Four years ago, my birth parents, in their misguided devotion to the boy they believed was their true son, cast me out of the Sterling Manor. After leaving, I moved abroad, where I painstakingly built my own empire from the ground up. Just this year, I sold my company for a staggering sum—billions in assets—and returned to Coastal City, settling back into my adoptive parents’ old house. As I was making plans to renovate the aging property, the very ‘son’ who had replaced me, Miles Sterling, tracked me down. “Do you honestly think I’d be here if Mom and Dad didn’t want to see you?” he scoffed, his voice laced with disdain. “You should be begging me. Without my permission, you’ll never set foot back in the Sterling family again! Now, I’m giving you a chance: come back with me.” 1 I looked at Miles Sterling, his head held high in haughty arrogance, and simply shook my head. “No, thank you. I’m doing quite well on my own,” I replied, my voice even. When it came to Miles, I honestly couldn’t be bothered to argue. As for the Sterling family, I had even less interest. Everything they had, everything they represented, held no appeal for me anymore. “Ethan, I’m giving you an opportunity here!” Miles retorted, his tone chilling. “Otherwise, you’ll be stuck in this backwater forever, tilling the soil for the rest of your life!” He saw my lack of reaction and simply reiterated, cold as ice, “Ethan, this is your chance! Just get down on your knees and beg me, and you can come back to the Sterling family!” I merely shook my head, my gaze unwavering. “Miles, I have no interest in the Sterling family. You can leave now.” My voice was flat, devoid of emotion. The Sterling family, in my eyes, was nothing. Yet, these people persisted in holding their heads so absurdly high. Miles, hearing my blunt refusal, exploded. “Ethan, I’m giving you a chance! Don’t you realize that ever since you left, our family’s business has boomed? The company is practically ready to go public!” He gloated, a triumphant smirk on his face. “If it weren’t for me, how could the Sterlings have grown so big? I’m here out of pity, giving you a lifeline. Don’t be ungrateful!” He prattled on, his words grating on my nerves. I found Miles utterly insufferable. With a decisive push, I ushered him out of my house. “Miles, I’m not interested in the Sterling family. Please, leave.” My words undoubtedly stung him. He spun around, his face flushed. “Ethan, Mom and Dad want to see you! Come with me, now!” I didn’t answer. Instead, I simply closed the door on him. I was long past caring about the Sterling family. So, I ignored Miles entirely. But I hadn’t anticipated that my refusal would lead to Richard and Eleanor Sterling themselves showing up at my doorstep. Eleanor, my birth mother, wept dramatically when she saw me. “My child, you’ve suffered so much these past years,” she sobbed, reaching for my hand. “Come home with Mom.” I gently pulled my hand away, shaking my head. “Mrs. Sterling, have you forgotten? It was you and Mr. Sterling who threw me out of this family, all those years ago.” My words caused both Richard and Eleanor to flinch, an awkward silence descending upon them. Richard, my birth father, glared at me, indignant. “We took you in back then, but you were so wayward, always clashing with Miles! Why else would we have sent you away?” I listened to Richard’s self-righteous tone and shook my head. They would never, ever believe they were in the wrong. And besides, when had I ever truly clashed with Miles? 2 Years ago, when Richard and Eleanor brought me home, I truly believed I had found my birth parents, that a wonderful new life awaited me. What I found instead was darkness. The very day I arrived at Sterling Manor, Richard and Eleanor made it clear they considered me, a country boy, utterly unfit for their family. They barely fed me, often leaving me meager scraps to eat alone. They constantly compared me to Miles. I studied tirelessly, desperate for them to see my efforts, to earn their approval. But back then, Richard and Eleanor had eyes only for Miles. Once, Miles had an accidental fall, and they somehow managed to blame me for it. Miles claimed I had pushed him down the stairs. In a fit of blinding rage, Richard brutally beat me senseless, then threw me out of Sterling Manor. For four long years, they never once inquired about my well-being, never cared if I lived or died. And now, they had the gall to show up, asking me to return to the Sterling family? At that moment, looking at the elderly couple before me, my eyes held nothing but cold indifference. The day they beat me within an inch of my life and cast me out, the only thing left between us was a bitter, festering hatred. “Mr. Sterling, if you weren’t willing to acknowledge me as your son then, why would you even consider bringing me back now?” I asked Richard, my voice frigid. I had no idea what their true intentions were. But knowing the Sterlings as I did, their sudden desire for my return certainly wasn’t out of simple goodwill. They might even want to harm me. The thought solidified the coldness in my gaze. Richard looked at me. “Miles said you were struggling too much out there, so he asked us to bring you home!” he said, pointing at me. “You should learn from Miles; he’s so good. You pushed him down the stairs back then, and he still forgave you and wants you back in the Sterling family!” “Mr. Sterling, I assure you, I’m not struggling,” I stated, my voice devoid of warmth. “And I have no need to return to the Sterling family.” “Brother, stop pretending!” Miles burst out, tears welling in his eyes, his voice choked with sobs. “I’ve seen you so many times, working under the table, even begging on your knees for bosses to give you a job!” Miles’s words made Richard’s face fall. Richard valued his reputation above all else, and the thought of his son begging for work was an unbearable humiliation. “Typical. A child raised in the sticks, without a shred of pride, kneeling before others!” Richard sneered, his face etched with disgust. “If you didn’t have my blood in your veins, I would have thrown you out long ago!” I shook my head. Not only have I never knelt for anyone, but I haven’t even been in this city for years. How could Miles have seen me? He was just trying to provoke me, to disgust me. “Miles, you claim I knelt for a job. Tell me, where did I kneel?” I demanded, my gaze sweeping over his face. Miles’s face still feigned hurt. “Brother, stop trying to act tough! Look at how you live! This house is drafty, the walls are practically crumbling. You’d be much better off coming back to the Sterling Manor with us!” he said, gesturing at the old house. I glanced at my adoptive parents’ home. It was indeed on the verge of collapse from years of neglect. I had come here today to hire a construction crew to renovate it, only to find three people with serious issues on my doorstep instead. 3 “Ethan, come, let Mom take you home. Don’t worry, as long as you treat Miles well, we won’t make things difficult for you!” Eleanor cooed, gently pulling my hand. Her words, though, only made me want to laugh. These two were truly delusional. They’d rather cast aside their own flesh and blood for a boy who had swapped lives with their son. At this point, I was beyond exasperated with their entire family. “Brother, come back with us! I’ll make you a branch manager!” Miles chimed in, grasping my hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll teach you everything! You won’t have to worry about finding work anymore!” Miles looked remarkably sincere, so much so that even Richard and Eleanor seemed touched by his apparent goodwill. But as I looked at Miles, my brow furrowed. There was a glint of triumph in his eyes, and an almost indiscernible urgency. I said nothing. At this point, I was more curious to see what game the Sterlings were playing. I followed them back to Sterling Manor. I was certain their sudden change of heart masked some underlying scheme. Why else would they, after all these years of never bothering to check on me—never even knowing I’d lived abroad—suddenly want me back? The very day I returned, Richard unceremoniously tossed me into the utility room. “This room is small, but it’s still better than your dilapidated shack,” he sneered. “You’ll stay here for now. Don’t think that just because you’re back, you’ll be treated like a Sterling heir. Only when you’ve truly proven yourself will I consider accepting you.” I looked at Richard, letting out a weary sigh. Perhaps I had incurred his wrath in a past life. Why else would he treat his own son this way? I couldn’t even begin to comprehend the twisted logic of the Sterling family. I simply lay down and fell asleep. After a day of such commotion, I was utterly exhausted. When I woke, it was already evening, and my stomach growled with hunger. The Sterlings were at dinner. The moment I stepped out of the room, Richard slammed his hand on the table, bellowing, “Ethan, what are you doing out here? You’re ruining my appetite! Get back to your room! I’ll have someone bring you a tray later.” He looked at me, his eyes cold. At that moment, I let out a humourless laugh. “Mr. Sterling, did you bring me back to Sterling Manor just to torment me?” I asked, my voice cutting, my gaze fixed on him. Richard flinched, a flicker of awkwardness crossing his face. But quickly, his eyes hardened with chilling indifference. “This is to temper your spirit, to teach you that the Sterlings have rules too! Until I formally acknowledge you, you won’t sit at this table!” He looked at me, his voice sharp. “Otherwise, get out of Sterling Manor!” I nodded slowly. “I never planned on returning to Sterling Manor in the first place! You dragged me back here!” I said, then turned, walked back into the room, grabbed my bag, and prepared to leave. Seeing me about to walk out, Eleanor rushed forward and grabbed my arm. “Ethan, your father is just testing you! Don’t you want our family to be whole again? Hurry, be a good boy and go back to your room!” She tried to push me back inside. I shook my head. “Mrs. Sterling, I have no interest in such ‘tests.’ And I have no interest in the Sterling family.” With that, I prepared to leave.

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I was born under celestial signs, foretold to be Empress with future rulers as my children. Prince Corvin and Lord Regent Darian fought for me. Darian won, making me Empress. Yet all three of my children died young. After another birth, I overheard Darian and Corvin: “Lyra improves with the child’s essence,” Corvin said. “But sacrificing three children…” “It’s their destiny to sustain Lyra,” Darian replied. “She’ll live a century—the realm’s most revered woman. “And the fate exchange?” Corvin asked. “All is ready.” Their love was a lie. My children and I were tools for their ritual. In despair, I burned myself to ashes—denying them their wicked end. 1 “Uncle, what are we waiting for?” Corvin’s voice was sharp with urgency. “Let Elara exchange her life force with Lyra now, before delays invite complications.” Darian waved a dismissive hand. “No hurry. The sorcerer stated that Elara, having just given birth, is at her most vulnerable. The ritual must wait at least seven days, otherwise it could compromise the efficacy of the life transference.” His eyes were cold, unwavering. “Lyra’s well-being is paramount. I will not permit any unforeseen mishaps.” Corvin hadn’t considered that detail. He clasped his hands in a gesture of apology. “Indeed, Uncle’s foresight is admirable. Lyra approaches her twentieth year; until this matter is settled, my heart remains heavy with unease.” My hands trembled, refusing to believe the horror I had just heard. I froze, paralyzed by the revelations, tears streaming uncontrollably from my eyes. My three precious children, carried for ten months and born amidst unimaginable pain, were nothing but offerings, sacrificed by their own father to prolong the life of his beloved. After the first two children perished, I approached this last pregnancy with an almost unbearable caution. I never yearned for them to become future rulers or wield great power. All I wished for was their peace and safety. Yet, even that humble desire was cruelly denied. Even the fiercest beast protects its young. How could Darian treat his own flesh and blood with such monstrous cruelty? It was then that I finally understood why, each time I emerged from the agony of childbirth and the grief of losing a child, he would relentlessly press me to conceive again. The world spoke of my blessed fate, how I was born to be Empress. They claimed Darian loved me beyond measure, that he had even dismissed his entire court of ladies for me. Little did I know, every word, every gesture, was built upon a foundation of insidious lies. He and Corvin had deceived me so profoundly, their betrayal twisting my very soul. I stumbled backward, my legs unsteady. My foot caught on something, and I pitched forward violently, landing with a sickening thud. “Who’s there?” Darian’s keen ears caught the sound. He rushed out, and seeing me pale and collapsed on the floor, he instantly scooped me into his arms, his face etched with alarm. “Elara, my dearest, your strength hasn’t returned. Why are you out of bed? What if you catch a chill and develop a lingering illness?” The concern on Darian’s face seemed genuine. Yet, had I not overheard their monstrous confession moments ago, how could I have known that my beloved husband harbored another woman in his heart, that he had murdered our three children for her, and now sought to claim even my own life? My eyes red-rimmed, I pleaded softly, “Darian, I… I want to see the baby. Please, just let me see him, won’t you?” Even if it was only a corpse, I needed to see him. He was a piece of my very being, my precious child I had yearned for during ten long months. Meeting my gaze, Darian’s eyes flickered. “Elara, our child… he is gone.” His voice softened, almost a caress. “But rest assured, I have summoned the Grand Chaplain to perform the rites for his soul. He will surely find eternal rest in the afterlife.” He squeezed my hand. “Your most important task now is to regain your strength. We will have other children, my love.” My gaze dimmed in that instant. Children? No. We would never have children again. Darian, still uneasy, personally carried me back to my chambers. He then severely punished all the palace staff who had failed to properly attend to me. He was always like this, never hesitating to display his profound regard and affection for me in public. For years, I had been lost within the intricate web of his lies, living a beautiful dream of being loved. Now, jolted awake, I was left with nothing but agonizing wounds and a burning hatred. That night, my sleep was restless, plagued by nightmares. All I could hear were the desperate, pleading cries of my three poor children. “Mother, Mother, it hurts so much!” “Mother, save us…” My heart felt as if it were being shredded. I wanted to rush forward and embrace them, but an invisible force held me pinned to the spot. I could only watch, helpless, as the blade descended upon them, again and again. When I finally thrashed my way awake, my pillow was soaked with tears. 2 I could no longer contain myself. Like a madwoman, I rushed to the nursery I had prepared for my child, clutching his tiny clothes to my chest, sobbing uncontrollably. I had meticulously prepared clothes for him, from infancy up to his tenth year. Yet, his own father wouldn’t even grant him a chance to live. As I wept, a strange sound suddenly registered in my ears. I followed the eerie noise to the rear courtyard, discovering it emanated from a dry well. A voice in my head screamed at me: Don’t go. Don’t go. But a chilling intuition told me that whatever was inside held a terrible significance. My legs stiff, I shuffled step by painstaking step to the well’s edge. Gathering my courage, I peered down. The sight that met my eyes instantly stole my breath, sending me sprawling to the ground. At the bottom of the dry well, several vultures were tearing at something swaddled in a tattered cloth. A horrifying realization slammed into me. I scrambled up, snatching a handful of stones. “Get away! Get away! Don’t touch him!” I shrieked. “Give him back to me!” Startled by my sudden outburst, the vultures scattered. I scrambled frantically into the well, my ankle twisting brutally as I fell. I gazed at the tiny, bruised bundle of flesh, its face no longer discernible, a gaping hole torn through its chest. My throat constricted, choked by unspeakable horror. I opened my mouth, but no sound escaped. It wasn’t until Darian and his guards arrived, equally stunned by the gruesome scene in the dry well, that I found my voice. His face turned ashen. “Who did this?” he roared. “Did I not command you to properly inter the Prince? How did he come to be in this wretched well?” The Emperor’s fury was palpable. The Chief Steward and the guards immediately fell to their knees, terrified, not daring to breathe. Then, Darian himself descended into the well. He carefully cradled me, pressing my head gently into his chest. “Elara, don’t be afraid. I swear, I will find justice for you and our child.” It was then that I snapped out of my stunned horror. That day, a wail of profound sorrow echoed through the entire palace. Overwhelmed by grief and rage, I collapsed into unconsciousness. In my hazy state, I dimly heard Darian speaking to someone. “Master,” he urged, “she is unconscious. Will this affect the life transference ritual for Lyra in a few days?” A sharp pain lanced through my chest. What were my children and I to him? He had seen our child’s horrific end, yet his only concern was for that woman. “The Empress has merely suffered a great shock,” the Master replied. “A few days of rest and proper care, and she will recover without lasting harm.” Darian visibly relaxed. He remained by my bedside, trying to spoon medicine into my mouth. When I refused to open it, he clamped my jaw, then pressed his lips to mine, forcing the liquid down. Disgusted, I was just about to open my eyes when a guard burst in. “Your Majesty, dire news! A messenger from the secluded manor reports that Miss Lyra has suddenly collapsed, spitting blood. It seems… it seems she is gravely ill!” 3 Darian shot to his feet. “Master, what is the meaning of this? You swore the child bore Elara’s lineage, that his vital essence possessed miraculous properties. You said if Lyra consumed it, she would not only gain extended life but also evade the Cosmic Balance, allowing her to secretly exchange fates with Elara! Why is she suddenly spitting blood and unconscious?” The Master flinched, visibly taken aback. “The Empress’s son was of an exceptionally auspicious destiny, marked to be a future ruler. Miss Lyra, being inherently frail, likely could not withstand such potent life-energy.” “Now, only by forging a life-binding pact between Miss Lyra and the Empress, transferring the Empress’s very life force to Miss Lyra, can this be remedied.” “Then why do you delay?” Darian dragged him to the bedside, his voice sharp with urgency. The Master hesitated. “But the Empress is currently gravely ill. If we proceed forcefully, her life might not be preserved.” Darian sneered. “I don’t care. If anything happens to Lyra, I will see every one of you pay with your lives.” Hearing his ruthless words, the Master dared not protest further. He immediately dispatched his assistants to prepare the ritual. Panic flared in my heart. I could no longer feign unconsciousness. I clutched the covers, shrinking into a corner, my eyes fixed on him with fierce suspicion. “Darian, what are you trying to do to me?” Darian’s face paled when he saw me awake. He didn’t know how much I’d heard. He forced a strained smile. “Elara, my dearest, you’re ill. The Master is here to tend to you.” His voice became a soothing lie. “Just rest now, won’t you? When you wake, all of this will be over.” Even now, he sought to deceive me. I let out a harsh, derisive laugh. “Stop pretending! I know everything you’ve done. You murdered my son, and now you want to sacrifice my life for Lyra? Dream on!” Darian’s expression shifted. “Elara, what are you saying? I don’t understand.” His voice was still deceptively gentle. “I am deeply pained by the loss of our child. I have already punished the palace staff who failed in their duties. Your most important task now is to rest. Please, try not to dwell on these things, alright?” He reached for me, but I thrashed my arms, accidentally striking his face. “Get away! Don’t touch me!” My voice cracked with anguish. “Just because Lyra was foretold to not live past twenty, you cruelly murdered my three children to prolong her life? Darian, they were your own flesh and blood! Does your conscience not scream?” Darian stared at me, dumbfounded, as if he hadn’t expected me to know even that. He dropped the pretense. His face twisted into a momentary snarl. “Lyra is inherently pure and innocent! She has done nothing wrong! Why should fate be so cruel to her? I will defy destiny! I will see her healthy and living a hundred years, free from all harm!” My eyes burned with fury. “And what did my children do to deserve this?” I roared. “Is this fair to them? Is this fair to me?” Darian’s face darkened, a flicker of madness in his eyes. “I care for nothing else! As long as I can save Lyra, I would sacrifice every soul in this realm! I would stop at nothing!” His gaze sharpened, menacing. “Elara, since you know everything, it would be best if you cooperate willingly. You will suffer less pain that way.” 4 With a subtle flick of his eyes, he signalled his guards. They seized me, pressing me down, firmly pinning me to the bed. The Master approached, holding a small vial. I struggled with every ounce of strength, but could only watch in horror as my skin was sliced open, and a writhing, sickly green worm crawled into the wound. The moment it entered, a searing, agonizing pain erupted through every fibre of my being, as if a thousand unseen creatures were devouring my flesh from within. I thrashed wildly, screaming, convulsing on the bed. Even the guards couldn’t hold me down for a moment. A flicker of something akin to pity crossed Darian’s eyes. He made a move to step forward, but the Master’s voice cut through the chaos: “Your Majesty, the blood charm is complete. The life transference ritual will succeed in three days.” Darian’s face lit up with a triumphant smile. When his gaze fell upon me again, it held only ruthless resolve. “Bind her!” he commanded. “If anything happens to her in these coming days, you will all answer to me!” My face deathly pale from the agony, I was bound hand and foot and thrown onto the bed. After that, Darian came to see me every single day. I refused to eat, so he would pry open my mouth and forcibly pour broth down my throat. I choked, my ragged coughs tearing through me. Darian looked down at me, his gaze imperious. “Elara, if you are obedient, you will remain my Empress. I will ensure you want for nothing.” His voice hardened. “But if you dare to seek death and ruin my plans, I will desecrate the child’s remains, scattering his ashes to the winds, ensuring that you and your son are never reunited, not in this life, nor in any other!” I stared at him, unable to comprehend. Had he not done enough by murdering my child? Now he threatened me with his corpse! “You monster! He was your child too! How can you do this to him?” My eyes burning crimson, I lunged at him, wanting to tear him apart, to avenge my child. But he merely shoved me away. Darian bent over me, his gaze chillingly dismissive. “As long as you are obedient, I naturally won’t resort to such measures.” Finally, I could bear it no longer. I crumpled to the floor, despairing, sobbing uncontrollably. I regretted it all. Why hadn’t I listened to my father’s warnings? Why had I insisted on marrying him? My father was the realm’s foremost Grand Seer. His prophecies were never wrong. He had foretold my auspicious destiny, that I was destined to be the Empress of Aethelgard. Later, when Darian ascended the throne and sought my hand, my father cast the runes for me once more. Every reading was empty, devoid of clear destiny. He urged me to reconsider, but I was blinded by Darian’s honeyed words, and I still believed my father’s initial prophecy could not be mistaken. The prophecy said I would one day rule as Empress, and Darian’s first act upon taking the throne had been to crown me. I never imagined it was all a carefully laid trap, a grand scheme to exchange Lyra’s life for my own. My folly, my terrible mistake, had to end here. Darian feared I would seek death, so he had guards stationed outside my chambers day and night. But he didn’t know: if someone truly desires death, no one can stop them. In the pre-dawn hours, as the guards outside grew drowsy, I dragged my pain-wracked body to the table and deliberately knocked over the lit candelabra. By the time the guards reacted, roaring flames had already consumed the entire chamber. I sat on the floor, laughing a raw, guttural laugh. For this day, Darian had schemed for years. I would see his hopes shattered, his elaborate plans reduced to ashes. Even if it meant eternal damnation, I would drag them down with me.

