1 My coworker, thinking it was a hilarious prank, slapped a parking ticket onto my car and snapped a photo, texting me that I’d been cited. Believing him, I logged onto the DMV’s online portal to check. What greeted me, instead, was a high-definition photo captured by the traffic camera system just yesterday. In the shot, Chloe’s ex-boyfriend, Liam, sat in the passenger seat, unbuckled, leaning across the console to kiss her cheek. I stared, stunned, at the bright, radiant smile on her face – a smile I’d never once seen directed at me. It was then, in that brutal flash of clarity, that I finally understood: this one-sided devotion, this fervent, lonely love, it was time to let it go. Silently, I handled the ticket. Alone, I attended her ailing grandfather’s funeral, a final, solitary send-off. I drafted the divorce papers, sealing them in an envelope, and mailed them to her company. From this day forward, I would be my own man, navigating my own path, unburdened by her shadow. … My best friend, Tyler, wasted no time. The moment he heard, he was there, a whirlwind of frantic concern. “What the hell happened with you and Chloe? Is she cheating on you?” My eyes, bloodshot and stinging, managed a pathetic, twisted smile. Ten years of chasing, of looking up to her, had only bought me a marriage of polite formality with Chloe. I’d mistaken that distant respect for happiness. Today, it was brutally shattered by a single photograph. Marrying me, Chloe had, in the end, only constrained herself. Tyler, seeing my broken state, felt a surge of frustrated anger. “I told you she wasn’t good for you, Alex! You never listened, always barreling headfirst down this path. It’s for the best, honestly. Every time I saw you pathetically chasing after her, it just made my blood boil!” “Professor Miller has an international project needing a liaison; maybe you should consider it?” I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth, managing a choked “Mmm.” It was then I realized the tears were flowing freely, uncontrollably. I frantically searched for tissues, but Tyler just sighed. “Don’t hold it in, man. Just cry.” Overwhelmed by a sudden, profound sense of injustice, I finally crumbled, sinking to the floor, my head buried in my hands, sobbing. After driving me home, Tyler left, called away by some urgent matter. I rang Professor Miller, asking about the project’s details, and quickly realized I was perfectly capable of handling it. Without a second thought, I agreed. Departure date: one week. All necessary company handovers could be completed online. Washing my face, I caught my reflection in the mirror: a haggard, bitter-looking stranger. For the first time, I felt a wave of self-loathing. As my thoughts swirled, my phone buzzed. “Alex, would you mind dropping off a black suit dress at my office? Thanks!” Chloe’s voice, as polite and distant as ever. Out of habit, I agreed. It was only after she hung up that the words sank in, chilling me. A brief moment of hesitation, but ultimately, I didn’t call back to refuse. Chloe often worked late, rarely coming home. This was as good a time as any to pick up the divorce papers. When I arrived, Liam was leaning close to Chloe, both engrossed in a computer screen. His breath brushed lightly against her face. She looked at him, her eyes soft, her lips moving in a whispered word. Then her gaze flickered to me, her expression hardening, the tender light in her eyes dissolving into cool indifference. A look of reproach settled on her face. “What took you so long?” Liam, with a placating smile, reached out to take the clothes. “Thanks for making the trip, Alex. Chloe’s a bit stressed with her team, so her tone might be sharp. Don’t mind her.” He carried himself with the air of a homeowner, as if I were the shameful intruder. Had this been five years ago, when he first returned from abroad to be Chloe’s assistant, I would have exploded, demanding answers. Now, I merely asked, my voice flat, “Have you signed the papers?” Chloe raised a delicate eyebrow, letting Liam finish adjusting her collar. “Signed what?” “Alright, Chloe, let’s go. We’re running out of time.” Liam’s voice cut in, clearly annoyed by our interaction. She gave a slight nod, tossing a curt instruction my way. “We’ll talk about this later, at home.” They walked out, one after the other. Liam, trailing behind, turned back to look at me, a triumphant, unconcealed smirk playing on his lips. I ignored him, searching his desk for the divorce papers, finding no trace of them. My hand brushed the mouse, and the computer screen lit up. What flashed across the screen was a photo of Chloe and Liam, leaning against a railing by the sea, gazes locked, filled with a profound tenderness. A closeness I’d never experienced with her. I stumbled out of the office, clutching my car keys, a broken man. Back home, I sank to the floor behind the door, tears streaming down my face once more. Letting go was harder than I’d imagined. But it was alright. One day, I would meticulously, painfully, uproot Chloe from my heart. Scrolling through videos to distract myself, a “people you might know” notification popped up. I meant to swipe past it, but my finger slipped, opening Liam’s profile. His latest video was from a funeral. The caption read: “In these tough times, glad I have you by my side.” The deceased was merely a distant uncle of Liam’s. Chloe stood beside him, presenting herself as his lover. Watching her doting, attentive presence in the video, it hit me: Chloe wasn’t always too swamped to spare a moment. Back then, at our own wedding, she’d walked out halfway, citing urgent work. How little she must have cared. Her hesitant, apologetic look, I’d mistaken for guilt. I’d even gently reassured her it was fine. Thinking back now, it was laughable. Perhaps even then, she’d already regretted it. 2 That night, Chloe, true to form, didn’t come home. Yet, the very next day, at the university’s Founders’ Day celebration, I saw her. Hand in hand with Liam, they ascended the stage to present a donation. Hearing her shamelessly introduce Liam to the host as “the most important person in my life,” I felt a sudden, bitter relief that when we married, I’d respected Chloe’s wish for a low-key ceremony and hadn’t invited a single classmate. As if sensing my presence, she turned and looked out into the audience, our eyes locking. A faint frown creased her brow, but her hand remained tightly clasped in Liam’s. I lowered my head, the bitterness a tangible weight, and turned away, walking towards the grassy expanse by Unity Lake. Soon, footsteps sounded behind me. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to the celebration? I would’ve picked you up.” No mention of holding hands, no explanation, no hint of panic at being caught. I laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. “Is there even room for me in your car anymore?” Chloe rubbed her temples, feigning exasperation. “Alex, do you have to be so aggressive? What happened to the considerate, sensible man you used to be?” Used to be? What was I like before? I was the one who saw her as a goddess, pulling me from the depths of despair. I laughed when she laughed. I worried when she worried. My entire being revolved around her. I’d lost myself, lost my purpose, all to follow in her footsteps. The truth was, if Chloe had just told me she wanted to be with Liam, I would have willingly stepped aside. This marriage, after all, had been her impulsive decision, born from a desire to spite him after their breakup. I, the silent admirer, had seen it all clearly, yet still plunged into that abyss willingly. Now that their old flame had rekindled, she should be desperate for me to leave. But this evasiveness… I couldn’t understand it. “Chloe, there you are!” Liam’s voice chimed, his polished leather shoes making soft thuds as he approached from behind her. He paused, looking at me with feigned surprise. “Alex, you’re here too?” As he spoke, he moved to stand in front of Chloe, casually adjusting her collar. “The university president wants a photo with you. Shall we go?” Chloe glanced at me, seeing no response. She gave a quick, almost worried instruction: “Wait for me, we’ll leave together later.” “Didn’t you forget about your meeting? I’m afraid Alex will have to take a taxi home,” Liam cut in, a seemingly apologetic smile on his face as he looked at me. Chloe hesitated. Then, Liam cried out, “Snake!” Chloe instantly pushed me away, scrambling to pull Liam onto the paved path, panic etched on her face. I, standing so close to the lake’s edge, was shoved straight into the water. The summer water of Unity Lake should have been warm. Instead, it was icy, seeping into my bones, a chilling cold. Through the shimmering surface, I met Chloe’s gaze—guilty and panicked. She rushed toward me, but I pulled myself onto the bank before she could reach me. “Alex, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking.” I smiled, a hollow, bitter smile. “It’s fine. I’m used to it.” Without a moment’s hesitation, I turned my back on her, my body and soul soaked, and walked away. Chloe’s hands, clenched at her sides, trembled slightly. For the first time, she felt me so close, yet impossibly distant. She wanted to chase after me, to grab me and demand answers, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave Liam. She only sent a text: “Go home first. I’ll explain later.” I let out a soft, derisive scoff. Explain what? Explain why she instinctively protected Liam? Or why she pushed me into the lake? Whatever it was, I didn’t want to hear it. I was sick of her self-serving excuses. That night, Chloe, her mind swirling with questions, came home early. Seeing the cold, empty kitchen, and me ordering takeout, a strange sense of calm settled over her. “Is this how you take care of yourself when I’m not home?” she said, her voice laced with feigned concern. “Maybe we should hire a housekeeper. All this housework, it’ll wear you out. It breaks my heart.” My hand, holding the chopsticks, paused. What a thoughtful, wonderful woman! She had always used these seemingly caring words to make me believe she’d fallen for me over time, binding me tighter and tighter to her. But a lie, no matter how convincing, is still a lie. I wiped my mouth and spoke slowly. “Let’s get a divorce.” 3 Chloe froze for a second. Then, a helpless smile played on her lips. “Still playing games, huh?” she said, her voice gently coaxing as she reached to touch my head. “Liam and I are history. We’re the couple now; you have to trust your wife.” She added, “I’m a little hungry. Could you make me something to eat?” It was an obvious olive branch, an invitation to return to our old routine. But I didn’t take it. “You make it yourself.” Perhaps it was the first time I’d ever refused her, and she seemed unaccustomed to it. Without intending to explain further, I turned, sidestepping her, and started towards the bedroom. She grabbed my arm, her grip firm. “Alex, are you not feeling well?” Her tone was still gentle, making me feel even more like the irrational one. At my breaking point, I lashed out. “What if I’m not? Do you honestly care, after five years of marriage?” “We’re husband and wife. If I don’t care about you, who do I care about?” “Then tell me,” I challenged, “when’s my birthday?” Chloe’s mouth opened slightly, then closed, speechless. How could she possibly know? It was like the time I’d bought a cake and put it in front of her, and she’d simply assumed I just happened to want cake! “But you know Liam’s!” Tears streamed down my face. I expected her to explode in anger or frantically try to explain her relationship with Liam. But she didn’t. She just sighed, a weary, helpless sound. “You need to cool down. I’ll be working late at the office tonight!” Always the same. Every time I wanted to confront her, she’d retreat with an excuse about “working late.” Chloe was a master of passive aggression, cloaked in a veil of polite distance. I couldn’t take it anymore. I snatched the TV remote and hurled it at her. She didn’t react fast enough; it struck her forehead, leaving a faint red mark. Her eyes slowly ignited with fury. “Alex, there’s a limit to how unreasonable you can be.” She slammed the door shut, leaving behind a profound silence and my own shattered self. In a valley with no echo, shouting further would only exhaust me more. I slid to the floor, my gaze sweeping across our wedding photo on the wall, laughing and crying all at once. I don’t know how much time passed before, in a daze, I heard my phone ring. I pressed accept, and Chloe’s furious voice blasted through the speaker. “Alex, get over here and control your friend!” Hearing Tyler’s name, I hung up and rushed frantically to The Metropolitan Bistro. The moment I stepped through the door, I saw Liam, clutching his bruised mouth, leaning weakly into Chloe’s embrace. Tyler was being restrained by waiters, his face contorted in a silent roar of frustration. I quickly rushed to his side to calm him down. Chloe didn’t spare me a glance, her face dark with anger. “Tyler, don’t think I won’t touch you just because you’re Alex’s friend. Apologize to Liam, now.” “Pfft, don’t you dare accuse me, you shameless woman!” Tyler spat back. “I did want to punch him, hard, but I never got the chance!” Chloe’s face turned ashen, then her fury erupted, aimed squarely at me. “Alex, what kind of nonsense have you been feeding her? I told you, Liam and I are just friends! Are you deaf?” She continued, “Today, neither of you are leaving until you apologize to Liam.” “Fine!” I said, my voice cutting through the tension. “But first, let’s have the restaurant manager check the surveillance footage.” Tyler’s eyes lit up. Liam, however, suddenly looked wounded. He started stalling, “Forget it, Chloe. I didn’t realize Alex misunderstood me so deeply. Maybe you should just stay away from me from now on!” With that, he dramatically stormed out, Chloe rushing after him in a panic. Before leaving, she threw one last threat over her shoulder: “Alex, if anything happens to Liam, I’m not done with you.” My nose stung, and my head bowed in silent pain. 4 Tyler scoffed, an unamused sound. “Want me to go chase him down and kick him a couple of times?” A sliver of light pierced through my gloom, and I managed a wry smile. After dinner with Tyler, I headed home. But at my doorstep, I found Chloe, utterly drunk, clinging to Liam, refusing to let go. Her mumbled words, like a child’s pouty questions, were barely audible: “Why can’t you just be more understanding?” Liam, his lips pressed together, looked faintly wronged. Seeing me appear, his expression shifted. He deliberately leaned in, giving Chloe a light, feathery kiss on the lips. His voice, soothing and soft, held a distinct edge of provocation for me: “Don’t worry, Chloe. From now on, I’ll listen to everything you say.” Watching their undignified entanglement, my old self would have ripped Chloe from his arms and cursed him for his shamelessness. But now, I simply, mechanically, pulled out my keys and opened the door, not sparing them even a sidelong glance. Liam’s mocking smirk froze, as if he couldn’t believe I hadn’t reacted. Yet, I didn’t look back. I let him carry Chloe into the living room and settle her onto the sofa. He, emboldened, continued to push my boundaries. As he finished his charade and moved to stand, he feigned a stumble, a soft cry escaping his lips, and collapsed onto Chloe. Her eyes still closed, Chloe instinctively wrapped her arms around him, a drunken mumble escaping her lips: “Stop messing around!” Liam looked up at me, as I was about to enter my room, and theatrically struggled, softly coaxing, “Chloe, don’t do this. It wouldn’t look good for Alex to see.” Hearing him, Chloe tightened her embrace. “Alex? Which Alex?” With a drunken roll, she pressed her lips firmly against Liam’s. Listening to the unbearable sounds from outside, I stood in my room, my heart bleeding, even though I’d already decided to leave. Chloe, did you two have to be so utterly desperate? Well, perhaps this just made it easier for me to cut all ties. Thirsty, I went to the kitchen for water. Moments later, Liam appeared, his clothes disheveled, his mouth swollen, a smug glint in his eyes. “Look at you, all disheveled and unkempt. No wonder I left for five years and you still couldn’t capture Chloe’s heart. If I were you, I’d be so ashamed I’d just kill myself.” “Then go ahead,” I retorted, my voice dripping with scorn. “Being the other man is far more pathetic.” His face instantly flushed with enraged humiliation. He grabbed the full glass of hot water sitting nearby and splashed it at me. I swiftly shielded my face with my hand, but most of the scalding water hit my neck. A large patch of skin turned red, stinging fiercely. Even the meekest soul has a breaking point. Blinded by fury, I lunged forward, raising my hand and landing a solid punch on his face. I was about to strike again when a drunken Chloe suddenly stumbled between us, shielding Liam, her face contorted in rage, glaring at me. I froze for a few seconds, then a sharp, stinging slap exploded across my face. The burning sensation from my neck spread to my cheek. “Alex, you disappoint me so much! Why do you keep targeting Liam? Are you even a man?” After that day, Chloe vanished. I gathered all my belongings that couldn’t be carried easily and sold them off at a secondhand market. During this time, I tried calling Chloe to discuss the divorce papers, but she only sent a cold text in return: “Liam’s in the hospital because of you. If you can’t admit your mistake and genuinely apologize, don’t contact me again.” On the day of my flight, Tyler’s eyes were red, trying hard to hold back tears. I smiled, reassuring him. I walked confidently towards a brand-new future. From this day forward, I would be my own man, navigating my own path. I would live for myself. Before turning off my phone, I sent one last message to Chloe. “The divorce papers have been mailed to your company. Please sign them as soon as possible. Thank you.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “392709”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My marriage to Ethan had been a symphony, a model of perfect harmony, widely seen as the ideal union of a benevolent ruler and his wise queen. Less than a year after his passing, I followed him. Then, my eyes fluttered open, and we were both back in our youth. This time, he didn’t reach for my hand as he had in our past life. Instead, he turned, knelt before the King, and begged for the decree to be revoked. He wanted to annul our engagement. To marry Isabella, the merchant’s daughter. 1 It was the twelfth year of King Arthur’s reign. A year when the Montgomery family’s influence was at its zenith. And the year I, fully recovered from my injuries, returned to the Capital from the Southern Coast. One moment, my ears were filled with the mournful cries of palace attendants. The next, I was reborn, finding myself walking the familiar path to greet the Queen Mother. Inside the Royal Conservatory, I curtsied gracefully. “Aubrey greets Your Majesty.” “My dear Aubrey, you’re finally back!” The Queen Mother beamed with delight, personally descending from her throne to help me rise. “Seeing you well, my heart is finally at ease. I heard you arrived in the Capital; the Crown Prince has been summoned by his uncle, discussing your betrothal.” I knew this union was the Queen Mother’s own arrangement. A faint smile touched my lips as I lowered my gaze. “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. But might this be a bit… rushed?” The Queen Mother sighed. “Ah, my child, you suffered such grievous injuries, delaying your life for three years. How could I not be anxious? Besides, Ethan is already sixteen this year. It’s time for him to marry.” She pulled me to sit beside her, her face radiating warmth, her tone unwavering. “Now, don’t you worry. The Crown Prince is a gentle and considerate soul. Marrying him, you will never suffer a moment of hardship.” I recalled my past life. Indeed, I had never suffered any hardship. For decades, married to Ethan, we had lived in perfect harmony, never even a harsh word between us. Even though I was three years his senior, he never held it against me; instead, he showered me with boundless care. Apart from our lifelong lack of children, there were truly no regrets. I offered a faint smile, engaging the Queen Mother in polite conversation. My seat had barely warmed when a palace maid burst in, breathless with urgency. “Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! The Crown Prince is kneeling outside the Grand Throne Room, saying he wishes to… to annul his engagement!” 2 “What?!” The Queen Mother abandoned all pretense of composure, rising sharply from her seat. I raised an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of surprise in my heart. This had never happened in my previous life. Could it be that Ethan had also been reborn? The Queen Mother’s face darkened, and she swiftly led me towards the Grand Throne Room. Outside, Crown Prince Ethan knelt on the stone steps, surrounded by several palace attendants whispering words of comfort. Upon seeing the Queen Mother, Ethan murmured, “Grandmother,” then his gaze swept across my face, dismissively. I was about to curtsy to him, but he abruptly turned his head away, as if he couldn’t bear to see me. In this life, I had only met him once, briefly, from a distance. Returning after three years, he shouldn’t have recognized me. Such an attitude… he had indeed been reborn. Feigning ignorance of his coldness, I performed the customary curtsy. The Queen Mother glared at him, a mixture of anger and disappointment in her eyes. “Ethan, why this sudden talk of annulling your engagement? Has someone been whispering poison in your ear?” A flash of ruthlessness crossed the Queen Mother’s eyes. Ethan’s body trembled, but his voice remained firm. “No one else, Grandmother. This is my own decision.” “Nonsense! You agreed so readily before! If no one has been stirring trouble, how could you possibly think of annulling the engagement? Get up, now! Come with me and apologize to your uncle, the King! Aubrey has returned, perfectly well. Just look at her; what lady in the Capital could compare?” The Queen Mother pulled me forward, presenting me before Ethan. I lowered my head, allowing him to scrutinize me. His cold gaze merely grazed my face before flitting away. “Lady Montgomery is certainly radiant,” he said flatly, “but my heart already belongs to another. I will marry no one else in this life. No matter how exceptional Lady Montgomery may be, in my heart, she doesn’t hold a candle to her!” The Queen Mother’s face paled with fury. She yearned to silence him. “Nonsense! How many noble ladies have you even met, to claim your heart is already taken? I think you’ve lost your mind! The selection of your Princess Consort is for me and the King to decide! You simply return to the Crown Prince’s Residence and prepare for your wedding!” But Ethan, this time, was unexpectedly resolute, kneeling steadfastly, refusing to yield. In the tense standoff, Lord Chamberlain Sullivan emerged from the throne room, conveying the King’s decree: “His Majesty says, if the Crown Prince wishes to kneel, let him kneel there. Let us see how many hours he can endure.” With that, he leaned in, whispering a few words of persuasion to Ethan, urging him to apologize obediently and not displease the King. Ethan remained deaf to his words, continuing to kneel stubbornly, as if truly intending to stay there until the end of time. The Queen Mother’s face was etched with heartache, a flicker of resentment in her eyes. After a moment of thought, I knelt beside Ethan. Seeing this, Ethan turned his face away. “Don’t think that by kneeling here, I will obey the decree and marry you. My heart already belongs to someone else in this life. Your coercion will only make me despise you more.” I shook my head. “I am not here to pressure Your Highness. Rather, I find Your Highness’s words sound. I too wish to ask His Majesty to dissolve our engagement.” 