It was my second day at the County Clerk’s office after transferring back to the city. I was still settling in, shadowing one of the senior clerks, Sarah, when a young woman walked up to the counter. She looked like she’d stepped off a runway—expensive silk blouse, designer bag, and an aura of effortless privilege. Sarah leaned in and whispered, “Here we go again. This is her ninety-ninth time requesting a certified copy of her marriage license. We keep her files on standby; it’s faster that way.” I blinked, stunned. “Ninety-ninth?” Sarah chuckled, pulling up a digital folder. “Yeah. Local girl, married a tech mogul old enough to be her father. They have these explosive fights, and her favorite move is to shred the marriage certificate. It’s their little toxic ritual.” She tapped her screen, looking a bit envious. “Only a man with that much money can afford to indulge that kind of bratty behavior. Word is her husband is the head of the Blackwood empire—Sebastian Blackwood himself.” A cold shiver raced down my spine. My brow furrowed instinctively. “The Blackwoods? They’re practically royalty in this city. You’d think someone in that position would value discretion. Are you sure she’s not faking it?” Sarah’s eyes went wide, and she practically lunged across the desk to cover my mouth. “Honey, hush! That is very much the real Sebastian Blackwood. You do not want to be on his bad side.” I froze. My hand trembled, and my phone slipped from my grasp, clattering onto the laminate desktop. The screen lit up. The lock screen was a candid photo of me, leaning my head against Sebastian’s shoulder, both of us laughing under a canopy of autumn leaves. The girl on the other side of the glass saw it. Her face transformed from bored annoyance to sharp, jagged rage. She reached through the transaction slot and snatched the phone before I could react. “Who are you?” she demanded, her voice rising to a screech. “Why do you have a picture with my husband?” … 1 I tried to speak, but my throat felt like it was filled with broken glass. My husband. The man in that photo was Sebastian. My husband of five years. The Blackwood family was a dynasty, a web of old money and corporate power that stretched across the country. We had kept our marriage a secret. Sebastian told me it was for my own protection—that the media would devour me, that his family’s enemies would use me as leverage. He wanted to keep our “little world” private. I believed him. I had believed him for five years. Standing there, watching this girl clutch my phone, I realized I wasn’t his “protected secret.” I was his ghost. “I’ve seen women like you,” the girl—Lexi, according to her file—spat, her face flushing a deep, ugly red. “Social climbers. Professional mistresses. You see a man with a billion dollars and you think you can just claw your way in? And you work here? For the government? I’m going to have your job for this. I’m filing a formal complaint!” Sarah stepped in, trying to play peacemaker. “Ms. Miller—excuse me, Mrs. Blackwood—please, stay calm. I’m sure there’s a rational explanation…” “Explanation? Look at the photo! They’re practically on top of each other!” I forced a breath into my lungs. I reached out and took my phone back from her hand. My voice was eerily steady, the kind of calm that only comes when you’ve completely dissociated from reality. “It’s a misunderstanding,” I said. “I used to work in the mayor’s office in the next county over. I interviewed Mr. Blackwood for a profile piece. We took a photo together after the session. That’s all.” Lexi narrowed her eyes, searching my face for a lie. “An interview?” “Yes. Professional courtesy.” She stared at me for a few more seconds, and then the tension in her shoulders began to leak away. She let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “Oh… God, sorry. I’m just sensitive. My husband is… well, you’ve seen him. Every woman in this city wants a piece of him. I have to stay on high alert.” I forced a thin, professional smile. “I understand.” “Anyway, about the certificate…” “I’m looking at your digital file,” I said, my heart hammering against my ribs. “You’re missing the updated residency verification. I need to see a physical copy of your utility bill or your property deed.” Lexi groaned, checking her diamond-encrusted watch. “My place is only ten minutes away. I’ll just go grab it.” “I’ll go with you,” I said, standing up. Sarah looked at me like I’d grown a second head. “I’m about to go on my lunch break. I can verify it on-site and take a photo of the document for the file. It saves you a trip back here.” Lexi considered it for a moment, then shrugged. “Sure. Whatever makes this faster. Let’s go.” I followed her out of the building. She led me to a pristine white Porsche, the interior a sickeningly sweet shade of blush pink. Twenty minutes later, the car pulled up to the gates of a familiar luxury condo complex. My heart didn’t just skip a beat; it stopped. I knew this building. I knew this unit. Two years ago, I had used my entire inheritance from my grandmother—money I’d saved since I was a teenager—to put down the deposit on this place. I knew the Blackwoods had estates and penthouses, but I wanted something that was ours. Something I had contributed to, so I could feel like his equal, not his charity case. Back then, Sebastian told me he was having some “liquidity issues” with the family trust. He asked me to keep the deed in my name but said we couldn’t live there yet because it would draw too much attention from the press. He suggested we rent it out. I agreed. I wanted to be a supportive wife. Every month, the “rent” hit my bank account like clockwork. I never checked on the place. I trusted him. I walked into the foyer, my feet feeling like lead. Hanging directly across from the front door was a massive, gold-framed portrait. It was a wedding photo. Sebastian was in a white tuxedo, looking more handsome than I’d ever seen him. Lexi was draped across him in a Vera Wang gown, smiling with the radiant heat of a woman who owned the world. “Make yourself at home,” Lexi said, tossing her keys onto the marble console table. I stepped into the living room. Every nerve in my body was screaming. In five years of marriage, Sebastian had never given me a wedding. No ceremony. No gown. The only photo we had was that blurry shot on my phone from a weekend trip to the mountains—a photo I’d had to beg him to take. But here, he was a different man. The portrait was huge—maybe six feet tall—dominating the room. “Your home is… beautiful,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. She laughed. “I think the photo is a bit much, honestly. A little tacky. But Sebastian insisted. He said he wanted everyone who stepped foot in this house to know exactly who I am. His wife.” “He… seems to adore you.” “He’s okay,” she said, though her eyes were sparkling with triumph. “Take a seat. I’ll go find that paperwork.” I sat on the sofa, staring up at that portrait. Sebastian was smiling with a tenderness I hadn’t seen in years. He didn’t hate being photographed. He just hated being photographed with me. 2 Lexi rummaged through a desk in the corner for a few minutes before coming back empty-handed. “That’s weird. I can’t find the folder. Hold on, I’ll call my husband.” She hit speakerphone before I could protest. “Hey, baby,” Sebastian’s voice filled the room. It was warm, indulgent—the voice he used to use with me when we first met. “Did you shred the paper again? You know, for a mother, you’ve still got the temper of a toddler.” Lexi pouted, even though he couldn’t see her. “Where did you put the deed and the residency papers? The girl from the Clerk’s office is here with me right now.” There was a pregnant pause on the other end of the line. “The Clerk’s office is at the house?” “Yeah, she’s being super helpful. Where are the papers?” “I have them with me. I was looking over the property taxes this morning. I’m actually out picking up the new house for you right now—I’ll bring them by in twenty minutes.” “Hurry up, okay? We’re waiting.” “I will. Did you get the formula for the baby yet?” “Yeah, yeah, that organic brand you insisted on.” “Good girl. See you soon.” The line went dead. Lexi beamed at me. “He’ll be here in a few. Oh! You have to see my son!” She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the back of the condo. “He’s six months old. He’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.” I followed her into the nursery, my mind a static-filled void. In the center of the room, a plump, healthy baby boy was sleeping in a high-end crib. Lexi leaned over the rail, her face softening with genuine motherly love. “Isn’t he perfect? Sebastian says he has my nose.” I stood by the crib, my blood turning to ice. They had a child. Sebastian and I had been married for five years. Six months ago, I was supposed to have a baby, too. I had been seven months pregnant when everything went wrong. There was a complication—an “emergency” procedure. I was told the baby didn’t make it. After that, Sebastian told me we should focus on my recovery. He said he couldn’t bear the thought of putting my body through that again. He said we didn’t need children to be happy. I thought he was protecting my heart. I didn’t realize he just didn’t want a child with me. “What’s his name?” I asked, my voice cracking. Lexi’s smile widened. “Callum. Sebastian picked it. He said it was a variation of his favorite flower—a Calla Lily.” A bomb went off in my brain. Calla. That was my name. When I was pregnant, we had spent hours dreaming of names. I had suggested Callum if it was a boy, a way to honor my name, Calla. Sebastian had held me and told me it was perfect. He said it would be a constant reminder of how much he loved me. “Does the name… mean something special?” I whispered. Lexi sighed, her expression flickering with a momentary shadow. “My husband’s ‘late wife’… her name was Calla. Apparently, she died in childbirth. The baby didn’t make it either. He said he wanted to name our son Callum to ‘honor the tragedy’ or something.” I stared at her, the bitterness in my mouth so strong I thought I might choke. Lexi’s voice dropped, sounding uncharacteristically vulnerable. “I tear up those marriage licenses because I’m insecure, honestly. He’s so hung up on the memory of this dead woman. I sometimes wonder if I’m just a replacement. He’s so romantic about her, and I’m just… here.” I looked at the sleeping baby. My stomach twisted into a knot. If my baby had lived, he would be exactly this age. “He told you she died in labor?” Lexi nodded. “Yeah. It nearly destroyed him. He said it took years to move on until he met me. I think it’s fate, really. He says I even look a little like her.” I looked at her face. We looked nothing alike. But if there was one thing we had in common, it was that we were both being played by a master. “Is he good to you?” I asked. Her eyes lit up again. “The best. He’s busy, obviously. But he promised me that in a few years, he’ll step back from the company and we’ll travel the world together.” I nodded slowly. He’d told me the same thing. Five years ago. 3 I stood in that nursery, the silence pressing against my eardrums until my head throbbed. “Where’s her memorial?” I asked, my voice flat. “If he loved his late wife so much, surely there’s a photo? A grave he visits?” Lexi pulled a face. “I asked about that. He said he doesn’t believe in shrines. He said once someone is gone, they live in your heart, not in a frame on a wall.” I looked down at my hands. My knuckles were white. In his heart. What a beautiful lie. But where did my seven-month-old son live? I unclenched my fists, my palms marred by the imprints of my nails. “I have one more question.” “Yeah?” “If your husband is as wealthy as everyone says… why are you living here? This is a nice building, but it’s a far cry from a Blackwood estate.” Lexi laughed. “This was my idea. Sebastian’s world is so… cold. So much marble and glass. I wanted a ‘normal’ life. I made him buy this place so we could feel like a real family.” She pointed to the DIY decorations on the walls. “He wasn’t used to it at first, but now he loves it. He says this is the only place that actually feels like home.” “He bought this for you?” “Mm-hm. A wedding gift.” She leaned in, whispering like we were best friends. “Honestly, it was my insurance policy. If he ever leaves me, I have this. He put it in writing—this place is mine forever.” The ice in my veins reached my heart. Two years ago, Sebastian had asked for the deed to this condo. He told me it was better for “tax purposes” to let his management company handle the rental. He said he wanted me to be an “independent woman” with my own rental income so I wouldn’t have to ask him for money. The “rent” I’d been receiving was just my own life being sold back to me in installments. “You’re very lucky,” I said. My voice was trembling so hard I wasn’t sure she could understand me. Lexi smiled and went back to cooing at the baby. I watched her profile. She couldn’t have been more than twenty-two. She knew nothing. But even if she did, would it matter? 4 The baby in the crib started to fuss. Lexi immediately scooped him up, rocking him gently against her chest. I stepped closer to get a better look. And then, the world stopped spinning. Behind the baby’s right ear, there was a tiny, distinct skin tag. A “preauricular tag,” the doctors call it. I gasped, my eyes wide with horror. Six months ago, during my last ultrasound at seven months, the tech had pointed out that exact same thing. It’s a harmless genetic quirk. The doctor had told me it was purely cosmetic and could be snipped off after birth. How could there be such a coincidence? “How old did you say he was?” I asked, my voice rising. “Six months. To the day.” Lexi frowned as the baby continued to cry. “He’s always been a bit fussy. The doctors said it’s because he was premature. His system is sensitive.” My hands began to shake uncontrollably. “Premature?” “Yeah. I was terrified of the pain of labor, so I told Sebastian I didn’t want to go through a traditional birth. He was so sweet about it. He arranged for a surrogate—well, a ‘carrier’—to handle the pregnancy for us.” Lexi sighed, adjusting the baby. “But the woman he hired was incompetent. She went into labor at seven months. The poor thing was in the NICU for eight weeks. We almost lost him.” “And the woman? The surrogate?” Lexi shrugged dismissively. “She took the money and disappeared. Sebastian said those types are dangerous. He made sure she was paid off and gone so she’d never come back for more.” I stared at the child in her arms, tears stinging my eyes. A terrifying, sickening realization took root in my soul. This wasn’t Lexi’s baby. This wasn’t a surrogate’s baby. This was my baby. The boy they told me had died on the table while I was under anesthesia. Sebastian, you monster. You deserve to rot in hell. I forced myself to stay upright. I forced my voice to stay calm. “Did you ever meet her? The surrogate?” Lexi shook her head. “No. Sebastian handled everything. He said it was better that way.” She noticed my expression and her brow furrowed. “Are you okay? You’re pale as a ghost.” “I’m fine,” I lied. “Just low blood sugar. I skipped lunch.” She looked at me suspiciously, about to say something else, when my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a text from Sebastian. [Working late tonight, don’t wait up. Get some sleep, Calla. Love you.] I stared at the words. Just then, the front door opened. “That’s him!” Lexi cheered, holding the baby up. I heard the heavy thud of a designer briefcase hitting the floor and then that voice—the voice of the man I had loved for a third of my life. “Hey, beautiful. Did you miss me?” “We did! Also, the girl from the County Clerk is here to help with the papers!” Footsteps echoed down the hallway. I stood at the entrance of the nursery, watching as Sebastian Blackwood walked through the door. He was wearing a sharp charcoal suit, looking every bit the titan of industry. The moment his eyes met mine, the color drained from his face. He looked like he’d just seen a ghost—because he had. In that second, the sorrow and the shock evaporated, replaced by a cold, searing rage. I smiled at him. I took one slow step forward. “What’s the matter, Sebastian?” I asked, my voice like a razor. “You look surprised to see your ‘dead’ wife standing in your nursery.”

