends’ list. It took so much shameless persistence on my part to get him to add me in the first place. After I dumped him so suddenly and bizarrely, he must have deleted me in a heartbeat. It was a shame about our couple’s icon, though. We’d spent a fortune on virtual flowers to get it to level 52. 3 On the day of the event, I was watching the livestream out of sheer boredom. The host was introducing the guests on stage. The camera panned across them one by one. When it paused on the second player, my eyes lit up. Wow, he’s handsome! How could the pro-gaming scene have someone that good-looking? He could easily make it in the entertainment world. The host’s voice boomed, “Let’s give a warm welcome to our pro player, Anki!” The guy looked into the camera, his thin lips curved into a faint smile, the corners of his long, narrow eyes lifting. “Hello, everyone. I’m back.” The cheers from the audience instantly grew louder. The live chat exploded. “After more than half a year, Anki is finally returning to the competitive stage for the upcoming Spring Season.” “Let’s look forward to his incredible performance!” The chat was flooded with fans screaming “hubby.” I watched the fan frenzy with great interest. [OMG, ANKI! HE’S BACK! HE’S FINALLY BACK!] [Fans, don’t get too excited. He hasn’t played a competitive match in over six months. Who knows if he’s still good enough for the main roster.] [Haters, pipe down. You don’t need to worry about your daddy’s skills.] [HUBBY! I’D LICK THE SCREEN!] [THOSE ABS ARE SO DEFINED I WANNA BITE THEM!] No wonder. So he’d been off the scene for half a year. That explained it. When I first met Aidan and he’d bragged about being a pro player, I went to check the official rosters. I scrolled through every single player’s photo and never saw the name Aidan. And I certainly never saw a face that handsome and authoritative. So, I decided to brag too. I told him I was a famous actress. A relationship built on lies was doomed from the start. But from this moment on, I would forget the sorrow Aidan brought me and transform into a new fangirl for this handsome stranger. Before the exhibition match, my sister was showing off the Nine-Tailed Fox skin that I had spent over a hundred dollars trying to get, only for Aidan to gift it to me in the end. “This skin is so beautiful, isn’t it? I feel more powerful just wearing it.” Serena stared at her own grayed-out skin collection, forcing a smile. “Oh, I was just too busy filming back then, didn’t have time to try for it.” “I’ll definitely get it the next time it’s available.” My sister smiled sweetly. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to wear it for now.” Both teams entered the loading screen. The host began, “We’re looking forward to the first match between…” The host’s voice trailed off. The director’s camera feed froze suspiciously. The live chat came to a standstill. I looked up at the livestream, and my world shook. Dude, your name is HardCandy too? Holy crap, why is there a couple’s icon?! The chat went insane: [ANKI AND ISABELLE?!] [SOMEONE PLEASE SLAP ME AWAKE.] [I think I drank too much soda and I’m drunk. I’m just gonna go for a walk.] [Matching couple IDs, a level 52 couple’s icon…] [Where are my fellow wifeys at? Let’s have a group cry.] 4 I was dumbfounded. The director immediately cut the camera away. The host cleared his throat and changed the subject. On screen, Aidan was staring daggers at his phone. Then he turned his head to look at my sister. Isabelle slowly turned her head and looked at Aidan. Their eyes met for a fleeting second before they both looked away. [DO YOU TWO HAVE TO BE SO OBVIOUS ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP?!] [And Anki, didn’t you disappear for half a year to deal with ‘family issues’?] [Did he go home for an arranged marriage?] On the other side, Serena’s eyes darted back and forth between Isabelle and Aidan. I quietly opened Anki’s fan forum and posted a question. A helpful netizen quickly answered: [Anki, real name Aidan Cross. Led his team WG to victory in last year’s Spring Championship, then took a temporary leave for personal reasons.] [Sis, have you fallen for him too?] [OMG, your art is gorgeous! Can I commission a drawing of Anki with his abs showing?] My hand holding the phone trembled slightly. When I downloaded the game, he was already on leave. No wonder I couldn’t find him on the official rosters. Which meant… He really was a pro player. But I wasn’t a real actress… On the stream, the match had begun. Even in an exhibition match, it was obvious to anyone with eyes how protective the jungler was of his mid-laner. If even two enemies went missing from the mid-lane, he would rush over and hide in a bush, never letting his mid-laner get ganked alone. He was playing a hyper-carry jungler, but he’d still whittle down the blue buff’s health to a sliver for his mid-laner, then silently invade the enemy’s jungle to steal theirs. My sister, playing the mid-laner, tried to refuse the buff, but Aidan just stood there beside it, unmoving. With a sigh, she finally took it with a basic attack. The chat exploded with fans shipping them. But my heart felt incredibly sour. I was the one who initiated the breakup. Besides, it was an online relationship with no future. Who he dated next was none of my business. But he clearly still cared about “GummyBear.” Even though it wasn’t me using the account anymore. And my sister’s celebrity status perfectly matched his expectations for who “GummyBear” was. Aidan and my sister’s team won without any real suspense. I had no heart to watch any further. I listlessly turned off my phone and lay on my bed, playing dead. Not long after, my sister called. I forced a cheerful tone. “Hey sis, what’s up? Did you beat Serena?” There was a few seconds of silence on the other end. My heartbeat began to quicken. My sister’s voice suddenly shot up several octaves. “Molly! How dare you have a secret online relationship behind my back?!” “You’ve got some serious nerve!”

