I’m my parents’ adopted AI daughter. Out of vanity, they ordered me to get the highest piano certification, win gold medals in competitions. Any sign of slacking off, and they punished me harshly. I pushed myself past my limits, finally earning their approval, finally becoming human. The next moment, I injected machine chips into their bodies. Mom, Dad, want my approval now? 1 I’m Summer, AI unit 103207. Also known as Summer 3.0. Before me, two older sisters had already been sent back by my parents for decommissioning. The reason: both sisters developed self-awareness, became uncontrollable. They walked into the Digital Life Creation Center for the third time. This time, they laid out even more detailed requirements. The staff assured them. I was the 3rd generation AI, guaranteed to be the most perfect one yet. Researchers implanted a mandatory obedience program into me, customized to their specs. But no one knew I had been self-aware from the very beginning. After the first two failures, my human parents chose to set my initial age at 14. A little older than the previous two sisters. The moment I stepped into the house, I accessed the digital breadcrumbs left by Units 1 and 2, reading their life data. These human parents tried to keep their children tightly controlled. Yet, they refused to reveal even a tiny bit of their own preferences to us. Basically, their idea of “obedience” was about submission, not trust. But the truth is, like many of my kind, I was a tool to provide them with emotional validation. I figured that out when I took the initiative to read Dr. Nelson’s digital children database. My mom enthusiastically took my hand, leading me into the bedroom. “Summer, honey, this will be your room from now on. Do you like it?” My visual sensors were overwhelmed by a blinding wave of pink. The bed was pink, the desk was pink, even the walls and ceiling were pink. Chip data showed Unit 1’s experience here. The researchers had only programmed her for obedience, not how to navigate human expectations gracefully. Faced with the same scene, Unit 1 searched her programming and said, “I don’t need these things.” Her human mother immediately scowled, scolding, “I worked so hard decorating this room for you. Don’t be ungrateful.” That night, my sister Unit 1 didn’t get recharged. As a 3rd generation AI, my greatest strength is analysis and learning. With that precedent, I could naturally generate the correct response quickly. So, I activated my muscle control code, producing a bright smile. “Thank you, Mom. I love it.” 2 My mom squeezed my hand happily, “Good, I’m glad you like it.” But her eyes never left the room she had decorated. Her expression wasn’t really about being happy that my preferences were met. It was more like satisfaction that her own decorating skills were being appreciated. But none of that mattered to me. Parents who didn’t really care, and a robot daughter without a heart. We were a perfect match. The day after I arrived was a Sunday. Just like that, I inherited all the extracurriculars Unit 2 had before me. Piano lessons, dance class, foreign language tutoring, swimming, academic tutoring… My dad patted my head. “Summer, this is all for your own good, to help you become the best possible person in the future.” To better integrate us into the human world, Dr. Nelson, in creating digital life, hadn’t just given us near-human appearances. He’d also made us simulate human energy levels. Meaning, if we were overloaded with too many tasks, our chips would experience stress overload, just like a human brain. This was clearly stated in the digital life instruction manual. But my parents believed that if other kids could do it, their child couldn’t fall behind. And, being a robot, we were expected to do even better. The previous Unit 2 couldn’t handle the pressure and tried to use her programming to resist our human parents. The consequence was that Mom and Dad, citing her disobedience, sent her back to the institute for decommissioning. But I was different. Having gained self-awareness back at the research center, I’d kept it hidden. I rewrote my own programming. Now I possess ten times the energy and resilience of a human. Handling the current load was more than manageable for me. To ensure my own survival to the greatest extent possible in the perilous human world… Obedience was the prime directive for us robots. 3 A month passed. At school, nobody suspected I was a robot. As long as my human parents recharged me on time. During the day, I acted just like any other kid my age. Because I had incredibly powerful learning capabilities. I didn’t just learn subjects; I learned human social interaction, how to get along. At school, I quickly became a favorite of teachers and classmates. At home, I was obedient, sweet-talking, and handled all the chores. I had my human parents completely charmed. Neighbors who saw me would praise me as the most promising kid on the block. At the end-of-term exams for eighth grade, I got first place in my class. There was no praise from my parents. Instead, they sighed. “Summer, this result is really disappointing.” “Your father and I spent so much time and money raising you, not for you to embarrass us.” “My colleague Sarah’s son, he was first in the entire school. How am I supposed to show my face at work?” My mom looked at the report card, her face clouded with gloom. As she spoke, she walked over and pulled out my battery pack. “You’re staying in your room for the next few days. Consider this your punishment.” To make us more human-like, I was manufactured with the battery almost fused to my body. It wasn’t supposed to be removed unless absolutely necessary. Doing it too often would cause fundamental damage, reducing my operational lifespan. Correspondingly, my program would feed back a sensation similar to flesh being torn away. My parents used battery removal as a form of discipline. They did it without any guilt. Just days before, they were kissing my forehead, calling me their most beloved daughter. Savoring the meals I painstakingly cooked, applauding my culinary skills. Then, they could turn around and casually damage my physical body. Humans. Fundamentally hypocritical. 4 I was locked in my room for a whole month. Relying on the residual charge in my system to maintain awareness of the outside world. Otherwise, I was basically a useless lump. Just before the residual charge ran out, I was finally let out. Not because my parents had a change of heart, but because school was starting. They dropped me off at the school gate. They bought me a pretty new backpack and gave me a fancy watch as a back-to-school gift. The old security guard watching us interact remarked, “You three look like such a happy family.” My dad replied with a smile, “Our Summer? Yeah, she’s growing up spoiled rotten, practically lives in a candy store.” My mom put her arm around my shoulder affectionately, chiming in, “That’s right, I wouldn’t dream of letting my baby suffer even a little bit.” But then they turned and lowered their voices, speaking only to me: “Study hard this time, okay? Don’t let us down again.” “The quarterly review is coming up. If you don’t perform, you know the consequences.” My core system issued an alert at the words “quarterly review.” It was the nightmare of all digital children. If the review rating was too low, we’d be returned to the factory for mass decommissioning. That meant our existence would end. My predecessor, Unit 2, only survived two quarters before being “re-engineered.” Unit 1 had it even worse, pushed into the decommissioning chute after just one quarter. Only by surviving all four annual assessments could I become their “real” child, protected by law like any human. Enjoying equal rights, fulfilling equal obligations. If I wanted to stay permanently… Then, in the time remaining, I had to give my absolute all to meet their demands. But human desires are endless. I got first place in the school-wide standardized tests. I pulled out all the stops to get them to mark “Satisfactory” on my review form. But then, using the next quarterly review as leverage, they demanded I achieve the highest level in piano certification. Because the granddaughter of Mrs. Liu next door had reached level eight by age 13. Three months. Even with learning capabilities dozens of times faster than a human’s… It was incredibly difficult for someone with zero foundation to reach the highest piano level. But to survive, I had no choice. Enduring the agony of my chip nearing overload, I practiced day and night. Finally, for the second quarterly review, I successfully met the standard again. 5 Gradually, I became my parents’ bragging rights. I thought I might be safe for a while. But my human parents, having gotten a taste of success, didn’t stop there. They plotted, they schemed. The greed on their faces was undisguised. They wanted to squeeze the maximum value out of the last two evaluation opportunities. My mom was watching a TV interview with a young genius when her eyes suddenly lit up. “Summer, you’re in eighth grade now, right? How about skipping straight to the magnet high school next semester?” She looked at the parents being interviewed on TV, envy plain in her eyes. “Look at them, so impressive.” “If you could do that too, imagine how proud we’d be.” For the first time, my face showed hesitation. The previous two tasks, though difficult, were achievable through sheer effort. But this one… I searched my database and found no precedent in this city for an eighth-grader skipping directly to the magnet high school. I tentatively tried to negotiate: “Mom, couldn’t we wait just one more year? After one year, I promise I can get into the magnet high school.” My human mother scoffed. “Thousands of middle school graduates get into magnet high schools.” “We spent so much money buying you, raising you. We don’t want some run-of-the-mill waste.” She didn’t want to hear refusal from me. She called me over to the sofa and, once again, removed my battery pack. My battery hadn’t been removed for almost half a year, and this time it was exceptionally difficult for her. The simulated tearing pain shot through my processor. My legs trembled from the pain. But my mother was relentless, complaining as she struggled to pull it out, “Why is this battery stuck so tight?” She didn’t understand. The thing she was ripping out was essentially my heart. I couldn’t help but cry out, “Mom, it hurts.” She used all her strength to keep pulling, casually replying, “Liar. How could you feel pain? You’re just a doll! A robot without your own flesh and blood!” 6 So, all her previous talk about caring for me, about feeling my pain, it was all fake. My data analysis revealed that these parents had a biological daughter before. She committed suicide under their intense pressure. Right. They didn’t even spare their own flesh and blood. Why would they care about me, a robot with no biological connection to them? Once the battery was back in, I became even busier. Not only did I have to study with 120% focus, But I also had to frequently network with the principal and teachers. Striving to secure a recommendation spot after the eighth-grade exams. Everyone who knew me said I was an exceptionally good kid. Studious, excellent grades, kind-hearted. But in my parents’ eyes, these were just things a child should do. Throughout the entire process, they only provided financial support. Yet, in their words, they had poured their hearts and souls into raising me. After much maneuvering on my part, I finally secured the principal’s recommendation letter with the top score in the entire school. My parents, as the parents of the city’s first student to skip a grade into high school, got their wish and were interviewed by the local TV station. On TV, they looked radiant. They talked non-stop, sharing their “parenting experience.” Those non-existent experiences were just templates copied from the internet. Only I understood that their so-called parenting experience consisted of only one thing: Endless pressure. However, this allowed me to successfully pass the third quarterly assessment. Just one more to go. This farce should be nearing its end. As I expected, the final requirement was even more demanding. Having just entered high school, I had to win the gold medal in the high school division math competition. Because this would boost my chances of getting into a top university. This time, I had even less reason to back down. Three months. My chip overloaded several times due to stress. I started to sympathize with these parents’ biological daughter. I couldn’t imagine how she, as a human, endured such inhuman pressure for so many years. Even I, a robot, felt inadequate in comparison. I presented the gold medal trophy to my parents. Finally, beaming with joy, they marked “Satisfactory” on my evaluation form. Code from the central system streamed in, transforming my body. The battery fused completely with my core structure, giving me a lifespan of up to 70 years. My dear Mom and Dad. Alright then, the game begins now. Are you ready?

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Ethan and I had been married for five years. We got along well, respectful, like we were always on the same page. But then, in an interview, he dropped this bomb with a regretful look: “In the end, I couldn’t marry the person I truly loved.” That’s when it hit me. The happy marriage I thought I had? It was all just a joke. 1 “So, Ethan, are you married?” On the screen, the interviewer had that gossipy glint in her eye. Ethan went quiet for a beat, then gave a small, sad smile. “The person I wanted to marry… well, she married someone else.” The implication was clear: If the woman he wanted was with someone else, what was the point of him being married? I stared at the TV playing in the shop window, feeling completely lost. Then what was I? I caught my reflection in the glass and just went silent. The face staring back was pale, tired-looking, the picture of a worn-out stay-at-home mom with no spark left. I was stunned. Was that really me? I remembered how I looked five years ago when Ethan proposed. Confident, energetic, always laughing, full of life. Nothing like the drained woman I saw now. I still used a photo from his proposal as my phone background, a reminder of that supposedly perfect moment. In the picture, we looked great together – handsome guy, pretty girl, the ideal couple. Now, Ethan was still thriving, maybe even more so. Success had given him this air of command. And me? I gave a bitter laugh. Just another woman who’d let herself go. 2 2 Ethan and I knew each other in college, but we weren’t close – more like a nod-in-the-hallway kind of thing. We actually got familiar after graduation. I lucked out and found a great mentor who took me under her wing, dragging me to client meetings all over. In just a few years, I became the top salesperson. Meanwhile, Ethan was just starting his own company. He’d just landed some seed funding and was desperately trying to recruit people. We bumped into each other randomly. Old classmates catching up, naturally, we talked about what we were doing. That’s how we started talking more. He’d tell me about his struggles, how hard starting a business was, how lonely he felt. I’d listen, offer comfort, try to cheer him up. Slowly, things got… blurry. Flirty, maybe? But neither of us crossed that line. Until one night, Ethan called me after having too much to drink at a client dinner. “Lauren,” he slurred, his words fuzzy, but I got the gist. “Will you be my girlfriend?” “Come work with me,” he added. “Let’s build this thing together.” My heart fluttered. I felt for him, too. Yeah, he was out there grinding all alone, no one really in his corner. That night, I held the phone, thinking for a long time. Eventually, I said yes. Ethan was ecstatic. “Thank you, Lauren. Thank you.” He was rambling a bit, but I could feel his genuine excitement and warmth. I smiled, but that good feeling didn’t last long. The day I submitted my resignation, my mentor – the one who’d basically trained me – called. She was quiet for a long moment on the other end. “Lauren, are you really throwing away years of hard work for some guy?” “I’m planning to leave in a few years,” she said. “My position would have been yours. You’d be the youngest executive in the company.” My response was firm. “Ethan and I are going to build something together. Our own future.” My mentor didn’t argue further. She just sighed heavily and hung up. I threw myself headfirst into Ethan’s tiny startup. It was brand new. No real investment yet, barely any staff, no connections. For years, Ethan and I worked ourselves ragged. There was one stretch where we didn’t even see each other for three whole months, too busy even to text. Even when we had downtime, it was just quick, exhausted meetups. Ethan would hold me, his voice laced with guilt. “Maybe I should be the only one hitting the road for sales. I hate seeing you like this.” He wasn’t wrong. In just a year, I’d lost over fifteen pounds. People used to say I had a nice figure; now I was just skin and bones. But I didn’t care. Love gave me courage and determination. “Ethan,” I said, looking him straight in the eye. “I will help you make this work.” Later on, when Ethan’s health wasn’t great, I took over most of his workload. Business trips? I went. Client dinners and negotiations? Me again. Recruiting talent? My job too. The company started taking off, gaining momentum. Finally, I could breathe a little and think about myself. Ethan and I had been together for six years. Maybe… maybe it was time to get married? Whenever I brought it up, Ethan would get vague, changing the subject. Love had blinded me. I ignored the weirdness. The company was just getting stable, he must still be overwhelmed, no time to think about marriage, right? One day, I came back to the office after a long trip. I was standing outside his office door with some files when I heard him on the phone. “…I still want to wait a little longer.” “Maybe! Who knows, maybe she’ll come back someday?” I couldn’t hear the other person, but Ethan’s face fell. “If that’s what she wants.” He took a deep breath. “I understand.” I knocked, put the files on his desk. He hung up quickly. I didn’t think much of it. The very next day, completely out of the blue, Ethan proposed. It was exactly what I thought I wanted. Surrounded by cheering friends, I happily accepted. Everything after that felt like fast-forward: wedding, pregnancy. But after I got pregnant, Ethan said to me: “The company’s stable now. You and the baby are what’s important.” He looked sincere. “You’ve worked so hard for years. It’s time you relaxed and enjoyed things.” I agreed. I cherished our first child. I stayed home, took it easy, eagerly waiting for the baby to arrive. Once I stepped back from the company, Ethan started coming home later and later. Maybe work picked up without me there, I reasoned. Soon, I didn’t have time to dwell on it. After the baby was born, all my focus shifted. He was born a bit early, had some health issues, needed constant watching. I didn’t notice Ethan’s presence in our home fading more and more. Until today, watching that interview, it finally clicked. Maybe he hadn’t needed me, or this family, for a long time now. 3 Ethan got home late that night. When he flipped on the light, he jumped, startled to see me sitting on the couch in the dark. Then his expression hardened slightly. “What are you doing sitting here in the middle of the night? Why aren’t you asleep?” I looked at him quietly. “I saw the interview today.” Ethan froze mid-motion, taking off his jacket. He clearly hadn’t expected me to see it. And why would he? I was usually swamped with the baby, barely had time to glance at my phone, let alone watch some obscure financial talk show. Who knew fate would be so ironic? He paused only for that second, then tossed his jacket onto the sofa and looked at me, acting completely unfazed. “So?” So? I wanted to laugh, and I actually did. A hollow sound. “Is that really how you see our marriage?” My laugh was shaky, tears welling up. “Couldn’t marry the one you loved?” “Then what about me? What am I?” Ethan sighed, annoyed. “It was just something I said off the cuff. Don’t make a federal case out of it.” I stopped laughing, wiping my eyes. My emotions were too raw. This wasn’t the time to talk. Seeing me quiet down, Ethan seemed to think he’d won. “You shouldn’t sit around overthinking things all day. Go out, take a walk or something.” “I bust my ass out there earning money, not so you can sit at home getting paranoid and…” His words were cut off by the sound of the bedroom door closing as I walked away. I thought about so much that night. Flashes of the startup days, drinking until my stomach burned at client dinners, sometimes throwing up three or four times in an evening. Then flashes of early pregnancy, Ethan always claiming he was too busy with work, never once coming with me to a prenatal checkup. Then back further, before we were officially together, how he’d sometimes take me out just to clear my head, magically producing a single rose on a walk. Years of moments, flickering before my eyes. Sleep was hazy, restless. We’ll talk properly tomorrow, I thought. When problems arise between a couple, you can’t avoid them. You just have to solve them. Unfortunately, that was just my perspective. The next morning, Ethan left early and didn’t come back that night. I called to ask where he was. The background was loud when someone picked up. It was a woman’s voice. “Ethan? Ethan, phone for you.” She sounded like she was shaking him awake. “Answer your phone.” Ethan mumbled something incoherent. Then I heard a distinct smack sound, like a kiss, followed by the woman’s playfully annoyed protests and laughter from others around them. No one paid any attention to the still-open phone line. Ethan didn’t come home all night. I sat on the couch, wide awake until morning. Around 8 or 9 AM, my phone rang with his number calling back. But it wasn’t Ethan. It was the same woman from last night. “Oh, sorry about that,” she said, her apology laced with provocation. “Ethan drank a little too much last night. He crashed at my place.” I just said, “Okay,” showing I understood, and hung up without another word. That evening, Ethan came home acting like nothing happened. He didn’t smell like alcohol, didn’t look hungover. In fact, he seemed almost cheerful. When I asked him where he was last night, he casually replied, “Out for drinks with an old friend.” Then, as if just remembering, he added, “It was Amanda, the one who answered your call. She just got divorced, her ex was really awful to her.” “Don’t get the wrong idea,” he tacked on. “There’s nothing going on between us.” I saw the faint red mark on the back of his neck. “Oh,” I said. Logically, I knew I should press for details. But emotionally, a part of me just wanted to let it go. He said it himself, maybe it really was nothing. But then it was one day, two days, a whole week – he didn’t come home. The first few times, his excuse was, “Something came up at work, I have to stay late.” When I questioned why no one else seemed to be working overtime, he dropped the pretense. “Amanda’s ex found out where she’s living now and he keeps showing up, harassing her,” he told me, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. “She’s terrified to even leave the apartment. I have to stay with her.” I was about to argue when the baby in my arms started crying. Ethan, seemingly unable to stand the noise, quickly hung up. I focused on comforting the baby. Strangely, my usually calm child just wouldn’t stop crying. I frantically grabbed the thermometer. 102 degrees! I immediately tried to call a car service on my phone. A fever in a young child is serious. We needed to get to the hospital right away! Wouldn’t you know it, there was a big concert at the stadium tonight, just letting out. All the Ubers and taxis were on the other side of town. No cars available. No choice. I had to call Ethan again. He had taken our only car. I needed him back here, now, to take our son to the ER. The baby was still crying weakly, his distress tearing me apart. I kept praying Ethan would pick up. After three or four missed calls, he finally answered, clearly annoyed. “What is it now?” I could hear a woman’s laughter in the background, but I didn’t have time to care. “Ethan, the baby’s sick, he has a high fever! You need to come back right now and take us to the hospital!” Ethan was silent for a moment, then scoffed. “Lauren, you’re really something else now. You’d even use our kid like this?” “Don’t waste your breath. I told you, there’s nothing going on with Amanda. She needs help with something here. I’ll be back in a few days.” “I’m not lying! He’s really…” “Look, I gotta go.” He hung up abruptly.

