I was introducing my girlfriend of three years, Chloe, to my parents when she shattered the dinner-table peace. “Leo,” Chloe asked, voice deceptively light, “if your mom and I both were drowning, who would you save?” I froze, caught off guard. It felt completely out of place to ask something like that in front of my parents. But then my mom, Eleanor, leaned forward, her expression serious. “I’d like to hear your answer, too, son.” The air instantly thickened, turning tense. Feeling annoyed and cornered, I blurted out without thinking, “You only have one mom, you can always find another girlfriend. I choose Mom!” Chloe’s face didn’t just fall – it collapsed. Regret surged in me, and I moved to comfort her. But before I could, she grabbed a fruit knife from the table and, without a moment’s hesitation, plunged it into her own heart. Blood erupted in a terrifying gush, splattering across my face. Chloe died right there, in front of us. That horrific moment became a relentless nightmare in my mind. After Chloe’s funeral, I stumbled back home, numb and exhausted. My mom suddenly turned to my dad,her gaze oddly intense. “Richard, I’ve always wanted to know…” she began, her voice soft and deadly. “If your mom and I fell into the water, who would you save?” …

The day Chloe was buried, the sky wept with a dreary drizzle. I stood by her grave, watching her parents clutch her tombstone, their wails tearing through the air. My mind was a complete blank. The police had closed Chloe’s case as an accidental death. I staggered back home, a ghost of myself, collapsing onto the sofa, my brain still trying to process the brutal reality of her sudden demise. Dad came over, patting my shoulder, telling me to try and move on, that it was just an accident. But then Mom sat beside me, her eyes fixed on Dad with an unsettling intensity. “Honey, actually, I’ve always wanted to know…” “If your mom and I fell into the water, who would you save?” I shot up, my blood turning to ice. The image of Chloe stabbing herself flashed relentlessly in my mind, painting my vision crimson. “Mom! What… what are you asking this for?!” My throat constricted, and my scalp prickled with dread. Dad looked horrified too, his eyes wide. “Why are you asking that out of nowhere? It’s creepy!” But Mom’s gaze remained locked on Dad, an empty, lurking something in her eyes. “Quick, tell me, who would you save?” she urged, her voice sharp. My heart hammered against my ribs, lodged in my throat. I couldn’t even breathe. This scene, especially Mom’s tone, the pauses in her words, her unnervingly serious expression… It was an exact replica of what happened before Chloe died! “Oh, come on, why ask such a boring question?” Dad said, a hint of impatience in his voice. “My mom passed away years ago. What’s the point of asking that now?” Mom ignored him, her stare unwavering, her words deliberate. “Just pick!” As far as I remembered, Mom and my grandma had a wonderful relationship when Grandma was alive. My grandma was incredibly kind to Mom, and Mom was very devoted to her. Mom had never been the unreasonable, badgering type. This was the first time she’d ever cornered Dad like this, demanding an answer. I couldn’t understand. Why had Mom changed so much after Chloe died? Dad didn’t want to answer, but Mom wouldn’t let it go. Her expression grew increasingly agitated, almost ferocious, as if someone was chasing her for an answer. Seeing Mom’s emotions spiraling, Dad finally relented, answering patiently. “You’re my wife, of course, I’d choose you!” I thought that would be the end of it, but the next second, Mom shrieked like a maniac. “You’re lying!” “You’re only choosing me because your mom is dead!” she screamed hysterically. Before Dad and I could react, Mom burst out of the house. We chased after her in a panic, only to see her grab a bottle of pesticide and chug it down. “Mom!” I yelled in terror. The next second, foam frothed from her mouth, and a strong, acrid smell filled the air. She writhed, her body curling, eyes rolling back, convulsing in agony on the ground. Dad was paralyzed with fear, his face ghostly white, as he lunged towards her. “Call 911!” I fumbled for my phone, but it slipped from my trembling hand and clattered to the floor. Then I heard Dad’s heart-wrenching wails. Mom was gone. I collapsed onto the ground, my ears ringing with the last words Chloe and Mom had spoken. “If your mom and I both fell into the water, who would you save?”

By the time Mom reached the hospital, she was gone. I stood there, numb, the lingering warmth of her body still on my trembling hands. Dad lay sprawled over her, sobbing uncontrollably. My best friend, Noah Miller, rushed over as soon as he heard. He patted my shoulder, his face grim, and sat with me, offering what comfort he could. When he heard about the bizarre behavior of both Chloe and Mom just before they died, his eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re saying both Chloe and Aunt Eleanor asked the exact same question before they died?” His voice was filled with incredulity. “How could that be such a coincidence?” “Isn’t that just the classic ‘mom or wife’ dilemma? It doesn’t usually end with people dying, does it?” I slumped to the floor, tearing at my hair, shaking my head frantically. The horrific images of Mom and Chloe dying replayed constantly. I was losing my mind. “I don’t know!” “They just suddenly asked that question, demanding that my dad and I choose who to save.” “I chose my mom, and Chloe died. My dad didn’t choose his mom, he chose my mom, and my mom died too!” Noah looked utterly perplexed. “But why? It’s not like… like that question carries a curse, right?” I froze, my mind a terrifying blank. In just two days, I had lost two of the most important people in my life. A sharp pain tore through my chest, and tears streamed down my face. Noah watched my agony, his own eyes welling up, and he wrapped me in a silent hug. Just then, my uncle, Walter Shaw, called, his voice a desperate, frantic plea. “Leo, you have to come to my place! Your aunt Joyce, she’s gone mad!” We hadn’t even had time to tell our relatives about Mom’s death yet. I was confused by Uncle Walter’s panicked call. But before I could ask for details, he let out a terrified scream, and the call abruptly ended. A chilling sense of dread surged through me. Noah, seeing my grim expression, immediately offered to come with me. “Did your uncle say what happened to Aunt Joyce?” Noah asked on the way. My head throbbed, and I felt dizzy and disoriented. “He just said Aunt Joyce went crazy. I have no idea what’s going on.” My uncle and aunt had visited me just two days ago after Chloe’s death. Aunt Joyce had seemed perfectly fine then. What could have possibly happened to them? Why did Uncle Walter say she was mad? The car quickly pulled into my uncle’s driveway. As we reached the door, Uncle Walter burst out, his hands covered in blood, his face a mask of terror. He saw me as if I were his savior. “Leo, help me!” He scrambled behind me, gasping for breath, his eyes wide with fear. “Your aunt, she’s trying to kill me!” Noah and I stared, stunned. “Why?” we asked urgently. But before Uncle Walter could answer, his pupils constricted, and he trembled, pointing ahead. It was Aunt Joyce! Her hair was disheveled, and she was covered in blood, emerging from the house like a phantom, slowly, holding a pair of scissors. Her gaze was chilling, her expression twisted. One sentence from her made my blood run cold. “Walter, I’m asking you one last time!” “If your mom and I both fell into the water, who would you save…?”

My pupils dilated in terror, and I instinctively recoiled, staring at Aunt Joyce in horror. “Aunt… Aunt Joyce, why are you asking that question too?!” My voice trembled. Noah was equally stunned. He tugged my sleeve, whispering urgently in my ear, “Leo, something’s seriously wrong!” Uncle Walter, still hiding behind me, flushed crimson and cursed angrily, “Are you insane?! Why are you forcing me to choose?!” He gestured with his arm, which was bleeding profusely from a slash wound. “Look what you did to me! You almost crippled me, you crazy woman!” “You… you’re trying to murder your own husband!” Aunt Joyce’s lips curved into a chilling, eerie smile. “Just choose!” “Don’t choose!” I almost screamed. I spun around, frantically looking at Uncle Walter, shouting in a panic, “Uncle Walter, you can’t choose!” “My mom, and my girlfriend… they both died because my dad and I answered that question!” “Please, don’t choose!” Uncle Walter stared at me as if I were a ghost. “What are you talking about? Your mom was fine earlier today!” Thinking of Mom, my heart ached, and my eyes instantly welled up. “It’s true, Uncle Walter, Mom died. You can’t choose.” “If you choose, Aunt Joyce will die too!” I thought Uncle Walter would calm down after hearing my words. But as soon as I finished, he exploded like a firecracker. “Then let her die!” he roared, shoving me aside. He then launched into a furious tirade at Aunt Joyce. “Joyce, just die already!” “I’ve had enough! You want me to choose? I choose my mom! You hear me? I choose my mom!” My heart leaped into my throat in terror, and I instinctively tried to cover Uncle Walter’s mouth. But he angrily slapped my hand away, spewing his rage uncontrollably. “My mom isn’t like you, trying to murder her husband! Why would I save you?!” “If you want to die, just do it already! I don’t want to be with you, you lunatic! Just die, don’t say I didn’t choose…” “Uncle Walter, stop talking!” I turned back in horror, only to witness a sight that made my blood run cold! Aunt Joyce, a few feet away, her eyes were filled with utter brokenness. Her pupils fluttered, and tears streamed down her cheeks, but they were blood-red. “I’m going to die!” “No!” An alarm blared in my mind, and I screamed, lunging towards her. But it was too late. Right in front of us, Aunt Joyce raised the scissors in her hand and plunged them into her own neck without hesitation. Pffft! Blood sprayed in an arc. She clutched her throat, stumbled back two steps, blood continuously oozing between her fingers. The next second, with a muffled thud, Aunt Joyce collapsed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Noah and I were both frozen in horror. Uncle Walter was so terrified he crumpled to the ground on the spot. “Ahh!” he wailed, scrambling on his hands and knees towards her. “Honey, what are you doing?!” He stared helplessly at Aunt Joyce lying in a pool of blood, then knelt to check for her breath. The next second, all color drained from his face. He slammed a hand on his thigh, then sank back, cradling Aunt Joyce in his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. “Honey, why did you kill yourself?!” “I… I didn’t mean what I said!” Everything before my eyes felt like a nightmare, choking me. My mind was a chaotic mess, threatening to explode. “How… how could this happen?!” Uncle Walter cried out, his voice hoarse, looking at me with helpless eyes. I stumbled backward in a daze, tripped over the doorstep, and fell heavily. In a blur, I saw two familiar figures walking towards me. It was Mom, and my deceased girlfriend, Chloe. Their expressions were sinister as they slowly knelt down. “Leo…” Their voices merged into an eerie overlap, grinning as they whispered. “If your mom and I both fell into the water, who would you save?”