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My boyfriend, William Hartwell, was suddenly involved in a car accident and rushed to the hospital. My classmates were busy donating money, but I acted as if nothing had happened. William’s sister found her way to campus, her eyes red-rimmed. “Sister Beth,” she pleaded, her voice trembling, “our family isn’t well-off. Could you please release the money my brother saved with you over the years to help with the emergency?” I kept my expression neutral. “The money he saved? It’s long gone.” The girl’s tears flowed. “My brother’s monthly living expenses were $1500. He transferred $1200 to you every month, saving just $300 for himself. And that doesn’t even count the money from his part-time jobs. He borrowed money from me several times, begging me to keep it from our parents…” “You’re his girlfriend, can’t you help him when he’s in dire need?” Just then, William’s roommate stepped forward, corroborating the girl’s story. Yet, I maintained my stance: there was no money. Once William regained consciousness, he demanded a breakup, and everyone supported him. Facing their collective condemnation, I pulled out the transaction records from our two years together. 1 The girl’s T-shirt had frayed edges, clearly marking her as someone from a modest background. She swallowed hard, looking at me, and then spoke amidst the whispers of the gathered students. “Beth,” she began, her voice barely audible, “could you please release the money my brother kept with you? It’s needed urgently.” “Mom has borrowed everything she possibly could, but we’re still short…” “I know my brother has been putting money aside with you since the beginning of college.” I frowned, unmoved by her pitiable appearance. “The money he saved is already spent.” My face remained impassive, but the girl’s eyes immediately welled up. “Spent? How is that possible?” Her voice cracked with disbelief. “My brother started dating you in his freshman year. That’s almost four years now. His $1500 monthly allowance? He transferred $1200 to you, leaving him with only $300 for meals.” “Not to mention his part-time jobs. All that money went into your shared ‘little piggy bank.’ That must be tens of thousands by now! How could it possibly be all gone?!” “There were times he was so broke he couldn’t afford to eat, and he had to borrow from me. He even made me promise not to tell our parents, which is how I know.” “Please, I know this is inappropriate and I haven’t even gotten my brother’s permission, but as his girlfriend, can’t you show a little compassion?” She hunched slightly, tugging at the hem of my shirt, tears pooling in her eyes. A heavy silence fell over the room. “Wait… I thought William was on a scholarship? I didn’t realize he had that much spending money!” “Yeah, he always seemed so frugal… I actually thought Beth was a good person, not like those other materialistic girls… So William’s money was all with Beth?” “Oh my gosh, I always assumed Beth came from a wealthy family! So she was just spending William’s hard-earned savings?” Gasps and incredulous murmurs rippled through the crowd. I shot a sharp look at them. “It’s just one person’s word against mine. What right do you have to speculate about me?” I turned back to the girl. “I told you, your brother has no money saved with me. Stop bothering me with this nonsense. Everyone has their own fate.” My voice was flat, devoid of any emotion. Clap. Clap. Clap. The sound of applause broke the stillness. Liam Davis, William’s roommate, clapped slowly, a look of pure mockery on his face. “Well said, ‘everyone has their own fate.’” “Others might not know, but we, his roommates, certainly do.” “I saw William transfer his money the moment he got his allowance every month. It was going to you, wasn’t it?” “Look at your clothes, your shoes – all designer labels. And William? To save money, he wears $10 fast-fashion shirts and shoes that are falling apart because he refuses to buy new ones!” “Now that he’s in trouble and needs money, you’re trying to wash your hands of him? Do you take us all for fools?” Liam’s words hit everyone like a physical blow, leaving them stunned. Unlike the tearful girl, Liam was our class representative. He was known for his diligence, responsibility, and gentle demeanor. No one had ever seen him this angry. His eyes were wide with fury. “Do you even know William got into that accident while rushing to a part-time job to buy you a birthday gift?” The classmates who had been wavering now firmly believed the accusations. “Damn, I never thought Beth could be this kind of person.” “How could she? Shouldn’t couples split expenses? She’s just too greedy!” Facing the chorus of accusations, I merely scoffed and walked out of the chaotic classroom. Little did I know, my phone would soon be flooded with messages. 