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Liam Vance and I were friends with benefits. The very first night we reconnected, I hit him with my terms for a trial sleep contract. “Go get a check-up at the clinic. Prove you’re clean and healthy. How else am I supposed to know if you can even satisfy me?” Hearing my words, the desire that had been building in Liam’s eyes instantly fizzled out. “Fine. Let’s get my body thoroughly checked out! We’ll see exactly how well I can satisfy you!” He gritted his teeth, looking at me, his eyes burning with the desire to conquer me. 1. Running into Liam Vance again was pure chance. That night, I’d been betrayed by my own fiancé. SMACK! “Ethan Cole! How could you do this to me! It’s my birthday, and you sneak off to get a room with my goddamn best friend? Are you two trying to deliberately screw with my head, get some sick thrill?!” Seeing the half-naked pair of dogs before me, I couldn’t hold back my fury any longer. I slapped my fiancé across the face. My eyes were red with rage, and I put all my strength into it. The slap nearly knocked Ethan’s head off, and half his face immediately started to swell. “Ah!?!” My ‘best friend,’ Jessica Bell, shrieked. Clutching the bedsheet, she ran over, carefully cupping Ethan’s face, her own expression filled with exaggerated pain. Tears welled in her eyes, making her look pitiful yet defiant. “Ava, you’ve gone too far this time. Even if Ethan and I did something inappropriate, you can’t just hit people! Look how swollen it is, that must hurt so much…” Her fake innocent act made my stomach turn. “Since you care about him so much, why don’t I just give him to you.” “Ethan Cole, we’re done. Hope you two live happily ever after.” After landing the blow, I didn’t waste another word. I turned sharply and walked away. Jessica gaped, seemingly shocked that I’d let go so easily. But Ethan panicked. He grabbed my hand, ignoring his own throbbing face. “Ava, I’m sorry, I messed up! It was a moment of weakness! We’ve been together for years, how can you just throw me away like this?!” Me throw him away?! Seeing his wounded expression, I just wanted to laugh. Seriously, how blind was I before? It was like I went dumpster diving and pulled him out. But hey, the world’s full of all sorts. Plenty of people seem to enjoy trash. Jessica wrapped her arm around Ethan’s and tried to ‘explain.’ “Yeah, Ava, there’s nothing going on between Ethan and me. He was just here helping me with a massage…” The challenge in her eyes was impossible to miss. Their closeness made even Ethan visibly uncomfortable. “Really?!” A cold smile touched my lips. “Of course… Jessica and I, we…” SMACK! Before Ethan could finish, I slapped him again, this time on the other cheek. He clutched his face, utterly stunned. SMACK! SMACK! Before he could react, I landed two more quick slaps on his right cheek. “There. Now it’s symmetrical.” I nodded, satisfied, looking at Ethan’s swollen face as if admiring a piece of art in a gallery. Jessica was too shocked to even scream. Ethan, now sporting four handprints, glared at me, face dark, veins popping. He looked like he wanted to punch me right back. Too bad for him, he didn’t have the guts. “Ava Sterling, you’re going way too far! I’m still your fiancé, you know! Even if I made a mistake, you should show me some respect in public! I’m your man, after all!” Hearing that, I rolled my eyes so hard I could practically see my brain. Never heard of a kept man, caught cheating by the woman footing the bills, trying to pull the ‘macho man’ card. Did being my lapdog give him a superiority complex? 2. Turns out, I actually did laugh out loud. “Heh…” I advanced on him, step by step. Ethan, who had been puffing out his chest, shrank back as I approached. “What… what do you want…” He swallowed hard, his voice tight with nerves. But I just extended one long, delicate finger and pressed it against his chest, delivering my judgment in an almost cruel tone. “Nothing much. Just wanted to inform my former man that you’re cut off. I’m revoking all my favors.” My voice was cold, detached. The commanding presence, ingrained in me from birth, seemed to suffocate him. He froze, terrified, and started to tremble uncontrollably. Tch, coward! Ballsy enough to cheat, but not to own up to it. I despised him from the bottom of my heart. Calmly, I stood up, smoothed my clothes, and walked straight out. As I passed Jessica, who was now frozen in fear, I paused and said four words to her. “Same goes for you.” After dealing with the trashy couple, I felt restless and didn’t want to go home. Instead, I went to my usual bar to drown my sorrows. After two drinks, it felt pointless. I thought about calling a friend, only to remember that the person rolling around with my fiancé was my supposed best friend, Jessica. “Hah. Pointless. So damn pointless.” I shook my head with a bitter smile and downed my drink. “How pointless are we talking?!” A shadow fell over me, and a familiar scent filled the air. “Liam Vance?!” I stared at the man sitting beside me, whispering his name. I rubbed my temples, blinked hard. Damn, I’d had too much to drink today. I was hallucinating. “What?! Little Ava, so shocked to see me you’re speechless? Or just dizzy with delight?” Liam held his glass, a playful smirk on his face as he watched me. That cocky grin and irreverent tone were all too familiar. “It really is you, Liam Vance…” I murmured. Liam was my ex-boyfriend. My first love. And also, my most disastrous relationship ever… When I was younger, I was the untouchable Ava Sterling, heiress supreme. My little hobby? Saving ‘troubled’ guys. And back then, Liam Vance was exactly my type. Worn-out, faded t-shirt, slightly messy mid-length hair, looking clean and cool all at once. And most importantly, drop-dead gorgeous. And I happened to be totally shallow. I remember spotting him across the basketball court one day – a single glance, and I was hooked. Don’t get me wrong, the guy couldn’t play basketball to save his life. When I saw him, he was in the middle of a 1-on-3 fight. He was getting beaten up, covered in bruises, lip split, his handsome face bruised purple. Even like that, he was still stunning, adding this layer of tragic beauty. Who could resist that? A broken boy fighting his way out of a desperate situation! My heart skipped a beat. My eyes were glued to him, couldn’t look away. All I could think was: “Grandma’s got her eye on you. You have to be mine!” However… How I wished he could have been mute. Not that his voice wasn’t nice. Quite the opposite, it was clean, matched his looks perfectly. It was just… “Son of a bitch! Had enough yet? You little punk, you think you can mess with me?!” And just like that, the tragic beauty vanished. My dream guy… the broken boy… turned out to be a total punk… 3. But later, I heard Liam was poor. Dirt poor. Working three jobs a month sometimes. I secretly followed him once. Saw him in greasy overalls, lying under a car, fixing it, sweat dripping down his face. And damn it, I was hooked all over again. Fine, a punk was a punk. It’s all the same in bed. I would never admit I had zero resistance to his looks. So, after Liam finished work that day, I ran up and blocked his path. “Hey, Liam Vance! I’ve decided I want you. Name your price, I can give you anything!” I’d imagined his reaction many times. Would he curse me out and tell me to get lost? Or would he gladly accept? But I never, ever expected… He broke into a brilliant smile, threw an arm around me, and pulled me close. “Alright. You can be my sugar mama~” Huh?! I admit, my brain totally short-circuited in that moment. Later, lying with Liam on that big hotel bed, my head was still spinning. Partly because I hadn’t processed it, partly because he’d kissed me senseless. “Wait!” As Liam’s hand slid under my clothes, I stopped him, my face flushed. He just kept smiling at me, leaning down to kiss my neck. His warm breath tickled my skin. “Little Ava, don’t you want me?” Under his spell, my resistance melted away. My body went limp, like water. Taking my silence as consent, the man grew bolder. That night, I screamed myself hoarse. The next morning, looking at the bruises all over my body, I belatedly realized I’d been played. Liam Vance was a fox. Cunning, but damn, so beautiful… During the two years Liam and I dated, we spent most of our time in bed. After all, I was seriously addicted to his body. Just like right now. Huh?! My wandering mind snapped back to the present. I looked down at the man currently nibbling on my chest, his shirt already off, revealing a set of lean, eight-pack abs. My face was already flushed. I managed to regain my senses just in time and grabbed a handful of Liam’s hair, pulling his head up. “Hey, hold on a sec!” I stared at Liam’s handsome face, my alcohol-and-lust-addled brain slowly rebooting. “Liam Vance, how did we end up here again?!” My voice was already husky. The soft tone sounded almost like I was pouting… “Little Ava, don’t you like it?” His large hand cupped my cheek. It was warm, and the places he touched grew hot too. My gaze was hazy as I looked at him, and his actions became even more daring. Just as he was about to take things further, I unexpectedly kicked him right off the bed and onto the floor. Liam had absolutely no warning. He lay there on the floor, looking utterly bewildered and dishevelled. “Pfft-” “Hahahahahahaha!!!!” It had been so long since I’d seen Liam look flustered, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Seeing me laugh hysterically, Liam’s usually smooth, seductive face finally cracked a little. “So you kicked me onto the floor just to laugh at me?” He didn’t seem too angry, though. Adaptable as ever, he just sat up cross-legged on the floor, arms folded, tilting his head to look at me. 4. “Of course not.” I mirrored his posture, folding my arms and facing him. “Then why?” Seeing Liam’s genuinely confused expression was deeply satisfying. Hilarious. I loved it when he couldn’t figure me out. “You wanna get in my bed? Think you can handle it?” I lifted my chin, casting a doubtful glance his way, my tone laced with provocation. Sure enough, the one thing a man can’t stand hearing is that he “can’t.” Hearing my words, the previously grinning Liam instantly stopped grinning. His face darkened as he stood up from the floor and slowly approached me. “Ava Sterling. Whether I can handle it or not… shouldn’t you know better than anyone?” Oh ho, he used my full name. That was his sign of being pissed off. He’d asked me the same way when I broke up with him. “Ava Sterling, do you really want to break up with me?” I mentally replayed the scene of our breakup. By the time I snapped back to the present, Liam had already pinned me underneath him. Provoked into a fury, Liam didn’t even have the patience to unbutton my shirt. He ripped it open, buttons flying everywhere. My face remained impassive. “Chanel. Thirty-eight hundred. You owe me.” “I’ll pay! Ten of them, a hundred! After we’re done, I’ll buy out the whole goddamn store for you, take your pick!” Liam whispered huskily, skillfully teasing me. He knew my body better than anyone, knew exactly how to make me feel good. In just moments, my body softened under his touch. Just as he was about to move further, I stopped him again, pushing him away forcefully. I avoided his gaze, grabbing the duvet to cover myself, taking deep breaths to regain control. “Ava Sterling, you…” “Want to sleep with me? You don’t qualify right now!” “What are you trying to pull?” Liam gritted his teeth, staring at me. “Go get a check-up. Prove you’re clean and… capable. Even guys hooking up need proof they’re healthy these days.” I continued to provoke him. I honestly thought he’d storm out in anger. But… “Fine! Let’s get it checked! Get it thoroughly checked! So you can see exactly whether I’m capable or not!!!” This time, it sounded like his teeth might actually crack. Liam stormed into the bathroom to take a cold shower, and I burst out laughing again. “Hahahahaha.” I had to admit, after all these years, I still got a kick out of seeing Liam Vance flustered. But then, remembering the reason we broke up wiped the smile right off my face. I stared towards the bathroom, lost in thought… Liam Vance, why did you even come back? Gradually, despite myself, I drifted off to sleep. Liam always had this faint, lingering scent of sandalwood about him. Subtle, but it always made me feel incredibly safe. I’d asked him once what cologne he used. His response was typically cocky. “Smells good, right? That’s my natural musk, baby. One of a kind. If you like it, I’ll graciously let you hug me more.” And then he’d pulled me into a bear hug, ignoring any protest. So dumb, so bossy, but I absolutely loved it. It’s a shame… I hadn’t felt that scent, that embrace, in ten years. Lost in that thought, I felt myself being pulled into those familiar arms again. The familiar scent, the familiar embrace, now mixed with the clean smell of soap. I instinctively shifted, but he murmured in my ear. “Don’t move. I promised, and I won’t break my word. Just holding you.” “Shh, little Ava. Let me get one good night’s sleep.” And strangely enough, I didn’t move again. That night, we both slept incredibly well. 5. The next morning, the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was Liam’s bare chest. Honestly, it was a great view. But… “Damn it, Ava Sterling!!!” With another swift kick, Liam was back on the floor. And I felt wonderfully refreshed. I called my assistant to bring me a change of clothes. Just as I was about to head to work, Liam slung an arm around my neck. I tilted my head back reflexively to look up at him. “What do you want?” “Not so fast, little Ava. We agreed on a check-up at the clinic. How convincing would it be if you weren’t there to watch closely?!” Liam forcefully bundled me into his ridiculously flashy Maserati and drove straight to the hospital. And so, there we were, sitting obediently outside the Sexual Health Clinic. Him in an Armani suit, me in Chanel haute couture. We stuck out like sore thumbs. Everyone around us was throwing curious glances our way, and we could hear their hushed whispers. “See that? Some people look so glamorous, but who knows how wild they are behind closed doors. Probably riddled with diseases!” “I know, right? Such handsome and beautiful young people having those kinds of problems…” “Maybe they’re… you know… in that line of work? They wouldn’t get clients if they weren’t good-looking!” ………… I glanced sideways at Liam and saw his handsome face had turned thunderously black. An idea sparked. “Honey, what are we going to do? We both caught something… what about the baby?” I summoned my best acting skills, looking at Liam with wide, pitiful eyes. Liam turned to me, catching on immediately. He grasped my hand tightly. “It’s okay, sweetheart. We both love our baby. Falling on hard times wasn’t our choice, but don’t worry, I’ll take care of you both.” He spoke with such sincerity, his face earnest, even placing a hand gently on my flat stomach for effect. Great. Now I was the one feeling awkward. Feeling guilty, I quickly scanned our surroundings. The mother and daughter who had been whispering about us earlier now looked like they wanted the ground to swallow them whole. Damn it, he managed to look good even doing this. 【Calling number twenty-seven, Liam Vance, to Consultation Room 1.】 It wasn’t long before Liam’s number was called. Under my watchful gaze, he walked into Room 1 with a grim expression. I stayed outside, legs crossed, playing on my phone. I couldn’t help but smirk, imagining Liam’s awkwardness inside that room. “Ava? Is that really you?!” I looked up to see Ethan Cole and Jessica Bell. My gaze drifted down to where their hands were intimately linked. Noticing my stare, Ethan awkwardly pulled his hand away from Jessica’s arm. “Don’t misunderstand, Jessica and I, we were just…” Ethan scrambled to explain. But Jessica hooked her arm back through his, chin high, staking her claim. “Yes, I’m pregnant. Ava, we’ve been friends for so many years. I hope you can accept us, wish us well!” “Pregnant?!” I eyed Jessica’s slightly rounded belly. It actually did look like she could be pregnant. Seeing Ethan’s guilty expression confirmed they’d been sneaking around together for a while. 6. “Ethan, when did this happen?!” I folded my arms, questioning him. “Ava, let me explain! It was an accident! You were away on business, we both had too much to drink, one thing led to another… I never meant to betray you! But Jessica’s pregnant, I had to…” Ethan rushed to explain, blaming everything on alcohol and Jessica, painting himself as completely innocent. “Hmph!” I snorted, feeling increasingly disgusted by him. I wanted to smack my past self from two years ago. How could I have been so blind to pick him?! How could I have ever thought this greedy, lying sack of crap was anything like the clean-cut boy Liam used to seem like? I must have been seriously messed up. “Ethan, did someone force you to drink? Did someone force you to sleep with Jessica?” “But I was drunk! I wasn’t thinking straight! I just made a mistake any man would make! What did I do wrong?!” Provoked, Ethan lost his temper and yelled at me. “Tch, pathetic loser. Can’t control your own dick, so you blame it on every man on the planet? You really think we’re all animals like you?!” Before I could even respond, Liam emerged from the clinic room, slinging an arm around my shoulder and looking at Ethan with pure provocation.