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On my way to St. Alaric’s Abbey for thanksgiving prayers, we were ambushed by brigands. Seraphina, my husband’s childhood companion, shoved me from the carriage. I fell, gravely injured, and the life stirring within my womb began to ebb away, a crimson stain spreading. My husband, Alaric, arrived with his knights. He swept the blood-streaked Seraphina into his arms, then cast a look of utter contempt at me, sprawled in the dirt. “Isabelle, did you orchestrate this whole ordeal to harm Seraphina? You knew her heart is frail, easily startled. You venomous shrew!” He galloped away, cradling his precious Seraphina, leaving me to bleed out on the muddy path outside the city walls. When I next opened my eyes, the faint shouts of the brigands echoed outside the carriage. Seraphina’s hand, cold and decisive, shoved me from the carriage once more. 1. I instinctively curled, shielding my belly, as I tumbled into the roadside thicket, striving to minimize the impact on my body. Seraphina, eyeing the approaching brigands, shrieked melodramatically, “Duchess! Run, quick!” The brigands’ eyes gleamed. “The Duchess is this way!” They lunged towards me. I raised my arm, firing a volley of poisoned darts from the concealed wrist-mounted crossbow hidden in my sleeve. Several of the attackers crumpled, silenced. This road was frequented by noble ladies making their pilgrimage. It baffled me how these brigands dared to waylay travelers here. I kept my wrist-crossbow aimed, counting the seconds. It was almost time. In my previous life, shortly after my death, the person who would pass this way was Princess Rosalind, the King’s own sister, returning from the Arcadian Vale. Sure enough, a lavish carriage rounded the bend. The brigands waved their arms. “Forget this hag! There’s another carriage! Charge!” Chaos erupted. I peered at the carriage and saw a face revealed as the curtain fluttered open. My heart soared – it was indeed Princess Rosalind. The instant the brigands surged forward, swords raised, I lunged, throwing myself between the Princess and the incoming blade. The cold steel bit into my back, a searing pain, but I had shielded her. My throat burned, a sweet, metallic taste filling my mouth. The thunder of hooves roared in my ears, followed by Princess Rosalind’s indignant cry: “Audacious scoundrels! I am Princess Rosalind! How dare you lay a hand upon me?” I only lost consciousness for a few fleeting breaths before snapping back to awareness. Seraphina was rushing towards me. “Sister Isabelle, are you alright? You terrified Seraphina!” The gash on my back was bleeding freely, and Seraphina’s rough embrace knocked against it, intensifying the flow. Princess Rosalind steadied me. “Are you well? Thank you for saving me.” The clash of steel echoed, signaling the arrival of knights. I knew, without a doubt, it was Alaric. Indeed, Seraphina spotted Alaric riding towards us from afar and stumbled towards him. “Brother Alaric, help me!” Clutching my abdomen, I whispered, “My belly… it pains me so, Princess. Please, save my child.” Princess Rosalind’s expression tightened. “You are with child? And you still risked your life to save me? Rest assured, I will save you. Your life-saving deed will be repaid.” “It was my own recklessness, running ahead and leaving my guards behind. Else, we wouldn’t be in such peril. Do not fear; they will catch up soon. My retinue includes a skilled healer.” With that, she tore a strip from her gown and bound my wound, but the fabric quickly soaked through with blood. In the distance, Seraphina melted into Alaric’s embrace. “Brother Alaric, thank the Heavens you came. Otherwise, Seraphina would never have seen you again.” 2. That towering, formidable figure in the distance was my husband, Duke Alaric Blackwood. He swept the stumbling Seraphina into his arms, his gaze filled with tender concern for the bloodstains on her face. Then, he strode towards me, where I leaned, pale and weak, against a tree. His eyes burned with undisguised revulsion. “Isabelle, did you painstakingly bring Seraphina up this mountain to the Abbey just to harm her? You knew her heart is frail, easily startled. You venomous shrew!” The last vestige of color drained from my face. “My Lord, Seraphina insisted on accompanying me to the Abbey today. I had no idea we would encounter brigands.” “Besides, Seraphina is unharmed. My Lord, the Blackwood healing draught… please, just a single dose! I beg you.” My voice was barely a whisper, my breath growing shallow. Alaric sneered. “The Blackwood healing draughts are for the knights on the battlefield, not for a frivolous woman like you to squander. Do you know a single vial is worth a hundred gold pieces? Are you feigning such distress just to waste it? Do you realize one draught can save a life on the battlefield, not be wasted by you?” Princess Rosalind lifted her chin, her eyes blazing with indignation. “Are you Duke Alaric Blackwood? This is your wife, gravely wounded from saving a life. Do you truly quibble over the cost of a potion? Is your heart made of stone?” Alaric regarded her with disdain. “And who might you be? What business is it of yours, matters between my wife and I? Isabelle, you truly have a talent for theatrics, putting on such a grand performance by the roadside and even recruiting an accomplice.” Princess Rosalind rose to her full height. “How much is your potion worth? I shall purchase it myself.” Alaric’s cold gaze swept over me, then back to the Princess. “You’ll purchase it? What grand words. Are you and Isabelle friends? Then you must be cut from the same cloth, all deceit and lies. Our family’s draughts, we’d sooner feed to cats and dogs than give to her. Disabuse yourselves of that notion.” I clutched my belly, cold sweat prickling my skin as I looked at him. “My Lord, even if you refuse to save me, please save the child in my womb. He is your own flesh and blood.” I had been pregnant, but hadn’t had the chance to tell him yet. I’d planned to wait until his return from the borders after his rotation. I never imagined such a calamity. Alaric’s face shifted at my words. “What child?” He was about to demand an explanation when Seraphina, with a dramatic gasp, collapsed into his arms, clutching her chest. “Brother Alaric, my heart… it aches so! Am I… am I dying?” “When the brigands came, Sister Isabelle was so frightened, she pushed me from the carriage! I think I hit something; I’m in pain all over.” Seraphina spun her fabrications, twisting the truth. I glared at her, my eyes burning with fury. “When did I ever push you? It was you who shoved me from the carriage, leaving me covered in wounds!” Seraphina dabbed at her eyes, looking only at Alaric. “Sister Isabelle, how can you twist the truth so? Brother Alaric, Sister Isabelle didn’t mean to. Don’t blame her. Perhaps she simply dislikes me staying at the Manor and, in a moment of distress, pushed me.” “But, Sister Isabelle, do you know this is a cliff? I could have fallen into the abyss, my body lost forever! If you dislike me, you could have simply told me. I would have left you alone. Why would you try to take my life?” Alaric glared at me. “Isabelle, how could you be so vicious? Taking such a cruel hand against Seraphina when I was not present, you madwoman!” I shook my head. “You believe her. No matter what I say, you will no longer believe me. More words are useless.” I felt the blood from my back flowing faster. I gripped Princess Rosalind’s hand. “Princess, could you take me to the nearest healer in Valoria? I fear my child will be lost if we delay any longer.” Princess Rosalind nodded. “Yes, I will take you to Valoria immediately.” She began to help me onto her carriage. 3. “Hold!” Alaric stepped in front of us, blocking our way. Suppressing his rage, he pointed his knight’s sword at me. “I know you’ve always disliked Seraphina, but I never imagined you’d be cruel enough to try and end her life. You will kneel here, now, and apologize to her. If she forgives you, you may enter Valoria. If she does not, you will remain kneeling until she does.” I stared at him, incredulous. “You don’t believe me? For Seraphina’s word alone, you would abandon your own child?” Seraphina, frail and delicate, leaned against Alaric. “Sister Isabelle, if you apologize, I will forgive you. But why would you rather lie than admit your mistake? And why would you use a pregnancy to deceive Brother Alaric? Is it merely a coincidence that you are suddenly with child?” “The healers said you struggled to conceive. How could you suddenly be pregnant? If you don’t wish to apologize, simply say so. There’s no need to lie to Brother Alaric; he detests deceit above all else.” Alaric’s face contorted with disgust as he looked at me. “After years of marriage, you’ve never conceived. Yet now, suddenly, you claim to be with child. Do you expect me to believe that? You will apologize to Seraphina, immediately.” Why I struggled to conceive, others might not know, but Alaric knew perfectly well. In the second year of our marriage, I conceived. Yet, due to his arrogance, he suffered a humiliating defeat in battle and then dared to contradict the King, incurring royal displeasure. For his sake, I knelt in the biting snow before the Queen, pleading for clemency. I remained there for a day and a night. I lost the child, and my body was left weakened. The healers said I might never fully recover, and that future pregnancies would be difficult. My health was shattered because of him, yet he, the ungrateful wretch, dared to utter such words. I felt a gush of warmth from my lower abdomen. The color drained from my face, leaving it as stark and white as parchment. Alaric’s personal knight whispered to him, “My Lord, the Duchess truly appears gravely wounded. Something seems amiss. Perhaps we should allow her to see a healer first.” Alaric scoffed. “Has she not feigned illness enough times before? Such tricks, she’s well-practiced. Rest assured, she won’t die.” My heart turned to ash. Even his own men could see I was dying, yet his heart remained as cold as iron. The knights behind him grumbled. “She’s constantly jealous of Lady Seraphina. How can she possibly fulfill the duties of a Duchess? If it were anyone else, she’d have been cast out long ago.” “Indeed! Lady Seraphina is so gentle, so kind to the Duke. Not like the Duchess, always putting on airs.” “Failure to produce an heir is a grave offense. The Duchess has been married for years and hasn’t borne a single child. The Duke should have brought Lady Seraphina into the Manor years ago!” Seraphina’s lips curved into a triumphant smile, her eyes filled with defiant challenge as she looked at me. My head swam, growing dizzier by the moment. Princess Rosalind exerted all her strength to help me stand. My blood stained the tree trunk, yet Alaric, blinded by rage, drew his sword and cleaved the carriage wheel. “I told you, Isabelle. If you do not kneel here today and apologize to Seraphina, I will not permit you to leave.” Princess Rosalind was furious. “Audacious fool! Do you know who I am? Do you dare lay a hand on me?” Alaric lifted his chin defiantly. “I care not who you are. Today, whoever protects this venomous witch stands against me, the Duke of Blackwood.” Princess Rosalind’s face flushed with royal indignation. She produced a meticulously carved crest pendant. “I am Princess Rosalind. Duke Alaric Blackwood, I command you, now, to immediately escort us to Valoria to seek medical aid. There shall be no delay.” Seraphina let out a delicate giggle, covering her mouth with her hand. She darted forward and snatched the crest pendant. “You are a Princess? A Princess who traveled to Valoria with only two guards? And was almost killed by brigands? Truly, if you’re going to lie for Sister Isabelle, at least invent a believable story. This crest… did you perhaps buy it for a few shillings from a street vendor in Valoria?” 4. With that, she flung the crest pendant to the ground and stomped on it viciously several times. Then, clutching her chest again, she whimpered, “Brother Alaric, my heart hurts so badly! Please, take me to a healer. I can barely breathe.” She collapsed weakly into his arms. Alaric scooped her up and mounted his steed. Turning, he commanded his knights, “Isabelle, if anything happens to Seraphina, I swear you will pay with your life. Destroy their carriage. If they wish to reach Valoria, they may walk.” With that, he galloped off, Seraphina clutched in his arms. Alaric’s knights looked at me, torn. “Forgive us, Duchess.” They severed the horses’ reins, drove the steeds away, and then smashed the carriage to splinters before riding off in pursuit of Alaric. My body grew colder and colder. The snow began to fall, heavier now. Barely clinging to life, I whispered, “Princess, you must go. Follow this path; it leads directly to Valoria. Do not mind me; you cannot carry me. If I die, Princess, remember this: do not let me be buried at Blackwood Manor. Even in death, I wish for an annulment from Alaric.” Tears streamed down Princess Rosalind’s face. “Hold on, just a little longer! My knights will be here any moment!” I felt a profound chill, a deep, pervasive cold, until my vision blurred, and I knew nothing more. When I awoke, I was lying in a warm chamber. Princess Rosalind stood over me, her face flushed with fury. “What? All the Royal Physicians have been summoned to Blackwood Manor? Not a single one allowed to leave? Does the Duke of Blackwood command such authority? To summon all the King’s healers for a woman who doesn’t even have a title?” “Fine, fine. Today, my eyes have truly been opened.” “Guards! Follow me! We’ll march to Blackwood Manor. I will personally go there to summon the Royal Physicians. I want to see how he dares to refuse me access to them.” At Blackwood Manor, Seraphina lay in Alaric’s arms, rubbing her chest. “My Lord, perhaps you should go and see Sister Isabelle. I fear for her. I truly am alright; my heart ailment is an old complaint. It hurts, but it won’t kill me. You needn’t worry about me.” “She is, after all, your lawful wife. I am nameless, nothing. Do not concern yourself with me anymore. I do not wish for people to speak ill of you.” Alaric held her tighter. “Nonsense. I have summoned all the Royal Physicians on duty. They will surely heal you.” “With me here, who would dare speak ill?” Just then, Princess Rosalind’s cries reached the Manor gates. “Smash the gates open!” She stormed into the Manor. Alaric, startled by the commotion, stared at her. “Who are you, daring to trespass into Blackwood Manor?” Seraphina looked at the Princess, then gripped Alaric tightly. “Brother Alaric, she’s so fierce. Did Sister Isabelle send her to cause trouble?” Alaric stood up. “Guards! Remove this madwoman! If she resists, beat her out!” “Yes, My Lord!” The Manor guards surrounded them. The Princess’s knights drew their swords. “Bold! Do you not kneel before a Princess?” The Royal Physicians, seeing Princess Rosalind, immediately panicked. They dropped to their knees, bowing deeply. “Your Royal Highness, Princess Rosalind, we salute you.” Alaric and Seraphina were stunned. “Princess Rosalind?” Princess Rosalind looked at him. “Duke of Blackwood, what a grand display of power. Summoning all the Royal Physicians to your Manor, while your own Duchess could not procure a single one to save her life.” “I haven’t returned to Valoria in years, and I find that a Duke now wields such authority, even disrespecting a Princess. I shall go to the King, my brother, and have a thorough discussion with him.” Alaric’s face turned ashen. Just then, one of the Princess’s personal attendants rushed in. “Your Royal Highness, a grave situation! The Duchess of Blackwood is bleeding profusely. The child cannot be saved, and her injuries are severe. Her life hangs by a thread!” The Princess’s face paled. She called to the Royal Physicians. “Quickly, save her! The Duke’s reckoning can wait for another day.” Princess Rosalind rushed back to her Pavilion, Alaric trailing closely behind. Upon entering, he heard the Princess’s elderly governess shaking her head, carrying a basin of bloody water. “The Duchess’s child could not be saved. It was a male child.” Alaric recoiled, staring at the governess in disbelief. “What child? What nonsense are you speaking?” A maid shrieked from within. “Healers! Help! The Duchess is bleeding out! She’s dying!”