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The day after I left the special forces, the wealthy Thorne family “recognized” me as their long-lost daughter. My cloying stepsister, Seraphina Thorne, cut me off. Her gaze traveled slowly from my head to my toes, taking in every inch of my desert-toughened skin. She wrinkled her nose, her voice a soft, almost pitying murmur. “Sister, your tactical physique isn’t quite the standard for beauty here.. From today on, I’ll join you at the gym.” “A slender figure is essential for pretty gowns. Otherwise, how will you ever find a husband?” I raised an eyebrow. Were the fitness standards in high society this insane? My 18% body fat, which I maintained as a special forces operative, was considered “fat”? Seraphina remained oblivious, cheerfully handing me a “sweat-it-out” weight loss class schedule. A thirty-kilogram weighted cross-country run, five hundred push-ups, an hour of combat training, three hours of high-intensity workouts daily. I couldn’t help but snort. Wasn’t this just the absolute minimum for recovery training? …

“What’s so funny?” Seraphina whined delicately, about to press me for an answer. That’s when our father, Richard Thorne, descended the grand staircase, immaculate in his suit. “Father.” Richard Thorne’s brows immediately furrowed when he saw me. “Crude behavior is one thing, but you don’t even have a pretty face…” He sized me up, his disapproval undisguised. “Announcing your identity now would only bring shame upon our family name.” I met his gaze, my mind a blank slate. Honestly, his manufactured gravitas was less than a tenth of what my drill sergeant commanded back in basic training. Ignoring the lengthy lecture he was clearly preparing to deliver, I looked him straight in the eye. My voice was crisp and clear. “Understood. Eight AM tomorrow. I’ll be there on time for training.” My absolute obedience clearly caught them off guard. Richard Thorne’s prepared tirade of admonishments instantly choked in his throat, neither coming out nor going back down. Seraphina’s triumphant smile on her perfectly sculpted face also froze. She pouted, letting out a dismissive huff. “Such an act!” At the dinner table, the atmosphere grew even stranger. The long table was laden with an extravagant spread, yet Seraphina’s plate held only a few sad-looking pieces of salad. She chewed daintily, her posture impeccable. “Most accomplished young women know how to maintain their figure these days, sister,” she subtly jabbed, her voice dripping with passive aggression. I paid her no mind, accurately calculating calories as per my military habit. I piled my plate with ample portions of steak, seafood, and rice. Muscle was critical for survival on the battlefield. Without enough protein and carbs, the body was nothing more than an engine running on fumes. “Oh my goodness!” Seraphina gasped dramatically. “Sister, you’re eating that much? No wonder…” She trailed off, but her pointed gaze said it all. Father’s frown deepened. He set down his fork and knife with a displeased clatter. “No decorum whatsoever for a young lady! What an outrage!” I didn’t respond, continuing to eat. Inwardly, though, I decided I’d start cooking my own meals tomorrow. While the food here was exquisite, it was far too oily and salty for my standards. I needed fuel, not baggage. Less than five minutes later, I finished the last bite on my plate, wiping my mouth with a napkin. “I’m done.” I rose from the table, preparing to leave the dining room. Richard Thorne’s cold voice stopped me. “Hold it right there.” I paused, turning back to him. “Tomorrow’s training will be monitored by the butler. If you dare to slack off or try any tricks…” I calmly cut him off. “Don’t worry. I’ve never resorted to such deceitful tactics.” With that, I turned and walked away, ignoring the stunned expressions on both their faces. The next day, I arrived punctually at the opulent private club. The polished marble floors reflected my image, and the crystal chandeliers sparkled with brilliant light. Looking around, I was reminded of crawling through mud and forced marches under the scorching desert sun, burdened with heavy gear. To me, this place was practically a five-star spa. Inside the club, Seraphina had already been waiting for a long time. She wore a meticulously tailored Pilates outfit that perfectly accentuated her slender figure. “Sister, you’re finally here. The coach has been waiting for ages; he’s notoriously strict.” I nodded. “Good.” The stricter, the better. After all, a lenient general never forges a fierce army. The coach soon made his entrance. A towering, muscular man, over six feet tall, with a bronze complexion scarred and tattooed. He introduced himself as a retired Marine. Then, he swept his gaze over me, a hint of disdain in his eyes, before announcing today’s training regimen. Thirty kilograms weighted run, at a speed above 15. Five hundred standard push-ups, to be completed within a time limit. One hour of freestyle combat. With each item he announced, Seraphina’s eyes lit up a little more. The combined intensity of these exercises was enough to make even a regularly fit adult man pass out on the spot. She was clearly eager to see me collapse to the ground, crying and wailing in utter disarray. She leaned in close, whispering conspiratorially, a smirk on her face. “Sister, there are cameras everywhere, you know. Father will be watching your performance.” I raised an eyebrow, a subtle smile playing on my lips. I turned to the muscular coach, extending my hand. “Thank you for your hard work.” “I appreciate having such professional facilities and supervision.”

The coach paused, then gave my hand a perfunctory shake. I didn’t bother to explain further, simply started warming up my wrists and ankles. A series of crisp clicks and pops echoed from my joints. The training began. For the thirty-kilogram weighted cross-country run, I pushed the treadmill to a speed that made its system error out. For the five hundred push-ups, I completed them with one hand, my other hand even charging my phone. For the hour of combat training, I disarmed and pinned the former Marine coach to the ground in just three minutes. The coach lay on the floor, drenched in sweat, his face a mask of disbelief. I stood up, not a single bead of perspiration on me. “Is the warm-up finished?” “When does the real training begin?” Hearing this, Seraphina, who had been secretly touching up her makeup in front of the mirror, let out a sharp gasp as her powder compact slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor. She spun around, staring at my completely unruffled appearance, stammering. “Sister… were you in the Italian Mafia or something?” The coach shakily picked himself up from the floor. He looked at me as if I were some kind of deity. “It’s already… it’s already over…” I sighed in disappointment, shaking my head. I walked to the nearby lounge area, tore off a club promotional flyer, and flipped it to the back. I quickly scribbled down an application. “Application. Double training intensity, extend duration to six hours.” “Reason. Current program insufficient to activate muscles.” “Applicant. Alexandria Thorne.” I finished writing, preparing to hand the paper to the coach. Just then, the gym door was pushed open by a young man in a sharp suit. Seeing the newcomer, Seraphina’s lips curved into a pout. Her body seemed to lose all strength, and she crumpled dramatically into Julian Maxwell’s arms. “Julian… Brother Julian…” She was on the verge of tears, her voice laced with a sob, “Sister forced me to train with her… I really can’t take it… it’s so hard…” Julian Maxwell’s brows furrowed exactly as expected. He steadied Seraphina, his eyes filled with reproach as he looked at me. “Alexandria Thorne, isn’t it? I know you might have some resentment, but Seraphina is a victim too! She’s frail; what if something happens to her? Would you take responsibility?” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with such illogical nonsense. I walked forward without a word. I reached out and grabbed Seraphina by the back of her collar. Like lifting a kitten, I plucked her out of Julian Maxwell’s arms and casually set her aside. I rolled my eyes at her. “Those superficial moves you were doing? You call that training? Stop blocking the way.” Then, I handed the promotional flyer with my application to Julian Maxwell. “Please pass this training adjustment plan to my father.” By now, the coach had finally recovered from his immense shock. He rushed over, speaking excitedly to Julian Maxwell. “Mr. Maxwell, you’ve misunderstood! You’ve completely misunderstood!” “Ms. Thorne is a military prodigy! I’m not fit to be her coach; she should be teaching me combat!” Julian Maxwell frowned, instinctively glancing down at the flyer. His eyes widened in sudden astonishment. When he looked up again, the disdain was gone, replaced by a profound curiosity. Seraphina, standing nearby, watched this scene unfold, her face alternating between green and white. The hatred in her eyes was almost palpable. She stomped her foot angrily, then burst into tears and ran out of the club.