2 Amidst the barrage of hateful messages, the first coherent one was from a close friend at the university. “Beth, you need to see this… check the gossip wall. What exactly is going on?” This friend usually paid no mind to campus drama, but her urging me to check the gossip wall indicated the severity of the situation. I opened my social media feed and quickly found the post that had gone viral. “We are Beth’s roommates. Acting on behalf of concerned parties, we are sharing these photos (attached).” “We find it incredibly difficult to believe that one of our own roommates could be so heartless, selfish, and greedy.” The nine photos displayed a collection of designer bags and exquisite gifts, each seemingly worth a fortune. They specifically highlighted a teddy bear charm: “We looked this up. It’s barely the size of a thumb and costs $800. Beth owns five of them.” “From what we understand, Beth’s family isn’t wealthy.” “So where the money for these luxury items comes from is obvious. We only learned the details today. William loved you and wanted to save together, and this is how you treated your shared assets?” “Especially now, when he’s in danger, and you remain indifferent. By exposing this, we want to make it clear we no longer want to be your roommates.” The post sparked a massive discussion. Someone explained the backstory, igniting further outrage among the students. “Damn, this girl is so selfish!” “Seriously, couples should never mix finances.” “God, how could he bear it? That guy is so thin, and she spends money so lavishly, like a parasite…” “This is terrifying. I’m afraid to date now, worried I’ll just be an ATM machine.” “It’s so easy for women to make money. If I were a woman dating ten guys, how rich would I be?” “She has money for $800 charms and $5000 bags, but not enough to treat her boyfriend when he’s hurt? Drowned in vanity.” “I heard her boyfriend got hurt because of her.” Compared to the private messages, the comment section seemed almost tame, filled mostly with sharp, critical remarks. The floodgates truly opened with the friend requests. The messages that couldn’t be explicitly stated, the ones that wouldn’t pass moderation, were replaced with homophones, synonyms, and thinly veiled insults, hurled at me like venom. People were quick to judge, fueled by hearsay rather than facts. Some guys were particularly vicious, completely embodying William’s role and rallying in righteous indignation, despite having no personal experience with the situation. When I returned to my dorm, I found my clothes and bags dumped on the floor, covered in dust. Some of my sheer blouses had new tears, and my handbag bore noticeable scratches. The three occupants of the room were engrossed in their phones and makeup, acting as if I didn’t exist. My expression hardened. “You’ve damaged my property. I can call the police.” Sarah, the one applying makeup, didn’t even glance away from her mirror. “Go ahead, call the cops. While you’re at it, maybe they can figure out where all your stuff actually comes from, whose money you spent. Let’s see who owes whom.” Her tone dripped with contempt, showing not a shred of guilt. Another roommate chimed in, “Heh. So that’s why you were always flaunting those new purchases. Turns out you were living off someone else’s hard-earned cash. No wonder you treat it so carelessly.” She drawled, kicking her legs up nonchalantly. The third roommate simply ignored me altogether. Seeing their brazen indifference, I stopped talking and walked straight to their closets. 3 I grabbed a pair of scissors and began cutting their clothes. One by one. By the time the room descended into a chaotic mess of shredded fabric, they finally noticed my actions. “What the hell?! Are you crazy? What are you doing?” “Why are you touching my stuff?! That dress was saved up for a month! You pay for this!!!” “Holy crap, that’s my idol’s brand! I paid a fortune for that! You bitch!!” They lunged at me, claws out. I turned and fled the dorm, locking the door behind me. Unable to return to the dorm, I checked into a hotel near campus. Predictably, a call from my academic advisor summoned me to their office not long after. Upon arrival, I saw the three girls huddled in a corner, their faces filled with accusatory glares the moment they spotted me. The advisor tapped lightly on the desk, taking a sip of tea. Their eyes, magnified behind narrow glasses, scanned me with an intense, scrutinizing gaze. “Beth Hayes, is it? I know who you are.” “The one from Computer Science who loves dressing up. Hard to forget.” “But you need to