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5. The police insisted my parents come to the station. I shook my head, explaining they were both working out of town and couldn’t make it back. I noticed the looks on Tiffany’s father’s and the principal’s faces shift, clearly to something more calculating. A child whose parents worked elsewhere—wouldn’t she be easy to manipulate? I called my butler, concisely explaining the situation. Then I took off my ruined coat and said to the police, “They’ll have to compensate me for this coat, won’t they?” The officer looked at the bubble tea-soaked coat, nodding. “Absolutely.” “Who spilled the drink on her coat?” the officer asked. Tiffany’s smug expression faltered, her lips trembling. No one spoke up. I simply pointed directly at Tiffany. Tiffany’s father frowned. “It’s just a coat. We’ll pay for it.” He pulled out his wallet, counted a few banknotes, slapped them on the table, and pushed them towards me with an air of condescension. Tiffany mumbled a few times, but didn’t dare speak out. I looked at Tiffany’s father with a faint, amused smile, then pulled out my purchase receipt and handed it to him. His arrogant expression instantly vanished. He stared, eyes wide, at the receipt. “Four… four thousand…” My voice was flat and cold. “Four thousand eight hundred. I bought it last month. No depreciation.” Just then, my butler arrived, accompanied by a solicitor. “If compensation is refused, we will proceed with legal action.” Tiffany’s father, being a local councilman, could certainly afford five thousand. He gritted his teeth. “We’ll pay!” Then he turned and slapped Tiffany hard across the face. I collected the money with a satisfied smile, looking at Tiffany, who was now reeling from the slap. Tiffany dared not speak. She clutched her swollen cheek, all her fury transferring to me. As we walked out of the police station, she pointed at me, her voice trembling with hatred. “You wait!” I met her gaze expressionlessly. Tiffany’s eyes flickered, but she defiantly held my stare. “Alright,” I said. “I’ll wait.” 6. Back at school, the principal called both Tiffany and me into his office. He began with a perfunctory scolding of Tiffany, then spun around to chastise me. “Were you hurt? No, you weren’t! So why didn’t you seek help from the school immediately?” “The school’s teachers would have protected you! Why insist on taking it to the police station? How will others view our school now? What if our enrollment rates are affected next year?” At that moment, the principal’s phone rang. He answered it, his voice immediately becoming obsequious. “Yes, yes, absolutely! You can count on me!” “Don’t worry, sir! I’ll handle everything.” After hanging up, the principal reverted to his stern demeanor. Only this time, he was much gentler with Tiffany and went to great lengths to criticize me. He lectured, “Tiffany merely wanted to have a heart-to-heart with you, a friendly chat. But you insulted her, which made her angry and led her to throw the bubble tea. That’s perfectly natural, completely understandable!” “And you, not only did you show no appreciation, but you verbally abused Tiffany. You even called the police, blowing a small incident out of proportion, causing the school to lose face because of you!” “I’m telling you, you must call your parents here today! And you will apologize to Tiffany in front of the entire school!” I had watched the principal with an impassive face throughout, but at this, I burst into laughter, almost hysterically. That call must have been from Tiffany’s father. Oh, a father in office, who doesn’t have one? I nodded. “Alright, I’ll call my father right now.” I pulled out my phone and, right in front of them, called Mr. Sterling-Hayes. My father answered cheerfully at first, asking how I was, telling me Lily was adapting well, and that she hoped I’d come home soon. But his cheerful chatter was abruptly cut short by my tearful voice. I choked out, “Dad, I’ve been bullied.” My father’s garrulous voice fell silent. From childhood, I had always been an undemanding, high-achieving child. Even though a Sterling-Hayes child didn’t need to be. In fact, among my peers in high society, I was always the one leading the pack. My father would never have imagined that I, of all people, would be bullied here. Mr. Sterling-Hayes’s voice was tight with suppressed rage. “Isabelle, it’s alright. Don’t be afraid. We’re coming right away!” “I’ll call the butler first. You just…” Before he finished, I heard an anxious female voice from the other end of the line. It was Lily. Her voice, tear-choked and hoarse, cried, “Dad! Sister must have been bullied by that group too! Please, go save Sister quickly! It’s all my fault for not warning her…” It was then that Mr. Sterling-Hayes realized Lily had also been bullied at this school, and now, the same group was targeting his eldest daughter. The sounds on the other end of the line dissolved into a cacophony. I faintly heard my mother’s voice as well. Not long after, my call ended, and the principal’s phone rang. I watched, bit by bit, as his expression shifted from bewilderment to sheer terror, followed by a torrent of apologies. Tiffany, confused, watched the principal. Only I, dropping the feigned sob, slowly allowed a smile to bloom on my face. 7. Soon after, officials from higher up began to arrive, then even higher authorities… My father, my mother, they all arrived. The principal trembled like a leaf. Tiffany’s father stood beside him, head bowed, offering endless apologies. My father, meanwhile, sat in the main chair, slowly sipping his tea. Only my mother and I knew this was the ominous calm before his storm of fury. My father spoke. “My two daughters, both of them, suffered varying degrees of bullying under your care.” “And you swept it all under the rug. If Isabelle hadn’t called me this time, we would have remained completely in the dark.” The group began to apologize profusely, especially the principal and Tiffany’s father, their heads practically scraping the floor. Tiffany stared at her father, dumbfounded, weeping incessantly. She probably never imagined such a day would come when she bullied her classmates. I watched these people with cold eyes. Tiffany’s father, who abused his power, was now facing a greater authority. The principal, ever the opportunist, was now confronted by a higher power. My father, having served in politics for many years, never abused his power lightly. He was a man of unimpeachable integrity, which is why he had risen to such a prominent position. This time, if it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t have acted like this. My father was a senior government official, and my mother was the head of a financial conglomerate. That was why I could resolve this situation so easily. But what about ordinary children in a small town? What about Lily before she was found? What recourse did they have? Amidst the chorus of bowing and scraping apologies, I slowly clenched my fists. The matter was resolved swiftly. The principal was dismissed, the local education authority launched a comprehensive review of the school’s conduct, and Tiffany’s father was fired from his post. Tiffany and her entire bullying clique were expelled. As she packed her things to leave the classroom, I, in front of the entire class, delivered a resounding slap across her face. Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, unsure what had happened. Tiffany merely clutched her face, her head bowed, not daring to look at me, let alone retaliate. I withdrew my hand, my voice glacial. “Tiffany, that slap was for Lily.” Tiffany snapped her head up, her eyes wide with shock. She seemed to recall something, shaking her head vigorously. “No! No! Lily… Lily can’t be your sister…” “She was just…” Tiffany trailed off. Just what? Just a poor student whose parents had died? Just a frail girl who had been bullied by you for two years and couldn’t fight back? Tiffany fled in disarray. I watched her retreating back. Tiffany had repeatedly flaunted her power in front of me, saying, “You wait, I’ll find someone to teach you a lesson.” This time, I whispered silently to myself, You wait, Tiffany. Did you think this was the end? Did you think the torment my sister suffered for so long could simply be erased by your escape? Dream on. 8. My parents were busy; they couldn’t stay away from NYC for too long. Before they left, my father asked if I wanted to return with them. I looked at their worried eyes and smiled, shaking my head. “Just one more month,” I said with a smile. “Don’t worry, Mom and Dad. Give my regards to Andy and Lily. Tell them not to worry about me either.” My mother sighed, patting my shoulder. “I know you’re a strong-willed child, and I probably have an idea why you came here.” “Mom trusts you, but if anything happens, you must tell us.” I nodded, smiling as I watched my parents depart in their private car. After a day of rest back at the cottage, I returned to school as usual. The moment I entered the classroom, I was met with a barrage of stares and questions. “Isabelle, how did you do it? You actually got Tiffany expelled! That’s incredible!” “Are you involved with some gang outside of school? Or did they get expelled because you called the police?” “No, that’s not right. Other people called the police before, but since they were minors, nothing much happened…” The incident was, after all, rather unsavory, and with all the various authorities involved, most students didn’t know how it was truly resolved. They only knew that Tiffany and her group had been expelled, and the school suddenly had a new principal. I shook my head, ignoring their chatter. I simply settled into my seat and resumed working on practice problems. Victoria secretly watched me for a long time before finally gathering the courage to ask, “Isabelle, are you alright…?” I paused, then shook my head, speaking softly. “I’m fine.” She nodded, adjusting her glasses. “Mid-term exams are coming soon. You should really focus on studying.” I couldn’t help but smile, telling her, “You too. Work hard.” Victoria’s face flushed visibly. She gave a little cough, as if to compose herself, then bent her head to her own studies. The first mid-term exam was fast approaching. After a few days of practice tests, I began skipping classes frequently. After my parents’ intervention, the new class teacher and principal discreetly turned a blind eye to my absences. I had a reason for skipping classes. The evening self-study session the day before the mid-term exams, a boy suddenly exclaimed. “Oh my God, do you know what happened to Tiffany?” “Huh? Didn’t she get expelled?” “Yeah… After she got expelled, her life went to hell. I heard someone beat her up, and her dad’s gambling everywhere now, can’t pay his debts. He just married her off to some guy.” “Goodness, to think of how arrogant she used to be… it’s quite a fall, isn’t it?” “What’s there to sigh about? Have you forgotten how many people she bullied? Remember Lily Dawson from our class, she was bullied so badly she got depressed and transferred schools!” “You’re right…” I propped my chin on my hand, my eyes lowered, watching the pen twirl between my fingers, listening quietly to their discussion without speaking. I opened my phone and clicked on the contact named “Lily.” I concisely updated her on their current situation. After a long pause, I received her reply. “Thank you, Sister.” 9. I secured the top score in the entire school for the mid-term exams. The entire school erupted in shock. Especially my classmates. Our class was practically at the bottom of the school’s rankings, so for a student from it to suddenly achieve the top score was astonishing. Moreover, I had been frequently skipping classes lately and hadn’t exactly been seen as a diligent student. Students from other classes only knew me as the transfer student who had fought with the school’s delinquents and gotten them all expelled by calling the police. Adding to that, I was in a low-ranking class, and the top students from the advanced classes felt their pride stung. Consequently, rumors that I had cheated to get the top score began to spread like wildfire. Victoria sat beside me, staring at her own report card showing a rank of 236. I could almost see the veins bulging on her forehead. Just as I was about to offer some comfort, Victoria suddenly tore her report card into shreds with a violent rip, then buried her face in her arms on the desk, sobbing uncontrollably. Everyone was startled. Several girls who were close to Victoria quickly gathered around her, trying to console her. They offered tissues, fetched water, bustling about for a while until Victoria finally lifted her head, her eyes swollen and red-rimmed. She glanced at me, then was led away by her friends to the hallway for a heart-to-heart. It wasn’t until the bell for the next study session rang that Victoria returned, her eyes still puffy. I looked at her and asked, “Would you like me to go over any of the questions you got wrong?” Victoria snapped her head up, staring at me with a strange expression. Her skin was sallow, and her face was dotted with acne. Yet, her desk was spotless, every book neatly categorized and arranged. I could see that she was genuinely striving to achieve something, which is why I offered. But Victoria shook her head, saying it wasn’t necessary. I understood. I wasn’t particularly keen on being overly helpful; if she declined, that was that. My phone vibrated numerous times in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a familiar sequence of numbers: thirteen missed calls. My gaze froze on the caller ID. Andy. My non-biological brother, who had watched over me for seventeen years. From childhood, I never feared my parents, nor anyone in my social circle. Only Andy. It could be said that my academic achievements, my courage, and even my personality had all been shaped under his rigorous guidance. And my move to Oakhaven this time had, naturally, been kept a secret from Andy, who was studying abroad. Now, after a month, my secret was clearly out. I took a deep breath, closed my phone, and pretended not to have seen it. Then, I silently prayed Andy wouldn’t storm the school. 10. On Monday, as the top student in the school, I was to deliver a speech at the assembly. I wore my freshly issued school uniform, my hair tied back in a neat ponytail, looking like any other student who belonged to this school. I walked to the high platform. I delivered a formal, practically foolproof speech. The auditorium was utterly silent. Until I finished my last sentence, just before stepping down, a murmur suddenly rose from the audience. “She cheated to get first place!” This single sentence, like a pebble dropped into still water, instantly ignited a torrent of whispers. “Oh, really? Is that true?” “It must be! I heard she never studies in class, and she skips all the time.” “I also saw her being picked up and dropped off by a fancy car! She must be a sugar baby!” “Yeah! I think I saw that too! And her clothes and bags were so expensive! She could only afford them if some old man was paying for her!” “Maybe she’s connected to the street gangs, that’s why she could get Tiffany and them expelled.” “She probably pulled strings to get into our school, and then cheated to get first place. How shameless…” The murmurs grew louder, the words sharper, more biting. Those spreading rumors, those repeating them, those simply enjoying the spectacle, those stirring the pot… thousands of eyes below fixed on me, all waiting for my reaction. They anticipated seeing me embarrassed, angry, sad, or ashamed. I could even clearly see the widening smiles on the faces of some of the more malicious onlookers. However, I disappointed them. I maintained my perfectly polite, detached smile, devoid of any discernible emotion, and walked off the stage. The teachers quickly moved to restore order, and the murmuring slowly faded. But gossip, once ignited, does not simply vanish because teachers tell students to be quiet. On the contrary, after that speech, the rumors about me intensified. They claimed I cheated, that I was a kept woman, that my designer clothes were fake, and so on. Some students from other classes even came to peer through our classroom window, openly discussing me in loud whispers. I ignored them, merely frowning and closing the window. Perhaps because they had witnessed my confrontation with Tiffany, my own classmates mostly refrained from open discussion. Victoria even helped me by scolding the students from other classes who were gawking through the window. After she finished scolding them, she turned to look at me, her gaze fixed, seemingly searching for some emotion on my face. I guessed she hoped to see gratitude, perhaps even a hint of sorrow, pain, or shame. Unfortunately, I maintained my composed, almost aloof expression. This seemingly stung Victoria. She met my gaze for two seconds, a flicker of dissatisfaction on her face. She couldn’t help but speak. “Isabelle, don’t you have anything to explain?” I propped my chin on my hand, my voice faint. “Explain what? Explain that the people spreading rumors in the audience were the same ‘friends’ who comforted you and chatted with you in the hallway that day?” Victoria’s composure faltered, then she quickly feigned calmness. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “I… I need to work on my problems.” She avoided my gaze, lowering her head and scribbling aimlessly on her paper. I smiled, a hint of faint mockery in my voice. “Victoria, you look truly pathetic.” This remark seemed to strike a nerve. Victoria’s head snapped up, and she retorted sharply, her voice nearing a shriek, “I am not! If I hadn’t cheated, I worked so much harder than you! Why didn’t I score higher than you?” “You’re just relying on your money! If I had money and was pretty, I’d be much better than you!” “Why do you look down on me?!” Her voice was shrill, almost hoarse. Only when she finished did I speak. “Don’t attribute your misfortunes to me. Did I make you poor? Did I make your grades worse than mine? I’m first, you’re two hundred places behind. Surpass them before you even talk about me.” “I don’t look down on you,” I said with a smile. “I’ve never even truly noticed you.” “You’re not worth it.” Victoria was speechless. She broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. This time, no one came to comfort her. Her crying annoyed me. I turned to ponder how to resolve this situation and return home at the appropriate time. Suddenly, two familiar figures appeared at the classroom door. I froze, instinctively standing up, and called out to the person at the doorway. “Brother.” 11. Andy’s face was grim. It had been years since I’d seen him look so utterly furious, and a shiver of apprehension ran down my spine. Thankfully, Lily, standing behind Andy, came forward, her eyes red-rimmed, and grasped my hand, calling me ‘Sister.’ I couldn’t help but offer her a gentle smile, stroking her hair. At this point, the entire class had recognized Lily, and the room erupted into chaos. “Oh my God, what’s going on?!” “Lily Dawson and Isabelle Sterling-Hayes are sisters?! So Isabelle came here specifically to get revenge for Lily?” “My heavens! This is intense!” “No, wait. Lily used to look so poor. How can she be sisters with Isabelle?” “Who knows! Is it just me, or did anyone else notice that boy? He looks like their brother! He’s so handsome!” Andy took my hand, squeezing my palm in a disciplinary gesture. Then, he swept his gaze around the classroom, and towards the many onlookers in the hallway, raising an eyebrow. “Isabelle’s transfer here was indeed for a specific purpose. Now that her business is largely concluded, she’s here today to bid you all farewell.” “We’re taking her back to NYC.” “I’ve heard all the rumors circulating in the school. Perhaps our family’s chauffeur-driven car appears extravagant to you, but wealthy families also have daughters.” “Isabelle’s academic achievements are well-known in NYC. Her grades, painstakingly cultivated over fifteen years with our family’s substantial investment, have now, in your mouths, become ‘cheating.’” “Should anyone continue to spread baseless rumors, we shall meet in court.” With that, Andy pulled us away. Before leaving, I turned my head to glance at Victoria. She sat at her desk, tears streaming down her face, staring blankly at us as we departed. The rest of the class continued their discussions, gasps, and general pandemonium. But all of that no longer concerned us. 12. Upon returning to NYC. Andy gave me a thorough dressing-down, but then, with a softening heart, he took Lily and me out for a lavish meal. Lily clung to me, so I tutored her daily. She insisted we had to get into the same university. Mr. and Mrs. Sterling-Hayes treated all three of us equally, without a hint of favoritism. Lily became increasingly cheerful and vibrant, a stark contrast to the timid, slender girl she once was. In fact, she even became a little bit plump from my constant feeding. A year later, she successfully gained admission to the same university as me. Together, we embarked on our new university life. Before we left, I asked Lily if she still felt troubled by the past. She shook her head, a genuine smile gracing her lips. “Sister, all those people received their due punishment. And I’ve mostly forgotten about it now. It’s time to embrace a new life.” “And, the most, most, most fortunate thing is that fate made you my sister!” I smiled too, taking her hand as we stepped into the university campus.