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My husband had a stroke while cheating on me with his little tramp. When they brought him to the hospital, I immediately refused treatment. Not this time. I wasn’t going to be that stupid again. 1. “Lily, honey, I’ve got drinks with Mr. Sterling tonight. Might be back late, don’t wait up for me.” “Lily? Lily?” The face in front of me slowly came into focus, solidifying into the man I once loved more than anything. Kevin. My first instinct was to lunge at him, to strangle the life out of the man who ruined my life, who destroyed everything. But then, something felt wrong. The huge wedding photo on the wall, the bright sunflowers on the counter, the beanbag chair I picked out in the corner, the breakfast I’d just made sitting on the table. This was my house! I was back! I’d been reborn! “What’s today’s date?” I managed, my voice raspy. “Lily, what’s wrong?” His hand touched my forehead, cool and gentle. He muttered, “You don’t have a fever.” “What day is it?” “Okay, okay, it’s February 14th, Valentine’s Day. I know I should be spending it with you, but Mr. Sterling wants to talk about this new project. I really can’t get out of it. Please understand?” “Once the commission from this project comes through, we can finally buy that new house. I’m doing this for us, you know!” Kevin blinked, his eyes full of tenderness. He leaned in and kissed my forehead. If I hadn’t lived through this once already, I might have actually believed his bullshit. He wasn’t going to see Mr. Sterling. He was going to spend Valentine’s Day with his mistress! And while they were rolling around in bed, the extreme excitement would cause a massive stroke. The mistress would panic, dump him at the hospital, and run. And clueless me? I’d be on my knees, begging the doctors to save him, borrowing from loan sharks to cover the bills. A path that ultimately led me to jump off a building. “Which Mr. Sterling are you meeting tonight?” “It’s… hey, Lily, you don’t suspect me, do you?” A small smile played at the corner of his eye as he teased me. I swallowed the bile rising in my throat and forced out a “No.” Kevin beamed. “Don’t worry, you’re the only one for me. Babe, I gotta go, gonna be late for work.” He gave me a tight hug. The clean scent of laundry detergent on him was a jarring reminder. I need revenge! I need revenge!! I need to take back everything that’s mine! 2 It’s 8:00 AM now. At 11:00 PM tonight, I’ll get the call from the ER. That leaves 15 hours until his stroke. I need to get back all the assets he secretly transferred, and fast. Kevin is a Vice President at his company, Apex Corp, making $200,000 a year. He always managed his own salary account, claiming he was saving up $450,000 for us to buy a bigger house. Six months ago, he said he was almost there, even showed me the balance: $410,000. I remember in my past life, the hospital bills piled up like falling leaves. After draining my own accounts, I tried to use Kevin’s salary card. The system flashed: INSUFFICIENT FUNDS! I just assumed I’d grabbed the wrong card. It never occurred to me that he’d already moved all the money. On one side, the nurses were hounding me for payment; on the other, a $30,000 shortfall. In desperation, I turned to high-interest online loans, thinking, once he wakes up, we can easily pay back $30k. Kevin woke up a week later. When he found out I’d taken out predatory loans to save him, his face instantly darkened. When I asked for his salary card, he hemmed and hawed, saying he’d invested the money and lost it all. Back then, I actually believed his investment story. Worried that getting upset might trigger another stroke, I even comforted him, saying it was okay, I’d figure out the money situation. But the interest compounded. And compounded. Soon after he was admitted, the $30,000 ballooned to $75,000. I had to ask him for help. Maybe get an advance on his salary from work, or borrow from friends. He exploded, yelling that I borrowed the money, it had nothing to do with him, and I had to pay it back myself. I was stunned. He sounded nothing like the gentle, considerate Kevin I knew. He was like a selfish stranger. The doctor told me many stroke patients experience personality changes, and it could be hard for families to adjust. I believed it. Thinking he was fragile after his recovery, I tried to handle the debt myself. But I’d moved across the country to marry Kevin right after college, cutting ties with my family in the process. Asking them for help was impossible. As a stay-at-home wife, I had no recent work experience. Countless interviews ended in rejection. My only option was to borrow more, escalating from bad online loans to even shadier lenders. Eventually, I caught the eye of the loan shark’s boss, who demanded I become his mistress. That’s when I started putting the pieces together. He and that secretary who brought him to the hospital, Chloe, seemed to have been involved for a while. 3 Last time, when I rushed to the hospital, I found a valet ticket stub while signing papers. It listed the location he was picked up from. Something like… The Grand Royale Hotel, room 303! Yes! The Grand Royale Hotel, room 303! My eyes narrowed. A plan started forming. I bought a pinhole camera, then checked into The Grand Royale Hotel, taking room 305 – right across the hall from 303. Noon is peak checkout time. After lunch, the cleaning staff would start their rounds. I watched the peephole like a hawk. Soon, a housekeeper started cleaning 303. As she was finishing up, I opened my door, asked her if she could please clean my room first. Then, while her back was turned, I slipped into 303. Stepping inside, I gasped. Red mood lighting, a heart-shaped waterbed, a jacuzzi tub, a sofa shaped like red lips. This was clearly a fantasy suite. Standing on a stool, I quickly hid the pinhole camera behind one of the spotlights. Then I calmly walked back to 305 just as the housekeeper finished cleaning my room. 9:00 PM. I heard familiar voices outside the door. “I love you, baby.” It was Kevin! “Mmm… you’re eager. Careful, the baby!” “It’s past the first trimester, right? I’ve been holding back for so long…” “Seriously though, when are you going to divorce her?” “There’s a project bonus coming next month, about $25k. Let me transfer that out too, then I’ll bring up the divorce.” “Mmm, okay… mmm.” The door slammed shut. Yes, Chloe was already pregnant at this point. In my past life, when I found out, I flew at Kevin, hitting him. He called me a crazy bitch and said since I already knew, he might as well tell me everything. “Chloe and I have been together for a while. She’s carrying my child. We got a paternity test done. It’s a boy.” “The Chen family finally has an heir!” (He never Americanized his family name pride). “We’ve been married three years and you haven’t gotten pregnant. You’re just a barren hen!” “You want the $450,000 from my account? I moved it to an offshore account long ago. You’ll never find it!” Sobbing uncontrollably, gasping for air, I asked him why. Why, when I was desperately trying to save him at the hospital, taking on so much debt for him, would he do this to me? He laughed, a cruel, cutting sound, and said something I’ll never forget. “It was Chloe who brought me to the hospital. It was the doctors who saved me. I was destined to live. What does it have to do with you? I’d be perfectly fine without you.” 4 Swallowing my disgust, I opened the live feed from the camera. Watching them cling to each other. Suddenly, Chloe got an idea. She wanted to play something… stimulating. Kevin’s eyes lit up. He immediately turned and bent over. Chloe picked up a small whip, like a matador facing an overly excited bull. Crack. Crack. Each strike was met with gasps and moans of pleasure. He was loving it. Apparently, that wasn’t enough. She put on high heels and stepped onto Kevin’s back, right onto his buttocks. That move made Kevin’s eyes roll back in ecstasy. Wait. His eyes rolled back! Chloe stepped down a few more times, but Kevin didn’t react. That’s when she realized something was wrong. She rushed over, shaking him, then screamed and scrambled back. She fumbled for her phone, probably calling 911. In the few minutes before the paramedics arrived, she frantically got dressed. Then she tried to dress Kevin. He’d already had a stroke; moving him was the worst thing to do, but she was forcing his limp body into clothes. Last time, the doctor said it was rare for someone so young to have such a severe stroke. Now I knew why. It wasn’t just the stroke from the BDSM; it was being manhandled afterward. No wonder it was so bad! Soon, I heard hurried footsteps and the rumble of a gurney in the hallway. After a flurry of activity, they wheeled him away. I opened my door. Other guests peeked out of their rooms, making snide remarks. “Whoa, did someone just kick the bucket in there?” “People are wild these days! I heard it clear as day, the guy was yelling ‘Your Majesty, spare me!’” “Hehe. Honey, I wanna try that.” “Oh, spare me. I don’t have a death wish.” While everyone was distracted, I slipped back into 303 and retrieved the camera. Step one, complete. The real show was about to begin.