That night, Seraphina came to my room. “What exactly do you want?” she asked, her voice choked with tears. I looked up, realizing her eyes were red and swollen from crying, making her look utterly vulnerable. “Close the door.” Seraphina paused, probably not expecting that reaction. She sniffled but obediently closed the door. “Alexandria, please, I beg you, don’t take Julian from me, okay?” She began to sob. “He’s the only one I have… I never had a mother, and while Father cares for me, he cares more about family interests. Only Julian is kind to me…” I felt a pang of exasperation, first closing my laptop which still contained classified information. “I don’t go for weaklings.” Seraphina looked bewildered for a moment, not understanding my words. I quirked a corner of my mouth, offering a smile that was far from friendly. “Seraphina, what exactly is going on in your head?” “A man like Julian Maxwell? I could knock out a dozen of his type with one punch. Marry him? Am I insane?” Seraphina recoiled, shocked by my words. “Your language is so crude! And girls aren’t supposed to be that strong… Don’t you understand anything?!” The image of a true vs. fake heiress in her mind involved fighting to the death over a man, not me directly expressing utter disdain for him based on his physical prowess. I stood up, taking deliberate steps toward her. I was half a head taller than her, and the aura from years of intense training made her feel uncontrollably afraid. “You think you’re pitiful for being dependent and having no one to rely on, but your most pitiful aspect isn’t your lack of support.” My voice was cold, each word distinct. “It’s that you’ve made fragility your only weapon, and you attempt to survive on the pity of others.” “Do you really think everyone falls for that?” Her face turned ashen, her lips trembling uncontrollably. Yet, she still tried to retort, her chin jutted out defiantly. “What do you know! Men like delicate girls! No one will ever like someone who’s all about fighting like you!” A surge of irritation rose within me, and I was about to simply throw her out. But then, the piercing fire alarm blared through the entire mansion without warning. My expression changed. After a split second of shock, I instantly calmed. Professional instinct drove me straight to the door. I yanked it open. A wave of scorching heat, mixed with thick smoke, slammed into my face! The hallway outside was already engulfed in raging flames! Dense smoke was rapidly spreading upwards from downstairs, reducing visibility to almost zero. My brain kicked into overdrive, running calculations in 0.1 seconds, plotting the optimal escape route. Seraphina, seeing the inferno, let out a piercing shriek. “Shut up!” I roared at Seraphina, who was still screaming. She flinched at my intensity, instantly falling silent, leaving only her trembling body. “If you want to live, follow me!” My brain had already analyzed the situation. The fire originated downstairs and was spreading upwards. The smoke was toxic; we had to evacuate immediately via the emergency exit in the opposite direction. Without a moment’s hesitation, I spun to the window and tore down the heavy velvet curtains. I rushed into the bathroom and thoroughly soaked the curtains in the bathtub. “Cover your nose and mouth!” I threw a wet piece of cloth at her. Seraphina was still trembling, but the instinct for survival made her catch the wet cloth and hastily press it to her face. I draped a larger wet cloth over myself, ready to pull her along. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the delicate lace stockings on her feet. “Take them off!” I commanded sharply. “You… why are you so mean…” she whimpered, frightened, but her body obediently started to shiveringly pull off her stockings. Nylon and synthetic fibers melt rapidly under high heat, adhering to the skin and causing severe burns. This was basic survival knowledge. Unfortunately, she didn’t know it. I grabbed her hand, crouching low, and rushed toward what I remembered as the emergency exit. The hallway was filled with rolling smoke, and the temperature was terrifyingly high. Seraphina, in her exquisite silk nightgown and soft slippers, ran less than twenty feet before she started panting, her strength failing. “I… I can’t run anymore…” Her legs gave out. Low blood sugar combined with extreme shock made her collapse to the ground, almost fainting. “Do they starve you in this ‘elite’ family?” I muttered under my breath. Time was critical; no time for pointless talk. Without hesitation, I bent down and hoisted her onto my shoulder. She was incredibly light, probably weighing less than ninety pounds. To me, it was no different than carrying a field ration pack. “Ahhh, Sister… are you even a woman?!” Seraphina shrieked, utterly shocked. “If you don’t want to die, shut up!” I held her tight, my steps steady as I pushed through the inferno. It was like a simple weighted cross-country run on the training ground. The seldom-used back door was long piled high with clutter. I swiftly kicked aside the debris and slammed my body against the locked back door. In just three or four impacts, the lock was completely violently destroyed. I kicked open the tightly shut back door, and a rush of fresh, cold air flooded in. “Alright, we’re safe.” I set Seraphina down outside the mansion, frowning as I looked back at the smoke-billowing house. I wondered if there were any other victims who hadn’t escaped. With that thought, I was about to rush back into the fire to save people, but Seraphina grabbed the hem of my shirt first. “Alex, don’t leave me alone…”

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After Liam and I got married, he treated me like a queen, envied by everyone. Anything I wanted, he’d go to any lengths, even promise to pluck the stars from the sky for me. But when my water broke, in my desperate scramble to dial 911, my shaking hands accidentally swiped away an incoming call. It was Chloe, Liam’s best friend since childhood, calling from the airport. The slap cracked through the room. First time he’d ever hit me. His eyes held a rage I’d never seen. “I’d give you my last breath,” he snarled, “so why can’t you give me a little trust?” “Chloe is sensitive. I don’t want your selfish jealousy to embarrass her.” With that, he grabbed my arm and forcibly shoved me into the trunk. His voice was chillingly cold. “Calm down and reflect. Once I pick up Chloe, apologize to her, and I’ll let you out.” I curled up in the cramped trunk, intense contractions racking my body until I was almost unconscious. I hammered on the inside, screaming for help, but Liam didn’t even flinch. He just dialed his phone again. “Chloe, I’m on my way. Stay right there. Just wait for me.”

The car sped onto the highway. Every sudden brake slammed me uncontrollably against the trunk door. I shielded my pregnant belly, trying to let other parts of my body take the brutal impact. My water had already soaked the entire trunk, and now, blood was mixing with it. “Liam! Liam! Get me to the hospital, I’m bleeding!” My voice was weak, and cold sweat drenched me. But Liam wouldn’t even glance at me. He just pressed harder on the accelerator. “Chloe landed half an hour ago! If you hadn’t hung up, would she have to wait this long for me at the airport? And now you expect me to take *you* to the hospital first?” I painfully clawed at the back of the seat, struggling to lift myself enough to beg him to look at me. “Liam, please, I’m dying. If we don’t go to the hospital now, both the baby and I will die.” Liam slammed on the brakes, stopping the car abruptly on the emergency shoulder. Ignoring the speeding traffic on the highway, he got out, walked to the back, and opened the trunk. The moment it opened, a foul stench overwhelmed him. Liam frowned deeply and covered his nose. “God, you’re disgusting! You’re a grown woman, can’t you control your bodily functions?” Tears and sweat streamed down my face. I desperately crawled towards Liam, whispering my plea. “Liam, I’m in labor, I’m in so much pain. Please, can you take me to the hospital?” Liam looked down at me, a cold sneer on his face. “You’re in labor, but you still have the energy to be jealous and hang up on Chloe? You seem perfectly fine to me. Stop putting on this pathetic act!” Seeing him about to close the trunk again, I desperately grabbed his jacket, clutching onto one last sliver of hope. “I really didn’t mean to. Please, it’s *your* baby in my belly. You can’t do this to me.” My words made Liam hesitate for a moment, but then his phone rang again. “Liam, what’s taking you so long? I’ve been freezing out here, I think I’m catching a cold.” It was Chloe. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. Ten more minutes, I’ll be there soon. Find somewhere warm, don’t catch a cold.” With that, Liam ignored my pleas, slammed the trunk shut, and sped off towards the airport. Pain and terror enveloped me, slowly suffocating me. Soon after, the car stopped. Liam got out, and the door slammed shut. He must have reached the airport. Liam will pick up Chloe, then he’ll take me to the hospital, right? I just have to get through this, make it to the hospital, and the baby and I will both survive. I silently cheered myself on, completely unaware of the growing pool of blood beneath me.

I don’t know how much time passed. Then, footsteps approached, and the car door opened. I opened my mouth to call out to Liam, but realized I was too weak, I couldn’t even speak. All I could do was reach out, desperately grasping forward, but Liam didn’t see me. He had only returned to the car to grab something. a large bouquet of pure white roses. He said they represented his and Chloe’s twenty-five years of pure friendship. He took the flowers, slammed the car door shut, locked it, and walked away without a backward glance. “Liam, two years, and you look even better than before. Your wife must really take good care of you.” I heard Chloe’s voice from outside the car. She even mentioned me. “Oh, don’t even bring her up. Alice? That woman can’t take care of anyone! Not like you, Chloe. You’ve always understood me, ever since we were kids. Do you remember when we were little…” Their voices faded into the distance, and my own consciousness began to blur. In a haze, memories of Liam and I flashed before my eyes like a carousel. He put a ring on my finger, vowing to love me for all eternity. On my birthday, he held a cake he’d baked himself, his eyes seeing only me. When we got that ultrasound, his eyes were red as he touched my belly, promising he’d never let our child or me suffer a single hardship. But when I accidentally hung up the phone, he slapped me, his face twisted in fury. “How dare you hang up on Chloe? I’ve spoiled you too much, made you forget your place!” I felt the other little life inside me slipping away. Everything around me began to spin, to blur. I wanted to lift my hand, to touch that once vibrant bump one last time, but my fingers only twitched weakly. Endless darkness gathered from all directions, like a gentle shroud, or a cold tomb. Then the car door opened again. Liam got in, and Chloe sat in the passenger seat. I instinctively tried to reach for Liam, but I couldn’t touch him. I was in the same space as them, yet I was like a ghost, able only to observe, without form. Chloe frowned as she got in, fanning her hand under her nose. “What’s that smell? It’s so stale and foul. Liam, how long has it been since you washed this car?” Liam looked a bit awkward and brushed it off quickly. “Oh, probably just a rodent that died in the engine a few days ago. The smell hasn’t completely gone away yet.” Chloe nodded, no longer complaining. She simply flipped open the vanity mirror above her head and started fixing her hair, quite at ease. Liam watched her as he drove, unconsciously chuckling. “You’re still the same, you never get carsick in my car.” Chloe smiled sweetly, playfully patting Liam’s hand on the gear shift. “Yes, it’s always been you, Liam. All these years abroad, every time I took a car, I wished you were driving. It’s been so long, hasn’t it?” They chatted away, oblivious to the other presence in the car. I stared at them, my heart slowly cracking. It hurt, yet I felt numb. “I heard your wife was pregnant. Did she give birth yet? Boy or girl?” Chloe suddenly asked. At the mention of me, Liam glanced in the rearview mirror, then snorted coldly. “Don’t know, don’t care. She’s throwing a fit today, just because I said I was coming to pick you up. Who raised her to be so spoiled!” “She’s still lying in the trunk, no need to bother with her.” Chloe gasped, covering her mouth in surprise, then straightened up to look behind her. “No one’s there… Besides, your wife is pregnant. Isn’t it bad to lock her in the trunk?” “Alice? Alice?” Liam called a few times. When there was no answer, he grew angry. He pushed Chloe back into her seat, then glared into the rearview mirror, as if I could see him. “Forget her. Let her play dead if she wants. Better yet, if she really died, I’d be glad to pick up her corpse!” My eyes felt hot, but no tears would fall. Chloe looked at Liam with a troubled expression, pursed her lips, but said nothing more.