understand, students come to university to learn, not to compare or to indulge in vanity.” “Regarding the damage to your roommates’ property, they have each itemized their losses.” “If you refuse to compensate them, then I can’t help but issue a major disciplinary mark on your record.” “This will significantly impact your eligibility for graduate studies and honors programs.” “As for the recent scandal making waves, I’ve heard about it. We can’t jump to conclusions, but I must remind you: you cannot act recklessly just because someone likes you.” “Beauty isn’t everything; kindness and consideration for others are what make a girl truly admirable. For that young man to treat you so well, and for you to act this way… it’s truly disheartening.” “It’s no wonder people increasingly criticize today’s women. People like you deserve it.” The words echoed in the empty office, drilling into my ears. I pursed my lips. “Do you believe everything you hear?” “As an advisor, you should at least strive for fairness. If this is just a one-sided accusation, then you can discipline me however you see fit. Why did you even call me here?” The advisor clearly didn’t appreciate my defiance. The teacup slammed onto the desk with a heavy thud. “Aren’t you quite wealthy? I’m now telling you to compensate for the damages within a specified timeframe, and to return William’s money to him. Otherwise, I’ll have to contact your parents to settle the debt.” “We have your parents’ phone numbers on file. If you’re not going to be sensible, we’ll have to involve someone who is.” Though seated, their ingrained air of authority projected a condescending threat. My expression remained placid. “Go ahead and contact them if you wish.” The advisor stared at me, their voice dropping to a chilling whisper. “Let me reiterate: a disciplinary mark will absolutely affect your graduate school prospects. Our university does not admit individuals with poor character like yours.” A knot tightened in my chest. They wouldn’t investigate, they wouldn’t seek the truth, they simply judged based on hearsay. I hadn’t expected this from a faculty member. I lowered my gaze. “Oh. Then let it affect it.” I turned and walked towards the door. If my efforts were to be erased because of this, then so be it. I didn’t want that opportunity anyway. 4 The university organized a donation drive for William. Afterward, we were all called to visit him. Only twenty students from our class were required to attend, but for some reason, I was included. Upon arrival, I understood. It wasn’t just students and faculty from our school; a popular online blogger was also present. They clearly wanted me there to manufacture public opinion. William had stabilized after treatment and was out of critical danger. He lay in bed, his gaze finding mine through the crowd. He had always been thin, practically skin and bones. His post-surgery, pale face made him look especially frail. Classmates approached him one by one, offering words of concern. William’s sister stood in a corner, her eyes burning with animosity and resentment as she looked at me. “Who invited you? I don’t want to see you.” She pointed at me, tears threatening to spill. The blogger, sensing fresh material, immediately swung the camera towards me. The classmates parted like the Red Sea, leaving a wide, empty space around me. William sighed, pulling his sister’s sleeve. “We need to break up.” He looked at me, his eyes utterly devoid of light. “William!” His sister stomped her foot in distress. “Even if you’re breaking up, shouldn’t she at least return your money? All the money you worked hard for and saved, why should she just spend it?” “Seeing her makes me sick! It’s your money, why should it be wasted on someone so heartless?” William looked conflicted, his gaze filled with disappointment. “I never expected you to be this kind of person, but we did love each other once.” “I don’t want to dwell on it. Just calculate the money, like my sister said. I don’t want it all, just half.” “I’ll give you a month to return it. Then we go our separate ways.” The classmates erupted in indignation. “Why only half? If she has to pay, she should pay it all! Do you still have feelings for someone like that?” “She just takes advantage of your kind heart, how you always doted on her. And this is how she repays you!” “May that gold-digger die a horrible death!” The blogger, meanwhile, was urging viewers in their livestream not to use foul language. Sarah, my roommate, gave me a shove. Off balance, I stumbled forward. “Calculate it properly!!” “Yeah! Calculate it!” The hateful voices grew louder. Seeing William’s performative struggle, I fought back the urge to gag. “Fine. Let’s calculate it.”