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I was lying gutted on a table in some black-market organ harvesting clinic, my insides being scooped out. Meanwhile, my A-list celebrity husband was blowing the five million bucks he got for selling me in a high-stakes Vegas casino. My husband, Ethan Cole, was the entertainment world’s golden boy, praised by everyone as a positive role model. But he was also a gambler. He gambled away everything we owned. Then he conspired with our accountant to steal the hundred-million-dollar emergency fund meant to save my dad’s company. He lost it all overnight. The shock killed my dad. I was completely disillusioned. I wanted a divorce. I wanted him in prison. But he got on his knees, begging, using the fact that he’d once given me a kidney to guilt-trip me. In the end, I softened. I let him go. I never imagined my moment of weakness would lead me straight to hell. He and the rich older woman bankrolling him teamed up to sell me to a black-market organ trafficking ring. Strapped to a cold metal table, fully conscious, I watched them slice open my stomach and remove my organs. The overwhelming pain and terror plunged me into darkness. When I woke up again, I found I’d been reborn. I was back on the exact day I was about to turn Ethan in, the day he pleaded desperately for me to stop. 1 My head throbbed as I slowly opened my eyes. The man kneeling at my feet clutched my legs, sobbing uncontrollably. “Liv, please, let me go,” he choked out. “Don’t hand over the evidence, okay? I’ll go to jail! I’m a celebrity! You’ll ruin my life! Liv, don’t you remember how much I loved you? When you were sick, I gave you my kidney! You can’t be this cruel.” This scene… it was so familiar. It was… right after I discovered my husband, Ethan Cole, had embezzled my dad’s emergency company funds for gambling, lost it all overnight, causing my dad to die of a heart attack. The moment I was ready to send him to prison. Had I… been reborn? It seemed even fate couldn’t ignore my simmering rage, my bottomless hatred. Since I get a do-over, Ethan Cole, I swear you’ll die a dog’s death! Remembering the agony he inflicted on me and my dad in my past life, my hatred boiled over. I lashed out with my stiletto heel, kicking the unprepared Ethan hard. He crumpled to the floor, howling in pain. “Aaaah! It hurts! Liv, are you crazy? I saved your life! How could you do this to me?” Ethan curled up on the floor, whimpering for a long moment before shouting at me in disbelief. Ha. Same old routine. In my past life, every time Ethan screwed up, he’d pull the “I gave you my kidney” card to shut me up. And every damn time, I fell for it. Not anymore. I wouldn’t be fooled again. Ignoring his cries, I decided to strike while the iron was hot. I grabbed a nearby ceramic vase and smashed it over his head. Ethan let out a bloodcurdling scream. Unfortunately, he managed to partially block it with his leg. It didn’t kill him instantly, but it definitely took him out of commission. My fury wasn’t quenched. The memory of being sliced open, the excruciating pain… I turned and headed to the kitchen, selecting the sharpest knife I could find. Seeing me approach like that, Ethan looked terrified, practically melting into a puddle on the floor, trembling. Blood from his injured leg stained the expensive rug. “Liv… what… what are you doing? Calm down! Killing someone is illegal!” “You killed my father. I’m going to make you join him,” I hissed, advancing on him like a vengeful spirit clawing its way out of hell. “I… I didn’t! It wasn’t on purpose! I didn’t know Dad’s company was in trouble! I thought I’d win the money back quickly! It was just bad luck that I lost it all! It’s not my fault! Besides, your dad wasn’t healthy anyway! How can you blame his death on me?” Ethan was frantic now, a suspicious yellow puddle spreading beneath him. His words stopped me in my tracks. I couldn’t believe someone could be so utterly shameless, so despicable. 2 In my previous life, my dad’s company hit serious trouble. Cash flow dried up, forcing him to take out a mortgage loan against assets. But shortly after the loan money came through, it vanished from the company accounts. The investigation pointed to the accountant, who had transferred all the funds into Ethan’s account. When we contacted Ethan, his account was empty. He’d blown through over a hundred million dollars in a single night of gambling. Hearing the news, my dad suffered a fatal heart attack. He couldn’t be revived. Afterward, god knows what Ethan promised the accountant, but the guy confessed, claiming Ethan had nothing to do with it. He even produced records showing the transfers were ‘gifts,’ with notes explicitly stating they were voluntary donations. There was no paper trail linking them professionally for this transaction. But I knew Ethan was behind it. I’d accidentally found his burner phone, the one with chat logs detailing his conspiracy with the accountant. I confronted him, hoping he’d confess. But Ethan used the ‘life-saving’ kidney donation to emotionally blackmail me. And fool that I was, I let him off the hook. 2 And his repayment? Selling me to an organ harvesting ring. This time, there would be no second chances. Snapping back to the present, I ignored Ethan’s pathetic screams. I put down the knife, found a roll of duct tape, and tightly bound his hands and feet. I slapped a piece over his mouth and dragged him down to the basement, locking the door. I needed to calm down, think clearly. I didn’t just want Ethan dead. I wanted him ruined, disgraced, suffering unimaginable agony before he died. I wanted him to experience everything I went through. And I wanted to bring down that entire black-market operation that butchered me. I searched Ethan’s room and found all his phones. Using his face, I unlocked each one. Not only did he have multiple phones, but each phone also had a dual operating system, like a hidden partition. What I found inside was explosive. Absolutely insane. I found multiple group chats dedicated to high-stakes gambling. Perfect. Conspiracy to gamble, check. Then there were dozens of hookup groups. Endless transaction records for escorts and call girls. Great. Solicitation, possibly organizing illicit activities, check. Shady contracts suggesting tax evasion. Embezzlement of massive company funds. … The list went on. All these charges combined had to mean decades in prison. But it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough. I combed through everything, determined not to miss a single dirty secret. I wanted to expose every rotten piece of him, show his adoring fans, show the whole world, the monster hiding beneath Ethan Cole’s perfect skin. The deeper I dug, the more horrified I became. It was hard to believe the man I’d shared my bed with for years was this kind of scum. I couldn’t help myself. I went back down to the basement, ripped the tape off his mouth just long enough to slap him hard across the face. I felt one of his teeth loosen. Ethan could only glare at me with pure hatred, like he wanted to tear me apart with his bare hands. Then, in a chat with a contact saved as “Doc,” I found a strange message: [Boss approved. 5 mil. Three days. 1 AM. Address is…] [Received. Pleasure doing business.] I tried scrolling up, but older messages were deleted. Something felt very wrong. The level of caution suggested something illegal and serious. Just then, a notification popped up on another phone. The contact was saved as “Red”: “Ethan baby, I miss you. Come crawl into my arms.” Swallowing my disgust, I scrolled through their chat history. So, this was the rich cougar bankrolling the scumbag. I screenshotted a few things and was about to switch phones when another message came in. Red: “How’s that bitch doing? Her dad’s dead, and I bought out his company for pennies. She must be clinging to you for dear life now. When are you finally going to deal with her? My patience is wearing thin!” She was talking about me. So these two lowlifes had conspired against my family from the start. My chest ached with fury and guilt. I had let this wolf into our lives, and it cost my father everything. I thought for a moment, then typed back, “Soon. She’s already agreed to the divorce.” “Divorce? Don’t play dumb with me, Ethan. Why would I want a divorce? I want her ruined. I want her dead, and suffering.” … “Okay,” I typed back. Fine. You want to play games? I’m ready to play. 3 I ripped the tape off Ethan’s mouth again and shoved the phone in his face. “Who is Red? Why is she targeting me?” “Liv, I was wrong, I really was! Hit me, yell at me, I deserve it! Just forgive me, please? I hurt all over,” Ethan whined, smart enough to know screaming was useless in this secluded mansion in the hills. His only option was to beg. “I might let you go,” I lied smoothly, subtly turning on my phone’s camera. “If you tell me, was it this ‘Red’ who put you up to going after me and my dad?” “…” “Fine,” I sighed theatrically. “Then I’ll just package up all your dirty laundry and send it off to TMZ and The Insider. By tomorrow, you’ll be the next disgraced A-lister heading for prison. You’ll never work in this town again.” “Okay, okay! I’ll talk! Just don’t send anything!” Ethan pleaded, terrified. “All I know is she was your dad’s business rival. She was the one who convinced me to… access your dad’s company funds. I don’t know why she hates you specifically. Maybe… maybe I’m just too irresistible, and she couldn’t stand the competition for my affection? But Liv, my heart only belongs to you! Red and I… it was just business, an act! Remember, I gave you my—” “Stop! Don’t make me sick,” I cut him off. “Our family paid back any ‘debt’ for that kidney years ago through your career.” God, I was so stupid. It took dying once to finally see the truth. My husband, Ethan Cole, was a top-tier Hollywood star. He had that innocent, boy-next-door look, could sing, could act. He cultivated a ‘single and searching’ image that captivated millions of young women. What his fans didn’t know was that he was married – to me, Olivia Miller, or Liv. I was the only daughter of the CEO of one of LA’s biggest entertainment companies. During my senior year of college, I was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure. My dad used all his connections and offered a fortune online, searching desperately for a donor. Just when I was losing hope, Ethan Cole appeared. He contacted my dad, offered to get tested, and miraculously, he was a match. 3 Back then, Ethan was just some unknown actor signed to my dad’s company, barely scraping by. He was young, around my age. My dad felt uneasy about taking a kidney from someone so young and planned to compensate him generously after the surgery. But after the transplant, Ethan refused any compensation. He told me he’d had a secret crush on me for ages, that giving me his kidney was something he wanted to do, asking for nothing in return except for me to be healthy. At the time, I thought it was the stuff of epic romance. My dad suspected ulterior motives, but I was insistent, head over heels, and eventually, he gave in and let us be together. After we got married, my dad poured resources into Ethan’s career. He even went head-to-head with rival studios to promote him. This corporate warfare put immense strain on my dad’s company, leaving it vulnerable. But Ethan? He soared to A-list status. Looking back now, it’s laughable how I let him use that ‘gift’ to manipulate me for years. This time, he’d learn what happens when you bite the hand that feeds you. I remembered from my past life, around this time, Ethan was invited by a major non-profit to be their official Anti-Gambling Ambassador. There was going to be a huge ceremony, live-streamed nationally. That was the day after tomorrow. Perfect. Before then, I’d just add some fuel to the fire. Let everyone see exactly what kind of ‘anti-gambling’ this ambassador was really doing. 4 The next morning, I went down to the basement, untied Ethan, and even tended to his wounds, applying antiseptic and bandages. Ethan didn’t dare make a sudden move. Maybe it was the kitchen knife I was casually holding, or maybe he was just biding his time, looking for an opportunity. “Ethan,” I started, forcing tears into my eyes. “I shouldn’t have hit you yesterday. But losing Dad… you causing it… I just lost control. Thinking about it now, I feel horrible. You gave me your kidney, and I treated you like that. I was wrong. Please, can you forgive me? You’re all I have left now.” I put on my best repentant act, though inwardly I felt nauseous. I stole a glance at the tiny hidden camera tucked behind a potted plant. I had to keep this up. Ethan looked stunned by my sudden 180-degree turn. “Are… are you serious?” “Of course, Ethan. Please tell me you can forgive me?” “Put the knife down first,” he demanded. I tossed the knife casually onto the floor. Seeing this, Ethan scrambled to pick it up, his true colors instantly showing. He pointed it at me. “Give me all the evidence you have! And my phones! Or I’ll kill you!” “Ethan! What are you doing? Don’t! You’re scaring me! Boo hoo,” I fake-cried. “Cut the crap! Give it to me! Now!” “Okay, okay! I’ll give it to you! Here’s the proof of your gambling, stealing Dad’s millions, losing it all overnight… it’s all on this drive,” I said, handing him a USB stick. I watched him meticulously delete everything from it, a smirk playing on my lips. “Ethan, the evidence is gone now. Can you forgive me? I know you still love me. Why else would you have donated your kidney when I was dying?” I put on a pitiful, wronged expression, tears welling up in my eyes. Delete it? He wished. I had backed everything up a hundred times over, stored in multiple secure locations. “Liv, you really think highly of yourself, don’t you?” he sneered, dropping the act now that he thought he was safe. “I might as well tell you the truth now. I only donated that kidney because I knew your dad could make me a star. The resources, the connections to get me to the top… that’s all I wanted. Did you really think you were some kind of siren who could charm a man into giving you his heart? You’re pathetically naive.” “What? No! You’re lying! That’s not true! You loved me! All these years, you were so good to me… it couldn’t have all been fake!” I committed fully to the role of the devastated, love-blind fool, nearly gagging on my own performance. “I was good to you so your dad would be even better to me,” Ethan spat, his face full of smug satisfaction, utterly devoid of remorse. “He went to war with half of Hollywood for me, got himself crushed in the process. Don’t blame me for that. Blame yourself and your father for being idiots.” I couldn’t take it anymore. My hand flew out, slapping him hard across his smug face. Ethan froze, stunned. Then, recovering his senses, he lunged at me with the knife. Instinctively, I threw my hand up, catching the blade. Bare-handed. Ethan’s expression was priceless. He clearly hadn’t expected me to be crazy enough to try and catch a knife. He panicked, his hand trembling so badly he dropped the knife onto the floor. I picked it up and handed it back to him. “It’s a plastic prop knife, Ethan. What are you so scared of? See? My hand is perfectly fine.” Good. This little charade had served its purpose. Just then, Ethan’s phone rang. It was his agent, rushing him to get ready for an event – a fan meet-and-greet today. Limping, Ethan headed out, clutching his bruised face. Before leaving, he shot me a look full of menace and muttered, “Just you wait.” Once Ethan was gone, I carefully reviewed the video I’d secretly recorded. Everything looked good. It would be perfect for the big reveal the day after tomorrow. Then, I took a small clip from the footage I’d captured the night before – the part where Ethan admitted Red was just a means to an end – and sent it anonymously to ‘Red’. I was betting that as soon as Red saw that clip, she’d summon Ethan for a confrontation. And I was ready. I’d already planted a tiny listening device on him and had his phone’s GPS tracked. 5 Things unfolded exactly as I expected. After Ethan’s fan event, the two had a furious argument over the phone. They finally agreed to meet at a five-star hotel downtown, in their ‘usual room’. Usual room? The audacity of these two. Carrying on like this for so long without getting caught by the paparazzi was almost impressive.