3 His head snapped back, his face a mask of surprise. But I no longer looked at him, addressing the Queen Mother and Lord Chamberlain Sullivan instead. “If His Highness the Crown Prince is unwilling to marry me, then I, too, am unwilling for His Highness to be unhappy. I humbly ask Lord Chamberlain Sullivan to convey to His Majesty that this lady’s fortune is shallow and her fate meager. I beg His Majesty to grant permission for the annulment of our engagement, and to not hold His Highness accountable.” I bowed deeply, my forehead touching the ground. The Queen Mother and Ethan both froze, as if unable to believe I would relinquish the prestigious position of Crown Princess Consort, now within my grasp. Lord Chamberlain Sullivan, though quite surprised, nonetheless entered the throne room to relay my words. A long silence settled over the hall. After a moment, the King bade us enter. I subtly glanced towards the shimmering curtain of pearls. From a distance, the King’s features were indistinct, veiled in shadow, yet his vibrant royal purple robe stood out, deep and rich like an autumn bloom. His voice, clear and cool, yet pleasing to the ear, resonated from behind the curtain. “Lady Aubrey Montgomery, do you truly wish to annul your engagement with the Crown Prince?” I bowed again. “This lady is willing, Your Majesty. I beg your indulgence.” King Arthur remained silent, seemingly weighing his decision. The Queen Mother was frantic. “No! Aubrey risked her life to save Your Majesty! How can you mistreat such a loyal subject?” She shot me a warning glance, urging me to keep silent. But I bowed my head, purposely missing her gaze, and spoke quickly. “Aubrey dares not claim undue credit, Your Majesty. When I shielded you from the assassin, it was out of the same fierce loyalty as my father, not with any intention of clinging to the royal family. If Your Majesty and the Queen Mother truly pity this humble lady, perhaps you might bestow upon me a collection of master scores. Once I have thoroughly studied them, I would then play for Your Majesties the pieces I could not finish that day.” Kneeling there, I subtly brought up the past. It was during the Midsummer Festival celebration, with a grand banquet in the Royal Palace. An assassin, disguised as a dancer, infiltrated the feast, aiming to kill the King. I had been chosen by the Queen Mother to play the lute beside them, and I saw the dancer’s strange expression as she approached. Without thinking, I threw myself forward, blocking the poisoned darts she spat from her mouth. Though King Arthur was unharmed, I was gravely poisoned and sent to a secluded estate on the Southern Coast to recover. The Queen Mother, grateful for my loyal courage, had, upon hearing of my recovery and return to the Capital, specifically petitioned King Arthur for a royal decree to betroth me to the Crown Prince. The decree had already been issued, and I had resigned myself to my fate. Yet, I never expected Ethan to suddenly step forward and refuse. If that was the case, why shouldn’t I grant his wish? Masking the thoughts in my eyes, I quietly awaited King Arthur’s response. Finally, he let out a soft sigh. “The Queen Mother and I arranged this betrothal for you with the intention of compensating you, as your marriage was delayed because of me. Since neither of you desires it, I shall be lenient this once and withdraw this decree. I only hope that neither of you will regret this decision later.” Ethan couldn’t hide the joy that broke across his face. He was the first to speak, “Your Royal Nephew will not regret it!” I gazed at the pearl curtain, my voice just as firm and clear. “This lady will not regret it either. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness.” 4 The Queen Mother hadn’t anticipated the engagement being dissolved so easily. Her face shifted through several shades, and she spoke to the King with clear displeasure: “Your Majesty, how could you allow them to act so recklessly? The royal decree has already been issued! Is it right to change a royal order so whimsically?” King Arthur replied leisurely, “One is the Crown Prince, the other is the daughter of Duke Montgomery. Why should I make things difficult for them?” The Queen Mother retorted sharply, “But not like this! The Crown Prince is sixteen now; it’s time for him to marry and establish his own household. Are you planning to keep delaying his marriage, Your Majesty?” The words touched on a forbidden subject. Lord Chamberlain Sullivan instantly tensed, and the Queen Mother abruptly fell silent. “I didn’t mean it that way…” Her expression was filled with regret as she anxiously eyed the pearl curtain. King Arthur’s reaction, however, was calm. He set down his vermilion brush. “I understand your concerns, Queen Mother. You are simply worried that I neglect my nephew, that I am not truly looking out for his future, aren’t you?” “I… I’m not…” The Queen Mother’s face blanched, and she wrung her hands. I, too, lowered my head, pretending not to hear the exchange. The current King was not the Crown Prince’s father, but his uncle. The Crown Prince’s biological father, the late King Valerius, had passed away from illness at the age of twenty-six. When he died, Ethan was only four years old, too young to assume the throne. Thus, the crown had passed to his seventeen-year-old brother, Prince Arthur – the current King. King Valerius had entrusted Arthur with raising the young Prince, with the understanding that once Ethan came of age and could rule independently, Arthur would then relinquish the throne, returning it to its rightful heir. Arthur had agreed. But his stepmother, Queen Mother Eleanor, King Valerius’s birth mother, had, under the pretext that Arthur was still unmarried and the royal court lacked a Queen, taken the young Prince, bringing him to her own side to raise personally. It could be said that under the Queen Mother’s interference, Arthur’s affection for Ethan was quite limited. On an everyday basis, they could maintain a facade of familial affection if no one pointed out the truth. But now, the Queen Mother had slipped, accusing him of deliberately neglecting Ethan. If Arthur were to take offense… Cold sweat instantly beaded on the Queen Mother’s forehead. She forced a strained smile. “How could I ever think Your Majesty is not diligent? I merely lament that this child is so unfilial.” She shot Ethan a sharp glare. Ethan understood her unspoken command and willingly apologized. “I have disappointed both my Grandmother and my Uncle.” King Arthur remained noncommittal, merely stating, “Very well. The Queen Mother is simply concerned for you. You have indeed grown, and it is time for you to establish your own family. Speak then. You refuse to marry the Montgomery daughter, claiming your heart belongs to another. Who is this person?” A faint smile touched Ethan’s lips. “Her name is Isabella. She manages The Gilded Butterfly Emporium in the Capital. She is not only beautiful and virtuous, lively and intelligent, but also runs her household with remarkable skill and an unconventional spirit. Though only sixteen, she manages her family’s business with impressive order, earning my profound admiration.” Ethan lavished her with praise, but the Queen Mother instantly pinpointed the crucial detail, a look of disdain on her face. “Merely a merchant’s daughter?” Ethan argued, “Though a merchant’s daughter, her character and appearance are no less than those of a noble lady. Once you meet her, Grandmother, you will see what a captivating person she is, so unlike those stiff and dull ladies of the court!” After his last remark, he cast a quick glance at me. I scoffed internally, remembering how in his previous life, most of the beautiful young women he took into his royal court were from noble families. He certainly hadn’t rejected them. King Arthur pondered for a long while. “A merchant’s background is indeed a little low. Do you insist on her being your Crown Princess Consort?” Ethan didn’t hesitate, bowing his head in supplication. “Yes, Your Majesty. In this life, I wish only to grow old with her.” Seeing his stubbornness, the Queen Mother was almost incandescent with rage. King Arthur, however, seemed indifferent. “Her surname is Dawson? That’s the same as Duke Dawson. Very well then, let Duke Dawson adopt her as his foster daughter. That way, her status as Crown Princess Consort won’t be too unbecoming.” Ethan was overjoyed. “Your Royal Nephew thanks you, Uncle!” With the royal decree issued, there was no turning back this time. The Queen Mother’s face darkened. She deeply felt the Crown Prince’s disregard for her efforts in planning his future, and she left in a huff, utterly fuming. Ethan, however, was lost in the joy of marrying the woman he loved, completely oblivious to any wrongdoing. After all, in his previous life, King Arthur had abdicated, and he had smoothly ascended the throne. Naturally, after rebirth, he felt no sense of impending crisis. I subtly shook my head, a quiet sigh of relief escaping my heart. Not having to marry him truly saved me a lot of trouble. On the way out of the palace, Lord Chamberlain Sullivan personally escorted me. He subtly hinted that I should not repeat what I had heard today, then offered comfort: “Today’s events have certainly caused you distress, Lady. His Majesty asked me to convey a message: should you ever find someone you wish to marry, simply have Duke Montgomery petition the King, and His Majesty will personally arrange the union for you.” A royal betrothal would be far more honorable than an ordinary wedding. My lips curved into a faint smile. I whispered, “His Majesty still remembers my future marriage?” Lord Chamberlain Sullivan chuckled. “Of course. Not only did His Majesty essentially watch you grow up, Lady, but in this matter, the Crown Prince truly acted without proper decorum. During your recovery on the Southern Coast, His Majesty even mentioned you to me, inquiring about your health.” “Is that so…” My heart fluttered, and I unconsciously touched the jeweled bracelet on my wrist. At his words, my heart began to faintly stir once more. If Ethan had been reborn and could be with the person he loved, then why couldn’t I? 5 I thanked Lord Chamberlain Sullivan, then returned to the Montgomery Estate. I omitted the details of the Queen Mother’s argument with the King, telling my father only about the Crown Prince’s annulment. My father was furious. “When the betrothal was first decreed, the Crown Prince swore solemn oaths before His Majesty and me, promising to treat you well in the future. Now, barely two months later, he breaks his word! This act not only disrespects our Montgomery family, but it also disregards your reputation. He truly has no regard for anyone!” A cold glint flashed in my father’s eyes. He told me not to be sad, to stay home, and that he would handle everything. But I had other ideas. “Father, next month is His Majesty’s birthday, isn’t it?” For the King’s birthday celebration, it was customary to hold a banquet in the Imperial Ballroom, inviting ministers, dukes, and royal relatives. I knew he had a deep appreciation for music, so I intended to find a renowned lute as a gift. Coincidentally, the owner of The Muse Gallery in the Capital possessed the famed “Emerald Silk” lute. He had posted a notice outside his establishment, stating that he himself had no musical talent and felt the “Emerald Silk” was wasted in his hands. He decided to gift the lute to someone who truly understood it. And how one proved understanding, naturally, was through a musical competition. On the third day of the seventh month, The Muse Gallery was overflowing. Besides those vying for the “Emerald Silk” lute, many simply came to enjoy the music. My lady-in-waiting and I reserved a private room on the second floor of the gallery. My gaze casually swept over the crowd, and I spotted Ethan, mingling amongst them, accompanied by a charming, lovely young woman. He leaned down, smiling softly at the girl, his eyes brimming with affection. And that girl—she bore a striking resemblance, perhaps six or seven tenths, to Lady Isabella, the most favored of Ethan’s consorts in his previous life. My eyebrows shot up in surprise, and a sudden realization dawned on me. So that’s it. Ethan’s fondness for Lady Isabella, even making her son the Crown Prince, had all been a search for this girl’s shadow. If I guessed correctly, this was Isabella. I averted my gaze, but Isabella seemed to sense something, looking up towards the second floor. Ethan looked up. “What are you looking at?” “Nothing, just… are you really confident you can win that ‘Emerald Silk’ lute?” Isabella asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice. Ethan, however, seemed utterly determined. “Don’t worry,” he assured her. “I will absolutely win this lute. Next month, at my uncle’s birthday celebration, I’ll present it to him in your name. That’s sure to change his opinion of you.” 6 Ethan, brimming with confidence, led Isabella to a private room on the second floor. It was, coincidentally, directly opposite mine. The competition officially began. Each participant had the duration of a tea ceremony to showcase their musical skill. I chose the piece I knew best: “Phoenix Seeks Mate.” This was a classic piece, composed by Lord Symonds for his beloved Lady Wynter, and the very lute he played was none other than the “Emerald Silk.” The piece and the instrument resonated deeply, perfectly suiting today’s competition. Many in the hall shared the same idea, and “Phoenix Seeks Mate” filled the air. I calmed my mind, disregarding outside distractions, focusing my thoughts into my fingertips. The lute’s notes, flowing and clear, like a tranquil stream, spilled over the balcony, instantly eclipsing the sounds of the other competitors. They paused their playing, gazing towards my private room, closing their eyes, seemingly lost in the ethereal melody. “Excellent! Truly excellent! Which gentleman in that private room is playing such a beautiful tune? The ‘Emerald Silk’ today might just be this gentleman’s prize!” Hearing “Phoenix Seeks Mate,” the audience assumed the performer was a gentleman. The buzz of their discussion finally made Ethan, sitting directly opposite, lose his composure. He pulled out his “Phoenix Tail” lute, brought from the palace, and played a fierce, soaring melody. Two vastly different styles of music clashed. Logically, the lyrical piece should have been at a disadvantage. But I had practiced for years, and my heart held unspoken affections. The emotion and technique in my piece reached their peak. Ethan was unaffected at first, but gradually, his performance began to falter. Just as I was about to press my advantage and secure his complete defeat, a familiar melody suddenly drifted from the private room next door—it was “Phoenix Seeks Mate” again. The moment I heard that piece, my fingers hesitated. Ethan, thinking I had made a mistake, redoubled his efforts, playing his lute with even greater fervor. The player next door, observing this, remained unhurried. The lute’s notes, clear and enchanting, unfurled like a true phoenix spiraling into being, its cries echoing, like jade shattering on Kunlun Mountain, like tears on lotus petals, weaving a tale of deep, sorrowful affection that touched the heart. The audience, listening intently, found their eyes welling with tears. The victor of this competition was, without a doubt, clear. Ethan was still struggling, but I had already released my hold. Regardless of whether I could continue playing, I couldn’t compete anymore. Because I had recognized the person in the private room next door. In the fourth year of King Valerius’s reign, my father and Prince Arthur returned from the border. I was scolded by my tutor to my father for playing with lute strings as if they were slingshot elastic. My father was distressed. I wanted to learn riding and archery, not music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. He didn’t know how to convince me and was about to drag me indoors for a lecture when the boy beside him stopped him. The boy said that riding and archery didn’t conflict with music and the arts. He suggested that in my spare time, I could learn martial arts with the family guards to strengthen my body. I stared at his handsome, serene features, unable to look away, and dumbly asked, “Will you learn to play the lute too?” He chuckled. “Why wouldn’t I?” With that, he set down the lute that my tutor had brought and personally played a tune. That piece was “Phoenix Seeks Mate.” Phoenix, oh phoenix, return to your homeland, wandering the four seas, seeking your mate. I was only seven at the time. His playing that piece was merely a whim; it held no deeper meaning. But it was the first time I had ever heard such beautiful music, seen such a handsome young man. From that day on, I never forgot him. Even reborn, I still recognized the player in the next room. It was him. The former Prince Arthur, the current King—Arthur. 7 Why was he here? I ceased playing. Outside, Ethan’s melody had devolved into chaos, and he awkwardly withdrew from the competition. The owner of The Muse Gallery personally delivered the “Emerald Silk” lute to the room next door. I stood at my door, hesitating whether to go offer my congratulations. Just as I decided to feign ignorance, a voice from behind me called out, “Lady, a moment.” I turned. The man cleared his throat lightly and spoke towards the room, “My master requests your presence.” Behind the landscape screen in the private room, a young man in white robes sat on a chair. Hearing my footsteps, he slowly raised his gaze. His features, flawless and handsome, like the crisp light of an autumn moon, clearly etched themselves into my vision. My body trembled. I could barely remember the last time I had seen him this close. My gaze lingered. Though I knew I should bow my head in deference, I couldn’t bear to look away for even a second. Seeing my reaction, the young man showed no anger. He simply curved his lips. “Stunned?” I shook my head, gathered my thoughts, and bowed formally. “Greetings, Your Majesty.” Arthur raised a hand, dismissing my formality. I stood quietly, asking if he had any instructions. Arthur pushed the “Emerald Silk” lute towards me, gesturing for me to take it. “Here.” I froze, not moving for a moment. “This is… something Your Majesty won.” Arthur seemed unconcerned. “It’s fine. You were the one playing in the room next door, weren’t you? Didn’t you want this lute?” I pressed my lips together, answering truthfully. “This lady desired this lute only to present it to Your Majesty on your birthday. Now that it is in Your Majesty’s hands, my wish has already been fulfilled.” “I see.” Arthur paused, shaking his head. “Then I suppose I acted rather unnecessarily. I hadn’t expected you to play so beautifully after three years. I recall you used to fuss and argue with Duke Montgomery, refusing to learn the lute.” A smile played on Arthur’s lips as he reminisced, making me feel a flush of bashfulness. “That was just this lady being foolish in her youth.” I vehemently defended myself, my face turning crimson. Thankfully, Arthur didn’t dwell on the teasing. He simply plucked a few strings, then offered the lute to me. “Take it. Consider it a reward for your progress.” Such a reason left me no room to refuse. As I took the lute, my wide sleeve slipped from my arm, revealing a string of glistening polished stones on my wrist. Arthur noticed them, his gaze pausing. “This is…” Seeing that he seemed to have forgotten, a pang of sadness went through me. I was about to explain, but Arthur spoke softly. “…Is this something I gave you before?” A ripple stirred in my heart, and I nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty. This was a gift from you on my tenth birthday. I have worn it every day since.” Arthur fell silent, his gaze complex as he looked at the string of flawless stones. They glowed with the soft warmth of long handling, clearly treasured and worn by their owner for many years. He spoke gently, “You’ve kept all the things I’ve given you?” I paused, then instinctively clutched the lute closer. “Yes. Anything Your Majesty gives me, no matter what it is, is incredibly precious to me.” Hearing this, Arthur let out a soft sigh. He waved a hand, dismissing me. A knot of anxiety tightened in my chest. I felt that Arthur had sensed something, and I left the private room, my mind distracted. As I was about to return to my room, two figures emerged from the far end of the corridor: Ethan and Isabella. Seeing me there, Ethan froze for a moment. Then he noticed the lute in my arms, and disbelief flooded his face. “So it was you who was competing against me earlier?” I curtsied to him. “Greetings, Your Highness.” Ethan’s brow furrowed deeply, his gaze fixed on the “Emerald Silk” lute in my arms. I understood what he meant, but I had no intention of handing it over. “Does Your Highness have any further business? If not, I shall take my leave.” I brushed past him, clutching the lute, but he suddenly grabbed my arm. “Stop!” I frowned, my voice low. “Your Highness, you’re hurting me.” He realized his grip and instinctively released me. Then, as if it were his rightful due, he said, “This lute is what I chose. I hope Lady Montgomery will transfer it to me. I would be most grateful.” He thought he could just take it with a word, as if he were already King. I scoffed internally, but on my face, I feigned a troubled expression. “I apologize, Your Highness, but this lady is also extremely fond of this lute. I fear I cannot grant your request.” I curtsied again, then moved to leave. But Ethan stepped in front of me, blocking my path, and sneered, “Stop pretending. What do you know about music? In our past life… I never heard you play ‘Phoenix Seeks Mate’ before. That piece just now, you had someone play it for you, didn’t you?”

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On my birthday, my younger brother gave me a 50-gram gold bracelet. That very night, his girlfriend added me on social media and lashed out: “Shameless old hag! If you want a gold bracelet, find yourself a boyfriend! Hurry up and return the bracelet my boyfriend bought for me!” I couldn’t help but let out an angry laugh, then slapped my brother across the face. “Look at the trash you’ve found! Break up with her, now!” 1 On my thirtieth birthday, my younger brother suddenly had a rare moment of conscience. He spent over forty thousand dollars to give me a glittering, massive gold bracelet. That evening, as I was showing it off to my best friend, a social media request instantly doused my high spirits. “Does a gold bracelet from someone else’s boyfriend smell sweet?” ? I paused, stunned. Today was my birthday. The only one who gave me a gold bracelet was my brother, who’s five years younger than me. My hand, quicker than my brain, clicked “accept.” The other side immediately barraged me with a frantic stream of messages. “Shameless old hag! If you want a gold bracelet, find yourself a boyfriend! Hurry up and return the bracelet my boyfriend bought for me!” My breath hitched, and fury surged to my brain. The last vestiges of my sanity made me send back a single question mark after some thought. “Can’t you understand human language? I’m Liam’s girlfriend. I’m giving you until tomorrow to return the bracelet, or don’t blame me for being rude.” I rolled my eyes. Ugh, what a tone. Did she think I was some mistress Liam had found? I tentatively replied, “I’m Liam’s sister. Full-blooded, same parents.” Clearly, I had overthought it. “So what if you’re his sister? Liam is my boyfriend. Don’t tell me you’re his sister—you could be his mother and he still shouldn’t buy you a bracelet. You dared to accept a forty-thousand-dollar bracelet? Aren’t you afraid it’ll burn you?” So, she knew who I was after all. If it wasn’t a mistaken attack, then it was a direct one. I retorted without hesitation: “Do you know who you are? You’re just my brother’s girlfriend, not his wife. And I certainly won’t allow Liam to have such an ill-mannered wife. Otherwise, I’ll break his legs.” She probably blew up, immediately firing back a voice message. The moment I answered, the receiver was filled with a long string of expletives, heavily punctuated by mother-related insults. I tossed my phone onto the sofa, unfurled a face mask, and meticulously smoothed it onto my face. When she tired of yelling, she started threatening me: “Hear me? Return the bracelet tomorrow, or I’ll call you every day and curse you out.” “Tsk,” I scoffed. “Are you done cussing? It’s my turn. My vocabulary is far more extensive than yours…” Beep. She actually hung up. These young people really had no sense of decorum. I dialed back. The message: “The other party has not added you as a friend and cannot be voice called.” She blocked me? Truly, no decorum whatsoever. I was furious! I roared at my brother, who was gaming in his bedroom: “LIAM! I’m giving you three seconds to get over here!” Liam stumbled out, one slipper on, the other hand still clutching his mouse. His face was a mask of terror. “Sis, what’s up? I’m about to take down the enemy’s core.” I tore off my face mask and flung it at him. “Take down your ass! You’d better explain what this is all about!” 2 My brother mumbled, “I wish I had a sister. If I had a sister, I’d never pick on her.” He begrudgingly took the phone I handed him, looked at it for three seconds, and then all the hairs on his body stood on end. He quickly stammered, “Sis, sis, this is definitely a misunderstanding.” I watched him with a mocking smirk. “Oh? How so?” He hemmed and hawed for a long time, then carefully placed the phone on the coffee table, forcing a chuckle. “Sis, sis, don’t get mad first. I’ll ask Savannah what’s going on.” I rotated my wrist. “You’d better get to the bottom of it fast. You know I don’t have much patience.” My brother nodded, then bolted as if fleeing for his life. I curled up on the sofa, growing angrier the more I thought about it. Both my parents were workaholics. Liam, you could say, I raised him from childhood. He was a difficult child, causing endless trouble from a young age. Every time, I was the one cleaning up his messes. During his rebellious phase, he defied them in every way. My parents tried to rein him in but found they couldn’t. Finally, left with no choice, I, a fresh college student, took three months off. With sheer sibling dominance, I disciplined him until he was perfectly obedient. Until he cried, begging me, “Sis, please go back to school. I really know I was wrong.” My mom sometimes brings up those days, shaking her head. “To see you, such a small person, with such incredible strength. You literally beat six-foot-tall Liam until he cried for mercy.” Liam would chime in, “You guys just talk about it, but she really hit, hit to kill, like she didn’t care if she killed me.” From then on, I discovered that reasoning with Liam was useless; only brute force worked. In the entire family, this kid feared nothing and no one, except me. Whenever he acted like a jerk, if my parents just said, “I’ll tell your sister,” he’d instantly turn into a sweet little angel. I hit him, but I was also truly good to him. I made sure he had all the gaming equipment, sports gear, and electronics a boy could want. When he graduated college and said he wasn’t ready to enter society, I defied my parents’ pressure and paid for him to travel for a year. His job was too far from home, so I gave him my brand-new, tens-of-thousands-of-dollars car to drive, taking the subway to work myself. Finally, this kid grew up, wised up. He proactively used his bonus to buy me a gold bracelet. I felt like a diligent old farmer, toiling for decades, finally seeing the fruits of my harvest. And now, I was being cursed at, called a shameless old hag? Forget Liam giving me a gold bracelet; given all I’ve done for him over the years, I’d deserve a whole apartment if he gave it to me. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I grabbed my phone and called my childhood friend: “Help me look someone up. Savannah Jenkins, Liam’s girlfriend…” 3 The next morning, I woke with dark circles under my eyes. A glance at the clock showed it was already 7:30 AM. After getting ready, I walked to the door and saw my car keys hanging by the entrance. The anger that had somewhat subsided overnight flared up again. I heard Liam picks up Savannah for work every morning, right? I bought the car, and I take the subway, while they drive my car, shielded from wind and sun. And then they complain about the bracelet I gave him? Am I some kind of big-time chump? Let them take the subway. I slipped on my shoes, tossed the car keys into my bag, and humming a little tune, I got into the elevator. When I reached the basement and opened the car door, I couldn’t help but frown. The entire car was stuffed with all sorts of plush toys. The passenger seat was decked out in pink, with a tacky pink bow tied to the headrest. Even more ridiculous, the passenger sun visor had a note stuck to it: “Savannah’s Seat. No Sluts Allowed.” Hmph! She really thinks she’s something. I leaned in, ripped off the note, then found a bag and stuffed all the fluffy toys into it, tossing them into the trunk. Only when all that was done did I look at my car’s original interior, finally satisfied, and nodded. Just as I arrived at the office, Liam’s custom ringtone blared. “Sis, where are my car keys? Did you drive the car away?” I sat down, opened my computer, and said coldly, “What? Isn’t it my car? Can’t I drive it whenever I want? Do I need to report to you?” Liam paused, then switched to a more flattering tone. “Sis, dearest sis, are you still mad? I asked Savannah yesterday. She just loves me too much, so she’s a bit possessive. You, being someone who hasn’t been in love, wouldn’t understand this feeling, so don’t be so hard on Savannah.” Look at him, is he even speaking sense? My fists instinctively tightened. “Someone who hasn’t been in love wouldn’t understand this feeling,” he said. When I was dating guys with six-packs and sweet, innocent smiles, this kid was still immersed in angsty teenage fiction. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I had a very important meeting this morning; I couldn’t afford to get angry. Anger affected clear thinking. I softened my tone. “Go to hell, you idiot. I’ll deal with you when I get home.” 4 After hanging up, I began preparing materials for the morning meeting. Savannah Jenkins, who had unblocked me, messaged: “You tramp, it’s all because of you that I lost my perfect attendance bonus! You owe me! We don’t even care about driving your crappy car. I order you to immediately buy Liam and me a new car, or don’t blame me for being rude!” I took three deep breaths, but the more I thought, the angrier I got. I dialed her directly for a voice call. She answered and immediately launched into a passionate tirade. “Was your mother just a placenta when she gave birth to you? Are your brain and large intestine switched? How else could your head be so full of crap? Read more books, stop daydreaming all day. Buy you a car? Why don’t I buy a hammer and smash you? You should save the money you spend on game skins and invest in some brains. You act like a total idiot every day. Savannah Jenkins, right? Let me tell you, as long as I’m alive, if you ever step foot in my house, you can take my surname!” The moment I finished speaking, I slammed down the phone and promptly blocked her. My motto: get revenge, no internalizing. Three minutes later, Liam’s phone rang again. I immediately blocked all his contact methods and forced a charming smile at my reflection. But before my smile even faded, my phone tiredly rang again. The moment I answered, Liam’s voice came through the receiver: “Sis, why did you block…” Snap! I cut him off. The general manager’s assistant emerged, announcing, “Ms. Lane, your department’s been called to the meeting.” I smiled, silencing my phone. This project was crucial, tied to our entire department’s quarterly bonus. Absolutely no room for error. I picked up my laptop and walked confidently to the meeting room. There was a lot to report. It was two hours later when it was my turn to summarize. “Sis, sis! Don’t stop me, I have something urgent to tell my sister!” A familiar voice suddenly blared from outside the meeting room. I frowned. Liam, refusing to back down, was making a racket at the door. The general manager’s assistant whispered a few words to the general manager, who glared at me, displeased. I gave him an awkward smile. “Mr. Liu, give me two minutes.” I grabbed a broom from the corner, then pulled open the meeting room door. “Sis, let me explain…” I smiled at him, then immediately swung the broom at him. “Ow, sis, sis, why are you hitting me again?” I said gently, “Go to hell. If this project falls apart, I’ll skin you alive when I get home.” Liam shivered, quickly explaining, “I didn’t know you had an important meeting.” I glared at him. “Now you know. Get lost.” Liam nodded like a pecking chick. “Then I’ll wait for you.” 5 Returning to the conference room, I glanced at my watch. Exactly two minutes. “Mr. Liu, I can present now.” Mr. Liu’s gaze at me was a little uncomfortable. He took a sip of tea. “No, no need. The proposal is quite good. We’ll leave it to your department. That’s all for today.” He finished speaking, stood up, and strode out. At the door, he turned back to me and said, “Oh, about young Liam, skinning someone is illegal, you know.” I froze. After Mr. Liu left, my colleagues in the department gave me a thumbs-up. “Ms. Lane, I never knew you had such a fierce side.” “Yeah, when you were hitting your brother, Mr. Liu said he was glad he never pushed you too hard before.” Me: … Great. My carefully maintained image as a graceful lady had just shattered into a million pieces. 6 At noon, when work ended, Liam was waiting for me in our company lobby. When he saw me, he stubbornly walked up, a hint of complaint in his voice. “Sis, I’m 25 this year. Aren’t you being a bit too disrespectful?” I gave him an unamused glance. “Spit it out.” Liam rolled his eyes at me. “Sis, no wonder you don’t have a boyfriend. Why can’t you be gentle like Savannah? And listen, it’s fine if you hit me or yell at me—you’re my sister. But you can’t insult Savannah. She’s a sensitive girl; you cursed her out so horribly, she cried. This afternoon, when you get off work, go apologize to Savannah and buy her a gold bracelet.” My brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and I looked at him as if he were an utter idiot. I gave him a cold laugh. “I think you’re itching for another beating, aren’t you?” He paused, a hint of anger in his eyes. “Sis, don’t be endless. Do you really think I can’t beat you? I’ve always let you win before, but now I have a woman to protect. If you keep this up, I’ll fight back.” Now it was my turn to freeze. He was right. He was over six feet tall and weighed around 160 pounds. If it came down to a real fight, I truly wasn’t his match. It just stung a little. My little brother, whom I had raised since childhood, was now saying such things to me for a woman he’d known for less than six months. I looked at him mockingly. “Liam, I suggest you get a specialist referral to a psychiatrist and have your head examined. Are you selectively forgetting what Savannah texted me yesterday? So I get cursed at, and I’m not allowed to curse back, is that it?” Liam grew impatient. “Sis, why are you so petty? I’ve already explained that Savannah just cares about me too much. This morning, you drove the car away without a word, and that was wrong of you. It cost Savannah her perfect attendance bonus. It’s only natural for her to be angry and curse at you a little. How could you say such awful things to her?” “Hah!” I actually laughed, genuinely furious. “My car, I drive it away. And I deserve to be cursed at for it, is that it? If you’re so capable, buy your own car and drive her! What kind of trash thinks it’s righteous to leech off me?” “So you’re finally saying what you really think, are you?” Liam’s eyes suddenly blazed red, looking at me as if I were an enemy. “Savannah was right after all. You just use me to flaunt your superiority. It’s just a cheap car, I don’t care for it.” What was he talking about? I couldn’t hold back anymore. SLAP! My hand connected with his face. Liam’s head snapped sideways. He suddenly went berserk, grabbing my shoulders and shoving me. I stumbled backward a few steps, my leg hitting the corner of a table. Instantly, blood streamed down. “Sis…” His face filled with panic as reason returned. “Get out…” My entire being radiated a low pressure. Liam stood rooted to the spot, stunned. I snarled again, “Get out…” Just as Liam stood there, bewildered, his phone rang. After hanging up, he walked towards me, speaking softly. “Sis, you’re not short on money anyway. Can you give me the bracelet you gave me yesterday? I’ll return it when I earn enough…” I snatched off the bracelet and threw it at him, furious. “Get out!” Liam picked up the bracelet, hesitated for a moment, then ran off. I looked at the blood gushing from my ankle, sucking in a sharp breath. However, the pain in my heart was a hundred times worse than the pain in my foot. Just as I was about to leave, my phone lit up. “Old hag, still want to fight me? When I marry Liam, I’ll kick you out of the house.”

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The day the Davies family faced bankruptcy, Finn Davies agreed to an engagement with me, all for a hundred million dollars. But on Valentine’s Day, he stood me up at the amusement park, leaving me to wait alone. It wasn’t until late that night that I happened to scroll past a social media post from his private account—an ultrasound scan, clearly bearing the name of his “first love,” Lily Green. Immediately after, Finn’s message popped up: “I’ve given you the engagement. I can’t choose my wife, but who my mistress is, is none of your business. Lily is pregnant. In public, I’ll be your fiancé. In private, I will only be the father of her child. You must make four days available each week for me to care for Lily and her child, otherwise, don’t even think about having the wedding!” Reading the words on the screen, I let out a furious laugh. Did he really think I had begged for this engagement? He had no idea, men lining up to marry into the Lane family stretched from London to Paris! At the engagement party, ninety-nine elite gentlemen from the city’s wealthiest families stood in a neat row, awaiting my choice. I waved my hand, and announced, “Let’s play rock-paper-scissors. Whoever wins gets the spot.” 1 On Valentine’s Day, a torrential downpour, the likes of which hadn’t been seen in a century, lashed down. I stood outside the amusement park entrance for a full ten hours, drenched to the bone and shivering, until my father’s driver finally picked me up. On the way home, I kept refreshing my chat screen, filled with unread video calls I’d made to Finn. He hadn’t even replied to a single message. As the car pulled into the driveway, my father, his face grim, helped me out. “What’s so special about that Davies boy? Worth standing in the rain for ten hours? The contract’s signed, the hundred million is in the account. Why can’t you see him for who he is…” My father’s words trailed off. I trembled, reaching out to pat his hand. “You’re right, Dad. I don’t want Finn Davies anymore. Someone so ungrateful isn’t worth my sadness.” My father’s comforting expression froze. He looked as if he doubted his own ears. “What did you say?” “I said I don’t want Finn Davies anymore. He humiliates me before we’re even engaged; what will he do after? You can bring out those ninety-nine blind dates you arranged. Let them play rock-paper-scissors. Whoever wins, I’ll marry. The Lane family doesn’t need a son-in-law with bad luck.” With that final word, my vision blurred, and I fainted. When I woke, I was in my bedroom. Finn sat by the bed, his face cold. Seeing me open my eyes, his expression darkened further. “Is this interesting to you? Just because I missed one date, you have to run and tell your family? Do you know Lily was suffering from severe morning sickness today, almost collapsing? In your eyes, is a human life less important than a single date?” He didn’t give me a chance to speak, rattling on like a machine gun. “I’ve already agreed to marry you. Lily is just someone I’m supporting outside. Can’t you tolerate even that? What else do you want? So possessive! Why don’t you just put a leash on my neck?!” When he finished his tirade, I looked at him calmly. “In your heart, is that truly how you see me?” My indifferent attitude completely infuriated him. He shot up, grabbing his hair in frustration. When he looked at me again, his voice was surprisingly softer. “That’s not what I meant. It’s just that Lily has no one to look after her, and I’m worried. Her child is just an illegitimate one; it won’t threaten your position. Why do you have to target her? As long as you agree to give me four days a week to spend with Lily, the wedding will proceed as planned.” His features, once handsome in my eyes, were now utterly repulsive. I closed my eyes, turning my head away. “No need. I won’t marry you. You can spend all your time with her. Congratulations, you’re free.” “Easy to say! If you’re so brave, don’t use money to threaten me! What a hypocrite!” Finn flung those words, then left without a backward glance. Silent tears streamed down my face, soaking the pillow. My eight-year long unrequited love finally came to an end that night. 2 I didn’t sleep a wink, and by dawn, my fever had spiked to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. The housekeeper came with breakfast, touched my forehead, and screamed. My father rushed me to the hospital for an IV drip. The fever didn’t break for another two hours. As I was paying the bill alone, I unexpectedly saw Finn with Lily Green, who was there for a prenatal check-up. Lily leaned weakly into his embrace, her hands gently caressing her not-yet-prominent baby bump, a charming smile on her face. “Baby’s so good today, he didn’t give me any trouble. Do you think he heard what you said yesterday?” Finn’s face held a tenderness I had never seen directed at me. He dotingly pinched her nose. “My silly girl, the baby hasn’t even fully formed yet. How could he hear anything?” “I don’t care, I don’t care! He definitely can hear! You’re not allowed to say anything bad about my baby. My baby is definitely the smartest in the world.” Finn’s composure instantly vanished, and he agreed profusely. “Yes, yes, yes, Lily is always right. The child will take after you, smart and beautiful.” His peripheral vision caught my figure. Lily deliberately stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. I quickly hid behind the corner. My heart ached so much I could barely breathe. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to let go of my feelings for him. But my eyes still welled up, involuntarily. As I paid, Lily walked alone towards me, flashing the dazzling wedding ring on her finger. “Miss Lane, hello. I assume you already know who I am from yesterday. From now on, we’ll both be serving Finn, so I hope you’ll guide me.” The suppressed hurt I felt moments before erupted into anger. My face hardened. “You’re dirty yourself. Don’t assume everyone else is like you. ‘Serving a man?’ How can you even utter such base words? Finn may be a treasure in your eyes, but in mine, he’s less than human!” After paying, I turned to leave. But Lily suddenly grabbed my wrist, pulling me towards the ground. After a struggle, Lily screamed and fell to the floor, sobbing as she pleaded, “I’m sorry, Miss Lane, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have fought you for Finn. Please, please, don’t hurt my baby. The baby is innocent!” “I met Finn first. I can give him to you. I don’t want anything, I just want my baby to be born safely. Can’t even that be allowed?” Her cries attracted the attention of passersby. The patients’ families present pointed and whispered about me. “Stealing someone else’s man and acting righteous about it? Are mistresses this shameless now?” “I hate home-wreckers most in this life!” “Do you think money makes you invincible? What kind of strength is it to bully a pregnant woman? Apologize!” The torrent of insults drowned me. Before I could explain, Finn had rushed to my side. He pulled Lily into his embrace, then turned, glaring at me with a vicious look. “Alice Lane, were you following me? I already told you, Lily won’t threaten your position. Why can’t you leave her alone?” I looked up at him, my face a mask of disbelief. “I was following you? Finn Davies, are you insane? This is a hospital! I—” My words were cut short by his cold voice. “Enough! Alice Lane, do you know what I hate most about you? I hate how you look down on people just because you’re rich. There are so many people here. Is everyone blind?!” A cold, disdainful sneer curled his lips. “Money can buy an engagement, but it can’t buy true feelings! Alice Lane, someone like you will never find true love!” Watching Finn defend Lily, the crowd erupted in cheers. Finn straightened his back, his voice cold. “That riverside villa of yours, give it up. The air there is good, perfect for Lily to rest and recover during her pregnancy. Then this matter will be over.” 3 Fury devoured my reason, and my eyes instantly burned red. “Are you kidding me? That villa is my mother’s legacy! You want your mistress to live there? On what grounds?!” Lily sobbed hysterically, her voice choked with feigned injustice. “Finn, actually, Miss Lane isn’t—” “You don’t need to plead for her! I know exactly what kind of person she is! If she hadn’t interfered, we would have been married long ago!” With those words, he glared at me viciously, his eyes radiating endless disgust. “Just because you spent a hundred million, you think you can marry me.” My body swayed uncontrollably, and I almost collapsed. This was the man I had secretly loved for eight years. I could only blame myself for being so blind. I wanted to tell him I had already canceled the engagement and had no intention of targeting his Lily. But Finn didn’t give me a chance to speak. He simply ordered his bodyguards to drag me into the car. The Maybach sped towards the riverside. In the car, Finn held Lily tightly, glaring at me. “The key card? Hand it over.” “Dream on!” Finn’s face was so dark it could drip ink. He glanced at a bodyguard, who immediately understood and began to frisk me. “If you don’t know what’s good for you, don’t blame me for not giving you a chance!” My scream almost ripped through the car roof. Finn covered Lily’s eyes with his hand, not sparing me a single glance. Just recovering from a serious illness, I had little strength left. Now, my coat was completely torn by the bodyguard. The gauze dress underneath barely covered my body. My last shred of dignity was brutally trampled into the dirt. Tears of despair streamed from my eyes. It wasn’t until the bodyguard found my wallet that the nightmare finally ended. The key card was handed to Lily by Finn. The black card was given to his bodyguard. “Go to the nearby mall. Bring back everything in the baby store. Nothing under a thousand dollars. Don’t want to hurt the baby or Lily.” With that, he disgustedly wiped his hands with a tissue, as if my wallet were something filthy. The bodyguard was dropped off halfway. My fever relapsed, and I once again fell into a coma. Finn’s disgusted voice occasionally drifted into my ears. My body was kicked twice. “Stop pretending to be pathetic! Get up! Alice Lane, can’t you hear me? Don’t make me throw you out of the car! You’ll stop at nothing to gain sympathy. What, Lily’s pregnant and weak, are you pregnant too? Good. If you’re pregnant, I won’t have to honor the engagement. If you don’t get up now, do you believe I’ll call the Lane family?” Finn’s patience ran out, his face cold as ice. He picked up a cup, about to splash boiling hot tea on me. Lily quickly stopped him, her voice aggrieved. “Finn, Miss Lane doesn’t look like she’s faking it. Could something really have happened?” “Anyway, we haven’t driven far. Why don’t we take her back to the hospital?” Finn’s lips curled into a cold sneer, and he held Lily even tighter. “You’re too kind, that’s why she always walks all over you. People like Alice Lane will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. You don’t know her.” Lily pouted, tears welling in her eyes. “I thought you agreed to the engagement because you had some affection for Miss Lane. She just wanted to help you, you know?” Finn wiped away her tears, and kissed her forehead tenderly. “Affection? Disgust is more like it. If the Lane family wasn’t useful to me, why would I ever agree to marry someone like her? Once this crisis is over, I’ll divorce her immediately. I can’t stand Alice Lane’s temper for a single day! Then I’ll give you the grandest wedding in the world. We’ll take the baby and travel to Paris, okay? Seeing the Northern Lights sounds nice too.” Lily blushed, hiding in his embrace. Finn gently stroked her long hair, his gaze tender, then looked at the scars on her wrist. “Lily, thank you. Thank you for protecting me at school all those years ago. And thank you for giving me a child.” Lily’s expression stiffened, a flicker of panic in her eyes. “You still remember…” Eight years ago, Finn was just an illegitimate son of the Davies family. He endured endless humiliation and scorn from outsiders. The most serious incident was when he was kidnapped and knocked unconscious. The true heir of the Davies family had hired people to kill him. In his unconscious state, he heard a man’s scream. “Crazy! You’re absolutely insane!” When he woke, only Lily was by his side, her wrist still bleeding profusely. From then on, Lily became the most special person in his life. In an unnoticed corner, my body slid down the car seat. Beneath my torn outer garment, the ugly scars on my wrist were exposed. 4 Even after the car pulled into the villa, I remained unconscious. My cheeks were flushed with an unnatural redness. It was then that Finn finally noticed something was wrong. When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a guest room. Through the open door, in the hallway, I saw Finn meticulously arranging Lily’s clothes with his own hands. His movements were incredibly gentle, as if he were handling not mere garments, but the most precious treasures in the world. I remembered the last time I went with my father to a Davies family banquet to discuss a business deal. I had playfully asked Finn to fasten my necklace for me. His face had been cold, and he had simply replied, “Don’t you have hands? I don’t touch women’s things.” I had thought that was just his personality. But today, I realized that mask was merely his disguise for how much he despised me. With Lily, he had no inhibitions. Noticing my gaze, Finn looked at me. Our eyes met, and his tenderness dissolved into ice. He quickly walked to my side, his voice cold. “To frame Lily, you’d even harm yourself?” I froze for a moment. His face darkened further. “What are you playing at? If you got sick here, would the Lane family let Lily off the hook?” I suddenly laughed, and as I laughed, tears streamed down my face. “Fine, then I’ll leave.” I threw off the covers and rose to go. His hand abruptly pushed me back down. “Stay put until you’re well. If you go back now, the Lane family will think I bullied you.” With that, Finn turned and left. Soon, laughter drifted up from downstairs. Finn was gently asking Lily what she wanted to eat. Lily was playfully nagging him, paying him no mind. My wavering heart suddenly died at that moment. He had his happiness; I would find my own love. He wanted freedom, so I would grant it to him. I quickly changed into a different set of clothes. I called for a taxi on my phone, preparing to leave the villa. But Lily suddenly knocked on the door. Stripping away her facade, her expression was triumphant and challenging. “Miss Lane, you don’t really think money is everything, do you? You might be rich enough, but Finn doesn’t even want to look at you. Marrying you was just a temporary solution. Guess what? Once the Davies family gets through this crisis, you might just find yourself kicked out.” I didn’t back down, staring straight at her. “Yes, money isn’t everything. But not having money is definitely a problem. Guess what? If my family withdraws its investment, will Finn protect you, or will he choose that hundred million?” Lily’s triumphant expression froze. I pressed closer. “Remember this: Finn wasn’t stolen by you. I, Alice Lane, gave him to you.” “A man whose heart isn’t with me? I don’t care to have him.” “And, about what happened at school all those years ago—” Before I could finish, Lily’s face suddenly turned cold. “Shut up!” “I don’t need you to ‘give’ him to me! Your stubbornness is useless. We’re all women, do you think I can’t see through you? Your heart must be shattered, right? I don’t mind helping you out again!” She turned and forcefully slammed into a nearby wardrobe. A scream erupted. Finn kicked open the door, then slapped me across the face. “What did you do?” Lily collapsed into his arms, pleading repeatedly, “Miss Lane, I already apologized to you! Why are you doing this to me? Finn, I don’t want to be a hidden mistress anymore! Let me go, please! I just want to live…” Finn’s veins throbbed on his forehead, his anger reaching its peak. “Alice Lane, get out! Get out!” There was no emotional pain, just a sense of mockery. “Finn Davies, this is my house! You’re the ones who should get out!” As if he hadn’t expected me to say that, intense hatred blazed in his eyes. “Fine. I owe you the engagement. I have no right to argue with you. But remember this: I can marry you, but in this life, you won’t get a single kind look from me!” With that, he picked up Lily and left. For a whole week, he never appeared again, completely cutting all contact. Until the engagement party, where a hundred elite gentlemen, including Finn, awaited my choice. From the moment he entered the Lane family mansion, he was like a puppet, showing no emotion. Guests assumed he was my designated fiancé and came forward to congratulate him. Finn didn’t give them a glance, treating them coldly. Just as the selection process was about to begin, his phone suddenly chimed. After checking the message, his face instantly went ashen. He rushed towards me, ignoring everyone, and slapped me in front of the crowd. “Alice Lane, why did you hire someone to hit Lily with a car?!” “I came as promised today! What else do you want from me?!” “Every second I spend near you, even the air makes me utterly sick!” With that, he left furiously, ignoring his bodyguard’s attempts to stop him. My father’s eyes burned red with rage. He slammed his hand on the table. “That beast! He dares to defy my Lane family for a harlot?!” “Cut all collaborations with Davies Industries! Announce publicly that anyone who dares to help the Davies family is an enemy of the Lane family!” Guests exchanged glances, whispering amongst themselves. They wondered who I would choose now that Finn had left. I smiled, stepped forward, and linked my arm with my father’s. “My apologies for the scene, everyone. However, Finn Davies and I have no connection. His departure simply means the engagement party continues. Gentlemen, please begin your game of rock-paper-scissors. The winner will become my fiancé, maximizing our family’s resources and benefits. But those with bad luck will be eliminated by me!” Three rounds of the game quickly concluded. The final winner was a young man who had just graduated college. He stood on the stage, his expression shy, his ears flushed crimson, unable to look at me. I handed the microphone to my father, then stepped forward and threw myself into his embrace. The hall erupted in applause, and guests offered their congratulations. … At the hospital, Finn’s father called him repeatedly. After Finn hung up on him, his father stormed directly into the hospital room. He slapped Finn across the face, roaring uncontrollably. “You missed the engagement party! Are you insane?! Do you know the Lane family—” Before he could finish, Finn cut him off coldly. “Does it matter if I went? Alice Lane would marry me no matter what. What’s the point of this formality?” His face was etched with exhaustion, his eyes hollow as he gazed in Lily’s direction. His father suddenly let out a bitter laugh, then raised his hand and slapped him again. “Marry you no matter what? Alice Lane is engaged to the Sutton family! Who do you think you are?!”

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I found a ring. The moment I slipped it on, Liam Sterling, the hottest guy on campus, fell head over heels for me, pursuing me with a furious intensity. I was just… average. Yet, he swore I was the most beautiful girl in the world. Even his friends thought he’d lost his mind, scoffing that love was truly blind, that he’d mistaken a dull pebble for a dazzling diamond. After six months with Liam, I gradually began to accept this bizarre reality. My defenses crumbled. I let my guard down, opened my heart, and went home with him. But the next morning, my ring was gone. Liam, his eyes wide with panic, shoved me away. “Who are you?” he demanded, his voice laced with terror. He broke up with me, painting me as some kind of monster to his friends. “The Sarah I knew wasn’t like this,” he snarled, a visceral disgust twisting his features. “It’s sick. I actually spent half a year with that woman.” Time rewound. The ring had flung me back six months. It turned out this magical artifact could transform me into my crush’s ideal woman. I stared at the ring, a profound unease settling in my chest. This time, I didn’t put it on. Instead, I locked it away, vowing never to touch it again. What I hadn’t expected was that Liam had been dragged back in time with me. 1 After ditching Chloe Evans, she surprisingly didn’t go to the party that night. “Liam didn’t even show up,” she mumbled, looking utterly crestfallen. “He’s apparently sick or something…” I paused, then offered a few words of comfort. “Maybe next time, then.” Chloe latched onto my arm, pouting. “Sarah, you have to come with me to the next gathering. It’s always all guys, and I’m the only girl. It’s so awkward.” I chuckled, gently pushing her hand away. “Why don’t you ask Lucy to go with you instead?” Chloe’s expression flickered. “She’s not going. Please, Sarah, please say you’ll come. I’m begging you!” I knew exactly why Chloe was so desperate to drag me along. Lucy Miller was stunning, and Chloe couldn’t stand anyone stealing her thunder. I, on the other hand, was perfectly plain – a dutiful backdrop, easy to overlook. In my previous life, I’d gone with Chloe to that very gathering. But everyone there had been utterly floored. Liam hadn’t even glanced at Chloe. Instead, his gaze had been utterly fixated on me, the unassuming sidekick. After the party, Liam had launched into a whirlwind courtship. At first, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. I figured it was just some twisted game, a prank cooked up by the campus royalty. But Liam’s relentless pursuit and genuine demeanor slowly chipped away at my skepticism. He was undeniably good to me. No matter how much his friends warned him off, he remained steadfast. I saw the sincerity in his eyes, and little by little, he won me over. We became a couple. But the moment I truly gave him my heart, after a night of shared intimacy, Liam transformed. He shrieked, practically throwing me out of his apartment, swearing he’d never seen me before in his life. I felt like I’d fallen straight into hell. Back at the dorm, I realized my ring was gone. I had no choice but to return to Liam’s place to find it. When I got back, Liam was surrounded by his friends. His face was a mask of repulsion, pure nausea etched into every line. “The Sarah I knew wasn’t like this,” he spewed, his voice raw with disgust. “It’s sick. I actually spent half a year with that woman! What the hell happened?!” I stood frozen in the doorway, my soul feeling ripped from my body. The next second, time rewound. I was back before Liam had ever even known me. That very ring, the one that had dropped from my finger, now sat quietly in my desk drawer. I tore open the packaging and pulled out the instructions nestled inside the box. This ring possesses magic. Wear it, and you will become the ideal version of your secret crush. The explanation stated that because my “mission” to win Liam over had failed, the ring had sent me back six months. I stared at the ring, a profound unease churning within me. But I didn’t put it on again. Instead, I locked it away in my closet, vowing never to touch it. 2 A few days later, Chloe was begging me again. Liam had organized another gathering, specifically inviting Chloe and telling her to bring her roommates. “Sarah, please, please, just come with me!” Annoyed, I called out from my bunk, “Liam said you could bring your roommates, right? So everyone in the dorm can go. Why don’t you ask them? Whoever wants to go out with Liam can go.” My words instantly piqued everyone else’s interest. Sure enough, Chloe had kept this a secret from them. Now that everyone knew, they were all buzzing. In the end, everyone in the dorm agreed to go – except for me. Lucy even came over to try and convince me. “Everyone else is going, Sarah. Why don’t you just come along? We’re in college now, it’s time to experience some of that college life!” Lucy’s words made me hesitate. It had been almost a month since I’d come back, and I felt my feelings for Liam had settled, like still water. Maybe a calm approach would help me demythologize him. Besides, this time, without the ring’s magical aura, and with my roommates all being gorgeous, no one would bother me. I could just go for a free meal. Once I agreed, that day I didn’t even bother with makeup. I threw on a hoodie and jeans, pulled my hair into a ponytail, and headed out looking fresh and simple. Liam and his friends had already arrived. It was his buddies who came to pick us up. Just as I’d hoped, I went unnoticed. No one tried to strike up a conversation. I just quietly slipped into the restaurant. Liam was seated in a corner. His clothes were simple, but his handsome face elevated even the most casual attire, making it look like haute couture. He was undeniably good-looking, came from a wealthy family, and there wasn’t a single girl who saw him whose heart wouldn’t quicken. Once I settled into my seat, I heard Chloe’s excited whisper. “Sarah, is Liam looking at us?” I glanced up. My eyes met Liam’s. He was frowning, his gaze sharp and complex, as if trying to bore right through me. My stomach fluttered with an unfamiliar unease. “Yeah,” I mumbled, nodding. “He’s looking at you.” I wasn’t much of a talker to begin with, and once the food arrived, I buried myself in my plate, tuning out all the chatter, utterly detached from the table’s social dance. That was until Lucy nudged me, an awkward flush creeping up her neck. “Sarah…” I looked up. Everyone at the table was staring at me. Liam’s face was dark, a rigid sneer twisting his lips. “Sarah,” Lucy whispered, “Liam just tried to say hello…” Liam chuckled, a hint of mockery glinting in his eyes. “Chloe, is your friend starving? How long has it been since she ate?” A hush fell over the table. Jake Hayes, one of Liam’s friends, was the first to react, quickly jumping in to ease the tension. “What are you talking about, Liam? You just worried there wasn’t enough food, right? Waiter, let’s get a few more dishes.” Liam didn’t respond. I wiped my mouth, then stood up, offering a bland smile to everyone. “My apologies. I skipped lunch and was ravenous. I’ll take a penalty drink. You all just enjoy yourselves, don’t mind me.” I grabbed a soda and chugged it. But Liam’s scowl only deepened. He pressed on, his voice dripping with condescension. “Drinking soda to toast us? That’s not much commitment.” I met Liam’s gaze, my own eyes flat and unreadable. “I’m allergic to alcohol.” Lucy awkwardly tugged at my arm, explaining to Liam, “Sarah really is allergic. One sip and she’s out.” After I sat back down, Liam remained stone-faced, not uttering another word throughout the rest of the meal. I didn’t care what his problem was. After dinner, when they started talking about heading to karaoke, I announced my departure. Chloe offered a hesitant apology. “I’m so sorry, Sarah. I don’t know what got into Liam tonight. Maybe he’s just in a bad mood.” I waved it off, saying it was fine. As I walked out, I saw Jake and Liam standing together. “What’s your deal, man?” Jake was saying. “Did you drink too much? Why were you giving that girl such a hard time?” Another friend chimed in, “Yeah, even if she isn’t super pretty, you could’ve just ignored her. You made the whole atmosphere super awkward.” I happened to be walking by at that moment. The group froze, wide-eyed. Jake was the first to recover. “Sarah, you coming to karaoke with us?” I offered him a small smile. “No thanks, you guys have fun. I’m heading back.” Jake started walking toward me. “I can walk you back.” Before I could reply, Liam’s cold voice cut through the air. “Let her walk herself.” 3 I looked at Liam, a spark of anger igniting within me. “Jake, you can walk me.” Jake blinked, surprised, then followed me. “I’ll see Sarah off. You guys go ahead.” Once we were outside, Jake’s curiosity got the better of him. “Did you two know each other before?” “No,” I replied, shaking my head. I flagged down a taxi, then turned to Jake. “What I said back there was just to be spiteful. You should go back. I don’t need you to walk me.” I got into the cab, but Jake was insistent. “It’s late for a girl to be riding alone. I don’t feel good about it.” I let out a soft laugh. “You’re quite the gentleman.” I didn’t talk much to Jake during the ride. When we reached campus, he asked for my number. I didn’t give it to him. Instead, I put on my best ‘too cool for school’ act. “I’m not really looking to date, so… apologies.” Jake’s face flushed. “I wasn’t…” “See ya.” I cut him off, making a swift exit. I knew Jake couldn’t possibly be interested in me. He was just as handsome as Liam, how could he possibly be attracted to someone as ordinary as me? I was just trying to find an excuse to keep all of them at a distance. But from that day on, Jake seemed to have developed an interest in me. He started contacting me frequently. He got my number from Chloe, then started waiting for me after class. Today was no different. He held a coffee cup, asking me out for a meal just outside the classroom. “Got some free time later? Wanna grab a bite?” Chloe, walking out with me, saw Jake approaching me and looked genuinely surprised. “You’re asking Sarah out?” Jake nodded. I, too, was genuinely curious as to why Jake had taken an interest in me. I agreed to have dinner with him. On the way, I asked him, “Do you think I’m pretty? Am I your dream girl?” My blunt questions left Jake speechless. Once I confirmed he wasn’t under any strange spell, I pressed on. “Probably not, right? I’m pretty plain. So why are you asking me out?” Jake considered it. “I think your personality is… interesting.” I offered a faint smile. “Is that so? I’m not entirely convinced.” We continued our conversation, our closeness seemingly growing. Just then, I saw Liam. He stood in the distance, his eyes cold, locked on us. I met his stare, then casually reached out and took Jake’s hand. Jake froze. At the same instant, Liam stormed over, his anger barely contained. He grabbed my arm, yanking me toward him. “Jake, she’s not who you think she is! Wake up!” Liam’s words sent a shiver down my spine. Jake looked utterly bewildered. “What are you talking about? What’s wrong with Sarah? Let her go, you’re hurting her!” Jake tried to pull me back, but Liam already had a firm grip on me and started dragging me away. My mind was a tangled mess. I tried to pull free, but his grip was unyielding. He didn’t release me until we reached a secluded spot. Liam’s eyes, dark and stormy, glared at me. “What, Sarah? Couldn’t reel me in, so you switched targets? Are you always this fickle, always so manipulative?”

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The piercing shriek of the fire alarm tore through the late-night silence, yet I, Battalion Chief Alice Evans, remained perfectly still, a warm mug cradled in my hands. My gaze, heavy with a knowing weariness, settled on the window, listening as the desperate screams outside were swallowed by the voracious roar of flames. In another life, when the first tendrils of smoke had appeared, I’d immediately dispatched my crews. I’d meticulously orchestrated their attack, sending them from different angles, watching as the inferno yielded, inch by agonizing inch. Only when the last survivor was carried out, charred but breathing, did I finally allow myself to sag, leaning back in my chair, eyes fluttering shut for a brief, earned rest. But then, an icy click. Handcuffs snapped around my wrists. “Battalion Chief Evans, you’re under arrest for intentional homicide. Come with us.” My returning crew, their faces smudged with soot and streaked with blood, their bodies bruised and burned, screamed. Their collective roar was enough to rip the roof off the station. “How could you be so heartless, Alice?! We trusted you! We ran in because we trusted you, and you deliberately misreported the fire! The engines you sent weren’t nearly enough!” “You mixed alcohol into the hoses! A regular fire turned into an inferno! Our brothers were maimed, and not a single soul made it out alive!” The words hit me like a physical blow. Explosion? Lives lost? I’d seen the fire controlled, witnessed survivors being pulled to safety with my own eyes. How could it have morphed into such a catastrophe? Ten or more lives extinguished. When I scrambled to retrieve the station’s security footage, desperate to prove my innocence, I watched in horror as the screen showed me—a version of me I barely recognized—botching every command, making fatal errors. Then, my husband, Tim Miller, stepped forward. He presented a video on his phone, his voice laced with feigned anguish. “She always treated human life with contempt. She hated night shifts, always said, ‘Let them die. Don’t interrupt my sleep.’” I was speechless, trapped in a nightmare. The furious families of the victims, their grief a tangible, burning thing, pushed me, shoved me, until I was flung into the middle of the road. The last thing I felt was the searing impact of a truck, a brutal, bone-shattering finality. And after my death, my apprentice, Chloe Vance, slid into my position. Within weeks, she was living with Tim. He, the grieving widower, publicly wept online, denouncing my “crimes,” earning a tidal wave of sympathy and praise for his supposed “forgiveness” of the driver and families. My body convulsed, a violent tremor that jolted me awake. I was back. Back in my office, the very night the fire began. A soft tap on my desk. I lifted my head, my eyes locking onto Chloe’s sweet, innocent face. My apprentice, who’d been with me since graduation, was pouting, her voice a sugary whine. “Coach, can you switch shifts with me tonight? I have a date, please, please, please?” Her words were a plea, but her eyes held an unsettling glint of certainty, a predatory assurance. In my past life, I hadn’t given it a second thought, readily agreeing. I’d walked straight into the trap she’d dug. The fire had broken out precisely during the shift change. A chilling coincidence. Could she truly have set that fire? Dozens of lives. Watching her pure, guileless smile, a cold dread snaked down my spine. “Coach, you can’t? I’ll give you some of my special gourmet coffee beans! Guaranteed to keep you awake!” Seeing my hesitation, she pressed a small, ornate bag into my hand. My colleagues chimed in, a chorus of good-natured teasing. “Come on, Alice, Chloe’s in love! Be a good sport!” “Yeah, she never lets anyone near those beans! They’re her absolute treasure!” Under their expectant gazes, I wrestled down the swirling chaos in my mind, forcing a slow nod. “Alright, Chloe. I’ll switch.” Chloe’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. She scurried to the break room, practically bouncing, and returned with a steaming mug. “Thank you, Coach! You HAVE to try my special blend. It’s my way of saying thanks!” I took the mug, setting it beside me. But Chloe’s lower lip began to tremble, her eyes welling up, her voice suddenly loud and wounded. “Is Coach mad? I-I promise I won’t bother you again…” My teammates’ eyes flickered with gentle reproach. I had no choice but to lift the mug. The aroma was rich, complex, no hint of anything amiss. Under her satisfied gaze, I drained it. Chloe beamed, a picture of angelic contentment, and practically skipped out. “Tonight’s going to be perfectly fine!” she called out, a seemingly innocuous parting shot. Not long after, Tim, my husband, walked in with a takeout container. “Knew you were on duty, so I switched my own plans to keep you company.” He expertly laid out the meal, his face a mask of loving concern. But seeing him, my heart chilled. Chloe had just left, and he arrived, “just in time.” Was he afraid I wouldn’t play my part in their twisted little drama? This man, who shared my bed, was so eager to push me into the abyss. Last time, he’d been on my crew, following my orders, even rescuing a survivor and waving to me. The fire had been so well-controlled, the hoses personally checked by me. How could alcohol have suddenly appeared? A horrifying theory began to coalesce in my mind. I fumbled for my phone and sent a quick message to a trusted friend at the station closest to the industrial zone. At precisely four in the morning, Chloe’s phone call jolted the silence. Her voice, laced with frantic urgency, was a chilling echo of the past. “Coach! The Riverside Industrial Zone is on fire! Get the crew out there, fast!” Just like before, she’d bypassed central dispatch, calling my private cell directly. Last time, I hadn’t thought twice, immediately dispatching units based on her report, neglecting to have dispatch verify further information. Now, chillingly calm, I detected not just a manufactured panic in her voice, but an unmistakable current of excitement. This fire. She’d set it. I took my time, slowly drawing breath. “You must have the wrong number, Chloe. You should call 911 dispatch first.” Chloe’s incredulous voice, shrill with manufactured outrage, threatened to puncture my eardrum. “Coach, are you insane?! Now’s not the time for procedures! These are real lives! Are you saying I’m lying about a fire? Alice, you think I’d joke about something like this?” She ordered me to open the live monitoring feed. Indeed, it was a massive blaze, screams echoing through the digital static. Yet, I remained unmoving, utterly unfazed. Chloe’s voice escalated, raw with frustration. “How can you be so cold-blooded?! Abandoning lives, letting them die! Are you even fit to be a firefighter anymore?!” “Get everyone out there! Every minute means another life! Please, Alice, I’m begging you!” I held the phone away from my ear, then spoke slowly. “Tell you what, since you’re already on site, you know the situation best. This operation? It’s yours to command. Go for it.” Chloe’s voice was a near-scream. “Alice Evans, where’s your conscience?! Shifting responsibility at a time like this? You’re on duty! I respected you so much!” “My experience isn’t enough! Please, Alice, come save these people!” Just then, Tim burst in, his face a mask of panic. “Alice, isn’t there a fire?! You need to dispatch the crews! There’s no time!” I blew gently on my mug, taking a slow sip. “You two go. Take an extra set of gear. Chloe will lead.” Last time, I’d rushed four engines to the scene. Once there, Chloe had suddenly requested to enter the burning structure, offering to assist. I’d handed her my own rescue gear, commanding from outside. I’d personally watched several firefighters pull survivors from the wreckage, even double-checked that they were alive. The hoses had sprayed clear water, and the blaze had seemed fully contained. Chloe had even run out of the inferno to tell me, “They’re all out, Coach! We’ll be clearing out soon!” It had all felt so incredibly real, impossible to fake. But it was entirely different from the surveillance footage I later saw. In that video, I was indeed outside the building, but the fire itself was completely different. The flames were barely under control when the hoses malfunctioned, spewing alcohol-laced water, instantly triggering the explosion. And the video version of me had calmly walked away from the immediate blast zone before the explosion, settling into my truck to rest. How had they done it? How had they manipulated what I saw, what I experienced, so utterly? Before I could fully process it, my teammates stormed in, their faces a mix of anxiety and simmering anger. “Chief Evans, isn’t there a fire? Why haven’t you dispatched anyone?” I raised an eyebrow. “I’ve already put Chloe in charge. Didn’t you get her orders?” One of the firefighters, a burly man named Mike, slammed his coffee cup down, his voice trembling with fury. “Alice Evans, what are you doing just sitting here drinking coffee at a time like this?!” “Are you treating this job like a joke? Or human lives?” “That’s a fire!” I nodded calmly, agreeing. “Yes, it’s a fire. Chloe’s on site right now. She knows the situation better than I do. Hasn’t she given you orders?” The team bristled, eyes blazing. “Are you kidding us?! You’re on duty tonight! And you’re splitting hairs over this?! Chloe’s command experience isn’t close to yours, and you’re just standing by? Don’t you know how important lives are?!” I spread my hands, a picture of weary resignation. “I’m just not up to commanding right now. I’m willing to go inside and help with the rescue myself, though.” “Don’t worry, after this fire, I’ll voluntarily resign.” Tim sprang forward, pointing a trembling finger at me, his face contorted with theatrical rage. “Alice Evans, you should’ve been fired from command a long time ago! You treat human lives like trash! Even now, you don’t care about them!” He clutched his head, groaning in what appeared to be agony. “It’s my fault. Last time you said you hated night shifts, hated responding to calls, I thought you were joking. I didn’t take you seriously.” “I never thought you actually felt that way!” “I should’ve reported you right then and there, you heartless wretch!” With that, he pulled out his phone, cueing up a video he’d recorded. On the screen, a version of me stared back, her expression one of utter disdain, cold and dismissive. “Another night shift. God, this is annoying.” “If there’s a fire, it’s just their fate. They deserve it! Let them die, just don’t bother my sleep.” “I’ve pulled so many all-nighters, my skin looks terrible. They should all just die off so I can get some decent sleep.” The firefighters gasped, staring at me with a mixture of shock and profound disgust. That was the video Tim had released to the public in my previous life. The camera was aimed directly at my face, every cruel word, every indifferent expression, chillingly clear. The families of the fire victims had used it to hunt me down, swarming me, punching and kicking, venting their furious grief. Until someone plunged a knife into me, sending me sprawling into the path of that truck. The memories flashed, vivid and sickening. I stared at Tim, my hands clenching, trembling. Then, I’d sought out the police, and they’d declared the video authentic, free of any digital manipulation! But those weren’t my words. That wasn’t how I felt. Tim, still playing the role of the distraught husband, still wore that mask of regret, but a flicker of triumphant excitement danced in his eyes. “I should’ve called the police on you then! Saved us all this trouble now!” “Alice Evans, their deaths are on you! You’re the real culprit!” “I’m going to release this video online. Everyone will see your ugly face!” My teammates’ eyes were bloodshot, burning with condemnation. “Alice Evans, we called you ‘Chief’ for so long. Do you deserve that title? Do you deserve this uniform?!” “We were so wrong about you! You don’t deserve to live!” I sighed softly, taking another slow sip of my coffee. I raised my eyes. “Are you quite finished? I never said I wouldn’t save people. Right now, you’re the ones neglecting human lives.” I looked at Tim, my voice even, devoid of emotion. “Just a moment ago, you were frantic, practically beside yourself with urgency. Yet, in this supposedly critical moment, you didn’t forget to pull out a video to stomp all over me. Are you desperate to save lives, or just desperate to condemn me?” Now it was Tim’s turn to fluster, his face reddening. “I was just so furious with you! You’re just sitting here, indifferent, treating lives as meaningless!” I shook my head, a knowing, almost pitying look in my eyes. “I think you’re sharper than you let on.” Tim scoffed. “It’s too late to go there now. Let’s see how you explain this to everyone!” … The fire engine had barely pulled out of the station before police cruisers cut them off. Tim’s eyes flickered, a hint of alarm. “Officer, we’re responding to a fire! Why are you stopping us?” My teammates scoffed behind him, not hesitating to point directly at me. “Officer, has someone reported her? She’s our fire chief, but she doesn’t take her duties seriously. She holds human life in contempt.” “Honestly, with her, I wouldn’t be surprised by any illegal or unethical behavior.” The officer frowned, checking the information on his tablet. “This is the right vehicle, then.” “We received a report of intentional arson and attempted murder.” My teammates exchanged gleeful, triumphant glances, looking at me. Tim, practically vibrating with eagerness, dragged me forward to the police. “Officer, it’s definitely her. Take her in, investigate thoroughly. I have plenty of evidence I can submit.” I took a deep breath, pushing down the surge of anger, and raised my hand. “Officer, I’m the one who made the report. I’m turning myself in.”

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1 My wife, Sarah, a seasoned pilot, had just told me she was pregnant when her plane went down in a catastrophic crash. In her final, desperate moments, she somehow managed an emergency landing. I scoured the wreckage, searching for any sign of her, only to be told there was nothing left—no body, no trace. Besides me, only Sarah’s twin sister, Emily, and her husband, Jake Thompson, had survived the tragedy. I became obsessed, chasing every phantom lead, desperate to find my wife. Then, eight months later, I overheard something that ripped my world apart. My sister-in-law, Emily, drunk and arguing with a friend, her voice slurring, “Jake suddenly lost his wife, and his arm is broken. How could I abandon him?” “Alex’s mother drugged me all those years ago, forced me into marrying him. I’ve harbored resentment for so long. Maybe this is my chance to finally make things right, to fix what was broken, until Jake recovers.” The words hit me like a physical blow. Emily? No. It was Sarah. The woman I’d been searching for, the one I thought was gone forever, stood before me, playing the part of her own dead twin. My heart turned to ash. I walked over to the framed photo of Sarah I’d kept on my bedside table, the one I’d believed was her memorial. I tossed it into the trash, the glass cracking with a sickening snap. Then I called my parents. “Don’t look for Sarah anymore. Just… declare her legally deceased. Erase her from the records. I’m remarrying.” “Even if Sarah really died, there should have been a body, a trace. There’s nothing. Are you truly giving up the search?” my mother’s voice, thick with concern, asked through the phone. I clutched the device, my knuckles white, unable to speak for a long moment. Despair was a lead weight in my gut. From the next room, I could hear Sarah’s friend, Chloe, her voice hot with righteous anger. “You faked your death, fine! But at least you could have left your sister’s body! At least then Alex could have found closure! He’s been out of his mind, searching everywhere, a pitiful sight…” Sarah, lounging on the plush sofa with infuriating nonchalance, her expression a complex mix of emotions, finally spoke. “I was worried Jake would be too upset, so I had Emily’s body cremated immediately. If Alex wants to keep searching, let him. Why should I care? Their family used such disgusting tactics to force me into that marriage. This is just… payback.” As she finished, a fierce, burning resentment blazed in her eyes. She blamed my mother, who, in a desperate attempt to ease my agonizing, unrequited love, had impulsively drugged Sarah on the night of our arranged engagement. It had shackled Sarah to me for five miserable years. Who could have imagined that the wife who had always shown me such warmth and care could harbor such deep-seated hatred for so long, all for that single night? A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Then, against my will, tears welled in my eyes, tracing cold, unforgiving paths down my cheeks. On the day of the crash, all of Sarah’s colleagues from AeroWing Airlines had come to offer their condolences, urging me to find peace. But the suddenness of it all, the brutal finality, had been impossible to accept. I had knelt outside the airline’s headquarters for three days and three nights, begging for a rational explanation. Why was there no trace of my wife’s body? Why was there no clear conclusion to the crash investigation? I’d clung to the desperate belief that she was still alive. Yet, with every fruitless lead, every unanswered prayer, countless nights had found me teetering on the edge, wanting nothing more than to end it all, to follow her into death. Now, I knew the sickening truth. It had all been Sarah’s elaborate, absurd, and cruel charade. She had orchestrated her own disappearance, a grotesque play she’d directed herself. Living under my roof, under my very nose, flaunting her affection with Jake day after day – had she never felt a flicker of remorse? Welcoming me into the Peterson family home as her sister, offering me calculated gestures of sympathy and concern – did she truly believe that could somehow atone for the profound pain she’d inflicted? I slumped against the wall, sliding slowly to the floor, the world suddenly too heavy to bear. It took me a full minute to find my voice. “Mom,” I rasped, “from now on, I’ll focus solely on the Stone family business. If I’m remarrying, then let it be to Chloe Sterling, the Sterling Group heiress.” The Sterling Group and the Stone family were perfectly matched, a strategic alliance. She was the ideal candidate. My mother, despite her reluctance to see me marry a woman rumored to be confined to a wheelchair, quietly agreed after hearing the brutal truth. “But… aren’t you going to tell Sarah about your kidney injury? What if it makes her feel something? After all, you loved her so much back then…” 2 I shook my head, a bitter, self-deprecating laugh escaping me. “I’ll just… secretly have it removed.” If she was so willing to assume a new identity to care for Jake, then I would grant her that twisted devotion. Let the identity of Sarah Peterson, my wife, vanish completely. I had just settled into my car, ready to leave, when I saw Sarah rushing towards the hospital. Moments later, a text message from her lit up my phone: “Alex! Big news for the family! I’m about to give birth!” My wife of five years, the woman who had shared my life and love, was now calling me “brother-in-law” and attributing our child to another man. The sheer absurdity of it all, the cold indifference, washed over me. It felt utterly pointless. I didn’t bother to reply. Instead, I drove directly to the hospital, walking straight to the registration desk to request kidney surgery. A young nurse, her voice kind and gentle, asked, “Is your partner here? We usually need to consult family, you don’t have to face this alone.” My gaze drifted towards the delivery ward, where I saw Sarah, her face alight with tender adoration as she cradled a newborn. A bitter, self-mocking laugh escaped me. “My partner passed away,” I told the nurse, “so I’ll make my own decisions.” The nurse, suddenly awkward, simply mumbled an “Oh,” and quickly registered me. I tried to hide in a quiet corner, waiting for my surgery, but Sarah spotted me anyway. She came bouncing over, her face radiant. “Alex! I had a little boy! Our Peterson family finally has a legacy!” Her smile, so blindingly bright, faltered as she saw the numb expression on my face, a fleeting flicker of guilt crossing her features. “I know you always wanted a child. Actually, I—oh, I mean, Emily, your sister, she really wanted a child too. If only she were still here…” I stared at her now-flat stomach, my heart clenching as if a cruel hand were twisting it. For years, I had yearned for a child. And now, the child was right there, before me, yet I was utterly stripped of the right to claim him. As she spoke, two doctors, standing some distance away, called out to both of us simultaneously. “Ms. Peterson, your partner is looking for you!” “Mr. Stone, it’s time for your surgery!” Perhaps she was too ecstatic, too wrapped up in her new role, to hear my name. I brushed past her, an invisible phantom. She was cooing with delight, tickling the tiny infant in her arms, while I was walking into an operating room to have a kidney removed. Thankfully, the surgery was swift. Fresh out of surgery, Sarah insisted I come into the recovery room to see the newborn. Jake Thompson was there too. He’d sustained injuries in the crash, and even with his arm in a cast, he looked remarkably handsome, clearly well-cared for. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror: my chin was shadowed with stubble, and I looked years older than my actual age. Suddenly, Sarah announced she was hungry and instinctively reached for a mango someone had left on the table. Jake shot her a look, and she immediately, fondly, tossed the fruit into the trash. I used to warn her countless times that I was allergic to mangoes, but she’d always eaten them without a second thought. Jake looked at me, a triumphant smirk playing on his lips. “Alex, my wife listens to my every word. She knows I can’t stand the smell of mangoes, so she never buys them anymore. I guess I really married the right woman.” Jake’s words dripped with possessiveness, a smug challenge in his tone. Did he know? Did he realize this woman, pretending to be his wife, was actually Sarah? I didn’t have time to dwell on it. My parents-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Peterson, rushed in, squeezing past me, eager to see their new grandson. That perfect little family of three, with the grandparents beaming over them, truly looked like a harmonious unit. And me? What was I? Not even a grieving widower to my own wife… Back home, a package from the Sterling family had already arrived for me: several photos of Chloe Sterling, along with samples of wedding attire and diamond rings. I hadn’t expected Sarah, who had returned to retrieve Jake’s jacket, to catch sight of Chloe’s face on my phone screen. Her voice, suddenly tight with nerves, cut through the quiet. “Who is this? Alex, what are you doing?” 3 I ignored her slip, the casual use of my first name that broke her careful facade. My voice was calm, almost bored. “Your sister is gone. My family has arranged for me to meet someone. It’s only reasonable for a widower to remarry, isn’t it?” Sarah’s face darkened instantly. “No! You can’t!” Perhaps she realized her reaction was too strong, too revealing. After a beat, she forced herself to lower her voice, her words strained. “I mean… my sister has been gone for less than a year. You can’t possibly remarry so soon. I’m her twin sister, and you’re my brother-in-law. You two were so devoted when she was alive. How could you change your heart so quickly? I can’t just stand by and watch you leave the Peterson family.” “What if—I mean, what if—she came back someday? We never found her body, after all. She might not truly be gone…” Her frantic, almost desperate demeanor left me bewildered. She clearly hated me, despised me even. So why was she fighting so hard to stop me from remarrying? When I stubbornly returned to scrolling through the photos, Sarah’s frustration boiled over. She snatched my phone, her movements sharp, and furiously deleted the images. “You need to stay here, with the Petersons! Stop thinking about remarrying!” She was so flustered, she even forgot to call me “brother-in-law.” Sarah opened her mouth, about to continue her protests, but her phone suddenly chimed with an incoming call. “Babe,” Jake’s voice, laced with pain, filtered through the speaker. “My arm still hurts so bad after the surgery. Can you please come over? I keep having nightmares about losing it if you’re not here.” Ever since Jake had broken his arm in the crash, it seemed he was constantly battling post-op infections or suffering night terrors. Sarah always rushed to his side at top speed. This time was no exception. Before Jake could even finish, Sarah hastily grabbed a few of his shirts, then bolted out the door, leaving her own jacket behind. It was then that I truly understood. Her pleas for me not to remarry? They were just empty pleasantries, a performance in her role as the grieving sister. A bitter laugh escaped me. I called the Sterling family, asking them to resend the photos. I chose the wedding attire and the diamond ring. Beyond that, I threw out every last photograph, every last memento of Sarah Peterson. It was as if she had never existed. That evening, halfway through my ruthless purge, Sarah returned with Jake, holding the baby. “Alex,” she began, her tone carefully earnest. “After Emily passed, Jake invited you to stay with us, to help you through your grief. Since the crash, he’s been having terrible nightmares. From now on, you can take care of Jake. Think of it as taking care of your brother-in-law for Emily’s sake.” I clenched the trash bag in my hand, unable to utter a single word. Sarah peered through the cracked door of my bedroom, seeing the stark emptiness. She was about to question me when her phone rang, pulling her away. As I went downstairs to dump the trash, I overheard Sarah’s voice, ringing with smug certainty. “They’re just trying to set him up with someone. You don’t know Alex? He’s still completely obsessed with finding me. Even if he can’t, he’d probably try to follow me into death! He’s definitely going to reject any family arrangements!” A cynical laugh escaped me. I returned to my room, continuing to pack. Tomorrow, I was leaving. Unexpectedly, Jake followed me in. He proudly stroked the baby in his arms, a chilling, insidious smirk twisting his lips – a look I’d never seen from him before. “Alex, do you really think your wife died in that crash?” he sneered. “Let me do you a favor. Your ‘sister-in-law’ is the real Sarah Peterson. She’s here, willingly by my side, while you’re just a pathetic, cuckolded widower!” “All those days you were wailing, tearing your hair out, practically ready to kill yourself to be with Sarah? You were such a fool!” He was right. I had been an utter fool. My love for Sarah had been so absolute, it had never once wavered in suspicion. I had believed she would never abandon me in a plane crash. I had believed she would never feel anything for any man but me. But those days were long, long gone. 4 When I remained silent, Jake, as if overcome by a sudden, furious shame, lashed out and slapped me hard across the face. “My wife is dead, so I’m keeping Sarah by my side forever! You’ll never take her from me!” Just then, Sarah rushed in. Seeing Jake’s hand raised to strike my face, she instinctively darted forward, throwing herself between us. Sarah’s eyes landed on the angry red mark blooming on my cheek, and a flicker of anger crossed her brows. “Jake! He’s our brother-in-law! How could you—” Before she could finish, Jake pulled the baby tighter, his voice a quick, panicked defense. “I didn’t mean to! It’s just… Alex hates us for having this baby, and he tried to snatch him and throw him down! I only hit him out of a father’s instinct to protect!” In an instant, Sarah’s allegiance shifted. The supposed “family hierarchy” was forgotten, replaced by a furious glare. “Emily’s death isn’t our fault! Why would you try to hurt my baby? You are utterly heartless!” “A cruel man like you doesn’t deserve our pity! Maybe Emily just didn’t want to see you anymore, that’s why she secretly hid herself away!” My hands fell limply to my sides. This, I realized, was likely the truth she had harbored in her heart for years. Sarah, her eyes blazing red, glared at me, her chest heaving with uncontrolled fury. When I still didn’t speak, her tone softened, a veneer of pity in her voice. “Don’t worry, Emily will come back someday. They haven’t declared her legally dead yet, right? Then, you two can just have another child together.” I numbly shook my head. “I’m not looking for her anymore.” In an instant, Sarah’s face darkened, a look of utter disbelief twisting her features. “How can you just suddenly stop looking? You always said you loved Emily! Are you just giving up so easily? You…” Jake grabbed Sarah’s arm, pulling the agitated woman closer, then roughly tilted her chin up. “Let ‘brother-in-law’ rest. Let’s go back to our room and work on baby number two, my good wife.” Sarah’s eyes lingered on me for a few more seconds, a fleeting, unreadable expression in their depths, before she finally let Jake lead her out of the room. The next morning, as I carried my luggage downstairs, I heard a tremor of panic in Sarah’s voice. “Last night, Alex suddenly said he wasn’t looking for me anymore. I… never mind. Just hurry up and help me. Help me get my old identity back.” Sarah Peterson, I thought, a grim satisfaction settling in. There’s truly no need for that anymore. I walked out of the Peterson home without a backward glance, driving straight to the Sterling Estate to finalize the wedding arrangements. After hanging up the phone, Sarah rushed to my room, flinging the door open, only to find it empty. “Al—” Her heart seizing with a jolt of panic, she started to call my name but stopped short as her mother, Mrs. Peterson, cheerfully bustled in. “Oh, what a wonderful double blessing for our family!” Mrs. Peterson chirped. Sarah paused, a bewildered frown creasing her brow. “Double blessing? Besides me giving the Peterson family a new addition, what else has happened recently?” Mrs. Peterson puffed out her chest proudly. “Hmph! Your brother-in-law is getting remarried, of course! He basically cursed your sister to her death, and now he’s finally willing to get out of our family’s hair!” The words hit Sarah like a punch. Her pupils constricted sharply, and she blurted out, “What? But I haven’t divorced him yet! How could he possibly—” Just then, her phone buzzed again. It was Chloe, her friend from the earlier conversation. “Sarah, someone… someone seems to have voided your identity. If you want to get your original identity back, I don’t think it’s going to happen…”

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1 When I woke, finding myself a widow once more, back in the gritty heart of the 1970s, I didn’t hesitate. This time, when my brother-in-law, Arthur, proposed stepping into my late husband’s shoes and caring for us both, I accepted. In my previous life, my husband, Liam, had slipped and fallen into the reservoir, drowning, leaving me and our child to face the world alone. Arthur, out of genuine concern for my struggles, had made the same offer then. But no matter how kind Arthur was, he would forever be a stepfather to my son. I’d rejected his generosity, choosing instead to raise my child single-handedly, enduring untold hardships. Eighteen years later, through my tireless efforts, my son, Daniel, had earned a coveted spot at a prestigious National University. Yet, on the very day of his acceptance celebration, my long-“deceased” husband, Liam, appeared before me, arm-in-arm with his childhood sweetheart, Mia. “Daniel is my son, with Mia,” Liam had declared, his voice chillingly calm. “Now that he’s a university student, it’s time for him to come home, to be reunited with his real family.” He’d then turned to me, a cruel smirk twisting his lips. “Thank you for your arduous eighteen years. Now, you can just disappear!” Only then did the horrifying truth dawn on me: I had, all this time, been raising their child. For nothing. My eyes snapped open. I was back. Back to the day Arthur made his proposal. 2 Accepting Arthur’s offer to step into Liam’s role finally brought a strange sense of relief, a definitive confirmation that I had, indeed, been reborn. My gaze swept across the funeral white sheets still draped in the courtyard, the solemn memorial shrine dedicated to Liam standing in the center of the living room. A tidal wave of hatred threatened to overwhelm me, a visceral urge to smash the entire setup, to shatter the very pretense of grief. But I forced myself to hold back. Everyone believed Liam had died a hero’s death for me, a sacrificial act. To desecrate his memorial now would only invite vicious slander, a public shaming that would brand me an ungrateful monster. My mother-in-law, Mrs. Hayes, already seethed with resentment for me, a bitterness born from Liam’s death. If not for the child I still had to raise, she probably would have drowned me herself, sending me to join her “good son.” In my previous life, Liam had gone to the reservoir late at night, hoping to catch fish to help my milk come in for our newborn. He’d slipped, falling into the depths. His body was never recovered, only a few of his belongings found by a park ranger on the shore. I’d been consumed by grief, convinced I was responsible for his death. That guilt had driven me to refuse Arthur’s proposal, insisting on raising young Leo alone. Fortunately, Leo had been a smart, driven boy. Through my endless sacrifices, he’d gained admission to a prestigious National University. Just as I was beginning to feel a glimmer of satisfaction, believing I could finally face my “deceased husband” with honor, Liam, the man whose grave I was sure was overgrown with weeds, appeared. Eighteen years after his supposed death, he stood there, alive, well, and wearing a crisp suit, a perfectly groomed woman by his side. My eyes immediately recognized her: Mia, Liam’s childhood sweetheart, the very woman who had taken my spot to return to the city. “Wife, Leo is my son, with Mia. Now that he’s a university student, it’s time for him to come home, to be reunited with his real family.” “Thank you for your arduous eighteen years of childcare,” he’d sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. “Now, you can just disappear!” It was then I learned the monstrous truth: Liam had swapped our children on the very day I gave birth. My own flesh and blood, my true son, had been abandoned in the wilderness, left to the mercy of predators, a tragic, innocent victim. The child I had nurtured with my own blood and tears was another man’s progeny! Years of backbreaking rural labor had already taken their toll on my body, leaving me frail and worn. Learning this unimaginable betrayal, this soul-crushing lie, I was consumed by a furious grief that stole my very breath. I literally died from the shock and rage. But now, I was reborn. And I would never again be a stepping stone for someone else’s twisted agenda! 3 Eighteen years. The span of time was more fleeting than I’d imagined. Yet, throughout those long years, a stubborn anger had simmered within me. For that anger, that deep-seated resentment, I had worked harder to raise my son than I ever did in my previous life. The villagers secretly scoffed at me, whispering about my foolishness. They said no prodigy could emerge from our secluded hollow, urged me to abandon my daydreams and send my child to work in a factory. But I refused to believe them. If I could get Leo into a National University in my last life, with the added advantage of foreknowledge, how could I not do even better this time? Heaven truly rewards the diligent. Bolstered by the memories of two lifetimes, this time, my son not only earned a spot at a National University but achieved the highest score on the national academic exam, outscoring the second-place candidate by a full twenty points! Journalists flocked from every corner of the country, eager to interview the rural woman who had somehow nurtured a national academic champion in our humble, backwoods village. Even the Governor of the state, upon hearing the news, announced plans to publicly honor my son—he was not only the first student from our state to enter the National University but also the state’s first-ever national academic champion. I immediately decided to host the acceptance celebration at the finest banquet hall in the city, making sure the news of my son’s achievement was widely publicized. When the villagers heard, their usual taunts of me being “a woman who had taken on two husbands” vanished, replaced by fervent chatter: “Grace Chen, she’s truly an educated woman from the city! To raise a national academic champion like that…” “If Liam knew his son got into the National University, he could finally rest in peace.” I watched their fickle faces with a cold, detached amusement. How ridiculous. On the day of the celebration, I rose early. My mother-in-law, Mrs. Hayes, flushed with pride from the crowd’s fawning praise, sat beaming at the head table. Next to her, to my disbelief, sat Mia’s mother, Mrs. Miller. Before I could even open my mouth to question why they were at the head of my celebration, Mrs. Miller spoke, her voice sharp with disdain. “Grace Chen, how are you hosting guests? Can’t you see our glasses are empty?” Her face was a mask of condescension, her eyes filled with contempt. My son, Daniel, started to stand to pour water, but Mrs. Miller pressed him back down, a fawning smile spreading across her face. “Oh, no, sweet grandchild, don’t move! You’re a university student now! You shouldn’t be doing such things!” Then, she turned her angry gaze on me. “What are you gaping at? Get moving! Pour the water! How dare you make Daniel’s hands—hands destined for greatness—do such menial work?” It was Mrs. Hayes, my mother-in-law, who, sensing the escalating tension, finally stood and poured water for everyone, which finally placated Mrs. Miller. She seemed to quiet down, but later, while Daniel was being interviewed, she deliberately snuck up beside him. As Daniel earnestly answered the reporter’s questions, she gave him a loud, smacking kiss that left a bright red mark on his cheek. Her action brought the entire hall to a stunned silence. Daniel looked mortified, furiously wiping at the mark. Then, she pulled Daniel behind her, brazenly presenting herself as his grandmother, rambling confidently to the reporters, much to my mother-in-law’s seething frustration. People from every corner of the county had come to the celebration today. Even the Governor’s staff and various journalists were present. After rounds of greeting guests, I was utterly exhausted. The moment my backside touched the chair, I heard Mrs. Miller’s cold scoff. “Grace, it’s just hosting guests, isn’t it? Do you really need to put on such an act?” When she saw Daniel begin to knead my shoulders, her eyes widened, and she practically leaped to her feet. “Grace Chen, how shameless can you be?! Don’t you understand the concept of a grown son keeping a proper distance from his mother?! Daniel is destined for great things! How dare you let him massage your shoulders and back?!” “She’s my mother! It’s my filial duty to care for her, and it’s certainly not your place, as an outsider, to dictate my actions!” Daniel’s voice, sharp and clear, cut through her tirade. At his words, Mrs. Miller’s face twisted into a pained expression, her eyes reddening. Seeing Daniel fussing over me, showing no concern for her, she could only discreetly spit at me under her breath, then fix her gaze, expectantly, on the main entrance. At the host’s invitation, I stepped onto the stage to give my speech. Just as I took the microphone, ready to speak, the grand doors of the hall swung open. A familiar voice instantly resonated through the room— “How could I, his father, miss my son’s celebration for getting into the National University?” As the words hung in the air, a man and a woman, dressed in matching colors, walked in. My gaze met his, and I saw him: Liam Hayes, my husband, “dead” for eighteen years, standing there, alive, beside his childhood sweetheart, Mia. From the corner of my eye, I caught Mrs. Miller’s smug, triumphant expression. The moment everyone recognized them, the hall erupted in a cacophony of whispers and gasps. These were our neighbors; they all knew Liam had died eighteen years ago. My mother-in-law, seated at the table, gasped, her eyes instantly welling with tears. She was so overcome, she knocked over and shattered a glass. She slowly, cautiously, approached Liam, her trembling hand reaching out to caress his face. “Liam? Is it really you, my Liam?” Eighteen years apart from his mother. Liam’s eyes welled, tears streaming down his face. “Mom, it’s me, Liam. Your unfilial son…” My mother-in-law, though initially overjoyed to see her son returned from the dead, quickly regained her composure. Liam had her sit down, then, with an arrogant swagger, led Mia by the hand directly to me. “Grace Chen, I never thought you had it in you, getting my son into the National University.” His eyes glittered with a possessive pride. “But Daniel is my son, with Mia. We’ve been separated, a family of three, for so long. It’s time for us to be reunited.” Mia’s eyes also reddened, and she reached for Daniel’s hand. “Daniel, I’m your mother. Do you remember? I even visited you at school before.” She then turned her head, a smug satisfaction in her gaze. “And thank you, Grace, for raising our Daniel so well!” Daniel looked at me, a desperate plea in his eyes, as if asking if any of this could possibly be true. Liam, meanwhile, lovingly wiped away Mia’s tears. “There, there, it’s a joyful day! No need to cry!” Then he turned to me, his gaze dripping with mockery. “Now that Mia and I are back, it’s time for you to pack up and leave!” Everyone in the hall stared, their eyes wide, looking at Liam as if he were insane. Even Mrs. Hayes, who had been silent, suddenly jumped up and slapped Liam hard across the face. The resounding smack echoed through the room. Liam looked at his mother, the woman who had always doted on him, in utter disbelief. But Mrs. Hayes didn’t waste time explaining. Her face etched with pleading, she grabbed my hand. “Grace, dear, don’t mind Liam! He’s just talking nonsense! Don’t you dare listen to him!” “Mom! What are you saying?!” Liam shoved his mother away, then violently pushed me, sending me stumbling. Just as I was about to fall, a strong pair of arms encircled my waist, steadying me. Liam’s eyes widened in shock as he saw the man in a military uniform. “Arthur! What are you doing here—” The reporters in the room, seeing Arthur Hayes, swarmed him like bees to honey. Everyone knew Arthur. He had risen from a simple soldier to a decorated Regional Commander, earning immense honor. Arthur was notoriously elusive, rarely seen in public. An interview with him would be an exclusive, a goldmine. Arthur paid no mind to the clamoring reporters. His gaze, ice-cold, fixed solely on Liam. Liam met his brother’s frigid stare and felt a shiver run down his spine. He still couldn’t quite accept that his little brother, who used to trail behind him, was now a high-ranking Commander. Come to think of it, he had only returned with Mia because Daniel had topped the national exams, and Arthur had become a Commander. Things were different now; their family wasn’t impoverished anymore. With this thought, Liam put on a cordial smile and approached Arthur, patting his shoulder. “Arthur, to be honest, Daniel is my son with Mia. Back then, Mia and I were deeply in love, but Grace interfered. I had no choice but to switch Mia’s baby with Grace’s baby on the day they both gave birth.” “Mia and I suffered immensely all these years living outside the village. But now Daniel has grown up and entered the National University, so I don’t want to keep secrets anymore—” “Arthur, this Grace is a cunning, deceitful woman! Quickly, help me throw her out!” Liam finished, his face beaming with a triumphant smirk, fully expecting Arthur to expel me. But Arthur didn’t move an inch. I met Liam’s smug gaze. “By what right do you order Arthur to throw me out? Who do you think you are?!” “Because I’m Daniel’s biological father! And Arthur’s older brother!” I suppressed a cold laugh. This fool still didn’t know the truth. He thought he’d cleverly swapped the babies when Mia and I gave birth simultaneously. But knowing that Daniel wasn’t my biological child, how could I have possibly nurtured him all the way to a National University? No, it was my own blood, my real son. Still, it wasn’t too late to reveal the truth now. I truly looked forward to seeing the expression on his face when he found out. With that thought, I opened my mouth. “Liam, Daniel is actually…”

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1 My mother, Eleanor Stone, stood accused of sexual assault, a charge so heinous it had driven her accuser to a mental breakdown. In the packed courtroom, I watched in stunned horror as my own wife, Cici Bennett, sat on the plaintiff’s side. “My mother-in-law’s conduct was utterly reprehensible,” Cici declared, her voice ringing with conviction, her gaze piercing. “She repeatedly harassed the underprivileged student I sponsored, and then, while I was away, she committed this assault.” “As an attorney, even if my mother-in-law raised me, I am bound by justice. The law must deliver a fair verdict!” In a single night, Cici soared to notoriety, hailed as the city’s most uncompromising lawyer. Meanwhile, my mother became a public pariah, her once-thriving company—the very empire she had built—teetering on the brink of collapse. I confronted Cici, demanding the truth. Her response was chillingly detached: “Once Caleb inherits the company, I’ll naturally work to reduce her sentence. As long as she behaves herself in prison, I’ll continue to support her upon her release.” As I desperately searched for a defense attorney for my mother, hitting dead ends at every turn, a reputable legal firm unexpectedly contacted me. It was then I learned that our subsidiary branch was facing imminent bankruptcy due to mismanagement, but my mother had long ago secretly transferred the true parent company into my name. Leaving the courthouse, I cut Cici off, blocking her path. “Cici Bennett,” I seethed, my voice barely controlled. “You would frame my mother for an outsider? Do you understand? You’ve utterly destroyed her life!” The crowd gathered around, drawn by my outburst, their eyes brimming with scorn. The memory of her ruthless accusations in court ignited a fresh surge of fury within me. “That’s not what happened at all! You manipulated everything behind the scenes!” Cici’s lips curved into a triumphant, self-satisfied smile. “Alex Stone, I am an attorney upholding justice. Your mother committed a shameless act. Instead of disciplining her, you’re yelling at me?” My heart felt a vicious twist, a cold, crushing grip tightened around my chest. I stared into her eyes, my usually mild voice raw and hoarse. “From childhood, my mother treated you like her own daughter. When you were sick, she burned the midnight oil tending to you. When you wanted to become a lawyer, she took you across the country for specialized studies.” Cici raised a hand, cutting me off. “Your mother raised me for twenty years, wasn’t it just to force me to marry you? Your ‘generosity,’ Alex, it always had a price tag.” After her own family fell on hard times, Cici had been taken in by my mother. When Cici expressed her desire to become an attorney, my mother leveraged her connections, paving the way for her at a prestigious law firm. But now, it seemed, Cici viewed that path to success not as a gift, but as a burden, a sinister plot against her. A bitter wave washed over me. Cici, her face darkening, hurled a stack of documents at me. “Stop acting insane! I owe your family nothing! All you need to do is ensure your mother reflects properly in prison! Caleb, though from a poor background, is nothing like you, a spoiled, good-for-nothing rich kid. He’s ambitious, diligent, and resilient. The company will only truly thrive if he takes over. I’m doing this for your mother’s good!” I stared at her face, so familiar yet so alien. The initial shock faded, replaced by a hollow numbness. We had once been childhood sweethearts. When I was wronged, she would bravely stand before me, shielding me. When I fell ill, she would watch over me relentlessly, day and night. So when she proposed marriage, I had agreed without a moment’s hesitation. But now, she was a stranger. The innocent, kind Cici I had known was utterly gone. My hands clenched, my heart aching with an unbearable pain. My voice, though trembling, was firm. “My mother did nothing wrong. I will never let her admit to something she didn’t do. I will find the evidence.” Caleb, standing nearby, tugged at Cici’s sleeve, his voice a pathetic whimper. “Cici, just let it go. I’ll accept what Auntie did to me. Don’t fight with Alex because of me.” Seeing tears glistening in Caleb’s eyes, Cici’s expression softened with concern. She stroked his arm. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll make sure the culprit is brought to justice.” Then, her gaze turned cold, aimed squarely at me. “Alex Stone, don’t think about finding evidence to overturn the case. That will only make your mother’s time in prison worse.” I didn’t acknowledge them further. I turned and walked away. The immediate priority was to gather evidence, to pull my mother from this nightmare. I sought help from Mark, a friend and fellow attorney, but found his office door barred. I called him, my hands trembling, only to find my number blocked. A long while later, a text message from him arrived, a plea: “Your wife is a prominent lawyer, Alex, with powerful backing. Don’t make things difficult for us. Just apologize to her. Why make marital issues public?” My heart felt as if it were being repeatedly pierced by a sharp blade. I doubled over, gasping for breath, tears silently tracking paths down my face, landing on my phone screen. Just then, a call came through from my mother’s legal team. “Mr. Stone, the subsidiary branch is facing severe financial difficulties. It’s on the brink of bankruptcy. But Mrs. Stone had already transferred the main company into your name.” 2 The lawyer explained that my mother had secretly transferred the main company, Stone Industries, into my name. It was my pre-marital property, untouchable even by Cici, my wife. Stone Industries was my parents’ life’s work. If it fell into the wrong hands, I would never be able to face my mother again. The most urgent task now was to find evidence to clear her name. After leaving the law firm, I immediately went to visit my mother in prison. Her face, haggard and pale, her eyes vacant behind the cold bars, made my fists clench in helpless rage. “Alex, I didn’t do it… I truly didn’t do it!” My mother wept, tears streaming down her face. And I knew it. This was a naked frame-up—a meticulously orchestrated deception by my wife, designed to transfer the company to Caleb. I turned away, fighting back my own tears. “Mom, I believe you. I’ve found a lawyer. Don’t worry, you’ll be out in a few days.” My mother sat there, dazed, merely whispering. “I never imagined Cici would do this to me. From childhood, I treated her like my own daughter.” “That day, I drank the tea she offered without a second thought. I was even picking out a birthday gift for her.” … My mother choked back sobs, her eyes brimming with profound disappointment, a deep, weary defeat. I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth, my gaze unwavering as I looked at her. “Mom, my lawyer friend says there’s still a chance. Once you’re out, I’ll take you abroad for a change of scenery.” As visiting hours ended, I bade my mother farewell and walked out, my heart heavy with a profound sense of loss. Despite my reassurances to her, I knew the situation was dire. No one wanted to take on this case, to go up against Cici and her powerful connections. “Caleb, make sure all the documents are ready. The company will be transferred to you shortly.” Not far away, Cici was carefully instructing Caleb on the transfer process. By the time I fully processed their conversation, I was already standing before them, my gaze sharp and unwavering, piercing through her. “Cici Bennett, are you truly going to transfer the company to him?” She frowned, her voice icy. “Why are you still fixated on this small matter? The company belongs to Caleb.” I hadn’t held out much hope, but hearing her words, my heart was viciously impaled all over again. I took a deep breath, asking, my voice raw with indignation, “For him, you would frame the woman who raised you since childhood?” Cici shielded Caleb, her voice laced with impatience. “Caleb is an underprivileged student I sponsored. This is a graduation gift for him. Stop being as unreasonable as your mother!” I stared at this woman, so familiar yet so alien. For a moment, I thought I had misheard. But her cold, mocking gaze rested squarely on me. “Your mother was too stingy. Caleb’s family is poor. What’s wrong with giving him the company? If she hadn’t refused, I wouldn’t have treated her this way.” So, my mother’s years of selfless devotion were worth less than a few empty words from an underprivileged student she sponsored. And for her own selfish desires, she had allowed my mother to be burdened with a false accusation. Caleb, hiding behind Cici, whimpered, his eyes brimming with false vulnerability. “If Alex doesn’t want me to take over the company, then I don’t want it.” He pulled his hand away and turned to leave. “I was foolish to dream. Cici, I won’t bother you two again.” Cici grabbed his arm, her breathing quick and shallow. “Caleb, what are you saying? The company is compensation for my mother-in-law assaulting you. No one can stop this.” My gaze was locked onto her arm, wrapped intimately around Caleb’s. It was only then that I fully grasped the brutal truth: years of nurturing, of selfless care, meant nothing compared to a poor student’s fabricated story. My heart churned with bitterness, tears, unbidden, welled and spilled. 3 Done with their charade, I turned away and headed straight to the company headquarters. As per my lawyer’s instructions, I signed the stock transfer agreement. Sitting in the boardroom, my voice was firm, resolute. “Effective immediately, cease all funding to the subsidiary branch.” The lawyer, holding the agreement, paused, a cold understanding settling over him. “Understood, Mr. Stone. I’ll arrange it at once!” Unexpectedly, after the lawyer left, I encountered Cici and Caleb. Seeing me, Cici’s smile vanished instantly. She strode purposefully towards me, her voice dripping with contempt. “Alex Stone, why are you like a persistent shadow? Still trying to complain to Aether Global? If you ruin Caleb’s good fortune, I won’t let you get away with it.” I looked at her, my expression cold, saying nothing. Caleb’s gaze fell upon me. He feigned distress, lowering his head. “Cici, is Alex refusing to give me the company? Why else would he be here? What if he spreads rumors, making Director Davies unwilling to invest in the company…” His words choked off mid-sentence, causing Cici’s face to harden. She glared at me, her eyes blazing with fury. “Alex Stone, why must you constantly oppose me? The company can only belong to Caleb. Don’t challenge my bottom line any further, or your mother’s life in prison will become even more miserable!” Caleb, standing beside her, looked smug, a flicker of triumph in his eyes. He assumed I was intimidated, a sneer playing on his lips. “Cici said the company is mine. As her husband, you should naturally support her decision wholeheartedly.” The commotion in the boardroom attracted many onlookers.

