The first time I met Valentina Rossi, she found me, battered and bleeding, after I’d been jumped by a street gang. Meeting my icy gaze, she tilted my chin up. “Handsome and tough enough, I like it. From now on, you’re with me.” Valentina taught me business and how to play the game, and she also taught me the art of love. Every time we wrapped up, she’d purr contentedly in my arms. “You’re good in bed. Want to spend the rest of your life with me?” The 200th time Valentina asked, I finally dropped all my defenses. I cupped the back of her head, pulling her in for a desperate kiss, and, breathless, I agreed. But our wedding date remained stubbornly unset. Until the debt collectors came knocking, and I said a few harsh words to a suave and charming man. Valentina’s face instantly went cold. She ordered her men to strip off my shirt and publicly whip me 99 times. “Be more polite to him from now on.” My back was a bloody mess, but I gritted my teeth, a defiant question escaping my lips: “Why?” Valentina tossed the whip aside, a sickeningly sweet smile gracing her lips as she interlaced her fingers with Julian Thorne’s. “Because I love him.” “I can pamper you, but you can’t use the fact that you look like him to disrespect him.” I clenched my fists so hard my knuckles popped, forcing a cynical laugh. “Fine. Then I wish you both happiness. We’re done.”

Valentina’s eyes flashed with instant fury. She stalked over to me, her face grim, and slapped me hard. Her voice was sharp, cutting. “You’re nothing but a stray dog I picked up. How dare you speak to your owner like that?” My head snapped to the side from the blow. The wounds on my back tore at my nerves, but it was less than a thousandth of the pain in my heart. Julian’s eyes flickered with triumph. He magnanimously pulled Valentina’s arm, drawing her into his embrace. “It’s okay, my love. A little hurt doesn’t matter to me. Don’t let yourself get upset.” Valentina snorted, but when her eyes met Julian’s, she softened into a tender smile. “Let’s go, darling. We’re dining at The Azure Willow Bistro.” My heart gave a sharp lurch. The Azure Willow Bistro was a new restaurant, specializing in dishes from my roots. I’d pestered Valentina for ages to go with me, but she always irritably refused. I thought she just didn’t like that kind of food. Turns out, she just didn’t want to go with *me*. The crowd dispersed instantly. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to stand, enduring the agonizing pain as I headed home. I pulled out the first-aid kit to treat my wounds. Valentina’s words echoed in my mind, refusing to fade. Years ago, surrounded by thugs, I fought like a man possessed, taking on ten of them at once, utterly fearless. The thugs lay sprawled on the ground, beaten, and I was bleeding from a head wound, leaning against a wall, gasping for breath. Valentina, in high heels, crouched before me, a radiant smile on her face. That’s how she brought me home. Over the years, she gave me money and power, taught me everything, and even gave me her love. A bitter, self-mocking laugh escaped me. Perhaps it was just this face, slightly resembling Julian Thorne’s, that made her feel a spark of pity for me. My phone rang. I picked it up without thinking. From the other end, Valentina’s heavy, breathless gasps of passion filled my ear. “Liam, grab me a maid costume from the closet and bring it to The Grandeur Hotel. Hurry… please.” Then, I heard a man’s soft chuckle. The next second, the call abruptly ended. My head felt like it would explode, a pulsing vein throbbing in my temple. Valentina and Julian were at a hotel, and she wanted *me* to bring them a sexy outfit? I slammed my fist onto the desk. Then, I stormed into the bedroom and shredded every piece of clothing in her closet, tossing them out. An icy chill, however, settled deep within my chest. Valentina once smiled at me, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Liam, I’m choosing you for life. These clothes, I’ll only ever wear for you.” A wave of revulsion surged through my chest, a suffocating pressure making me feel like I would explode. A message soon arrived. Julian had sent a photo. Valentina, her face prettily flushed and heavy-lidded, was asleep in his arms. [My love is too tired from our fun, she’s sleeping.] [If it weren’t for your face, she never would have brought you home.] [Remember, you’re nothing but a cheap imitation.] I sneered, a cold, harsh laugh escaping me, and immediately blocked and deleted him. Valentina didn’t come home that night. The next morning, I was treating my wounds again. The door pushed open. Valentina walked in, naturally taking the ointment from my hand. Her slender fingers gently applied the cream to my back. Every muscle in my body stiffened. Valentina’s voice was full of concern. “Liam, please don’t be angry with me. Yesterday was my fault. You must be in so much pain, aren’t you?”

I lowered my lashes, remaining silent, but a familiar ache started in my nose. Every time I was injured, Valentina would tend to me with red-rimmed eyes, and the tenderness in her gaze was undeniably real. Valentina continued to explain, “Julian was my first love. The Rossi Group faced difficulties back then, and he left me to go abroad. He only just returned.” “I’m just playing around with him right now. In my heart, you’re the most important. I want him to experience the sting of betrayal down to his very core.” A flicker of emotion stirred within me. After five years together, how could Valentina not care about me at all? We had already decided on each other. I was about to speak, but Valentina laughed again. “Liam, Julian says he wants a wedding. I’ve set the date for next week. I’ll need you to be his best man.” My heart plummeted, sinking to the very bottom of my gut. My throat was so dry I couldn’t utter a word. Ever since I agreed to Valentina’s proposal, she had kept putting off our wedding date. I wanted a legitimate status, a recognized place by her side. But Valentina just smiled, telling me not to rush. Yet, Julian had only been back a few days. One casual mention of wanting a wedding, and Valentina immediately took it to heart, setting the date. I gave a self-deprecating tug at the corner of my mouth, then stood up, pulling away from Valentina. I took off the diamond ring from my ring finger and tossed it in front of her. “What place do I have at your wedding? Here’s your ring back. I won’t bother you two as you live happily ever after.” The smile on Valentina’s face froze, her expression turning incredibly ugly. That ring was her own design, with our initials engraved on the inner band, a symbol of eternal unity. I once treasured it, but now I tossed it away carelessly. Valentina stared at me, her voice chilling with each word. “Liam Hayes, don’t test my patience.” A dull ache pulsed through my heart, but I refused to back down. Valentina’s phone rang. She glared at me, her face contorted in anger, but after answering, her expression changed dramatically. Forgetting our argument, she rushed out. I laughed sardonically. It must be Julian’s call again. I opened my phone and canceled all the luxurious jewelry and accessories I had already purchased. The planned trip to Switzerland was also canceled. These were supposed to be my wedding gifts for Valentina. But now, she wouldn’t need them. Once packed, I drove to the office. But when I arrived, I saw Valentina waiting for me, her face grim, with Julian beside her. Surrounding them was a phalanx of burly bodyguards. “Liam Hayes, get on your knees and apologize to Julian!” Utterly bewildered, I stood coldly rooted to the spot, making no move. Valentina’s dark pupils flashed with a cruel glint. She signaled the bodyguards to hold me down, then grabbed a golf club and swung it viciously at my leg. Excruciating, bone-deep pain shot through me, and cold sweat instantly broke out on my forehead. I collapsed to my knees. Two years ago, Valentina was involved in a deliberate car crash engineered by a competitor. In that critical moment, I shielded her with my body, taking the full brunt of the impact myself. She had aimed precisely at the injury I sustained then, the one I bore for her. “Liam Hayes, I already told you to stop harassing Julian, yet you still secretly went after him. Are my words meaningless to you? I have paid off Julian’s debts, so you have no right to threaten him ever again!” I instantly understood what had happened. Julian, in his pristine white shirt, wore a pained expression. But the flicker of triumph in his eyes did not escape me. I trembled with rage, squeezing out a few words through gritted teeth: “It wasn’t me!” Valentina, however, didn’t listen. She just stared at me with icy indifference. “Effective immediately, you’re fired. Julian will be taking over your position. I’ve coddled you too much, it seems, and you’ve forgotten your place.” I snapped my head up, looking at her in disbelief. A large group of employees had gathered outside the office, their hushed whispers clearly reaching my ears. “Liam Hayes on his knees looks just like a dog.” “Exactly! He thought being favored by Ms. Rossi meant he could mess with her true love. Serves him right!” “Hahaha, in the end, didn’t Ms. Rossi just kick him to the curb like garbage!” These words pierced my heart like a barrage of knives.

Valentina didn’t intervene, letting the employees openly mock and disparage me. When I first joined the company, someone once gave me a withering look. Valentina had slapped him then and there, firing him on the spot. Now, she wouldn’t lift a finger to defend me. “My love, I don’t have much experience. Taking on the Executive VP position directly might not be suitable,” Julian humbly offered, though his voice betrayed suppressed euphoria and excitement. Valentina caressed his cheek with tender affection. “Julian, you are very capable. I trust your abilities.” I curved my lips into a cynical smile. The projects I was managing were with partners notoriously difficult and demanding. I’d pulled countless all-nighters to craft proposals that finally won their approval. The projects were underway, and changing personnel mid-stream would surely anger them, potentially terminating their collaboration with Rossi Corp. But if Valentina trusted Julian so implicitly, then these were no longer my concerns. I met Valentina’s gaze directly. “Fine, I’m leaving. From now on, Rossi Corp and I have nothing to do with each other.” With that, I coolly shrugged off the bodyguards’ grip, stood up, and walked out of the office. Laughter echoed behind me, but I ignored it all. Driving home, I efficiently packed my belongings and moved out of Valentina’s house. After checking into a hotel, I drove to the beach to clear my head. I grew up by the sea and had a deep connection to it. I was lying under a sun umbrella, resting, when suddenly a splash of seawater hit my face. I frowned and opened my eyes, seeing Julian’s provoking grin. “Excuse me, could you move? This is my spot.” I stared at him with annoyance. “Get lost!” Julian’s face changed. He pointed at a figure approaching us in the distance. “If you don’t move, don’t blame Valentina if she gets rough with you later.” His tone again filled with smugness. “My love and I are getting married next week. She said she wants to do a hundred romantic gestures to mark our journey into marriage, to make it truly special.” I curled my lips into a cold sneer. No wonder Valentina had always refused my suggestions to come to the beach. Her “special gestures” were reserved for Julian all along. I spoke, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “What does that have to do with me? Get out. Don’t make me say it a third time.” Julian’s face hardened, his eyes blazing with fury, and he swung a fist at me. I sprang up instantly, grabbed his arm, and delivered a vicious uppercut to his gut. These past few years, I’d consistently trained, keeping my combat skills sharp. How dare a pampered pretty boy like him try to lay a hand on me? Julian’s face went ashen. He clutched his stomach, doubled over on the ground, groaning in pain. “Liam Hayes, you’re insane!” A sharp slap landed heavily across my face. I didn’t get angry; instead, I laughed, staring at Valentina, who was helping Julian up. “Why don’t you ask him how he provoked me first?” Valentina’s gaze was laced with venom. Without a word, she ordered the bodyguards to grab me and drag me towards the ocean. Then, she brutally forced my head under the saltwater. The salty, briny water rushed into my mouth and nose. I struggled desperately, but it was futile. Just as my consciousness wavered, nearing suffocation, I was yanked back to the surface. As soon as I caught my breath, I was plunged back under. This cycle repeated over and over, until Valentina’s voice, full of disgust, reached my ears. “Liam Hayes, you pathetic life, how dare you hurt Julian?” “If you didn’t look like him, I would have thrown you into the ocean for good.” After an hour of this torture, I was completely drained of strength. Only then did Valentina, with a magnanimous wave, allow them to release my dazed and disoriented body, before she and a smug Julian walked away. The terror of near-death still clung to my heart. I gasped for air, lying there for what felt like an eternity before I shakily managed to stand. Valentina, moments ago, had truly wanted me dead. I gave a bitter, hollow laugh, tears silently tracing paths down my face. Finally, my heart was completely dead. I pulled out my phone and sent a message. [I accept. Let’s set the wedding for next week.]

Back at the hotel, Valentina’s message arrived. [Liam, you’ve been very naughty lately. Don’t blame me for being so cruel to you.] [For Julian and my wedding, I still want you as best man. Repent properly, and we can go back to how things were.] I gave a self-mocking laugh and switched off my phone. Two days later, Valentina had someone deliver an incredibly valuable watch. “It’s Julian’s birthday today. You’ll present this gift from yourself as an apology.” I frowned, intending to toss it aside. But Valentina’s tone admitted no refusal. Suddenly, a sense of resignation washed over me. This is the last time, Valentina. After this, I won’t owe you anything more. Julian’s birthday party was lavish. I put down the gift, about to leave, when Julian, smiling, grabbed my arm. I frowned, a warning flashing in my eyes. “Let go of me!” Julian leaned closer, a glint of cunning in his eyes. Suddenly, a bracelet in his hand fell to the floor, and he let out a piercing cry. “Liam Hayes! I know you hate me, but you can’t deliberately smash the memento my mother left me!” His cry quickly drew everyone’s attention. Valentina walked over, her expression displeased. “What’s going on?” Julian’s eyes brimmed with tears as he choked out, “My love, this was my mother’s dying wish, meant for her future daughter-in-law. I was going to give it to you today, but Liam saw it, snatched it, threw it on the ground, and then intentionally stomped on it twice!” I folded my arms, my voice cold. “Are you done acting? We can just check the security footage to see if I broke it. Your feigned sincerity is sickening.” The words had barely left my lips when Valentina slapped me hard across the face. “Liam Hayes, are you truly not putting me in my place?!” Julian’s eyes were red-rimmed. He crouched down, his hands trembling as he picked up the bracelet. Valentina’s face was ruthless, and she raised her hand to strike me again. This time, however, I caught her wrist directly, forcefully pushing her hand away. “I’m telling you again, it wasn’t me!” Valentina hadn’t expected me to resist. She stared at me in disbelief. After a long moment, she curved her lips, her eyes filled with a malicious, triumphant smile, and slowly spoke. “Right, because you’re the son of a rapist, you grew up without a mother’s love, that’s why you’re so jealous of someone else’s mother leaving them something.” “Liam Hayes, you’re as inhumane as your rapist father. It serves you right that your mother didn’t love you and died early!” A wave of shocked murmurs swept through the room. Disgusted glances stabbed at me like knives. My mind went blank. The deepest, most hidden wound in my heart was brutally ripped open in public, laid bare in its most wretched form. I stumbled a few steps, barely managing to keep my balance. Valentina watched me like a victor, her gaze tearing at my heart repeatedly until it was a bloody mess. These were things I had only told her after completely opening myself up. I was afraid she would despise me. But back then, Valentina had just cupped my face, gently kissing away my tears, her voice tender and resolute. “Liam, it’s not your fault. From now on, I’ll be the one to love you.” Remembering those words, the pain was almost unbearable. Valentina had personally severed the last thread of affection between us. My face was ashen. I forced a smile at her. “Valentina Rossi, you win. From now on, I owe you nothing.” With that, I pushed through the crowd, stumbling out the door. A flicker of panic crossed Valentina’s eyes, but ultimately, she chose to comfort Julian. I returned to the hotel and deleted everything on my phone related to Valentina. From now on, we were strangers. The day before the wedding, Valentina sent someone to deliver a best man’s suit. I merely scoffed, throwing it directly into the trash can. In my closet hung a luxurious groom’s tuxedo. On the wedding day, Valentina anxiously watched the door, waiting for my appearance. Her assistant, sweat beading on his forehead, carefully spoke. “Ms. Rossi, Mr. Hayes… he’s also getting married today.” Valentina’s bouquet crashed to the floor with a thud. Meanwhile, my own wedding was just beginning. Just as we were about to exchange rings, a breathless figure burst into the wedding hall. “Liam Hayes, I forbid you to marry her!” Everyone’s gaze instantly focused on her.