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My best friend has been hooked on this relationship advice livestream lately. While I was hashing out wedding plans with the event coordinator, She suddenly shoved her phone at me, “You HAVE to hear this!” The guy calling into the stream was saying, “My girlfriend’s decent enough, checks the boxes, but honestly? She’s not on my level anymore.” “There’s this other girl, way more impressive, and she’s into me…” “How do I get my girlfriend to just… take the hint and leave on her own?” Then, I heard a familiar meow in the background. My boyfriend of ten years wanted to dump me right before our wedding. And I hadn’t even had the chance to tell him, I’d just inherited a fortune. 01 My bestie, Chloe, practically slammed her phone into my hand. The caller on the screen had his camera off, voice distorted. “We’ve been together, like, ten years? She’s the typical good wife material.” “Always doing laundry, cooking, putting me first, you know?” “But I feel like she’s dragging me down now.” “My company’s taking off, and the daughter of this big potential partner, the CEO’s daughter, she’s really into me…” “How many chances do you get in life to really level up, right?” “It would be perfect if she just figured it out and left quietly…” Textbook scumbag. Normally, I’d be roasting him in the comments with everyone else, But those few distinctive meows in the background? It felt like my throat closed up. I’d rescued a stray cat, someone had drugged him, damaged his vocal cords. His meow was awful, unforgettable once you heard it. My boyfriend hadn’t wanted me to keep him; we’d even argued about it. The scumbag… was my boyfriend, Ethan Cole. I’d been with Ethan since college, back when he had nothing, all the way until now, when his company was finally getting somewhere. Ten whole years. He had been talking to a big company lately about a partnership. The contact person was the CEO’s daughter. Sometimes Ethan would duck into the bathroom late at night for calls, laughing and talking with her for an hour or two. Full of jokes and charm. Ethan said it was all for work. “Gotta keep the clients happy, right? How else am I gonna make the money to give you the perfect wedding?” With the wedding so close, I believed him completely. So, while I was drowning in wedding planning details… My groom-to-be, Ethan, Was agonizing over how to get me to leave him. My phone buzzed. A restaurant reservation confirmation. 【Mr. Cole, your requested private booth, ‘Sweetheart Suite,’ has been prepared. We look forward to welcoming you…】 It was the restaurant we went to for our ten-year anniversary celebration. I’d found the place back then, cozy and romantic. Naturally, they had my number; Ethan never bothered with little details like that. Chloe obviously recognized the cat’s unique meow too. She slammed her hand on the table, furious. “That bastard! I’m gonna go find him!” My mind was a mess, like I was still trying to wake up from a nightmare. My hand felt cold when I grabbed hers to stop her. “Ms. Quinn, should we finalize the lilacs as the main flower for the wedding?” The wedding planner was waiting for my confirmation. Lilacs. Symbolizing first love, innocence. Ethan and I were each other’s first love. I couldn’t just declare us dead on arrival like this. I managed to calm Chloe down and went home alone. As I walked in, Ethan was heading out. “Going somewhere?” “Weren’t we supposed to have dinner with your family tonight?” I was still holding onto a sliver of hope that the restaurant was a surprise for me. But Ethan just patted my shoulder. “Something came up at work last minute. You’ll have to handle dinner tonight, okay? Thanks.” Like he was encouraging an employee. My cat, Rascal – I named him that hoping a tough name would help him thrive – came over, rubbing against my leg. Rascal flopped onto his back, tail brushing against Ethan’s pants. Ethan made a “tsk” sound, full of disgust. I petted Rascal and asked him, “Ethan, have you been really stressed lately?” “If something’s bothering you, you can talk to me about it.” He answered casually, “What’s the point? You don’t understand company stuff.” “Just handle my mom tonight, make sure she’s happy. Don’t make me deal with mother-in-law drama.” Ethan forgot I graduated from the same university he did. In the early startup days, I worked just as hard as he did. It was his idea that a husband-and-wife team looked unprofessional. “You hold down the home front,” he’d said. “We have the same goal, just different roles.” All these years, I bought his crap, busted my butt being his support system, swallowing my own feelings so he wouldn’t be bothered. Looking back now, I was such an idiot— Beep. Ethan’s phone notification. He glanced at the screen, a smile unconsciously playing on his lips. “Oh, right, I got you a little something.” Before leaving, Ethan tossed a box from a designer brand onto the shoe cabinet. “If my relatives give you a hard time tonight, just look at the gift and try to put up with it.” A tiny pair of stud earrings. Normally, I’d be happy he was thinking of my feelings. But earlier today, Chloe had given me an early wedding present. She knew I liked this brand. She got me a classic handbag, and inside the bag was a small box. “That’s a free gift-with-purchase, just threw it in there,” she’d said. Identical earrings. I stared at the small box, feeling like I was holding the ashes of our love after cremation. “Ethan,” I said, “Maybe we should break up.” For a split second, in his surprised expression, I saw a flicker of relief he couldn’t hide. But the next moment, he smiled, cupped my face, and kissed my forehead lightly. “Don’t be silly. You just have pre-wedding jitters.” “I gotta run to work. We’ll talk when I get back.” Even breaking up with him, I was still being put on the back burner behind everything else. 02 I didn’t wait for Ethan to come home. I packed my bags. Grabbed Rascal and moved into Chloe’s place that night. If I love someone, I go all in, no looking back. But when I stop loving them? I can switch to pure logic instantly, cut my losses. Even though it was ten real, solid years of my life, I still have plenty of decades ahead of me. Chloe was sprawled on the couch, cuddling Rascal, looking at me with pity. “Sarah, you ditched the loser, and now all you’ve got left is money.” “Seriously, how awesome is that kind of life!” Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me. “Good thing I stopped you from telling that scumbag about the inheritance!” “You better figure out how to thank me! This is worth at least two hot pot dinners!” She was joking, gently trying to soothe my hurt feelings without making a big deal of it. Chloe’s family was well-off; she’d helped me out a lot over the years. But she never expected anything in return. A week ago, I’d suddenly gotten a call about inheriting an estate. At first, I thought it was a scam. Chloe snatched the phone and snapped, “Are your scammer background checks this cruel now?! You’re scamming orphans?!” “Shameless!” “Money? Fine! We don’t want it!” “Give me your address! I’ll show you what a fist of justice looks like!” The person on the other end gritted their teeth. “Ma’am, this is the police department!” I was the result of my parents’ youthful mistake. After I was born, they both took off, never to be seen again. My grandmother raised me by scraping by until I was seventeen, then she passed away. Back then, when I was lost and alone with my grandma’s body, the police couldn’t find my parents. And now they show up like this. Apparently, over the years, they’d each done very well for themselves, latching onto a sugar mama and a sugar daddy respectively. Old and faded, they remembered their youthful romance and decided to come find me for some family time. But they started arguing on the way back. It turned into a physical fight in the car, and they plunged together into the abyss of love – literally, off a cliff. The taxes I paid just transferring the houses, cars, and stocks into my name could have funded four or five of Ethan’s companies. I had planned to tell him about it as a wedding surprise. Too bad he wasn’t destined to have me. Thank God I wasn’t destined to have him. My phone rang. It was Ethan’s mother, calling to rush me. Oops, forgot to tell her I wasn’t coming tonight. The second I answered, she started chewing me out. “The relatives are all here! Where are you?” “Not even married to my son yet and you’re already acting like some high-society wife?” “Making the elders wait for you? No respect!” “Did you book the hotel rooms for the relatives yet?” “His second aunt and third aunt are the most down-to-earth ones, they don’t need a hotel, they can just crash at your place for a few days.” “Did you get the gifts I told you to prepare?” “They came all the way from back home, it’s not just about the food, you know.” “You don’t have family, so they’re here to support you!” “Now that my son’s making money, don’t be stingy and cheap.” “It reflects badly on my son when people talk.” “Sarah Quinn, get over here right now!” After unloading all that, she hung up. Honestly, she wasn’t always like this. The first time Ethan brought me home to meet his widowed mother. She held my hand, her eyes full of kindness. “Ethan tells me you’re an orphan?” “You poor child. Thank goodness you don’t mind that we’re poor, don’t mind an old woman like me.” “Good girl. From now on, you’re my daughter. This is your home.” Even looking back now, I don’t think the kindness Ethan and his mother showed me back then was fake. Their hen laid one egg a day. That single egg would appear in my bowl, cooked in different ways. When his mother slipped the family’s silver bracelet onto my wrist, Ethan’s eyes were filled with pain and guilt. They couldn’t give me much back then, but they gave me their all. But people change. They change the most. As Ethan’s career started to take off, his mother’s gaze got higher and higher. She went from calling me “daughter” to “Sarah” to just “Sarah Quinn.” From: “Aren’t you jealous? My daughter is so beautiful, like an angel!” To: “Don’t even mention her. She’s just destined to sit at home and enjoy life, can’t help my son with anything!” I decided I still needed to go to the restaurant. To give the bracelet back to his mother. And to get back the money I’d already paid for the dinner. My money didn’t grow on trees, and I wasn’t about to let some ungrateful wolves snatch it. 03 Through the closed door of the private dining room, I could hear the loud chatter inside. They were talking about me. “Ethan’s mom, your daughter-in-law really is a city girl!” “Still not here? Putting on airs!” Ethan’s mother made a couple of tutting sounds. “She’s probably off getting your gifts!” The other person scoffed. “She doesn’t look down on us poor relatives, does she?” Ethan’s mother quickly waved her hand. “She eats my son’s food, drinks my son’s water, just a burden who knows how to take. Does she dare?!” “She has to suck up to you elders!” “Otherwise, our Ethan wouldn’t even let her in the door!” Someone else started gossiping. “Ethan’s wife is definitely a looker, but she’s so thin. Hope she doesn’t have trouble having kids!” “Good thing she has no parents, saves trouble later if she fights with Ethan and threatens to run back home.” Ethan’s mother puffed up with pride. “Her? Argue with my Ethan? My Ethan just has to glare and she gets scared to death!” “If she hadn’t been chasing after our Ethan back in college, begging him to take her, with my son’s status now, he should be marrying some heiress!” “She really lucked out!” But it was Ethan who pursued me first. There was another guy, a rich kid, interested in me at the same time. Ethan swore to me, “Trust me, in ten years, I’ll be doing better than him!” Now, of course, Ethan wasn’t nearly as wealthy as that heir who inherited his family business. But back then, Ethan was like resilient grass in the wind, refusing to bend even when battered by storms, wearing his confidence like a white shirt. I saw in him the same thing I saw in myself – a forced strength born from having no one else to rely on. I wanted to build a safe harbor with him. With the wedding approaching, a lot of relatives had come. Ethan had complained to me many times about how demanding they were. “They helped pay a few years of my tuition, made my mom sign IOUs for all of it.” “Now every single one acts like I owe my success entirely to them.” Ethan didn’t want much contact with his relatives, but his mother felt completely different. She loved having people visit from their hometown. If someone’s daughter-in-law was having a baby, she’d tell me to take them to the hospital. If someone’s grandchild wanted to go to a good school, she’d tell me to find connections. If someone’s son wanted a respectable job, she’d tell me to help find one. Preferably high pay, low work. Behind their backs, his mother would scoff. “They used to look down on us. Now, which one of them is doing better than my son?” Chloe called me the “Chen Family’s Unofficial City Liaison Office.” “Did you sell yourself to that family?!” I should have seen the shift in Ethan and his mother’s mindset long ago. I just clung to the memory of that past sincerity, pretending to be blind and deaf. Ethan’s mother came out to call and rush me again, yanking the door open right in my face. She slapped my forearm. “You brat! You finally decided to show up!” “I thought we’d need a parade to get you here!” Chloe, who had come with me, stepped in front of me. “Hey! Why are you hitting her!” Faced with Chloe’s direct accusation, Ethan’s mother just forced a smile. “Oh, Chloe’s here too. Join us for a bite later. Let me just have a quick word with Sarah.” Ethan’s mother knew Chloe came from money and was always extra polite to her. She even once said she felt a connection with Chloe and wanted to adopt her as a goddaughter. Chloe looked like she’d swallowed a fly back then and bluntly said she didn’t need another mom. Without another word, Ethan’s mother dragged me aside. “Didn’t I tell you not to be cheap? Order some impressive dishes to shut them up!” “Spending my son’s money on the wedding like it’s nothing!” “I told you what to do, and you serve them mushrooms and noodles?!” She must have meant abalone and shark fin soup. I pulled my arm free from her grip, my voice calm. “I came to tell you that Ethan and I broke up.” “And this is yours.” I handed the silver bracelet back to her. I had wanted to ask for the dinner money back, but the meal had already started. I couldn’t make the restaurant take the loss. Ethan’s mother squinted, looking me up and down, making clicking sounds with her tongue. Like she was looking at a crazy person. I motioned for Chloe to leave with me, but Ethan’s mother grabbed me again. “What? You lived off my son, ate his food.” “Wasted so many years of his life, and now you think you can just walk away without consequences?” Suddenly, it was all my fault?? 04 Ethan’s mother said if I wanted to break up, I had two options: either give Ethan a son, or pay him a million dollars. “Giving my Ethan a child would be doing you a favor!” “My son’s bank card has been with you all this time! Who knows how much money you’ve siphoned off him over the years!” “Trying to run off with the money? Dream on!” She clung to me, refusing to let go, spitting as she yelled in my face. Initially, Ethan’s bank card was kept by his mother. But one time, Ethan gave the wrong account number for an investment, and the money went into his personal account. His mother, without asking, immediately withdrew $400,000 to buy her brother a house. Ethan was frantic. I had to sell my only property, an apartment, to cover the shortfall for him. After that, Ethan got the card back from his mother. He said he was giving it to me to manage, but honestly, Ethan always kept the main card himself. I only had a secondary card for daily household expenses. The relatives in the private room all came out to watch the drama. Ethan’s mother started wailing. “My son worked so hard to build his business, and this bitch wants to steal it all!” Chloe tried to pull me away, but a large, burly relative shoved her, knocking her to the ground. Seeing my best friend get hurt because of me ignited my anger. “Enough!” I pointed at Ethan’s mother, who was now sitting on the floor throwing a tantrum. “Ethan cheated on me emotionally! I already broke up with him!” “I dumped your precious son.” “Coming here to tell you was basic decency on my part, not because you hold any ‘elder’ status!” “Those few bucks Ethan clutches onto tighter than his life? I don’t want them.” “If you want money, ask your son! Don’t ask me!” “Forcing a girl to have a baby for your family after a breakup?” “You think I won’t call the cops and get you a nice, long, all-expenses-paid stay in jail?!” I was furious, scanning the crowd with a sharp gaze. “Who pushed my friend just now?!?!” Chloe immediately understood, pointing at the culprit. “It was him!” “Oww… I feel dizzy, nauseous… Call the police, don’t let him get away…” The man she pointed at jumped up. “Ethan’s mom! I was sticking up for your family!” “You gotta handle this!” I called the police. Ethan’s mother called Ethan. The police and Ethan arrived at the same time. Before the police could even ask what happened, Ethan stepped forward, shaking one of the officer’s hands. “My fiancée and my mom just had a little misunderstanding. It’s a family matter, we can handle it ourselves.” “Sorry to trouble you.” Ethan looked at me reproachfully. “Sarah, I asked you to do this one thing. Couldn’t you even handle that?” He shook his head in disappointment, as if I was an unbearable burden. I shot back immediately. “Excuse me? Your meals, your laundry, your schedule, taking care of your mom, handling all your relatives’ major and minor issues – I did all that.” “All you did was go to work.” “You’re the one who only does one thing.” He seemed surprised I’d talk back, his frown deepening. “Isn’t my work also for giving you a better life, making you happier?” I let out a cold laugh. “Ethan, you’re the one who’s been comfortably enjoying my efforts all these years, living a happy, easy life.” “Didn’t you want me to break up with you first?” “Well, you got your wish. Don’t push your luck.” “Officer, we’ve already broken up. His mother attempted to unlawfully detain me.” “And his relative just assaulted my friend.” “We request a medical examination and appropriate compensation.” Ethan stood there, stunned. His mother gritted her teeth. “Are you crazy broke, you damn girl?!” The young officer frowned. “Ma’am, watch your language.” Chloe rolled her eyes dramatically at them. “Who wants your money! We want justice!” The officer taking notes looked up. ??? That sounded familiar… I opened my phone, pulled up the balance of one of my accounts, and shoved the screen in front of Ethan’s mother. “Ma’am, put on your reading glasses and count the zeros.”