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When Mike, my fiancé, died in the earthquake, he entrusted me to his older brother, Eason. This care stretched into five long years. Then, one night, fueled by too much wine, we lost control. A reckless night led to a life stirring within me. Clutching the pregnancy test results, my mind racing with visions of a diamond ring I’d glimpsed in his drawer, I hurried home, eager to surprise him. But as I stepped inside, I stumbled upon a scene I could never have imagined: him and Vivian, his one true love, in a moment of intimate passion. My face went stark white. I turned to flee, but his voice, rough with raw need, snagged me. “Cathy, could you run to the pharmacy for some condoms?” I clutched the pregnancy test results, my smile a grimace of despair. When I returned with the purchase, Eason paid me ten thousand credits for my errand. Vivian cast a triumphant glance at the small package, then a venomous one at me. “Eason, your… sister-in-law looks so innocent, yet her taste is surprisingly sharp!” Eason’s gaze swept over me, sharp and commanding. “This is adult business, not for little ears. Go stay at a hotel for a few days before you come back!” I ended our child’s life. I obeyed. I left. And I never came back. 1. The doctor, seeing me return so soon, looked at me with a questioning gaze. “Is something wrong?” She had reason to ask. When I first discovered I was pregnant, my cheeks had bloomed with joyous color. Now, they were deathly pale. “Please, schedule the earliest possible abortion for me.” Having witnessed countless human dramas, she offered no further persuade. But when it came to signing the consent form, she insisted I get a family member’s signature. I pulled out my phone, instinctively hitting the speed dial. The phone buzzed once before Eason disconnected it, faster than my own hand could react. I gave a bitter laugh. “I have no family; I’ll have to sign for myself.” Stepping down from the operating table, I saw a screenshot of a hotel booking on my phone. Eason had thoughtfully booked a week’s stay at a luxury hotel. His message read: “Unless it’s a matter of life or death, don’t disturb me these next few days. You understand.” And what was there not to understand, especially after seeing the diamond ring on Vivian’s finger? It was laughable how I had deluded myself, believing it was meant for me. Even more ludicrous, that he might remember our one night of reckless abandon. I glanced at the bloody, indistinct form of the embryo, my heart turning to ashes. I left. The luxury suite was fully equipped, as comfortable as the cozy bedroom Eason had always provided for me. But as I curled up under the covers, all I felt was a pervasive chill. My hands trembled as I dialed a number. “Dr. Sharma, that medical aid mission to Africa you mentioned last time? Count me in.” Dr. Sharma, perceptive and thoughtful, expressed her delight at my willingness to join, then probed gently. “Cathy, didn’t you say your late fiancé’s brother wouldn’t approve of you going to Africa? Did you two have a fight?” “Don’t you dare throw a tantrum and run off with me! He’ll turn the world upside down looking for you!” Dr. Sharma’s concern was understandable. After Eason and I had that chaotic night, I had slipped away while he was asleep, mortified. Afterward, he acted as if nothing had happened, maintaining his protective, older-brother demeanor. Angry that he dared to act so irresponsibly, I had run off on a trip to clear my head. Eason, in his frantic search for me, caused a city-wide uproar. Everyone knew he valued his “sister-in-law” more than his own eyesight. Seeing the news, I automatically assumed I was important to him. It turned out I had been foolishly overthinking. He was now so entangled with his beloved that he could dismiss me to a hotel for a week. Once he married, that house would surely offer no place for me. And I had no desire to watch him and another woman in sweet affection, day after day. “Dr. Sharma, he agreed to it.” “Alright, then I’ll add your name to the roster immediately. I’ll send you the details shortly so you can prepare.” Poring over the documents, I booked a flight for seven days later. I would stay at the hotel for a week, then leave. As for what I needed to take, I tried to recall, but it seemed there was nothing I truly needed. Since the earthquake, I, a girl without a home, had everything bought for me by Eason. He had covered all my expenses, leaving my parents’ inheritance untouched. The debt I owed him, I had to repay. I kept a little for myself, then transferred the rest to the bank account linked to the card he’d given me. With everything settled, my mind finally at peace, I fell into a deep sleep. In my slumber, the room seemed to sway again. My phone rang repeatedly, yet I heard nothing. Then, an urgent pounding on the door. “Cathy? Open the door!” 2. Eason’s frantic voice disoriented me. For a moment, I wasn’t sure where I was. I opened the door in a daze. Seeing that I was unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief, then his anger flared. “What’s wrong with you? Not answering your phone, ignoring my messages. Is it amusing to deliberately scare me?” I picked up my phone, realizing Eason had called countless times. While I was asleep, there had been another tremor. “I’m sorry, I was sleeping too deeply to hear.” “You’re lying! You’re terrified of earthquakes. Every time there’s even a slight tremor, you’re too scared to sleep!” He was right. In those moments, he would stay by my side all night. He would endlessly reassure me that he would protect me. Even if the world collapsed, he would die with me. I glanced at the mismatched buttons on his shirt, a strange warmth spreading through my chest. He did still care about my safety. But the intimate marks on his neck below his jawline, a silent reminder of his entanglement with Vivian, screamed at me not to delude myself. He only placed me, another orphan, in his protective circle because of his brother’s dying wish. “Perhaps I was just too tired.” Eason clearly didn’t believe me. He stared at my face for a few seconds, then spoke, his voice cold and accusatory. “Why did you paint your face so white in the middle of the night? Was it just to trick me into coming here?” I lifted my gaze, seeing the displeasure in his eyes. Before, when the ground shook, he’d tell my pale face not to be afraid. Now, my face utterly devoid of color from the recent procedure, he accused me of painting it to deceive him. I tugged lightly at the corner of my lips, my heart feeling like a plum steeped in icy water. “It’s my fault for ruining your good time, big brother. You should go back to your fiancée.” It had been so long since I called him ‘big brother.’ The unexpected address made Eason’s thin lips press into a tight line. His eyes, dark as a deep well, held an emotion I couldn’t decipher. “You’re coming back with me. If there’s another aftershock, I’ll feel better with you close by. Vivian will too.” “Besides, it’ll stop you from causing more trouble.” “I won’t cause trouble. You go!” I stood stubbornly rooted to the spot. Eason’s brows furrowed, his voice losing patience. “Just because you wouldn’t answer your phone, I left Vivian alone at home. Can’t you be more understanding?” But I had already ended the pregnancy and quietly decided to leave. Wasn’t that understanding enough? Before I could speak, Eason’s phone rang. A syrupy, tearful female voice asked him, “Eason, when are you coming back? I’m a little scared…” “Don’t be afraid, darling. I’ll be right there!” Eason soothed her softly, while casting a meaningful glance at me. I was already grateful that he had thought of me immediately after the earthquake. For someone with no blood relation, to have cared for me for so many years—if I continued to be difficult, it would be pure ingratitude. Eason couldn’t hang up the phone just yet, and I still refused to move. So, he simply hoisted me over his shoulder and headed for the elevator. I struggled violently, telling him to put me down, and accidentally knocked his phone to the floor. Annoyed, he reached out and slapped my bottom. The sharp crack of his palm against my behind echoed in the corridor. Both of us froze, stunned. The heat of his palm, through the thin fabric, scorched me, making me deeply uncomfortable. The memory of our wild night flooded me, and my chilled body instantly burned. A young girl passing by stifled a giggle and hurried away, only to gossip in a hushed voice to her friend at the corner. “Just saw the most intense couple! I bet they won’t leave their hotel room for three days!” Eason, already frozen by his own impulsive action, instantly dropped me onto the floor as if I were scorching hot. His face, usually so composed, flushed crimson all the way to his neck. “Look at the trouble you’ve caused! It’s utterly humiliating! I shouldn’t have come to bother with you!” With that, he picked up his phone and left alone. I mustered all my strength to steady myself, but the moment the elevator doors began to close, I couldn’t hold on any longer. He was the one who had forcefully tried to carry me, and he was the one who had crossed a line by slapping my bottom. If that was humiliating, then what was getting me pregnant? My emotions surged, and the bleeding below stopped. My vision blurred, and I fell backward, straight down. The young girl, hearing the thud, quickly shouted at the elevator, “Hey, your girlfriend passed out!” 3. I forced my eyes open, catching only the descending numbers on the elevator. Finally, it stopped at the ground floor, remaining still. The young girl, halfway through her gossip, rushed over and helped me up. Seeing the pooling blood beneath me, her face was filled with indignation. “What happened? Did your boyfriend just leave you like that?” I offered a bitter smile. “You’re mistaken. He’s not my boyfriend.” She, however, automatically interpreted it as us having a fight and breaking up. Leaning on her, I tried to make my way back to my suite, but after only two steps, I completely blacked out. When I opened my eyes again, all I saw was stark white. The familiar scent of antiseptic told me I was in a hospital. “You’re awake?” The nurse, after confirming I was alright, began to chatter. “What’s with your emergency contact? I called him several times, and he just kept hanging up.” “It was the young girl who brought you in who paid for your medical fees.” I pulled out my phone and checked the call history. I understood then; Eason was truly furious. But I no longer had the heart to explain or reconcile. I was even more relieved he hadn’t answered, or my abortion would have been impossible to hide. After a few days of quiet recovery at the hospital, I returned to the hotel to retrieve my luggage. But I was informed that Eason had already checked me out. The attendant apologetically handed me my bags, though her eyes held a hint of amusement. As I left, the hushed whispers behind me reached my ears, word for word. “She’s lost her favor, hasn’t she?” “Lord Eason is already engaged. There’s no place for his… sister-in-law anymore.” “I thought after all these years by Lord Eason’s side, she’d finally gain his affection. Who knew she’d still lose to his one true love!” In the hotel lobby, a preview of Eason and Vivian’s engagement ceremony for tomorrow was playing. I hailed a cab as if deaf to it all, heading for the airport. The scenery outside the window blurred as the car sped away, and I leaned back, closing my eyes to rest. The car drove for a long time, and still we hadn’t reached. I opened my eyes, sensing something was wrong. Panic rising, I glanced at the rearview mirror. The masked driver’s casual glance in my direction felt like the cold stare of a viper. Forcing myself to remain calm, I fumbled for my phone to call for help. The masked man noticed my intention. He let out a cold laugh and slammed on the brakes. “Too late to notice now.” He got out of the car, pressed a damp cloth over my mouth and nose, and my consciousness immediately began to fade. He snatched my phone, a mocking smile on his face. “Trying to call for help?” “How about we make a bet? If he answers your call, I’ll let you go. If he doesn’t… hehe…” The man used my fingerprint to unlock my phone and dialed the top contact. Sure enough, Eason didn’t answer. Then he directly hung up. On the last call, he finally picked up. I tried to scream for help, but the sound was barely a whisper. From the other end, his voice was filled with furious rage. “Cathy! Get your identity straight! My brother is dead! To me, you are, at best, a stranger! Stop trying to cling to me!” His roaring, deafening voice, mingled with the masked man’s mockery, pierced my eardrums and my heart. We arrived at an abandoned factory. The masked man dragged me from the car and threw me onto the ground. A pair of high heels entered my blurry vision. Before I could even make out the woman’s face, she kicked me twice, viciously. Weakened, I saw stars. “Cathy, you shameless hussy!” “Eason treated you like his own sister, but you’re so vile as to try and tarnish his name!” The familiar voice made me realize who was kicking me. That day, when I walked in on Vivian and Eason’s passionate embrace, her eyes had filled with hostility the moment she saw me. Seeing my silence, Vivian pulled out her phone and accused me. “Did you get someone to release this photo?” “If Eason hadn’t handled it quickly after I discovered it, you would have succeeded!” I looked at the photo, finally understanding why Eason had said those words. 4. The photo showed Eason’s back as he dropped me onto the ground. The caption read: [To the all-knowing netizens, help expose this scumbag! His girlfriend just had a miscarriage, and he violently broke up with her when she refused his advances!] I swallowed the metallic taste of blood in my mouth and flatly denied it. “You’re mistaken.” “Mistaken? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning! You just panicked because Eason’s about to get engaged to me!” “You, an innocent young woman, are so shameless you’d even use a clumsy excuse like a miscarriage to add drama to your own story!” Eason’s denial and mistreatment were one thing. But now Vivian was kidnapping and humiliating me? Did she truly think I was so easily bullied? I used all my strength to push away the foot that was grinding into my face. She was caught off guard, stumbled, and fell to the ground. Annoyed, she raised her hand to slap me, but for some reason, she stopped herself. A conniving smile I couldn’t decipher played on her lips. “Cathy, as a woman, I could tell at a glance that you like Eason. How about we make a bet? How important are you, truly, to him?” A terrible premonition welled in my heart. But to my shock, Vivian slapped herself hard, twice. Then, under my astonished gaze, she slipped the diamond ring onto my finger. Finally, she scratched several bloody marks onto her own hands before allowing the masked man to tie her up. She turned to me, crying crocodile tears. “Cathy, you invited me here just to kidnap me? To humiliate me?” The moment she finished speaking, a figure kicked open the door and burst in. Even against the blinding light, I recognized Eason instantly. Overwhelmed with a fresh wave of injustice, I called out to him, my voice barely a whisper. “Eason…” But he completely ignored me. I watched as he tenderly untied Vivian, sweeping her into his arms, consoling her softly. “Darling, are you alright?” He cupped Vivian’s swollen, reddened face, his eyes red with pain. That night, he had been angry for me too. But after Vivian returned, his eyes had no longer held me. Still uneasy, he examined Vivian from head to toe. Upon discovering several scratch marks on Vivian’s empty left hand, a chilling aura of death radiated from him. He turned to me, no longer seeking confirmation, and roared, “Cathy! Who gave you permission to bully her?!” Vivian, her eyes red and puffy like a rabbit’s, choked back a sob as she pleaded for me. “Eason, don’t blame your sister-in-law. She likes you, so her jealousy is understandable.” “Thankfully you arrived in time. I wasn’t too badly hurt…” Eason glanced at the masked man, who had seized the opportunity to escape, then, unable to contain his fury, slapped me. “What kind of sister-in-law falls for her late fiancé’s brother, even wanting it to be widely known? She has no shame, but I do!” Vivian’s lips curved upwards, then she tearfully pleaded with me. “Cathy, can you give me back the diamond ring? It’s Eason’s engagement ring for me. If you just return it, I’ll overlook everything you did, kidnapping and humiliating me…” Her swollen eyes were filled with pure provocation. Seeing through her charade, I ripped the diamond ring from my finger and tossed it at Eason’s feet. I looked him directly in the eyes, speaking each word with cold precision. “I don’t like you, and I have no interest in playing along with your fiancée’s charades. Take your pathetic ring and get lost!” My words made Eason’s icy face darken to a storm cloud. The disappointment in his eyes was palpable. “Cathy, pick up that ring and return it to your future sister-in-law! And apologize to her!” He was the one in the wrong from beginning to end, yet he was forcing me to apologize. “She’s the one who tied me up and brought me here! If anyone should apologize, it’s her to me!” “Cathy, I’ve truly spoiled you beyond measure these past few years!” “If you won’t apologize, fine. Then go kneel before my brother’s grave and reflect on how outrageously wrong you are, and whether you are worthy of his dying wish, his last selfless act to ensure you were settled!” His voice was frigid, leaving no room for refusal. He was right. I was leaving soon; I should go see Mike. He drove me to the cemetery. Seeing me obediently kneel, Eason, holding a smug Vivian, strode away. It had started to rain, though I hadn’t noticed when. I bought a new plane ticket and left without a single backward glance. As the plane prepared for takeoff, I searched for my medical aid documents, only to realize the folder was gone. Inside, were my pregnancy test results and the abortion procedure consent form. Eason’s call arrived, unbidden. “Cathy! Tell me, who was that wild man who got you pregnant?!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “392858”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

It was my birthday, and my boyfriend, Dexter Prescott, chose that day to publicly announce his engagement to someone else, right there in front of the entire company. I didn’t cry. I didn’t make a scene. I simply sought him out, hoping for an explanation. But what I found instead was a conversation between him and his friend. “Aren’t you worried Alice will be furious about this?” his friend asked. “I have no choice,” Dexter replied, his voice laced with a strange mix of resignation and righteousness. “If I don’t marry Chloe, her family will marry her off to some stranger. I can’t just stand by and watch her suffer.” Then, he added, his tone dripping with an unsettling confidence, “Besides, Alice has been with me for eight years. Everyone knows she’s mine. She has no other option but to wait for me.” Later, my family arranged a more suitable match for an advantageous alliance. I never imagined that my wedding day would coincide with his. As the groom, he was visibly anxious, plagued by a disturbing premonition. He even instructed his groomsmen to keep a close watch on the ceremony, to prevent me from causing a scene. It was then that one of the groomsmen awkwardly chimed in, “Didn’t you know? Alice Quinn is getting married today too…” —— 1 “Mom, is the Caldwell family’s proposal still on the table?” My mother’s hand, poised with a teacup, trembled slightly. Her eyes, wide with undisguised shock and worry, fixated on me. “Alice, why are you asking about that?” Just moments before, the video of Dexter Prescott’s proposal from last night had gone viral across all social media platforms. Everyone knew the Prescott family was about to celebrate a momentous occasion, but the bride wasn’t me—the woman he’d dated for eight long years. Seeing my silence, Mom grew frantic. “Alice, marriage is a huge decision. Don’t act impulsively now.” I swallowed the bitter ache in my throat and shook my head. “Mom, I’ve just… come to my senses. You didn’t reject the Caldwells’ proposal outright, did you? That’s because you thought Liam Caldwell was more reliable than Dexter, isn’t it? I trust your judgment.” My mother sighed deeply. “Liam Caldwell, the youngest son of the Caldwells, is indeed a good man. But perhaps you should meet him first, and then decide?” “No, it’s fine. You can make the arrangements. I’m okay with whatever.” After we settled the matter, I ate dinner at my parents’ house, then returned to the small apartment I owned. What I hadn’t expected was to find Dexter there. Hearing the sound of the key turning in the lock, he slowly put down his work and looked up. “Busy day at work? You’re back quite late.” I kicked off my shoes, my voice flat. “What are you doing here?” “I was passing by after an evening engagement and thought I’d drop in to see you.” Dexter approached me, just as he always did, intending to pull me into his embrace. But as he drew closer, a familiar scent wafted towards me—a women’s perfume. It was the same one Chloe Davis always wore. A wave of repulsion rose within me, and I instinctively recoiled, stepping back to avoid his touch. My nose inexplicably burned with a sharp, stinging sensation. “You’ve seen me. You can leave now.” Dexter’s outstretched hand froze in mid-air. A faint smile flickered across his face as he heard my words. “Don’t be silly, Alice. Weren’t you just complaining a few days ago that I don’t spend enough time with you? I specifically cleared my schedule to be with you today.” Yesterday was my birthday. I waited from morning till night, but not a single call from him. It wasn’t until late in the evening, when I finally gave in to the urge to go find him, that I received a video from an unfamiliar number. It was a clip of Dexter, right there in his company, proposing to Chloe in front of all their employees. In the video, a crowd cheered, their voices echoing with boisterous excitement. I couldn’t believe it. I rushed to his office, desperate to hear his explanation directly from him. Instead, I overheard his conversation with his best friend. It was then that I realized, in this cruel game of love, I had become the ultimate joke. Recalling the words he’d spoken last night, my heart felt like it had been viciously stabbed, the pain so excruciating it stole my breath. I lifted my gaze to the man before me, his features still deceptively gentle. My eyes welled up, tears blurring my vision. I didn’t know why, but I felt an overwhelming agony, a crushing weight that made it hard to breathe. Dexter watched as my tears fell, a flicker of panic in his eyes. He awkwardly reached out, fumbling to wipe away the moisture from my cheek. “Why are you crying? Who upset you? Tell me, I’ll go sort them out!” 2 Growing up, Dexter was the neighborhood’s resident wild child. He was unruly, mischievous, and often provoked his mother into chasing him with a slipper. I, on the other hand, was born prematurely, my health always delicate. My parents kept a strict watch over me, rarely letting me play outside with other children. I’d often sit by the window, watching them run freely, a pang of envy in my chest. Whenever Dexter saw me lost in thought by the window, he’d sneak over, bringing me little treats, then gently pinch my soft, chubby cheeks. “Little sister, when can you come out and play with me?” he’d whisper. By middle school, my health gradually improved, and my parents finally felt comfortable letting me venture out. Back then, he was always meticulously careful with me, saying, “Alice, little sister, if anyone ever bullies you when we’re out, just tell them my name. They won’t dare touch you.” From then on, I was never alone. He’d always accompany me wherever I wanted to go. If anyone tried to pick on me, he’d be there in an instant, a strong, unyielding shelter. When we started college, it felt natural for us to become a couple. He grew even more tender towards me, showering me with all his favoritism. That is, until my junior year, when Chloe Davis appeared, shattering all the beauty we’d built. She was clever, beautiful, efficient, and effortlessly charismatic. She was also Dexter’s classmate in the same department. They had a way of communicating that I simply couldn’t grasp. At first, Dexter would patiently translate for me. But eventually, he grew tired of it. “You don’t understand what we’re talking about anyway,” he’d say. “Why don’t you go off and do your own thing?” They talked about everything, from real life to online chatter, from dawn till dusk. Meanwhile, my conversations with Dexter dwindled to fragmented sentences. My friends warned me, urging me to pay more attention to their growing closeness. I dismissed their concerns, believing that even in a relationship, everyone deserved their privacy. And I trusted him. I truly believed he wouldn’t fall for someone else. But reality delivered a brutal slap to my face. That night, Dexter didn’t leave. He said he was worried about me. I gazed at him in silence for a long moment. “Suit yourself,” I finally said. Turning, I went into my room, and just as he tried to follow, I swiftly locked the door. Dexter stood outside, his expression complicated. He paused, then said, “Alice, I’ll be right outside. When you’ve calmed down, come find me, okay?” I ignored him, hot tears tracing paths down my cold hands, leaving burning trails. Dexter, I don’t want to love you anymore. The next morning, I woke up, rubbing my throbbing temples, and stepped out of the room. I saw Dexter frantically pulling on his jacket, clearly rushing to leave. “Alice, I have something urgent to deal with right now, so I’m heading out. I’ll pick you up tonight, and we’ll go out for dinner.” Before I could even respond, he rushed out, disappearing from my sight so quickly I barely registered it. I pursed my lips, then glanced at the sofa where he’d slept. I noticed he’d left his phone behind in his haste. I walked over and picked it up. I was just about to set it aside to send to him later. Then, a message popped up glaringly on the screen. Dexter hadn’t set a password, so any new message was immediately visible. The message was from a contact saved as “Sweet Pea.” The photo showed Chloe looking disheveled but smiling, giving a peace sign from an emergency room bed. The message read: “Don’t rush on your way here, drive safely. I’ll be waiting for you right here.” 3 It was then that I finally understood the real reason for his hasty departure. I let out a self-deprecating laugh, then called a local courier service to deliver his phone to his company. Afterward, I headed to my own office. I’d joined my family’s company right after graduation. My father, wanting to put me through the paces, made me start as a junior executive. Now, through my own efforts, I’d become a department manager. As soon as I arrived, my assistant brought over a project proposal. “Ms. Quinn, this document needs your attention. All the procedures are complete; it just needs your signature.” I took it and scrutinized it. It was a project collaboration with Prescott Industries, but I had absolutely no recollection of it. “Did my father approve this?” “No.” The assistant paused, then quickly replied, “Didn’t you say before that Prescott Industries should always be our first choice for any non-critical collaborations?” It clicked then. I had indeed said something like that, thinking that our two families would eventually merge anyway. Who earned more, who earned less, it wouldn’t matter, so I hadn’t bothered to thoroughly evaluate the project’s profitability. “Let’s pass on this one. From now on, for similar projects, we’ll choose based on merit. Company interests come first.” After a full day of work, I packed up my things after closing and decided to try the new chic bistro that had just opened recently. But when I arrived, I found the restaurant already packed to the brim. Just as I was about to leave, I heard a familiar voice. “Ms. Quinn, you’re here for dinner too?” I turned to see Chloe Davis and Dexter Prescott, sitting at a table, Chloe’s face beaming with a bright smile. Dexter’s expression froze when he saw me, then he quickly recovered. “I was just about to call you to join us for dinner! What a coincidence, you’re already here. Come, come eat with us.” He beckoned a server to add another place setting. I hadn’t eaten much for lunch and was ravenous by then. So, I decided to stay and sat down. “Ms. Quinn, I remember you like spicy food. Shall we add a few more dishes for you?” Chloe offered, her voice saccharine. I glanced across the table. It was laden with only bland, mild dishes. Both Dexter and I were notorious spice lovers. He used to say that food without chili was soulless, and eating it felt like a fate worse than death. Yet now, he sat before a table full of bland fare, his expression completely unbothered. Dexter shot Chloe an annoyed glare, feigning reproach. “I think you’re just trying to eat something spicy yourself, aren’t you? Don’t forget what the doctor told you today; you can only eat bland things recently.” Chloe, seemingly scolded, let out a playful huff. “Alright, alright, Mr. Bossy. I’ll listen to you, okay?” Watching their easy interaction, my heart, which had been torn to shreds, remained surprisingly calm. Dexter shook his head with a helpless smile. “You two go ahead and eat. I’m going to make a call.” As Dexter left, the smile on Chloe’s face gradually faded, replaced by a provocative gleam in her eyes. “Alice Quinn, you really surprise me. You know Dexter proposed to me, yet you’re still clinging to him? Your skin is thick enough to stop a bullet.” Catching the disdain in her voice, I met her gaze. “Is stealing someone’s boyfriend something to be proud of? Something worth flaunting in public?” “You…” Before she could finish, thick smoke suddenly billowed from the restaurant kitchen. Someone spotted it first and screamed in terror, “Fire!” At that cry, the bustling restaurant instantly descended into chaos. Everyone panicked, scrambling to escape. I snapped back to reality and quickly stood up. Just as I was about to leave, a figure suddenly crashed into me. Before I could regain my footing, I heard a familiar, anxious voice. “Chloe, don’t be scared! I’ll get you out of here!” Dexter didn’t hesitate, swiftly leading Chloe out of the burning restaurant. His heart thumped in his chest, a wave of relief washing over him, a joy of having survived. He pulled her into a tight hug. “Thank goodness, thank goodness you’re alright…” As he spoke, something seemed to click in his mind. He suddenly turned, his eyes landing on me, standing a short distance away, watching them with a cold, detached gaze. His voice caught in his throat, and he stammered, “Alice, I… I was just so rushed, I didn’t mean to not save you…” “I know.” I cut him off, my voice cold. In that moment, when he had pulled her into his arms and left, I had a crystal-clear realization: the Dexter who had once promised to protect me for life was long gone. Seeing that I wasn’t angry, he visibly relaxed, then offered to take me home. “No need. Ms. Davis seems quite shaken. You should take her home first.” 4 In the days that followed, I didn’t contact Dexter again. Instead, I busied myself with wedding preparations. One afternoon, I received a message from my designer, so I decided to use my lunch break to pick up my custom-made wedding dress from her boutique. It was a gown I had originally prepared for my own proposal to Dexter, but I would never have that day. As luck would have it, just as I stepped into the store, Chloe followed right behind me. She saw the dress box in my hands and, with an air of superiority, looked at the designer. “I want to try on that wedding dress.” “I’m sorry, but that was custom-made for Ms. Quinn. It belongs to her.” Chloe scoffed disdainfully. “Custom-made? As if you’re getting married soon…” As she spoke, she seemed to realize something, and her composure shattered. “Are you trying to wear this dress to ruin my wedding?!” Seeing her manic state, I couldn’t be bothered to argue. “If you’re sick, go get treatment. Don’t come here to cause a scene.” With that, I turned to leave, holding the dress box. Unexpectedly, she suddenly lunged at me. Before I could react, she violently ripped open the box and frantically tore at the magnificent gown. That wasn’t enough. She then rushed to the counter, snatched up a pair of scissors, and mercilessly shredded the fabric. “Alice Quinn, you won’t ruin my wedding! I’ll destroy your dress right now, let’s see how you cause trouble then!” “Chloe, are you insane?!” Furious, I tried to snatch it back, but she accidentally grazed my arm with the scissors, and blood quickly welled up. Chloe froze. For half a minute, she stared blankly, then she too began rapidly slashing her own arm with the scissors. Afterward, she collapsed onto the floor, letting out a low moan of pain. I was stunned by her almost deranged actions, before I could even speak. Dexter burst into the store from outside. Seeing the chaotic scene before him, his eyes blazed with fury. He glared at me. “Alice Quinn! When did you become so malicious?!” His eyes were filled with rage, but then he turned to Chloe, his expression softening into one of profound heartache. Dexter walked over and carefully helped her up. Chloe leaned against his chest, sobbing. “Dexter, it’s all my fault. Don’t blame Ms. Quinn; she didn’t mean to hurt me…” “Didn’t mean to?” He gritted his teeth, shooting me another venomous look. “It better be an accident. Alice Quinn, if anything happens to Chloe, I swear I won’t let you get away with it!” With that, he carried Chloe out, striding quickly. Truth be told, if he had just bothered to look up, he would have seen that the store’s security cameras had recorded everything. “This… Ms. Quinn, perhaps I should explain for you.” I shook my head, declining the kind offer from the designer. “No need.” This was actually better. It completely severed any lingering hopes we might have had. Time flew by, and soon it was my wedding day. I finally met the man who was about to become my husband. Liam Caldwell was far more handsome than Dexter, his refined features exuding a detached coolness. Yet, when he looked at me, a subtle tenderness softened his gaze. In that moment, I felt a strange sense of bewilderment about my future. He seemed to sense my nervousness. “Don’t be nervous,” he said softly, “I’m here for everything.” Liam navigated the introductions and tea ceremonies with my family effortlessly, his composure and grace making me feel not the slightest bit uncomfortable. He was just as meticulous when we got into the wedding car, ensuring everything was taken care of. As the car’s engine roared to life, the unease in my heart slowly began to subside. Meanwhile, in another wedding car, Dexter Prescott was distinctly restless. Logically, today was a significant day, and I wouldn’t be completely silent. But he’d practically worn out his phone, flipping through it repeatedly, yet there wasn’t a single message or update about me. Upon arriving at the hotel, the unsettling feeling in his heart hadn’t dissipated; instead, it had intensified. He scanned his surroundings, then turned to his groomsmen, his voice firm and resolute. “Guard the wedding hall carefully. Don’t let Alice Quinn come and cause a scene.” The next second, one of the groomsmen chuckled. “Don’t worry, she won’t have time to cause trouble. Alice Quinn is getting married today, too. She’s probably in the middle of her own wedding ceremony at her hotel right now.”