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Three years into our marriage, my husband, David, now a major success, decided it was time to finally buy our wedding rings. But before the custom rings were even ready, I got a call from the jewelry store. “Mrs. Hayes, if the ring isn’t comfortable, you can bring it back anytime for adjustment.” I was completely baffled. I hadn’t even picked up the rings yet, how would I know if they were comfortable? I immediately called David to ask, but he stammered and mumbled. “How would *I* know? The jewelry store staff must have made a mistake, called the wrong number!” “Don’t worry, I’ve paid the deposit. If they can’t deliver, I’ll go settle the score with them myself!” My blood ran cold. I instantly knew something far more complicated was going on. David Hayes, so you get a little money and immediately jump into an affair? I’ll make sure you both pay for this, big time! 1 After hanging up, my heart ached with sharp, agonizing pain. I remembered three years ago, David was just a broke guy from a small town, new to the city. He’d been swindled out of all his money and was shivering, huddled on my doorstep in the dead of winter. He may have been down on his luck, but he was handsome. My heart softened, and I took him in. He didn’t have connections or a fancy degree, but he was incredibly charming and knew how to make people feel good. He charmed my entire family, and my dad, completely won over by his charisma and ambition, practically pushed me to marry him! To support David’s entrepreneurial dreams, my dad even sold our only family property for a million dollars to fund his investment. David didn’t disappoint. In just three years, he grew his company to a market value of a billion dollars, becoming a genuine business magnate. When we got married, he was just starting out, and times were tough. We only registered our marriage. Forget a wedding ceremony; we didn’t even buy wedding rings. Finally, with money in hand, he held my hand, full of gratitude, promising me the most magnificent wedding. And a pair of the most expensive custom rings. But now, just as I was eagerly anticipating our personally designed rings, they had been picked up by someone else. I didn’t even know who that woman was, yet she had impersonated me. My gut screamed that something serious had happened. I was going to find out exactly who this *bitch* was! Wiping away the cold tears on my face, I took a deep breath and drove straight to the jewelry store. I stormed up to the service counter, forcing down my anger, and demanded to know. “I’m Mrs. Hayes, who ordered custom wedding rings here a month ago. Who picked up my rings early today?” The sales associate looked up, her eyes wide with surprise. “Ma’am, you must be mistaken. Mrs. Hayes picked up the rings an hour ago!” “And the rings were finished a month early, we notified Mrs. Hayes to pick them up a day in advance. Who are you?” Just as I suspected, it wasn’t a mistake. Someone had deliberately impersonated me. “I am Mrs. Hayes! You let someone impersonate me and walk off with the rings without verifying their identity? What are you going to give me now?!” Seeing my tone turn harsh, the sales associate’s face showed some displeasure. “We have the customer’s registered phone number. She even came in with Mr. Hayes three days ago to ask if the couple’s rings could be rushed. How is that impersonation? And you, you keep saying you’re Mrs. Hayes, but we’ve never seen you before!” The sales associate’s words left me even more bewildered. 2 I suddenly remembered that when David said he wanted to get us custom rings, we were both away on a business trip. He’d tasked his secretary, Jessica Feng, with handling it. David had even sent our design requirements to his secretary in advance. So, the sales associate was right; I hadn’t shown up at all. But I had no idea that the imposter, the one pretending to be me, had actually come to the jewelry store with David, using my name? Now I was even more certain David was lying. He knew *exactly* who picked up those rings! I was furious, about to call David right there and then to demand an explanation. Just then, the click-clack of high heels echoed from behind me. I instinctively turned around and saw a woman in her twenties, draped in jewels. What really made my blood boil was the limited-edition handbag David had promised to buy me last month – the one he’d said was impossible to get – was slung over *this woman’s* shoulder! And I knew this person. It was Jessica Feng, David’s secretary! I was about to rush over and demand what she was doing here, but Jessica’s expression froze, and she spoke first. “Sarah? What are you doing here?” Before I could even open my mouth, the jewelry store sales associate scurried out from behind the counter. Beaming, she greeted Jessica. “Mrs. Hayes, you’re here! Are the rings the wrong size? We can adjust them for you right away!” The sales associate’s words made Jessica’s face change. She immediately walked over, grabbed my arm, and started pulling me out, lowering her voice. “Sarah, if you want to buy jewelry, I can introduce you to another store. This place’s styles aren’t great…” I instantly understood what Jessica was trying to do. She was afraid I’d expose her for impersonating me right there! I immediately stopped, my face cold, my eyes filled with sarcasm as I glared at her. “So eager to drag me away? I was just about to ask you: impersonating me and taking my husband’s and my wedding rings – what exactly do you think you’re doing?” My words were laced with fury, my voice loud and sharp. It instantly drew everyone’s attention. Several sales associates and dozens of customers browsing in the store all looked my way. Jessica’s face first contorted in extreme embarrassment, but then, in a blink, she launched into her performance. She pouted her lips, turning on the waterworks, and whimpered pitifully at the onlookers. “Sarah, how could you… I picked up *my* wedding rings, the ones *my* husband ordered for *me*. Why are you accusing me of stealing yours…?” Jessica’s sob story, combined with my aggressive stance, instantly had everyone wrapped around her finger. They started scolding me. “Where did this psycho come from? So aggressive! She’s taking her own ring, and this woman claims it’s hers?” “Yeah, I’ve been here the whole time, I heard it all. She ordered the rings with her husband, and this woman is trying to steal them?” “I think this crazy old lady must be having a meltdown. Is she even mistaking other people’s husbands?” Even the sales associates looked at me with smug pleasure, as if *I* were the crazy person trying to steal someone’s wedding ring. I couldn’t be bothered to waste words on these clueless bystanders and spoke directly to the sales associate. “It’s simple. Let’s both call our husbands right now, and we’ll know who’s telling the truth.” 3 I expected Jessica, the imposter, to get cold feet, but instead, she gritted her teeth and lifted her chin defiantly. “Fine, let’s call! The truth is the truth! Let my husband prove it himself!” She immediately pulled out her phone and dialed, putting the call on speaker. As soon as the call connected, she deliberately started crying into the phone, her voice full of grievance. “W-w-woobie, come quick to Happy Jewelers and save me! I just picked up the ring, and it feels a little loose, so I came to get it adjusted, but this crazy woman jumped out and said I impersonated her to take her wedding rings, and she won’t let me leave…” I clearly heard David’s furious voice explode from the phone. “Which psycho dares to accuse you of taking her ring? I’ll make her pay for this!” “Boo hoo hoo, I can’t even talk right now. Just come see for yourself!” With that, Jessica decisively hung up, her eyes full of provocation as she looked at me. “My husband is on his way. Let’s see who he acknowledges as his wife in front of everyone!” I was so angry my teeth ached. I couldn’t understand what gave Jessica the nerve to be so brazen. She knew David was married, she knew *I* was his wife and a company shareholder – we’d met plenty of times! While Jessica and I waited for David, the sales associate from the service counter approached. She rolled her eyes at me and spoke coldly. “Ma’am… you, who *claims* to be Mrs. Hayes, if you’ll permit me to say, you should leave now before Mr. Hayes arrives. Save yourself the embarrassment of being exposed. They could even sue you for fraud!” Several other sales associates chimed in, scoffing. “Yeah, ma’am, take a good look in the mirror. You’re old, fat, tacky, and ugly. You must be almost fifty, right? And you have the nerve to impersonate Mrs. Hayes? Do you even deserve it?” “Exactly! The real Mrs. Hayes is young and beautiful. Look at her outfit, all designer brands. That limited-edition handbag alone is worth over a million. Can *your* cheap clothes even fetch a hundred bucks?” “Who gave this old woman the courage to impersonate Mrs. Hayes and put on such an act? How embarrassing when she gets exposed!” I’d always known that some luxury store salespeople were snobby and judged people by their wallets. It seemed jewelry stores were no different. It was true, my family had poured everything we had into helping David start his company. But his specialty was quality control. All the market expansion and sales channels? I was the one running them. I was constantly out and about, entertaining clients, so I dressed for comfort, not style. I probably looked older than my thirty years. But it was precisely because I tirelessly built his sales channels and secured deals that we got order after order. And the comfortable life we now enjoyed. I was so focused on building the business that I neglected my appearance. Of course, I wasn’t as young and radiant as Jessica. But no one knew that once, I was a renowned beauty, the most popular girl in school. Lost in thought, a tall, imposing figure pushed through the crowd and strode quickly into the store. “Jessica! Where’s that crazy woman who was bothering you? I’ll teach her a lesson!” David didn’t even notice me. He rushed over and pulled Jessica into his arms, comforting her with doting eyes. My chest tightened in agony. I stared at the scene, unable to believe it, and spoke to David through gritted teeth. “So, David Hayes, tell me yourself, between me and this woman, who is your wife?” 4 If I still didn’t believe David and Jessica were having an affair, I would truly be the biggest fool on earth. I wanted to see how he would try to defend himself now that I had personally caught him red-handed with Jessica. I expected David to be shocked and ashamed when he saw me. Instead, his reaction completely shattered my bottom line. David froze for a second, then suddenly glared at me, his brows furrowed in rage. “Sarah Song, are you out of your mind? You’re just my cleaner, what are you doing impersonating Mrs. Hayes? Do I really need to come all the way here to prove that my wife is Jessica Feng?” “I know you’re ugly and old, and your small-town husband doesn’t want you anymore, but you can’t fantasize about being my wife and then bully my *actual* wife! You’re absolutely despicable!” David’s words stunned me into silence. “David Hayes, you… you say that again. I’m your cleaner? She’s Mrs. Hayes?” “I’ll say it a million times! What, are you so desperate to be Mrs. Hayes that you’ve gone crazy? Believe it or not, I’ll fire you right now! Now get home and scrub my toilets!” David’s aggressive stance intimidated everyone present, and people started pointing and cursing at me. “No way! Even cleaners are dreaming big now? Another one of those ‘CEO falls for the maid’ stories, I guess!” “Hahahaha, this is hilarious! Mr. and Mrs. Hayes are so unlucky to run into such a deranged cleaner!” “Hey, cleaning lady, stop making a fool of yourself. Go home and scrub those toilets, or you’ll really be jobless!” The store staff and customers suddenly erupted in a collective roar of laughter. It was as if I really was a cleaner fantasizing about a CEO, and my face instantly burned crimson. Jessica, so openly defended by David, walked right up to me, sneering. “I told you, Auntie Sarah, my husband himself has come to prove it. Are you going to stay here and make a bigger fool of yourself? Get lost!” Seeing me stand still, Jessica raised her leg and kicked me. I instinctively defended myself, raising my hand to push her away. But my hand didn’t even touch Jessica, when she let out an exaggerated shriek and fell to the ground. “David… my stomach hurts so bad, our baby…” The next second, David rushed over and scooped Jessica into his arms, then slapped me hard across the face. “Sarah Song! You’re a twisted, sick woman! Jessica just found out she’s pregnant with my child, and you push her? You did that on purpose, didn’t you?!” I stopped arguing, pulled out my phone, and dialed 91 “Hello, I’d like to report a crime. Someone here is impersonating me and has fraudulently taken wedding rings valued at ten million dollars. Also, my husband is having an affair and is suspected of transferring company assets to his mistress…” In the stunned silence of everyone present, I calmly hung up. David was completely bewildered, staring at me with rapid breaths. “Sarah Song, are you serious?” I silently took out our marriage certificate from my bag and displayed it for everyone to see. “In your mouth, everything is a lie, but my marriage certificate with you, that’s real.” My single sentence made all the onlookers’ eyes widen in shock.

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In my past life, I welcomed Ruby into our home as our adopted daughter. She, in turn, utterly destroyed my family. Mark and I poured every last penny into treating her illnesses. Not only was she ungrateful, but she also killed our biological son. After she yet again demanded money with no success, she revealed the truth about our son’s tragic death, then pushed me down the stairs with a smile on her face. After I died, she had Mark institutionalized, and tricked my parents into shouldering massive debts. Reborn into this life, I immediately tossed her back to where she belonged. If she couldn’t appreciate a good life, then she could roll back to her hell! I opened my eyes, shocked to find myself reborn on the very day we found Ruby. At that moment, my husband, Mark, looked up at me, stars shining in his eyes. “Honey, since you want to adopt her, let’s give her a name.” “What should we call her?” “How about Ruby? ‘Ru’ for joy, symbolizing eternal happiness, and ‘by’ for precious jade, representing beauty and value.” “Let’s make her our forever happy little girl.” Mark’s face was alight with dreams for the future. At this moment, he didn’t have the prematurely white hair of my past life, nor was he the raving madman locked away in a mental institution. He was in the prime of his life, untouched by half a lifetime of suffering. Seeing my silence, he lowered his head and gently cooed at the baby in his arms. My eyes welled up slightly. In my past life, we had just gotten married when we found Ruby. Even without a biological child of our own, we chose to adopt her. She had a congenital cleft lip that needed surgery, and after being abandoned in the snow for too long, she was suffering from a persistent, dangerously high fever. To pay for her treatment, we drained all our savings. We even took on considerable debt, enduring the bewildered stares of our relatives. After she was discharged from the hospital, she didn’t just need normal things like formula and diapers; she also required various medications for her ongoing treatment. On top of that, she was a high-needs baby, crying incessantly at the slightest disturbance, unable to be left alone for a moment. Mark’s parents had strong reservations about Ruby, feeling she was a huge burden, and they completely disregarded their adopted granddaughter. In desperation, I had to quit my job and dedicate myself entirely to her care. A constantly wailing infant, and me, unable to work because I was tied down with childcare. The entire weight of our family rested squarely on Mark’s shoulders. Under immense pressure, we had to give up on having our own child. For this, Mark endured endless lectures and harsh words from his parents. To protect Ruby and me, he even spread a rumor that he was infertile. We were subjected to endless whispers and gossip, yet our love for Ruby never wavered. But how did she repay us?

Later, when she was old enough to go to school, I was able to go back to work, improving our family’s quality of life. Things were getting better and better, so Mark and I discussed having a second child. When she found out, she secretly started putting birth control pills into our tea. Later, she even showed up at our workplaces, screaming and causing a huge scene, trying to force us to give up on having a second child. But we were dead set on having a child of our own. She didn’t succeed that time. She cried, saying she was sorry and would never throw a tantrum again. The child we had raised by hand was crying so heartbrokenly, that in the end, Mark and I believed her. Not long after, our son, Leo, was born. She seemed thrilled, actively feeding him formula, changing his diapers, and even washing his clothes. She said, “Mom, you worked so hard for me, doing so much. Now it’s my turn to help you.” We were so touched that she had grown up and become so sensible. But we never imagined that a few months later, she would smother our baby boy in his crib. After Leo was gone, Mark and I aged decades overnight. Unaware of the truth, even after suffering the unbearable pain of losing a child, we continued to dote on her. Until she reached adulthood, and her demands became even more outrageous. When we couldn’t afford her lifestyle, she got involved with predatory high-interest loans, from some really shady lenders. When her creditors came knocking, her first thought wasn’t repentance, but our “inheritance.” She said, “Mom, Dad, I know I messed up. This is the last time. If you don’t forgive me, I’ll just have to die.” Our hearts softened again, and we opened the door, ready to welcome our beloved daughter. But it wasn’t our beloved daughter who walked through that door. It was a hungry wolf. She behaved for a few days, then tricked Mark into leaving, and then told me the truth about our son’s tragic death. She gesticulated wildly, excitedly telling me how her little brother had struggled, how he had stopped breathing. “I stood right there next to him, watching his face turn red, until his tiny hands fell limp, and he slowly ran out of air.” “If I could do it again, I’d make him die an even worse death.” I lunged at her, wanting to fight her to the death, but she shoved me down the stairs, and I died a brutal death. After I died, Mark fell into even deeper despair. Losing a son in middle age, then a wife in his later years. He developed suicidal depression, and Ruby used this as an excuse to have him sent to a mental institution. Not content with that, she also tricked my parents into shouldering massive debts. And yet, this heartless monster, she lived a life of ease and freedom.