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From the moment my daughter learned to speak, she treated me like a romantic rival. Every time my husband and I tried to be intimate, she would burst into the room, physically wedging herself between us. “You’re such a slut, Mom! Stop trying to seduce my daddy!” Once, at dinner, my husband reached over to put a piece of steak on my plate. My daughter screamed, ran to the balcony, and climbed onto the railing of our sixteenth-floor apartment. “Unless Daddy stays away from Mom, I’m jumping right now!” Even when I sat at my vanity to put on makeup, her voice would drip with venomous mockery: “You’re just an old woman. No matter how much paint you put on that face, you’ll never be as pretty as me.” Later, when my husband cheated, I was terrified she would be mistreated by a stepmother. I fought tooth and nail for her custody, burning through my savings and my sanity. In response, my daughter looked at me with a face twisted by hysteria and threw a bottle of industrial-grade sulfuric acid at me. “You’ll never separate me from Daddy! Daddy belongs to me and me alone!” Maybe the universe took pity on the sheer agony of my death, because it gave me a second chance. I woke up back at the beginning. This time, I didn’t hesitate. I gave up custody. “From now on, I want to be as far away from that girl as possible.” … My husband, David, looked at me in genuine shock. “Naomi? Where is this coming from? You were ready to burn the world down to take her with you. Why the sudden change of heart?” Before I could answer, our ten-year-old daughter, Sophie, stormed into the living room. She didn’t just walk; she attacked, kicking and scratching at my legs. “I’m not going with you anyway!” she shrieked. “We’re both women, Mom. I know exactly what you’re doing. You’re just jealous because Daddy loves me more!” She threw herself into David’s arms, clinging to his neck and throwing me a triumphant, nasty look. “Nobody can split us up. I’m going to be Daddy’s little girl forever.” Even though Sophie had treated me like an enemy since she was a toddler, she was still my own flesh and blood. In my first life, when I found out David was planning to remarry immediately, I fought him for months. I gave up half my assets just to secure her custody, thinking I was saving her. But then I remembered the sensation of my skin melting—the white-hot, bubbling scream of my own nerves being eaten away by acid. I picked up the divorce papers and signed my name with a steady hand. “I’m respecting my daughter’s wishes. She stays with you.” Sophie froze, her eyes widening in momentary confusion. I moved to finalize the documents, but she lunged forward, snatching the papers off the coffee table. “You’re a discarded wife! How dare you try to take Daddy’s money? Have you no shame?” she barked. “Daddy, you said you’d buy me all those designer dresses! Don’t give this old woman a cent.” She hugged David’s leg, her voice turning into a sugary, manipulative coo, telling him that a “failure of a woman” like me didn’t deserve a settlement. She had no idea about David’s affair, nor did she care that I was legally entitled to a seven-figure payout. David didn’t correct her. Instead, he leaned into the “noble father” persona he loved so much. “I’m just too kind-hearted, Sophie. I can’t bring myself to be too cruel to your mother, even if she doesn’t deserve it.” He stroked her hair. “I know you’re worried about how hard I work for our money. You really are my little angel.” Watching them perform this twisted duet, I felt a cold laugh bubbling in my chest. David was the true architect of this monster. He never corrected her behavior; he fed her delusions with endless indulgence until her mind became a warped, competitive maze. David eventually managed to coax Sophie out of the room. The moment she was gone, he leaned in and whispered, “Naomi, don’t mention the remarriage to Sophie yet. I’m worried she’s too fragile to handle it right now. When the timing is right, I’ll introduce her to her new mom.” Sophie, blissfully unaware, was currently in the hallway celebrating her “victory.” She had pulled our wedding photo off the wall and was jumping on my face in the picture, her heels puncturing the glass. “Yes! I finally won! The rival is gone!” Watching her, I felt a profound sense of detachment. It wasn’t just heartbreak anymore; it was pity. I wondered if she’d still be smiling when she realized she was about to face a brand-new “rival”—one who didn’t share my maternal instinct. Sophie caught me looking. She laughed, a shrill, mocking sound. “Are you jealous, Naomi? From today on, Daddy is all mine!” I didn’t say a word. I walked into the bedroom and began packing. Since I had opted for a cash settlement instead of the house, and because David was terrified I’d change my mind during the mandatory thirty-day “cooling-off” period required by our state’s laws, we had an agreement. I would stay in the guest room for the month while I finalized my new apartment. When Sophie saw me moving my things into the small room instead of leaving the house entirely, she flipped. “Why aren’t you taking your suitcases out? Are you trying to stay here and rot?” she screamed. “You shameless bitch! I knew you wouldn’t give up that easily!” She began grabbing my clothes and throwing them into the kitchen trash can. Then she ran to David, sobbing. “Daddy, why is she still here? I hate her! Make her leave!” David tried to explain the legal cooling-off period, but she wouldn’t hear it. “I came out of her stomach, Daddy. I know her better than anyone,” Sophie hissed. “She’s trying to stay here to seduce you. She’s playing hard to get so you’ll take her back. She doesn’t want the divorce; she’s just tricking you!” Even with the papers signed, her hostility had only intensified. The “quiet moment” I needed to process my grief was shattered by her screeching. I had reached my limit. I stepped forward and slapped her—hard. “Shut up,” I said, my voice low and dangerous. “You don’t get to call me Mom anymore. And you sure as hell don’t get to talk to me like that. We are almost strangers, Sophie. Don’t expect me to tolerate your bullshit for one second longer.” In my previous life, I had worshipped her. Even when she was at her worst, I couldn’t bring myself to be firm. Sophie had never seen this version of me. She went pale, then burst into a theatrical wail, burying her face in David’s chest. “See, Daddy? The mask finally slipped! This is how she treats me when you’re not looking! She’s always been jealous of us. She abuses me because she can’t stand how much you love me!” This wasn’t new. Since she was four, she had been a master of the “smear campaign,” weaving elaborate lies to turn David against me. In her narrative, I was a violent, unstable shrew. And David always believed her. “She’s just a child, Naomi. Why would she lie about something like that?” Back then, I couldn’t believe my own daughter was “competing” with me for her father’s heart. By the time I accepted the truth, it was too late. Looking at her now, I just smirked. “You’re ten years old, Sophie, and you’re already a better actress than anyone in Hollywood. Save your breath. Fighting me is a waste of time. You should worry about your dad’s—” Before I could finish, David grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the hallway. “Naomi! What are you doing? I told you to keep the remarriage a secret! If you drop that on her now, she’ll have a nervous breakdown.” Watching him pretend to be the “concerned father” made me want to retch. “You didn’t care about her breakdown when you were screwing that girl in our bed, David. You don’t care about Sophie; you just care about your image. But whatever. I’m done being the villain in your little soap opera.” Sophie would find out the truth eventually. I decided I’d have a front-row seat for the fallout. I underestimated Sophie’s dedication. To ensure there was no chance of a reconciliation, she spent the next few days going door-to-door in our gated community. “My mom was having an affair,” she told the neighbors, her eyes brimming with fake tears. “My dad is divorcing her, but she refuses to leave. She’s obsessed with him. Please, can you help us get her out?” By the weekend, the neighbors were whispering as I walked to my car. “I never would have guessed,” I heard Mrs. Higgins say from across the street. “She looked so respectable, but she was out there sleeping around. Even her own daughter can’t stand to look at her.” In their eyes, I was the ultimate failure. A cheating wife, a hated mother—a woman whose life had collapsed under the weight of her own sins. David, worried I might snap and blow his cover, finally tried to play peacemaker. “It’s just a misunderstanding, everyone. Don’t listen to a child’s rambling. We’re handling our private business.” Sophie was livid. “Daddy! Why are you defending her? I’m doing this for you!” She turned to me, her face contorting. Since I told her she didn’t get to call me “Mom,” she started using my first name like a slur. “Listen up, Naomi. This divorce is happening. I’m going to make sure you never have the chance to crawl back!” David, finally pushed by the social embarrassment, snapped at her. “Enough! This is adult business. Go to your room and stay there!” Sophie’s eyes filled with real tears this time. But she didn’t blame David for yelling. She pivoted her rage right back to me. “It’s all your fault! If I didn’t have such a pathetic mother, Daddy would never be this stressed! You’re trying to come between us, but it won’t work!” I just shook my head. “David, this is the monster you raised. When your little mistress moves in, I hope you’re ready for the life you’ve built.” I didn’t give David a chance to respond. I pulled out my phone and sent a blast message to the neighborhood Facebook group. I laid it all out: the affair, the proof, the reason for the divorce. I told them that anyone spreading Sophie’s lies would be hearing from my lawyer for defamation. David panicked, trying to grab my phone to delete the post, but I was already out the door. “Naomi, wait! You can’t leave! If you disappear, how do I know you’ll show up to sign the final papers in three weeks?” I shook him off with a look of pure disgust. “Trust me, David. Nobody wants that piece of paper more than I do.” I checked into a hotel. Within an hour, a text from Sophie popped up: Don’t even think about sneaking back to seduce him. I’m watching you. She followed it with a video. She had gathered every photo of me in the house—my graduation pictures, my portraits—and was burning them in a metal trash can, cheering as my face turned to ash. I didn’t reply. I just blocked her number. In my last life, I spent months agonizing over the divorce, trying to “win” a child who hated me. This time, I felt light. I spent the next three weeks at a luxury spa, hit the gym, and hosted a “Freedom Party” for my closest friends. By the time the cooling-off period ended and we met at the lawyer’s office, I looked radiant. Sophie glared at me, scanning my face. “You really went all out to try and win him back, didn’t you? Botox? New hair? Give it up, Naomi. He’s never coming back. From now on, I’m the only girl in his life.” She clung to David’s arm like a trophy wife. I didn’t say a word. I picked up my copy of the divorce decree, kissed the seal, and walked out. I bought a new condo across town and started my life. But a week after moving in, there was a pounding on my door at 2:00 AM. It was the police. “Ms. Jackson? We found your daughter wandering the streets. Why is she out alone at this hour?” Before I could process the question, Sophie pushed past the officer and stormed into my living room, her eyes darting around wildly. “Is he here? Is Daddy here? He didn’t come home tonight, so you must have hidden him!” She started ripping open my closet doors, tossing my newly organized clothes onto the floor. A familiar, hot rage flared in my chest. I grabbed her by her ponytail and shoved her toward the police officer. “Nobody wants your father, Sophie. He isn’t here. Get out of my house!” Sophie flinched, then immediately squeezed out a sob. “Officer, look! See? This is how she always treats me…” The cop frowned at me. “Ma’am, she’s your daughter. There’s no need for that.” I forced myself to breathe. “Officer, I am divorced. Her father has sole custody. She didn’t ‘get lost’—she’s here to harass me. Call her father. I’ll give you his number.” Sophie didn’t believe me. “Who else would he be with? You’re the only one who would keep him out all night!” I almost told her the truth—that David was likely in a hotel bed with his “new mom”—but I knew she wouldn’t believe it. She’d just find a way to blame me. I gave the police David’s address and told them to take her home. The next day, an officer called to follow up. He told me Sophie claimed she couldn’t reach her dad and was scared to be alone. She said she only came to me because she was “lonely,” but I had blocked her. The cop, clearly moved by her “sad little girl” act, lectured me. “She just misses her mother. There’s no grudge that should come between a parent and a child. You need to do better.” I stayed silent. There was no point in explaining the Electra complex or the psychological warfare to a stranger. Instead, I sent David a one-sentence email: Bring your new wife home already. I’m done being the scapegoat. Peace lasted for three days. Then, Sophie’s school counselor called. “Sophie is locked in the bathroom. she won’t come out unless you’re the one to pick her up. Naomi, regardless of the custody agreement, you have a moral responsibility here. This child is traumatized by the divorce. You can’t just abandon her.” The counselor hinted that if I didn’t show up, they might involve social services or “community advocates” (meaning: local gossip blogs). I went. I had to protect my professional reputation. To my surprise, Sophie was perfectly sweet at the school. She hugged me, calling me “Mommy” in front of the counselor, playing the part of the grieving child to perfection. I played along, my skin crawling, and drove her back to David’s house. I dropped her bag in the foyer and turned to leave. Sophie’s face dropped. The “sweet child” mask dissolved, replaced by a look of pure, unadulterated malice.

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I’m a fake heiress who fell in love with the true heir. When I was ten, Damien Cross said he would marry me. When I was sixteen, Damien kissed me and told me, “You’re my only one.” When I was eighteen, I gave myself to Damien, thinking we were truly in love. After that blissful night, when dawn broke, Damien suddenly grew disgusted with me. “Get out. I don’t have a sister as filthy as you.” From that day on, he never looked at me again. Later, the true heiress Luna Cross returned. She hated me, and effortlessly crushed everything I had. Until she framed me for leaking military secrets, which led to Father’s failed mission and eventual death from grief. Damien came to completely despise me: “The Cross family has no daughter like you, and I have no sister like you. For the rest of this life, don’t let me see you again!” Three years after being driven from the Cross family, and in my first year of being kept by River Kane, I saw Damien again. This was a charity gala hosted by the Cross family. I knew I shouldn’t come. I didn’t want to come. But it was River’s decision, and he was my patron—I had no right to refuse. I lowered my eyes, my voice trembling: “River, I don’t want to go over there…” River patted my face. The touch wasn’t heavy, but the humiliation was palpable. “What’s wrong? Are you afraid of seeing Damien, afraid he’ll see what you’ve become?” “Aria, you know how it works. When you do something wrong, there’s always a price to pay. I’ve been good to you. Why did you secretly take birth control pills behind my back? You think I didn’t know?” All the blood in my body instantly went cold. Then I laughed bitterly at myself, actively hooking my arms around his neck with a seductive smile, carrying a sort of numb recklessness. “Then you’ll have to pay me more. Give me fifty thousand, and I’ll go to the gala with you.” My medication was almost gone. Fifty thousand would buy me three more bottles, three more months of life. River froze for a moment. His expression shifted from shock to amusement, and finally he laughed lowly: “Fifty thousand?” “Aria, when did you start valuing yourself so low? I’ll give you a hundred thousand.” He leaned close, his lips almost touching my ear. Malice poured out: “Remember to control your eyes. I’m your man.” “You, Aria White, were already thrown away by him. Rotten, stinking. Now I’m the one who paid to pick you back up. Understand?” I lowered my lashes and answered docilely: “I understand, River.” I followed closely behind River. He seemed somewhat dissatisfied and actively wrapped his arm around my waist, heading toward the center. Damien also noticed our approach. He turned around, facing us directly. River extended his hand, greeting him proactively: “Mr. Cross, it’s an honor to meet you. My father often mentions you, saying you’re the most admirable young military officer of this generation.” Damien responded politely. His voice was still the same as in my memories, carrying a metallic coldness: “You flatter me. River is the true young hero. You secured that South Harbor project so effortlessly.” River smiled. He didn’t release his arm from my waist. Instead, he patted it with a hint of showing off: “This is Aria. She’s been with me for some time now.” River paused maliciously, waiting for my reaction. My throat tightened, each word feeling like it was scraped from sandpaper: “Mr. Cross.” Damien gave me a cold glance, which counted as acknowledgment. Just then, Luna Cross from not far away let out a soft “oh,” as if just noticing me. She walked toward me proactively, her smile cutting: “Aria? It really is you!” “I never imagined I’d run into you here. So you’re… with River now? How fortunate for you. Even though you’re just a mistress, life must be better than before.” “You should be more obedient, Aria. Serve River well. Don’t do those shameless things you used to do again.” I listened quietly, not even attempting to defend myself. Luna hated me to the bone. If I said anything more, she would only humiliate me worse. Only my heart ached terribly—my heart failure was probably worsening again. At least with the money, I could buy a few more bottles of medication later. River was initially enjoying my misery with interest, but seeing my face grow paler and paler. Just as he was frowning, about to interrupt, Damien spoke first. “Luna! Mom’s been waiting for us over there for a while. Let’s go.” Damien had spoken. Even though Luna was in the middle of her tirade, she could only reluctantly stop. But still unsatisfied, she directly cursed as she left: “Disgusting!” Damien had no reaction, letting Luna finish cursing before leading her away. I remained silent throughout. Quietly listening to the gossip spreading from all directions because of Luna’s insults. “Miss Cross really hit the nail on the head. With that kind of character, she’s only fit to be someone’s plaything.” “I heard Old Mr. Cross died of grief because of her. So ungrateful! Back then at the Cross house she wasn’t decent, shamelessly climbing into Young Mr. Cross’s bed. Now she’s latched onto this one from the Kane family… Her skills really are impressive.” “What skills? Just good in bed. That slutty energy is exactly what men love.” … The buzzing in my ears grew louder, and the squeezing pain in my chest began to intensify. I couldn’t tell if it was because of Damien’s coldness or because of my illness. My vision began to sway, and my body collapsed backward uncontrollably. Fortunately, River caught me. His harsh voice swept across, and the surroundings instantly quieted. His movements weren’t gentle as he leaned close and mocked: “What’s wrong?” “Saw your old flame and it’s already too painful to bear?” I knew River was about to get angry. I wanted to explain, but the severe pain from my heart strangled my throat, making even breathing shallow and weak. I could only plead with a gasping voice: “Medicine… my medicine…”

Only then did River notice that I was breaking out in cold sweat, unable to even stand steadily. His expression changed instantly. He scooped me up and headed outside. At the center of the banquet hall, Damien, who had been nodding in conversation with others, felt something and turned his head. Watching River’s back as he hurried away carrying me. Luna followed his gaze: “Oh my, what a skillful act. Seducing River even at the gala, he just can’t hold back anymore.” “Damien, when she was seducing you back then…” CRASH! A sharp sound of shattering glass suddenly exploded. Luna looked at the wine glass crushed in Damien’s hand, too frightened to say anything more. In the parking lot, River practically burst open the car door, roughly placing me in the passenger seat, and began rummaging through my bag for my emergency medication. He poured out the last two pills, twisted open a bottle of water, and pressed it to my lips. The medicine entered my system. After resting for fifteen minutes, my complexion gradually improved. River’s expression only grew darker. He asked me anxiously: “What’s really going on with your stomach problem?” “You’ve been treating it for a year and it’s still not better. Tomorrow I’m taking you to the hospital for a full physical exam!” I didn’t respond, my eyes somewhat unfocused. Initially, I stayed with River because I wanted to survive, to investigate the truth from back then. To tell Damien personally that I wasn’t the one who leaked the secrets. But today, seeing Damien’s cold eyes and hearing the poisonous insults from Luna and others, nothing seemed to matter anymore. I just felt like there was a gaping hole in my chest. Wind whistling through, my whole body cold. It couldn’t be healed. I raised my head again, looking at River: “River, I don’t want to stay with you anymore.” “Let me go.” River stared at me for several seconds, then suddenly scoffed. He stroked my face soothingly: “Throwing a tantrum? I know, tonight was hard on you.” “I promise you, from now on, if you don’t want to go to these events, I won’t take you. If you want money, I’ll give you another five hundred thousand. Is that okay?” I dodged his reaching hand, still insisting. “No.” “River, I don’t want to stay with you anymore.” River said nothing more, just darkened his face, helped me fasten my seatbelt, and drove away. I thought he’d take me home, but soon I realized we were going the wrong direction. “Where are we going?” River snorted coldly, his voice hard. “The hospital.” “You’re not feeling well and throwing tantrums at me. I’m not going to argue with you. Once the doctor fixes you up, we’ll talk about other things.” I smiled lightly, hearing the concern in River’s words. “River, thank you.” I said it very seriously. Perhaps the most heartfelt thing I’d said to him in these three years together. River raised his eyebrows proudly, a smile just forming at the corner of his mouth. Then he heard me slowly accept my fate: “But there’s no need. I probably… don’t have long to live.” The instant those words fell, the sound of screeching brakes suddenly erupted. River’s throat rolled, his voice hoarse. “What did you say?” He suddenly grabbed me, eyes wide as he demanded: “What do you mean you don’t have long to live? How could… it’s not a stomach problem, is it? You lied to me?” I looked into River’s eyes. Strangely, saying it out loud brought a bizarre sense of relief. “Do you know… about heart failure? The average survival time doctors give is three years. This year is the third year.” I lowered my eyes and saw warm wetness falling on the back of my hand—first a few drops, then torrential like a rainstorm. Those weren’t my tears. River was crying. A crazy thought surged to mind. I couldn’t help but exploit River’s sympathy. This was my last chance. “Could you… help me find out the truth about the leaked Cross family secrets from back then? I don’t want to die being wrongly accused. River, I’m begging you.”