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I placed a Charm of Devotion upon the General, making his world revolve solely around me. But the charm’s power was fleeting, lasting but a single day. Each time it faded, he seethed with a murderous rage. Later, I was captured by the enemy and bound to the city walls. Fearing I would cast my charm, he didn’t wait for their demands. An arrow flew from his bow, straight into my heart. As I watched the blood trickle down the shaft of his arrow, a rare smile touched my lips. “System,” I whispered, “is it time for me to go?” 【Tallying rewards. Estimated completion: ten days.】 I sighed. “Ten more days…” 1 There was barely a breath left in me as I hung from the city wall. The staff, the brand, the whip—all the agonies Marcus suffered in the last life, I endured in this one for him. On the verge of death, I saw him below. A flicker of joy sparked in my heart. So, even when it was me on the wall, he still came. I summoned every ounce of my remaining strength, my lips parting, wanting to shout to him, to tell him to ignore me, to save himself. But before a sound could escape, the arrow left his bow without a moment’s hesitation. It was a perfect shot, not a hair’s breadth off. Right in the heart. He wanted me dead. The smoke of battle billowed and the war drums thundered, but my world fell silent. A void opened in my chest, blood pouring out, yet I felt no pain. He cradled my broken body, a tenderness in his eyes I had never seen before. “I could not risk the soldiers and the people behind me. I would have done the same for anyone. I had no choice. Elara, in this life, I owe you.” I laughed. He probably didn’t even realize it himself, but what he owed me was far more than just this one life. Once, in the same scene, facing the same impossible choice, he had thrown down his weapons, dismissed his army, and walked into the city alone to be tortured to death. But that was because the person hanging on the wall was Livia, not me. It wasn’t that he had no choice. It was that I was not his choice. “System, the mission is complete, isn’t it? I can leave now.” 【Affirmative… Please wait for the System to complete its tally. Estimated time: ten days.】 “An arrow is sticking out of my heart, and I have to live for ten more days?” The System was uncharacteristically silent. “What’s wrong?” 【Host, you could choose not to leave. The mission is successful. You can choose to stay here, to not return to the Wastes.】 I smiled, but my voice was inexplicably bitter. “Here? This place is worse than the Wastes.” Yes, Marcus had lived past his twenty-seventh year. My mission was a success. I could return to my own world, and I, too, could live past my own twenty-seventh year… I wanted to go back. I wanted to go back right now. After a long pause, the System finally spoke. 【Understood, Host. I guarantee that for these ten days, you will feel no pain or suffering. You can live healthily, happily, and bid a proper farewell to this world.】 This was the System’s final gift to me. It wanted this broken woman, with an arrow in her heart, to live well for ten more days. 2 I had never truly lived well. This was already my second attempt at saving Marcus. I was transported from the Wastes, my mission to ensure the great general, who was fated to die young, survived past the age of twenty-seven. Once he passed his twenty-seventh birthday, I could return to my own world with a lifetime supply of food. Starving to the point of death, I had accepted without hesitation. The System told me that starting from the age of twenty-three, Marcus faced a death curse every year. So, I traded one of my eyes to the System for the Charm of Devotion. Though I lost sight in one eye, whenever I invoked the charm, his world would narrow to only me. He would do anything I said. On the day of his fated death, I just had to keep him from going anywhere, and the mission would be complete. So, in four years, I used the charm five times. He called me a sorceress, a witch who bewitched and controlled him. But every time I chanted the spell, it was to keep him alive. What I didn’t know was that the charm could fail. That day, he had rushed to the city walls without a care in the world. Because hanging on that wall was the moonlight of his youth, Livia. To save her, he entered the city alone, was tortured, and died. My mission failed. We were both reborn on the day we first met. The System’s rule was that upon mission restart, skills were nullified, but traded items were not returned. So this time, I traded my sense of smell for the charm once more. Everything that followed unfolded just as it had before. Except the one captured by the enemy and hung on the wall was me. I finally understood. Marcus’s fated doom wasn’t a series of accidents. It was always Livia. 