I suppressed the hatred in my heart and blurted out, “‘Baby?’ I scoffed, ‘More like bad news.’” “Honey, I don’t want to adopt her anymore.” Mark looked stunned. “But you just said you wanted to adopt her. What made you change your mind so suddenly?” I snatched the child from his arms, staring at the incessantly wailing Ruby. “I just remembered something I once heard.” “Some children are just born to bring bad karma, to make your life hell.” “And these bad kids, they get their evil from their parents, you know.” “Mark, think about it. If we had a child, would we ever abandon them? Even if they weren’t smart, or healthy, or beautiful, or even if they had a serious illness?” Mark immediately replied, “Of course not. Even if it meant selling everything we owned, draining our life savings, and piling up debt, I would never give up on them.” “See? That’s what normal people think.” I took a deep breath. “The parents of this child, they’re not normal people.” “There’s no telling if this child might have inherited their twisted genes.” Reincarnation was too unbelievable, and society wasn’t ready for talk of it back then. And my sudden change in demeanor, from doting to disgusted, would have been enough to convince anyone I’d lost my mind. “Alright, you’re right. Then we won’t adopt her.” Mark nodded, understanding. Ruby, in my arms, seemed to understand our conversation and cried even harder. Tears streamed down the tiny person’s face, her wails tearing through the air. Her little hands flailed desperately, trying to grasp my clothes, as if by doing so, we wouldn’t abandon her. Mark saw this and his face softened with pity. “So, what do we do now?”

I seriously considered Mark’s question. If we left Ruby here now, and someone else took her, then another kind soul would suffer. But that possibility was low. After all, no one wants an extra child they know nothing about; who knows if she has any diseases? Besides, Ruby’s face was disfigured by her cleft lip, and she had a persistent fever. No one would willingly bring such trouble home. But letting her freeze to death in this snow? That would be too easy for her. I couldn’t let go of the grievances from my past life, yet my tormentor was just an innocent infant. Even if I got my revenge, she wouldn’t even know it. After careful consideration, I thought of a good place for her. “Honey, let’s take her to the orphanage.” A flicker of hatred flashed in my eyes. Ruby once told me, playing on my sympathies, that if Mark and I hadn’t taken her in, she’d have been stuck in the hell of the orphanage. She claimed to be incredibly grateful that Mark and I had saved her from that hell. This time, I didn’t need her “gratitude.” I just wanted to send her back to where she belonged. Ruby was still crying, gasping for breath. Mark, seeing her pitiful state, wavered slightly. “Honey, she’s crying so pitifully. Maybe we could…” I naturally wouldn’t let him change his mind. I cut him off directly. “Honey, there are too many unfortunate people in the world. We’re just ordinary people; we can’t save them all.” “Taking her to the orphanage out of goodwill is also a kind act.” Mark could only nod in agreement.

Soon, Mark and I rode our bike to the orphanage gate. As soon as Mark stopped, I carried Ruby over to a flowerbed by the entrance. Ruby, who had cried herself tired, immediately started to wail again, her cries tearing through the air. I curled my lips into a cold smile and gently placed her on the edge of the flowerbed. As I stood up, I looked down at her. Her crying stopped for a moment, and I saw a torrent of hatred pour from her eyes. A chill ran down my spine. A terrifying thought pierced my mind: Could she have been reborn too? This thought made the hatred in my heart surge, instantly engulfing me in its tide. I couldn’t stop myself from raising my hand, aiming for her neck. Just then, Mark called out from behind me, “Honey, it’s cold. Let’s head home soon. Mom and Dad are waiting.” I snapped back to reality. Heaven had given me a second chance, not to lead me down the path of despair again. I had a wonderful life ahead of me. Even if I wanted revenge, I shouldn’t throw my entire life away for it. “Okay,” I said. We went home.

That very night, I pinned Mark to the bed. He paused for a moment, then a blush crept onto his face. “Honey, you’re a little different tonight, aren’t you?” My passionate kisses were his only answer. In this life, I wanted to have our child sooner. I wanted to give him everything we had. If there was any regret, it was that I had failed them both in my past life – him and our son. Now, all I wanted was to make it up to them.

I wasn’t sure if Ruby had been reborn. But I knew for sure that if she had, with her deranged and malicious personality, she would eventually come back for revenge. Deep down, I almost *looked forward* to her return. But to my disappointment, the next six years were uneventful. In those six years, I accomplished a lot. I quit my old job and, leveraging my foreknowledge, opened my own restaurant. I also borrowed a lot of money and invested in old properties, just waiting for them to skyrocket in value. And throughout those six years, I had kept tabs on Ruby. She was no different from the other children at the orphanage. They ate together, played together. If anything was different, it was that the other children often picked on her. They would snatch her food when adults weren’t looking, make her do extra chores. They would even drag her into deserted corners and beat her up. She often came back with bruises and scars, seeking help, but no one bothered to intervene. She became the lowest of the low in the entire orphanage. When I heard the news, I gave a bag of candy to Tommy, the neighbor’s kid. He happily ran off. His grandmother lived near the orphanage, and he often went there to play. Once, he saw me near the orphanage, and noticing my look of disgust towards Ruby, he bravely approached me and asked, “Auntie, don’t you like that little girl?” I nodded. “No, I don’t.” He was often fed candy by me. Hearing my words, he immediately rushed into the orphanage and gave Ruby a hard slap. Tommy was a wily kid; he’d deliver a quick slap and then vanish in a flash. When he returned to me, I promptly handed him a handful of candy. His eyes lit up, and with that, a new world opened for him. We reached an unspoken agreement. He was responsible for bullying, and I was responsible for the candy. Tommy, eager for more sweets, even roped in other kids at the orphanage who hadn’t tasted candy before. I was more than happy to see this play out.

In the seventh year after I abandoned Ruby, she disappeared from the orphanage. No one knew where she had gone. The orphanage staff searched frantically and reported her missing to the police, but she was nowhere to be found. I secretly helped look for her a few times too. If she could simply escape hell like that, it would be too easy for her. Unfortunately, despite our extensive search, we couldn’t find her. I pondered over it for a long time, but found no clues. That unsettling thought rose again. Could this stupid, malicious person have *really* been reborn? I couldn’t help but feel annoyed. “Mom, what’s wrong?” My six-year-old son, Leo, asked in his sweet voice. “Did Leo make you angry?” My son was just like his dad—gentle and considerate by nature. My heart softened, and all the sharp edges within me receded. “No, Leo is wonderful.” I stroked his head, and much of my lingering obsession faded. If I couldn’t find her, then I would let her go for now.

A year after Ruby disappeared, I had given up on finding her. But just then, she came looking for me. That day, I was busy at the restaurant. I had just brought a dish out from the kitchen when I saw a little beggar child rush in from outside. I quickly put down the plate, ready to go forward and ask if she needed help. Before I could reach her, she ran up to me and hugged my leg. She sat on the floor, crying loudly, “Mommy, I’m your daughter!” She cried as she looked up, revealing a pathetic little face. In an instant, the entire place erupted. In those days, abandoning a child, or having an affair and a child out of wedlock, was something people would scoff at. The restaurant immediately buzzed with gossip. The neighbors were already green with envy over our success. Now, with an excuse to attack us, they all chimed in with accusations. “Is that child really yours from outside your marriage?” “Mrs. Johnson, that’s a terrible thing to say. Couldn’t they both have had her?” “Then they must be heartless to abandon their own daughter just to have a son.” “…” People always sympathize with the weak, especially such a small child. Ruby instantly became the object of everyone’s pity. With just one appearance, and one sentence, she successfully stirred up everyone’s anger towards me. She skillfully cast herself as the victim, turning everyone to her side. At that moment, I knew for sure: Ruby had been reborn too.

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When I was seventeen, I rushed into a burning building to save Leo. A falling beam hit my head, and from that day on, I became simple-minded. To save money for my rehabilitation, he dropped out of school and took on all sorts of dirty, back-breaking jobs. Ten years later, Leo became the youngest entrepreneur in the city. And I was still the idiot who needed her shoes tied and her meals spoon-fed. Later, Leo started coming home later and later, his eyes filled with nothing but disgust when he looked at me. Until that day, I accidentally broke the music box his assistant gave him. For the first time, he lost his temper with me. He dragged me to the rooftop. And ordered me to jump from the fifty-story building. I didn’t understand why he wanted me to do that. I just knew that being a good girl earned me rewards. I’d been afraid of heights since I was little, but now, I was even more terrified of him leaving me. I smiled, taking a step back: “Leo, please don’t be mad. I’ll listen to whatever you say.”

The moment my body tilted backward, a powerful force yanked me back. I stumbled into his arms, and before I could even steady myself, a stinging slap landed on my face. “Are you insane?! You’ll die if you fall from here! Don’t you even know what death is?!” Leo’s voice cracked as he roared at me. Feeling the sharp pain on my cheek, I belatedly started to tremble. I didn’t know if it was from the fear of nearly falling, or the unsettling sting of his harsh scolding. But I still instinctively raised my hand, wanting to wipe away the tears at the corner of his eyes. “Leo, I’m sorry.” But the next second, Leo roughly pushed me away: “You idiot, what else can you say besides ‘I’m sorry’!” Just then, the iron door to the rooftop burst open. Chloe rushed in, looking frantic. She glanced at the two of us, her face instantly paling: “Leo, have you lost your mind? What are you doing bringing her to a place like this?!” “If anything happened to her, you’d be charged with aiding and abetting suicide. You’d go to jail for that!” Her voice was hoarse as she clutched Leo’s arm tightly, then pulled him into a fierce embrace: “If you end up in prison, what will I do?” At that moment, Leo finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably into her shoulder: “I don’t know… I’m just so tired…” Watching his trembling back, I vaguely realized something. For the past ten years, I seemed to have truly become the source of all his pain. After Leo calmed down, he noticed the large scrapes on my knees. A flicker of guilt flashed in his eyes: “Scarlett, does it hurt? I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to be so harsh just now.” He helped me up, and together with Chloe, we went downstairs. Back home, Leo found the first-aid kit and, as he had countless times before, carefully dressed and bandaged my wound. But this time, though his movements were still practiced, his eyes held nothing but exhaustion and weariness. After treating my injury, Leo handed me a piece of candy and gently told me: “Stay home, be a good girl.” Then, he took Chloe’s hand and walked out the door. I was a little curious, so I quietly crept to the door. I heard snippets of their conversation. “Chloe, I’m really tired… As long as she’s alive, I won’t have a single day of peace.” “You know what? I even thought that after she jumped, I’d just die with her…” Hearing this, Chloe’s brows instantly furrowed: “Leo, what nonsense are you talking about! You’ve already sacrificed a whole decade for that idiot, and you’re still thinking of throwing your life away too?” Leo replied weakly: “But what can I do? She became like this saving me back then. I owe her too much.” Just then, Chloe suddenly noticed me eavesdropping behind the door. She rushed over, grabbing my collar: “Scarlett, even if you’re an idiot, you should at least have some shame, shouldn’t you? Do you really want to drag Leo down your whole life, content to just be a parasite?” Leo quickly pulled her back: “Chloe, why are you arguing with her? She doesn’t understand any of this.” “Alright, stop it. Come with me for a walk. There are some company matters I need to discuss with you.” Leo glanced at me, told me to stay home and be good, then left with Chloe. After they left, I stood by the door, frozen for a long time. A few neighbors happened to pass by and saw me. They began to whisper amongst themselves. “Oh, poor Leo, he has such a hard life. Busy with company matters all day, then he has to take care of an idiot when he gets home.” “I heard that young lady, Chloe, has proposed to him several times, but Leo never agreed, all because he can’t let go of this idiot.” “If you ask me, Leo is just too kind. In this situation, he should send that idiot to a psychiatric hospital.” “Or if she just died, Leo’s life would be much easier…” Hearing those words, my heart gave a violent lurch. I couldn’t help but walk closer. The neighbors saw me approach, fear crossing their faces as they took a few steps back. But I just blinked, nervously asking: “Auntie, Uncle, if I go to the psychiatric hospital, will Leo not be sad anymore?” Seeing them not answer, I pressed on: “Then… if I die, will Leo be happy?”

The neighbors didn’t answer my questions. They just scurried away, as if avoiding something dirty. Watching their retreating backs, I suddenly remembered. Last year, for my birthday, Leo had taken me to a park far from home. He told me to sit on a bench, gently stroking my head and saying: “Scarlett, wait for me here. I’ll be back soon.” But I waited from noon until the sun began to set, until the streetlights flickered on one by one. He never came back. In the end, I had to find my way home myself, relying on vague memories, one step at a time. I remember thinking then, that after being gone for so long, Leo must have been frantic with worry. But when he opened the door and saw me, there wasn’t a trace of joy on his face. Only disappointment and sorrow. It was only now that I vaguely understood. He actually wanted to abandon me that day, didn’t he? A wave of sorrow washed over me, and my nose stung. I crouched down, burying my face in my knees, tears gushing out uncontrollably. But soon, I remembered what the neighbors had said. If I truly disappeared, would Leo’s life be much easier? Would he finally be able to smile happily? Thinking this, I wiped away my tears, stood up, and gathered my courage to step out of the house. I walked aimlessly along the road for a long time, not understanding traffic lights or directions. I didn’t know how to find the “psychiatric hospital” they spoke of. Distracted, a speeding car suddenly swerved towards me. I froze in place, my legs rooted to the spot. Just then, a pair of hands violently pulled me back to the side of the road. Still shaken, I looked up, only to see Leo’s face, filled with terror and lingering fear. “Scarlett, I told you to stay home, didn’t I? What are you doing running out again?!” “You idiot, can’t you just make my life a little easier for one day? Do you just want to drive me crazy before you’re happy?!” Seeing him so distraught, I shivered, whispering: “Leo, I want to go to the psychiatric hospital. I just wanted to go there and…” Hearing this, Leo froze. A flicker of confusion and guilt crossed his eyes, then he sharply asked: “What are you babbling about?! Did those people put ideas in your head again?” I quickly shook my head, a little nervous: “No, I want to go myself. Leo, please take me there, please.” No sooner had the words left my lips than Leo suddenly cupped my face, his voice trembling: “Scarlett, I’ll never abandon you, never!” “I’ll protect you and take care of you my whole life. Don’t overthink things anymore.” Looking at his reddened eyes, I nodded obediently. But deep down, I knew. Just now, when that car was about to hit me. I had actually seen Leo standing by the roadside earlier. In those few seconds, he had hesitated again. The next morning, Leo took me to the hospital for a follow-up. Although I didn’t understand what the doctor was saying, seeing his tightly furrowed brows, I realized my condition might have worsened. This thought weighed heavily on my heart. No, I couldn’t go on like this. I couldn’t keep dragging Leo down. While he went to get the car, I quietly slipped away from the parking garage. I turned and ran outside. This time, I had to succeed. I had to find that place. But as soon as I reached the entrance, I ran straight into Chloe. Seeing me alone, her face instantly darkened. She violently grabbed my arm, making me flinch in pain. “Scarlett, how did you sneak out alone again? Can’t you make Leo’s life a little less difficult?” She gnashed her teeth and hissed. “It’s always you, always you!” “Because of you, Leo rejects me again and again. Haven’t you ruined his life enough? Do you have to ruin my happiness too?” Her gaze suddenly turned sinister. As if having made a decision, she stared at me intently, muttering to herself: “Leo, you’re always so kind, always too soft-hearted…” “It’s okay. This time, I’ll help you get rid of her for good.”