River agreed to my request. His only condition was that I cooperate with the treatment he arranged. This was a deal too good to pass up for me. What I didn’t expect was that Damien would actively want to see me. “Leave River. Return to the Cross family. Go to Father’s grave, kneel down and confess. Tell everything you did back then, every single detail.” “As long as you confess and sincerely repent, you’re still the eldest daughter of the Cross family.” I raised my head, looking at Damien’s irritated eyes. Word by word, I replied: “What happened back then wasn’t my doing. I did nothing wrong.” Damien repeated, his voice suddenly rising. “It wasn’t you?” “Do you think everyone in the entire Cross family is blind? Butler Lucas, the maids Claire and Amy, even Luna and Mother can all testify! Only you were frequently going in and out of Father’s study during that time. What else do you have to say!” “Unless you’re going to tell me that even Mother is framing you?” His hoarse shouting made my vision darken in waves. I gripped the edge of the tablecloth tightly, my fingertips white with pressure, barely able to keep myself from collapsing. Still, I insisted: “I did nothing wrong! I won’t go back. I’ll prove to you…” Damien’s expression completely darkened. His words became unfiltered. “Enough! You won’t return to the Cross family to be the eldest daughter, but you’d rather follow River as his shameful mistress. Aria, how can you be so cheap!” I froze. Raised my head and stared at him blankly. The face before me, written with contempt and disgust, overlapped infinitely with the man in my memories who had cupped my face and kissed me. Only that man had been so gentle. He would tell me: “Aria is my only little moon.” Later, nothing remained. My gaze suddenly extinguished, and that last trace of faint love was crushed too. I murmured: “Damien, back then I thought you loved me.” Hearing my words, Damien laughed in extreme anger. “Aria, you don’t actually think I wanted to see you because I still can’t let you go, do you?” “If it weren’t for Mother seeing you humiliated by everyone at last night’s gala and taking pity on you, willing to give you a way out, do you think I’d want to see you?” I pulled my lips slightly. Bitterness overflowed from my heart as I murmured: “Mother took pity on me? Is it pity… or guilt?” I didn’t want to say anything more. Supporting myself on the table edge, I slowly stood up and walked toward the door. “Aria, if you dare walk out today, I’ll never forgive you!” Damien’s voice was trembling for some reason. But I didn’t look back or stop. I pushed open the door and walked out. The Kane family’s car was waiting for me at the roadside. Just as I was about to get in, a tearful voice rang out not far away: “Aria…” My movements stopped. It was Mother’s voice. She was crying, her eyes red. “Aria, you’ve gotten so thin.” “You must have suffered so much out there. Come home with me.” I looked at her quietly. No resentment, no grievance, no expectation. As if genuinely puzzled: “Mother, why are you crying? Isn’t this what you wanted?” Finished speaking, I bent down and sat in the car. In the rearview mirror, Mother looked as if struck by a heavy blow, crying until she broke down. The driver took me away. He respectfully spoke: “Miss White, River just boarded his flight. He asked me to tell you that the Mayer Clinic abroad is excellent at treating heart failure. He’s already rushed over there, and will notify you immediately if there’s good news.” “For any needs you have, you can contact me directly or reach out to Assistant Xu.” “Also, your case is already being investigated. River asked you to focus on recovery. He guarantees he’ll find the truth for you.” I acknowledged with a sound. During the days River was away, Mother’s contact became relentless. First text messages, then phone calls. These past two days she’d actually sent people to the villa with messages. Until this afternoon, when she texted me: [Aria, Mother is sick. Very sick. The doctor said many frightening things.] [Mother knows she wronged you, doesn’t dare ask for forgiveness. I only ask… before I go, to see you one more time. Come home, please? Consider it Mother’s dying wish.] I sat frozen for a long time. Maybe I still couldn’t let go of that little remaining warmth. I had the driver take me to the Cross estate. Butler Lucas led me into the hall—pitch black, with no lights on. I instinctively sensed something wrong and wanted to leave. But from the second floor center, a woman’s figure slowly emerged. It wasn’t my critically ill mother. It was Luna. “Aria, you finally came. I’ve been waiting for you for so long!”

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After my male neighbor Lucas found out I’m a female CEO, he sent me nineteen messages late at night: “You bought another Hermès bag?” “Don’t think being able to make money makes you special. Gentle girls are what men like.” “Why are you dressed so sexy today? Trying to seduce someone? Dress more conservatively from now on.” “And who was that man who drove you home today?” …… Completely baffled, I immediately fired back: “What’s your problem?! My life has nothing to do with you!” Lucas exploded: “How does it have nothing to do with me? You’re going to be my wife! Every dollar you waste now is one less dollar for me!” My jaw dropped. Since when was I supposed to be his wife? Before I could even reply, another message came through: “By the way, I expect you to have two children in the future—a boy and a girl!” Reading his message, I was absolutely furious. I blocked him on the spot. But I never expected him to be so persistent. He showed up at my company the very next day as a project manager to discuss a collaboration. Watching him spray saliva everywhere as he talked, I interrupted impatiently: “Let’s end this collaboration right here!” The moment those words left my mouth, the atmosphere in the office plummeted to freezing. Lucas, who had been so confident just moments ago, had his smile freeze on his face. The team leader who came with him smiled apologetically and asked cautiously, “Ms. Wilson, we’ve been coordinating this project smoothly all along.” “Why suddenly call off the collaboration?” He rubbed his hands nervously. “There must be a reason, otherwise…” “We won’t be able to explain this back at the office!” I smirked and casually pointed at Lucas beside him. “The reason is simple. Because of him…” “Madison! Enough already!” Lucas suddenly stood up and slammed his palm on the conference table with a loud thud. His face flushed with anger as he glared at me. “There are so many people here today! I won’t say anything too harsh!” “If you want to throw a tantrum with me at home, fine!” “But today we’re here on business. Rein in that attitude of yours!” Then he threw the contract documents on the table. “I’m making the decisions on this collaboration! It’s final!” The client who came with him looked at him with admiration, then hurriedly pushed the contract toward me. The managers sitting beside me looked utterly confused. One of them started to speak, but I stopped him. I pressed my lips together: “Lucas, who exactly are you to me? What gives you the right to make decisions for me? Are we even close?” Lucas’s eyes flickered with embarrassment, but he still stubbornly softened his tone: “Alright, Madison, stop being mad at me! I’m still your man! Can’t you give me some face in public?” At his words, everyone gasped. The client with him immediately seized the opportunity: “Ms. Wilson, we all understand couples having arguments. But this is work hours. We need to focus on work and not let emotions get in the way!” Just as he finished speaking, someone knocked on the door. Six security guards stood outside in perfect formation. My secretary standing behind me made a gesture for them to leave: “I’m sorry, but Ms. Wilson has made it clear—this collaboration ends here!” “Will you leave on your own, or shall we have security escort you out!” The client froze, then nudged Lucas with his elbow and whispered, “Hurry up and smooth things over with your girlfriend. If this deal falls through, you know what the consequences will be!” Lucas grabbed my arm even more irritably: “Madison, that’s enough! I never said anything about your reckless spending! Are you really going to push your luck today?” Unable to take it anymore, I shoved him away. “Lucas, are you insane?” “We barely know each other, yet you’re claiming to be my boyfriend. Don’t you think that’s ridiculous?” The team leader next to Lucas’s eyes widened: “Ms. Wilson, what did Mr. Hayes do to make you so angry? Please calm down!” I found it laughable: “Either you have hearing problems, or I’m not being clear enough. Lucas and I have no relationship whatsoever! He’s been delusional, and now he even wants to be my boyfriend!” “Madison!” Lucas roared, glaring at me with fury. “Don’t push it too far!” “Or I’ll break up with you!” Seeing that he was still completely lost in his own fantasy, and not wanting to waste any more time with him, I said, “Please escort them out.” As he was leaving, Lucas still swaggered arrogantly. “Damn bitch! Looks like you need a good beating, huh?” “How dare you disrespect me like this! When we get home, I’ll make you regret it!” The team leader seemed to pick up on something, his face darkening as he remained silent. After finally getting rid of that pest, my secretary—who’s also my best friend—came over. “Madison, who is that guy?” “Is he crazy? Why is he claiming to be your boyfriend?”

I rubbed my temples helplessly. “I have no idea!” “He wasn’t this unhinged before. In fact, he used to look down on me!” It was about six months ago when I moved back to that old apartment complex. Everyone around me was confused. They asked why someone with my wealth, who had bought a luxury penthouse in the city center, would want to live in an inconvenient old complex. “I started from nothing. That apartment holds too many beautiful memories for me.” So the first thing I did after making money was buy that place. During my first week there, my neighbor Mrs. Hayes brought her son over to introduce us. She even thoughtfully introduced both of us to each other. “This is Madison. She’s twenty-seven. What was it you do for work again?” Since we weren’t close yet, I just gave a vague answer. The moment I finished speaking, Lucas flicked his cigarette ash near my feet. “Mom! How many times have I told you not to introduce me to low-quality women like this!” “I’m a company executive at least. If you want grandchildren, you can’t just bring me any random nobody!” Finally, he sneered right in my face. “This type of trash isn’t even worth my time to look at!” The moment he left, Mrs. Hayes grabbed my hand and apologized profusely. “Madison, I failed to raise him properly! Please don’t be angry! Let me apologize on his behalf!” I’m soft-hearted, and I couldn’t bear to see an elderly woman like that, so naturally I didn’t take it to heart. But I never expected that two days ago, Lucas would suddenly add me as a friend from the residents’ group chat. “You’re Madison, right?” “I’m Lucas Hayes, your neighbor Mrs. Hayes’s son!” At the time, I was reviewing contract details. When I saw his name, I realized he was the project manager from the other company. Just as I was about to discuss the specific project details with him, he launched into a barrage of accusations. “I heard from my mom that you’re a female CEO and make good money?” “What’s the use of earning money? What’s important is knowing how to save money and manage it!” “By the way, how’s your fertility? Are you still… pure?” Watching his relentless output, I was completely stunned. Thinking about it now, I pulled out my phone and showed it to my friend. “Look at what he sent me.” My friend scrolled through the chat history, both shocked and exasperated: “This guy is seriously sick.” At the same time, Lucas’s company boss called me. On the phone, he said ingratiatingly, “Ms. Wilson, I’d like to know why this collaboration fell through?” “You’ve always kept work and personal matters separate. Why act on impulse today?” “About you and Lucas… Lucas told me everything. I say, there’s no such thing as overnight grudges between husband and wife…” “Mr. Davis.” I interrupted him impatiently. “I think you’ve misunderstood. Lucas and I have no relationship at all!” “We barely even know each other!” After briefly explaining the situation, I could feel the oppressive atmosphere even through the phone. Sure enough, five minutes later, Mr. Davis sent me an image. It was Lucas’s resignation letter. “Ms. Wilson, I sincerely apologize for what happened. I’ve already fired Lucas!” “As for the profit margin, to make it up to you, I’m willing to reduce our share by five percent.” “About the contract… could we discuss it again?” His sincerity was evident, so I couldn’t refuse again. That evening, we set a time and chose a restaurant. But just as I arrived at the restaurant entrance, Mrs. Hayes suddenly grabbed me, her face covered in tears. “Madison, my son did something wrong! He wronged you!” “But you can’t be so heartless!” “After all, you’re husband and wife! How can there be such deep hatred?” Lucas beside her actually knelt down in front of me in public and clutched my leg tightly. “Honey, I was wrong! I know I was wrong now!” “Please forgive me, okay?”

People were coming and going at the restaurant entrance, but everyone stopped to watch us curiously. Lucas pressed his face firmly against my leg. The warm sensation made me feel utterly disgusted. “Honey! If you want to be mad at me, fine! But why are you telling others we don’t know each other?” Mrs. Hayes quickly joined in. She collapsed on the ground, helpless and devastated, slapping her own thighs: “Oh heaven! What did I do to deserve this! Madison, have I wronged you somehow? Why would you do this?” Choking up, she called out to the crowd, “Everyone, come look!” “What daughter-in-law could be as selfish as mine?” “Just because my son criticized her for spending recklessly, she not only denies knowing him but got his boss to fire him!” As soon as she finished, the crowd didn’t give me a chance to explain and immediately turned on me. “That’s disgusting! Making her husband lose his job over an argument? If that were my wife, I’d have beaten her to death!” “This woman’s face looks mean. She seems like a gold-digger!” “Look at how she’s dressed all fancy, and look at her husband wearing what looks like thrift store clothes. This woman doesn’t know how good she has it!” Filled with rage, I hurriedly explained to the crowd, “I don’t even know this man!” “Please help me call the police!” I was sweating profusely in my panic. Some people in the crowd began to voice doubts. “This woman doesn’t seem to be faking it. Maybe we should call the police!” “I think so too. Let the police handle this kind of thing!” “Madison! Stop making a scene!” Lucas looked at me with painful devotion, then pulled two marriage certificates from his pocket. “She is my wife!” “We have official marriage certificates!” I stared at those two marriage certificates in shock, completely dumbfounded. Worried the crowd wouldn’t believe him, he even opened them up. “Look, these are us in the photos.” “This is fake! I don’t even know him!” “Madison! Even now, you still won’t forgive my son?” Mrs. Hayes’s voice cracked with urgency. “Does Lucas have to die in front of you before you admit he’s your husband?” I was going insane. All I could do was silently pray that someone had successfully called the police earlier and that they’d arrive soon. Lucas gripped my leg with one hand and my wrist with the other, pressing his entire body against me. In a voice only we could hear, he said, “Let me tell you, you can’t escape today!” “What you women care about most is reputation, right?” “I’ll ruin your reputation. Let’s see if you’ll submit to me then!” I turned my head and met his venomous gaze. In an instant, his eyes filled with tears. Before I could react, he frantically grabbed my hand and slapped himself with it. “Honey! Hit me! Beat me to death!” “As long as you’ll forgive me, I’ll do anything!” Mrs. Hayes crawled over to my feet. “Madison! If you’re still angry, hit me instead!” “I’m old and useless, but I’m not confused!” “My only wish is to see you and Lucas together!” My voice trying to defend myself was quickly drowned out by the crowd’s condemnation. “This woman is truly despicable!” “Right? Why doesn’t this guy just leave her?” “You don’t understand. This is true love!” More and more people gathered. All I could do was shout at the top of my lungs, “They’re trying to kidnap me! Please help me call the police!” “I really don’t know him!” From the crowd came a loud voice, “I can testify!” “The woman in front of us…” Looking at that familiar face, I felt incredibly excited, but the next second, I heard him say with a smile: “Is definitely this man’s wife! They’re married!”

My voice caught in my throat, coming out as a hoarse cry. “You’re lying!” “Derek! You know the relationship between Lucas and me! Why are you lying?” Derek touched his watch and said matter-of-factly, “You’re the one lying, aren’t you?” “If Lucas hadn’t shown your marriage photos, I would have almost been fooled by you!” Lucas nodded in agreement. “Thank you, Mr. Davis!” “If you hadn’t helped me arrange to meet Madison, I wouldn’t have known what to do!” “Madison, please be good. Forgive me, okay?” “I already know I was wrong!” My wrist was gripped so tightly by him that the pain made me feel suffocated. My phone had long disappeared—hidden somewhere by Lucas. I could only place my last hope in the crowd. “I really don’t know him! Please help me call the police!” I used to see stories online about women being kidnapped and couldn’t understand why they couldn’t escape. Now that I’d experienced it myself, I finally understood. In this chaotic situation, combined with Lucas’s sob story, Mrs. Hayes’s crying, and the so-called witness… It was very difficult for me to escape. Lucas held my wrist tightly, looking triumphant. “Stop wasting your energy! No one will believe you.” I seized the opportunity and bit down hard on his arm. The taste of blood quickly filled my mouth and spread. Lucas gasped in pain and instinctively pushed me to the ground. Finally free, I ran outside without stopping. But there were too many onlookers, and most of them were men. They blocked me with their bodies, refusing to let me through. “Everyone help me stop her!” Enraged, Lucas grabbed me back again. Gritting his teeth, he slapped me across the face. “Damn it, you just don’t know what’s good for you!” “You want to run?” “Fine! Pay back every penny I spent on you as a wedding gift! Pay back all the money I spent on you!” Mrs. Hayes added tearfully, “This is marriage fraud! Marriage fraud!” Hearing this, the crowd’s contempt for me reached a new peak. “Isn’t this just a gold-digger?” “Wow, this is too dramatic! This woman is shameless!” “How much did you take from him? Pay it back now!” Just as I opened my mouth, Lucas slapped me again. “You bitch, I was so wrong about you!” As soon as he finished speaking, police sirens sounded in the distance. I breathed a sigh of relief and used all my strength to shout for help. The police quickly arrived beside us. By this point, my face had swollen like a balloon, but I still forced myself to stay conscious and report to the police. “He…” I had just opened my mouth when Lucas blocked my way. Holding his chin high, he said, “What?” “Are you police going to interfere in my family matters now?” “I’m disciplining my own wife!” The officer in front had a stern expression. “You’re saying she’s your wife?” Lucas nodded arrogantly. “What else?” “How dare you police… Ahhhh! It hurts!” The officer in front grabbed his shoulder hard, gripped his neck, and turned his face toward me. “Her name is Madison Wilson. She’s my wife! Are you saying she’d leave me to choose scum like you?”