3 When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in Marcus’s room. In four years of marriage, I had never once set foot in here. The sound of a woman’s weeping came from the doorway. “If I had known this would happen, I would never have let Lady Elara fetch the medicine for me. That day, she was craving the berry tarts I make, and I spent the whole day in the kitchen.” “If only I had gone myself, then my lady wouldn’t have…” “Don’t say that. It’s not your fault.” Marcus’s voice was cold, but the tone was uncharacteristically gentle. “It is my fault. I am the daughter of a disgraced official. My life is worthless. It should have been me who died…” “Nonsense! “Don’t you dare speak of yourself that way!” I had heard enough. I pushed the door open. “My… my lady… You’re not…” Livia, her face a canvas of tears, was nestled against my husband’s chest. She stared at me, utterly shocked. Marcus seemed just as surprised, frozen in place. So, this was the scene that played out while I was dying. The System had promised the wound wouldn’t hurt. Why, then, did my heart still twist in agony? I walked past them and called out, “Anna.” The young maid scrambled in, looking as if she’d seen a ghost. But her face held a joy that was starkly absent from the other two. “I’d like some tea.” I don’t know what possessed Marcus, but he suddenly grabbed my arm. “You’re not dead? Your wound…” I slapped his hand away. “That’s right. Much to your disappointment, I didn’t die.” His chest was still smudged with the powder from Livia’s makeup. The sight of it nauseated me, and I took a step back. But the man who usually wouldn’t deign to touch me suddenly gripped my wrist in a vice. “I was worried about you. Why must you be so hostile?” I struggled, wanting nothing more than to be free of his touch. “My lady, you misunderstand. The General and I… it’s nothing. I was just worried about you, that’s all… Please don’t quarrel with the General because of me.” “You think too much, Lady Livia. I am simply thirsty,” I cut her off. She was about to say more, but Marcus waved his hand. He swept me up into his arms and carried me straight to the bed. The moment he set me down, he began untying my clothes without a word. “What are you doing!” “Don’t move! I need to see the wound.” In the middle of our struggle, we heard a thud from outside. “Lady Livia! Lady Livia, what’s wrong?” Marcus’s body tensed instantly, his head snapping back in alarm. “I’m fine. The General should go and see. Lady Livia is frail.” I used to be consumed with jealousy over Livia. Now, this show of understanding surprised Marcus. He awkwardly patted my head. “Don’t be angry. I’ll call for the physician to check on you.” I smiled and nodded. The second he closed the door, I grabbed the nearby curtain and vigorously wiped the spot on my hair where he had touched me. 4 “The physician said her wound is almost healed, she’s perfectly fine. She’s just pretending to be gravely injured to make the General feel guilty and dote on her more.” “A self-inflicted wound. I heard she went to that den of thieves on her own. It was probably all a deliberate act.” “But she almost died!” “What do you know? It’s all an act. She’s fine.” “You haven’t heard the rumors. What good could come to a woman in an enemy camp? The General is just too kind. It’s a miracle he didn’t just gift her a silken rope to hang herself.” Because of Marcus’s attitude towards me, the servants in the General’s manor never treated me with respect. I was outside getting some air while Anna brought me my favorite fruit. Just as Marcus walked in, the fruit “accidentally” slipped from my hand and hit the gossiping old woman. He picked it up and dismissed the servants. “Why are you still so ill-tempered?” I didn’t answer, merely complaining to Anna that the fruit here was terribly sour. He walked over to me, took out a jade bracelet, and slipped it onto my wrist without asking. “This bracelet is of the finest quality, soaked in the best perfumes. The fragrance is exquisite. It suits you.” I looked up at him. In the depths of his dark eyes, there was a flicker of hope. If this were before, my eyes would have reddened with joy. But now, this fragrance, my nose couldn’t smell it. And this blind eye of mine could no longer turn red. I slid the bracelet off. “I don’t care for such things. The General should give it to Lady Livia.” He frowned. I braced myself for a tirade, but instead, he just clenched his jaw. “Very well. I will find something else you like.” I knew. That arrow at the city gate. He felt guilty. That’s why he was acting like this.

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At the Rose Garden Gala, I saved the cold and distant Lord Chancellor after he fell into the lake. “I am in your debt, my lady.” “Then let me see your legs.” “I shall reward you handsomely.” “I want to see your legs.” “You have a favor from me, whatever it may be.” “So, can I see your legs?” From that day on, everyone in the Capital knew that the simple-minded girl from House Thorne had latched onto the kingdom’s most powerful man. The day the King decreed our marriage, Alistair Sterling’s face was a mask of ice. He praised my “cunning.” But in the end, he accepted the betrothal. “Fine,” he’d said with a sigh. “You’re so simple. No one else would have you.” Then, he saw the Crown Prince coaxing me with sweets. “Lina, my dear,” the Prince murmured, “would you like to play that kissing game from the storybooks?” 