Chloe dragged me to a deserted corner, slamming me against the wall. She smirked, then suddenly grabbed my hand and fiercely raked it across her own face. “No… let go of me!” I screamed in terror, struggling to pull my hand back, but I couldn’t match her strength. Chloe quickly scratched her face, leaving bloody marks. But she didn’t think it was enough. She pulled out her phone and violently smashed it on the ground; the screen instantly shattered. Under my horrified gaze, she lunged and slammed her forehead against the wall. Blood immediately streamed down her brow. “You idiot, you owe Leo so much, and now I’m going to make you pay for all of it!” Chloe glared at me viciously. The next second, she suddenly shrieked: “Help! This maniac is trying to kill me!” Soon, hurried footsteps came from nearby. Several hospital security guards saw Chloe’s blood-soaked face and me standing frozen in place. They immediately rushed forward and pinned me to the ground. “It wasn’t me… I didn’t…” I cried, barely managing to stammer out a few words, but no one listened. Everyone thought I was the deranged assailant. Before long, Leo also rushed over, freezing at the sight before him. He dashed to Chloe’s side, his voice trembling: “Chloe, are you okay?! What happened?!” Chloe leaned on his shoulder, her voice weak: “Leo, please don’t blame Scarlett… She just had an episode, she couldn’t control herself…” Before she finished, Leo’s gaze fell on the shattered phone. His face changed dramatically: “Scarlett, do you have any idea how many important files were on here, you idiot!” “Leo, it really wasn’t me…” I cried, shaking my head, but then Leo saw the bloodstains on my hands. His eyes grew colder and colder. “Ten years… I gave up everything for you, and this is how you repay me?!” Leo’s voice suddenly rose, his breakdown laced with despair. His fists rained down on me like a storm, each punch carrying immense resentment. Finally, he kicked me in the head. A security guard tried to intervene, but Leo pushed him away. “Do you know how much I lost because of you?!” He cried out as he hit me. “You hurt me enough, and now you have to hurt the people around me too? Scarlett… what did I do wrong to be tormented by you like this?!” I curled up on the ground, letting him vent. My entire body trembled from the pain, but my heart ached even more. Finally, Leo seemed to have tired himself out. He stood up and made a call. He summoned his subordinates, then dragged me from the ground and took me with them. They took me home and threw me into the dark basement. As the iron door slammed shut, the entire world plunged into darkness. The wounds on my body stung with a burning pain. I huddled in the corner, shivering. I don’t know how much time passed, but I started to develop a fever, my throat dry as dust. “Water… I want water…” I called out weakly, but no one answered. Just then, through the vent, I heard voices from upstairs. “Chloe, I really put you through a lot today.” It was Leo’s voice. “Only now do I understand how stupid I was… to willingly sacrifice my own happiness for an idiot.” “Leo, it’s not too late. You still have a long life ahead of you.” Chloe responded softly. After a moment of silence, Leo spoke again: “Chloe, I’ve made up my mind… I promise you, we’ll get married next month.” “It’s time… for me to truly live for myself.” A moment later, I heard the sound of two people embracing and crying from upstairs. I lay on the ground, tears silently streaming down my face. So, if I disappeared, Leo could find happiness. This heartbreaking truth, strangely, brought me a glimmer of relief. The pain in my body didn’t seem so unbearable anymore. In a hazy stupor, I gradually lost consciousness.

Days later, Chloe had me sent to a pigsty on an outlying farm. She locked my ankle with an iron chain, just long enough for me to move between the feeding trough and the straw pile. The air was thick with the foul stench of feed and manure. “This place really suits you. You’re no different from an animal anyway.” Witnessing all this, Leo simply stood by in silence. I guessed he had given his unspoken consent. From then on, I lived with the pigs every day. And Leo, after he left, never came to see me again. Until one morning, I woke from a daze. I heard footsteps approaching from a distance. Looking up, I saw the one person I longed for—Leo. He was dressed in a sharp suit, walking cautiously closer. He knelt down, looking at me through the fence: “Scarlett, I’m marrying Chloe today.” I gazed at him blankly. He looked so handsome, more handsome than I’d ever remembered him. “I’m sorry, you’ve suffered these past few days. After the wedding, I’ll come and get you.” His voice was very soft. I nodded in bewilderment, reaching out to touch the hem of his suit, but then I saw my own dirty hands and pulled back. He stood up, gave me one last look: “Wait for me to come back.” With that, Leo turned and got into his car. Watching the car drive away, I didn’t call out to stop him. I just repeated over and over: “Leo, I’ll wait for you.” Around noon, the pigsty door was suddenly pushed open. I thought it was Leo, but instead, I saw a stranger. “Idiot, Miss Chloe specifically told me to send you off.” He said coldly, then began splashing liquid around. The pungent smell made me cough. I instantly realized he was pouring gasoline. “Blame yourself for being in the way. As long as you’re alive, Miss Chloe won’t have a single day of peace.” “Go on and die quietly. People like you are better off dead.” The next second, as flames erupted from the corner. The pigs, startled, scattered and fled. The fire spread rapidly, and a scorching pain radiated from my skin. The thick smoke made me cough relentlessly. Even if I wanted to escape, bound as I was, I had no way. I’m really going to die this time, aren’t I? But, maybe that’s not so bad. The wooden beams of the pigsty began to collapse. I looked at the small patch of sky outside the fence. I thought of Leo in his suit again. “Leo, you have to be happy…” This time, I won’t be a burden to you anymore. In a daze. I seemed to hear the screech of tires in the distance, and Leo’s heart-wrenching cry: “Scarlett—!” Before I completely lost consciousness, I only heard someone quietly regret: “Mr. Leo, she has no heartbeat.”

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It was a senior class road trip. I suddenly grabbed the steering wheel and plunged the car off a cliff. Four people, including our head teacher, died instantly. I, however, was thrown from the window, sustaining only minor injuries. The victims’ families camped outside the police station daily, and online, the outrage was deafening. “This sociopath deserves to be put down, not just once, but a hundred times over!” My mom spent a fortune hiring a lawyer for me, but I went wild and bit the poor guy, sending him to the hospital. Yet, she still refused to give up. “Jade is still a child; she wouldn’t hurt anyone without a reason! Please, give her another chance!” “What reasons?” I sneered, flipping off the jury. “I just didn’t want to live anymore and decided to take a few people down with me.” The internet branded me a demon who deserved to die, while my mother sobbed before the cameras, pleading for mercy. In the end, the judge gave me three days. “If no hidden circumstances can be proven in this case within three days, Jade Vance will be sentenced to death, effective immediately!” In a corner no one saw, I let out a silent sigh of relief. Just three more days. Everything would be fine. ……

“Defendant, what was your motive for these murders?!” It was a live-streamed court session. Facing my stone-cold defiance, even the seasoned judge looked visibly frustrated. “You know the jury will decide your fate, yet you publicly bit your lawyer?” “I felt like it!” Licking the blood from the corner of my mouth, I pulled a cruel smile. The victims’ families in the courtroom erupted instantly. “She admitted it! What more do you need? Just give her the death penalty and let my daughter finally rest in peace!” I coldly watched the disheveled, distraught woman in the spectator’s box. It was Chloe Miller’ s mother, one of my former high school dorm mates. Just two days ago, I’ d personally sent her daughter straight to her grave. Beside her, crying inconsolably, were the parents of my other two dorm mates. “Kill her! Four lives lost and not a shred of remorse!” “This kind of antisocial filth, leaving her alive will only lead to endless trouble!” The comment section of the live stream was a furious torrent. The jury stared intently at my every move, trying to find a crack in my facade. But I just looked indifferent, even leaning back, legs crossed, and letting out a casual whistle. Only three days, anyway. If I kept my mouth shut during this time, they couldn’t pry anything out of me. It was a shame I survived the crash, by some twist of fate. But I had to die. “Defendant, please show some respect!” The judge’ s face darkened. “You have a successful career, a decent income, a reasonably happy life. Not long ago, you even booked plane tickets for a family vacation.” “How did you suddenly become a sociopath and brutally murder your high school dorm mates?” I paused, then quickly regrouped. “They were showing off their wealth.” I pointed a finger back towards the spectator box. “It was her daughter, Chloe Miller. In the car, she insisted on showing me some designer jewelry and luxury bags, even laughing and calling me a poor nobody!” “Back in school, I was the poorest in the whole class, fighting tooth and nail just to get by! How dare she get all that without lifting a finger?” “Just for that?” “Just for that!” “You’ re lying!” Mrs. Miller gasped, choking back sobs. “My husband went bankrupt three years ago! Chloe couldn’t possibly buy luxury items anymore!” I stammered. “Then I misremembered!” “Anyway, one of them was showing off. As for who… I hit my head, I can’t quite recall!” “I’ ve always hated you holier-than-thou rich people. It’ s disgusting…” With that, I spat in the direction of the spectator box. Then I flipped off the jury. “Jade Vance is a pathological liar!” “This kind of person is obviously consumed by jealousy! Her three dorm mates had such bright futures, all ruined by her!” “And her homeroom teacher, Mr. Davies, was a top educator in the district!” “My daughter wasn’t a bad person!” A staggering figure suddenly burst into the courtroom, making my heart lurch. It was my mom, Eleanor, who had been knocked unconscious and sent to the hospital just moments ago, after arguing with the victims’ families outside the courthouse. She’ d returned, dragging her injured body back here. “Here’ s her junior high transcript, look… A straight-A student, always in the top ten!” “Even if she did something wrong, it’ s because her dad and I failed as parents. If someone needs to be jailed, send us to prison!” The mention of my dad, Arthur, brought a sudden surge of bitter memories. My mom’ s tearful plea made the jury exchange uncertain glances. Netizens were buzzing. “It’ s been over six years! What does a junior high transcript prove now?!” “Jade Vance is 22, and in her mom’ s eyes, she’ s still a child? No wonder she raised a daughter like this!” “Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, and victims’ families, I’ m kneeling here on behalf of my daughter!” My mom dropped to her knees, her bandaged forehead hitting the floor with a heavy thud. A shocking crimson stain spread. I struggled to look away, forcing myself to stop trembling. “There must be some hidden story here. How could Jade harm four strangers for no reason?” A flicker of surprise crossed the judge’ s eyes. Suddenly, I went wild, shoving past the court officers and scrambling out of the defendant’ s box. I lunged forward, tackling my mom to the ground. Quickly, I chewed up the transcript and swallowed it. In doing so, my clothes ripped, revealing a mosaic of old scars on my back. “Defendant, who caused these injuries on your body?!” I’ m done for, I thought.

I hastily tried to cover my back. But everyone in the courtroom, including the live stream viewers and my mom, had seen it clearly. The judge called for a forensics team to examine my injuries. While waiting for the report, he persisted with his questions. “Is this why you refused to stay in the hospital or change your clothes after the car crash?” I remained silent. “Who inflicted these injuries on you?” “Those three bitches, okay? Are you happy now?” The internet exploded. “No way! Is this about bullying?!” “They looked so innocent and sweet, not like people who’ d do something like that!” I glanced at the big screen displaying the comments. “You idiots know nothing! Haven’t you heard that appearances can be deceiving?” “You’ re lying!” Brooke Johnson’ s father, Mr. Johnson, suddenly stood up. “My daughter was an excellent student, a model student chosen by teachers and classmates. How could she bully you…?” “They were jealous of my grades, obviously!” I forced a smile. “Mr. Johnson, you were quite busy back then, weren’t you? Did Brooke ever tell you about cheating on exams?” “Did she tell you she paid me to do her homework?” “I…” The man was momentarily speechless. I scoffed. “You don’t know your own daughter at all! Because of negligent parents like you, I was bullied for a year and a half!” “Defendant.” The judge’ s voice was stern. “Is this why your grades suddenly plummeted in the second semester of junior year?” “Yes.” “What about my husband?” Mr. Davies’ s wife glared at me. “Even if Brooke and her friends bullied you, what does that have to do with my husband?! Why did you have to kill him too?!” “Because he knew and did nothing!” My face darkened. “I told him about the bullying back then, but he didn’t want to offend your well-connected families. He chose to turn a blind eye.” “Just because I came from a poor background, did I deserve to be abused?!” After a heated exchange, my mom listened, utterly bewildered. Just as she was about to ask something, the medical examiner arrived with my injury report. The results surprised everyone. My old scars were indeed consistent with injuries sustained around six years ago. But the force required was far beyond what three underage girls like Chloe, Brooke, and Skylar could inflict. “Defendant! Are you still lying now? Who was the man who beat you like this?!” My mom finally snapped out of her daze and rushed to hug me. “Jade, who did this to you?” I turned my face away, not wanting to see the tears in her eyes. “It’ s my fault, Jade! If your dad and I hadn’t been so busy working, you wouldn’t have been unsupervised and ended up like this…” “Did you fall in with bad company?” My mom desperately held my hand. “Were you threatened by some gang members? Tell me, Mom will get justice for you!” “No, no, no!” I impatiently shook off her hand. “Stop playing the devoted mother act. Who are you trying to fool?” Before I finished speaking, Chloe’ s mom suddenly grabbed a chair and charged at me. Thud. My mom blocked me, collapsing to the floor in pain. I clenched my fists, unmoving, my nails digging deep into my palms. “What kind of person is she? Her mom almost died protecting her, and she just stands there, cold-faced and indifferent?” “Ma’ am, you should give up! This kind of heart can’t be warmed. Saving her is pointless…” The court officers tried to send my mom to the hospital, but she waved them off, struggling to her feet. “Are you refusing to speak because you’ re trying to protect someone?” My mom clutched me tightly. “The person who beat you… it wasn’t your dad, was it…?” A pang of pain shot through my heart. “Your dad lost his job this year and went back to our old village. I thought you’ d be safer with him looking after you. I never imagined he’ d hit you?” “N-no… it wasn’t…” “I’ ll go confront him!” My mom turned angrily, but the judge called out to her. “Eleanor Vance, who did you just mention?” My mom turned back, confused. “My husband, Arthur Vance! Jade’ s dad!” “But…” The judge frowned. “Mr. Vance passed away five and a half years ago…” “What?!” My mom looked as if she’ d been struck by lightning. “How can that be? I personally saw him off to work in the city just last month!” “Look at the photos of the four victims. Do you recognize them?” My mom shook her head blankly. “They were Jade Vance’ s high school homeroom teacher and dorm mates.” The judge suddenly understood. “I thought you just weren’t involved enough in your daughter’ s life to remember her teachers and classmates…” “Jade Vance’ s mom… could she have amnesia?” On the other side of the camera, netizens discussed my mom’ s anguished expression. “No wonder she kept talking about juvenile protection laws and her own negligence…” “So that’ s why she still thinks Jade is a child?” “What trauma did she suffer to lose her memory? It looks like what she forgot might be connected to Jade’ s murders!” The judge thought so too. He immediately ordered the police to summon witnesses to the stand. My mom had contacted my junior high teachers, intending to prove I was a good student. But now, she looked at their aged faces and fell into a panic. “How can this be?” My mom clutched her head, roaring helplessly. “Didn’t Jade just finish junior high? Didn’t her dad just go to work in the city?” But seeing her like that, I could do nothing but feel a crushing heartache. Things were spiraling out of control, so the judge decided to adjourn the court. It was also because the police had found a new lead. After my dad died, my mom had a boyfriend named Malik. That name sent a chill through my entire body. My mom, however, claimed she didn’t remember him. “This Malik was an orphan, with no family left.” The trial resumed the next day. The police publicly announced the new lead they’ d found. “According to our investigation, he came to the town of Sunnybrook five years ago for work and soon began a relationship with Eleanor Vance.” “Later, the two decided to move back to the village to open a general store, so they relocated to her old home.”