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My roommate Bella and I had the same taste. She liked every single one of my boyfriends. She said I was too naive, unable to see through men’s tricks, and volunteered to test them for me. So she seduced my boyfriends under the pretense of looking out for me. After successfully stealing them, she’d gloat and mock me: “See? I told you you’re a terrible judge of character. Those men are all scheming liars. If it weren’t for me, you’d have been fooled for sure!” I’d be furious but couldn’t argue back. This time, I secretly started dating the school’s football star behind her back. When she found out, she made her move again. But what she didn’t know was that this boyfriend was specially prepared for her. Bella was showing off a photo of herself with my ex-boyfriend Lucas, flaunting it everywhere. “When he was chasing you, he said you were the only one for him. Now all I had to do was crook my finger and he came running. Good thing I was here, or you’d have been fooled again!” I clenched my fists, anger surging through my chest. “Calling yourself a homewrecker so proudly—have you no shame?” Bella froze, then put on a hurt expression: “Molly, I’m just trying to protect you from being deceived. Why can’t you appreciate that?” Our roommate Jennifer immediately jumped to her defense: “Molly, you’re way too obsessed with relationships. Getting into a fight with a good friend over some guy—is it really worth it?” “Exactly. If it weren’t for Bella, you wouldn’t know how many times you’d been fooled. She’s filtering out trash for you. You should be thanking her!” Our other roommate Rachel also sided with Bella. I opened my mouth but couldn’t get a word out. My five ex-boyfriends were indeed terrible people, but was Bella any better? Before each breakup, I’d secretly checked their phones. Bella had sent them lots of revealing photos—her pajama tops cut very low. She’d ask them things like “Do you think my breasts are big?” I thought they were all disgusting. Bella sidled up to me, her tone dripping with smugness: “Molly, you’re not actually mad, are you?” “I didn’t mean anything by it. I just chatted with them casually, and they all fell for me. That’s not my fault, is it?” Jennifer chimed in: “Of course it’s not your fault. It’s because you’re so charming. Unlike some people who think just because they get good grades, every guy in the world wants them.” Then she exchanged a knowing glance with Rachel, and they both smirked. I ignored their petty schemes, turned my head, and continued looking at my phone. The dorm fell silent for a few seconds. Suddenly Jennifer let out a shocked yell: “Oh my god, look who that is!” She pressed herself against the balcony window, craning her neck to look down: “That’s Damien! Damien! What’s he doing downstairs at our dorm?” Rachel and Bella immediately rushed out. “Holy crap, it really is him! What’s he doing at our building? Is he waiting for his girlfriend?” “No way! Who’s that lucky? This is Damien we’re talking about—the untouchable dream guy!” Jennifer seemed to remember something and looked at Bella: “Bella, didn’t you used to be pretty close with Damien? Does he have a girlfriend now?” Bella’s expression shifted, but she said nothing. Back then, she’d chased Damien for over six months and couldn’t even get him to add her on social media. I finished applying my lipstick in the mirror and prepared to leave. Bella blocked my way: “Didn’t you break up with Lucas? Are you still going on dates with him?” I pushed her hand away: “I broke up with him three months ago. That piece of trash—if you like him so much, he’s all yours!” My phone suddenly rang. I answered immediately. A cool, smooth voice came through: “You there, babe? I’m downstairs.” “I’ll be right down.” Just as I was about to hang up, my phone was snatched away. Bella glared at me: “No wonder you don’t want Lucas anymore—turns out you’ve got someone new.” Then she spoke into my phone in a sickeningly sweet voice: “Hi, I’m Molly’s roommate, Bella. Are you Molly’s boyfriend?” I don’t know what was said on the other end, but the smile on her face suddenly froze. Taking advantage of her shock, I grabbed my phone back and hung up immediately. Crazy jealousy flashed in Bella’s eyes as she stared at me intently: “Your boyfriend is Damien?”

“That’s impossible. Damien has such high standards—how could he possibly go for her?” “Exactly. The line of girls chasing Damien reaches all the way to the school gates. Molly? As if she’s good enough.” Bella said nothing, but her expression had returned to calm. She looked me up and down: “Molly, you didn’t just find some random guy to pretend to be Damien to fool us, did you?” Looking at her face, so convinced she’d seen through everything, I suddenly found it amusing. “Think whatever you want.” I was done wasting words on her. I turned and headed downstairs. At the entrance to the dorm building, Damien was leaning against a red Lamborghini. When he saw me come out, he waved. Scattered sunlight fell on Damien. He really was handsome—no wonder Bella had chased him for six months. And that was precisely why I’d agreed to date him. “Did you wait long?” “Just got here. Get in.” Damien thoughtfully opened the car door for me. The moment I got in the car, I glanced up and happened to see three insanely jealous faces on the dorm balcony. I almost laughed out loud. Damien took me to a tennis court at a private club. He wrapped his arms around me from behind, teaching me how to grip the racket. My phone rang. It was Bella. “Molly, you’re at the tennis court, aren’t you?” I was slightly surprised. She really was relentless. “What do you want?” Bella put on a wounded tone: “What kind of attitude is that? I’m just worried about you, afraid you’ll get fooled.” “Damien won’t fool me. And stop calling me!” My voice turned cold as I hung up directly. Damien handed me a towel and gently wiped my forehead: “What’s wrong? Did your roommate make you angry?” I took the towel: “Yeah, someone’s jealous I found such a handsome boyfriend.” He chuckled softly and reached out to ruffle my hair. The next second, a tennis ball suddenly flew over and hit Damien hard in the back. Damien frowned and turned around. Bella ran over in a panic. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t see clearly. I’m really sorry.” She bent down, her blouse neckline cut very low. Her cleavage jiggled with the movement. Damien raised an eyebrow. His gaze swept across her face with no expression. “It’s fine.” He put his arm around my waist, preparing to leave. Bella grabbed him: “How can I just let it go like that? Why don’t we add each other on SnapChat? I got your clothes dirty—let me buy you a new one.” Damien looked down, disgust flashing in his eyes. “No need. I don’t add random women.” He turned to look at me, his expression softening: “Babe, I’m sorry this ruined things. Let’s go. I’ll buy you a Cartier bracelet to make up for it.” I smiled, shooting Bella a triumphant look. She stood there, her face livid. My previous boyfriends would also politely refuse Bella in front of me. But the burning desire in their eyes couldn’t be hidden. After we got back, they’d always secretly add her. She thought all men were the same. Too bad this time, she’d run into Damien, who couldn’t be bothered to give her a second glance.

I was very satisfied with Damien. So satisfied that I even thought he might be the exception. But sometimes, reality slaps you in the face faster than you expect. The day of the school play rehearsal, I went to find him. He and Bella were sitting close together, sharing a milk tea. He took a sip. Then Bella lowered her head, placing her lips on the straw he’d just touched. After she drank, Damien casually took another sip without any hesitation. My head buzzed. Damien looked up and saw me. He froze for a moment. Following my gaze, he also looked at the straw: “Bella has low blood sugar. She fainted on stage several times. I want to finish rehearsal quickly so we don’t waste everyone’s time.” He handed the remaining milk tea to Bella: “Finish this and let’s get back to rehearsing.” Bella took it, slowly sucked on the straw, and smiled at me: “Your boyfriend really is dense. No matter how I flirt, he doesn’t react.” “This time, you finally picked the right one.” She walked away in her high heels, her back as arrogant as ever. I stood there, my heart pounding hard. I knew that look of determination in her eyes all too well. Damien noticed my expression was off and reached out to hold me: “Babe, don’t overthink it.” “A few days ago, the girl playing the female lead was in a car accident. Bella’s filling in as a favor. I can’t not return the favor.” I nodded and leaned on his shoulder. “You know what? Bella seems to really like my boyfriends. She stole away all my previous ones. I’m afraid you’ll also…” He held me tighter: “Don’t worry. The person I love will always be you.” As soon as he finished speaking, his phone rang. I glanced at it. It was a message from Bella. He quickly looked at it, then released me: “I need to get back to work. I’ll come find you later.” I watched his retreating figure, my heart sinking bit by bit. I thought Damien would be different, but in just one week, he’d already added her on SnapChat. Over the next few days, Damien clearly sensed my low mood. To cheer me up, he said he’d take me on a yacht and introduce me to his close friends. I decided to give him one more chance. The yacht was huge, with champagne and delicate pastries on the deck. Damien introduced me to everyone: “This is my girlfriend, Molly.” A few guys greeted me with smiles. The atmosphere was fairly pleasant. After chatting for a bit, the topic shifted to the Steele family’s recent project. “How’s your family’s new drug development going?” Damien frowned: “There’s one critical issue we can’t overcome. If we could contact top cardiac specialist Dr. Harold Smith, things would be fine. Otherwise, if this drags on, all our initial investment will go down the drain.” As soon as he finished speaking, a familiar voice cut in: “Dr. Smith?” Bella walked over with a smile. “I know him. My aunt is a pharmaceutical rep. She’s had dinner with Dr. Smith several times. If you want to meet him, I can help.” Damien looked up, surprise flashing in his eyes. I stood to the side, my fingers slowly clenching. All of Damien’s attention was drawn to Bella. While they were deep in conversation, I quietly took out my phone and sent a message to an unsaved number. “The fish is almost hooked. Proceed as planned.”

Damien began meeting with Bella frequently behind my back. After each meeting, Bella would have a new piece of jewelry or another handbag. As usual, she showed off a bag Damien had given her in the dorm. Jennifer’s eyes widened in exaggerated shock: “This bag is the new limited edition from Hermès—only three in the world! Bella, who gave it to you?” Bella’s smile was loaded with meaning: “Some people think they’ve got the dream guy on a leash, not realizing that flower has legs of its own.” The corner of her mouth lifted. That satisfied expression—I knew it all too well. She must have gotten Damien. I suppressed the anger in my chest, put on my headphones, and turned the volume to maximum. During this period, Damien hadn’t come to find me. He was too busy dealing with headaches over the new drug development. Until my birthday, when he suddenly asked to meet. He hugged me excitedly, his voice filled with barely contained joy: “Molly, I have great news! We finally broke through the bottleneck in the drug development!” “I know I’ve been neglecting you lately, but I’m really sorry—I’ve just been so busy.” Once he mastered this technology, he could officially take over the family business. He shared this news with me first. I was touched. Then he took me to the Van Cleef & Arpels boutique. He immediately set his sights on a ten-million-dollar custom jewelry piece. “Do you like it?” I stared, stunned. The necklace was so beautiful it seemed unreal. “It’s beautiful, but it’s too expensive.” “It’s not expensive. Only this can show how much I care.” My nose tingled, and the gloom from the past few days dissipated. Damien handed me the exquisitely packaged gift box: “Molly, help me give this to Bella.” I froze, not comprehending. “What?” “These past days, she’s been running around helping me with everything. She really helped me out. You’re my girlfriend—it’s more appropriate if you give it to her.” I lowered my head, didn’t refuse, and showed no expression on my face. I immediately contacted Bella. She happened to be at the same mall. Damien and I went directly to find her. When we reached the agreed spot, we saw her struggling with a man. That man was my ex-boyfriend, Lucas. “Bella, stop avoiding me. I’ve already found a house—the new development at the Waterfront. I’ll put it in your name. As long as you’re with me, I’ll give you anything.” Bella frowned: “Lucas, what’s wrong with you?” But Lucas kept pestering her relentlessly, holding onto Bella. The next second, a figure rushed over and punched Lucas hard in the face. “What do you think you are to harass her like this?” Lucas stumbled back several steps, glaring at Damien resentfully. The two men fought, both landing heavy blows. It took three or five mall security guards to pull them apart. I suddenly found it ridiculous. My current boyfriend and my ex-boyfriend were beating each other up over another woman. How ironic. Bella, eyes red, threw herself into Damien’s arms: “Thank god you came. I was so scared…” Damien held her, lowering his head to comfort her softly: “It’s okay. I’m here.” After warning Lucas with his eyes, he left with Bella. From start to finish, he never looked back at me once. I was about to leave. Suddenly a large hand grabbed my arm and pulled me into the nearby fire escape. My back pressed against the cold wall. A familiar scent pressed down on me. After a passionate kiss, the person spoke slowly. “Babe, have you played enough? How was my performance? Every time that Bella touches my arm, I have to go home and wash it three times.”

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After Adrian cheated on me, he got on his knees and begged for forgiveness. I gave him three final chances to cut ties with his mistress. The first time, he bought her a custom-designed necklace. The second time, he purchased a beachfront villa for her. The third time, he cooked her one last romantic dinner. When he came back, he threw away everything connected to that woman and took my hand again. “Trust me. I’ll never betray you again.” Until I got into a car accident with a woman. The woman called someone, crying for help, and I heard my husband’s friend answer. “Adrian, I’m telling you—don’t go. You’ve used up all three chances. Lydia’s definitely going to file for divorce this time.” Then I heard Adrian’s arrogant voice: “Lydia’s an orphan. She’s never had anyone who loved her. She’s more afraid of divorce than I am.” “Just keep this between us. I know what I’m doing. This is the last time.” I lay in a pool of blood, my whole body turning cold. The woman crying in front of me was the mistress he’d been protecting all along. Twenty minutes later, Adrian—who had sworn to devote himself completely to our marriage—rushed to the hospital in a panic.

Through the thin curtain, I heard Adrian’s voice, mixed with heartache and reproach: “Why didn’t you call me immediately? Is the number I gave you just for show?” Vanessa struggled to sit up, her face the picture of obedience. “You said your wife only gave you three chances. I didn’t dare…” “What three chances?” Adrian’s emotions flared. “If you need me, call me! What would I do if something happened to you?” I listened quietly from the next bed, my vision blurring. When the accident happened, I was conscious. I called him first. Twenty-six calls in a row. No answer. Vanessa called once. He picked up instantly. Because Adrian knew I had no one else. No matter how long it took, I’d wait for his delayed callback. Just then, a doctor came in to change my bandages. The moment the curtain opened, Adrian’s anger toward me—the driver who’d hit his mistress—vanished from his face. He froze, but the words that came out were: “Did you secretly investigate Vanessa? Did you hit her on purpose?” I hadn’t expected his first reaction wouldn’t be checking if I was injured, but accusing me. Ever since I discovered his affair, he’d been fiercely protective of any information about Vanessa. “Her background isn’t great. If you dig it up, it’ll affect her.” But my orphan status? He’d broadcast it to everyone in our social circle. Just to make sure everyone knew how much I needed him. I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and gave a bitter laugh. “That’s four times now. You broke your promise.” When I’d insisted on divorce, he’d climbed onto the rooftop of our home. “If you divorce me, I’ll jump! I can’t live without you. I told you—you’re the only person I’ll ever love!” My heart had softened then. I gave him three chances to end things with his mistress. He’d cleaned up all traces of the affair. I’d naively thought I’d won this battle for my marriage. But today, cruel reality had slapped me hard across the face. “What’s the difference between three times and four? She was in an accident. Are you really heartless enough to expect me to abandon her?” Adrian kept his voice low, afraid the girl would hear. What could I say? That I was also in an accident? That she only had a scraped knee while my shoulder required ten stitches? Vanessa suddenly called out to him. “How did the negotiation go? Do we have to pay damages?” The man rushed to soothe her anxiety. “That person’s fine. Just focus on recovering.” I lay in my hospital bed listening to that mocking term—”that person”—and I laughed. Even though my wounds hurt, it was nothing compared to one ten-thousandth of the pain in my heart. Adrian’s only act of mercy was signing a stack of hospital bills on the table while I slept. If he’d cared about me at all, if he’d actually read what he was signing… He would have seen the divorce papers I’d signed, tucked among them.