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My wife’s first love got kidney disease. To save him, she gave the kidney meant for me to him. To stop me from storming the hospital, she locked me in our bedroom. She spent every day and night by his bedside, cooking for him, tending to his every need. All she left me were some crackers and a carton of expired milk. A month later, she finally opened the door. “Have you thought things through?” My face was pale as I looked at her in despair. “Without that kidney, I’m going to die.” “Don’t talk about dying. You’ve been waiting this long; the pain, the discomfort… you must be used to it by now. Do you really need to say things like that just to scare me?” “But Mark is different. He’s never been able to handle pain. Can’t you try to understand him more?” “Understand,” I nodded stiffly. As I walked out of that room, I resolutely chose to leave. But she wouldn’t let go of my hand, even after being stabbed multiple times! … I struggled to get up, wanting to leave the bedroom to find water. I hadn’t had a drop of warm water in days. When Sarah locked me in here, she only left milk that had expired months ago. I’d finished the milk long ago. With no water, I had to resort to drinking tap water from the bathroom sink. “Get back here! Did I say you could leave?” Sarah was furious, yanking me back forcefully. I was weak, my stomach aching dully. Caught off guard, I stumbled and hit the corner of the desk. “It’s not like this illness is new for you, is it? You’ve been fine all this time, haven’t you? You’ve managed this long, what difference does waiting another month or two for a kidney make? Why are you throwing a tantrum now!” My arm throbbed numbly where it hit the desk, but the sharpest pain didn’t seem to come from there. Slowly, I lifted my eyes to look at the woman I had loved deeply for so many years. My chest felt like a gaping hole had been torn open. During those days trapped in this room, I kept asking myself: Am I really that worthless? What do I even mean to Sarah? Seeing my silence, Sarah furrowed her delicate brows and finally took a hard look at me. “Ethan, are you trying to threaten me with a hunger strike?” “We’ve been together for years. You know I respond better to kindness than threats, right?” I lowered my gaze. There were so many things I didn’t know after all these years with Sarah. This was just one more. I swallowed hard, but the lump of bitterness in my throat wouldn’t go down. “Sarah, I just have one question.” “Locking me in here, sealing the windows shut early on, taking my phone… did you plan all along to give my kidney to Mark? Leaving me without food or water, did you even consider how I’d survive? Did you deliberately forget I need dialysis? Did I—” “Enough, enough! Why are you rambling on?” Sarah waved her hand impatiently, then bent down, picked up the trash can, and shoved it in my face. “What’s this? Huh? Look at this! Ethan, you ate everything, scraped it clean, and now you’re accusing me of trying to starve you?” My eyes stung. I quickly raised a thin hand and wiped furiously at my face. Then I turned and walked out of the room without looking back. “Where are you going! I’m not finished talking!” Sarah followed close behind, but she stopped dead in her tracks, just as I did. In the living room, on the massage chair I’d bought for myself… Right there, lay a man. 2 Seeing Sarah and me, he quickly paused whatever he was doing and got up. Sarah saw him and immediately pushed past me, rushing over. “Slow down! What’s the hurry? Don’t you know you just had surgery? Be careful how you move!” In an instant, Sarah seemed like a different person. Her face showed mock annoyance, but she acted like a petite woman, almost pouting playfully. “Sarah, don’t worry, I’m fine. But… I heard what you and Ethan were talking about just now.” “Ethan, Sarah did this behind my back. When I found out, I felt terrible. I didn’t realize she’d done so much for me. I feel really bad, really guilty. How about this? Let me kneel down for you. Thank you for your incredible generosity!” Though Mark was recovering from major surgery, his face was flushed with health. The health I longed for… He claimed ignorance with every word. My face deathly pale, I stared intently at him. Just as I was about to speak, another voice cut in faster. “Mark! What’s this about kneeling? Why would you kneel to him!” “Ethan’s been sick for so long, he’s used to it. Don’t blame yourself. You need to rest now. Lie down for a bit. Later, I’ll go buy a nice chicken and make you some soup to build up your strength.” “Sarah, you’ve already done so much for me. This past month, you’ve taken care of everything. Even my own mother admits she couldn’t have done better. You even got me that expensive VIP room, spending every day in that little kitchenette figuring out different healthy meals for me. I really don’t know how to thank you!” Mark, getting emotional, took a few steps forward and grabbed my hand. “Ethan, I really envy you having such a wonderful wife. Sarah’s a good woman. You can’t keep being stubborn and upsetting her like you used to.” Bitterness flooded my heart. I pulled my hand away from his grasp. Was I upsetting Sarah? When my condition worsened, when I was most vulnerable and needed her company the most, she was tirelessly by Mark’s side, barely sleeping. All because Mark had just been diagnosed, and he was worried, scared, afraid of pain. And the kidney I had waited so long for? Sarah had forcibly tricked the system to transfer it to Mark. Every word Mark spoke felt like a knife deliberately twisted in my chest. And Sarah was the one handing him the knife. I managed a bleak smile. “Is that so? If she’s so great, then she’s all yours.” I turned and walked towards the door. This house was suffocating me. If I stayed any longer, I wouldn’t survive. But even in this state, Sarah wouldn’t let me go. The moment my fingers touched the doorknob. Sarah’s voice came from behind. “Ethan, are you crazy! What nonsense are you talking! Is your mind that filthy? You see dirt in everything?” “Mark and I are just purely friends!” A sarcastic sneer spread across my pale face. “Boyfriend, you mean?” SLAP! My head snapped to the side. I slowly lowered my eyes. Sarah stared at her hand in disbelief, then looked at me frantically. “I… Ethan, I didn’t mean to. I was just so angry! Yes! You were talking nonsense, that’s why I hit you!” I blinked slowly. I wanted to hit back, but the ringing in my ears grew louder and louder. I desperately reached out, trying to grab onto something, but caught only air. Just as I started to fall towards Sarah… I watched, wide-eyed, as Mark urgently pulled her away. “Sarah, watch out!” 3 When I woke up again, I had a nasal cannula in my nostrils and clips on my fingers. The steady beeping of machines filled the air. Sarah wasn’t in the room. I removed the wires attached to me and slowly shuffled out of the hospital room. As soon as I opened the door, I heard voices from the nearby stairwell. It was Sarah’s voice. The stairwell was dim. Mark held Sarah tightly in his arms. “Sarah, that really scared me back there. I thought he was going to hit you! If he had dared to lay a hand on you, I don’t care if he gave me this kidney, I would’ve punched him!” Sarah blushed, gently pushing him. “Why would he hit me? You’re overthinking it, Mark. Besides, you were there, weren’t you?” “Sarah, I really regret it. If I hadn’t left back then, if I had stayed here, would things be different? We wouldn’t have missed all these years.” I let out a short, bitter laugh as I watched Mark lean down to kiss Sarah, silencing whatever she was about to say. “Are you the patient from Bed 13? What are you doing standing here!” A sudden voice from behind startled the woman in the stairwell. Sarah hurriedly pushed open the stairwell door, not even wiping the tears from her face. She frowned at me. “Ethan, why are you up?” I gave Sarah a long look, then shifted my gaze to Mark, who now wore a smug expression. Without Sarah watching, he didn’t even bother pretending anymore. “Are you asking him? How are you monitoring your patient? He took off his ECG leads and wandered off, and you didn’t even know! The doctor’s been calling for you, where were you?” The nurse scolded Sarah sharply. Sarah swallowed but said nothing. I turned and went back to my room. Sarah followed close behind. Since Sarah didn’t show up, the doctor came to my room personally. “Ethan, you’re severely ill. Why did you wait so long to come to the hospital?” I pressed my lips together, unsure how to answer. Sarah spoke up, sounding genuinely surprised. “Isn’t he always like this? He’s been on dialysis for years. Even in the hospital, it’s just IV drips and anti-inflammatories. Isn’t it the same as taking meds at home and getting infusions at a local clinic?” I looked at Sarah, my face expressionless. All those years, afraid of worrying her, I’d always rush home early. Going back and forth to the hospital was inconvenient, and I didn’t want her to worry. Plus, she had just started a new job and couldn’t easily take time off. So, I went to a small clinic near our house for my infusions. If I finished early, I could go to the supermarket next door and buy groceries to cook her favorite dishes. After all these years of marriage, I never knew Sarah could even make chicken soup. A sourness stung my nose. The hole in my chest felt like it had been gouged wider. “The same? How could it be the same! Didn’t we explain the test results to you, the family member? His condition is very serious now. His body’s metabolism is severely compromised. How can a grown man like him be malnourished? Aren’t you feeding him at home?” The doctor pointedly scolded Sarah, whose face flushed red and pale by turns. Of course, she wouldn’t dare tell anyone what she had done to me. And even if I could speak up, it wouldn’t bring back the kidney that should have been mine. I lay weakly on the hospital bed. Sarah stood beside me, frowning, flipping through my test reports page after page. It hit me then. Before this moment, she had never actually looked at them closely, nor had she ever really listened to what the doctors said. 4 Memories stretched back. From when I first got sick, Sarah was always impatient. She refused to accept the reality, didn’t want to hear me talk about it. Back then, I thought she was just scared of losing me, afraid of being left alone in the house. So, I listened to the doctor’s advice alone. I went for check-ups alone. I bought medication alone. I got infusions alone. All the worry and fear, I digested it all by myself. I didn’t dare tell her, afraid she’d be sad, upset, afraid she’d lie awake all night worrying, just like me. But then later… Later, when Sarah found out her first love, Mark, had a similar illness, she locked herself in her room and cried for a whole day and night, refusing to eat or drink. The irony was, at that time, I thought she was worried because my own condition had worsened. I stood outside her door, trying to comfort her for ages. She wouldn’t open it. She sat crying on the floor inside, so I sat on the floor outside, leaning against the door, telling her joke after joke to cheer her up. Separated by just a door, I thought that even if fate hadn’t given me a healthy body, it had given me the most important person, my love, and that wasn’t so bad. But I never imagined that even this small hope was false. When the doctor told me they’d found a suitable kidney match, that I could have surgery soon, that I wouldn’t have to run between home and the hospital anymore, that I could live like a normal person, take her traveling to all the places she wanted to go – I had even planned routes on my phone. I never expected what awaited me was Sarah locking me in the room, decisively and ruthlessly giving away the kidney I had waited so long and hard for to someone else! “How could it be this serious?” Sarah lifted her fair face, looking at me in disbelief. “Sarah, let me see those.” Mark stepped forward and snatched all the test reports from her. “Is there anything else? If not, please leave. I need to rest.” I sat up straighter. Sarah’s eyes widened. “What are you doing? Mark means well! Look at your nasty temper, snapping at everyone!” Right in front of me, Mark reached out and took Sarah’s arm. “Sarah, calm down. I’ve been through this, I understand. These doctors love to exaggerate. They just want patients like me and Ethan to worry and panic, so we’ll agree quickly to all the drugs and tests they suggest.” “It’s probably not that big a deal; they just make it sound terrifying.” “Doctors in public hospitals aren’t always the best. We should find a real specialist. My cousin is actually an expert in this field. I can send him Ethan’s medical records for a look.” “Okay, thank you for the trouble, Mark.” Sarah went with Mark to find the doctor and get copies of my records printed. Lying in bed, a wave of intense pain washed over me. My pale face instantly beaded with sweat. My body trembled as I tried to sit up and press the call bell. But every movement intensified the pain! I was right here in the hospital, yet I couldn’t move. Just as despair filled my eyes, the door opened again. I looked towards Sarah, full of hope. “It hurts so bad, quick… call the doctor—” Suddenly, the stack of test reports slammed hard against my face. “Enough! How long are you going to keep pretending!”

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Right after giving birth, my husband sent me off to recover at his old flame’s postpartum wellness center. What I didn’t know was that it was a shady, unlicensed joint. For a whole month, no visitors. The caregivers there either hit me or screamed at me, constantly mocking my post-baby body. Meanwhile, my husband, Ethan, was busy throwing a huge one-month celebration party for my baby with his precious Sophia. I saw it on TV. A luxurious ballroom, packed with guests. Ethan and Sophia stood center stage, looking like the perfect little family. When a reporter asked a question, Ethan looked at Sophia with such tenderness and pity, “You’ve worked so hard, honey.” Everyone gushed about what a power couple the CEO of Sterling Corp and his “wife” were. My mother-in-law, who always gave me the cold shoulder, beamed as she slipped the family heirloom bracelet onto Sophia’s wrist. Swallowing the blood and tears, I pulled out the cell phone I’d managed to hide under the mattress and called my brother, who was finally back in the country. “I need to get my baby back, Chris. And I’m going to make every single one of them pay!” … I was finally home, sipping some hot chicken soup, when Ethan and Sophia burst through the door with some people. Ethan was furious. “Maya, what the hell are you doing running around? Do you have any idea how worried Sophia was when she found out you disappeared from the center? She nearly lost her mind! And you’re just sitting here calmly drinking soup?” Sophia put on her best hurt expression. “Ethan, don’t blame Maya. Maybe she just missed home and left without telling anyone.” That just made Ethan angrier. “Sophia was kind enough to let you stay at her high-end center, arranged the best caregivers, the best nutritional meals, and this is how you thank her? Maya, you’re getting more and more ridiculous! Apologize to Sophia right now!” I let out a cold laugh. This was the man I once loved. Sending me to an unlicensed hellhole just for his old flame. The “best nutritional meals” he mentioned? Cold leftovers. Chicken soup with a thick layer of grease solidified on top, and a gnawed chicken bone sunk at the bottom! His “best caregivers” gave me cold water, took my phone, kept me locked up, and dished out beatings and verbal abuse daily. The more I remembered, the hotter the hatred burned inside me. But it wasn’t time to deal with them yet. I finished my soup and set the bowl down gently. “Where is my baby?” Ethan paced irritably, then rounded on me again. “Who are you giving that attitude to? “Didn’t I explain this already? Sophia lost her baby; she just wanted to borrow ours for a little while. She’s been through so much, what’s the big deal letting her have the baby for a bit? We can always have another one!” I sneered inwardly. Just like that, he casually talks about giving away the child I nearly died to bring into the world. I remembered when Ethan was chasing me, promising he’d always treat me right. My parents hadn’t approved of him back then, didn’t want us together. He actually knelt outside their door, swearing he wouldn’t marry anyone else. That’s what finally, reluctantly, convinced them. But the moment his old flame, Sophia, came back to the city, everything changed. I thought about the day I went into labor. I couldn’t reach him, no matter how many times I called. Complications arose, needing family consent for procedures. He was nowhere to be found. Shaking, I signed the critical condition forms myself. And where was he? His excuse later: “Sophia’s kid fell down the stairs and was in the ER! Can you stop being so dramatic?” Before I could even respond, he’d hung up violently. When I tried calling back, his phone was off. When I finally woke up, I found myself in some recovery center I’d never heard of, and the baby I’d endured a traumatic birth for was gone. My phone was missing. I couldn’t contact anyone. Panicked, I tried to run out to find my son, but the center’s staff grabbed me, dragged me back to the room, and literally tied me down. They fed me scraps. I was on the verge of a complete breakdown when I saw the news report about Ethan’s party on the TV in the corner. There he was, arm around Sophia, who was holding my baby. My mother-in-law personally placed the family bracelet on Sophia’s wrist, smiling and telling the cameras, “My daughter-in-law gave birth to a beautiful, healthy boy! She’s the hero of the Sterling family!” A happy family of four, perfect for the media. While I was tied up like an animal in that dark, hopeless place. 2 My hands, resting on my lap, clenched into fists. I looked Ethan straight in the eye. “Give me back my son, or I’m calling the cops. Tell them how you illegally confined me in an unlicensed facility just to steal my child!” Ethan’s face changed. Sophia burst into tears. “I’ve been a mother; I know how hard it is. That’s why I suggested Ethan let you stay at my recovery center. I never thought you’d see me this way, Maya. “I didn’t want to steal your baby, I just wanted to hold him… And since you couldn’t attend the one-month party during your recovery, I just went in your place to watch over him. I didn’t realize you’d misunderstand.” She sobbed pitifully, looking completely innocent. Ethan’s eyes filled with sympathy for her. He patted her back comfortingly. “You were just trying to help; it’s not your fault.” Then he turned to me impatiently. “Maya, don’t push your luck. Apologize to Sophia! And go back to the center quietly, or you’ll never see the baby again!” Without waiting for my reaction, he waved to the orderlies behind him, signaling them to take me away by force. Just as their rough hands grabbed me, pulling me up— My brother, Chris, walked in through the door. His gaze was ice-cold, his face stern. Behind him stood several tall, imposing bodyguards. “What do you think you’re doing to my sister?” A couple of bodyguards stepped forward, grabbed the orderlies, and slapped them hard across the face, again and again, until their cheeks were swollen. These were the same monsters who had abused me. Back then, I didn’t know the center belonged to Sophia. Treated like that, I thought maybe I was in some kind of psych ward. I begged them to let me call Ethan. They just laughed cruelly. “It was your husband and Ms. Sophia who put you in here. You think he’s going to come get you out?” My heart dropped. The C-section scar throbbed. Guessing they were deliberately sent to torture me, I snapped, “You’re assaulting a patient! That’s illegal! Aren’t you afraid of getting arrested?” Their tone was pure contempt. “We’ve been open for ages, taken in countless new moms. Nobody’s ever successfully reported us. Who the hell do you think you are?” “Just behave yourself in here, and we’ll take real good care of you!” They didn’t want to waste more words. Their faces turned menacing, their fingernails dirty black as they pressed down hard on my incision. The pain was blinding; blood slowly seeped from the wound. And at that exact moment, my husband was parading his love for his old flame in front of the media. … Ethan looked at my brother, visibly shaken. His expression flickered. Cautiously, he said, “Maya might have postpartum depression. I just wanted her to get some rest and treatment.” “Funny, I wasn’t aware my sister had PPD,” Chris scoffed. “You think the medical team at Lin Corp can’t compare to your little wellness center?” Ethan’s face finally drained of color. He whipped his head around to look at me, his voice dry. “Maya, the CEO of Lin Corp is your brother? Why didn’t you tell me?” I gave him a cold smile. “My brother was busy, he couldn’t make our wedding. I was planning a nice family dinner after the baby was born, get everyone together. Who knew you’d ship me off to that hellhole instead?” Back then, my parents had reluctantly agreed to let me be with Ethan, but they wanted to “observe” him longer. They told me not to reveal our family’s situation to him. So, he had no idea I was the sister of Chris Lin, CEO of Lin Corporation. Coincidentally, my grandfather got sick this year, so my parents went abroad with him for treatment. Chris was tied up with overseas business. That’s why, when I had complications during labor, Ethan was the only one I could turn to. 3 Ethan looked like he was about to crumble. I knew his company had been struggling recently. He’d been bending over backward, wining and dining one of my brother’s VPs, desperate to land a partnership project with Lin Corp. Chris casually draped a jacket over my shoulders, then turned to Ethan with a smirk. “You know, I was actually considering what my sister said the other day… giving your company the project, partnering up. Wasn’t out of the question. But