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The Echo in the Mirror: My Mother’s Escape My mom was a university student, sold into an isolated rural community to be a breeder. She always said her biggest regret was giving birth to me. When Grandma forced her to do heavy labor, only allowing her a bowl of thin gruel, she called me a curse. When her father-in-law groped her, she called me that little monster from the Miller family. When Dad, drunk, beat her black and blue, she’d ask me when I was going to die. “That year, I could have escaped. Why did you have to run out? Why did you call me ‘Mom’ and make me soft?” “I wish I never had you, my daughter!” She must have said that a thousand times. I never understood it. Until that day. I saw her young face in the mirror Mom cherished most. It was smudged and dusty, but free of wrinkles and scars. She asked, “Who are you? Can you save me? I was tricked into coming here!” That moment, I finally understood what “shackles” in books truly meant. I was Mom’s shackles, the chains that bound her to a life of misery. The next second, I spoke to my younger mom. “I’ll save you. This time, I’ll definitely get you out!”

Just as dawn broke, Grandma burst into the rundown shack and yanked Mom up. “You lazy, good-for-nothing hag! I paid so much for you, and you can’t even birth a son, and you’re useless around the house. What a jinx you are.” Her complaints made Mom tremble slightly. She wasn’t unable to conceive; she simply couldn’t anymore. I heard Dad had beaten Mom so savagely, he’d ruined her insides. Everyone was furious that day, except Mom. She was smiling, so genuinely happy. She’d said, “Finally, I don’t have to bear little beasts for these animals.” But ever since that day, she’d gone from being Dad’s plaything to Grandma’s workhorse. Just then, Dad, who hadn’t returned all night, stumbled back. Drunk, he lurched towards Mom, and before she could react, he slapped her hard across the face. “You worthless bitch! I paid for you, you’re *my* property, and you dare glare at me?” “You bring nothing but bad luck! It’s definitely because of you I lost all my money gambling. I’m going to kill you!” His fists and feet rained down on Mom. Mom’s pained cries were hoarse, like Grandpa sawing wood, cutting into my heart. I couldn’t help but rush over, sobbing, “Dad, please, stop hitting Mom!” The words had barely left my lips before Dad kicked me mercilessly, sending me flying. “Hmph, two little parasites. Someday I’m going to beat both of you to death.” He spat on the ground, burped, and staggered away. Grandma just rolled her eyes and shuffled off. “Honestly, he doesn’t know his own strength. Nobody’s going to work today.” I ignored the sharp pain in my stomach and crawled over to Mom. Her eyes were closed; Dad had knocked her unconscious again. I was so sad, and utterly helpless. I couldn’t get any medicine. They never gave Mom proper care, not unless she was on the verge of dying. In my despair, a glint of light caught my eye. I focused, seeing a small mirror lying on the ground. What was astonishing was that the mirror didn’t reflect me, but a girl. And she looked incredibly like Mom. “Little one! Can you hear me?! I’ve been kidnapped, please, can you call the police for me?” “My name is Annabelle Anderson, and I live at…” I froze, picked up the mirror, and hesitantly asked, “Sister, what year is it where you are?” “It’s 2005.” My eyes widened. “It’s 2020 here.” The other side fell silent too. My deepest suspicion was confirmed: I was talking to my mom in the past. My past mom was so beautiful, no wrinkles, no scars on her face. She was the prettiest girl I’d ever seen. No wonder Mom wanted to escape. Before she came here, she had another home, and her family there had cared for her so well. She had her own name, Annabelle Anderson. Unlike here, where I called her Mom. Dad called her “Hey!” and “Bitch,” Grandma called her “Hussy,” Grandpa called her “Slut.” No one knew her real name. Taking a deep breath, I said to the mirror, “Mom…” I stopped myself. I couldn’t let her know I was her daughter. This time, I absolutely couldn’t be her obstacle. Thinking quickly, I corrected myself, “I’m sorry, sister. I can’t find a way to call the police right now.” Disappointment flickered in her eyes. I added, “But I’ve heard about you. You’re the woman bought by the Miller family from the edge of town.” “I can help you. Help you escape.”

The next morning, Mom was in too much pain to get up. Before Grandma could speak, I ran out. “Grandma, I’ll do extra work today. Can Mom rest for a day?” “If Mom gets too tired, no one will help you with chores.” Grandma looked at Mom’s suffering face and grumbled, “Frank, honestly, why does he hit her so hard?” But she still compromised, dragging me off to the fields. After a moment of thought, I asked Grandma, “Grandma, how did you catch Mom the first time?” Grandma glared at me. “What are you prying about, kid?” I whispered, “If Mom tries to run away again, I can help you find her. I don’t want to lose you, Mom.” Hearing this, Grandma patted my head, pleased. “Good girl, that’s what I like to hear!” She lowered her guard around me and recounted, boastfully, “That hussy first ran away in the middle of the night…” Grandma told me that night, Mom, confused by the paths, ran in the wrong direction and ended up circling back to the village. Old Man Henderson, who was up early for work, saw her and brought her back. Grandma laughed at how foolish Mom was, but I felt a chill run down my spine. How desperate Mom must have been then, thinking freedom was within reach, only to find herself right back in the lion’s den. I fought back tears, forcing a smile. “Grandma, if there’s a fork in the path, which way leads back to the village entrance?” “Of course, it’s the path to the right, where the old well is.” I nodded. “Okay. If Mom runs away next time, I’ll trick her into thinking the right path leads to freedom.” Later that night, I took out the mirror and told Mom, “I found out you were caught because you ran in the wrong direction.” “Sister, when you get to the back hill, and you see a fork in the path, whatever you do, *do not* go right. Remember, the right path with the abandoned well—don’t take it!” Mom on the other side of the mirror nodded solemnly. After just one day, her face was already swollen, blood staining the corner of her mouth. My heart ached as I gently touched the mirror’s surface. “Sister, you have to escape!” Escape, forget me, and find your own family. The next morning, I opened my eyes. And saw Mom’s rough, sickly yellow face, still covered in fresh bruises. I sat up with a start. Why… Why was Mom still here? Why hadn’t I disappeared? My hands trembled as I reached out to touch her cheek. The next second, Mom opened her eyes. “What are you doing?” she asked coldly. My voice shaky, I replied, “Nothing… nothing, Mom. I just wanted to touch you.” “Hoping I was dead, weren’t you? Too bad for you, I’m still alive, still here to make your life miserable.” Mom painfully propped herself up, her voice laced with sarcasm. As she moved, I saw a new scar on her arm. It was long, like a twisted earthworm writhing on it. My pupils contracted sharply, tears streaming uncontrollably. Mom failed to escape… And was beaten again. Mom’s gaze followed mine to the scar, and she shivered, as if recalling a painful memory. The next second, she slapped me hard. “What are you crying about? Playing the dutiful child now? Trying to make me feel more sorry for you? More attached?” “If you knew how much hell I live in here, you never would have run out and called for me that day!” “What good is acting all sympathetic now? It’s too late. Everything’s too late!” I covered my stinging face, feeling a wave of injustice. That day, I hadn’t known she wanted to escape. I only knew I’d stolen a plate of roast chicken, wanting to give it to her. My good intentions backfired, and I only caused her more harm. “I’m sorry,” I choked out. She turned her head, annoyed. “Stop pretending!” The atmosphere fell silent, only the buzzing of mosquitoes filled the air. After a long while, I cautiously asked, “Mom, how did you get caught the second time you ran away?” Her gaze drifted through the narrow wooden slats towards the sky, and surprisingly, she answered me. “The second time I ran? The second time… was when I was forced to marry that animal, Frank Miller.” “I took advantage of them drinking outside, gnawed through my ropes in the room, then climbed out the window and ran.” “I ran and ran, until I finally saw a road. On the road, I saw a stranger, and I thought I was saved. I rushed over and begged him.” “I told him I’d been kidnapped. Please save me, take me to the police. I’ll give you any money you want.” Mom’s voice caught, as if a savior truly stood before her. “That man was so kind. He said, ‘Don’t worry, young lady, I’ll take you to the police right away.’ So he led me through winding paths, walking for a long time.” She paused, and my breath hitched. Then, Mom’s tears flowed again. “But then! That two-faced monster tricked me right back to the Miller house! He laughed and said he was Frank Miller’s uncle, here for his nephew’s wedding, and I was the ‘grand gift’ he delivered to his own nephew!” My face stiffened, my hands trembling uncontrollably. Yes. Mom was right. The Millers, they were all animals.

Late that night, I took out the mirror again. Mom’s face, streaked with blood and dirt, appeared before me. I could barely make out her features. “Little one, I failed… they still tracked me down by my footprints…” “I was too naive and too desperate, I didn’t think of that.” She mocked herself, weakly. My heart ached, and I murmured, “It’s okay, sister. We still have a chance.” She caught her breath, then asked with a flicker of hope, “Tell me.” I immediately recounted everything I’d heard that day. At the end, I emphasized, “Sister, don’t trust anyone.” Mom nodded gravely. “Okay, I won’t trust anyone.” After our talk, I watched my sleeping mom beside me. I still couldn’t relax. My wish used to be to stay with Mom forever. Now, I wished Mom could just disappear. How wonderful that would be. Ten days later, it was the day of my parents’ wedding, fifteen years ago. Late that night, I secretly crept out of the rundown shack. The image in the mirror swayed. Mom, dressed in red, ran without stopping. Then she paused. After a long time, she whispered, “The man is gone.” I breathed a sigh of relief. “Then hurry and follow the main road! You’ll definitely get out.” “Okay!” She nodded with determination. The night deepened, and my head grew heavier. The fatigue from working all day swept over me like a tide. “You’re that liar!” Suddenly, Mom’s terrified scream jolted me awake. Followed by the sound of her frantic footsteps. “Sister! What happened?!” I cried out. “I… I met a car on the main road. The person inside was the one who kidnapped me and brought me here!” As her words ended, she let out a piercing scream. The next instant, the mirror reflected my own pale face. “Sister! Sister!” I called out anxiously. The mirror remained unresponsive. My legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the ground. “Who are you talking to?” Mom’s cold voice reached my ears. I stiffly turned my head, my pupils instantly constricting. Mom’s leg was crippled… “Mom… your leg…” My words seemed to hit a nerve. The next second, she raised her crutch and slammed it down on me. “Don’t you dare remind me! Yes, my leg is crippled! Your wonderful father did this to me!” I hadn’t saved Mom. Instead, I’d caused her to lose a leg. Tears streamed down my face. I crawled on the ground, frantically punching my own leg. “I’m sorry! I wish it was my leg that was crippled! I’m useless! Why, why can’t I just get you out of here?!” My actions seemed to douse Mom’s fury. She dragged her heavy leg towards me, slowly crouching down. “Stop hitting yourself. You won’t cripple it that way. You don’t need to act.” I looked up, my face smeared with snot and tears, meeting Mom’s eyes. “Mom, I’m not acting. I *will* save you! Please believe me!” Her eyes widened, their dull, listless gaze seeming to clear. After a very long time, she wiped away my tears with her hand and sighed. “You little monster, when you grow up, when you have the ability to leave these treacherous mountains, then come and take me out.” No, Mom, I’ll take you out soon! I murmured to myself. For the next few days, I spent my days exploring the village vicinity, memorizing the terrain. At night, I’d convey the details to my past mom through the mirror. What panicked both of us was that our chances to speak through the mirror grew fewer and fewer.

Sometimes our voices would break up. Sometimes we could only speak for ten minutes. Mom’s expression grew grave. “Little one, have you seen Cinderella? If this mirror has magic, then this situation feels like the magic is fading.” I looked blank, shaking my head. “Sister, I haven’t read that book you mentioned. I only went to school for two years before I was pulled out to work.” Mom’s face softened with pity. “It’s okay. When I escape, I’ll send you lots of books, and we can read them together!” My heart ached. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t see the books Mom sent, nor would I wait for her to teach me to read. Swallowing my tears of reluctance, I forced a smile and nodded. “Okay, Sister. You’ll definitely escape!” Three days later, while searching for routes, I encountered an important person. It was a man with a nice backpack. I feigned curiosity and asked him, “Mister, I’ve never seen you before. Are you from another village?” The man chuckled. He pointed ahead and explained, “I’m a staff member at the weather station, heading to relieve my colleague.” “A weather station? I’ve never heard of that. Does our village have one? Has it been there for many years?” I asked, pretending to be curious. The man was amused by my childish questions and patiently explained, “It’s a weather station, not a convenience store. It was built thirty or forty years ago, and it’s quite far from your village. I still have to climb for another half hour to get there.” “Is it just by climbing along this road that I’ll get there?” I asked. The man nodded. “That’s right.” Then he seemed to remember something and gently added, “Little one, don’t bring your friends up here. The mountain path is dangerous, and the staff at the station are working, very busy.” I nodded obediently and waved to him. “I understand! Be careful on your way! I’m heading home now.” On my run back, my heart thumped like a wild rabbit. Fifteen years ago, the weather station was already there. This man wasn’t from the village; he was very likely from a big city. He was patient, polite, a good man. I weighed these thoughts in my mind as I flew down the mountain. Because I’d been lazy with farm work, Grandma beat me. This time, I didn’t cry. Instead, I kept smiling foolishly. Grandma was startled. She threw down her bamboo stick and rubbed her hands. “That kid, is she touched in the head?” I ignored her, unable to feel the pain. Instead, I happily scurried back into the rundown shack. That night, I secretly drew the route map on the dirt floor and showed it to Mom in the mirror. “A weather station? Little one, you’re so clever! How did I not think of that? These government sites must have people!” Mom exclaimed excitedly. I sniffled, grinning. “Hehe, I just happened to run into that man by chance.” “I’ll leave tonight. These past few days, I’ve been playing them, making them drop their guard. Now is my chance to escape.” “Can you tell me your name? When I escape, I’ll definitely come back for you!” My heart pounded. I suppressed a sob and replied, “Sister, my name is Hope Anderson.” Hope, for Mom to escape. “Oh, we both have the same last name, Anderson. What a coincidence!” Mom said, surprised. Yes, of course it’s a coincidence. Being your daughter is the greatest blessing of my life. I didn’t say that out loud. I just waved to her. “Okay, then hurry and go. I’ll guide you if you get lost.” I held my breath, watching Mom carefully climb out the window. Then came her soft gasps, like sticks tapping against my heart. “Go right here. After you see the red house built with red bricks, turn left.” I whispered the directions. She nodded at me. I watched her run along the correct route, quickly heading up the mountain. That moment, I breathed a sigh of relief. Just keep climbing, and she’d reach the weather station. Listening to the crunch of leaves underfoot, my heart slowly settled. Suddenly, a shout came from the mirror, “Hey! What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?!” My heart instantly skipped a beat. The next second, the mirror shattered.