That night my wounds became infected and my fever spiked to nearly 104 degrees. I went to find the doctor alone. Paid the bills alone. Behind me, nurses whispered: “Vanessa only has superficial injuries, but her boyfriend moved her to a VIP room. That woman’s in this condition and she’s all alone.” I gave a self-mocking smile and turned around. Adrian came toward me and slapped me across the face. “Lydia, you’ve gone too far!” “Who told you to use my credit card? Vanessa will find out who you are!” “I’ve made myself very clear—I’m definitely going to end things with her. I just need time. I’ve already done this much. What more do you want?” My already weak body swayed. The burning handprint made my eyes turn red. Only then did Adrian soften his tone and pull me into his arms. “I’m the only person in this world who truly loves you. You should be able to feel that.” “As long as you’re willing to wait, I’ll definitely come back to our family completely.” When I was an orphan everyone looked down on, and Adrian proposed on one knee, I thought I was the luckiest woman in the world. People in our circle couldn’t believe it. They often remarked: “You’re so lucky!” I’d been drowning in that love, unable to pull myself out. Until… When Vanessa threw tantrums, he openly used videos of me being bullied to amuse her, leaving me ostracized by the wealthy wives. For one phone call from Vanessa, he abandoned me in the middle of nowhere to walk home, where I nearly got mauled by wild animals. Later it escalated. He let Vanessa call me in the middle of the night, playing sounds of them having sex, which caused me to miscarry the baby I’d just conceived. Then he turned around and blamed me for being petty, for not being able to keep a child. My face felt frozen, and I was drenched in sweat from the pain. Adrian pressed his car keys into my palm. “Vanessa can’t recover peacefully with you here. Check yourself out immediately.” My whole body was burning up, and my vision kept going dark. But I still murmured my agreement. Adrian’s expression grew complicated. Just then, I got a call from Margaret Collins, the orphanage director. Hearing she’d had a heart attack, I stumbled upstairs. Margaret’s face had turned purple, and she was struggling to breathe. As the doctor worked on her, he explained: “A young woman came over and argued with her, even hit the old lady and said terrible things!” My pupils constricted instantly. For someone like me with no parents, Margaret wasn’t just like family—she was better than family. I turned around shakily. Vanessa threw herself into Adrian’s arms, crying pitifully: “That old woman called me a homewrecker. I only tried to explain, and she fell down trying to frame me…” Rage surged through me. “You’re lying!” Vanessa glanced at me and revealed several crude pinch marks on her body, crying louder. Meanwhile, Margaret’s exposed skin was covered in scratches from fingernails and obvious bruises. Seeing Vanessa’s secretly taunting expression, I couldn’t hold back and slapped her across the face. But the next second, an even harder slap landed on my face.

Instantly, a metallic taste spread through my mouth. Adrian held up his trembling hand, guilt flashing briefly in his eyes. “What gives you the right to hit Vanessa? Your so-called family member verbally attacked her first. Is this the kind of manners you have?” I blinked away the tears in my eyes, unable to believe he’d said such a thing. Everyone thought orphans, with no parents to raise them, had no manners—were wild children. He used to smash bottles over people’s heads to shut them up, to protect me from mockery. Seeing my tear-filled eyes, Adrian’s eyes flashed with pain, but Vanessa clung to him, trembling: “Adrian, if you hadn’t arrived in time, they would’ve ganged up and beaten me to death…” Adrian seemed to imagine her being hurt, and disgust colored his gaze. “Tomorrow at the charity gala, you’ll publicly apologize to Vanessa! Don’t think I don’t know—if we don’t clear this up immediately, Margaret will definitely spread rumors about Vanessa everywhere!” I shook my head helplessly. “What if I don’t—” “If you don’t apologize, I’ll cancel the donation to the orphanage. And the card you use to pay for Margaret’s medical expenses—I’ll stop that too.” “Think carefully about how long it’ll take you to find a matching heart donor on your own. Hmm?” Looking at Margaret growing weaker in the hospital bed, I finally gave in. The next day at the charity gala, Adrian handed me a prepared apology statement. Vanessa walked over and dug her nails deep into my arm when no one was looking. Her smile remained perfect. “Lydia, an apology should be sincere.” The next second, her high heel kicked into the back of my knee, and I collapsed to the floor in humiliation. Like a puppet on strings, I recited the apology: “Margaret struck first. I’m apologizing on her behalf to Vanessa and will compensate for medical expenses…” Murmurs rose from the audience: “That’s what happens when you have no parents to raise you properly—hitting people at the drop of a hat. I don’t know what Adrian sees in her.” “Like mother, like daughter. Even though she’s not biological, her behavior is just as crude.” “I think Vanessa is much more elegant. Lydia’s position might be changing hands soon.” … Contemptuous gazes burned like hot coals. Vanessa watched me with a victor’s stance. I struggled to stand. Still feverish, I swayed, and Adrian instinctively stepped forward. “Are you feeling unwell? You look terrible.” I pushed his hand away. He cleared his throat. “Don’t misunderstand. I just don’t want you ruining this event.” Vanessa pretended to help me up but whispered in my ear: “Take care of yourself, Lydia. But I just heard the donor suddenly changed their mind and won’t give your precious Margaret a heart anymore. Looks like you’ll have to wait another ten years.” “Oh wait—who knows if she’ll even survive ten more years.” The woman’s taunting expression filled my vision. I couldn’t take it anymore and grabbed her by the throat. “What gives you the right to joke about her life?” The next second, Adrian shoved me away without holding back. “Lydia, have you lost your mind?” “I made you apologize so you’d learn your lesson, not so you could escalate and hurt her more!” I fell hard down the steps, every bone in my body screaming in pain. Vanessa’s taunting smile didn’t fade. Where Adrian couldn’t see, she mocked me freely. Just as I lunged at her again like a madwoman, shoving Adrian aside… A call from the hospital interrupted me: “Lydia, Margaret has suddenly… disappeared!”

My heart clenched painfully. I looked up and saw Vanessa’s increasingly smug expression. Under everyone’s contemptuous stares, I stumbled toward her, eyes red. “She’s my only family. Don’t you dare touch her!” My voice trembled uncontrollably. My whole body was shaking. People murmured around us. Adrian’s face couldn’t hide his embarrassment as he shoved me away hard. “Lydia, will you stop!” I crashed completely into the champagne tower. Countless glass shards pierced my skin. Adrian instinctively stepped forward, but Vanessa got to me first. “You really are clever, Lydia—seeing right away that I took that old woman. But guess what? How do you think I’ll torture her?” My heart raced frantically. Before I knew what I was doing, my hands were wrapped tightly around her throat. “I won’t let you hurt her!” The next second, a massive force threw me aside, followed by a slap. “Lydia, I’ve been more than fair to you. What has Vanessa ever done to you? Look at yourself—you’re acting like a shrew!” In his eyes, I looked completely deranged and humiliating. But all I could think about was Margaret’s uncertain fate. The next second, I grabbed a knife nearby and rushed at Vanessa. “Adrian, help me!” I didn’t expect Adrian to step in front of her and take the knife in his back. He turned around and furiously ordered the security guards: “My wife has lost her mind. Make her bow and apologize one hundred times. Maybe that’ll wake her up!” They forced my head down again and again until my forehead was bloody and raw. But when I lifted my head once, I saw Vanessa triumphantly waving her phone at me. The orphanage where I’d grown up was engulfed in thick smoke, and I could hear Margaret’s cries for help inside! I completely panicked. “Let me go! Adrian, please let me go!” I struggled to break free, but Adrian held me down forcibly. “You’re not leaving until you’ve bowed a hundred times!” I couldn’t care about anything else. I kept bowing, blood blinding my eyes. Hatred filled my gaze as I looked at each person there. Adrian’s eyes flashed with shock, and he instinctively reached for me. But I shook him off violently and ran out of the gala without looking back. The man’s gaze followed me, his heart sinking inexplicably. When I reached the orphanage, the fire had spread to the entire attic. I rushed in frantically, fumbling to untie the ropes binding Margaret. But she smiled at me weakly, then took her last breath. I froze in place. In that moment, my heart died completely. But the next second—boom—an unexpected explosion hit, and my vision went black… As the charity gala’s donation representative, Adrian headed to the orphanage surrounded by reporters. The moment he opened the car door, flames filled the sky, and he froze in place.

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That night a year ago, I lost control after getting drunk. It became the beginning of my nightmare. A year later, I carefully orchestrated my approach to New York’s wealthiest man, Adrian, solely to use his power and influence to reclaim the assets my stepmother and stepsister had seized from me. He was cold and arrogant, yet gradually took the bait as I played hard to get. Just when I thought victory was within my grasp, my father exposed my dark past right in front of him. “She was violated, and she has mental problems…” Adrian’s gaze turned ice-cold in an instant. “I can make you Mrs. Knight, and I can just as easily strip that title away.” But what came next was even more devastating. His first love suddenly appeared with a five-year-old girl, the child timidly calling out to him. “Daddy…” And the secret I’d buried deep in my heart was enough to destroy everyone. The person who slept with me that night a year ago was Adrian. A cold smile curved my lips as I raised my hand to cover my lower abdomen. There was a long scar there. Left behind from childbirth.

Lydia POV “Let go of me… you can’t…” I struggled to push him away, but he caught my wrists with one hand and pinned them above my head against the sheets. The man on top of me clearly had no intention of letting me go. His other hand traced down along my waistline, his palm burning hot, yet pressing down with alarming force, as if trying to weld me into his body. His breath brushed against my ear, hot and heavy, each exhale seeming to scorch my skin. “Behave.” His voice was rough and fierce, carrying an irresistible sense of oppression. I clenched my teeth and twisted harder, but he only pressed down more heavily in response. His knee forced my legs apart, cutting off all escape routes. The natural disparity in strength between men and women. I was no match for his power… One year later, New York’s wealthiest family, the Knights, held a ball. I scanned the crowd, quickly picking out the most striking man in the room. Adrian Knight. Adrian, heir to the Knight family, was currently conversing with his friend Jackson. Jackson’s gaze inadvertently met mine. I heard Jackson ask involuntarily. “Did the Knights invite her?” Following Jackson’s line of sight, Adrian looked toward me. Adrian’s handsome brows furrowed slightly. “Do you know her?” “Daughter of Marcus Reed, Lydia. Pretty bold reputation, the promiscuous type, countless men around her. She’s probably here tonight hunting for a new target.” Jackson’s assessment of me was extremely unfavorable. I noticed Adrian’s gaze on me, so I took the opportunity to lift my dress hem, swirling the red wine in my glass. The crimson liquid shimmered with an alluring gleam, radiating a provocative air. I deliberately moved closer to Adrian. The moment I neared him, my ankle twisted slightly, and my body fell against Adrian’s chest, the red wine spilling onto his suit… I immediately apologized in alarm. “I’m so sorry… I spilled on you…” Adrian’s voice was extremely soft. “It’s fine.” I endured the weight of Adrian’s gaze. “How about I help you clean it in the restroom?” At that moment, Adrian’s deep eyes flowed with unfathomable light, invisibly filling me with endless fear. But I had to remain composed. After a moment, Adrian nodded. “Alright.” “Sir, please remove your jacket.” At the restroom entrance, I paused. Adrian removed his suit jacket and handed it to me. I dampened a handkerchief and carefully cleaned Adrian’s jacket. After finishing cleaning Adrian’s suit, I smiled lightly as I handed it back to him and apologized again, “The jacket is clean now. I’m sorry for the trouble.” Adrian accepted it with elegant composure, his gaze at me seemingly carrying a hint of predatory intent. “What’s your name?” Clearly, my appearance had left an impression on Adrian. “Lydia.” Then I said. “It’s an honor to meet you today. I’m truly sorry for causing you trouble, Mr. Knight.” Adrian seemed somewhat surprised. “You know who I am?” I smiled. “In all of New York, who wouldn’t know Mr. Knight? You’re the dream man thousands of women chase after.” But I understood the art of advance and retreat. The next second, I stopped lingering, “Mr. Knight, I should go now. I was too forward today. Please forgive me.” Adrian nodded elegantly, his gaze at me meaningful. My heart beat faster and faster. I quickly left the party venue and got into my family butler’s car. The Reed family butler was loyal to me and very attentive to my affairs. “Did you meet Adrian? What was his reaction?”

Lydia POV In this moment, I breathed a sigh of relief. “I did meet him.” I was a bit uncertain. “But I’m not sure what his reaction will be. Adrian is unpredictable, his thoughts so composed they’re hard to read, but undeniably, he’s very gentlemanly.” After all, my appearance today was quite abrupt and forward. But without being abrupt and forward, how else could I have a chance to get close to Adrian? The butler knew my current situation was dire. After careful consideration, he offered a suggestion. “Miss Reed, why not choose a different target? Adrian is cold, arrogant, and unfathomable. He’s a powerful figure beyond our ability to control. It won’t be easy to hook him. This kind of person is beyond our reach.” The butler suggested I should lower the difficulty for myself. I shook my head. “If I really want to overcome my current predicament, I need exactly Adrian’s power and authority. The difficulty may be high, but I still want to give it a try.” I wasn’t actually certain, I could only approach it with an experimental attitude. After all, the more composed and reserved Adrian was, the higher the danger coefficient. He was like a predatory king, with everything under his control, possessing a chilling coldness. The butler was helpless and fell silent. I continued with my instructions. “Keep tracking Adrian’s movements. I need to constantly infiltrate his circle and make him notice me.” After leaving the party, I returned to the Reed house. In just the few days I’d been away, the villa had been nearly emptied. “What’s going on?” I couldn’t believe the scene before me. I didn’t have long to wonder. My father was already moving antique paintings and scrolls from the study…. I quickly approached him. “Dad, what happened? Why has everything here been moved out?” “I sold this place.” “What right do you have to sell it! This villa is my mother’s property, left to her by my grandparents.” Marcus didn’t take my anger seriously. “You still have the nerve to ask what right I have. If you’d been willing to date Mr. Henderson last time, would the Reed family have been reduced to selling the villa?” It was better when Marcus didn’t bring up that incident. Once he mentioned it, I flew into a rage. “Mr. Henderson, that old geezer, is about your age, isn’t he? You wanted me to be with him? What were you thinking!” “Lydia, I was doing this for your own good…” “For my good, you should have had Clara marry that old creep, not set your sights on me.” Marcus’s face looked quite bitter. “Lydia, I know you have some prejudice against your stepmother and sister, but they love you…” “I’ve already reached my limit tolerating you bringing those two bitches into our home. Now you want to sell the only thing my mother left behind? Aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?” “You cheated on my mother, had a bastard daughter outside who’s already grown, and now you want to take her inheritance too. If you had any shred of humanity, you wouldn’t touch this villa.” My attitude was clear-I absolutely would not compromise. Marcus’s expression was equally determined. “It’s already sold. The contract is signed. Tomorrow the buyer moves in…” “Who the hell did you sell it to!” I couldn’t help clenching my fists. “Lydia… we need to solve the Reed Corporation’s current difficulties.” “No matter what excuse you give, no one is touching my mother’s villa. Especially not you.” With that, I turned to leave. I knew I wouldn’t get any real answers from Marcus. I could only investigate myself. “Lydia, where are you going? Stop right there. Can’t you show some consideration for my feelings!” Marcus’s voice was full of helplessness. I used to be too considerate of Marcus, which is why I tolerated him bringing his mistress and daughter home. My stepmother and stepsister were diligent and kind in front of Marcus, but behind his back, they schemed and harmed me at every turn. Now they’d even set their sights on my mother’s inheritance. The butler rushed to report the situation to me. “Miss Reed, I heard the villa was sold to Mr. Damien Cross. Tomorrow, Mr. Cross will be moving into the Reed house.” “Him? Why would Damien Cross want to buy our villa?” I knew Damien Cross, the man the butler mentioned. We’d crossed paths once before. This man was a tyrannical rogue, his methods utterly shameless and despicable. The butler shook his head. “I haven’t investigated the specific circumstances yet. Should I go dig around for information first…” But I couldn’t wait. “Never mind that. Help me check Damien Cross’s schedule. I need to see him immediately.” Two hours later, the butler handed me an invitation to a party Damien Cross would attend: “Tonight’s party invitation. Damien Cross is confirmed to attend. You can make contact there.” I gripped the invitation tightly. After dressing up elaborately, I headed to the party venue. I changed into a sexy, daring dress. The moment I entered the ballroom, I spotted Adrian.