1 Alistair Sterling had fallen into the water. The moment I heard the news, I dove into the lake like a shot. I couldn’t let anyone beat me to it. By the time I dragged him ashore, the gaggle of noble ladies who had been watching were shielding their faces and scurrying away. Alistair was dressed in fine, thin silks, which were now soaked through and clinging to his body, the front of his tunic half-open. The older matrons, however, watched with great interest. I watched with great interest, too. “Ahem… Thank you, Lady Lina, for your assistance.” He cupped his hands in a formal gesture of thanks, his voice as crisp and cool as a winter stream. “I have no way to repay you.” Alistair Sterling was blessed with a handsome face—deep-set eyes, a perpetually furrowed brow, and a pair of dangerously charming, almond-shaped eyes. I propped my chin on my hand and let my gaze drift down past his stomach. “Then let me see your legs.” He froze, the crimson mole at the corner of his eye trembling. His face went a shade paler. He quickly changed his offer. “My gratitude, my lady. I will reward you handsomely.” “I want to see your legs.” I was so anxious I could have scratched my own bottom. The thin, wet silk clung to his thighs, offering the faintest hint of their shape. The tips of Alistair’s ears suddenly flushed red. He pressed his lips into a thin, tight line. “Then… consider me to owe you a favor?” “Yes, that’s fine.” I nodded eagerly. A favor was good. My lady mother used to say that a favor was the most expensive thing in the world, and I loved expensive things. He wiped the droplets of water from his forehead, seeming to let out a quiet sigh of relief. My eyes, however, remained fixed on his legs. “So, can I see your legs?” His eyes flew wide in disbelief. “You… you… you…” He sputtered for a moment before finally spitting out two furious words. “You may not!” My gaze fell, and I felt a pang of disappointment. “Fine, if you won’t, you won’t! I won’t look at your legs, then!” I pouted, then brightened. “Hehe, can I see your waist instead?” Thump. Alistair Sterling promptly fainted. And I… I ran for ten miles, my heart soaring. My lady mother always said that if a man falls for a woman, it means he likes her! And fainting is a kind of falling. Therefore, Alistair Sterling liked me! 2 I scurried home, bubbling with joy, to tell my father the wonderful news. “Father, Father, I’m going to have a husband!” He spewed a mouthful of tea, probably overcome with excitement himself. “A husband? Where did a husband come from?” “I fished him out of the water! A fine, big husband, and very handsome!” He listened, then narrowed his eyes in a smile. “Lina, my dear, don’t tease your old father.” He didn’t believe me! Seeing him still smiling, I spun around in frustration. “Alistair Sterling! My husband’s name is Alistair Sterling!” After hearing my tale of heroic rescue, my father shot to his feet, his teacup crashing to the floor. The fat around his waist trembled. “Oh, we’re doomed!” he wailed. “Lina Thorne, you are truly my daughter!” I giggled. “Oh, Father, you praise me too much.” He suddenly whipped a feather duster out from behind his back, his voice grim. “Praise you? You little rascal, I’m going to tan your hide!” I shrieked and ran, my father shrieking and chasing right behind me. In the distance, I saw my elder sister, Cassia, approaching. I immediately dove into her arms. “Sister, save me!” Cassia shielded me, pleading on my behalf. “Father, Lina is still young! She’s just a child! Besides, she saved his life. What’s wrong with looking at his legs? The Lord Chancellor is being far too stingy…” Father roared, “You… you two just keep spoiling her!” Not long after, I was kneeling in the family chapel. I racked my brain, but I just couldn’t understand. I was so clever and bright—I’d even found a husband for myself—so why did Father still want to hit me? Lina was hurt. Lina wanted to cry. It was even worse than being called a simpleton. Ever since I was little, everyone had said I was simple. But I wasn’t simple at all. I knew you had to pick a husband who was good-looking. Because my lady mother once told me that a handsome husband with broad shoulders, a strong chest, a narrow waist, and long legs was a rare treasure, and one had to strike first to claim him. I’d asked her, how do I strike? How do I claim him? She had patted my head and laughed. “You’ll know when you’re older, Lina. Don’t worry, your mother will help you.” Later, I grew up, but my mother became a small wooden plaque on a memorial shelf. Before she closed her eyes for the last time, her voice was a broken whisper. “You must find… a handsome… narrow-waisted, long-legged… a kind husband… My Lina must… live a long and happy life…” My face was a mess of tears and snot. “Lina remembers.” After my coming-of-age, I began to dream of a husband with a narrow waist and long legs, who would play with me, buy me delicious food, and coax me to sleep. I never imagined I, Lina Thorne, would be so lucky. I’d just gone to one gala, and I’d found Alistair. He was like a seductive spirit from a storybook, and he’d turned my world upside down. It’s hard to sleep soundly in a cold chapel, but I had a dream. In my dream, Alistair took my hand and guided it over his body. He was dressed in crimson, his eyes dancing. “Lina,” he murmured. “Is my waist narrow enough? Are my legs long enough?” I smiled sweetly. 