The car continued driving, stopping in front of a French restaurant. This was the restaurant where Liam proposed to me. He had told me he’d researched for ages, that the view from the window seat at 10 PM was the most beautiful. I was so touched, I put on that heavy shackles without a second thought. Before getting out of the car, Chloe glanced back at the trunk again. It was pitch black inside without the light. “Liam, is your wife really in the trunk? Do you want to check on her?” Liam pulled her hand, giving her an impatient look, then quickly averted his gaze. “That’s just how she is. She thinks if she gives me the silent treatment, I’ll always cave. I can’t be bothered! Come on, let’s go eat! Do you remember this restaurant? We used to come here for milkshakes after high school.” I froze as if struck by lightning. All that talk about “romantic spots” and “best night views” – it was just a trick he used to string me along. It was all his and Chloe’s shared memories. I was the interloper. Chloe waved her hand and smiled. In a daze, I saw a reflection of someone in her. My reflection. Or rather, I had Chloe’s reflection. We were similar in height and build, even the dimples that appeared when we smiled were so similar. I heard she went to Canada for college after graduating, and that was the year I happened to meet Liam. Liam’s pursuit of me was relentless from the start. We only dated for six months before getting married. I wasn’t unaware that he had a best friend studying abroad, but I never imagined I was a substitute for that person. Inside the restaurant, Liam was engrossed in conversation and eating with Chloe. I floated by the door, silently watching. He ordered Chloe a mango milkshake, and her face lit up with surprise. I remembered the cake Liam made for my birthday last year, piled high with mangoes. “I remember you love mangoes,” he’d said. I shook my head then, telling him I was allergic to mangoes – something discovered during our premarital check-up. Liam’s expression had been a little awkward. He scratched his head, saying he’d mixed it up, and I just smiled it off. Now I knew. The one who loved mangoes was someone else entirely. I touched my belly, still nine months pregnant. Only, the little life inside me had already been buried with me, in that cramped trunk. “Baby, I’m so sorry.” I murmured, watching Liam toast with Chloe. Chloe glanced at the ring on Liam’s ring finger and suddenly spoke. “Speaking of which, I haven’t even met your wife. When are you going to introduce me?” Liam paused, uncomfortably twisting the ring. “What’s there to see? Two eyes, one nose, one mouth – she just looks like a person.” I floated in front of him, reaching out to pinch and rub his face, but he couldn’t feel it. “But I think your wife must be a really good person. You seem to have changed a lot.” I looked at Chloe in surprise. Was she actually defending me?

She cupped her face, smiling as she looked at Liam. “You used to hate wearing any jewelry, and you’d complain for ages about how suffocating a hat felt.” “But from just now until this moment, you’ve touched your wedding ring at least ten times.” Chloe pointed to Liam’s ring finger. “You must really love your wife. It’s a subconscious reaction.” Liam, loved me? I tilted my head, staring at Liam. His eyes began to fluster. “No way? It’s just a habit. Plus, my finger feels a bit itchy…” Chloe smiled, then encouraged him to call me. Liam couldn’t argue with her, so he pulled out his phone and dialed my number. My heart jumped. I instinctively reached for the phone in my pocket, but found nothing. Oh, I forgot I was already dead. The phone vibrated in the trunk. Liam had silenced it earlier because he found my ringtone too noisy. Several calls went unanswered, and Liam hung up. “Just because I said a few harsh words, she has to give me the silent treatment for this long?” He slammed his phone on the table in frustration. Chloe’s smile faded. She looked out the window. “You just told me you locked your wife in the trunk. That was a joke, right? The car doesn’t feel like there’s anyone in it.” Liam felt an inexplicable panic. He glanced at the several unanswered calls on his phone, then took a deep breath. “Maybe she opened the door and ran off. Ugh, what could possibly happen!” Liam didn’t know if he was trying to reassure himself or what. He took off his ring directly, acting like “out of sight, out of mind.” “Forget about that. You’re only back once in a blue moon. How about I show you around here? It’s changed so much in two years!” I stood by the car, and suddenly felt a dampness on the back of my hand. Was it raining? I looked up, seeing the same boundless starry sky. I wiped my face again, only to find tears streaming down like broken pearls. It wasn’t the earth that was sad. It was me crying. Because Liam really didn’t love me. He didn’t care if I existed, or about his baby and me. The two of them left the restaurant, walked past the car, and headed straight up the hill. I wished he would glance at the trunk. Just one look, and I would forgive everything he had done to me. But no, he had completely forgotten that I was lying alone in the trunk. I wanted to curse him. “Liam! May you die a terrible death!” But the words caught in my throat. I swallowed them back. Liam was a heartless man, but I still wished him happiness, even if it wasn’t with me. I rubbed my stinging nose, wiped away my tears, and shamelessly continued to follow behind them. They walked and talked about old times, reaching the hilltop before they knew it. The evening breeze rustled Chloe’s dress. Liam thoughtfully took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, his eyes fixed on the distant city lights. I wondered if, at any moment, he would remember that among those countless lights, there was a home for him and me. Suddenly, a phone rang abruptly. Liam answered, and his expression instantly changed.

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The Poisoned Truth The stray cat I brought home hated my husband. Every time David handed me a warm glass of milk, Mittens would leap up and knock it over. After a few times, David told me to get rid of the cat. So, I had no choice but to drop it off at my best friend Chloe’s place. That night, just as I was about to drink my milk, Chloe called. “Sarah! This cat is incredible! It knocks over anything if it gets near mercury, that chemical poison, and it arches its back and hisses!” I froze, my gaze darting to David, who was staring at me from across the room… 0 “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Is the milk too hot?” David fixed his gaze on me, slowly closing the distance. I’d been having trouble sleeping, and he made me a cup of warm milk every night. If what Chloe said was true, then… My hand, holding the mug, trembled slightly. I forced myself to calm down. “It does feel a bit hot. Maybe you can check the temperature for me?” I extended the mug right under his nose. David’s smile froze on his face. Then, a sudden realization hit me: I’d been on speakerphone when Chloe called. The air seemed to solidify in an instant. We just stared at each other, motionless. Suddenly, the mug slipped from my hand and shattered on the floor. “So clumsy. Now you can’t even have any, even if you wanted to.” David managed a strained smile, a hint of accusation in his voice. But I heard a distinct sigh of relief in his tone. The moment he turned to fetch a broom, A wave of bitter realization washed over me. However passionate our love once was, The pain I felt now was just as real, just as piercing. 0

The next morning, I suddenly heard a few meows from the living room. Before I could even wonder, my bedroom door swung open. A fluffy body pounced on me. It was Mittens! The stray cat I’d rescued! How was it back in the house? “Sarah, I got an emergency notice for a week-long business trip. I had no choice but to bring Mittens back to you. I’ll pick her up in a week!” Chloe’s figure appeared in the doorway. She looked rushed, clearly in a hurry to leave. I got up, hugging Mittens, and instinctively glanced at David. His back was to me; I couldn’t see his expression. But when he turned around, he was beaming. “Of course, she can stay! Honestly, Sarah regretted giving her away right after, and so did I!” “Oh?” A flicker of suspicion crossed Chloe’s face. I’d told her how much David hated this cat. She must have been as surprised as I was by his sudden change of heart. “Perfect then. I have to go now. You two take care!” Chloe said, her tone heavy with unspoken meaning, and then opened the door and left. As she vanished, David’s smile slowly faded. He took Mittens from my arms, his face dark with menace, staring at me. Every hair on my body stood on end. 0

That night, I was plagued by a recurring nightmare. I dreamt David grabbed Mittens by the leg, slamming her head against the ground. Finally, he brought his foot down, crushing her… “No!” I screamed, waking up in a cold sweat. And then, I actually heard a few desperate cat meows echoing in my ears. “Mittens…” I stumbled out of the bedroom, searching the entire house, but there was no sign of Mittens. David’s room was also empty. An icy wave of dread washed over me. I suddenly realized those pained meows. They seemed to be coming from outside the front door. I tiptoed to the door and flung it open. What I saw shocked me to my core: David was clutching Mittens by the leg, swinging his arm, and brutally smashing her against the ground. Mittens, after rolling and twitching for a moment, lay still. I was paralyzed with shock by the sudden horrifying sight. When I finally snapped out of it, I rushed over and scooped up Mittens. But she was already lifeless. “Mittens suddenly went crazy just now and scratched Brittany several times, so I threw her once. I didn’t expect her to die just like that!” David gave me a cold look, explaining calmly. Only then did I notice a woman standing behind him.

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My wedding was just around the corner when a nude sculpture, named after me, shot to the top of the trending list. Zooming in on the screen, every scandalous detail was glaringly clear. I felt like I was nailed to a pillar of shame, a cold dread seeping into my bones. My phone was practically melting down with countless strangers calling, asking how much I charged for a night. On my way home from work, I was even dragged into the bushes by a stranger from online, who almost ripped my clothes off! I knew it was the work of my fiancé’s childhood best friend, Chloe Davis. Only he had left those three hickeys on my side that night. At the police station, I screamed hysterically at Leo Sterling over the phone, “Why did you give Chloe Davis my private photos? Why? Do you have any idea I was nearly assaulted?!” The next second, a Maybach pulled up outside, and Leo strode in with long strides, stopping right in front of me. His expression was cold, as if the nude sculpture going viral, as if *I*, who was nearly violated, wasn’t his fiancée. “Chloe is an artist. It’s an honor for you that she chose to depict your nude form.” “Since you weren’t successfully violated, it’s no big deal. Don’t worry, to protect you, Chloe will stand in for you at the wedding next Saturday. But I’ll still legally marry you; you’ll still be my Mrs. Sterling.” Because of this incident, my family’s image was tarnished, and our stock plummeted. I outwardly agreed, playing along. But the second he turned away, I sent a compressed file to a powerful, childless New York mogul. It contained top-secret documents that could ruin Leo Sterling’s career and reputation. “I agree to marry you, including giving you half of the Maxwell family’s assets, but you have to help me take down Sterling Corp.”