Lydia POV This time, my target in the crowd was Damien Cross. In a corner not far away, Damien was sipping red wine, surrounded by two women, a picture of evil arrogance. I walked toward him. When Damien caught sight of me, his expression turned wickedly gleeful, staring at me with a thoroughly depraved look. Then Damien gestured for the two women beside him to leave. He didn’t seem at all surprised to see me here, as if he’d expected me to come looking for him. I asked directly. “Mr. Cross, may I speak with you privately?” “Talk? Of course we can.” An evil expression crossed Damien’s face, suddenly covered with a thick layer of menace. He handed me a drink. “Drink this, then we’ll talk.” Damien’s gaze swept over me with casual insolence. I took the glass and downed it decisively. “Can we talk now?” Damien wore an ambiguous smile, grinning like the Big Bad Wolf. “Go ahead. What do you want to talk about?” “About our villa. Please, Mr. Cross, be magnanimous and give it up. We’re not selling anymore. Please be accommodating and return it to the Reed family.” But Damien remained unmoved. His brows were raised in a wicked smile, making him look even more ruthless. “What the hell is your Reed family? What do you take me for! You say you’re not selling, so you’re not selling?” I clearly sensed his anger and pleaded again. “Sir, it’s not like that. Our family didn’t communicate internally. The decision not to sell is our fault, so we can compensate you according to the contract price…” I was very anxious. After all, the evil emanating from Damien made him seem like a predatory hungry wolf, filling me with panic. Sure enough, before I could finish speaking, Damien’s long arm reached out, pulling me into his embrace, causing me to crash squarely into his chest. “What are you going to compensate me with?” I was completely at a loss, leaning against Damien, our bodies uncomfortably close. I instinctively struggled, but Damien held me fast, preventing me from moving an inch. “Please don’t do this. I’ll find a way to compensate you. Please return the villa to us. Tomorrow morning, I’ll transfer the money to your account.” I was determined to get the villa back. But Damien’s expression hardened, a slow, sinister look creeping over his face. “What if I don’t want compensation?” Suddenly, I sensed trouble brewing. Even though I was afraid, I could only continue negotiating with Damien in a reasonable tone. “Then what are your conditions? I’ll try to meet them, as long as you don’t buy our villa.” Damien’s expression became thoroughly vile, a cynical smile appearing. “Sleep with me right here, and I’ll return the villa to you.” As he spoke, Damien’s eyes stared at me like a tiger eyeing its prey. My fear surged to the extreme-just as I’d suspected, this guy was no good person. “You’re joking, right? You can have any woman you want… Someone like me who’s been with everyone, you wouldn’t be interested.” I deliberately degraded myself, trying to make Damien let go. But Damien came on strong. “I’ve played with all kinds of women, but I’ve never played with trash like you. I want to try something fresh.” In this moment, no matter how calm and composed I tried to be, I couldn’t handle a rogue like Damien. Despite struggling desperately, I still couldn’t escape Damien’s grasp. “What, playing hard to get with me, huh?” “If you touch me, aren’t you afraid of ruining your reputation…” “I’ll tell you straight-I’ve had my eye on you for a long time.” I couldn’t push Damien away. Just as I was about to become fish on the chopping block, left to Damien’s mercy, a familiar voice rang out. “You seem to be in good spirits.” The voice drifted over, low and slightly cold, carrying an invisible sense of oppression. When Damien looked up and saw Adrian approaching, he immediately released me and rushed forward to greet Adrian. “Adrian.” I took the opportunity to break free, turning my back to both Damien and Adrian, completely unprepared for Adrian to be here. As I turned my back to Adrian, my spine felt as if ignited by a scorching heat… But Adrian brazenly wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close without any pretense, reaching up to adjust my neckline, blocking Damien’s lascivious gaze. “Some women are off-limits to you.” Adrian’s voice was gentle and soft, yet concealed an extremely powerful warning.

Lydia POV Hearing this, Damien looked at Adrian with shock and surprise in his eyes, “You two… Adrian, you and her… how is that possible?” Adrian’s lips curved slightly. “Mr. Cross, if you’ve set your sights on someone I care about, you’d better watch yourself.” Damien naturally understood that Adrian was someone he couldn’t afford to provoke, yet he was unwilling to accept it. “Adrian, this woman… being with you isn’t appropriate. Everyone knows how rotten and promiscuous she is.” How disgusting, Damien-could I really be worse than him! Adrian still held me close, their proximity intimate, yet his words carried a sharper edge, “Don’t provoke her.” Immediately, Adrian led me away. My tightly wound heart finally relaxed somewhat. Once out of Damien’s line of sight, I expressed my gratitude. “Mr. Knight, thank you for earlier.” At close range, Adrian’s gaze seemed particularly sharp. Adrian’s words carried a hint of anger. “Are you very familiar with Damien Cross?” Familiar enough to let yourself be pressed under him like that? I could tell Adrian seemed angry. “Not really familiar, just acquainted.” “Just acquainted, and you’ll throw yourself at him?” I was speechless. After a moment of silence, I continued. “There was something I needed his help with.” Adrian’s steady gaze fixed on me. “As long as someone can help you, you’ll do anything they ask?” This unexpected encounter today had left Adrian somewhat displeased. I clearly caught his displeasure. “Actually, Mr. Knight, you want to ask if I’m as everyone says-if I’ll sleep with anyone, right?” I simply admitted it. “That’s right. I am that kind of loose woman.” “So now you’re blaming me for ruining your good time just now?” Adrian’s words involuntarily gained an edge of irritation. Hearing his words, I understood that in Adrian’s mind, I was a very casual woman. At a moment like this, denial was meaningless. I smiled. “Mr. Knight, you helped me out of that situation just now… could it be you’re interested in me?” Adrian didn’t answer, remaining somewhat calm, watching Lydia as if enjoying a show. With Adrian’s silence, I cautiously moved closer to him. At my approach, Adrian didn’t immediately refuse. Instead, his eyes seemed to spark with deeper meaning. We leaned very close together, like intimate lovers. “Sir, if others saw us this close together, they’d definitely misunderstand our relationship…” Adrian raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that what you want?” “So clever-you guessed right. What woman in New York wouldn’t want to be connected with you?” “Including you?” “Of course. I’m one of them.” I was increasingly undisguised about my ambition regarding this man, desperate to attach myself to him. In my peripheral vision, I noticed Marcus Reed approaching with Clara Reed in the distance. When Clara saw me so intimately close to Adrian, jealousy was obvious on her face. “Dad, how can Lydia be with Mr. Knight? They look very close.” Clara was quite agitated. They quickly came over, interrupting our eye contact. “Hello, Mr. Knight.” Adrian and I turned around simultaneously. I happened to see my father Marcus right in front of me, with Clara behind him. Marcus directly ignored me, fawning over Adrian in greeting, “Mr. Knight, I’m Marcus Reed. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Adrian nodded slightly in acknowledgment, their greeting exchanged. His manner remained elegantly composed, thoroughly gentlemanly. Marcus seized this opportunity to introduce Clara to Adrian. “Mr. Knight, this is my daughter, Clara Reed. She’s about to graduate from university. Clara, come here and greet Mr. Knight.” Clara took happy little steps forward, joyfully greeting Adrian, “Mr. Knight, hello. I’m so happy to meet you.” Clara’s brief words couldn’t conceal her excitement. Her alluring eyes stared straight at Adrian, never looking away. I was ignored, completely disregarded by Marcus. In Marcus’s eyes, Clara was his only daughter. Adrian didn’t resist the introduction to Clara. At least from my perspective, even though he knew Marcus and Clara had ulterior motives, he still indulged them. My mood immediately plummeted, and I walked away alone.

Lydia POV After leaving Adrian’s line of sight, I drank alone, both dejected and full of resentment. After greeting Adrian, Clara came to provoke me, her tone contemptuous. “Drinking alone? In a bad mood?” “Get lost.” I had no pleasant expression for Clara. Clara and I were the same age. Every time I saw Clara, I couldn’t forgive my father’s infidelity. This meant that when my mother was still pregnant with me, Marcus had already betrayed her. Clara dropped her earlier obedience in front of Adrian, becoming supremely arrogant and unbridled. “Lydia, I totally understand your terrible mood. But sorry, from now on you’ll have plenty more occasions to feel depressed.” Clara’s raised brows were full of mockery toward me. “I’m warning you, Adrian is mine. Don’t you dare set your sights on him! Dad won’t take your side. With your stinking reputation, what man would want you? Let alone someone like Adrian.” Clara’s words enraged me, instantly igniting a flame of fury. “My bad reputation-you know perfectly well who’s been working behind the scenes to create it.” I detested Clara’s hypocritical face. Clara was so obedient and sweet in front of the elders, but privately before me she was utterly arrogant and unbridled. “Do whatever you want. Anyway, Lydia, you remember this-whatever belongs to you, I’m going to destroy it all. Just like your mother’s company and assets-everything that originally belonged to you, I’m taking it all.” Clara’s eyes were full of viciousness. “Whatever you have, Lydia, I’ll destroy it. If you want to latch onto Adrian, you don’t have a chance. You’re notorious-Adrian would never be interested in you.” I was furious, unable to tolerate her any longer. “Damn it, pretending in front of Dad, showing your vicious side to me-someone like you, you think Adrian would be interested? Dream on!” Clara couldn’t stand being provoked. The next second, she viciously splashed the wine in her hand at me. “Who the hell are you to say whether he’d be interested? You bitch…” The dress I’d carefully selected was now stained with a wet patch from Clara’s splash. I flicked the water droplets off my dress with my hand. Clara became even more arrogant. “Want to hit me? Lydia, I know you’re ruthless.” “Since you know I’m ruthless, you still provoke me? Looking for death.” I couldn’t bear it and slapped Clara across the face. Clara’s peripheral vision caught sight of Marcus approaching in the distance. She immediately dropped her earlier arrogance. “I’m sorry, Lydia. I didn’t mean to. Let me help you clean it. Please forgive me…” Regardless of why Clara’s attitude changed so rapidly, I spoke without restraint. “Still pretending? Bitch, you’re as shameless as your mother.” “Lydia, stop it! Aren’t you ashamed of making a scene!” Marcus rushed forward to intervene, grabbing my wrist just in time. The moment my wrist was seized, sparks flew. “Blaming me without knowing the truth-no wonder those two bitches have you completely fooled. The Reed family falling to this state today-you deserve it.” These words immediately turned Marcus’s face green. “You wretched girl…” “You’ve never treated me like a person. You tried to set me up with a disgusting old man older than you, yet you’re pairing Clara with Adrian. We’re both your daughters-why treat me this way!” I completely disregarded how many people were watching this spectacle, my emotions somewhat out of control as I shouted. Clara added fuel to the fire, apologizing humbly and pitifully. “I’m sorry, Lydia. It’s my fault. I was too careless. Let’s go to the restroom together. I’ll change clothes with you-just please don’t be angry with me anymore.” Clara’s pitiful appearance immediately drew murmurs from the onlookers. “Isn’t that the Reed family’s eldest daughter? She’s exactly as the rumors say-shrewish and violent.” “It was just an accidental stain on her clothes. Is it necessary to strike out like that? So uncultured.” “No wonder her father doesn’t like her. Who would like a daughter like that?” Voice after voice of contempt for me entered my ears. I knew I’d been tricked. Because of my momentary loss of composure, everyone was now pointing fingers at me. I could even imagine this was deliberately staged by Clara for Adrian to see… Marcus still defended Clara. “Lydia, be reasonable, will you? Can you stop targeting Clara at every turn? Clara treats you, her sister, so well. How can you be so heartless toward her…” “Fine, consider me heartless then. So while I’m still speaking nicely, hand over the Reed company. You three have been occupying what belongs to my mother-don’t you have any shame?” My hatred for Marcus couldn’t be extinguished. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became, and the angrier I got, the less I could forgive him. Hearing this, Marcus looked around at the surrounding crowd of onlookers, feeling utterly humiliated. He lowered his voice to scold me. “Haven’t you made enough of a scene? Isn’t the spectacle big enough? Get home right now…”

Lydia POV But the flames of anger in my heart couldn’t be extinguished. I might as well make things even bigger. “Afraid of being laughed at? Marcus Reed, you yourself are a joke. You built your fortune on my mother’s family, yet you deceived and betrayed her. Now you shamelessly and righteously occupy her family’s assets!” “Even if you want to hide these things, you can’t. Everyone knows you, Marcus Reed, are a scumbag who abandoned his wife and daughter and cheated constantly.” The moment my words fell, a stinging pain shot through my face… Only Marcus himself knew how forceful this slap was. After all, blood immediately trickled from the corner of my mouth. “Go home immediately. Don’t embarrass me anymore.” Marcus sternly rebuked me. Probably because they’d attracted too many onlookers, Marcus absolutely had to maintain his dignity as a father. Clara pretended to be kind, exclaiming in alarm. “Lydia, you’re bleeding. Let’s go outside. I’ll treat your wound.” I rejected Clara’s attempt to help me. I said to Marcus. “How many times have you hit me now? Since the first time you slapped me in my life, I’ve considered whether I should twist off that hand you used to slap me… These years, it’s only with that kind of mentality that I’ve been able to survive.” “Lydia… you…” These words undoubtedly made Marcus’s face extremely ugly. And I didn’t linger at the party, quickly leaving. I didn’t want Adrian to see me in such a wretched state. However, I didn’t expect that Adrian had witnessed our family conflict from a corner… The only place I could go was to my good friend Melissa’s place. Melissa looked at the red, swollen five-finger mark on my face. At this moment, I was truly in a wretched state. Melissa was indignant on my behalf. “That damned Clara, I’m going to beat her up. If she dares resist, I’ll beat her twice.” Saying this, Melissa really was about to go settle accounts with Clara. But I stopped her in time, grasping her wrist. “If it’s only a lesson of this degree, I seem to be at a disadvantage.” “What do you want to do? I’ll help you.” Melissa knew everything about my situation, fully aware of the suffering I endured in the Reed household. I was clearly the legitimate heiress, yet Clara and her mother harmed me relentlessly. “Earlier I asked you to investigate Adrian. Any progress?” I said. Melissa was a daughter of the Lewis family. Investigating matters wasn’t difficult for her. However, Melissa looked troubled. “Are you really sure you want to seduce Adrian? He’s not easy to hook.” My attitude was resolute. “I wasn’t this determined before. But now that Marcus is trying to set Clara up with Adrian, I have to win him over.” Thinking about how Marcus always favored Clara, resentment surged in my heart. “Whether you can win him over is still unknown. I heard Adrian keeps his distance from women, has no interest in them. The information I have shows he’s never been ambiguous with any woman. Are you sure you can do this?” Hearing Melissa say this, the difficulty was quite clear. I was determined. “No matter how hard it is, I have to try. I absolutely can’t let Clara get there first.” I encouraged myself. “I must marry Adrian!”

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When my husband came to pick me up from the hospital, my best friend was sitting in the passenger seat. Her smile was still bright and generous, but she showed no intention of giving up the seat. “Long time no see. You don‘t mind me sitting in front, do you, Claire?” Felix in the driver’s seat said nothing, simply changing the subject. “How did the hospital checkup go?” I clutched the pregnancy test report in my hand, opened the back door, and said slowly. “Just indigestion.” I thought Moira wouldn’t show up at today’s class reunion. After all, I’d heard she‘d been abroad for three years and was doing quite well. If I’d known she was coming, I definitely wouldn‘t have attended. “I’m telling you, Claire, you‘re still as delicate as ever. Who goes to the hospital for indigestion?” “Such a waste of medical resources.” She flicked the decorative ornament I’d placed in the car. “And Felix, this car costs several hundred thousand at least, but you‘ve decorated it so girly. Are you even a man?” Felix just stared ahead, chuckling with amusement. “She likes it.” “Ugh, I can’t stand this. Such a cool car, dressed up like something ridiculous.” “I can buy you one if you want.” “Please, don‘t play big boss with me. Without me, who’d carry you to victory in ranked games?” The curve of Felix‘s lips was captivating. I hadn’t seen him smile like this in ages. The car‘s air conditioning was on full blast, and my heart felt as if ice-cold water had been poured into it. I pulled a thin blanket over myself. “Are you cold?” Felix frowned at me in the rearview mirror, preparing to turn up the temperature. Moira in the front seat suddenly pressed down on his hand. “Hey! But I’m so hot. If you‘re cold, why don’t you open the window and let some warm air in? We‘re almost there anyway, so just bear with it.” Their hands naturally overlapped until Felix saw me nod, then he withdrew his hand to focus on driving. “One of you can’t stand the cold, the other can‘t stand the heat. I really don’t know how you two lived in the same dorm room before.” This time Moira didn‘t respond. I smiled. “Have you forgotten? Back then she was always running around with you, hardly ever stayed in the dorm.” Felix said nothing. Moira also lowered her head and started fiddling with her phone. The silence in the air felt like some kind of guilty conscience. Moira and I had known each other since childhood. Her father died early, and her mother was our family’s housekeeper. We‘d slept in the same bed, dressed each other’s dolls together, shared the same pack of sanitary pads, and stayed up late talking about the boys in our classes. It was only much later that I realized we‘d both fallen in love with Felix. At first, I would occasionally bring Moira along on dates. Felix had some complaints about this. But I never expected that gradually, when three of us went out together, I became the one sent to buy drinks. Occasionally, they would attend gatherings with friends together. Without inviting me. Because I didn’t like gaming, couldn‘t go bird hunting in the mountains, and didn’t dare participate in their group‘s street racing activities. But Moira was interested in all of these—even if she didn’t know how, she was willing to learn. I never thought their behavior crossed any lines. I only felt blessed. My best friend and my boyfriend were good friends. It was like we were one harmonious family. Until one day, she bet me on whether Felix would choose her or me. She lost, but it seemed I didn‘t win either.