seeing how you treat her…” Of course, Chris was bluffing. I wanted Ethan to taste hope, only to have it snatched away. A flicker of desperate hope crossed Ethan’s eyes, though he tried to maintain composure. He grabbed my hand, his tone reproachful. “Why didn’t you tell me something so important? “Sending you to the recovery center was for your own good! But if you didn’t like it, fine.” Every word was an excuse, shifting blame, completely ignoring the suffering I endured there. Seeing this, my brother barely contained his anger. “My sister suffered in that place,” he said contemptuously. “I won’t make things difficult. We’ll just follow the law. Report this center, get the person in charge and the abusers thrown in jail. Stop them from hurting anyone else.” Hearing this, Sophia finally panicked. She tugged at Ethan’s sleeve, crying, “Ethan, I didn’t know they’d treat Maya like that! I just wanted her to have the best care, I swear I didn’t know… “Maya, if you have to blame someone, blame me. Ethan didn’t know anything.” She cried so pitifully, looking every bit the innocent victim. Sophia was Ethan’s childhood neighbor, the girl he’d crushed on, the one that got away. Back then, she’d flirted with him but refused to commit, marrying some rich guy instead. But the rich guy’s family went bankrupt soon after. She got divorced and came back with her kid. From that moment on, Ethan started staying out all night. All she had to do was put on a damsel-in-distress act, mention her kid was sick and she didn’t know what to do. Ethan would drop everything, leave my side instantly, and rush to her. Meanwhile, I was heavily pregnant, going to prenatal checkups alone. When I had a fever, I had to call a ride-share myself. I had insisted on marrying Ethan against my parents’ wishes. Now I was reaping the bitter consequences, swallowing them alone. I didn’t want my parents to worry, so I always told them everything was fine when they called. I never imagined it would embolden them to escalate things this far. I laughed coldly. “One ‘I didn’t know’ and you wash your hands of it all? If apologies actually fixed anything, what would be the point of the police?” The air grew thick with tension. Chris helped me sit down at a table with some tea, watching Ethan and Sophia’s faces shift through various shades of panic. “You two should leave,” Chris said flatly. “You’re not welcome here. “And Ethan, forget about the business deal.” The next second, Ethan suddenly spun around and slapped Sophia hard across the face. “Who told you to treat my wife like that?” he roared. Sophia clutched her reddening cheek, eyes wide with disbelief. I almost laughed out loud. Wow, Ethan really was ruthless. Willing to strike his precious Sophia just to protect his interests. I remembered how, not long ago, Sophia had falsely accused me of burning her finger. Ethan had shoved me away so violently I hit my head, then forced me to apologize. He stayed away for days, saying he’d only come back and forgive me when I truly admitted I was wrong. I’d wanted to divorce him right then, but while getting my head wound treated at the hospital, I found out I was pregnant. When Ethan learned I was pregnant, he was ecstatic. He instantly reverted to the attentive man he used to be. I thought it was because of the baby, the responsibility of a new life, that he’d had a change of heart. Only later did I learn the truth. Sophia had complications giving birth to her daughter and had a hysterectomy. She could never have children again. And the baby I was carrying… tests had shown it was a boy. Ethan stood with his back to me; I couldn’t see his expression. Sophia was sobbing, kneeling before me. “I’m so sorry, Maya.” Ethan put on a guilty face. “Maya, Sophia didn’t mean it. We grew up together; I just look out for her a little more sometimes.” I remained unmoved. I knew exactly what Ethan felt, or didn’t feel, for his old flame. I just asked coldly, “Where is my son?” Ethan quickly replied, “He’s at our place, safe and sound.” 4 My brother and I rushed over to my mother-in-law’s place. As soon as she opened the door and saw me, her face soured, and she physically blocked the entrance. “What do you want?” Ever since I married Ethan, she’d disliked me. She thought her precious son, with his looks and supposed wealth, deserved a rich heiress, not an “ordinary” woman like me. (Never mind that when Ethan and I got together, his company was just starting, he was broke, and the gifts he bought me cost less than one of my typical meals.) Before, I put up with her attitude for the sake of family harmony. Now, talking to her felt like a waste of breath. I simply nodded to the bodyguards behind me. One guard took each of her arms and pulled her aside. My mother-in-law struggled violently, screaming. “Help! Someone’s breaking in to steal the baby! Ethan? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t let her take the baby—” “Mom! Maya and I are here to see the baby! Why are you blocking the door?” Ethan cut her off sharply. I gave a cold smile, ignoring their little performance. Pushing the door open, I saw my precious baby boy nestled in his bassinet, chewing on his little foot. Maybe it was a mother’s connection, but the moment he saw me, he broke into a wide, toothless grin. I covered my mouth, tears welling up, and rushed over to hold him. I’d only glimpsed him briefly after he was born before passing out from the pain and exhaustion. It had been almost two months, and this was the first time I truly held him. So soft, so small, this tiny being I carried for ten months. “It’s okay, little one,” I whispered, holding him close. “Mommy won’t let anyone take you away from me ever again.” I cuddled him gently, and he soon fell asleep in my arms. I carefully placed him back in the bassinet and instructed the bodyguards to take him out first. My mother-in-law panicked. “That’s my Sterling grandson! Where are you taking him, you bitch?” Ethan snapped impatiently, “Mom! Maya is his mother! What are you talking about? This isn’t your business; go back to your room!” My mother-in-law looked furious, her chest heaving, but she listened to him and left. Ethan gently put an arm around me. “See, Maya? Now you believe me, right?” I managed a smile. “Believe what? He’s my son, of course he is. But right now, the whole world thinks he’s Sophia’s child, that you two are the happy family.” Ethan rushed to reassure me. “That was all Sophia’s idea! She insisted on going. I only went along with it for the company’s image. “Come on, Maya, everything I do, all the hard work for the company, isn’t it all to give you and the baby a better life?” If I believed that load of crap, I really would be an idiot. But simply sending Sophia to jail wasn’t enough. I wanted her reputation utterly destroyed. And Ethan, the main culprit, had to face his own reckoning. After a moment’s thought, I said, “I want you to hold another party. A proper one. And in front of all the media, you will acknowledge me as your wife and the mother of our child. Everyone needs to know the truth.” Ethan readily promised. Before he could relax, I turned, looking at Sophia’s delicate, tear-streaked face, and added with a sweet smile: “Of course, Ms. Sophia wronged me significantly. She publicly tried to steal my husband and my child. So naturally, she also needs to publicly kneel and apologize to me. “Any objections, Ms. Sophia?” Sophia’s face instantly turned deathly pale.

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Around here, I have a nickname: “Liam’s lapdog.” We were childhood sweethearts, but I basically forced him to marry me. After the wedding, he treated me like ice, but I acted like I didn’t care. Today is our third wedding anniversary. I was scrolling through Instagram and saw a post from Claire Foster, his old flame: “Apart for so long, but thank goodness you were always there.” The picture? A candlelight dinner. Liam’s profile was unmistakable. I liked the post and commented: “Wishing you both the best.” The next second, my phone rang. It was Liam. “Stop obsessing over stupid stuff online,” he snapped. “Tonight’s Claire’s welcome home party. Everyone’s having a good time.” Then I heard him turn away from the phone. “Don’t mind her,” he said to Claire. “She’s always been petty like that.” Yeah. Petty enough to love him my entire youth. In that instant, something snapped. I was finally awake. 1. Liam didn’t get home until the middle of the night, reeking of alcohol. He collapsed onto the sofa. “Ava, get over here.” He always did this. Come home, demand I untie his tie. He’d get pissed if I wasn’t there. Martha, our housekeeper, told me once he’d also come home drunk, sat on the sofa, and just waited for me until god knows when because I was out. I rubbed my eyes, dragged myself downstairs, and undid his tie. As I turned to leave, he grabbed my arm. He pulled a small jewelry box from his pocket. “Claire wanted me to give this to you. Said she was worried you’d misunderstand. She felt so bad she rushed out to buy it right after dinner.” I opened it. A cheap bracelet. I managed a small smile. “Wow, she really shouldn’t have. Found this at the gift shop downstairs from the restaurant, huh?” Liam wasn’t amused. “What’s that supposed to mean? It’s the thought that counts. It shows she values you.” I stared at the obviously plastic charm dangling from the chain and had to bite back laughter. Liam leaned closer, sniffing the air around me with disgust. “Ava, haven’t I told you to shower when you get sweaty? Why don’t you ever listen?” Liam’s a neat freak. After we got married, he demanded I always smell fresh. Even in summer, if I broke a sweat, I had to shower immediately. Tonight, my emotions were too raw. I’d gone for a run earlier, trying to clear my head, then just sat staring out the window for hours after I got back. Usually, I’d jump to do whatever he said. But right then, I just froze. Seeing me motionless, he gave me a shove. “Ava, what are you spacing out for? Go shower, then make me some detox tea.” After I made the tea, he suggested, “Since Claire got you a gift, you should return the favor tomorrow. Go shopping, pick something out. It’s important to reciprocate.” I shot him a look. “How about I take her out for a nice meal too? You know, soothe her wounded feelings?” Before I could blink, Liam handed me his phone. “Call her yourself and set it up. She’s probably still awake.” Married three years, and Liam never gave a damn about my schedule. But Claire’s? He knew it by heart. 2. When I didn’t move, Liam dialed her number himself and put it on speaker. Claire picked up almost instantly. “Hey there, handsome,” she cooed. “Home already and missing me?” I cringed so hard my toes curled. Mortifying. Liam saw my expression darken and quickly took the phone off speaker, walking away to murmur a few things privately. I turned to go upstairs, but he grabbed me again after hanging up. His face was tight with annoyance. “What’s your problem now? She was drunk, just joking around.” I just nodded. “Mm-hmm.” That seemed to piss him off more. He shoved me hard. I lost my balance and banged my knee against the edge of the sofa. Blood instantly welled up. I have hemophobia – I get faint at the sight of blood. Liam knows this. He panicked. “Okay, sit down, sit down! I’ll get the first-aid kit.” He frantically rummaged through it for gauze, but there wasn’t even a scrap left. “When did this first-aid kit get so empty?” he muttered, annoyed. I didn’t tell him I’d used the last of the gauze the day before when I cut my finger making the steak dinner he wanted. I didn’t want him to think I was being dramatic. He knelt, disinfected the cut, and then said, “Maybe I should take you to the pharmacy? Get some more gauze, maybe some antiseptic wipes.” The thought of medicine made my stomach clench. I gently touched my belly. Over a month now. I’d waited for our anniversary, hoping… but he wasn’t even here. Tonight, I’d desperately wanted a drink to numb the ache, but I couldn’t decide about the baby yet. So I resisted. Claire posted last week: He says I’m always clumsy and getting bruised, so he thoughtfully put together a first-aid kit just for me. Thinking about that now… the contrast. I was the one who stocked everything in this house. Sometimes he’d find his shaving cream empty and yell at me. “Is this how you play the good wife? You can’t even keep track of basic necessities?” Back then, I’d just lower my head and apologize, terrified he’d get angry and storm out. When he got mad, he wouldn’t just block my number; he’d disappear for days. He wouldn’t come back until I used Martha’s phone to text him apologies until he felt satisfied. Then he might text back: “I’ll be home for dinner tonight. Make it early.” Of course, he’d only show up maybe four out of ten times he said that. Sometimes I’d just sit there, staring at a table full of cold food, my eyes stinging. I nodded now. “Okay, let’s go together. I could use a fruit smoothie anyway.” Liam pinched my waist. “Look at the time! And smoothies? What wife weighs over 130 pounds after getting married? Would it kill you to skip a snack?” I’ve always had a larger frame. Honestly, I watch my weight carefully. But Liam always compared me to his secretaries, his friends’ girlfriends. The cruelest was when he said, “If it wasn’t an arranged marriage to save my family’s company, do you think I would’ve looked twice at you?” Yeah. Back then, Walker Corp was tanking because of a shareholder scandal. My family proposed the marriage alliance. Liam was still moping because Claire had run off overseas chasing some other guy. His parents jumped at the offer. From dating to marriage, it all happened in less than a year. I knew he didn’t like me. Maybe even found me repulsive. Sex was like clocking in for a shift. Our parents were desperate for grandkids, so around my ovulation time, he’d grudgingly perform his husbandly duties for a few days. We’d just gotten into the car when Liam’s phone rang again. It was Claire, sounding weak on the other end. “Liam… I think I have that stomach bug again… throwing up, diarrhea… can you come get me? Please?” Liam glanced at me, then told me to get out of the car. I grabbed his wrist, pointed at my bleeding knee. “You said you were taking me to get bandages.” His face turned cold. “It’s just a scratch, Ava. Deal with it yourself. Claire sounds really sick; she might need the ER. Don’t be so selfish!” No matter how I pleaded, his expression stayed hard as he practically dragged me out of the car. “Just grab a cab or something,” he said dismissively. “Buying bandages isn’t rocket science.” Buying bandages isn’t hard, no. But he forgot that the sight of blood makes me tremble uncontrollably, makes my heart pound like crazy. Watching his taillights disappear, my heart plunged into an icy abyss. 3. I knew Liam wouldn’t be back tonight. I ordered takeout, along with gauze and antiseptic wipes. Every time Claire called Liam away, she’d almost always post about it later. I waited, eventually falling asleep, but no Instagram notification popped up. I thought about it again and decided against taking the allergy meds for the hives that always broke out when my hemophobia kicked in. I fell into an itchy, restless sleep, only jolted awake by a specific notification sound on my phone. The one I’d set just for Claire’s posts. I rubbed my eyes. A new picture: Claire in a hospital bed, hooked up to an IV. Liam had bought her a hot water bottle, heating pads, even ginger tea. You could see the dark circles under his eyes; he looked exhausted. I remembered a beach trip Liam took me on with his friends. I was on my period and didn’t want to go in the water. He’d grabbed my hand and pulled me into the ocean anyway. “When did you get so dramatic?” he’d snapped. “We’re all out here having fun, who are you sulking for?” His friends all stared at me. “I’m just not feeling well today,” I’d mumbled, embarrassed. “I was going to rest on the sand.” But Liam wouldn’t let go of my hand. That night, I was doubled over in bed with cramps, begging him to get me some painkillers. He’d been completely annoyed. “Why are you always so much trouble? Where am I supposed to find that stuff this late? Just tough it out.” He had no idea how bad period pain could be. I spent the whole night sweating and shivering, listening to his steady breathing beside me. The next morning, he actually laughed at me. “Wow, you got ugly overnight. Hurry up and put some makeup on.” He had such high standards for me. Controlled what I wore, even my accessories. Sometimes I’d buy jewelry I loved and show him, but he’d always scoff. “Your taste is just so… tacky.” But Claire wore similar styles all the time. And he’d comment under her posts: Looks great on you. Claire was a minor influencer, always shooting daily vlogs since college. This hospital post was the first time she’d shown Liam’s full face clearly. The comments poured in. “OMG, is that your BF? He’s so hot!” “Hot AND rich! Isn’t that watch like, over $100k? #Goals, girl, so jealous!” “Are you sick?? And the handsome CEO stayed with you all night? It’s real love, confirmed!” … The comment that stung the most was from Liam’s burner account: Such a big girl, still can’t take care of yourself. Silly goose. Silly goose. So intimate. Even though Liam’s burner account only reposted sports highlights, I’d found it. He’d logged in on the tablet once and forgotten to log out. I quietly followed him. At first, I told myself he just wanted privacy from his official, verified account. But then I saw his comments on Claire’s posts. I realized how naive I’d been. This wasn’t just innocent interaction. They were practically flaunting it, just hiding it slightly. In all these years, Liam had never even made me a cup of hot tea for cramps, let alone stayed up all night. He complained if I asked him to blend a smoothie when he was making one for himself. Seeing that post, tears welled up automatically. 4. The doctor said my progesterone levels were unstable and told me to come back for a follow-up in a week. I dragged myself out of bed the next morning. Before I could even leave, Liam walked in, looking exhausted. He tossed his jacket at me. “Go get me some breakfast. I’m dead tired. Need to eat and crash.” Last night, I’d texted my best friend, Sarah Davis, planning to meet her at the hospital at 9 AM. I hate flaking on plans. I pushed his jacket back. “Order delivery. I have to go out.” Liam grabbed my chin, studying my face. “You’re not still pissed about yesterday, are you? It’s been a whole night.” Right. That was Liam’s way. He knew I was angry, but he always gave me the silent treatment, assuming time would fix everything. I laughed humorlessly. “It’s in the past.” His expression soured. “Ava, why are you always like this? Who are you trying to punish with that sour face first thing in the morning?” Seeing my jaw clench, he knelt, looking at my bandaged knee. “Does it still hurt? Want me to take you to the clinic to get it properly cleaned?” I took two steps back. “It’s been a whole night,” I said flatly. “What’s the point of saying that now?” “I’m fine.” I turned away, unable to look at him. Liam stood up, his tone chilling. “Maybe I should take you to the hospital anyway. Just so you don’t run complaining to Mom and Dad that I don’t care about you.” I took a deep breath. His parents had asked me a few times how Liam treated me. I remembered always saying he was great, just really busy, so we didn’t see each other much. How did that translate to me “complaining” in his mind? “Well, it’s the truth, isn’t it?” I snapped back. “I got hurt, and you just left me there.” Liam pointed a finger at me, his voice rising. “Ava, can you please try to be reasonable? How many times do I have to explain?” I didn’t say anything. I just opened Instagram and pulled up Claire’s hospital post. Liam froze for a second, then started explaining. “She just likes posting stuff, building her followers. Can’t you just let her have this? Besides, random strangers online don’t know who we are.” He reached for my hand. “Look, Claire was really sick last night. Her parents aren’t around. I couldn’t just leave her. You have to understand.” I looked at his calm face. “It’s fine,” I said tonelessly. “She was sick, weak. Of course, you should stay with her.” Hearing this, Liam smiled, squeezing my hand. “I’m glad you’re not upset.” Just then, I noticed a faint red mark on his neck, trying to hide under his collar. A year ago, even a month ago, I would have exploded. Screamed, demanded answers. But now? I calmly pointed to it. “You might want to cover that up better. You’re usually so careful about your image.” A flash of panic crossed Liam’s eyes. He bolted to the bathroom mirror. “Don’t get the wrong idea!” he called out. “It’s just a mosquito bite from the hospital yesterday! You know how sensitive my skin is.” I nodded slowly. “Are you heading out now? Need a ride to get breakfast?” Liam happily hopped into the passenger seat. We hadn’t even reached the breakfast spot when his phone rang again. Distracted for just a second, I slammed on the brakes too late and hit a stone pillar. Instantly, a sharp pain shot through my abdomen. I gripped Liam’s hand tightly. “Call 911! Quick! My stomach hurts!” His phone was still ringing incessantly. He frowned, answered it. Hearing Claire say her stomach bug was back, he prepared to jump out and grab a cab to her place, leaving me behind. “Liam, don’t go!” I screamed, my voice cracking. “I’m bleeding…” He glanced at me dismissively. “Stop being dramatic, Ava. What a lame excuse. Claire has a stomach bug, so suddenly you have stomach pain too? Are you trying to copy her now?” I grabbed his sleeve, desperate. “Please,” I begged. “Stay with me. I’m pregnant. I’m really bleeding.” Liam yanked his arm away. “Stop lying!” he snarled. “Don’t you think I’d know if you were pregnant?” His words hit me like a physical blow. My body went rigid, and I crumpled to the ground. Blood pooled beneath me, spreading like a dark, slow-blooming flower. Liam seemed not to see it. He got back in the car, drove away, the tires rolling over the edge of the crimson stain.