3 The next day, my father dragged me to the Sterling estate to apologize. “My Lord Chancellor, it is my failure as a father.” “My daughter is… a bit simple. Your Lordship is a man of great magnanimity; I pray you do not hold it against her.” Remembering last night’s dream, my heart tingled, and I secretly peeked at him. Alistair sat perfectly upright, his face a blank mask. Such a cool and aloof husband. He spoke, his voice flat. “Lord Thorne, are you aware of what they are saying about me and your daughter?” Father dabbed at his sweat with a handkerchief. “Mere rumors, my lord. Pay them no mind.” Alistair’s fan creaked in his grip, his eyes flicking upwards. “They are all saying that at the Rose Garden Gala, Lady Lina heroically saved me, and I, out of gratitude, showed her my legs on the spot. They say our feelings for each other were so overwhelming that we were lost in the sight of my legs, oblivious to the world!” I shot to my feet, indignant. “That’s not true! They’re lying!” Tears of relief welled in Father’s eyes as he gave me a grateful look. “Yes, yes! It’s all a misunderstanding. My daughter is not that kind of person.” I lifted my chin proudly. “He didn’t show me his legs at all! Or his waist! The stingy man!” I watched as my father swayed on his feet. “You little monster! Lina Thorne, you’ve really done it now!” My father fainted. Back at home, Cassia asked if I had done something untoward to Alistair at the gala. I scratched my head and smiled shyly. “No, no. He wouldn’t let me see his legs, or his waist. I actually wanted to see his chest more, but I’m sure he wouldn’t have let me see that either.” Cassia clamped a hand over my mouth. “My little ancestor, you are bold! Looking at his legs was enough! That’s Alistair Sterling!” “The Lord Chancellor, second only to the King himself! Our House Thorne cannot afford to offend him. The entire Capital is now saying you publicly took liberties with him and sullied his reputation. Lina, what will become of your good name?” Cassia was so distressed she began to cry. I stood there, stunned and helpless. “Sister, did I do something wrong?” She forced a smile. “Don’t worry, Lina. We will all protect you.” In just a few days, the rumors grew even more outrageous, claiming Alistair and I had been passionately entangled at the gala, lost to the world. They even reached the palace. The King, intrigued, summoned Alistair and me to court. “They all say you’re a simpleton, but I disagree. To have set your sights on my Lord Chancellor shows you have excellent taste.” The man in the golden robes, seated high on his throne, coaxed me. “Lina, would you like to see his legs every day?” Alistair’s throat bobbed. His ears were bright red. He was so handsome, his posture as elegant as jade. I was a little mesmerized. “Yes, I would,” I answered in a soft, sweet voice, which sent the King into a fit of laughter. When I left the throne room, I had a royal decree of marriage in my hands. Alistair’s face turned glacial, the red mole by his eye losing some of its color. He poked my forehead hard with his finger. It hurt. “Lina Thorne,” he hissed, “you are truly a master of manipulation. But I, Alistair Sterling, will not have a simpleton for a wife!” 4 Alistair was angry. So I woke up early and bought the most expensive, most fragrant pastries in the entire Capital. Cassia used to soothe my tempers the same way. Once the pastries were gone, so was the anger. “Alistair.” I saw his carriage just as I was leaving the bakery. He was dressed in black robes that looked exceptionally fine on him. I held the box of pastries out to him. “Something delicious. It’s very sweet.” He frowned. “Lina Thorne, are you still a child?” A mocking laugh came from inside the carriage. “Let her come up.” The voice was regal and commanding. Once inside, I realized Alistair was escorting the Grand Duchess and her daughter, Lady Annabelle, to the Great Abbey for prayers. Lady Annabelle was my age, bright and exquisitely beautiful. She reached out and patted my cheek. “Oh, Mother, she has dimples! How adorable.” The Grand Duchess looked at me for a long moment. “Hm.” At the Great Abbey, the Duchess led Annabelle to light incense. I hid behind Alistair, following his every step, treading on his shadow. “Lina Thorne, will you stop this nonsense?” His voice was cold as ice, laced with fury. I seized my chance and stuffed a peach blossom pastry into his mouth. “You—mph.” My fingers accidentally brushed his lips. They were soft and smooth, and cool to the touch. His body gave a sudden jolt, and the corners of his eyes flushed red. He chewed and chewed, thumped his chest, and finally swallowed it down with a great gulp. “Was it good?” “It… was fine. A little dry.” I was overjoyed. Now that he’d eaten the pastry, he wouldn’t be angry with me anymore. The abbot hurried over to offer blessings and interpret fortunes for the Duchess and her daughter. “Mother, when will my cousin, the Prince, return to the Capital?” Annabelle pouted prettily, earning a look of doting affection from the Duchess. “I’ve come of age. It’s time for me to be married…” “My, my, a daughter is like a guest in her own home. Don’t you want to stay with your mother a little longer?” “Of course I do~” I slowly lowered my head. Alistair’s gaze shifted to me. “What is it?” A heaviness settled in my chest. “I miss my lady mother.” My mother used to hold me just like that, cooing and comforting me. Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the abbey. Someone shouted. “Bandits!” A sharp arrow flew straight for Alistair. I froze for a second, then shoved him out of the way. A searing pain shot through my chest. Before I lost consciousness, I saw Alistair rushing toward the Grand Duchess and her daughter, his eyes filled with panic. I think I dreamed again, but this time, it wasn’t of Alistair. A pack of beasts surrounded me, their shadows tearing at me wantonly. I was crying, crying endlessly. Gradually, familiar voices drifted to me. “Lina, don’t you scare your father.” “Lina, your sister will buy you so many storybooks from now on.” “Lina Thorne, if you just wake up, I’ll give you anything you want!” I forced my eyes open. “Lina’s awake! Lina wants to see your legs!”

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