Moira went abroad. The spot and funding were all provided by Felix. She said she wanted to study overseas, and he gave his full support. As for me, as the protagonist of an arranged marriage between two families, he had no right to refuse. The gathering was even more unbearable than I’d imagined. Someone ordered a pizza with a strong smell. My stomach churned, and I covered my mouth, excusing myself from the table with claims of discomfort. The restroom was inside the private room, with mediocre soundproofing. So when Moira said she‘d returned to the country to pursue her love, I heard it crystal clear. A wave of jeering voices flooded into my ears like a tide. “Who could make Moira chase after them? Tell us!” “I wouldn’t dare say. I might make someone angry.” “Just say it. Who would dare get angry with you? Worst case, I‘ll help you pursue them.” This was Felix’s voice. “You said it.” “Yeah.” “That person is far away in the horizon, yet close before your eyes.” The room outside suddenly fell silent, frozen like my breath. Gradually laughter returned. I heard Felix‘s helpless voice. “Moira, stop playing around.” I pushed the door open. Only then did I discover that Moira had calmly taken my seat, leaning against Felix, her eyes still holding affection she hadn’t withdrawn. Felix was the first to stand and walk over, his eyes full of concern. “Feeling better?” Like so many times before, the slightest show of emotion from him could make me feel like I was bathed in spring breeze. No matter what happened, as long as he spoke, I would automatically let everything slide. Because his dignity was more important than my emotions. And he seemed certain that I would always be understanding. I looked up at him and slapped him hard across the face. Those usually cold and composed eyes suddenly showed a moment of confusion. Moira‘s scream rang out from nearby. “Claire! Have you lost your mind!” I just stared coldly at the man I’d loved for so many years. “Felix, let‘s get divorced.” Felix had always treated me well. As a husband, he was nearly perfect. The Harper family had strict rules. He knew exactly what attitude to take toward his wife’s behavior. So when I slapped him in public and declared I wanted a divorce, he only frowned. “Claire, let‘s talk about this when we get home.” Everyone else was silent, except Moira speaking loudly. “If you have something to say, say it properly. Don’t get physical. Why don‘t I come home with you both, I could—” I finally gave her my first proper look of the day. “Come home with us? Who do you think you are?” Felix’s brow remained furrowed. “Claire, Moira‘s just trying to help. You don’t need to be so sensitive.” He didn‘t say a word when I slapped him—but the moment my tone toward Moira was slightly harsh, he suddenly became talkative. My vision finally blurred. But I didn’t expect Moira‘s tears to fall before mine. “Claire, did you hear what I said earlier as a joke? If you’re uncomfortable, I apologize right now.” She bent at the waist, her tears falling onto the carpet. I just stared at her coldly. “Actually, you don‘t need to take it to heart. You might not know this, but Felix and I often joke like this. All the guys know about it.” “I’ve been away from the country so long, I almost forgot you two are married. It‘s all my fault…” The classmates who’d been watching from the sidelines started trying to smooth things over. “Yeah, Claire, don‘t be angry. She really didn’t mean it that way.” “Felix is already married to you. Moira knows where the line is.”

“Claire used to be so gentle. I can‘t believe she’d hit someone like that. Who would‘ve thought…” “I didn’t realize Moira was so easygoing and good-tempered. I regret not spending more time with her before.” … I laughed. As I laughed, the tears I‘d just held back began to well up again. “Moira, you know exactly what you’re thinking.” Felix suddenly stood in front of her, his tall frame seemingly willing to shield her from all my accusations. “Claire, how much longer are you going to make a scene?” I stared steadily at his face, half of it gradually swelling. Even slightly unsightly, it only added a touch of mortal essence to his otherworldly features. The clarity and sense of justice in his eyes had never been absent. Like a judge sitting on a high platform, looking down at me with both pity and severity. This farce finally ended according to Felix’s orchestration. This time, Moira didn‘t sit in my passenger seat again. Felix considerately called her a car. Through the car window, I watched him nod reassuringly to her and say something to the driver. It was exactly like that summer day at the school gate, when someone suddenly told me to look ahead. So I saw Moira bouncing into a car, Felix patting her head while saying something to the driver. His expression warm and indulgent. Back then, they would arrange to go out with friends together—it had become an unspoken understanding between us. But I didn’t know they would also arrange to see just each other, without anyone else. The Moira of those days was both innocent and bold. She pressed a kiss to her palm, then suddenly placed it on Felix‘s face. Seeing his surprise, her face flushed with laughter. I was shocked into a daze by the scene before me. It turned out that countless hints from those around me couldn’t compare to witnessing reality with my own eyes. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car door closing. Seeing I wasn‘t in the front seat, he sighed helplessly. “Claire, Moira didn’t sit in your spot to make some kind of statement. She just thought the air conditioning was stronger up front.” His tone was utterly sincere. Usually at this point, my temper would have been mostly soothed. Perhaps the next second, I‘d have happily returned to my original position. If he then bought me a gemstone necklace at an auction, the matter would basically be over. But with Moira’s situation, I could probably never turn the page. “Felix, since we got married, you‘ve never let anyone sit in my passenger seat.” The car remained idle for a long time. Felix suddenly lit a cigarette. He knew I hated the smell of smoke, yet now he lit one in the cramped car interior. “I thought seeing Moira would make you happy.” “After all, you two used to be such good friends, didn’t you?” I sneered. “Yeah, good enough to share a boyfriend.” The car fell silent. I was forced to breathe secondhand smoke and couldn‘t help rolling down the window. He tossed away the cigarette, still more than half unsmoked, his voice hoarse. “Back then, when I saw her, I was reminded of you, so I showed her some extra patience. But I only saw her as a brother…” The car interior was dim. I lowered my head, a teardrop seeping from my nose into my clenched fist. “Do you know? She once cried to me while drunk, saying if only she were a man, you wouldn’t guard against her so deeply, and you two wouldn‘t have grown so distant.” I remembered that time. When Moira showed me the recording, her eyes were full of triumph. She said from that moment on, Felix only had business interests with me, no feelings.

I suppose that’s true. At least I can be certain that in all our years of marriage, he‘d never argued with others on my behalf the way he did now. “She didn’t have your privileged upbringing, yet managed to become so outstanding through her own efforts.” “Even if you resent her somewhat, you shouldn‘t jump to conclusions without hearing her explanation.” “Today, she just wanted to surprise you.” I suddenly felt my heart palpitate. Yet his voice, utterly disappointed, still reached my ears. “Claire, she and I have no future together. Why won’t you just let Moira go?” He wanted me to let Moira go. But when had Moira and he ever let me go? I used refusal to communicate to make my position clear. He didn‘t force me to comply, just drove in silence, speeding. What should have been a twenty-minute drive became ten minutes. When I got out of the car, I saw Moira standing at the door. She immediately raised both hands in surrender, sticking out her tongue. “I came to get something. I’ll leave right away.” Her job abroad was introduced by Felix. Naturally, they‘d have work contact after she returned home. I’d thought of this long ago. I just didn‘t expect Felix would let her stay. Looking at his resolute profile, I knew he was still angry. As if telling me he was in charge of this house. And I could only choose to accept it. When his gaze swept over, I knew he was waiting for me to make peace with him. Perhaps then he’d magnanimously let Moira move out. But I didn‘t. I just calmly walked ahead. Moira stayed in the guest room farthest down the hallway. Before bed, she said goodnight to me and apologized again. I just coldly closed the door and lay down. I couldn’t sleep. So when my bedmate quietly got up in the middle of the night, I noticed immediately. I just kept my eyes closed, hiding the tears gradually pooling beneath my eyelids. The hallway light was on, and the door to the game room that was rarely opened stood ajar. “Felix, this place is really amazing. You completely recreated the scene I described to you back then.” “I‘m glad you like it. I was worried it might be outdated by now.” “How could it be? I’m so touched…” I leaned against the wall, suddenly feeling unsteady on my feet. During the renovation, Felix had personally designed this game room. He treated every detail with extreme precision, to the point where even I found it puzzling. After all, he didn‘t interfere with any other part of the house’s design. Only the game room—he wouldn‘t let me have any input. It turned out it was all for Moira’s dream. He probably dreamed of living in this house with her. Unfortunately, if it weren‘t for me, he might have gotten his wish. I stumbled back to bed in a daze. That night, Felix never returned. My last bit of love for him gradually dissipated with time. At dawn’s first light, I finally got up, made a hospital appointment on my phone, booked a hotel room online, hastily packed a few items of clothing, and left. As I passed the game room, the door stood wide open. I looked straight ahead and left without a glance. By the time Felix discovered I‘d left, I was already sitting in the presidential suite enjoying the sumptuous breakfast the server had brought. My phone on the table rang incessantly. I patiently listened for a while. After the fifth call ended, it finally stopped. I knew Felix wouldn’t call again. His patience with me had always been limited. Besides, the Shaw family had been declining, needing the Harper family‘s influence in the industry. He was certain I was just temporarily angry and would never dare actually leave him.

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My wife Lester, who always hated children, suddenly became obsessed with the neighbor’s baby, taking care of it until the early morning hours every day before coming home. Not only did she leave me out in the cold, she even ignored me when I had surgery after a car accident. I couldn’t take it anymore. At the party celebrating my hospital discharge, I asked for a divorce. Friends and family all said the accident had knocked some sense out of me. My wife Lester viciously threw her drink in my face, furiously scolding me: “So what if I didn’t take care of you while you were hospitalized after the accident? Is that really such a big deal?” I slowly wiped away the mess on my body, looking at the suggestive red marks on her neck, my tone ice-cold: “Since you love his child so much, after we divorce, I’ll make sure you can be with them forever.” The expression on Lester’s face was complicated as she pulled up her collar, trying to cover her neck. Her eyes reddened with rage as she roared at me: “George, what are you trying to say?” “I’ve been taking care of Wesley to learn parenting skills, so I can take care of our future children.” “And now you want to divorce me over such a flimsy reason? Have you lost your mind?” I ignored her shouting, my face showing no emotion whatsoever. Calmly, I pulled out the divorce papers I’d already prepared from my bag and held them in front of her. “Sign them. I’ll see you at City Hall tomorrow morning.” All the friends and family around us were shocked, their burning gazes focused on me. But I didn’t care anymore. I left the divorce papers and prepared to leave. They couldn’t believe that we, such an enviable couple, would suddenly want a divorce. Lester’s eyes were filled with shock. She hadn’t expected me to have the divorce papers ready already. Seeing my determined attitude, my mom finally realized I wasn’t joking. She was the first to pick up the divorce papers from the table. After scanning a few lines, her face turned ugly. “George, do you really want a divorce? You and Lester have been married for ten years with such a good relationship. What happened?” They earnestly tried to get me to reconsider, even Lester’s best friend spoke up to persuade me. “Yeah, George, you and Lester have ten years together. Don’t let the neighbor’s baby ruin that.” “She’s just helping out because she felt sorry for the single dad and his child. Do you have to be so petty?” “She didn’t have kids back then because she didn’t want to hold back your career. Don’t you understand her good intentions?” Everyone around also blamed me for being heartless. But I said nothing, only pushing the divorce papers in front of Lester again. “This divorce must happen. I can’t endure this anymore.” My dad, who’d rushed over after hearing the news, slapped me hard across the face. It instantly stung with burning pain. I covered my swelling face and heard his furious roar: “How dare you divorce such a wonderful girl like Lester! I’ll beat you to death!” “All these years Lester has run this household so you could build your career. Now you want a divorce? Have you no shame?” My mom immediately rushed over to break it up, grabbing my hand and pleading earnestly. “George, if you two have problems, talk them out. Don’t bring up divorce.” “You’ll never find another wife this good. If you’re doing this because you have someone new, I won’t forgive you!” I slowly raised my head, the taste of blood spreading through my mouth, surrounded by judgmental voices. Lester immediately rushed over to support me with concern, treating my wounds. She was always so considerate. In front of others, she seemed like the perfect wife, but only I knew the bitterness between us. “George, I know you might have fallen for someone else, but I’m the only one who truly cares about you.” “We’ve known each other since childhood and been married for ten years. How could we divorce over such a small thing?” “I don’t care about those other women. As long as you’re willing to come home, I won’t hold it against you.” With just a few words, Lester turned the blame toward me having an affair. The scene erupted again. Everyone’s gazes fell on me like knives. Even my dad punched me again. “So that’s why you want a divorce—you’ve got someone else! How could I have raised such a bastard!” “George, stop this nonsense. You’re going to put your father in the hospital. Just go home and live properly with Lester.” All our friends and family urged me to reconsider. Lester also cried and begged me with a humble attitude. My eyes were cold as I pushed her away forcefully: “Let go. I don’t love you anymore.” She didn’t know that ever since she started taking care of the neighbor’s baby, our marriage had become nothing but a shell. Lester looked at me in disbelief, her lips trembling: “What… what did you say?”

The entire room instantly fell silent. She cried even harder, but I turned to leave. Lester used all her strength to grab me from behind: “Don’t go! It’s my fault, all my fault.” “Give me one more chance and I’ll definitely change. Please don’t leave me.” Lester’s best friend also blocked my way: “George, what’s gotten into you? Apologize to Lester right now!” “Lester has been with you all these years. How can you bear to hurt her? Have you forgotten how much you two loved each other?” “You went from middle school to college together before getting married. Have you forgotten all that?” “You bastard! Don’t tell me you’re abandoning the child in Lester’s womb too?” At these words, my parents also grabbed me, desperately trying to talk sense into me. “Lester is already carrying your child, and you still want a divorce? Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?” I struggled free with all my strength, seemingly uncaring about this news, righteously telling them to get lost. “No matter whose child she’s carrying, this divorce is happening.” My mom couldn’t believe I would say something so heartless. “George, you’ve always wanted children. Now that Lester is pregnant, why are you still making a fuss?” Her words were like a heavy punch, slamming hard into my heart. Once, I too longed for my own child, hoping from age twenty to age thirty. Ten years passed. I’d hoped countless times to have a child with Lester, but those hopes were always dashed. I didn’t want to live like this anymore. Now I just wanted to completely separate from her. The huge commotion attracted our neighbor, the single dad Steve, who came over with his child to hand it to Lester. Every day at this time, Steve would go to work while Lester helped take care of the baby. The moment she saw him, she forgot about our argument and took the child from him. That tender look in her eyes was something I’d never seen before, as if she were looking at her own biological child. My heart felt inexplicably pierced, the pain nearly making me unable to stand. Lester and I once had a child too, but it was lost due to an accident. “George, I heard everything you were arguing about just now. I didn’t know you’d mind Lester helping me take care of the baby.” “I’ll look for a new place today and move out with Wesley immediately. I won’t affect your relationship.” Lester frowned, reluctance showing in her eyes. “Don’t! It’s just helping you take care of a child. It’s nothing at all.” “George, don’t take our problems out on others. You just recovered from a serious illness—please stop making a scene, okay?” She kept crying pitifully, and everyone redirected their anger toward me. My dad’s face flushed red with anger, his voice hoarse as he grabbed my hand: “Listen to me. Stop this nonsense. Break things off with whoever you’re seeing and live a good life with Lester!” “She’s carrying your child now. If you still dare to divorce her, don’t blame me for breaking your legs.” I remained as cold as ever, my face showing no expression. “This divorce must happen!” With that, I turned and left. My dad made a threat, shouting at my retreating back: “If you divorce her, I’ll disown you!” Lester also stopped trying to keep me: “George, since you want to leave, don’t expect to take a single penny! I’ll make sure you leave with nothing!” “Since you have someone new and are determined to abandon me, don’t blame me for not being polite!” I immediately filed for divorce, submitting as evidence the footage I’d captured at our neighbor Steve’s house.