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After two years studying abroad, I cut my academic journey short, desperate to return home and fulfill my promise to marry her. But as I decorated our marital home, I stumbled upon thousands of meticulously preserved flight tickets belonging to the girlfriend I’d loved for a decade. At least once a month, she’d flown back and forth from France—yet never to see me. Not even when I was just a hundred kilometers from her destination. I arrived early at the venue where I planned to propose, only to watch from the adjacent hall as she accepted a proposal from another man, her true beloved: “Lana, will you marry me? Just say yes, and I’ll turn this very wedding into ours!” The sight of her, teary-eyed and radiant as she slipped on his ring, stopped me cold. I wasn’t the man she truly wanted to marry, so I supposed they could have this wedding after all. Yet, after I fled our own ceremony, she crossed oceans, searching for me across the globe. — The proposal venue, adorned with roses and bathed in warm, amber light, felt both romantic and illicit. Lana, dressed in a wedding gown, her eyes glistening with tears as she slipped on the diamond ring, perfectly matched the countless visions I’d had of her accepting my proposal. But the man kneeling before her, asking her to spend a lifetime together, wasn’t me! “Leo, I finally waited for you to ask me to marry you!” Lana gasped, one hand covering her mouth as the other pulled Leo Sterling to his feet. She wasted no time in pressing a fervent kiss onto his lips. Leo pulled her fiercely into his embrace, deepening the kiss. Their hushed, intimate sounds drifted on the breeze, creeping into my ears. Unconsciously, my fingers brushed against the matching couple’s ring Lana had sent me from across the ocean. I never told her it was too big. To keep it from slipping off, I’d wrapped half a loop of red thread around it, making it fit snugly. Perhaps it was the wear of years, but with a sharp tug, the thread frayed and unraveled. The ring, freed from its binding, instantly slid from my finger, tumbling away to roll into a distant storm drain. Just like Lana. In the two years I was abroad, she had drifted further and further from me, until there was no bond left. An ill-fitting ring lost needs no retrieval. A woman who doesn’t love me lost needs no retention. Then I heard Leo say, “Lana, I hope your wedding goes ahead as planned that day.” “Why?” Lana purred, her voice sweet. “I only want to marry you!” “Because… I want to crash your wedding!” Leo laughed, a triumphant edge in his voice. “That way, I can prove that you love me the most!” My steps, which had been leading me away, faltered. I was morbidly curious: how far would Lana go to hurt me for Leo? “Ugh, you’re awful! Only you could come up with such a mischievous plan!” Lana giggled. “Then I’ll need to pack an extra pair of running shoes,” Leo quipped back, “so I can run even faster when we escape your wedding!” “Lana, are you really going to do that to Caleb?” another voice, presumably one of Leo’s friends, asked. “As long as I show up at the wedding venue, I’ll have fulfilled my initial promise,” Lana replied, her voice cool and detached. “If he insisted on studying abroad and couldn’t hold onto his bride, and then she was stolen, he can’t blame me for changing my mind, can he?” Their joyous laughter erupted, piercing my heart. I turned, leaning against a tree, my legs too weak to move an inch. An overwhelming tide of pain threatened to drown me. I mustered every ounce of strength to flee that agonizing place. But halfway there, my legs gave out, and I stumbled, falling hard to the ground. Returning home, disheveled and defeated, I picked up the phone and called my doctoral supervisor, Professor Harding. “Professor, that research project you mentioned, I’d like to join the team.” Professor Harding’s voice was filled with delight, yet also confusion. “Didn’t you say you were settling down back home after your marriage? Or has your wife agreed to continue a long-distance relationship? It’s really not ideal for married couples to live apart, young women often lack security. Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?” I dabbed at my scraped knee, each touch sending a searing pain through me. “The wedding’s off, Professor. From now on, I’ll be your right-hand man, completely immersed in scientific research!” Professor Harding, who treated me like his own son, immediately sensed something was wrong. “Today’s the deadline, luckily. I’ll put your name down. Come back soon, and we’ll get to work immediately. When you’re busy, you don’t have time to overthink things.” He paused, his voice softening. “Don’t mind an old man’s nagging, Caleb. For two years, you were always the one flying back to see her. She wouldn’t even come to France once, not even when you were sick. That’s enough to tell you she didn’t love you that much.” “Once you’ve decided to let go, don’t wallow in the past!” If I hadn’t seen that thick stack of flight tickets, I might have, as always, confidently refuted my professor’s words with the excuse that Lana was a girl and I didn’t want her to travel. I felt sorry for her, not wanting her to travel back and forth, yet she willingly traversed thousands of miles every month for Leo. No wonder at the end of every month, she’d be so busy she’d disappear off the radar. Turns out, she was busy traveling thousands of miles to be with Leo! For two whole years, I was a fool, frantically rushing through coursework and publishing papers, all just to carve out time to fly back home, to be with her, to give her a sense of security. Those brief meetings after thirteen-hour flights were once the happiest moments of my life. But my love, which had crossed oceans, became a bitter joke in the face of Lana’s cherished stack of tickets. On my way to the church, I even tried to convince myself that maybe she went to London for sightseeing. But seeing her accept a proposal from Leo Sterling, the very person who had bullied me relentlessly in the past, I finally understood why, despite being only a hundred kilometers away, she never came to see me. Leo Sterling was fiercely possessive. If he didn’t want her to see me, she would simply sweet-talk me with tales of how much she missed me. She knew perfectly well that Leo and I were sworn enemies. To be precise, after my mother remarried, Leo and his father became the darkest shadows of my childhood. I had imagined countless scenarios over those two years of long-distance, that Lana might fall for someone else. But I never, not once, thought she would fall in love with Leo Sterling, or that she would agree to humiliate me at our wedding just to please him. I sank into a warm bathtub, chugging several mouthfuls of strong liquor until my body gradually stopped trembling. Lana’s call came through. “Caleb, why aren’t you here yet? I’ve been waiting for you forever!” I remained silent. Lana’s voice grew urgent. “Caleb, is something wrong?” “It’s okay if you can’t make it to surprise me, really. I’ve checked the wedding venue myself, it’s exactly what I wanted, and I know you’ll absolutely love it too!” She was still so considerate and understanding, even so generous about me ditching my own proposal. “I’m home. If you like it, that’s all that matters.” Lana paused for a moment, then continued to coax me. “Okay, I’ll be right home to be with you.” She didn’t question why I’d stood her up, nor did she ask why I hadn’t given her a diamond ring yet. It wasn’t because she loved me so deeply she could tolerate my capriciousness. It was only because she had already received the proposal and the diamond ring from her beloved, right there at her dream wedding venue. I was merely the man she’d chosen to marry because her true love had missed his chance. When Lana entered the apartment, I had just stepped out of the bathroom. Seeing Leo Sterling standing behind her, I couldn’t help but frown. “Why did you bring him back here?” Was she really so eager to bring him back and rub it in my face? Lana, a hint of guilt in her eyes, offered a sweet, playful smile. “Caleb, I ran into Leo downstairs and found out he lives in our building. He heard you were back in the country and insisted on coming up to apologize to you…” I watched her little performance with a cold gaze. “Caleb, what my father and I did back then was unforgivable. I’m here to apologize on his behalf. Can you forgive us?” Leo said, his voice laced with feigned sincerity. I swallowed down my rage, my voice trembling as I asked Lana, “So, do you think I should forgive him and his father?” The searing pain of perforated eardrums, the agonizing numbness in my legs from being whipped until they were senseless, the crushing grief of my father’s last possessions thrown into a brazier and burned to ashes— I didn’t debase myself by asking her why she had fallen in love with Leo. That would have made me seem too spineless. Lana’s fleeting guilt vanished as I stubbornly waited for her reply. “Caleb, Leo was just a mischievous, naive child back then. How could he have known right from wrong? He’s felt guilty about it for years, and he’s already apologized to you. Why do you insist on clinging to the past?” The emotional and physical torture that dragged me into an endless abyss—she called it “the past.” My refusal to forgive Leo—she called it “clinging to the past.” She was the one who called the ambulance and accompanied me to the hospital back then. She knew better than anyone how much I despised my stepfather and stepbrother. Yet, she chose to love Leo, placing herself directly in opposition to me. Lana tried to take my hand and extend it to Leo for a handshake of reconciliation. I slapped her hand away, my voice harsh and guttural. “Lana, what right do you have to ask me to forgive him and his father?” They abused me behind my mother’s back, manipulated her into despising me, and after she passed, they even neglected to arrange her final rites. Lana looked at her hand, red from my slap. Anger flared in her eyes, but she forcefully suppressed it. “Caleb, I’m doing this for your own good. You’re without a father or mother now. Leo and his father are practically your only remaining family. Why do you cling to the past, torturing yourself like this?” “One has to look forward, don’t they?” Lana’s words were earnest, but her pretty face, now tinged with a frosty edge, bore the familiar impatience I knew. But the familiar care and empathy were gone. I heard my own shattered heart, crumbling completely into dust. The pain was so intense, I could barely speak. And in Leo’s reddened eyes, the deep-seated smugness and provocation were exactly as they had been in the past. “Caleb, it’s alright if you don’t forgive me. But I will continue to feel remorse and guilt until you acknowledge me as family, even without a blood connection.” “Get out!” I gripped the hallway console tightly, trying to keep my body from trembling too violently. Lana’s impatience was now blatant. “Caleb, why are you being so unreasonable? To err is human, and who among us is perfect? Where is your generosity?” She had witnessed firsthand how Leo and his father had driven me to depression, even to attempt to end my life. Once, she would have confronted them, even cursed them, for my sake. What had happened to make her switch sides, to start defending Leo? I let the agony consume me, telling Lana, word by agonizing word: “Unless he dies in front of me, I will never forgive him!” Lana’s delicate brows furrowed, and a flicker of anger crossed her face. This was exactly how she looked when she used to scold Leo and his father for my sake. “Caleb! How could you become so malicious after just two years abroad? Fine, you don’t have to forgive him, but you *will* apologize to Leo! I don’t want people laughing at my fiancé for being a petty, effeminate man!” “Your father couldn’t cope and took his own life; that’s his weakness. If he’d cared about you as a child, your mother wouldn’t have had to remarry just to survive! Don’t blame all your misfortunes on Leo and his father. His father made mistakes, but not to the point of deserving death! If you’re as fragile as your father, getting trapped in your own head and unable to cope, then you deserve to have nightmares every day!” She spat the word “nightmares” through gritted teeth. The flicker of disgust on her face was something I clearly caught. So, the person who swore to stay with me for life, finally grew tired of me, haunted by nightmares. In the end, all my misfortunes and pain were twisted into weapons for her to use against me, carving me open once more. Once, she was the woman who would cry tears of heartbreak at the mere mention of my nightmares, who would hold me and say: “Caleb, with me here, no nightmare, no demon, will ever dare to harm you!” She had used love and care to guide me out of the abyss, and now, she was pushing me back in with her own hands. For Leo, she said I deserved it! My body trembled, a sharp cramp twisting in my stomach, and I could no longer grip the console. I stumbled backward. Lana, quick as lightning, steadied me, only then noticing my swollen, red knees. She immediately knelt down to examine the wounds. “How did your knees get so badly hurt?” “Never mind. If you don’t want to apologize, I’ll do it for you. But you can’t be so petty anymore.” I forcefully pulled my hand away, my face pale, and pointed towards the door. “Get out! Both of you, get out!” Lana, sensing my fragility, tried to hug me, to calm me down. But Leo, his eyes full of tears, bowed deeply to me. “Caleb, I’ll leave now. Please don’t torture yourself over me anymore.” With that, he ran out, but in his haste to turn, he crashed into the doorframe and stumbled sideways. Lana immediately let go of me, lunging to grab Leo, and they both fell outside the door. Leo’s head hit the doorframe, instantly turning red, with a faint seep of blood. Lana scrambled up, her hands trembling as she reached to touch Leo’s head, her eyes filled with a tenderness I knew all too well. But it was no longer for me. “Leo, does it hurt? I’ll take you to the doctor right away!” The doorway finally fell silent. My heart, too, sank to the very bottom. Ten years of knowing each other, ten years of loving each other, and it had all come to this—a dead end. I pulled out my phone and booked a flight for the day of the wedding. Seven days left, just enough time to clean up everything from the past. Lana was right, one has to look forward. From this moment on, I would sever all ties with the joys and pains of my past, completely! I threw away all the newly purchased wedding items I had personally arranged. There was no longer a trace of me in this home, which was never truly mine. All that remained were the flight tickets, which I had meticulously collected and crafted into a diary of our love. Hesitating for a moment, I tossed them, one by one, into a brazier. Each ticket swallowed by the flames represented a version of me that loved Lana. When it was all over, only a pile of ashes and acrid black smoke remained. It was a perfect metaphor for my ten years of love. The next day, the aroma of breakfast roused me. “Caleb, hurry and get ready. Breakfast is already made.” It was Lana’s voice. She was in the kitchen. “You eat first. I’m going to take breakfast to Leo. You don’t have to come.” “Alright.” Lana’s hand, as she packed the insulated box, paused. “Don’t feel guilty either. Leo is very magnanimous; he won’t hold a grudge against you.” “After breakfast, we’ll go choose new wedding rings. The custom-made ones had a problem and won’t be delivered in time for the wedding.” “Okay.” She liked playing games, and I was content to play along. Perhaps seeing my detached demeanor, Lana, with a guilty conscience, brought out the first-aid kit and dabbed ointment on my knee. “Caleb, we’ve loved each other for years. Everything I do is for your own good. I don’t want you to have no family by your side at our wedding.” “Didn’t you say you couldn’t find a groomsman? I’ve taken the liberty of arranging for Leo to be your groomsman.” “Alright.” Lana spoke cautiously, and when she saw me agree so readily, her eyes widened in disbelief. Then she took my hand and pressed a warm, wet kiss onto it. She didn’t return after delivering breakfast to Leo. As I frantically scrubbed my palm, her call came through. “Caleb, come down to the parking garage directly after you eat. I’ll be waiting for you in the car.” When I got to the garage, I instinctively opened the driver’s side door, only to find Leo Sterling calmly watching me, his hand resting on the steering wheel. I silently got into the back seat. Lana glanced at me a few times, clearly pleased by my apparent compliance. “Caleb, Leo is a jewelry designer. With him here, he’ll definitely help us pick out the perfect wedding rings.” I nodded, closing my eyes and feigning sleep. Inadvertently, I opened my eyes and saw Lana gently pinching Leo’s cheek. In the rearview mirror, our eyes met, and she immediately stammered an explanation: “Leo had something on his face. I was just wiping it off for him.” I closed my eyes again until we got out of the car. The three of us entered the jewelry store. The sales associate was incredibly enthusiastic towards Leo, who stood closely beside Lana. “Sir, what would you like to buy for your beloved today?” Leo and Lana both blushed simultaneously. Lana quickly pulled me forward. “Why are you standing so far away? Come pick out wedding rings!” The sales associate flushed a deep red, then quickly brought out wedding rings for me to choose from. But Leo was the first to inspect them, offering unsolicited critiques. “This pair is too old-fashioned.” “This pair is too flashy.” Compared to the exquisite, custom-made ring on his own finger, none of the men’s rings on display seemed to catch Leo’s eye. The sales associate glanced at me awkwardly, a hesitant apology on her lips. Leo, pretending not to notice, finally picked out a rather ordinary pair. “Caleb, let’s just go with this one for now. We can make do for the wedding. Later, I’ll personally design a ring for you that’s even more beautiful than the one on my hand.” The sales associate offered an embarrassed compliment about his good taste. Leo, not without a hint of smugness, thrust his hand towards me. “Of course it’s beautiful. My fiancée and I designed and had this one custom-made together.” Lana stood silently beside him, watching him flaunt his ring to me, neither stopping him nor showing any trace of guilt. The smile on her lips, however, was on the verge of melting into the spring air. “Then we’ll buy the one Leo chose!” Without even bothering with a fitting, Lana had already paid. She took out the wedding ring and, with an unreadable expression, slid it onto my finger. This time, the ring wasn’t too big. It was a tight squeeze. I knew Leo had done it on purpose. As a jewelry designer, he could accurately estimate sizes at a glance. It was impossible for him to make such a gross error. I couldn’t be bothered to expose him. I simply pulled the ring off. The sales associate kindly suggested I could choose a different style, but I refused. “It’s just for show, a formality. No need to trouble yourself.” Hearing that, Lana bristled at my sarcasm. “If you’re not satisfied, you don’t have to buy it. Leo can custom-design new ones for us later.” I shook my head, refusing again. “This one’s fine. It’s perfect.” But Leo’s face was etched with exaggerated guilt, his eyes welling up again. “Caleb, I’ll go to my studio right now and work overtime on the design. I promise you’ll have a perfect wedding!” With that, he swiftly departed. Lana called out, but he wouldn’t stop. “Caleb, what is wrong with you? We’re just buying a wedding ring. What are you making a fuss about?” I couldn’t help but be taken aback. “What fuss am I making?” She frowned, pulling me out of the store. “My company still has things to do. We can shoot the wedding photos whenever we have time.” “Or, you can go take your solo shots first. I’ll just have the graphic designer put my old artistic photos in to make do for the wedding.” “Fine.” Lana’s explanations caught in her throat. She watched me for a long time, then gently hugged me. “Caleb, after I’m done with everything, we’ll go on our honeymoon and take our wedding photos there.” Her casual offer of a honeymoon, at this point, felt like nothing but an insult. She had no time to visit me in Paris, yet she had plenty of time to accompany Leo to Antarctica to see penguins and to the Arctic to witness the Northern Lights. Watching her avatar on the GPS hurry towards Leo’s studio, I tossed the wedding ring into a street performer’s instrument case.