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Just three months into our marriage, my husband’s sister-in-law, Valentina, was suddenly diagnosed with kidney failure. After a month of treatment with no improvement, his older brother, Trent, actually ran off with his mistress. Just as I was wondering how to comfort Valentina, Marcus Miller handed me a kidney donation agreement. “Stella, our family has truly wronged Valentina. As my wife, as a part of *our* family, you should donate your kidney to Valentina.” I stared at the agreement, shocked, and eventually pushed it back. “Marcus, you know I’ve already had a third of my stomach removed, and my health isn’t great. Losing another kidney would seriously impact my lifespan.” Marcus stared back, insistent. “It’s just one kidney, right? You’ll recover.” “Don’t worry, after the surgery, I’ll take good care of you and make sure you get healthy and strong again.” Seeing Marcus’s desperate plea, I finally nodded, swayed by his tears. The surgery went smoothly, and a month later, I was discharged. As soon as I got home and sat down, Marcus pulled out another agreement. “Honey, since we’re helping, let’s help all the way. Trent isn’t around now, so I’ve decided to have a child with Valentina as soon as possible, to give her a reason to live.” “Sign this husband-sharing agreement.” It felt like a lightning bolt had struck. I stared at the agreement, utterly stunned. “Effective today, I voluntarily cede my husband, Marcus Miller, to Valentina Sanchez. For three years, I shall not engage in any intimate acts with Marcus Miller. Violators shall suffer a horrible death and burn in hell.” *Slam!* I threw the agreement at his face, a sharp pain ripping through my chest. “Marcus Miller, I already gave her my kidney! Now you want to ‘loan’ yourself to her to have a child?” “What did you promise me back then? Is this your idea of ‘taking good care of me’? Don’t you feel any shame?” Marcus looked conflicted. “It says three years, but it’ll be two at most. I’ll get Valentina pregnant as quickly as possible.” “Valentina is worried about a relapse and not having children later, so…” Marcus walked over and gently embraced me. “Stella, think about it. Valentina Sanchez is from one of the most powerful families in the country, brilliant and stunningly beautiful. And her connections to the nation’s elite families are unparalleled. Given your current health…” I looked at Marcus, his face filled with longing, and a bitter ache rose in my heart. Who begged me to donate my kidney? And who did I ruin my health for in the first place? How could he forget all that in just a month? Tears streamed down my face. Through my tears, I said firmly, “Marcus Miller, what if I absolutely refuse?” Before Marcus could answer, Joyce, his mom, picked up a coffee mug and, with a *smash*, hurled it at my face. “You’re just a wife! When do *you* get to make decisions for *our* family? If you don’t agree, then get out! Go back to your pathetic apartment. Without the Millers, you’re *nothing*.” Relatives who had come to visit me quickly stood up, trying to mediate. “Alright, alright, Joyce, let’s talk this through calmly. Stella just got out of the hospital, no need for physical force!” “Stella, you too. Apologize to your mother-in-law. Marcus is doing this for the Miller family. Valentina can be ruthless when she’s upset, you need to think about the bigger picture.” “Exactly! He’s a man; he can’t let emotions cloud his judgment. It’s just two years, it’ll fly by. And you’ll have a child, at least in name.” I coldly watched the Miller relatives trying to persuade me. Now I finally understood why Trent had fled when things went wrong. Clearly, this family’s selfishness and coldness run deep, passed down through generations. Suppressing the sorrow in my heart, I persisted, looking at Marcus. “Marcus Miller, between Valentina and me, if you had to choose one, who would it be?” A flicker of guilt crossed Marcus’s face, then he looked at me earnestly. “Stella, we weathered eight years of storms together, building Miller Holdings from the ground up. I thought you’d understand. Having this child is crucial to solidify the alliance between our families. There’s no choice to be made.” I laughed bitterly. So, I was supposed to understand my husband’s infidelity, even support him in having a child with his sister-in-law? I stood up, slowly tearing the agreement into shreds, and scattered them into the air. “Marcus Miller, I could agree to IVF and surrogacy. That’s my absolute biggest compromise.” He looked at me, annoyance and frustration flickering in his eyes. “Stella Hayes, the child *must* be born to secure our family’s alliance. I’m *informing* you, not asking for your opinion.” I clenched my fists, finally utterly disillusioned. “Marcus Miller, let’s get a divorce.” The living room fell silent. All the relatives stared at me, dumbfounded that *I*, the supposedly meek little wife, had dared to suggest divorce. Marcus stared at me for a long time, then his voice turned hoarse, and he stopped arguing. He stood up and ushered all the relatives out. As he reached the door, he turned back to me. “Stella, I know you can’t accept this. It’s okay. You… you love me so much, just try to think about me a little more.” I sat up all night, then dialed that mysterious number. “You said you owed me a favor, didn’t you? I’m calling it in now.” “Alright, name it. I’ll make it happen.” 2 The next day, when I woke up, Marcus had already packed his suitcase. “Valentina is going to the States for a project. She just had surgery, so I’m going with her to look after her. You can keep an eye on things at Miller Holdings.” With that, he picked up his suitcase and strode out the door. He didn’t ask a single question about my health, nor did he offer any explanation for yesterday. It was as if everything was already decided. I rose indifferently, washed up, and went to the company. When the private investigator sent me the information, my hands trembled as I nervously clicked to open it. Marcus accompanied Valentina for a follow-up check-up in the States. Her indicators were normal, and Marcus happily posted about it on SnapChat. The caption read: “A new life, hand in hand with you.” Marcus accompanied Valentina to the project’s groundbreaking ceremony. They looked like a couple, arm in arm, chatting with guests. They even went to the Eiffel Tower, where they carved their initials side-by-side. He must have posted a hundred videos a day, flaunting his happiness with Valentina. Every caption was utterly ambiguous: “Happiness By Your Side,” “Fate Brought Us Together Again.” If one of the protagonists hadn’t been my husband, I might have even complimented them on being a perfect match. But that smiling face, tightly embracing her arm, stung my eyes. Looking at the endless stream of SnapChat posts, I still angrily commented under one, “If you want happiness, get a divorce first.” Almost instantly, the comment was deleted. Then came a sixty-second voice message from Marcus. “What are you commenting on my posts for? As a Vice President of Miller Holdings, can’t you think before you speak? My reputation *is* the company’s reputation. Are you only happy when you’ve ruined Miller Holdings?” Despite having completely given up hope these past few days, hearing his angry accusations, my eyes still welled up, and tears fell without me realizing it. My colleagues at work looked at me with complex emotions in their eyes. I didn’t know if it was pity or disdain. Disdain for me, the ‘little wife,’ who was willing to be a fool for money. I couldn’t understand how a person could change so much. Eight years ago, Miller Holdings was on the brink of bankruptcy, its funds completely depleted. It was I who gave up my excellent job and resolutely joined the Miller family business. I accompanied Marcus, persuading clients one by one, bringing back old customers. I camped out at the bank manager’s office for ten days straight, barely sleeping, guaranteeing the loan with my entire future. I even drank myself into a stomach hemorrhage just to secure deals, leading to a third of my stomach being removed. That day, Marcus held me, tears streaming down his face, and said, “Stella, you’ve suffered so much.” “For the rest of my life, I’ll never betray you. If I ever have a moment of disloyalty, may I be cursed by all and suffer a horrible end.” At that time, Joyce also gratefully took my hand, her eyes red, and said, “Child, you are our family’s savior. From now on, you’ll be the head of Miller Holdings. It’s yours.” Just a few years after Miller Holdings stabilized and moved into the mid-tier, Joyce’s gaze shifted. It was filled with arrogance and contempt. Especially after Trent married into the wealthy Sanchez family, Joyce completely dropped her act. She openly declared I’d married above my station, claiming that if I hadn’t ‘entangled’ him, her second son could have married a genuine heiress, even an heir to one of the most powerful families. She conveniently forgot that without my desperate, do-or-die efforts to save Miller Holdings, they’d still be scrambling for pennies. After the company’s assets were cleared, Marcus returned with Valentina. When he returned, he found me sitting by the window, drinking alone, looking defeated and lost. He put down his suitcase and walked over, frowning as he pushed open the window. He said, displeased, “Your health isn’t good, why are you drinking? You’re an adult. Why are you still so reckless and childish?” A look of triumph crossed his face, but his words landed on my heart like a thunderclap. “Valentina is pregnant. I probably won’t be coming back here. I’m moving in to take care of her.” 3 I stared at Marcus in shock. A month away and she’s pregnant? How desperate was he? Without a moment’s hesitation. In that moment, my heart surprisingly calmed down. The next steps I had to take were now free of any guilt. I smiled faintly. “Alright, I understand.” I picked up my clothes and walked to the bathroom. It was time to clean myself up, to truly wake up. I’d let myself become a wreck for a scumbag. When I came out, Marcus was gone. On my phone was a message he’d sent five minutes ago. “It’s Sanchez Industries’ anniversary these next couple of days. I’m going to help out. Make sure you’re there this Friday.” “Don’t say anything out of turn when you get there. For now, the child is publicly Trent’s. We’ll formally announce its true parentage when the time is right.” I calmly read the message. He had even considered the child’s reputation. The only thing he hadn’t considered was my reputation and dignity when that day came. I indifferently deleted the message and called Mr. Hayes, my lawyer. “How much of the assets have been transferred?” “Ms. Hayes, it’s 70% now. Transferring everything at once might be tricky; it’ll take time.” “Alright, no rush for these next two days. Keep transferring.” On Friday, I arrived at Moonlight Manor on time. Marcus, dressed in a custom-tailored dark patterned suit, stood with Valentina at the manor entrance, greeting guests. Anyone who didn’t know would think it was his wedding day. I calmly walked over and greeted them. Marcus merely said, politely and distantly, “Go inside and sit down.” He had truly adopted the air of a host. As I walked in, several partners approached me. “Ms. Hayes, congratulations! We hear Ms. Sanchez is expecting!” “Ms. Hayes, why aren’t you helping Ms. Sanchez greet guests? She’s pregnant. Why is Mr. Miller running around looking after her?” I smiled faintly. “Oh, he just loves to help out.” The others looked at Marcus, who was still arm-in-arm with Valentina, exchanged glances, and chuckled, trying to mask their awkwardness. Soon, all the guests had arrived. Valentina stepped onto the stage to give her speech, and her male companion was, conspicuously, Marcus. The spotlights shone on them, and Marcus’s face was flushed with excitement. “Friends, colleagues, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to join Sanchez Industries’ anniversary celebration.” “On behalf of Sanchez Industries, I welcome all of you.” Scattered applause broke out, but more people whispered among themselves. “Isn’t that Mr. Miller from Miller Holdings? Why is he representing Sanchez Industries?” “You haven’t heard? Miller Holdings will soon be under the Sanchez name. Haven’t you seen the posts on SnapChat?” All eyes shifted between me and Marcus and Valentina, filled with confusion, disdain, and pity. Before anyone could react, Marcus dropped another bombshell. “Today, I officially announce that Miller Holdings will merge under Sanchez Industries, and all decision-making power will be given to CEO Valentina Sanchez.” The hall fell silent. Everyone stared, mouths agape, at me and then at the stage. Everyone knew that while the company was called Miller Holdings, I was the one who had actually managed and toiled over it all these years. If Miller Holdings merged with Sanchez Industries, what would become of me, the ‘little wife’ of the Miller family? Marcus strode off the stage and quickly came to my side, whispering in my ear. “You go up there and say a few words. Just tell everyone to continue cooperating with Sanchez Industries, support them, and say you approve of this merger.” I smiled indifferently. “And what about me? How do you plan to arrange my position?” Marcus frowned, contemplating for two seconds, then quickly said, “You should go home and rest for now. Valentina is very sensitive about these things, and seeing you around might upset her. Plus, if you’re in the company, people will talk.” I let out a cold laugh. Although I had reached the depths of disappointment, I was still shocked by Marcus’s shamelessness. Not only had he shamelessly cheated on me, but he was now trying to blame *me* for it. Looking at all the eyes on me, I smiled faintly. “Marcus, you’ve made excellent arrangements. I truly do need to rest.” Hearing me say this, a satisfied smile appeared on Marcus’s face. But I had already confidently stepped onto the stage. “Distinguished guests, friends, colleagues, welcome to Sanchez Industries’ anniversary celebration. Today, I officially announce that I, Stella Hayes, am hereby resigning from all positions at Miller Holdings, effective immediately.” “All future matters will no longer concern me. You can discuss them with Mr. Miller.” With that, I bowed deeply, dropped the microphone, and strode out. The hall instantly erupted, discussions breaking out everywhere. “How could someone as capable as Ms. Hayes just walk away?” “Exactly! We all witnessed how Ms. Hayes put Miller Holdings back on track. Without her, Miller Holdings wouldn’t be where it is today.” Below, discussions buzzed. Marcus immediately grabbed the microphone and loudly declared, “Today, in front of all our colleagues, I officially transfer Miller Holdings to Ms. Sanchez’s name.” With a wave of his hand, a lawyer came up, holding the Miller Holdings equity transfer documents. Valentina’s expression was unreadable. She simply instructed her lawyer and financial team to begin their review. Moments later, the lawyer hurried over, his expression grave. “Ms. Sanchez, Miller Holdings currently has no money in its accounts. Furthermore, there’s 180 million in outstanding payments for goods and employee salaries that need to be settled.” “In other words, if we take over Miller Holdings, not only will we not make money, but we’ll also have to *pay* 180 million.”