That evening I wanted to stay at a hotel, but didn’t expect all my bank cards to be frozen. Only then did I remember that over the years I’d given all my money to Lester, keeping very little for myself. All these years I’d worked day and night for our little family. I thought that after ending our years-long relationship, we could have our own happy family. Never did I imagine it was all a joke, that I’d been alone from start to finish. After borrowing money from a friend to check into a hotel, I opened my phone to see videos of the day’s argument. Someone had secretly recorded the confrontation and posted it online, where it had already shot to the top of trending topics. The comments section was full of abuse directed at me, with some even threatening to doxx me and ruin my reputation. “He wants to divorce his wife just because she’s taking care of the neighbor’s kid? Is he even human?” “I bet he’s having an affair and using this ridiculous excuse to divorce. Absolutely shameless!” “I heard his wife is already pregnant, and he’s abandoning his wife and child. He probably has seven or eight illegitimate children already!” The public opinion spread quickly. Even the hotel staff looked at me with contempt. I opened my laptop, and a piercing pain spread through my entire body. Hundreds of videos showed their intimate moments, making it hard for me to breathe. Every night, after she put Steve’s daughter Wesley to sleep, she would slip into his bedroom. When I was helping him fix his water pipes, I accidentally connected to his home security system. From then on, every night I could watch them together. The way Lester looked at Steve showed a unique tenderness I’d never seen in all our years together. Although she appeared virtuous and considerate in public, only I knew how cold she really was. After we married, she told me bluntly that she didn’t want children and ordered me not to get any ideas. Unfortunately, she got pregnant by accident later. I begged her to keep the baby, but she had an abortion without hesitation. This became the greatest pain of my life. From that day on, she never allowed me to touch her again. But now, right under my nose, she was pregnant with another man’s child. I stared hard at the prenatal checkup report. During that time period, I’d clearly been away on a business trip. “George, the court date is set for three days from now. I’ve prepared all the materials you requested.” Early the next morning I received a call from my secretary. Due to public pressure, the company’s investors had withdrawn their funding. Lester arrived at the company before me: “George, don’t go in yet. The place is full of reporters.” But I pushed her away. Lester fell to the ground in a mess. She instantly attracted everyone’s attention. She never thought I would actually push her. “George, do you have to be so heartless? I’m carrying your child. Can’t you show me even a little care?” Steve also followed and helped Lester up from the ground. The commotion instantly attracted reporters and angry netizens, who pointed their cameras at me, cursing me as cold-blooded and heartless. “Don’t blame George. It’s my fault for not standing steady. Please don’t curse him.” Looking at her hypocritical face, I nearly threw up in disgust. “Since you don’t want a divorce, don’t blame me for filing a lawsuit.” Lester dropped the act too, saying in front of the media: “Fine, if you won’t take what’s offered, don’t blame me for making you leave with nothing.”

“My child doesn’t need a father like you. If you want a divorce, let’s divorce. See you in court!” I just found it laughable. She thought I’d been in the dark all along, knowing nothing. I said nothing, arranged company matters, and threw myself into preparing for court. After today’s media hype, our situation fermented even more online. I became a heartless scoundrel everyone wanted to attack, while Lester established herself as a fragile victim. Some said I abandoned my pregnant wife for a mistress, even forcing my wife to have multiple abortions. That I’d drained our family assets to keep a mistress, that I found my pregnant wife ugly, and so on. Some said the car accident had scrambled my brain, making me mentally unstable. Online rumors and abuse about me were overwhelming. Even my parents wanted to disown me. “You’ve gone too far. From today on, I’ll pretend I never gave birth to a bastard like you!” “Look at all the dirty things you’ve done. I’m too ashamed to call you my son!” Faced with all this, I chose silence, only reappearing at the courthouse three days later. On the day of the hearing, friends and family all came, along with many netizens. These people all waited to see me humiliated, to see me face legal consequences. Lester grabbed me in the gallery, saying quietly: “Are you sure you want to take it this far?” “For the sake of our years together, I’ll give you one more chance. As long as you apologize, I’ll pretend nothing happened.” “You have no chance of winning. The whole country knows what you’ve done to me. How do you still have the face to live?” Steve gave me a mocking smile. Even my parents wished I’d go to jail, finding me an embarrassment. But I remained unmoved, waiting for the judge to declare the session open. Lester had hired Brooklyn’s most famous lawyer, determined to win this case. The lawyer listed my numerous faults in the marriage, attempting to have me declared at fault and stripped of assets. “Simply helping the neighbor take care of a child at night isn’t enough to constitute fault on the woman’s part.” “Given the current situation, you are the party most at fault in this marriage.” “If you cannot provide new evidence, this court will rule on the divorce and determine you as the party at fault.” The courtroom erupted in cheers. Lester and Steve hugged each other tightly in excitement. Everyone cursed that I deserved it, already celebrating victory in advance. But I calmly indicated: “I have new evidence—surveillance footage from our neighbor Steve’s home.” “And a DNA paternity test report for the fetus in Lester’s womb.” In an instant, the courtroom fell deathly silent. Everyone’s expressions became grave. Lester’s face turned ugly. I knew the real show was just beginning.

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After five years of marriage, Peter had breakfast with me for the first time. But there was a three-year-old boy sitting beside him. “My buddy from the military died. The kid has no one to take care of him. Let’s adopt him.” The child looked up, his features a carbon copy of Peter’s. I laughed coldly. “Your friend’s kid? He looks just like you!” His expression changed. “She doesn’t want any official status, she’ll just live here to help take care of the kid… You’ll still be my wife, plus we’ll have a child. What a great arrangement!” I set down my fork, looking at this man who owned three companies. The sixty-million-dollar hole in Peter Corporation—every cent filled by my father’s money. “Peter, I had my lawyer draft the divorce papers. Take your woman and your kid, and get out!” He picked up the child and set him on the chair, then turned to face me, hands sliding into his pockets. “Dorman, you’ve been married to me for five years. Whose name is on the incorporation papers for those three companies?” “Yours.” “Whose name is on the property deed?” “Yours.” “Right.” He pulled out a chair and sat down, leisurely picking up a piece of toast. “That sixty million from your dad—that’s an investment in the company. Not a single word of it has anything to do with you personally.” He took a bite of the toast. “What exactly do you think you can divorce me with?” The three-year-old boy sat in his high chair, poking at a yogurt cup with his spoon, glancing at me after each poke. His brow bone, his nose bridge, even that mole at the corner of his mouth—all perfect copies of Peter. “You think I didn’t prepare?” “Prepare what? Find a lawyer?” He laughed. “Sergio, right? I had dinner with him yesterday. His firm is now Peter Corporation’s legal team.” I stared at him. He set down the toast, brushed the crumbs from his hands, and stood up. “Dorman, stop making a scene. Mary will be coming over this afternoon. Help clean up the room next door.” He walked to the door to change his shoes. As he bent down to tie his laces, he glanced back at the child. “Andrew, behave. Daddy will be home tonight.” Daddy, not uncle. He wasn’t even bothering to hide it anymore. Twelve minutes after the door closed, my phone rang. Unknown number. “Dorman, this is Mary.” Her voice was soft and sweet. “Peter said I should come over at three this afternoon. Is the room ready?” “What else did he tell you?” “He said… you’d agreed.” “Which part of what I said sounded like agreement?” Silence for two seconds on the other end. “Dorman, I really won’t take up much space. I’ll just help take care of Andrew, do some cooking. Think of me as a free nanny…” “That person pinned on your Twitter—what’s his contact name?” Her breathing hitched. “I saw it this morning. Between eight and nine, you sent him eight messages. The last one said—’Honey, did she agree? I’m so nervous.’” “Dorman…” “You also have an Instagram account called ‘M’s Happiness Code,’ with 1.17 million followers. Three months ago you posted a video with a living room in the background—warm lighting, mahogany coffee table, custom Italian curtains. You told the camera, ‘This is the home I share with my husband.’” The girl went silent. I continued: “That living room is mine. Those curtains I ordered from Milan. That coffee table I brought when I moved in.” More silence. “Are you still coming at three?” Her voice was small, but showed no sign of backing down. “Dorman, Peter told me to come.” At three o’clock sharp, the doorbell rang. She wore a cream-colored knit dress, her hair in a low ponytail, her skin so pale it seemed to glow. When she smiled, dimples appeared deep enough to hold wine. “Hello, Dorman.” She bent down, dragging two suitcases. The boy jumped down from the sofa and threw himself into her arms. “Mommy!” She picked up the child, kissed his forehead, then looked at me. Not a trace of guilt in her eyes. She turned a circle in the living room, as if returning to her own home. Maybe in her mind, this had always been her home. “Dorman, which way is the guest room? I can find it myself.” “That ring on your left hand.” Her smile froze. On her left ring finger sat a sapphire ring. My engagement ring. Two years ago, Peter said he’d sent it for maintenance. It never came back. She pulled her hand behind her back. “Peter gave it to me…” “I know who gave it to you.” I turned and headed upstairs. Her voice followed from behind, small, with a sweet, grievance-tinged quality. “Dorman, I’m really just here to help.”

“Dorman, don’t be so petty.” My mother-in-law Ruth’s call came earlier than I’d expected. “Peter told me the child is his comrade’s orphan. How can a woman like you have so little magnanimity?” “Mom, that child calls Mary ‘Mommy.’” “What do kids know? He’ll call whoever takes care of him.” Her words came fast, like she’d rehearsed them all night. “Peter came clean with me too. She’s just helping out, staying for a few days then leaving. If you insist on thinking that way, is it because you’ve had no children for five years and feel resentful?” When those words pierced through, my nails dug into my palms. “Mom, do you know why I haven’t had children in five years?” “If your health isn’t good, go get treatment. I’ve told you so many times—” “In our second year of marriage, Peter had me take medication for six months, saying it would help me conceive. I took the prescription to a hospital to check—long-term use of that drug causes infertility.” Silence for two seconds on the other end. “You’re talking nonsense. Hasn’t Peter been good enough to you? Do you have to tear this family apart?” She hung up. At noon, Mary came down from the room next door and cooked a whole table of food. Andrew sat at the dining table, holding his bowl, getting food all over his face. She sat beside him, wiping him clean bit by bit with wet wipes. Seeing me come downstairs, she stood up. “Dorman, I served you a bowl of soup too.” The soup bowl sat at the far end of the table. She was sitting in my usual seat. I didn’t touch that bowl of soup. When I went out that afternoon to buy medicine, I swiped Peter’s supplementary card. “I’m sorry, ma’am, this card has been deactivated.” I switched to my own savings card and entered the password. Insufficient funds. I opened my mobile banking app. Three days ago, my personal account had been hit with a transfer. One hundred and forty thousand dollars, all moved to Peter Corporation’s custodial account. Operator: Peter. Using a clause from that investment authorization I’d signed years ago—”Party B’s funds shall be uniformly allocated and used by Party A.” That evening, Ruth arrived. A seventy-year-old woman in low-heeled pumps, carrying a bag of fruit through the door. The moment she saw Mary, she smiled. “Such a lovely girl. Come here, let me see Andrew.” She held the child, touching his face, kissing his forehead, eyes narrowing to slits. “This nose—exactly like Peter when he was little.” She knew. She knew everything. Ruth pulled a box from her bag and opened it. An emerald jade bracelet, beautiful. I recognized it—it was a gift from my family at my wedding, valued at eighty thousand dollars. In our second year of marriage, Ruth said she wanted to borrow it for a friend’s birthday party. It never came back. She slipped the bracelet onto Mary’s wrist. “Here, this is for you. Taking care of the child must be hard work.” Mary demurred twice, just the right amount, then accepted on the third try. “Thank you.” She said it while smiling at me. Ruth sat on the sofa, picked up the tea Mary had made, and glanced at me. “Dorman, you’re thirty now. They say it gets harder for women to have children after thirty. Look how well-behaved Andrew is. Raise him for now, we can discuss the rest later.” “Mom, that bracelet is mine.” “What’s yours and mine? Once you enter the door of Peter’s house, everything belongs to Peter’s house.” She set down her teacup. “Dorman, if you really can’t accept this, then I’ll speak plainly—Peter told me you want a divorce.” She looked at me, her gaze shifting from kindness to something else. “You can enter the door of Peter’s house, but you can’t leave.” “All that money from your dad counts as investment. Investment has risks—didn’t you learn that in school?” “You’re one person, no children, no assets. What could you possibly do if you left?” Mary stood in the kitchen doorway holding Andrew, saying nothing, but she was smiling. Ruth stood up, patting at nonexistent wrinkles on her skirt. “Think it through before you come talk to me again.” “A man like Peter—there’s a line of women wanting to marry him. Count yourself lucky.”

“We’re eating at home tonight. Ruth invited some relatives.” Peter’s message came at four in the afternoon. When I arrived, seven or eight people sat in the living room. Peter’s relatives—people who normally didn’t visit, all here today. At the dinner table, my seat was gone. Mary sat on Peter’s right, Andrew on her lap. The chair I usually sat in had been moved to a corner. “Dorman’s here. Get yourself a chair.” Ruth didn’t even look up. Peter’s father’s sister, Bonnie, spoke up. “Peter, is this the girl you mentioned? So pretty. The child really looks like you.” Peter smiled without denying it. Bonnie turned to Mary. “How old are you?” “Twenty-four.” Mary smiled sweetly. “Twenty-four with a child this big already—capable. Better than some people.” Bonnie glanced at me. Ruth chimed in, “Isn’t that the truth? Five years and not even a peep.” Around the entire table, not one person spoke up for me. I stood there, holding a glass of water. “Dorman, don’t just stand there, sit.” Peter finally spoke. He pointed to a small chair temporarily added at the end of the table. I didn’t sit. “Peter, my lawyer can’t reach you.” “We’re eating. Why bring this up now?” The table went quiet for two seconds. “Dorman—” Ruth’s fork struck the table. “Are you going to make a scene in front of relatives?” “This is making a scene?” “You’re being completely unreasonable.” Bonnie slammed the table. “Hasn’t Peter been good enough to you? Look around this city—how many people live better than you? How many spend more than you?” I looked at Bonnie. “Spend more? My supplementary card was canceled. One hundred forty thousand was transferred from my personal account. I have three hundred dollars in my pocket right now, and that’s cash I withdrew yesterday.” Bonnie froze, turning to look at Peter. “Peter, this…” “Family matters. Don’t listen to her one-sided story.” His fork didn’t stop, his tone impossibly mild. “Dorman’s been emotionally unstable lately. I’ve already scheduled an appointment with a psychologist.” A psychologist. He was calling me sick, in front of everyone. Mary sat beside him, head down, feeding Andrew, not speaking, not looking at me. But her phone screen lit up. I saw her secretly type two words and send them. “Done.” I couldn’t see who she sent it to. But I clearly saw the contact name on that conversation. Honey. At eleven that night, I sat alone in the bedroom. All bank cards frozen. Lawyer channels blocked. Every relative on his side. Next door came the sound of Mary coaxing the child to sleep, her voice sweet and soft. I pulled out my phone and found a number saved for five years but never dialed. My father, Johnson. But I didn’t call. The moment the phone screen dimmed, Ruth’s voice drifted up from downstairs. She was talking to Mary. “Mary, feel free to settle in. This house will be yours to run sooner or later.” “If she really leaves, all the better. At least she won’t be an eyesore. Anyway, she can’t take a single useful thing with her.”

“Just sign it.” The next morning, Peter slapped a document in front of me. “Supplementary Agreement,” neatly printed, twelve pages. Flipping to the last page, Peter’s signature already graced the Party A signature line. Complete with Peter Corporation’s seal. “Sign this, and we’ll part on good terms. I won’t make things difficult for you.” He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat across from me. “You can live in the house until the end of the year. I’ll give you another card with twenty thousand a month. Enough for you to find new work.” Twenty thousand. I’d brought three million in dowry. My father filled a sixty-million-dollar hole. He was returning twenty thousand a month. “What if I don’t sign?” He took a sip of coffee. “If you don’t sign, you can still leave. But you can’t take anything with you. Including your dowry—let me remind you, the custody of that jewelry is in my mother’s hands. She says it’s hers. Want to sue? Go ahead, get in line.” He set down the cup and stared at me. “Dorman, you overestimate yourself.” “What do you think you have? Your father’s influence? Your father’s influence works in business, but it’s worthless in family court.” Mary emerged from the kitchen carrying breakfast. Fried eggs, toast, fresh-squeezed orange juice. She placed a plate in front of Peter, another in front of Andrew. Nothing for me. “Peter, have breakfast.” She sat beside him, at this table, in my seat. Ruth came down from upstairs and glanced at the agreement on the table. “Sign it, Dorman. The sooner you sign, the sooner you’re free. Look at yourself now—no money, no children, no lawyer. What are you still fighting for?” “If you don’t sign, don’t blame me for being blunt—besides your father’s connections, what do you have left?” Peter leaned back in his chair, legs crossed, watching me. I knew that expression too well—bone-deep certainty. He was certain I would sign, certain I had no leverage, certain he’d won this game. “Dorman, you don’t have to sign. But if you leave me, you’re nothing.” He smiled as he said this. And my phone rang, the screen lighting up with my father’s name. I didn’t have time to answer, because in that same second, Peter’s phone rang too. Peter frowned as he answered, and the voice on the other end said only one sentence. I didn’t hear the content, but I saw his face. The color drained layer by layer. He set down the phone and looked at me. His lips moved twice without making a sound. Ruth’s phone connected too, someone shouting on the other end. Her face crumpled in an instant. “What do you mean everything’s frozen? What do you mean everything?” Mary stood there holding the child, smile still plastered on her face, not understanding what was happening. I picked up my phone and answered. “Dad.” The voice on the other end was calm. “Dorman, it’s done.”

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