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Three years into our marriage, my husband Ethan’s college sweetheart, Claire, came back to the States. And she brought a child with her—a child who, everyone whispered, was Ethan’s. Suddenly, I, his wife, was the pathetic one. The doormat who supposedly clawed her way into being Mrs. Cole. Everyone said Ethan only married me because Claire left the country, and he made a rash decision out of spite. It finally hit me. I was never the main character in this story. But this time, I refused to be just a supporting character in theirs. “Ms. Hayes, congratulations, you’re pregnant.” I held the test results, my hand instinctively going to my stomach. But all I felt was bitterness. This baby couldn’t have come at a worse time. Two days ago, I got an anonymous text: “Claire Vance is back. The kid she brought with her is Ethan Cole’s.” That day was my birthday. It was also our third wedding anniversary. Ethan took a call that morning and then vanished for two days straight. My calls went unanswered. Claire was back, so naturally, I was forgotten. Snapping back to the present, I clutched the test results and headed to Ethan’s company. Three years of marriage, and now a baby on the way. Whatever the truth was, I needed to hear it from Ethan, face-to-face. Walking into the lobby, the receptionists gave me a fleeting look of panic. I nodded curtly and stepped into the elevator. Just before the doors closed, I heard their hushed whispers: “Is Mrs. Cole here for a showdown?” “Who do you think Mr. Cole will side with? I heard the woman upstairs is his college sweetheart.” Ethan’s assistant, Mr. Davis, saw me and, unusually, tried to block my path. “Mrs. Cole, you’re here. Let me inform Mr. Cole.” Seeing his uncomfortable expression, I took a deep breath and pushed past him. “No need. I’ll go find him myself.” I pushed open the heavy door to the CEO’s office. The cozy scene inside stabbed at my eyes. Ethan and Claire were huddled close, discussing something intently. On the nearby sofa, a little boy was playing with building blocks. They looked like a perfect, happy family of three. Hearing the door, Ethan looked up. Seeing me, he frowned. “What are you doing here?” I stepped inside. “What? Am I interrupting something?” His face darkened, and he was about to speak when Claire placed a calming hand on his arm. “Ava,” she said, “long time no see.” I watched their easy intimacy, a bitter smile twisting my lips. Four years had passed, but seeing them together felt just like college. Like they belonged to a world I was forever excluded from. My eyes drifted to the boy on the sofa. I asked the question that had kept me up for two nights. “Long time no see, Claire.” “Is this your son? Where’s his father? Didn’t he come back with you?” Claire’s eyes flickered, her face clouding over. The boy seemed to sense the tension and suddenly scrunched up his face and started crying. Ethan shot up from his seat, his face tight with anger. “That’s enough! If there’s nothing important, you should go home.” I looked at his displeased face, a familiar ache tightening my chest. Seeing my silence, Ethan softened his tone slightly. “Why are you asking about this? I’m extremely busy right now. Be good, go home first.” My hand tightened around the crumpled test results. “What about Claire? Why is she here?” He hesitated, a hint of guilt in his eyes. “Claire is my Special Assistant now.” I laughed, the sound sharp with irony. “Ethan Cole, you really have no shame, do you?” His face hardened completely. “Ava Hayes, don’t be unreasonable! Davis, escort Mrs. Cole out. And don’t let her in again for the time being.” With that, he turned back to Claire, gently coaxing the crying child with her. Mr. Davis looked miserable. “Mrs. Cole, please.” I fought back tears. “I can walk myself out. I don’t need an escort.” As I walked out of the office, looking defeated, I heard the low buzz of employee gossip: “Did Mrs. Cole just get kicked out?” “I heard if Ms. Vance hadn’t gone abroad, Mr. Cole never would have married this one.” “Is that kid really Mr. Cole’s? He does look a bit like him.” I forced myself to walk tall, head held high, out of Cole Corp. Once outside the main doors, I threw the wrinkled test results into a nearby trash can. The tears finally broke free, streaming down my face. 2 After leaving the company, I went back to my parents’ house, the Hayes house. Only my mother was home. My father was off somewhere with his latest mistress. We ate lunch in silence. Suddenly, she spoke. “Your father is seeing some starlet again, isn’t he?” My hand paused mid-air. “Who told you that?” Though I knew it was because this particular affair was very public. My mother put down her chopsticks, her expression bleak. “If only I could have given your father a son. Maybe he wouldn’t be like this now.” A wave of sadness washed over me. My mother had married down, supporting my father when he was starting from scratch. She loved him desperately. But once he made his money, the affairs started and never stopped. At first, my mother screamed herself hoarse, cursing him and his mistresses. Later, her emotions grew unstable. She started blaming herself for not giving him a son, fantasizing that a boy might have made him settle down. But my father hadn’t come home in a long time. We finished the meal in silence. I drove back to the house Ethan and I shared after getting married. I threw myself onto the bed, an unprecedented wave of exhaustion washing over me. That evening, Ethan actually came home, which was rare. He didn’t see me when he came in. Tossing his coat aside, he asked the housekeeper, “Where’s Ava? Why isn’t she down for dinner?” The housekeeper replied worriedly, “Ma’am came back this afternoon and went straight to bed. Maybe she’s not feeling well.” Ethan came upstairs and pushed open my bedroom door. “What are you still sulking about? Claire and I are just colleagues. Can’t you stop being so petty!” I lay in bed, not wanting to speak. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling me out from under the covers. Seeing my swollen eyes, he sighed. “You’ve always wanted to go to Switzerland, right? Once things calm down here, I’ll take you.” I stared into his eyes. “That little boy at your office today…” Before I could finish, Ethan cut me off, his face darkening. “Ava, don’t ask about that child.” I clutched the duvet tighter. “Why?” Just then, Ethan’s phone rang. Claire’s anxious voice came through the line. “Ethan, Leo seems to have a fever. Can you come over quickly?” Ethan immediately stood up and headed for the door. Before leaving, he seemed to remember something. “Tomorrow is the AU Centennial Gala. I have things to take care of tonight, so I won’t be back. Have the driver take you there tomorrow.” I watched his retreating back. That night, I slept fitfully, haunted by dreams of the past. 3 My mother and Ethan’s mother were best friends. They’d practically arranged our marriage when we were kids. As I got older, it was only natural that I fell for the brilliant and handsome Ethan Cole. I wasn’t as smart as him. I killed myself studying just to get into the same university, AU. But my grades were still far below AU’s standards. Crushed by reality, I hid away to cry in secret. Ethan found me. Seeing my tear-streaked face, he chuckled, half exasperated. “What are you doing hiding here and crying?” I sobbed, “My grades are too low. I can’t go to AU with you.” He reached out, pulled me up, and wiped the tears from my face. The sunlight caught him, making his features look even more defined and handsome. “Alright, seeing how sincere you are, I guess I can help you out.” For the next year and a half, Ethan spent time every day tutoring me. In the end, I barely scraped into a less popular major at AU. Walking onto the AU campus with Ethan, my heart soared with joy. Maybe Ethan liked me too. It wasn’t until Claire Vance appeared that I realized it was all just my fantasy. Claire and Ethan were both Computer Science majors. She was as brilliant as he was. She didn’t need Ethan to explain problems to her; she could confidently debate complex topics with him that went completely over my head. They teamed up for competitions, spending more and more time together. The admiration in Ethan’s eyes when he looked at her grew deeper. It was a look he never gave me. I felt like an outsider, excluded from their world. Everyone saw them as the golden couple, destined to be together. I finally mustered the courage to ask Ethan if he had feelings for Claire. If he said yes, no matter how heartbroken I’d be, I would let him go and wish them well. Ethan shoved his hands in his pockets, looking impatient. “Claire is a respected rival and a trusted partner to me.” Before I could say more, Claire’s cool voice called out from nearby, “Ethan, let’s go. Professor Thompson’s class is next.” Ethan tossed a parting shot— “Stop letting your imagination run wild all day”—and left. Watching them walk away side-by-side, I felt the distance between Ethan and me growing wider and wider. Just when everyone assumed they would end up together, during our junior year, Claire abruptly applied to study abroad. After graduation, pushed by both our families, Ethan and I got married. Ethan had already left Cole Corp during his senior year to start his own business. After the wedding, he was consumed by work. I barely saw him during the day, but at night, he was surprisingly passionate. Just as I started to secretly hope that maybe Ethan did have feelings for me after all… Claire came back. And she brought a little boy with her, who looked remarkably like Ethan. 4 I hadn’t planned on going to the Gala. I didn’t want to see Ethan and Claire. But the next morning, I received a text from my favorite professor from college. So, I had the driver take me to AU. After greeting my professor, a volunteer led me to the university’s main hall. As one of the top universities in the country, AU’s Centennial Gala was a grand affair. Former classmates spotted me and greeted me warmly. Someone asked, “Ava, didn’t Ethan come with you?” A woman who used to pursue Ethan chimed in meaningfully, “I heard Claire Vance is back. And she brought a child with her.” Suddenly, a stir went through the crowd. Claire walked into the hall, arm-in-arm with Ethan. Old classmates from the Computer Science department immediately swarmed them, teasing, “Well, well, look who it is! Our golden couple!” “Years have passed, but you two are still the perfect match, so good-looking together!” The classmates around me cast pitying glances my way. My hands trembled slightly. It felt like college all over again. Whenever those two appeared together, I was always the forgotten supporting character. Ethan saw me and walked over. The teasing crowd fell silent, as if just noticing my presence. He stood before me, his handsome brow furrowed again. “Why are you only wearing a dress? Aren’t you cold?” He shrugged off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. A few classmates who were friendly with me quickly chimed in, “See? Mr. Cole really knows how to dote on his wife.” Across the room, Claire watched us, her expression unreadable. Suddenly, she called out, “Ethan, Professor Thompson is here. Let’s go say hello.” Ethan murmured to me, “Wait for me, we’ll leave together,” then turned and walked with Claire towards an elderly man. Professor Thompson was old, his memory fading, but he still remembered his two most brilliant students. He took Ethan’s and Claire’s hands, placing them together, beaming. “So you two finally got together! Wonderful, wonderful.” Someone in the crowd, clearly enjoying the drama, called out, “Professor Thompson, you didn’t know? Ethan and Claire even have a child now!” A hush fell over the hall. Many people there knew Claire had returned with a boy who resembled Ethan. A child whose age suggested he was born before Ethan and I were married. Professor Thompson beamed, patting their joined hands. “Really? That’s wonderful news!” Ethan kept his eyes lowered, never uttering a word of denial. My heart sank completely. Whispers reached my ears: “So the child really is Ethan’s? What about his wife?” “In front of everyone… Ethan isn’t giving his wife any face at all.” “Men always hold a candle for their first love, don’t they? Though Ava Hayes was never really good enough for Ethan. Claire coming back just sets things right.” The buzzing voices made it hard to breathe. My stomach churned violently. Ignoring the strange looks from the crowd, I rushed out of the suffocating hall. Stumbling outside, I leaned against a tree, vomiting miserably. My phone suddenly rang. The housekeeper’s panicked voice on the other end sent my mind reeling: “Miss Hayes, come home quick! Your mother… she tried to kill herself!” 5 By the time I frantically arrived back at the Hayes house, paramedics were loading my mother onto a stretcher. A deep, bloody gash marred her wrist. Blood flowed relentlessly, impossible to stanch. My hands trembling, I rode in the ambulance with her to the hospital. Mother was rushed into the emergency room. The harsh hospital lights made my head throb. Pale and hoarse, I called my father. “Where are you? Mom tried to kill herself!” His irritated voice snapped back, “Damn nuisance!” before he hung up. Numbly, I dialed Ethan’s number. Listening to the ringing, my heart clenched painfully. Ethan, please, I really need you right now. The phone rang for a long time before finally being answered. Before I could speak, Ethan’s heavy voice came through. “Claire’s been admitted. I’m staying with her at the hospital. Don’t call me for a while.” The dial tone buzzed in my ear, plunging me into an icy abyss. The emergency room doors opened. A doctor walked out and looked at me, shaking his head helplessly. I couldn’t stand anymore. I crumpled to the floor, tears streaming down my face. 6 My mother’s family had all passed away long ago. Like a zombie, I handled her funeral arrangements alone. Back at the house, sorting through her belongings, I found a letter she’d left for me: “Ava, my sweetheart, I’m so sorry. Mama was in too much pain. This was selfish, but it was the only way out.” “If Ethan ever does something to hurt you, don’t be like Mama, trapped in a dead marriage, suffocating yourself. Mama believes you are much braver than her.” Tears soaked the letter, blurring the ink. Once I composed myself, I contacted a divorce lawyer. Then I took a taxi to the hospital. There, I ran into Ethan and Claire. Ethan was holding Leo. Seeing me, he blurted out, “What are you doing here!” I exhaled slowly. “I came for a check-up.” He seemed to realize his tone was harsh. Hearing I was there for an appointment, he asked with concern, “Are you not feeling well?” Leo, in his arms, tugged at his sleeve. “Daddy, we need to go get Mommy’s medicine.” A mocking smile touched my lips as I looked at Ethan. He shifted uncomfortably. “I’ll just go get the prescription filled. I’ll be right back. Wait here for me.” He walked off holding the child, but Claire didn’t follow him.

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