The voice on the other end was lazy, with an air of nonchalance. “Deal.” I hung up, exhaling a long breath. But when I opened the passenger door, I saw Chloe Davis sitting in *my* dedicated seat, the “wife-only” one. She put her hands together and playfully stuck out her tongue. “Oh, sorry, Seraphina dear. I really didn’t mean to use your nude photos. I just mentioned it casually, and I never thought Leo would actually get his hands on them.” I ignored her. From the way she was settled, she clearly wasn’t going to get out. Chloe shot Leo a look. “Leo, you really shouldn’t have taken such high-definition photos! But, you know, it’s for art, right? Seraphina, you’re incredibly brave!” My hand clenched the back car door, and the details of the sculpture flashed through my mind. My blood ran cold, freezing me in place. It was already dark. I didn’t want to deal with them and turned to leave. Chloe stomped her feet in frustration and nudged Leo twice. “What are you standing there for? Go apologize to your fiancée!” Two seconds later, Leo grabbed my wrist. “Seraphina Maxwell, what’s with the attitude?” “Chloe thinks you’re beautiful, that’s why she used your nude body. Shouldn’t you be thanking her?” “Beautiful?” I looked at him in disbelief. When we first started dating, a business partner at a party touched my shoulder suggestively. Leo immediately broke that man’s finger bones. Sterling Corp lost a $30 million deal because of it. His father locked him in the basement for three days and three nights. When I saw him, emaciated to just skin and bones, I couldn’t stop my heart from aching. “Leo, don’t be so impulsive for me next time.” That Leo Sterling was like a rogue completely smitten. “Next time someone bullies you, I’ll do it again! What kind of man can’t protect his own woman?” His eyes were bright that night. But now, he saw me being harassed, and he couldn’t even offer a word of comfort. I thought I’d never marry anyone but him, until his childhood friend came back. I couldn’t compete with her at all. I might be letting him go, but I wouldn’t suffer this humiliation for nothing. I sneered, instantly shaking off Leo’s hand. Then I walked straight up to Chloe Davis, tore open the front of her shirt to take a picture! “I think you’re quite beautiful too! Why don’t you also go viral so everyone can see you!” “Leo, save me!” Leo rushed over and kicked me away. “Chloe is still just a young girl! You’re destined to be my wife, I don’t care, so what if people saw you? Even if you were molested…” *Slap!* My eyes red, I slapped him hard across the face! “Leo Sterling, are you even human?!” Chloe panicked, quickly shielding Leo behind her. “Seraphina Maxwell, how dare you hit Leo? Is he wrong? I saw you enjoying being molested!” *Enjoying?* Just thinking about being dragged into the bushes and having my clothes ripped off by that man in black terrified me. I struggled desperately, my throat raw from screaming. The man, unable to finish, punched me a dozen times until I blacked out. If a passing security guard hadn’t called the police, I might have truly died in those bushes. Now, covered in bruises, I stood before them, and they said I *enjoyed* it? 2. I didn’t want to be entangled with them anymore; I just wanted some peace. I turned around and heard a car engine start. I thought they were leaving too, but the next second, the car drove straight towards me! With a deafening crash, I was sent flying by Leo Sterling’s luxury car! At the moment of impact, agonizing pain mixed with numbness shot through my spine, making every breath a tearing agony. Chloe Davis sat in the driver’s seat, trembling. “Oh, sorry, Seraphina! I really didn’t mean to! It’s my first time driving, I didn’t expect to hit you!” A metallic taste filled my mouth, and I coughed up blood. Leo Sterling, however, acted as if he hadn’t seen it, affectionately stroking Chloe’s head and encouraging her. “Good hit.” “No need to apologize, just consider it a lesson for her!” He was so confident I would marry him, but he had no idea I had already married someone else. Watching his calm demeanor, I truly wondered what his reaction would be when he found out. I endured the pain and called 911, and I don’t know how many bags of blood I received before I was wheeled out of surgery. The next day, Chloe Davis posted an update on social media. While I was in surgery, fighting for my life, my fiancé was spending a tender night with his childhood best friend. A luxurious mansion downtown, limited edition luxury cars, jewelry, even the heirloom my grandmother gave *him* – he gave it all to Chloe Davis. “It feels so good to be deeply loved by someone you’ve known for twenty years~” The comment section was filled with blessings and users “shipping them.” Some unhappily married women even complained about their poor husbands, saying how envious they were. This was her relationship account. Chloe Davis was the daughter of the Sterling family’s housekeeper, who later studied abroad. Leo Sterling had hidden this relationship and relentlessly pursued me for three years. After my parents died, he was the only one who truly cared for me, spoiling me like New York’s top princess. It turned out these were all things he had already done for Chloe Davis. The next second, Chloe sent me a message. “Seraphina, did your surgery hurt? Leo’s first time with me was also very painful.” With that, she sent me a photo: a bedsheet stained with blood spots. “Seraphina, Leo wants me to have his baby. He can’t bear for me to suffer, so who do you think he’ll make carry it?” I was engulfed by overwhelming fear. At that moment, I was chained to the hospital bed by tubes, watching helplessly as a doctor approached me with an 8-inch-long needle. “What are you doing?! Don’t come any closer!” I couldn’t break free and resignedly closed my eyes. “Whose orders?” “I’m sorry, Miss Maxwell, I can’t disclose that.” The Sterling Group was the largest shareholder of this hospital, known for its compassionate patient care. Who else but Leo Sterling could make them so callously harm me? The doctor didn’t use anesthesia, and my screams echoed throughout the hallway. After the procedure, I was completely drained from the pain. I touched the life within my womb that wasn’t mine and cried inconsolably. When Leo Sterling and I first became a couple, he knew I loved children. The first thing he did was donate eight million dollars in my name to an orphanage. He watched me play with the children at the orphanage, then crouched down and gently asked if I wanted to adopt one. I, foolishly shaking my head, hugged him and whispered in his ear, “Leo, I only want to have *your* children.” That night, he made passionate love to me, telling me he wanted me to bear a whole soccer team’s worth of kids for him. But he stopped at the last moment, saying he couldn’t bear to see me suffer the pains of childbirth. It turns out he wasn’t afraid of *my* suffering. He just didn’t want *my* children. I was so incredibly foolish. Just then, Leo Sterling walked in, carrying a bowl of porridge. I threw everything I could reach at him!

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My fiancé’s first love developed amnesia, fiercely clinging to the delusional belief that she and Dominic had never broken up. The first time, she crashed my birthday party, smashing cake into my face and screaming I was a homewrecker. The second time, she took a baseball bat and utterly destroyed the wedding apartment I’d poured my heart into decorating. The third time, at Dominic’s and my wedding, she broke through security, brandishing a knife, and left me severely wounded. I lifted my bleeding hand, trembling as I dialed 911, but Dominic snatched the phone away and hung up. I thought he was going to tell me to just endure it, again. The next second, hatred burned in his eyes as he strode towards Seraphina, grabbing her by the throat and dragging her out. “If you’re sick, then go to a mental institution and stay there! Don’t you dare think about coming out, ever!” A suffocating knot of dread finally loosened in my chest, and I closed my eyes, succumbing to unconsciousness. When I woke again, I searched the hospital room for him, but instead, my phone screen lit up. My finger instinctively tapped the video. Two naked bodies were intimately entwined on a bed. Seraphina fiercely bit into Dominic’s shoulder, “I don’t care, you’re mine, forever.” “Even if I’m done with you, no one else gets to have you!” Dominic said nothing, but his body answered her possessive declaration with an even fiercer, deeper thrust. *CRASH!* My phone slipped from my numb fingers, hitting the floor with a loud thud. Since you chose her, then we’re over.

The intimate sounds and whispered dialogue from my phone continued. After pleasured moans, Seraphina’s triumphant voice purred, “If Scarlett knew your idea of revenge was just ‘punishing’ me fiercely in bed, do you think she’d still…” “Shut up!” Dominic cut her off coldly. “I’ll never let her find out, and I’m certainly not breaking up with her.” He grabbed her by the neck again, a heavy warning glinting in his eyes. “If you dare lay another hand on her, don’t blame me for exposing your lie about faking illness and making sure you spend the rest of your life in a mental institution!” But Seraphina ignored his threat, her teasing hand boldly reaching out to grasp his throbbing erection. “I don’t believe you could ever be that cruel to me.” Dominic was about to say more, but her warm lips covered his, silencing him completely. Once again, intimate sounds flooded my ears. It was a long time after their intimate exchange on the phone finally ended before I could regain my composure. He knew all along she was faking her illness, yet he repeatedly indulged her, letting her hurt me, all to reminisce about their past love. I raised a hand to wipe away my tears, then picked up my phone and found Dominic’s contact icon. I’d just finished typing my breakup message and hit send when the hospital room door swung open. Dominic walked in, carrying a food container. He scooped out a bowl of porridge and handed it to me, saying guiltily, “I’ve already sent her to a mental institution and disciplined her severely for you.” I gazed at the large, suggestive red marks on his exposed neck, a cold sneer forming in my heart. A “mental ward” that looked more like a luxury penthouse, and that “punishment” that sounded suspiciously like heated passion. His “discipline” for her was certainly unique… and utterly brutal, in a way I hadn’t anticipated. When he saw the breakup message I’d sent on my phone, Dominic’s face instantly tensed. “Scarlett, Seraphina and I are long in the past. You are the only one I love now.” “In seven days, I’ll organize another wedding for you.” Dominic leaned down and placed a kiss on my forehead. “I promise you, she will never again appear to ruin our happiness.” His eyes held that deep affection that had captivated me countless times before, but now, I saw only hypocrisy and profound disgust. I looked at him, shaking my head bitterly. “It’s over. We should just break up.” “No!” Dominic possessively pulled me into his arms. “Scarlett, trust me. Just give me one more chance.” “This time, I promise I’ll completely cut ties with her. I won’t let her hurt you ever again.” Dominic leaned down to kiss my lips, but before he could, the sudden ring of his phone interrupted him. “What?! She jumped?!” The next second, Dominic bolted out the door in a panic, without even a word to me. The hospital room door swung open and bounced back, closing with a violent thud that shattered the last shred of hope I had for him. My heart plummeted seeing the contact name flash across the screen: “My Darling Seraphina.” Tears gushed out of my eyes. Watching his retreating back, I whispered softly, Goodbye, to the five years of my misplaced heart.

Looking down, I caught sight of a spreading crimson stain on my shirt, realizing with alarm that my wound had reopened. I urgently pressed the call button. After a long wait, no doctor came. Forcing myself out of bed despite the pain to find help, I was violently slammed into and knocked down just as I stepped out the door. “Sorry, I’m in a hurry. Please move.” That familiar deep voice reached my ears, and I abruptly looked up. I saw a panicked Dominic, tightly holding Seraphina, rushing to the emergency room. A crowd of doctors and nurses followed close behind them. I heard one of them grumbling as they ran: “It’s just a simple sprain, yet she’s acting like her leg is actually broken. Mr. Blackwood is far too concerned about this woman, isn’t he?” “I heard she stabbed Mr. Blackwood’s fiancée, leaving her severely wounded, and faced no repercussions. That’s not just concern; he dotes on her like she’s the most precious thing in the world.” Listening to the whispers, and seeing the large crimson stain on the pristine white floor beneath my feet, a dull ache pulsed deep within my heart. I curled my lips in a self-deprecating sneer. I, his current fiancée, couldn’t even compare to a single toe of his ex. What a cruel irony. Dragging my broken body and spirit, I returned to my room. I grabbed the gauze from the bedside table and, with my one good hand, struggled to bandage myself. Later that night, half-asleep, I was suddenly yanked out of bed. Dominic, looking frantic, pulled me, urging me towards the door. “Scarlett, you have a knack for massages. Go help Seraphina with her ankle.” “She’s in so much pain, she can’t even sleep.” *BOOM!* My brain exploded in that instant. I stared at Dominic, my eyes wide with disbelief. “Dominic, I am your fiancée! You abandoned me to save another woman, and now you want me to massage her?!” I tore myself free from his grip, screaming my questions at him. “How could you possibly do this?!” Seraphina’s knife wound was just one millimeter from my heart. Even the doctors said if I’d been brought in a moment later, I wouldn’t have made it. Just now, you violently knocked me down in the hallway, and my already life-threatening wound had torn even wider. Excruciating, bone-deep pain threatened to swallow me whole. But he ignored it, his eyes only seeing his ex, who merely sprained her ankle jumping from a waist-high window ledge. “I…” The man who was always so aloof and dignified in my presence, his usually composed face showed a rare stiffness. He pleaded softly, “But she was provoked by you, which made her jump and get hurt. Isn’t it only right to help treat her?” I immediately retorted, “You provoked her, not me!” His heart still belonged to his ex, yet he came to provoke me. He indulged her in repeatedly hurting me, yet swore I was the one he loved most. I looked at Dominic, my voice cold. “Stabbed by someone and then expected to treat them? I, Scarlett Hayes, am not some doormat!” Dominic was stunned speechless again. A flicker of displeasure crossed his eyes as he turned away and pulled out his phone. “Hello? Get that renowned specialist from New York to our city, *now*!” He hung up, then cast a cold glance my way. “I never thought you’d be so heartless. I truly misjudged you!” With that, Dominic once again rushed out of my hospital room. As if to punish my ruthlessness towards Seraphina, Dominic didn’t appear again for several days, nor did he send any messages. While struggling to cope alone, I kept hearing from others about his preferential care for Seraphina. “Did you hear? That woman with the sprained ankle is already well, but Mr. Blackwood insisted on flying in the most famous doctor by private helicopter to treat her, saying he was worried she might be permanently disabled.” Another person shook their head, sighing, “Talk about chalk and cheese, huh? The patient in Room 3, Bed 4, whose heart was almost pierced, her fiancé reportedly hasn’t even bothered to visit once.” She then glanced at me, lying in my hospital bed, her eyes a mix of pity and mockery. Even though I repeatedly told myself that Dominic and I were over, facing those strange glances, my heart still couldn’t help but ache. To escape the gossip, I leaned on my crutches, alone, and made my way to the hospital lawn downstairs. After soaking in the sun for a while, I got up and headed back to my room. Suddenly, I heard a shout of alarm. “Look! Someone’s going to jump!”

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The apartment building was on fire in the middle of the night. My first instinct was to rush and save my boyfriend, Julian. Even with extensive burns all over my body, I gritted my teeth and dragged him out. But then, after my skin graft surgery, I saw Julian on TV, telling reporters: “My girlfriend tried to set me on fire! I’m calling the police!” He even produced surveillance footage of me pouring gasoline, clearly preparing to start a fire. I was utterly defenseless, branded a murderer. When I confronted him at his place, I found Julian secretly involved with my best friend, Serena. “Didn’t you say? Once she’s in prison, no one will ever expose your secret as the fake heiress.” “But only the mouths of the dead stay sealed.” “Whether you’re with the Albrights or with me, you’ll always be the pampered princess.” In a panic, I tried to escape, but they caught me and pushed me down the stairs together. In my last moments, I finally understood. Julian’s efforts to get close to me were all to help the fake heiress clear her path. When I opened my eyes again, Julian was calling me, screaming for help from the fire. I ignored him. Instead, I scrolled through his buddies’ contacts and found the one with the hottest body. “Date? I like guys with eight-pack abs.”

Leo, Julian’s usually quiet friend in the SnapChat group, immediately replied: “Sure, just don’t regret it.” A faint smirk played on my lips as I put down my phone. Gasps filled the air around me. “Fire! Iris, isn’t that Julian’s apartment building in that direction?” It was Serena, my “best friend” for years, the rich heiress. It took dying once in my past life to realize the truth. She was actually the daughter of their former housekeeper, and I was the real Albright heiress, swapped at birth. During a routine blood donation last time, she accidentally found out my true identity. Afraid that I’d return to the Albright family and pose a threat, she conspired with Julian to stage this whole charade. But this time, I wasn’t playing along. Serena urged me to get up and help, but I paid her no mind, instead focusing on doing my makeup in front of the mirror. I put on some killer makeup. Serena paced beside me, stomping her foot in frustration. “Your boyfriend just called, asking you to help with the fire. Why aren’t you going?” “If you’re late and something happens to him, you’ll regret it!” I couldn’t help but scoff. “My boyfriend, and I’m not worried. Why are you?” “If he can call me, he can surely call 911.” “Besides, if the fire really takes hold, what can a young woman like me do?” “If Julian truly loved me, he wouldn’t want me to get in the way.” I continued leisurely applying my makeup. Serena was furious. “Iris Albright! How can you be so cold-blooded and heartless?” “If you’re not going, I will! You’re so callous, I don’t want a friend like you anymore!” She fumed, then turned and stormed away. My phone vibrated incessantly. I picked it up and saw the SnapChat group was in an uproar. It was a private group I’d specifically made with Julian’s friends, excluding him. Ten minutes ago, my “Date?” message had sent the small group into a frenzy. “Hey, look at me! I’m stronger than Julian!” “I’m a hottie, Iris, date me!” Julian’s friends had always been flirting with me. They acted like Julian’s buddies on the surface. But their eyes held a knowing look every time they looked at me. Last time, I overheard them talking in a private lounge. “Seriously, did you win the lottery or something? How did you manage to score a beauty like her?” “If you ever dump a stunner like this, remember to toss her our way.” “For years, you only had Serena in your heart. How did Iris suddenly catch your attention? Even if she’s a bit poor, her face is absolutely stunning, it’s hard not to like her…” Julian always just smiled and stayed silent, basking in their verbal adoration. Everyone knew his heart belonged only to Serena. They knew he would eventually kick me to the curb. Only I was kept in the dark. Including that fire, when I rushed in to save him. But he tried to trap me in the burning room. Even after I dragged him out, covered in burns myself, he still wanted me dead, pushing me down the stairs. This time, I would protect both my life and my identity, making sure no one could take them from me. Just as I was lost in thought, my phone buzzed twice. Leo sent a message: “I’m downstairs.” I sashayed downstairs, looking absolutely stunning. Walking out of the campus gate, I passed by the burning apartment building. The roadside was crowded with concerned bystanders, some frantically trying to put out the fire, others calling 911. My phone kept ringing – it was Julian. I simply pulled my gaze away, silenced the call, and headed off to my date with his friend. I was so stupid in my past life, rushing in to save him without a second thought. But if Julian truly loved me, why would he knowingly try to drag me into danger? After a satisfying meal and some fun, Leo drove me back. This time, Julian had to escape the blaze on his own, looking disheveled and covered in ash. As I returned, my eyes met Julian’s. His face was a mix of shock, surprise, and resentment. His friends were celebrating his narrow escape, and reporters swarmed him. “Excuse me, how did this fire start?” Julian pointed at me, accusingly, into the camera. “It was her.” “I saw it with my own eyes. She snuck in around midnight and poured gasoline nearby, clearly intending to set it on fire.”

Just as I expected. It was exactly like my past life. Julian not only publicly slandered me to reporters, accusing me of arson and attempted murder, but he’d also brought those reporters himself. In my past life, I couldn’t understand why Julian would say such a thing. My eyes red, I looked at him for a long time. “Julian, are you delirious from the smoke? How could I possibly set you on fire?” “I’m your girlfriend, and I’m covered in burns from saving you!” Back then, I had just returned from skin graft surgery. But Julian violently shoved me to the ground. “Don’t make excuses!” “You only got close to me for my money! You knew I had an apartment off-campus, and you wanted to kill me so all my assets would be yours!” My lips trembled, unable to utter a single word. I couldn’t comprehend how the sweet boyfriend I had yesterday could turn into such a monster. But my distraught appearance, to the reporters, looked like an admission of guilt. Now, Julian, just like in my past life, was accusing me of arson and attempted murder in front of the cameras. I remained completely calm. “I have an alibi.” I patted Leo’s shoulder. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask him. I was on a date with him when the fire started.” Julian’s friends stood there, mouths agape, speechless with shock. Some were even whispering: “Holy crap, is she playing that hard? Iris actually cheated on him!” “I told you, Big River, Leo’s family is way richer than yours. Even if she was after money, she wouldn’t pick you.” “But then again, it could be a crime of passion! You never know what’s in someone’s heart, right?” Julian’s expression froze. He hadn’t expected me to say that. His face darkened, and he stared at me intently. “I don’t know how you hooked up with my friend, but even if he’s covering for you, it doesn’t change the facts.” He clenched his fist, veins bulging on the back of his hand, and angrily declared: “I saw the fire with my own eyes. You set it.” I couldn’t help but scoff. “Don’t be ridiculous. If you saw it with your own eyes, why didn’t you stop it?” “Julian, even if you’re going to lie, at least try to make it logical.” I yawned lazily. “A full day of dating is quite tiring. I’m going home to sleep.” “Stop right there!” Julian grabbed my arm, a cold sneer on his face. “You think I don’t have proof?” Soon, Julian produced the surveillance video. Indeed, it showed a girl. In the dead of night, pouring gasoline and dropping an unextinguished cigarette butt. And the clothes the girl was wearing were identical to what I had on right now! Suddenly, I was the target of universal condemnation, harsh glares and accusations raining down on me. “Holy crap, it’s actually true! The surveillance video is right here, what more do you have to say for yourself?” “How could a young woman be so malicious?” “Exactly! Isn’t he your boyfriend? Even if he rejected your proposal, you shouldn’t resort to murder to silence him!” Julian, it turned out, had told the cameras earlier that I was not only after his money, but also retaliating because he’d recently postponed our wedding plans. Julian’s eyes welled up for the camera, as if deeply hurt by me. “Iris, if there’s anything you want, you can just tell me. If you want to break up with me and be with Leo, I wouldn’t stop you. Why did you have to try and kill me?” I broke out in goosebumps. What a performance! Hearing how ‘pitiful’ he was, the people around him started cursing me even more venomously, practically foaming at the mouth. My gaze fell on the surveillance video, and I suddenly spoke. “Since you’re all so convinced that I’m the one who committed arson and attempted murder—” “Why don’t you take a closer look? Is the person in that video really me?” They insisted it was me. The face was identical, and the clothes were exactly the same as mine. But I smiled. “That face is indeed identical to mine, and even the clothes are pretty much the same.” I zoomed in on the video, pointing to a specific detail. “But this woman in the video has six fingers. Are you sure that’s a real person?”

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Late at night, my boyfriend texted me, “My dad isn’t happy with you. Let’s break up.” Drunk, I went to beg for him back, making a scene all night. But when I woke up, his dad was lying next to me. The man opened his eyes, grinning at me. “Are you satisfied with me now?” I snapped, annoyed. I was woken up in the morning by a phone call. “Daisy Miller, are you out of your mind? You called me 108 times last night!” His familiar voice came through the receiver. My voice was already choked with tears. “Ryan King, you finally called me back.” “Daisy Miller, we’ve already broken up. My dad doesn’t like you. It’s better a clean break than prolonged pain. I’m not coming back.” “What’s wrong with me? I can change, okay? I’ll change until your dad is satisfied. You know I can’t live without you.” “Uh, but I just don’t have feelings for you anymore.” No feelings anymore. How do you get feelings back? I couldn’t help but cover my face and cry, but my hand landed on rock-hard abs. A deep voice rumbled from beneath me. “If you want to get back with him, you might be more convincing if you got off me first, don’t you think?” That’s when I realized I was sprawled on top of a handsome man. My brain totally froze. I still hadn’t figured out who this man was. Then Ryan King’s voice came from the other end of the phone. “Dad?”

Dad? The man beneath me was his dad? My drunken haze cleared instantly. I hung up the phone in a flash. “Not getting off yet?” The man’s eyes narrowed at me. “Right. Mr. King.” It was, after all, my first time meeting my boyfriend’s dad. I wanted to appear as well-behaved as possible. But then I remembered I wasn’t wearing any clothes, and my resolve deflated. He never mentioned having such a young and handsome dad! “Mr. King? So now you’re well-behaved?” “You weren’t so quiet when you were biting me last night.” Ah! I froze in utter shock. I scrambled off him immediately and frantically started getting dressed. He watched me the entire time. And waited with immense patience until I was fully dressed. Then he asked, “Are you Ryan King’s girlfriend?” “Ex… ex-girlfriend.” I corrected him. “Do you remember anything from last night?” “I forgot.” I stood rigidly by the bed, like a guilty child caught by a strict teacher. “Hm, how do you plan to handle this?” I don’t know. My world just crashed down. Yesterday, I heard Ryan King’s dad was sick, so I planned to show some initiative and visit him, hoping he’d persuade his son not to break up with me. I just had a few drinks. How did I end up causing such a huge disaster? “Uh, Mr. King, please get well soon. I’ll visit you another time.” He glanced at me, then summed it up with one sentence. “Got it. You don’t want to take responsibility.” “No! I mean…” I hung my head. “I was wrong.” He stood up and slowly, methodically dressed. Even though his back was to me, the lines of his back still made my face flush. “I’ll have the driver take you back. My flight is in an hour, so I’m a bit short on time…” “No need!” I quickly averted my gaze. Just as I was about to leave, my eyes caught sight of the torn condom wrappers in the trash can, which were pretty jarring. To destroy the evidence, I swiftly grabbed the trash bag, intending to make a quick escape. The moment I pulled the door open, I bumped right into Ryan King. “Daisy Miller? What are you doing in my dad’s room?”

When he stormed in, my face was bright red, and his dad had just pulled up his pants. My hands and feet instantly turned cold, and my back broke out in a sweat. So this is what it feels like to be caught red-handed. My mind raced. “I heard your dad was sick, so I came to visit.” Ryan King turned to look at his dad. “Dad, is she really here to see you? Or just to annoy you?” “Hm, she visited… and annoyed me.” His dad was smiling. Ryan King looked really angry. “Daisy Miller, I know you’ve been having a hard time lately, but causing a scene at someone else’s house after we broke up is just really off-putting.” “I know!” “If there’s nothing else, I’ll get going.” All I wanted to do now was escape. Just as I was about to leave, he called out to me again. “Wait, what’s that you’re holding?” “A trash bag.” I quickly hid the trash bag a little behind me. Ryan King looked exasperated again. “Daisy Miller, you don’t need to keep visiting my dad and taking out his trash and trying to curry favor. It’s all pointless.” “Honestly, I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m sorry. If only you were a little prettier.” Me? We’d dated for three years, and he’d always been so gentle with me, saying I was cute. Now he was complaining I wasn’t pretty enough? My anger flared instantly. I lifted the trash bag in my hand and dumped it over his head. “This trash bag is less full of garbage than you are!” “I came here to break up with you, and the reason is you can’t perform.” Ryan King was instantly triggered. “Who can’t perform? Explain yourself!” “Whatever!” Who cared what he said? I turned and walked away. “Wait, why are there condoms in this trash, and three of them?!” I was already at the door, but my heart still lurched. Had the truth finally been exposed? “Dad, did you bring a woman home, and use the condoms I bought?!”

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After giving birth to her son, my sister eloped with my rich boyfriend, Julian Vance. Furious, and relying on our identical faces, I knocked on David Miller’s bedroom door. I swore to torment her husband and son in her place. Ten years later, my sister returned. She saw her son, Leo, healthy and thriving, thanks to me. And David Miller’s booming business. She sneered, “I’m giving your boyfriend back to you. It’s time you returned the family you stole from me.” By then, my rich ex-boyfriend Julian Vance had long gone bankrupt. “Refuse, and I’ll tell everyone about your dirty secret of seducing your brother-in-law!” I gritted my teeth and accepted it. That night, I booked a flight, and a taxi sped through the streets. But David Miller, in the back seat, pulled me onto his lap: “I’m way more capable than that rich boy. Care to find out?” When my sister eloped with my rich boyfriend, Julian Vance, she even sent me an intimate photo of them: [Goodbye, little sister. You couldn’t win against me when we were kids, and you can only admit defeat now that we’re grown up.] I was so angry. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, my identical face to my twin sister. That very night, I knocked on David Miller’s door. If she dared to leave her husband and son in *my* city, then don’t blame me for making their lives hell! David Miller was a bit awkward with his wife’s sudden change in demeanor. But at that time, his business was struggling. He probably thought his wife disliked him for not making enough money, so she had a right to be mad. He became even more humble towards me. Every time I reprimanded or even hit him, he would just silently lower his head, promising to give me a good life soon. I knew my brother-in-law was honest. But I never expected him to be so damn spineless. So I turned my attention to bullying her kid. The child was with me until he was three, truly seeing me as his mother. But this mother was very strict. I didn’t give him food or drink, and sometimes I cursed at him. Every time, he would purse his lips, little hands clutching his shirt, looking at me with teary eyes. He’d timidly say, “Mommy, please don’t be angry… Leo will just go to his room by himself. Mommy, please don’t get sick from anger.” …This father and son were exactly alike in their honesty and spinelessness. Until I went to pick him up from kindergarten and saw a group of kids surrounding him, punching and kicking. I completely lost my composure. Only *I* can bully *my* son! And I haven’t even hit him like that myself! I immediately stormed into the principal’s office. The ringleader was the only son of a powerful local CEO. The principal told me to tolerate it, not to make a fuss. I walked right up and slapped that CEO across the face. David Miller apologized to the CEO for a long time; his humble demeanor made my blood boil. I forced the CEO to pay for Leo’s medical expenses, then grabbed the father and son and turned to leave. On the way back, David Miller seemed about to say something, then didn’t. I gave him an annoyed sideways glance: “What? Think I was too impulsive?” “Cough…” He awkwardly cleared his throat: “N-not exactly…” “Then shut up!” I snapped: “Either you make something of yourself so your son never gets bullied again. “Or *I’ll* step in. That’s better than our whole family being spineless!” I never expected David Miller to actually do it. Now, that CEO needs to send many gifts through intermediaries just to get an audience with David Miller. The Miller family truly made a name for themselves in New York. No one dared to bully little Leo anymore. After I stood up for him at the kindergarten that time, I looked at his frail body. I bit my lip, and even though David Miller was still in debt, I personally used my money to buy a lot of nutritional supplements: “Look how skinny you are! You deserve to be bullied! If you don’t eat up and get stronger, don’t call me Mom!” Under the supervision of me, his ‘stepmother,’ little Leo not only gained weight. His body fat percentage was also excellent. At ten years old, the child subtly developed muscles. Whether in terms of physical strength or social standing, no peer dared to lay a hand on him. Everything was perfect. Little Leo treated me as his mother. He’d boast to everyone about my heroic deeds of confronting the CEO in front of the principal. David Miller also treated me as his wife. After achieving success and fame, luxury goods were thrown into my hands without a care. Luxury cars and mansions were showered upon me without restraint. I, a woman who had never seen much money growing up, actually began to harbor the idea of “living like this for the rest of my life.” Until my sister returned. And pulled me out of my beautiful dream with my ‘husband.’

“Honestly, this decade of happiness? You stole every bit of it.” My sister sat opposite me, blowing a smoke ring into the air: “Even though I eloped with your boyfriend back then, my husband and son are still *my* husband and son. That doesn’t give you the right to turn around and take over my family.” She tapped off the cigarette ash: “I won’t pursue the matter of you stealing my things. Now, I’m giving Julian Vance back to you. “You give me back my husband and son.” I clenched my fists— Julian Vance had gone bankrupt a while ago. His financial situation was even tighter than David Miller’s back then. “Sister, you really know how to pick your moments. Stealing your sister’s boyfriend when your husband’s down and out, then coming back to be the rich wife after you’ve had your fill?” *CRASH!* The ashtray slammed to the floor by my feet. My sister lifted her chin: “Is that how you talk to your older sister? “And, Maya Summers, while I might have had a little something with your boyfriend, *you* seduced your brother-in-law and took over my son! “That’s *my* son, whom I just gave birth to! Don’t you think you’re utterly despicable and shameless? “Think about it, which is more disgusting and dirty!” My breath caught. She stood up, came over to me, and looked down on me: “If you dare refuse, I’ll spill all your dirty secrets. Then we’ll see who gets more hate, you or me.” I didn’t really care about getting criticized. Growing up, simply having enough to eat and drink was my only desire. Back when I was dating Julian Vance, didn’t everyone accuse me of only caring about money? I just thought of Leo. The sweet way that kid called me Mom. If this came out, what would he think? What would David Miller think? Taking a deep breath, I spoke: “Give me three days.” My sister frowned. “What for? Don’t I need to pack my bags? “Shouldn’t I clean up the traces I’ve left behind for you? “Don’t I need to write you a briefing about the changes these two have gone through in the last ten years?” My sister’s expression finally softened a bit. She let out a cold sneer: “If you dare to trick me, I promise you’ll regret it!”

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From childhood, I was fiercely protective of my sister. No one was allowed to hurt her. My uncle used to mock my sister, calling her ‘simple-minded,’ and even encouraged other kids to treat her like a dog, riding on her back. Without a second thought, I squeezed his son’s mouth open and force-fed him pesticide. “You love watching ‘idiots,’ huh? Well, now you’ll have one of your own to watch.” The old bachelor, taking advantage of the twilight quiet, tried to lure my sister into his room with hard candies. I grabbed the cleaver and, with one swift chop, severed his ‘sinful flesh.’ “That pathetic little thing, and he dared to eye my sister? It’s not even enough to get stuck in a dog’s teeth!” The villagers would scatter whenever they saw me, whispering behind my mother’s back that she’d birthed two daughters: one an idiot, the other a lunatic. My parents, terrified I’d cause another death, had no choice but to painfully commit me to an asylum. I was locked away for ten years. When I was finally released, Mom called me, sobbing. “Chloe, please, come to the hospital first. Your sister… she’s barely hanging on.” “Your brother-in-law, just to amuse his mistress, tied her in a dog kennel for three days and three nights. Her body was so mangled, there wasn’t a single unbitten patch of skin.” I said nothing. I hung up the phone, gripped a heavy iron bar, and rushed to the Sterling estate. When Derek Sterling and his mistress returned, I was stirring the meat in the pot, and I flashed them a smile. “Hungry? Dinner’s ready.”

“Oh, how impressive, the idiot can actually cook! I thought you only knew how to beg for scraps in the doghouse.” Vanessa Thorne pinched her nose and circled around me. Seeing no sign of suspicion on her face, a subtle smile played on my lips. It seemed ten years hadn’t changed how much my sister and I resembled each other. That saved me a lot of trouble. I pretended not to hear the sarcasm in Vanessa’s voice, smiling faintly. “After being bitten by the dogs and hospitalized, I feel like my brain’s gotten much sharper. I really have you to thank for that.” She looked at my docile demeanor and immediately let out a piercing laugh. “Derek, did you hear that? She’s actually thanking us for letting the dogs bite her. You married quite a wife, she’s absolutely hilarious!” Derek Sterling, hearing the taunt, struggled to maintain his expression. He eyed me with disgust. “She’s no Mrs. Sterling. Grandma was just sickly back then, and Lily was nothing but a prop to cheer her up, a temporary comfort.” “Vanessa, you know you’re the only one for me.” Derek clasped Vanessa’s hand tightly, his eyes filled with tender affection. Vanessa shot me a glance, her triumph practically overflowing. She purred, “Alright, I know, let’s try Lily’s cooking.” She inhaled the strange aroma and instinctively swallowed. Eagerly, she picked up her fork and speared a large piece of meat. Derek took a bite too, his eyes lighting up. He mumbled, “Can’t believe it, you fool, your cooking’s actually pretty good.” Watching them devour the meal, the smile on my lips widened. Before long, the entire pot of meat was completely empty. Vanessa rubbed her belly, satisfied. She scooped the remaining scraps into a bowl and handed it to me. “Here, take this good stuff to Lucky and Treasure.” Lucky and Treasure were Vanessa and Derek’s dogs, pampered like children for seven years. As I took the bowl, she suddenly snatched it back, pinching her nose in disgust. “You didn’t pee yourself again, did you? You reek.” “Forget it, I’ll feed them myself.” I looked down at the stains on my apron and clicked my tongue. Those two brutes were a handful. Took all my strength to get them settled, and now look, I’m covered in their mess. I wondered if this outfit would ever come clean. Lost in thought, a sudden shriek erupted from the backyard. Vanessa stumbled back inside, her eyes wide with terror. She clutched Derek’s sleeve, her face ashen. “Derek, the backyard’s covered in blood! Lucky and Treasure are gone!” Her voice was on the verge of tears. Derek frowned deeply, then turned to glare at me. “You’ve been home all this time, where are the dogs?” I touched my nose, a childish grin on my face. “Weren’t they what you just ate? You said it was delicious.” 2. At my words, Derek’s mind went blank, and then his stomach churned. Vanessa frantically gagged, practically retching bile. Her eyes bloodshot, she lunged at me. “You bitch, I’ll make you pay for this!” I stood my ground, unmoving, and silently counted to three. Soon, Vanessa and Derek collapsed to the floor, unconscious. I raised an eyebrow in satisfaction. The sedatives from the asylum worked like a charm. When they awoke again, they were bound tightly to chairs. I picked up a pair of scissors and walked straight to Vanessa. Her face contorted in fear as she shrieked, “Lily! What are you doing?!” I ignored her screams, and with a snip, I chopped off her proudly long hair, leaving it uneven and ugly. Vanessa struggled desperately, but in the end, she could only watch her hair fall, tears streaming down her face. I was simply giving her a taste of her own medicine, returning the favor for what she’d done to my sister. After her haircut, I grabbed a bucket of gasoline and poured a circle around them both. Derek’s eyes widened. “You fool, murder is a crime!” I paid him no mind, simply doused them both in the remaining gasoline. They instantly looked like drowned rats. Then, I smiled, a terrifying grin. “You two love playing games, don’t you? Well, today, I’ll play along.” The lighter clicked, igniting. Seeing that I wasn’t joking, Derek’s pupils constricted. He stammered, “Lily, let’s talk this through, don’t do anything rash.” I raised an eyebrow, a light laugh escaping my lips. “Alright, as long as you agree to two conditions.” “First, transfer five million into my account.” “Second, a divorce.” Lily’s body was a mess, she needed skin graft surgery, and the medical bills would be astronomical. The Sterling household was a living hell, a den of vipers. I had to get Lily out of there. Derek readily agreed to the first, but balked at divorce. “That’s impossible. My mother would never agree. She felt like she was dying back then, and marrying you was supposed to save her life.” “Without her blessing, I can’t divorce you.” I clicked my tongue in annoyance. These Sterlings were no good, and full of ridiculous rules. Derek, terrified I’d change my mind, immediately transferred five million into my account. As promised, I untied them. He slumped in the chair, letting out a relieved sigh. Suddenly, he sniffed himself, and his face instantly changed. “This is water.” I looked at him with a knowing smile. “What else would it be? You said it yourself, murder is a crime.” In my years at the asylum, I’d learned not to act impulsively. I wasn’t about to waste my life on scum like them. Derek’s forehead pulsed with anger, and his fists clenched, knuckles cracking. “You bitch.” I waved my phone, displaying their naked photos. “I advise you not to lose your temper. Sterling Enterprises is in its growth phase right now.” “If these photos get out, it won’t just be me who’s embarrassed.” Derek’s face flushed with fury, but he was helpless. Vanessa, just recovering from the shock of her hair being cut, saw the photos on my phone and completely broke down. “Bitch!” She grabbed the scissors from the table, looking ready to fight me to the death. But as soon as she took a step, a searing pain ripped through her stomach. The next second, Vanessa collapsed to the floor, screaming in agony. Watching her suffer, I feigned surprise and slapped my forehead. “Oops, I forgot to tell you.” “Besides sedatives, I also added abortifacients to that pot of dog meat stew.”

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