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In my first life, I, Lyra, was the Dragon Crown Princess. Yet, I fell in love with a common black snake, Dorian. I willingly gave him my precious dragon scales-a piece of my very essence-so he could fully transform into a dragon. But the moment he transformed, he plunged a sword into my heart. Then, he turned and knelt before my sister, pledging his allegiance to her. It was then I realized Dorian had always been my sister Celeste’s puppet. “Sister,” Celeste had said, “You have no ambition. You care more for love than power. What future could the Dragonkin have in your hands?” “The throne belongs to the strong!” If only you had told me you wanted the position earlier, I would have gladly handed it to you. Why did it have to cost me my life? Consumed by rage, I drew my last breath. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I first met Dorian. This time, I shoved Dorian directly into Celeste’s arms and immediately named her the new Dragon Crown Princess. Ditching that burdensome duty, I chose a low-ranking white snake, named Kian. But he was by far the most stunning in his human form. I brought him back to my chambers. Every day, I indulged in beauty and savored fine wines. Celeste ruled well. The Dragonkin prospered. But when the Archdemons came to slaughter our kind, and I fought until my strength was gone, Kian suddenly unleashed an immense power, transforming on the spot into a majestic Golden-scaled Divine Dragon. His power shook the very foundations of the heavens. …

“There are many exceptional young talents among our Dragonkin.” King Theron’s voice, thick with authority, boomed in my ears. I looked up to see Father pointing behind me, his tone grave. “So, Lyra, are you truly going to forsake your own kind for this mere black snake as your consort?” I followed Father’s gaze and turned, meeting a pair of cold, indifferent eyes. A shiver ran through me. The agonizing pain of Dorian’s sword piercing my chest in my previous life washed over me. In a split second, I shoved Dorian directly into Celeste’s arms. “Father, this black snake, Dorian, is dignified and composed. He’s exactly Celeste’s type. I was choosing him for her.” My actions, so completely different from my past life, stunned both Celeste and Dorian. After the initial shock, Celeste’s face twisted into utter bewilderment. My heart sank. Celeste must have been reborn too! I remembered the sorrow and resentment in Celeste’s eyes when she killed me in my past life. Though anger still simmered within me, it was largely overshadowed by a profound sense of melancholy. Mother had passed away early, and we sisters had supported each other through childhood. If only she had told me earlier that she coveted the title of Crown Princess, I would have gladly handed it over. Why would it ever have come to sisters betraying each other so cruelly? I swallowed down the bitter lump in my throat and unclasped the dragon-crested pendant from my waist, the symbol of the Crown Princess, pressing it into Celeste’s hand. “My powers are… adequate, my spirit is free, and I loathe being bound by rules.” “Celeste, with her sharp mind and unyielding spirit, is far more capable than me of shouldering the future of the Dragonkin.” “Today, I, Lyra, willingly relinquish my title as Crown Princess. From this moment on, Celeste shall be the future ruler of the Dragonkin!”

I was speaking the truth. My designation as Crown Princess was merely due to being the elder. Ever since I became Crown Princess, I was not only forced to cultivate diligently but also had to follow Father, learning to manage tribal affairs. I never had a moment’s peace. Life was utterly miserable. Celeste, on the other hand, with no one to push her, still devoted herself to cultivation and study all day long. I once lamented that Celeste didn’t know how to enjoy life. Reborn, if she wanted it, I would grant her wish. The two esteemed elders of the Dragonkin exchanged glances, then quickly bowed to Celeste, proclaiming “Long live the Crown Princess!” As if fearing I would change my mind. It seemed my struggles as Crown Princess were as painful for them to watch as they were for me to endure. Father, however, roared, “Nonsense!” “Lyra, you are the elder sister. Protecting the Dragonkin is your responsibility! How can you push it onto your sister, Celeste?” “Besides, Celeste is devoted to her cultivation; she has no interest in becoming Crown Princess of the Dragonkin.” Celeste, without a word, fastened the dragon-crested necklace around her neck, then bowed solemnly to Father. “No, Father. I want to be Crown Princess of the Dragonkin.” “I cultivate diligently every day precisely to protect our people.” Hearing Celeste’s words, the elders all looked relieved, but Father’s face grew even colder. “There’s an order to succession! The Crown Princess must be Lyra!” I couldn’t help but frown. Father had always doted on Celeste. Now that I was voluntarily abdicating, he should have been pleased. Celeste showed no surprise, her expression abnormally calm. She asked in a low voice, “Sister is willing to step down. I am capable of holding the position of Crown Princess.” “The clan elders also approve. Why do you repeatedly object, Father?” I noticed that her eyes held none of the childlike reverence she once had for Father. The two elders were utterly baffled, and the surrounding Dragonkin began to whisper. They didn’t understand why Father was so adamant against Celeste becoming Crown Princess. I was very curious myself. Father softened his expression. “To become Crown Princess, one must choose a soul-bonded consort to cultivate the Draconic Divinity Arts.” “Celeste, the black snake Lyra carelessly pushed to you is too lowly. He is far beneath you.” “How about this: the matter of the Crown Princess will be postponed for now. We can discuss it again after I find suitable consorts for both of you.” Dorian, who had been silently standing behind Celeste, serving as a mere backdrop, suddenly changed expression. He looked at Celeste anxiously, his eyes filled with unconcealed affection. So Dorian was already in love with Celeste at this point. No wonder he was so cold towards me. In my past life, I was trapped in the position of Crown Princess, already living a stifled existence, and still forced by Father to find a soul-bonded consort. I couldn’t help but feel a rebellious urge.

Father looked down on Dorian, so I insisted on him. The more Father loathed Dorian, the more I used every means to make Dorian happy. I even gifted Dorian the Dragonkin’s most vital dragon scales right in front of Father. When Father stormed off in a huff, I felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction. Thinking back, I didn’t truly harbor much affection for Dorian. Just as I was lost in thought, Celeste took Dorian’s hand. “Father, Dorian is my fated companion, destined to be soul-bonded with me.” Celeste and Dorian cut their palms, and threads of blood wove into a glowing Fateseal, gradually appearing between them. The two elders were ecstatic. “Princess Celeste’s and the black snake Dorian’s Fateseals are perfectly aligned!” “When they cultivate the Draconic Divinity Arts together, their progress will advance by leaps and bounds!” From that moment, all the Dragonkin present supported Celeste as the Crown Princess. Father, left with no grounds for objection, stood there with a gloomy expression, silent. Celeste glanced at me with an unreadable expression, then firmly declared. “Father, rest assured. Should the Dragonkin ever face crisis, I will fight with all my might.” “Anything Sister can do, I can do too!” My suspicion deepened. Celeste’s tone suggested as if such a crisis for the Dragonkin were an actual possibility. But who in this world dared to provoke the Dragonkin? However, the most important thing right now was to shed this burdensome Crown Princess title. “Celeste has chosen her consort, now it’s my turn to pick.” I scanned the gathering, then languidly gestured towards a corner on the right. “He looks good. Handsome, just my type.” I was pointing to a man in white robes, with a striking face, fair skin, and perfectly sculpted lips. Much more handsome than Dorian. Father’s face grew even uglier. “A mere white snake, barely transformed, he’s even worse than your sister’s black snake.” I replied languidly, “As long as he’s good-looking.” I used my magic to summon him directly before me, took his hand, and led him back to my palace. With the heavy burden of Crown Princess lifted, I completely let loose. Each day, I listened to new songs from the human world, savored fine wines and exquisite foods, and enjoyed the ministrations of my white snake. Kian, the white snake, was handsome and gentle in nature. My days were spent indulging in beauty and fine wines, living a life of utter freedom and pleasure. Meanwhile, Celeste, after becoming Crown Princess of the Dragonkin, cultivated the Draconic Divinity Arts with Dorian. In just half a month, she became the strongest among the younger generation of Dragonkin. Dorian also successfully transformed into a dragon. The entire Dragon Palace was filled with joy. The two elders specifically sought me out, commending my sensibility for letting Celeste become Crown Princess. Before leaving, they also advised me not to fall into despair, but to continue cultivating. At the very least, I should ensure Kian transformed into a dragon. After all, Dragons live for millennia, but a mere snake-shifter only for a few centuries. I leaned back languidly, asking Kian, “Do you want to transform into a dragon? If so, I’ll have some potent elixirs sent over tomorrow to aid your cultivation.” Cultivating diligently myself was out of the question. If he wanted to transform, I’d simply provide him with elixirs to achieve it. Kian looked at me with a soft smile. “As I am now is perfectly fine.” Just then, the palace doors burst open. Mara, Celeste’s maid, her face pale, stumbled in. “Princess Lyra, the Crown Princess was ambushed by Archdemons while patrolling the border and is gravely wounded!” “Before she lost consciousness, she kept calling your name.” Clang! The wine cup in my hand dropped, spilling its contents across the floor.

My breath hitched. “Take me to her.” I thought the bond between my sister and me had long since shattered. Yet, hearing she was gravely wounded, the ache and worry in my heart were no less than in my past life. The maid led the way, with Kian and I following behind her. But after walking for a while, I noticed we were veering further and further off course. I realized something was wrong. “Where are you taking me?” The maid respectfully replied, “To meet the Crown Princess, of course.” I narrowed my eyes slightly. “Is that so?” The next moment, I decisively struck, summoning my sword and thrusting it directly at the maid. Just as my sword was about to pierce her body, a sinister black mist erupted from her, blasting my sword away. When the black mist dissipated, the maid was gone, replaced by a dark-robed figure wreathed in menacing dark energy. I was utterly shocked. It was Archdemon Malakor himself! A century ago, he had infiltrated the Dragonkin. My mother had perished by his hand, protecting Celeste and me. My heart seethed with hatred, but I also understood the gravity of the situation. I shoved Kian. “I’m no match for him. Even with all my strength, I can only hold him off for half a minute.” “Run! Go warn Father and Celeste!” With that, I launched my attack at Archdemon Malakor. He met my assault with a cold sneer. “Today, I will surely take you back to the Archdemon realm and destroy that thing inside you!” I fought with everything I had, but alas, my body was weak, and my powers were woefully insufficient. I was defeated in just a few moves. Archdemon Malakor struck me with a powerful blow to the chest, sending me crashing to the ground, barely clinging to life. I turned my head and saw Kian still standing rooted to the spot, staring intently at Archdemon Malakor. I was so furious I nearly coughed up blood. The next moment, Archdemon Malakor’s sinister gaze locked onto me, and a colossal hand formed of dark energy reached directly for my throat. It seemed I wouldn’t escape death today. “Stop!” With a furious roar, King Theron appeared with his guards, surrounding Archdemon Malakor. Archdemon Malakor surveyed them, completely unfazed. “King Theron, you are no match for me.” “However, I only came to the Dragonkin today for Lyra.” “If you hand her over to me, I promise the Archdemons will not invade the Dragonkin for a thousand years.” “Lyra is a useless pawn; trading her for a thousand years of peace for the Dragonkin is a very worthwhile deal.” Father’s gaze was heavy, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. I knew Father was swayed by the Archdemon’s offer; he wanted to sacrifice me for a thousand years of peace for the Dragonkin. A wave of desolation washed over my heart. Archdemon Malakor sneered, his form shifting, and in an instant, he was before me, reaching for my collar. Suddenly, Kian, the white snake, shot into the air. The next moment, dazzling golden light erupted, and dragon might pulsed through the air-a Golden-scaled Divine Dragon had appeared! “How dare you insult my master!”

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After three years of marriage, I still wasn’t pregnant. My mother-in-law, Martha Thorne, whispered to my husband Ryan behind my back. “Evelyn Hayes definitely can’t have kids. What good is a woman who can’t give you a child? Divorce her now!” But Ryan always stood firm. “Mom, I’m telling you again, Evelyn and I are happy. Even if we can’t have our own children, we can always adopt. If you say one more word about this, I’ll send you away, far from here!” Ryan’s words warmed my heart. When Martha kept pushing, Ryan finally pulled out a medical report showing he was the infertile one. Confronted with the evidence, Martha apologized to me, but Ryan still sent her away. I knew there was nothing wrong with Ryan. When I asked him why he’d lied, he simply said, “Loving you means accepting everything about you.” He added that he really loved children and perhaps we could adopt. I agreed. Years later, I had raised our adopted son into a celebrated child actor. Then a woman appeared at our door,claiming to be his birth mother. Before I could even speak, Ryan immediately announced to everyone, “Since his birth mother has come forward, we should give him back.” He turned to me, waiting for my refusal. The world knew I loved that boy more than my own life. But if I refused, I would become a “child-stealing villain” and be destroyed by the public outrage. So, I smiled and said, “No problem. He’s yours.”

Even before we got married, Martha always hinted that I was too fragile to have children. Yet, she was always incredibly kind to me. Every day, she’d prepare nutritious, delicious meals and deliver them to my office. The best part? They actually tasted amazing. Martha even told me to eat as much as I wanted, promising I wouldn’t gain weight. Honestly, back then, Martha truly felt like the mother I never had. I actually met her first. She’d been hit by a car, and I took her to the hospital, covering her medical bills. She clutched my hand and insisted, “Don’t worry, I won’t try to scam you. My son will be here soon and he’ll pay you back.” Later, her son arrived. Canvas shoes, jeans paired with a white shirt, neat short hair – he radiated sunshine. I’ m a total sucker for good looks, and I was immediately smitten. So I often visited Martha, hoping to spend more time with him. But Martha warned me that our financial backgrounds were worlds apart and urged me to reconsider carefully. Ryan himself confessed that he liked me a lot but didn’t dare to pursue it because our family statuses were too different. Still, I fell head-over-heels for him, without a second thought. He was sunny, positive, and then so sophisticated and intelligent with his glasses on at work. He met every single one of my criteria for a partner. We eventually got married, and Martha moved in with us. I grew up without a mother, and Martha truly showered me with maternal love. I spent more time with her every day after coming home than I did with my own husband. But I never imagined I’ d overhear her in the study doorway, telling Ryan, “Evelyn Hayes definitely can’t have kids. What good is a woman who can’ t give you a child? Divorce her now!” The moment I heard those words, tears streamed down my face. Because for three years, I had truly thought of her as my mother. And from what I knew of her, she wasn’t a rigid or old-fashioned person. So why, just because we didn’t have children, was she pushing Ryan to divorce me? “Mom, I’m telling you again, Evelyn and I have a great relationship. Even if we can’t have kids, we can always adopt. If you say something like that one more time, I’ll send you away, far from here!” Ryan’ s frustrated voice echoed. My heavy heart finally began to settle a little. I didn’t dare to listen any further, even trying to reassure myself that Martha just wanted a grandchild too badly, that she was still a good person, and I should just try harder to have children. But the next morning, as I was eating breakfast, Martha suddenly sat down opposite me. She slammed her bowl onto the dining table with excessive force, then spoke in a harsh, biting tone, “My Ryan is supposed to carry on the Thorne family name! You can’ t have kids, so stop monopolizing him. Divorce him already! We’ll make you leave with absolutely nothing, we won’t ask for a dime from you!”