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Reborn on the day of my college entrance exam, my sister pleaded with me to go home and retrieve her forgotten test ticket. I agreed, my lips forming the words, but then turned and spent the better part of the day at the arcade. All because, in my previous life, my sister had used tech to fake her way into becoming the city’s top student. To cover her tracks for the upcoming exam, she’d deliberately “forgotten” her test ticket at home, sending me on the frantic errand. When I finally ran back, the ticket clutched in my sweaty hand, she’d thrown herself into our parents’ arms, wailing: “Grace is jealous that I could get into a top university! She stole my test ticket to stop me from entering the exam hall!” Even our usually fair-minded head teacher had pointed a finger at me, screaming: “You’ve always targeted your sister out of jealousy! How dare you ruin her on the day of her college exam? The whole school is counting on her to be the valedictorian and bring us pride!” My parents, desperate for a prodigal daughter, beat me half to death and tossed me onto the street. Under the scornful gazes of everyone, I died, filled with a bitter, simmering hatred. And then, my eyes opened again, back at that brutal turning point in my destiny. 1 “Grace, I left my test ticket at home! Quick, help me get it!” Dianna clutched my wrist, her face a mask of manufactured urgency. “I’m the only one in this whole school with a shot at a top-tier university, I need to stay here and review. Your grades are what they are anyway, but once I become the valedictorian, you’ll get to bask in my glory!” A cold sweat instantly broke out. Memories from my previous life washed over me like ice water. My parents, frustrated they couldn’t have a son, had resented my sister and me from childhood. We often went hungry and endured brutal beatings from our drunken father. “Worthless things!” he’d roar, “I’m a laughingstock in the village because of you!” Then, I scored perfectly on a test. My father, for the first time ever, placed a piece of braised pork on my plate. Dianna reached for it, wanting to share, but our mother slapped her hand away. “Does a loser like you deserve to eat?!” From that day on, Dianna changed. She started cheating with technological gadgets. By senior year, she was an academic superstar in every subject, renowned across the city. Our teachers held her up as a shining example. Our parents, who favored sons over daughters, actually, for the first time, bought her braised pork and drumsticks. Before the college exam, they even splashed out tens of thousands in rewards. “Dianna truly is my daughter! Once she gets into a top university, our Hayes family will finally hold our heads high!” our father would boast. “Unlike Grace, a total waste. It would’ve been better to birth a pig than her!” My father, drunk, would praise Dianna, then turn around and punch and kick me in my room. Dianna reveled in the illusion of her fabricated success. But before the college exam, she learned her testing center would have electronic detectors, and panic set in. She knew our parents, obsessed with money, would beat her to death if they discovered her cheating. All those years of tutoring fees, living expenses – the sheer deception alone would be enough to provoke their wrath. So, she deliberately “forgot” her test ticket on exam day, begging me to go home and get it. When I ran back, gasping for breath, she wailed to our parents: “Grace is jealous of my good grades! She stole my test ticket, I can’t get into the exam hall, everything’s ruined! Mom, Dad, I’ve failed you…” I frantically tried to explain, pleading with her to tell the truth. “You asked me to get it! When did I steal it?” But then, Mr. Evans, our head teacher, renowned for his fairness and strictness, suddenly burst out. He slapped me hard twice. “You always bullied Dianna at school! Your grades are terrible, and you don’t even try! What right do you have to be jealous of her? Petty squabbles are one thing, but on the day of the college exam, you still cause trouble! The whole school is counting on her to be the city’s valedictorian, and you’ve ruined everything!” My father grabbed a brick and smashed it into my forehead. Blood streamed down my face. “We poured so much into your sister, how can you be so vicious? Why don’t you just die?!” My mother slapped my face, screaming, “How did I give birth to such a little beast!” Fellow students and teachers watched from a distance, no one intervened. I was left half-dead, tossed onto the roadside to die unjustly. After I died, I discovered that Mr. Evans, the “strict” head teacher, had long been in cahoots with Dianna. He tacitly allowed her to cheat and helped slander me. When the scandal erupted, the National University exceptionally admitted Dianna due to her “outstanding past performance.” Mr. Evans was lauded as an outstanding educator. And my parents? They spoiled her rotten. Just before she died, Dianna whispered gleefully in my ear: “When you were praised and got to eat meat, did you ever imagine this day? You owed me this! Now I’m Mom and Dad’s darling. Go die!” All that resentment, all for a single piece of braised pork, held for so many years. We were both victims of our parents’ sexism. Why didn’t she hate them? Why did she lay all the blame on me? Thankfully, fate granted me a second chance. This time, I would make them pay for their crimes in blood! 2 At this moment, only two hours remained until the afternoon exam. Dianna clutched her books, feigning panic. “Grace, if you don’t go back and get it, Mom and Dad will definitely blame you for being thoughtless! If you run back now, you’ll still make it!” Dianna consistently held the top spot in school, while I was the eternal runner-up. She shone so brightly, naturally no one bothered to pay attention to me. But all I ever wanted was to get into a good university and break free from my toxic family. In my previous life, I hadn’t wanted to give up my study time, but Dianna had used our parents to threaten me. Fearing another beating, I didn’t even stop for lunch. I gritted my teeth and ran back on foot to our home, dozens of miles away. My feet chafed raw, blisters forming, then bursting, soaking my worn sneakers in blood. I dared not stop, wanting only to be faster, to somehow squeeze in some review time for myself. This time, hearing the same manipulative words, I didn’t hesitate. I nodded. “Alright, I’ll go get it for you.” A faint smile played on Dianna’s lips. I paused, then added, “Give me all your allowance. I’ll take a cab to go get it for you.” Dianna’s smile froze. “Are you trying to rob me? You can’t just walk? You need a cab for that short distance?” I blinked innocently. “I’m thinking of you, sis! What if you’re late and miss the exam? Mom and Dad only give you allowance. If I don’t ask you, who should I ask? Is money more important than getting into a top university in your mind?” Just a few days ago, Dianna had been bragging to a classmate about getting her hair dyed and nails done after the exam. Her allowance wasn’t much, so she naturally didn’t want to part with it. But to get me to go home for the test ticket, she grudgingly, painfully, pulled out her wallet from her backpack. “Thanks, sis! I’ll be back soon!” Before she could count the money, I snatched the entire wallet, turned, and ran out. Leaving Dianna fuming, grinding her teeth in frustration. Out of the school gates, I hailed a cab directly to the nearest arcade. I splashed out on every game, ordered a few takeout meals, and for the first time, felt a sense of blissful ease. These were things that had only appeared in my dreams in my past life. Since I had a second chance, I intended to enjoy it. When the time was right, I hailed another cab and headed home. The moment I stepped through the door, I was unexpectedly slapped to the ground. “Today’s the college exam! What are you doing home, you little brat? Thinking of stealing something with your sticky fingers? Feeling brave, are we?!” “Or have you given up and decided not to take the exam? Your old lady at least paid for your high school. Is this how you repay me? This summer, you’re going to work in a factory, tightening screws, to earn your sister’s living expenses!” My mother yanked my ear, her face a fierce, menacing mask. This time, I’d come home late, just as my parents returned from work for lunch. I stared at them, stunned, and then burst into tears. 3 Normally, no matter how hard they beat me, I wouldn’t make a sound. My sudden sobs startled them. “Mom, Dad, I haven’t given up! Dianna forgot her test ticket, and she asked me to come back and get it! Quick, go into her room and look! Any later and she won’t be allowed into the exam hall!” At my words, they instantly panicked. My mother’s face went pale, and she rushed into Dianna’s room, completely flustered. “Oh, Dianna, really! How could she forget something so important!” My father paced back and forth anxiously. “Don’t panic, don’t panic! If we send it now, it might still be in time!” I sat on the ground, watching the scene unfold, my heart filled with bitter sarcasm. I eagerly anticipated the expression on their faces when they realized the daughter they had placed such high hopes on was, in fact, a tech-cheating fraud. Soon, my mother rushed out of Dianna’s room, holding the test ticket that had, in my past life, sealed my fate. She was so overjoyed, she was practically dancing. “Found it, found it! Dianna must have been studying too hard lately, she probably just forgot! Liam, quick, let’s take it to her!” Both rushed out the door. I shed my timid, cowardly expression and got up from the ground. Then, with the remaining money, I hailed the most expensive luxury express cab and sped to the school. The show was about to begin! By the time I arrived at school, Mom and Dad, predictably, hadn’t made it yet. The exam had already started ten minutes ago. In another five, entry would be strictly forbidden. I strolled leisurely into the school gate and ran straight into Dianna. Her eyes were red, and she stumbled and lunged at me. “Grace, we’re the closest of sisters! You can be jealous of me, you can resent me, but how could you possibly steal my test ticket?!” “The teachers, the students, Mom and Dad—they sacrificed so much for this moment! They’re all waiting for me to get into a top university, to bring glory to our school! Why would you do this?!” My face was a mask of helplessness, and I frantically shook my head. “Sis, what are you talking about? When did I steal your test ticket? Didn’t you tell me you left it at home and asked me to get it?” Dianna clutched her face, dissolving into frantic sobs. “You resent me for stealing Mom and Dad’s affection and the teachers’ and students’ attention! You want to drag me down, to be number one yourself! You physically wrestled the test ticket right out of my hand just now, so why won’t you admit it?!” Her voice grew louder and louder, until she was practically screaming. A few students who had just finished their exams gathered around. “Holy cow! Isn’t that Dianna Hayes’s background prop sister? I heard they didn’t get along, but I never thought Grace would be so vicious, actually stealing her test ticket!” “This kind of girl is disgusting! Her own grades are terrible, and instead of figuring out how to improve, she just thinks about dragging others down. Dianna is the only one in our school with a shot at a top university! What are we going to do?” Dianna dropped to her knees in front of me with a thud, right in front of everyone. “Grace, it’s almost too late! Please, give me back my test ticket!” I trembled with anger, each word deliberate. “I didn’t steal your test ticket!” Dianna glanced at the time. Seeing that fifteen minutes had passed since the exam began, she immediately shot a look at the girls behind her. They exchanged glances, then rushed towards me with ill intent. “The test ticket must be hidden in Grace’s backpack!” I let them tear open my backpack. The next second, everyone froze. 4 “How is this possible?! Where’s my test ticket?!” Dianna shrieked, her voice rising sharply, her face etched with disbelief. She had never imagined that I, having agreed to go home and get her test ticket, would actually not bring it back! The students around us looked puzzled. “Huh? It’s not in her backpack?” Dianna quickly regained her composure, turning to me, pleading. “Grace, where did you hide my test ticket? Please, please give it back to me!” I scoffed, watching her. “You searched my backpack. I never took your test ticket. Why are you slandering me?!” Just then, a stern voice cut through the air. “Everyone, don’t believe this liar! I personally saw Grace steal Dianna’s test ticket!” The speaker was Mr. Evans, our head teacher, known for his fairness and strictness. He looked at me, his face filled with disappointment. “Grace Stone, you’ve always bullied Dianna. I didn’t intervene much, thinking it was a family matter, but I never imagined you’d actually steal Dianna’s test ticket! This is three years of her hard work down the drain! I’ve never seen such a malicious student!” His words effectively confirmed my “crime” of stealing Dianna’s test ticket. My body trembled slightly. Not from fear, but from exhilaration. The bigger this scandal got, the more disastrous their downfall would be once the truth came out. Dianna looked at me with pity. “Grace, just admit your mistake now. There’s still time. When Mom and Dad arrive, I’ll plead for you. Otherwise, they’ll really beat you to death!” I allowed myself a faint, almost imperceptible smile. She didn’t know I couldn’t wait for them to arrive! Just then, Mom and Dad ran into the school gate. “Dianna! Dianna! We’re here!” Dianna’s tears streamed down like broken pearls, and she choked out, “Mom, Dad, I’m so sorry! Grace made me miss the exam! I’m afraid I can’t bring you glory anymore!” My parents had been mocked for decades by relatives and friends for not being able to have a son. Now, they finally had a chance to hold their heads high. Hearing Dianna couldn’t take the exam, they absolutely exploded. Mom, without asking for any reason, rushed forward and slapped me. “Grace Stone, what have you done now?!” I didn’t speak. Dianna continued to add fuel to the fire. “Grace stole my test ticket, making me miss the exam! My own loss is secondary, Mom and Dad, you sacrificed so much for my college exam, and Grace ruined everything! You have to stand up for me!” My mother’s raised hand paused. She turned to Dianna, a chilling look in her eyes. “You said you brought your test ticket today, and Grace stole it from you at school?” Dianna flinched, but still braced herself and nodded. “Yes, Mom. Is there a problem?” Mr. Evans, the head teacher, also jumped in to testify. “Mrs. Hayes, I can confirm this. I personally saw Grace steal Dianna’s test ticket. She’s always subtly attacked Dianna in class. How can a student be so vicious?!” My father clutched the test ticket he hadn’t had a chance to present, his gaze murderous. “Dianna Hayes, are you certain?” Dianna nodded emphatically. “Dad, you absolutely have to stand up for me!” She looked at me with schadenfreude, anticipating the brutal beating I was about to receive. However, the next second, something completely unexpected happened…

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