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I, Abigail Graham, and Serena Vance were notorious rivals at the company. We fought over deals at work and, in private, we fought over men. After three years of relentless competition for the same man, I suddenly found it utterly pointless. So, I chose Art Sterling, our new superior, who had actively sought me out. For two years, we loved each other. Our bodies intertwined with an undeniable chemistry. We were on the cusp of marriage. The unexpected news of my pregnancy filled me with such elation; I was eager to share it with Art. But then, in the break room, I overheard his conversation with Serena. “Are you really going to marry Abby, just for me?” Serena’s voice was a soft purr. “It doesn’t matter who I marry, does it? Besides, she’s quite comfortable in bed.” Art chuckled, a casual, almost dismissive sound. “She’s not entirely useless.” “But what if I don’t want her to get off that easy?” Serena pressed, a sly edge to her tone. “Are you willing to let go of Marcus Thorne?” Art’s voice held a knowing note. Serena’s laughter, a light, triumphant trill, echoed in the room. A wave of icy dread washed over me, as if I’d been struck by lightning. My assumed mutual love was nothing but a calculated conspiracy. My mind went blank, swallowed by a boundless, suffocating darkness. I made the decision to terminate the pregnancy. Then, I dialed Marcus Thorne’s number. 1 The doctor held the ultrasound sheet, and I sat across from her, numb. “Yes, you’re pregnant. About a month and a half along. Are you married?” “No.” “Will you keep the baby or not?” “Not keeping it.” “When would you like the procedure?” “As soon as possible.” “Alright, then schedule a time with the assistant physician.” “Okay.” I left the hospital, my steps heavy, my mind a disoriented haze. I called my father. “Dad, the wedding I mentioned to you is off.” My father sounded stunned. “Abby, didn’t you say last time that you and Art had a wonderful relationship? That he was mature, steady, and truly exceptional?” “Did something happen?” I felt a pang of shame. “We broke up.” My father sighed. “Well, if you broke up, you broke up.” “You can find someone else you truly like. You know your mother’s and my thoughts—we hope you’ll stay close to us.” “I know, Dad. I’ll consider it.” “I’m sorry to make you worry.” After hanging up, I sat alone on the sofa, staring into space. The sound of the door opening broke my reverie. Art was home. He leaned in, hugging me, pressing a kiss to my cheek. His voice was laced with an irritating cheerfulness. “What reason did you give for taking time off this afternoon?” “You wouldn’t tell me. Why are you sitting in the living room, staring into space?” The memory of his conversation with Serena flashed through my mind, and I gently pulled away from his embrace. “I just felt a bit unwell, so I came home early.” His expression shifted, clearly showing concern. “Unwell? Why didn’t you tell me?” “Are you feeling better now?” “Should we go to the hospital?” I scrutinized the man before me, carefully examining his face. His features were etched with what looked like genuine worry and care. If I hadn’t overheard that conversation, who would have ever guessed it was all a charade? “Art, I’m pregnant.” At my words, a flicker of discomfort instantly crossed his face, quickly followed by a wide, beaming smile. “Really? That’s wonderful!” he exclaimed, his voice too loud, too forced. “It seems we’ll have to speed up our wedding plans.” That brief, almost imperceptible flicker of discomfort I’d caught was now seared into my mind. So, I hadn’t misheard. He really was marrying me for Serena. His entire approach to me was merely to clear away the obstacles in his true love’s path. How incredibly noble of him, sacrificing himself for the woman he adored! But why did I have to be the sacrifice? Was playing people like this truly so satisfying? I lowered my head, nodding slightly. Then I asked the question that had been hovering, a persistent ache in my chest. “Art, do you love me?” He stroked my hair, his touch a familiar comfort that now felt like a betrayal. “Of course I love you!” “If I didn’t love you, why would I want to marry you?” I closed my eyes. “Then… is there anything you’ve been keeping from me?” “Or, to put it another way, have you lied to me?” His cheek twitched almost imperceptibly. “How could I ever lie to you?” “I love you too much for that. We’re going to be together forever.” I let out a soft, hollow laugh. I had given him a chance, but he insisted on continuing the deception. Then he had no one to blame but himself. There would be a wedding, alright. Just not our wedding. 2 In the conference room, Art spoke first. “Abby, what’s the progress on the Starlight project?” “I’ve scheduled a meeting with Mr. Evans from Starlight tonight. There are still a few concession points to finalize.” The Starlight project was one I had pursued for two months before finally securing a meeting with Mr. Evans. Essentially, once Mr. Evans gave his nod, the contract could be signed immediately. Serena had initially been in charge of the project, but it had made no headway in the three months it was in her hands. Art had then transferred it to me. Her face had been livid at the time; I never found out how Art compensated her afterwards. As I mentally sorted through these convoluted relationships, Art’s voice cut in. “Serena and I will accompany you to the dinner tonight.” I stared at him, stunned. Him accompanying me, I could understand; he was my superior, after all. But bringing Serena along? What did that mean? Was she trying to snatch my project? Now, of all times? A wave of confusion washed over me. Mr. Evans had a known preference in the industry: he loved to drink, always wanting to have a good time. However, his wife strictly controlled his alcohol intake, making it notoriously difficult to schedule non-essential business dinners with him. The high-end private room was filled with seven or eight people, the atmosphere harmonious. Art was the first to raise his glass. “Mr. Evans, it’s truly our honor to have you here tonight.” “Abby here has an excellent tolerance for alcohol. At our company, she’s known for being able to drink anyone under the table.” “With her accompanying you tonight, I’m sure you’ll have a thoroughly enjoyable time.” My fingers, gripping the wine glass, turned white at the knuckles. I had told him just the day before that I was pregnant. It hadn’t even registered with him; he showed no regard for the child I carried, his child. Well, it didn’t matter. I wasn’t planning on keeping this baby anyway, otherwise I wouldn’t have scheduled this meeting with Mr. Evans. But the wine tonight was particularly foul. The combination of morning sickness and the alcohol’s bite made me feel waves of nausea, threatening to overwhelm me. Mr. Evans seemed to notice my discomfort. “Is Ms. Graham unwell?” I swallowed down the rising bile, about to speak, when Serena cut me off. “This little bit of wine is nothing for Ms. Graham.” “Wouldn’t you agree, Ms. Graham?” “How about I have a drink with Mr. Evans instead?” She moved to raise her glass, but Art’s hand covered it. “Mr. Evans, you might not know this, but Serena is allergic to alcohol.” “So, I’ll drink this one for her.” He raised his glass and downed it in one go, then displayed the empty glass to everyone. I had already chugged over a dozen glasses, and he hadn’t offered to take a single one for me. Yet the moment Serena even thought about raising her glass, he intervened. Indeed, love and indifference were starkly visible. I silently swallowed the bitterness in my heart. Art’s voice continued. “Mr. Evans, let Serena handle the subsequent details for our company. Ms. Graham here is getting married soon and might not have the time to oversee the project anymore.” My head snapped up, my gaze locking onto Art. So that was it. They had truly come tonight for the project in my hands. Mr. Evans’s eyes widened in surprise, then he offered an understanding smile. “Is that so? Well, congratulations, Ms. Graham. Life’s big events should certainly take precedence.” As the client, it didn’t really matter which account manager they signed the contract with, as long as the service was high-quality, efficient, and the costs were minimized. A look of triumph flashed across Serena’s face, her smile broad and brazen. My insides, however, churned with turmoil. Art’s flippant words had just undone months of my hard work. I had done the legwork, and the fruit was almost ripe, only to have someone else steal it. This was beyond enduring. So, I spoke up, my voice firm. “Mr. Evans, our boss is just joking!” “It’s just a wedding; it can definitely be postponed. Work still needs to come first.” “I prefer to finish what I start.” “I’ll continue to handle the follow-up work. There’s no need to trouble Serena.” Sure enough, Art’s face darkened, his brow furrowing as he glared at me. I met his gaze squarely, unflinching. Though this little spat had erupted, for Mr. Evans, it was all just a show. 3 After seeing Mr. Evans off, I could no longer suppress the retching in my throat. I rushed to the restroom and emptied my stomach, dry-heaving violently. When I emerged from the restroom, Serena was already settled in the passenger seat of Art’s car. From outside, I could clearly see Serena leaning her head close to Art. They were sharing some delightful secret, and Serena was laughing, her body shaking with mirth. As I got into the car, they abruptly cut off their conversation. Art deliberately took a detour to drop Serena off at her place. As she left, Serena shot me a dismissive, condescending smirk. I wondered where she found such confidence. Did she truly believe that because Art loved her, she could walk all over me? Back home, Art tossed his suit jacket onto the sofa, clearly agitated. “Giving the project to Serena was a company decision.” “On one hand, it’s for our wedding.” “On the other, Serena initiated this project. It’s just returning it to its rightful owner.” What pompous nonsense. Since when was stealing someone else’s hard work spun as something so righteous? “Serena started the project, yes, but she made zero progress for months, which is why it was handed to me.” “Now that it’s on the verge of signing, you’re saying it’s hers again? Do you think that’s fair to me?” “So, whose decision was this, really? The company’s, or yours?” His expression grew sheepish. “Aren’t we getting married soon?” “I was worried you’d be too busy with wedding preparations. Someone needs to follow up on the project, right?” “Besides, aren’t you pregnant? You should focus on taking care of yourself.” I scoffed inwardly. He didn’t think about my pregnancy when he was pushing me to drink. But now, when he needed an excuse for his outrageous behavior, he suddenly remembered. What was there to love about a man who didn’t even consider me? If he wanted to be Serena’s desperate lapdog, let him. Better yet, let them chain themselves together and spare everyone else their toxicity. Seeing my face still cold, he wrapped his arms around me from behind. “Still upset?” “I’m sorry, alright?” “My Abby is the most capable woman in the world, a true power player.” “She doesn’t need my protection at all.” Had he ever protected me? What a grand delusion. I’d thought the project transfer from Serena to me was a sign of his trust, but it was just a trap laid in advance. I was about to push him away when his phone rang. He quickly released me to answer. I heard a woman’s faint, broken sobs from the receiver. I glanced at the caller ID; it read ‘Serena’. I heard him whisper softly, “Don’t cry.” “Okay.” “I’ll be there soon.” He hung up, hastily grabbed his jacket, and moved to leave. As he reached the door, he seemed to remember to tell me. “My sister was bullied by her friends at school. I’m going to check on her.” “Get some rest tonight. Don’t wait up for me.” Before I could even speak, the door slammed shut. I stood rigidly in the living room, unmoving for a long time. His lie was so transparent, so pathetic. Art didn’t return all night. The next day, I saw Serena’s post on social media. [Heartbroken, but at least someone’s here for me…] The accompanying photo showed two hands intertwined, a larger hand cradling a smaller one. I examined it closely; it was Art’s hand. Though he wore no rings or watch, I recognized it immediately. For at least a year, that was the hand I’d held as I drifted to sleep. Serena truly moved on seamlessly. I wondered why Marcus Thorne had broken up with her. The next day, I went to the hospital and had the embryo removed. Before the procedure, I made a request to the doctor. “Doctor, can I have the embryo?” She looked surprised. “It’s already terminated. What do you want it for?” “It will breed bacteria!” I smiled, a cold, empty smile. “To do a DNA test. To see who the father is.” The doctor stared at me, dumbfounded, for a long moment, speechless. I guessed she was thinking, How chaotic must your private life be if you don’t even know who the father of your baby is? I shrugged, uncaring. Afterwards, I dialed Marcus Thorne’s number.

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My five-year-old daughter is a compulsive liar. I took her shopping for school supplies, but in the middle of the street, she shrieked that I was a kidnapper, nearly getting me hauled to the police precinct for questioning. When we got home, before I could say a word, she burst into tears and launched herself into my husband’s arms, pouring out her fabricated grievances. “Daddy, Mommy wouldn’t buy me stationery, and she even hit me on the street!” I tried to explain my side to my husband, Rob, but to my shock, after listening, he exploded in a rage and slapped me across the face. “She’s only five years old! How could she possibly lie? How can you be so cruel to your own daughter!” Later, when I took our daughter to school, she knelt before me in front of all the other parents. “Mommy, please let me go to school! I don’t want to take revealing pictures for those men to see!” The teacher grabbed my phone and found it filled with inappropriate, suggestive photos of my daughter. Enraged parents shoved me into oncoming traffic, and I was instantly run over, my body flattened into a gruesome mess. Until my last breath, I couldn’t understand why the daughter I had carried for nine months would do such a thing. Then I opened my eyes, and I was back on the day I took my daughter to buy school supplies. 1 “Lily, Daddy and Mommy are going to take you to buy school supplies soon. We’ll make sure our Lily is the happiest little princess ever!” Our daughter, Lily, rejected Rob’s offer without a second thought. Instead, she came over and tugged on my sleeve. “Daddy, I want to go shopping with Mommy. All the other kids have their moms with them. Can you come shopping with me too, Mommy?” Lily had been living with my in-laws in a remote town since she was little, and she had only recently come home. With her making such a request, how could Rob refuse? “Honey, I’ll send you some extra money in a bit. Buy whatever Lily wants.” Rob said, his voice laced with indulgence. “She’s still so young. We’ve really let her down before.” Hearing those familiar words, my heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant, invisible hand, stealing my breath. A chilling realization washed over me: I had been reborn. In my previous life, I had listened to Rob’s words, happily taking Lily to the mall to buy school supplies. But once we were there, Lily insisted on buying a razor-sharp craft knife. I told her the knife was too dangerous. Lily promised she’d be careful, even volunteering that little kids shouldn’t touch knives. My heart swelled with relief, and worried that she didn’t feel close to me, having grown up away, I took her to play some games. But as soon as we reached the mall entrance, Lily plopped herself onto the ground. She screamed, a heart-wrenching, ear-splitting wail: “Don’t take me away! Help me! She’s a kidnapper!” The mall was packed. Hearing her desperate cries, people rushed over, forming a curious crowd. I desperately tried to explain, and finally, a few people seemed to soften, on the verge of believing me. But the next second, Lily pointed at me and shouted, “She really is a kidnapper! She’s trying to abduct me!” The furious onlookers quickly called the police. I was taken to the precinct for questioning and only released much later. I couldn’t understand why my daughter, who was so well-behaved at home, would tell such a brazen lie in public. I was furious, determined to teach her a lesson. But when I got home, before I could even open my mouth, her first action was to throw herself into Rob’s arms and accuse me. 2 “Daddy, save me! Waaah, I wanted the superhero stationery, but Mommy wouldn’t buy it, and she hit me!” “It hurts so much, it hurts!” Rob lifted Lily’s sleeve, his face instantly contorting in horror as he saw several purplish bruises on her arm. I gasped, about to ask what had happened. Rob angrily put Lily down and slapped me hard across the face. “Do you even act like a mother?! How could you hit your own child?!” I desperately tried to explain. “She’s lying! Those injuries aren’t from me!” I was about to tell Rob that Lily had lied about me being a kidnapper at the mall, getting me taken to the precinct. But he didn’t believe a word, cutting me off and launching into a furious tirade. “She’s only five years old! How could she possibly lie?! How can you be so cruel to your own daughter?!” Because of this, Rob even cut off my household allowance. My heart sank, utterly despondent, and I stopped trying to explain, instead quietly tucking away a seed of suspicion. I thought this incident was just a fluke. But then, as I was taking Lily to school, she actually knelt before me at the school gate. “Mommy, please let me go to school! I don’t want to take revealing pictures for those men to see!” I froze, stunned. Before I could react, the kindergarten teacher rushed forward, digging into my shoulder bag and pulling out a stack of photos. Written on the back of the photos were names, presumably of buyers. The teacher gasped, hugging Lily protectively as she glared at me. “How could you treat your own daughter like this? You’re an animal!” Before I could explain, the enraged parents shoved me into the middle of the road, where I was instantly run over, my body crushed beyond recognition. In my dying moments, Lily’s malicious gaze flashed before my eyes. It was a look no five-year-old girl should possess. I died without ever understanding why the daughter I had carried for nine months hated me so much. Yet, every night, when I held her to sleep, she would hug my arm, gently kiss my cheek, and whisper, “Mommy, I love you the most.” Since I had been reborn, I was determined to find out exactly what was going on. Thinking this, I glanced at Rob, who was preparing to work from home. “Honey, Lily just got back. Why don’t you drive us there?” Since he believed our child couldn’t lie, this time, I would let him witness firsthand how she manipulated the truth. Rob agreed without a second thought. At the mall, Lily hopped out of the car, and Rob stayed in the car, waiting for us. “I just got a notification. I have some work to take care of. You two go ahead and shop. You can just come back here afterward.” I nodded, taking Lily’s hand as she skipped into the stationery store. Just like in my previous life, the moment Lily saw the craft knife, she pounced on it. “Mommy, I want this one! It has a design on it! Can we buy this, please?” 3 I shook my head, squatting down to reason with Lily. “This craft knife is too sharp, darling. Mommy will go ask if they have another one just like it, but not so sharp, okay?” Lily’s gaze was pure, and for a moment, my heart softened. Soon, with the help of a sales associate, I bought an identical craft knife that wasn’t sharpened. Lily happily held her new stationery, flashing me a sweet smile. “Thank you, Mommy! You’re the best!” Perhaps, in my previous life, it was simply because I hadn’t bought her what she wanted that she acted that way? Now that I had fulfilled her wish, she would surely grow closer to me. Watching Lily behave completely normally on our way, I breathed a sigh of relief. But I never expected that as soon as we reached a crowded area, she would wrench her hand free from mine and scream. “Help! She’s a kidnapper! She’s trying to abduct me!” In that instant, my heart completely froze. I had wondered countless times in my previous life if Lily’s cry of “kidnapper” was just a fit of pique. And since she had grown up with my in-laws in the countryside, perhaps my mother-in-law had casually used the term to scare Lily into behaving, and Lily had simply remembered it and reacted that way. But now, I had already given her what she wanted, and she still… At the words “kidnapper,” everyone turned to stare. Soon, people approached, their faces wary, asking what was happening. “She’s a kidnapper! She’s trying to abduct me! Help me!” Before I could answer, Lily sat on the ground and screamed, tears streaming down her face. Lily was so young, and her crying seemed to convince many people. “How could such a small child lie? What exactly are you doing?” “Don’t even think about running! We’ve already called the police. You’ll be going to the precinct when they get here.” A few men even rushed forward, intending to hold me down. Just then, a familiar figure appeared in the crowd. My eyes lit up, and I shouted, “Rob, quick, explain to everyone!” In an instant, all eyes turned to Rob Maxwell. Earlier, while Lily was picking out stationery, I had sent Rob a message asking him to bring us some coffee. Now that Rob was here, everyone assumed he was my accomplice and swarmed him. Seeing this, Lily’s sobs suddenly quieted, a look of bewilderment on her face. Rob, seeing the situation, grew even more anxious than I was. He struggled to explain to the bewildered onlookers that we were a family. In the end, he was also taken to the precinct for questioning by the quickly arriving police. 4 Rob emerged from the precinct, his face dark with fury. The moment he entered the house, he lunged to hit Lily. “Are you out of your mind?! Why did you tell everyone out there that we were kidnappers?!” Rob’s face was livid with anger. He slapped Lily’s bottom, making her yelp and burst into tears. Watching the scene, I felt a surge of satisfaction. He used to constantly accuse me of scolding our daughter. Now that it was his turn, why couldn’t he grasp that same logic? I quickly pulled Lily into my arms, stroking her head to comfort her. “Honey, she’s just a child, playing around. Why are you getting so angry?” “What if you hurt Lily?” Rob’s hands trembled as he pointed at Lily. “Do you have any idea what kind of trouble her lies have caused? One of my most important clients was just there, and after seeing that, he’s ready to terminate our partnership. How am I supposed to explain this to my boss?!” “And you’re still protecting her right now! Who knows what else she’ll do in the future?!” So that was it. His work was affected. No wonder he was so furious when he came home today. I cut him off, uncaring. “It’s just one client. We finally got Lily back home. You shouldn’t be so harsh on her.” “And why are you speaking so harshly? She’s just a child, it’s not that serious.” With that, I hugged Lily, my eyes filled with disdain as I looked at him. “Are you just trying to blame Lily because you messed up your own work?” Didn’t he think a five-year-old child couldn’t lie? In my previous life, before I could even explain to Rob, he blamed everything on me. These were the very words he had thrown at me before, and now I returned them to him, word for word. How does it feel to be falsely accused, Rob? Rob’s eyes blazed with fury, but in the end, he simply turned and stormed off. “Just keep spoiling her then!” I stroked Lily’s head, comforting her. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Mommy will take you to school tomorrow.” Lily looked at me, her eyes wide with fear, clearly scared of me. A flicker of doubt crossed my mind. I hadn’t done anything, so why was she so terrified? Rob must have been truly infuriated by me; he didn’t return home until nightfall. After tucking Lily into bed, I began searching the house. In my previous life, when I took Lily to school, Ms. Davies had pulled those photos from my bag. The photos must have been taken beforehand, and they had to be hidden somewhere in the house now. I searched every room and finally found a metal box with a combination lock under Lily’s bed. I tried Lily’s birthday—wrong. Then I tried Rob’s birthday—and the box clicked open. Opening the box, I froze. The mystery that had plagued me for two lifetimes was finally revealed. I finally understood why my daughter had so meticulously plotted to kill me.

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Upon learning of my first love’s death, my wife, on our honeymoon cruise, leaped overboard, ending her life. It was then I truly understood: she had never let go of Brandon Stone. Reborn into our teenage years, she resolutely pulled her hand from mine and walked purposefully toward her first love. I watched them disappear, then turned and walked away. From that moment, our lives became two parallel lines, destined never to intersect. Ten years later, we met again at a gala in Metropolis City. She was now a rising star among the elite, her arm intimately linked with Brandon’s as they made their grand entrance. When she saw me pushing through the crowd, searching for someone, she couldn’t help but offer me advice. “Why are you still so fixated on me? Even if you waited ten years, I would never love you.” I ignored her, pulling my son, covered in cake frosting, from a secluded corner. Her eyes suddenly reddened. She gripped my arm tightly, her voice laced with desperation. “Are you deliberately trying to provoke me? Didn’t you say you’d only love me, for this lifetime?” 1 I never imagined that in this lifetime, I would ever cross paths with Sylvia Hart again. At the city’s elite gala, she stood amidst the crowd, arm entwined with Brandon Stone’s, her smile elegant and refined, bearing no trace of the naive girl she once was. Those around them fawned, their voices thick with flattery. “Ms. Hart is truly a force to be reckoned with! So young, and already securing a provincial project. Your future is boundless!” “And this must be your beloved, a truly stunning couple! So enviable!” Brandon gazed at Sylvia with a look of profound affection, his voice soft. “We’re planning to marry by the end of the year. If you’re free, everyone is welcome to attend the wedding reception.” Another wave of congratulations rippled through the room. Then someone, perhaps a bit too bold, asked, “I heard you two have been together for ten years. Why are you only marrying now?” That was a question that piqued my own curiosity. In my previous life, Sylvia loved Brandon so intensely that she chose to die with him. After being reborn, she immediately broke up with me. I had assumed they would marry right after graduation, but it seemed they still hadn’t tied the knot. At the question, an almost imperceptible stiffness flickered across Sylvia’s face. She quickly covered it with a forced smile. “Career first, then family, right? I want to give Brandon the best life possible.” She looked at Brandon, her eyes overflowing with tender adoration. In my previous life, when she was with me, I had proposed several times. It was only when her family pressured her that Sylvia reluctantly agreed to marry me. Love, or the lack thereof, could truly be so glaringly obvious. I was about to turn and leave when my eyes caught sight of a small figure. My body instinctively followed. “Smash!” Champagne splattered across the floor. The server, holding a tray, glared at me, his face a mask of annoyance. “Where did you sneak in from? Are you blind?!” His voice wasn’t quiet, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. Seeing my face, Sylvia’s eyes widened in shock. “Ethan Cole, what are you doing here?” I lowered my head, apologizing to the server, and explained, “I’m here looking for someone.” Someone in the crowd, curious, asked Sylvia, “Ms. Hart, do you know him?” Sylvia’s hand, holding her wine glass, tightened imperceptibly. Her gaze hardened. “Yes, he’s an ex-boyfriend.” Someone nearby, too quick with their tongue, blurted out, “You two were together for ten years! I thought you were each other’s first loves!” A subtle chill entered Brandon’s smile. He clasped Sylvia’s hand, his voice dismissive. “We were young back then, just a minor spat, separated for a short while. Who hasn’t taken a wrong turn in their youth?” Sylvia remained silent, her gaze skimming over me and landing on the server. “Charge the damages to my account. Let him go.” She stood there, her expression calm. Aside from that initial shock, she didn’t spare me a single extra glance. It seemed she wanted to draw a clear line between herself and me—that “wrong turn” in front of Brandon. The server immediately began pushing me towards the exit. “Ms. Hart is being kind, cleaning up your mess. But there won’t be a next time.” He glanced at my crumpled pajamas, a look of disdain on his face. “This isn’t your kind of place. Get out, now.” I pulled my arm free from his grip, trying to remain polite. “I’m looking for someone. Once I find them, I’ll leave on my own.” The server scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I’ve seen plenty of opportunists like you trying to climb the social ladder. Do you even have the right to be in a gala like this? If you don’t leave now, I’ll call security!” “Wait.” Sylvia’s voice carried from behind him. She lifted the hem of her gown, looking at me with a sigh, her expression resigned. “He’s here for me. Let me talk to him.” Brandon stood beside her, his arm draped possessively over her shoulder. “Ethan Cole, Sylvia and I are getting married soon. I think anyone with a shred of decency wouldn’t be bothering an ex at a time like this.” Sylvia’s face paled slightly. She couldn’t help but try to persuade me. “Why are you still so fixated on me? Even if you waited ten years, I would never love you.” She paused, a hint of bitterness in her tone. “My relationship with you back then was just a mistake. I’ve finally been given a chance to correct that mistake, and I hope you can let go of the past sooner rather than later.” Brandon scrutinized me from head to toe, a sneer of mockery in his eyes. “I can understand why you’d still come looking for Sylvia. After all, things are different now. She’s a well-known entrepreneur, and she’s bound to attract people trying to cozy up to her.” Perhaps my crumpled pajamas gave him confidence. Brandon, nose in the air, added, “You’re from a good university, aren’t you? How did you end up like this? If I were you, I’d be too ashamed to show my face!” Sylvia frowned, pulled out her phone, and a hint of impatience entered her voice. “If you feel I wronged you when we broke up, I can compensate you now. Will five hundred thousand be enough?” Her fingers moved across the screen, then suddenly froze. “You… you deleted me from your contacts?” 2 I was a little puzzled, not understanding why she reacted so strongly. Deleting an ex after a breakup—isn’t that perfectly normal? Moreover, I had someone at home who was incredibly possessive. If she found out I still kept an ex’s contact information, she’d probably give me hell for days. “Didn’t you say you hoped I wouldn’t come looking for you after we broke up?” Sylvia’s face hardened. She seemed to want to say something but held back. I added, my voice flat, “And a severance payment isn’t necessary. I don’t need it.” Frustrated repeatedly, Sylvia’s expression worsened. She said coldly, “Why are you still putting on airs in front of me? If you weren’t so pathetic right now, I wouldn’t even bother speaking to you.” Brandon gently comforted her. “Sylvia, you’re just too kind. If you ask me, why bother with a man like him? Look at his disheveled state, he’s a hopeless case!” His tone was scornful, as if he’d forgotten that ten years ago, he was far more disreputable than I was. In my previous life, the reason Sylvia’s family initially disapproved of her relationship with Brandon was because he was an uneducated delinquent with a criminal record. The first time I met Sylvia in college, she had just bailed Brandon out of the precinct, and her family was pressuring her to break up with him. During Sylvia’s lowest period, I stayed by her side, helping her through it. She loved photography, so I used the money I had originally saved for my startup to buy her thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Through winter and summer, I carried dozens of pounds of gear behind her, just hoping to see her smile genuinely. Who would have thought that Sylvia was the one who confessed her feelings to me first? I knew about her past with Brandon, and I had seen her occasionally staring blankly at their old photos. So, when Sylvia confessed, I asked her very seriously: Had she truly moved on from Brandon Stone? At the time, she held me tightly, her voice firm. “That’s the past. I’ve long since realized who truly cares about me. Ethan, I love you. Let’s be together.” We dated for seven years, even her best friend couldn’t help but express surprise. “She was so infatuated with Brandon. I never thought you two would last.” But no one knew that Sylvia had privately rejected my proposals countless times. “Ethan, I don’t believe in marriage. Couldn’t we just be together like this forever?” It wasn’t until Sylvia’s parents pressured her intensely that she finally agreed to marry. During our honeymoon, news arrived of Brandon’s accidental death in a car crash. She leaped from the cruise ship, leaving behind only a suicide note. The note was entirely filled with her love for Brandon, not a single word for me. At the end, she had written in her own blood: “Brandon, all my life, I only ever wanted to be your bride. Now, I’m coming to find you.” My love for her, in that moment, turned completely to ash. So, when Sylvia wanted to break up with me after being reborn, I didn’t stop her. Because I knew, I couldn’t stop her. Watching them get back together, I deleted all of Sylvia’s contact information, believing we would never meet again in this lifetime. I never expected to encounter her here. I wanted to leave, but Brandon wouldn’t let up, insisting on humiliating me in front of everyone. “You certainly went to great lengths to get with Sylvia. Looking at you, dressed like that, you probably don’t even have a steady job.” “How about this? I’ll get you a job as a server here. If you learn how to cater to people, you could earn a five-figure salary a month.” Someone nearby, wanting to curry favor, chuckled and added, “This is a hotel in a prime location in Metropolis City! Being able to work here is a stroke of luck for you. Hurry up and thank Mr. Stone!” I was surrounded, unable to leave for the moment. Resigned, I said, “Thank you, but I already have a job.” “It’s photography.” The word “photography” hung in the air. Sylvia immediately looked at me, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. Her lips parted slightly. She then turned her head away, her voice cool. “How much can photography earn? Hobbies don’t fill your stomach. Since we’re all familiar, I can arrange a job for you.” I was taken aback, immediately realizing she had misunderstood. 3 My love for photography wasn’t because I still harbored feelings for Sylvia. In fact, when I read that suicide note in my previous life, I had completely given up all hope. It was simply that when I was reborn, I found that the money had already been spent on photography equipment. It wouldn’t sell on second-hand platforms, so I had no choice but to pick it up and use it myself. As it turned out, I actually fell in love with photography. This time, I wasn’t doing it to please anyone else, but purely for myself. I politely declined Sylvia’s offer again, my tone courteous yet distant. “My hobby provides enough for my living expenses. Thank you for your concern.” Seeing my apparent ingratitude, a flicker of anger crossed Sylvia’s face. “You don’t want the opportunity I’m giving you? Don’t come crying to me later!” I didn’t say anything. I also didn’t tell her that my photography work was now exclusively published in several national and top international journals. All the copyright fees added up to no less than Sylvia’s income. But if I told her, she would probably think I was bragging. After all, my crumpled pajamas certainly made me look shabby. Speaking of which, it was all Noah’s fault. He insisted on dragging me to play in the sandbox, and the moment I turned my back, he slipped downstairs. I hadn’t even had time to change before I chased after him. I was just about to find an excuse to leave when the server from before seemed to notice something. He pointed at my clothes. “Balenciaga? Where did you pick up that outfit? You’re not, like, a cleaner here, stealing from a guest’s room, are you?” I couldn’t help but frown. “Can’t these just be my own clothes?” Brandon scoffed, a sneer on his face. “Yours? Can you even afford them? What kind of rich person would run around dressed so casually like that?” He feigned covering his nose dramatically. “So dirty, you probably put them on without even washing them.” Sylvia looked at me, her brow furrowed so deeply it could have caught a fly. “Ethan Cole, you’ve really fallen so low, and you’re still trying to be stubborn?” I didn’t want to deal with them, so I addressed the server directly. “If you genuinely think I stole something, you’re welcome to call the police right now.” I knew he was trying to curry favor with Brandon, seeing his displeasure with me. Sure enough, his bravado instantly deflated, and he mumbled, “If it weren’t for the important guests at the hotel today, and fearing you people might disturb them, I would have called the police already.” Brandon’s eyes lit up, and he quickly interjected, “Is it Ms. Reed, the Reed heiress? I heard she’s here in Metropolis City with her family, staying at this very hotel.” Sylvia nodded, her eyes showing a hint of anticipation. “The project our company is working on would be perfect with the Reed family’s support.” The words “Ms. Reed, the Reed heiress” were like water poured into hot oil, immediately sparking a fervent discussion. “Aren’t we here at this gala today precisely to meet Ms. Reed?” “I heard she got married and had a child in her early twenties. I wonder which prominent family she allied with.” As everyone discussed, the hotel manager, drenched in sweat, rushed in, followed by a team of staff. “Ladies and gentlemen, has anyone seen a seven-year-old boy, about this tall?” The manager wiped his brow, his gaze frantically sweeping the hall. Someone quick-witted, seeing the grand commotion, immediately guessed. “Is it the young master of the Reed family? I heard he’s seven this year.” The gala guests grew enthusiastic, immediately fanning out to search. After all, finding him could be their chance to connect with the powerful Reed family. Sylvia and Brandon also joined the search, no longer bothering with me. I looked at the chaotic hall and walked straight to the dessert area. Sure enough, beneath the table, I found my son, Noah, his face smeared with cream. I extended my hand, my expression stern. “Come here.” Noah flinched, hugging the table leg, refusing to let go. “No.” I was about to pull him over when Brandon, emerging from nowhere, blocked my path, his voice righteous. “Ethan Cole, what are you doing?!” “Even if you want to curry favor with the Reed family, you don’t have to resort to laying hands on a child, do you?” Sylvia rushed over, her eyes filled with disappointment as she looked at me. “Ethan Cole, I can’t believe you’d do something like this for fame and fortune.” The server grabbed the manager, complaining. “This man, he suddenly stormed into the gala and even stole clothes from other guests!” The manager’s face immediately darkened. He called security. “Seize this thief and take him straight to the police station! If he frightens the young master, you’ll all be out of a job!” A triumphant smile flickered in Brandon’s eyes. He bent down, putting on a benevolent face for the Reed family’s young master. “Come here, to Uncle. Uncle will protect you.” Noah ignored him completely. To everyone’s astonishment, he carefully reached for my hand. “Daddy, I know I was wrong.”

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