As she spoke, I forced a smile at her, telling myself that what I heard last night hadn’t happened. But what greeted me was still her almost degrading words. “Mom, I’ve always considered you…” “Don’t call me Mom. I’m not privileged enough to be the mother of a high-society princess like you.” “They say no one can have it all. Look at you – such a good family background, but you lost your mother young, and then your dad died too.” “Have you ever considered that the wealth you have now is just a trade-off for your parents’ deaths?” Martha’s next words made me burst into tears. I had always considered her my mother, yet she was hurting me like this. Just then, Ryan walked over, his face grim. He sat beside me and pulled me into his arms. He whispered soothingly, “Evelyn, don’t listen to her nonsense. To me, you’re the most important person. No one compares to you. So what if we can’t have kids? As long as I can be with you, I’ll be content.” Ryan’s words made my anxious heart finally begin to settle. At least someone cared about me. Then, Ryan pulled a medical report from his pocket and pushed it towards Martha. “It’s my problem, not Evelyn’s. Don’t make things difficult for her!” Martha froze, her hand trembling as she picked up the report. Ryan cupped my face and asked, “Evelyn, I can’t have kids. Will you divorce me?” I shook my head, crying as I did so. Ryan continued, “We can adopt a child.” He said that as long as we could be together, no problem was truly a problem. Then, ignoring my objections, he sent Martha away. Later, I discovered the medical report was fake. Ryan then confessed the truth to me – he simply couldn’t stand to see me wronged, so he fabricated it for Martha. I was touched beyond words, feeling so lucky to have him. Some time after that, Martha passed away. When Ryan and I returned, he cried terribly. The villagers said Martha died of a broken heart. They didn’t say it explicitly, but I knew my presence was part of her grief. I kept vigil in the mourning hall, fainting several times from crying. Finally, Martha’s nephew, Julian Brooks, took me back home. After returning, Ryan suggested we adopt a child, and I agreed. Then, he brought home a five-year-old boy, naming him Leo Hayes, after my family name. But Ryan and I were both very busy with work, so we couldn’t care for Leo very well. That’ s when Ryan’s ‘cousin,’ Vanessa Reed, came from out of town. Vanessa’s personality was very similar to Martha’s – always taking good care of people. But no matter how busy I was, I always made sure to have Leo with me often. I even had him sit in on company board meetings. Leo was incredibly bright and talented at everything. I often said he was quite like Ryan, who was also a person of extraordinary talent. As the company hit a bottleneck and urgently needed to expand into new ventures, Martha’s nephew, Julian Brooks, joined me. He was a talent agent with over a dozen aspiring stars. He told me a few of them had potential, and with some development, they could at least support an entertainment company’s initial stages, even if they didn’t become A-listers. So, I got the board’s approval to establish “Evelyn Hayes Entertainment” and began producing web series. Web series were still exploding in popularity, with low barriers to entry, low costs, and minimal demands for acting or production quality. Even the scripts could be simplistic, even absurdly over-the-top. As long as they delivered intense satisfaction or heartbreaking drama, they would quickly generate revenue. Seeing Leo’s talent, I brought him to set with me. His schooling didn’t suffer; he had a private tutor following us. This made Ryan a bit unhappy. He kept saying that a child’s most important thing was still their studies. Even Vanessa chimed in, saying children should focus on school. I told them that my ability to grow the company to its current size proved my judgment was good, and I had my own ideas about Leo’ s education. After all, this house was still my house, so they didn’t say anything more. Leo didn’t disappoint me. His small guest roles were astonishing. I even created social media accounts for Leo, where he’d post daily updates, including photos of his tutor helping him with homework on set. Leo never missed a chance to post about his perfect life online and the adoration for his mom. Every video ended the same way, with him beaming at the camera, “I love your most, my most beautiful mom, Evelyn Hayes!” I never held back on promoting Leo, taking him to various events, and posting about him daily on my own social media.

After one project wrapped, Julian Brooks drove Leo and me home. Since Julian joined me, he’d been living at the villa. Ryan had expressed jealousy, but I told him to be more understanding, as Julian was his cousin. Besides, if Vanessa could live with us, why couldn’t Julian? When we arrived, Ryan had just gotten off work and was preparing dinner in the kitchen. He immediately rushed out, wanting to hug me, but I stepped away. “Bad allergies lately. You’ve got a strong scent on you.” I offered a wry smile. Ryan asked anxiously, “Is the set environment that bad?” “Oh yes,” I said. “So many people are heavy smokers, it’s so smoky and suffocating every day.” I chuckled lightly. Ryan then knelt down, trying to pick up Leo. “Come here, son, let Dad give you a hug.” Leo said expressionlessly, “Dad, I’m really tired. I’m going to bed.” Then he walked off. Ryan’s face dropped a little, and he gave an awkward laugh. “Evelyn, look, the child isn’t even close to me anymore.” “As long as you’re close to me,” I said, smiling. Ryan didn’t say anything more, instead turning to Julian. “Julian, let’s have a drink tonight.” “Sounds good, Ryan,” Julian replied with a smile. He was a man who seemed very refined, and his modesty came from deep within. His kindness towards people was also very genuine. I said to Julian, “Come to my study, let’s discuss the new project.” “Alright.” Julian nodded at Ryan and followed me to the study. About an hour later, dinner was ready. Our family sat at the dining table, but Vanessa Reed was eating in the kitchen. I glanced at Vanessa’s back and said, “Vanessa, why aren’t you eating with us?” “Evelyn, although I’m Ryan’ s cousin, I’ m still the nanny. I…” I waved my hand, cutting her off. “Even as a nanny, you can sit at the table with us. We don’t have so many rules in this house.” Vanessa then came over and sat beside Leo, constantly putting food on his plate. Leo frowned. “Aunt Vanessa, you should use serving forks for that.” He pushed his plate forward, refusing to eat it, as if it was dirty. I looked at him and said, “Go get another plate yourself.” Leo nodded, smiling, and immediately went. Vanessa quickly apologized, “Evelyn, see? I don’t know the rules.” “You’ll get used to it,” I said, smiling. Later, a well-known screenwriter brought me a script. The new script was a slice-of-life drama from a child’s perspective, and the screenwriter suggested that Leo would be perfect for the lead role. I agreed. The web series took half a year to film. After its release on major platforms, it instantly garnered immense popularity. Especially Leo, who directly became America’ s sweetheart, the nation’ s son. And all sorts of film offers came flooding in. Leo was a sensation and even major directors started extending offers. I accepted a film for Leo and invested in the production. After the film was released, its popularity remained high. Leo’s acting skills were once again recognized. Every time Ryan came home and saw Leo, his eyes were full of pride. He’d always say, “That’s my son!” Vanessa would also exclaim excitedly, “Wonderful! Someone’s bringing glory to the Thorne name!” Ryan would frown and say, “Don’t say that randomly, it’s the Hayes family!” Vanessa quickly apologized, “Right, right, my mistake.” I smiled at them and said, “We’re all family, there’ s no ‘yours’ and ‘mine’.” However, Leo’s rise had been too smooth; it was time for him to take a break and mature. So, Leo personally announced he was temporarily withdrawing from acting to focus on his studies. But to thank his fans of all ages, he announced a grand farewell party—with tickets given away through a lottery system. The party would be held on the Lakeview Island in Sterling City. This island had once been the economic backbone of my family, the Hayes family. The food court there had been incredibly successful. But later, due to sewage issues and a company transition, I shut down the food court. And when I decided to open the entertainment company, I developed Lakeview Island into a film studio complex. On the day of the party, Lakeview Island was buzzing with guests, and Leo’s fans were the most numerous. Leo sang, danced, and played the piano on stage. He showed everyone that he not only could act but had many other talents. Holding the microphone, Leo told everyone in the audience, “I owe everything I am today to my beautiful mom, Evelyn Hayes, who raised me so well!” Then, I also stepped onto the stage, and the applause from the audience grew even more enthusiastic. But just at that moment, Vanessa Reed suddenly rushed onto the stage. Holding a microphone in her left hand and a document in her right, she declared to the audience, “Ladies and gentlemen, I have to reveal the truth! Leo is actually my son. Evelyn Hayes stole my son!”

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My mom always said I was born a dummy. By the age of three, I still couldn’t say “Mom.” She dragged me to the clinic for an evaluation. The specialists in white coats asked endless questions, handing me little blocks to stack. I was actually doing pretty well, but then mom pinched my upper thigh so hard under the table that my vision swam. I screamed and burst into tears. I shoved the stacked blocks over, drooling everywhere. The certificate was approved quickly. an intellectual disability. My mom clutched that document, looking happier than if she’d won the lottery. She pinched my cheek, smiling. “Mommy’s little fool, from now on, I’m counting on you!” I nodded eagerly, my face stretched in a vacant grin. I didn’t really know what that piece of paper meant. But I knew that the meager $350 a month in disability benefits would be enough for Mom and me to eat meat. And that was enough. …… When I was six, my neighbor, Leo, went to school with a brand-new backpack. The colorful backpack seemed to shimmer, making my eyes ache with longing. I clung to the door frame, drooling onto the floor, a desperate ache scratching at my heart. I whispered to Mom, “Mom, can I go to school?” She was counting the month’s benefits money. She snapped her head up, her gaze cutting through me like a knife. “What for? You’re a dummy. Going to school would be a waste of money, wouldn’t it?” I wiped my drool, my voice even softer, a barely audible whisper. “I’m not a dummy…” She sprang to her feet, yanking my ear until tears welled in my eyes. Her breath was hot against my face as she hissed. “Shut up! Say you’re not a dummy one more time, and you’ll go to bed without dinner!” She rummaged through Daniel’s old, smelly clothes, pulling some out for me to wear. Then she smeared mud all over my face and hands, black dirt under my fingernails, and finally sighed in relief. “Remember,” she said, her voice low and sharp. “Outside these walls, you’re a fool. Fools don’t get to be clean. They don’t get to be smart. They don’t get to go to school.” From that day on, I, Daisy, became the undisputed ‘little dummy’ of our small town.

The other kids in town saw me like I was the plague, scattering whenever they spotted me. “Run! Dummy Daisy is coming! Stupidity is contagious!” Sometimes they couldn’t get away fast enough, and rocks would come flying. My forehead bled, warm and sticky, blurring my vision. Everything was red. I cried my way home. Mom was cooking by the stove, she didn’t even turn her head. “What’s there to cry about? So what if a dummy gets hit a couple of times? It won’t kill you.” She pulled up her apron and roughly wiped my face. Blood and mud mixed, forming scabs that caked my face, making me even dirtier. She looked at my face, a flicker of satisfaction in her eyes. “That’s good. Now you really look like a dummy.” From then on, I couldn’t have friends, couldn’t wear clean clothes, and couldn’t look at anything with words. I secretly peeled off discarded newspapers and magazines she used to patch holes in the walls, hiding them in the woodpile to read. By the faint glow from the fireplace, I’d slowly decipher one word after another. When she found out, she burned them all. Sparks flew onto my hand, blistering my skin with thumb-sized burns. “What are you looking at? Can you even understand? Remember, you’re a dummy! Have you ever seen a dummy read?” Her eyes were wide, cold, filled only with stark terror. She was terrified of me becoming normal, terrified of losing that meager income. Days turned into years. The disability benefits rose from $350 to $500, then to $800. My perceived disability became Mom’s and my most stable source of income, and her lifeline, clutched tightly in her hand. When I was twelve, a Social Worker, Mr. Hayes, came to our town, visiting house by house. When he arrived at our place, he frowned, looking at me cowering in the corner, dirty and smelly. He offered me an apple, asking gently, “Little one, how old are you?”

The apple was red and shiny, emitting a sweet, fresh scent—something I’d never tasted before. I looked at him, almost blurting out. twelve years old. But Mom stood right behind him, staring intently at me, her lips silently forming a word. I knew the word. Dummy. I immediately understood. I took the apple, giggling stupidly. I bit into it, skin and core, chewing loudly. Drool ran down my chin, dripping onto my dirty clothes. Mr. Hayes sighed, shook his head, and left. That night, Mom cooked me an egg as a reward. She peeled the shell, saying, “Daisy, you did well today. Mom knew you weren’t completely dumb, you still knew how to pretend.” The egg white was tender, but the yolk choked me, making me stretch my neck. My heart ached with a bitter, sour feeling, like something was stuck in my throat. So Mom knew I was pretending. She knew everything. This whole act, from beginning to end, wasn’t just me performing. Pretending to be a dummy became an unspoken secret between Mom and me, our most cruel tug-of-war. She needed me to be a dummy to maintain that money she was becoming increasingly dependent on. I needed to pretend to be a dummy to earn occasional rewards and a moment of peace. Like an egg, a pear, or a piece of clothing that wasn’t quite so tattered, and her brief, gentle demeanor. But she was also constantly on guard, afraid I’d become too smart, afraid I’d slip from her control. If I showed even a hint of curiosity about books, she’d violently destroy anything with writing, as if those words were poison. I secretly used a stick to write letters on the ground. When she found out, she’d grab a broom and chase me half through the town, shouting for everyone to hear. “A dummy trying to read? Don’t get ahead of yourself!” I’d be covered in bruises. But at night, she’d come in with some pain relief balm. She’d roughly rub my bruises, her eyes red, her voice hoarse, saying. “Daisy, don’t blame Mom. Mom has no choice, we’re poor. Without that money, we’d starve. Just help Mom out…” Sometimes, she’d look at my clear, intelligent eyes, so unlike a dummy’s, and suddenly panic, shaking my shoulders hard. “Did you remember? You’re a dummy! You were born a dummy! You’ll be a dummy your whole life!” She sounded like she was trying to convince me, but more so, like she was trying to convince herself, trying to drown out the doubt and unease in her heart.

On my eighteenth birthday, the disability benefits rose to $1,200. At the same time, the Community Director Ms. Jenkins brought news. The policy had changed, and adult individuals with disabilities might require reassessment. Mom completely panicked. That $1,200 was no longer just welfare; it was her mental anchor for eighteen years, her shield against all her misfortunes. She looked at me, her expression unreadable. At eighteen, even in my tattered clothes, my face deliberately smudged, I couldn’t hide the delicate features and overly serene gaze that didn’t belong to a dummy. “Daisy,” she called me for the first time in such a soft tone, with a trembling voice that was almost a plea, “One last time, help Mom one more time. Just get through this assessment, and Mom will never force you again.” She dressed me in the most ragged, dirtiest clothes, smeared some old chicken feed in my hair, and repeatedly coached me. “If they ask your name, just drool and grin stupidly. If they ask what one plus one equals, just say it equals apple…” On the day of the assessment, it wasn’t just Ms. Jenkins, but also professional-looking doctors in white coats. My heart pounded, my palms were slick with sweat. I knew this might be my only chance to escape the identity of a dummy. Mom stood behind the doctor, her hands tightly twisting the hem of her shirt, her eyes filled with a humble plea and an undeniable threat. The doctor took out a picture book, pointing at a cat and asking, “What’s this?” I looked at the lazy cat in the picture, then at Mom. Mom’s lips were trembling slightly, her face pale. I opened my mouth, and every single day of the past eighteen years flashed through my mind. The rocks hitting my head, the burned newspapers, the smelly clothes, the occasional eggs she gave me, her back as she secretly cried at night, and that $1200. These images intertwined into a giant net, binding me tightly. I took a deep breath, as if summoning all my strength, and facing the picture, I spread my lips into a horribly twisted grin. Then I made a sound that shocked everyone present… “Woof! Woof woof!” I barked like a puppy, stuck out my tongue like a puppy, and finally pointed at the cat in the picture, looking at the doctor with a face full of innocence. The doctor froze, his pen hovering over the assessment form. Ms. Jenkins turned her face away, unable to watch. My mom, however, let out a heavy sigh of relief, almost collapsing, bracing herself against the wall. The assessment passed without a hitch. The certificate was saved, and so was the money. That night, Mom cooked a table full of dishes, fish and meat, more lavish than ever before. She placed the largest piece of braised pork on my plate, but she didn’t eat any herself. She just watched me, her eyes holding a strange, empty sense of relief, as if she had won something, yet lost so much more. “Eat, Daisy,” she said. “Everything will be fine now.” I ate the meat, but it tasted like ash. Because I knew, it was far from over.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299317”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf #玄幻Fantasy #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn